April 30 - 2 Samuel 19:31-20:26 | Psalm 7 | 2 Samuel 21:1-22 | 1 Chronicles 20:4-8

Good morning everyone,

As we begin reading this morning David is preparing to cross the Jordan to go back to Jerusalem.  His old friend Barzillai, you remember him, he was the wealthy man who brought David and all his company provisions when they were fleeing from Absalom, comes down to bid him farewell. David extends an invitation for him to join them and stay in the palace. Barzillai, though, is old and feeling it, so instead asks David to take Kimham, who is thought to be his son, instead. David says, “for sure!” and off they go. 

They don’t get far though when the ten northern tribes of Israel come to David and say (in their very best whinny, pouty voice) “Why did Judah get to bring the king back across the river and not us?” Are you kidding me! These are the very same guys who were fighting against David and now they are fighting over him? The guys from Judah simply say, “because he is closely related to us.” Sheba, being a trouble maker, takes to getting the people riled and lead the ten tribes to rebel against David. David has just got to be shaking his head, thinking “ay-yi-yi”, then sends for his new general, Amasa and gives him three days to gather Judah and get back to the palace. When it takes Amasa longer than that, David sends for Abishai, Joab’s brother and blood thirsty mighty warrior, to go in pursuit of Sheba. So, all Joab’s men march out under the command of Abishai. Amasa, this poor unsuspecting guy probably so happy to see them coming, goes out to meet them. As Joab walks toward Amasa he “accidentally” (wink, wink) drops his dagger. Then in one sweeping move he bends down to pick up the dagger with his left hand and while on the way up, grabs hold of Amasa’s beard with his right, indicating he was going to do the kissing-on-the-cheek greeting thing, but instead brutally stabs and kills Amasa. Ahhh, Joab! What a wicked childhood he must have had. Abishai and Joab then head on over to the city of Abel Beth where they will get the head of the traitor Sheba tossed over the wall to them.

In chapter 21 we read about a three year famine going on. David, we’re told, sought the face of God about this. I find myself wondering why it took him three years to inquire of God, but nonetheless, God says the famine in the land is because Saul had put the Gibeonites to death. Now you remember the Gibeonites, they were the tribe that, 400 years earlier, just after the fall of Jericho,  saw the way Joshua had just overtaken Ai, they were afraid and faked being weary travelers from afar to get Joshua so sign a covenant with them, promising to not kill them but rather they would be slaves to the Israelites for forever. Apparently Saul viewed “forever” as until he came on the scene, but God was not seeing an expiration date on the promise and so brought the famine. David goes to the Gibeonites and says, “how can we make this right?” They call for seven of Saul’s male decedents to be delivered to them to be killed. David agrees and goes to fetch the two sons of Saul’s former concubine Rizpah and the five sons of Saul’s barren daughter, David’s excommunicated wife Michal, had adopted. He delivered them and they hung. 

Next we read that David is once again at war with the Philistines. Not just any Philistines, no, no. The sons of Goliath want a piece of David the “Giant Slayer.” But David is getting up in years, grows faint, sometimes weary and his trusty men recognizing this send him back to the palace, do his kingly things from there, assuring David that they’ve got it handled.

There is so much for us to learn from today’s scripture but I think one of the main thing we can take from it is, that for all of our lives we will be at war against the enemy. The devil, the evil one is constantly seeking to bring us down, constantly attacking us where we are vulnerable. Some battles will be small while others will be giants but they will always be there. Why? Because misery loves company, and Satan is, without a doubt, the single most miserable one ever, and will continue to be today, tomorrow and for eternity. Like you and me, he knows the end of the story. He knows he is going to suffer defeat, and it is his sole mission, while we are here on earth, to take as many of us down with him as he possibly can. I would encourage you to remember and follow the advise in Ephesians 6 where it says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Amen??

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …