Miracles: Convincing the Godless

2 Kings 4:18-5:27; Psalm 141; Proverbs 17:23

 

Naaman was an Aramean army commander who had leprosy. But he could not find healing in his own land, and an Israelite servant girl encouraged him to find the prophet who lived in Samaria (an Israelite city). She said that the prophet would heal Naaman.

 

So Naaman went. And Elisha, the prophet, sent him to the Jordan River to dip seven times in it. When Naaman did this, he was healed.

 

But that was not the end of it! Listen to Naaman’s response: Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel… [P]lease let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD. – 2 Kings 5:15, 17

 

Friends, there is no God in all the world except the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who sent Jesus Christ His Son to live among us, then die and rise again so that we could be set free from sin and restored from the curse forever. This God is a miracle-working God, and His power can convince any person that He alone is God (and one day, when Jesus comes back, His power will convince all people, whether they find themselves welcomed into heaven that day or not).

 

Father, show Your power to people around us so that they can see that Jesus Christ is their only hope. May all people put their faith in You through Him!

 

Producing Water and Giving Life - Easy!

2 Kings 3:1-4:17; Psalm 140; Proverbs 17:22

 

Water. It’s just a basic necessity. Without it, we grow weak and quickly die. So what do you do when you need water and there’s none around? Worse yet, what do you do when you need water not only for yourself, but for three nations’ armies, and you’re in the middle of the desert with no water around?

 

The kings of Israel, Judah and Edom were asking that question when they went to Elisha for help. And though he wasn’t thrilled to see them (especially Israel’s king), Elisha put it this way:

 

This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD. – 2 Kings 3:16-18a

 

Three nations’ armies couldn’t produce water for themselves. They couldn’t give themselves life. But for the one true God, it was easy.

 

Father, why do we insist on doing things in our own strength when we know that You are the one with all power? Thank you for showing us over and over again that we need You. May we not forget! May we always rely on You. And when we are in situations where life is just too hard for us, may we look to You, the giver of Life.

 

Spiritual Adultery

2 Kings 1-2; Psalm 139; Proverbs 17:19-21

 

Never cheat on God. He doesn’t take it lightly.

 

When Ahaziah fell and hurt himself, he wanted to have a divine answer to the question, “Will I recover from this injury?” But he sent his messengers to Ekron, a Philistine city, to consult with their god(s).

 

The angel of the LORD didn’t take this lightly. He gave a message to the prophet Elijah:

 

Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, `Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?' Therefore this is what the LORD says: `You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!'– 2 Kings 1:3b-4a

 

How’s that for jealousy? Cheating on God is serious! Don’t try it.

 

Father God, thank You that when I come to you I come to the one true God. There is no other God – not only is there no God like You; there is no God but You. Where else would I turn for help? Every other so-called god is a lying demon, and people who believe the demonic lies will one day find that their supposed gods were simply seeking their destruction. But You are God! Truly God! May I always, always turn to You! Keep Your people faithful to You! And if I ever am tempted to turn away, may I remember that You not only love those who trust in You, but that You will one day punish all those who reject You and rebel against You.

 

Twisted Scriptures

Twisted Scriptures

 

1 Kings 12:20-13:34; Psalm 132; Proverbs 17:6

 

Scriptures should not be used to lead people away from the true God. But people still use the Scriptures that way. King Jeroboam seems to have twisted the Scriptures knowingly.

 

Jeroboam had just become king of Israel, as Ahijah had prophesied (1 Kings 11:29-39; 12:12-20). But he was afraid that the people would reject him as king and return to King Rehoboam if they kept worshiping the LORD in Jerusalem (vv. 26-27).

 

So he made two golden calves for Israel to worship. And he identified these golden calves with the true God, who had brought Israel up out of Egypt, so that the people would worship them: It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. – 1 Kings 12:28. Where did Jeroboam dream up this deception?

 

Probably from the pages of Scripture. Back in Exodus 32, when the people were grumbling about Moses’ absence and Aaron wanted to keep them happy, he took their jewelry and fashioned it into a golden calf. And the Israelites’ response was, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (Exodus 32:4). Aaron went along with their idea that his golden calf was the true God, and the next day they worshiped the calves, calling their celebration a “festival to the LORD” (Exodus 32:5).

 

Wow! So Jeroboam, looking for a way to keep the Israelites away from Jerusalem, seems to have found this passage. And instead of committing to follow the true God rather than a golden calf, as this passage quickly teaches (Exodus 32:7-8), Jeroboam manipulated it to persuade the people to become idolaters. Perhaps he even read a few key verses to Israel, pointing out that it was Aaron the priest who made the golden calf and declared that worshiping it would be a festival to the LORD!

 

Father, we need the truth because we need You! Protect us from people who would manipulate even Your Word to lead us astray! Help us to know Your Word, to be sanctified by Your Word, to know You through Your Word. And guard us not only from other people’s deceptions, but from our own self-deceptions, as well. When we read Your Word, may we hear what You are actually saying, and not what we fancy You are saying. Your Word is the foundation of life; our imaginations are mere vapors. Keep us on solid ground.

 

Fully Committed Disciples. Of a Fully Committed God

1 Kings 8; Psalm 129; Proverbs 17:1

 

Solomon’s prayer, final words:

 

Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers. And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day's need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time. – 1 Kings 8:56-61

 

Father, I can still say Amen to this prayer. Thank You for Your faithfulness to Your people. May all the world see that You are God and that there is no other. Turn our hearts to You. And thank You that we live in a time when You have turned our hearts to you so that we can be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by Your decrees and obey Your commands. May we commit ourselves into Your hands, into the security that comes only by trusting Your words with every breath and every step.

 

*Note: To those who read this regularly or who may even rely on this email/blog to some extent for a daily devotional, I apologize for my recent inconsistency. My family has just welcomed our third child, a son. Also, we have to be out of our apartment by June 30^th. But I’m still working. Praise God for Christy’s mom and her presence here to help us. But I hope to settle back into a bit better consistency for both you and myself soon. Grace and peace – Matt

 

Letter to A Friendly King

1 Kings 5-6; Psalm 127; Proverbs 16:28-30

 

King Hiram had always been on friendly terms with King David (1 Kings 5:1). So when Solomon became king in David’s place, Hiram wanted to continue the good relationship. He sent messengers to congratulate Solomon. Solomon sent a letter back:

 

"You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, `Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.'

 

"So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians." – 1 Kings 5:3-6

 

What I love about this exchange is Solomon’s openness about the LORD his God. I assume that David shared openly about the LORD when he spoke with Hiram, too. Hiram was probably a pagan king – after all, he was not an Israelite. But he welcomed Solomon’s view on God’s blessings and direction (1 Kings 5:7). What a wonderful, honest, open way of seeing God’s promise that Abraham’s seed would be a blessing to the nations begin to be fulfilled!

 

Father, help me to be so honest and open with unbelievers around me. May I speak so highly of You that they at least understand how great a God I know You are, whether they agree or not. But may my neighbors, relative and friends come to agree. May they know that You are God, and there is none like You!

 

Love Triumphs Over Sin

1 Kings 3:3-4:34; Psalm 126; Proverbs 16:26-27

 

Right from the beginning of Solomon’s reign, God loved Solomon more than he loved God: Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. – 1 Kings 3:3

 

From the beginning of Solomon’s reign, there was already an exception to the love Solomon showed for God. He sacrificed on the high places rather than before God’s ark of the covenant. But God still loved Solomon, just as He had promised (2 Sam. 7:14-15). In fact, it was while Solomon was sacrificing on one of the high places (1 Kings 3:4) that God appeared to him in a dream and generously gave him the wisdom he asked for, and much more besides:

 

I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life. – 1 Kings 3:12-14

 

Right from the start, God was demonstrating the love he had promised to David’s son. Solomon’s love was incomplete. God’s was not.

 

Father, thank You that Your love is greater than ours. Forgive us for the limitations on our love. We should love You with everything we think, feel, say and do. And we fall short. So forgive us, please! But at the same time, thank You! Your love is so faithful, so eternal, so limitless, so full of goodness and kindness toward us. You are patient with us and You endure our weaknesses, our limitations, our failures and our sins. All the while, You still offer us Your love! May we respond appropriately!

 

Justice. Delayed

1 Kings 2:1-3:2; Psalm 125; Proverbs 16:25

 

Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood. – 1 Kings 2:9

 

Whoa! David’s words to his son Solomon are shocking, especially considering that he was talking about a man to whom he had personally promised peace (1 Kings 2:8). But in David’s last words, we see him calling on Solomon to bring about good for those who have treated him well, and to bring justice against those who have wronged people and seem to have gotten away with it.

 

We should remember this. David exercised patience throughout his lifetime. He did not punish everyone who deserved to be punished. But that did not mean that he was unaware of sin, or that he approved of it. David was content to be patient because he did not have to be the one to exercise justice. He could wait because another king was on the way. Justice would eventually be done.

 

We may suffer for a lifetime. And it may be wrong. It might involve being insulted, cheated, robbed, beaten, wrongly condemned, forsaken – any manner of things. But we do not have to make sure that justice is done within our lifetimes. We can endure. We can continue to live without getting caught up in hatred and bitterness and the activities that come with them. Why? Because a king is coming who will see that justice is done. When Jesus comes again, all will be made right. We can wait for that. We don’t have to be vengeful.

 

Father, when it becomes too overwhelming for me to deal with other people’s sins, or when I am powerless to exercise justice, or when I have made a promise to live at peace with an enemy for the rest of my life, help me. Help me not to get too frustrated. Help me not to start thinking that justice is a fantasy. Help me to remember that justice is not in my hands – that it was never in my hands. My hands cannot be trusted to carry the weight of justice. They are not worthy. But Your hands are righteous. And You are just. And I can wait on You. Thank You for Your patience with me and everyone else. Restore us now. And then, we look forward to the day when You make everything right!

 

A Ruse? Or a Promise?

1 Kings 1; Psalm 124; Proverbs 16:24

 

In one brief chapter, two brothers are declared to be king. One brother, Adonijah, claims King David's throne as his own. The second brother, Solomon, is promoted to the throne by King David himself. By the end of the chapter, there is no question as to who will be king. Solomon is and will remain king.

 

But the basis for his reign might still be questionable. After Adonijah declared himself to be king, the prophet Nathan and the queen Bathsheba conspired together to have Solomon placed on the throne. In the story, the make some claims:

 

Nathan (speaking to Bathsheba): Go in to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, did you not swear to me your servant: "Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne"? – 1 Kings 1:13

 

And then Bathsheba (speaking to David): She said to him, "My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the Lord your God: 'Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.' " – 1 Kings 1:17

 

They both claim that David promised to make Solomon king. What's the problem? The problem is that this promise is not recorded in any of the prior history. Could it have happened? Surely, yes, it could have. But then we might ask ourselves why such an important promise was not written down earlier. So was it really a promise? Or is this a ruse?

 

I believe that David actually made this promise based on the following clues in the text:

• Nathan has always been trustworthy in the text. The prophet of God would not be likely to lie about such an important issue.
• Bathsheba dared to approach the king with this claim. Although David was physically weak, it would be unlikely that anyone would dare to manipulate him with such a bold lie as their premise. So it was almost certainly not a lie.
• The text looks at Solomon's coronation approvingly; Adonijah's self-coronation received textual disapproval. And if we believe that God wrote these words, then surely His approval on Solomon's coronation counts for something.
• Solomon was the only one of Adonijah's brothers not invited to Adonijah's coronation. The most likely reason for this would be that Adonijah knew that the throne was already meant for Solomon. The other brothers were not a threat. Solomon was.

 

These points support the idea that David had actually promised the kingdom to Solomon. But what really seals the deal, for me, are God's promises.

 

For one, God's promise to establish David's house: 'The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.' – 2 Samuel 7:11-16

 

We know that this promise is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. However, notice what God says about David's offspring who will succeed him on the throne: God will be his father, David's offspring will be God's son, and – in a context that cannot be applied to Jesus Christ, who never sinned – even when this offspring does wrong, God's love will never be taken away from him. Keep that in mind, then, when you read about Solomon's birth:

 

Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. – 2 Samuel 12:24-25

 

I find the language intriguing. God had already promised to raise up a son to fill David's throne. And part of that promise was that God would always love him. And then, when Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon, God sent word through Nathan the prophet that this was the son God loved. None of David's other children received a name from God, but Solomon did. And his name means, "Loved by the LORD."

 

Not only is the language of this passage tied to the language of God's promise, but the characters in this passage are the same characters we see in 1 Kings 1: David, Bathsheba, and Nathan. Even if David had told no one else in the kingdom that Solomon was God's choice for the throne, Nathan and Bathsheba were there for God's announcement! They knew!

 

So when Nathan and Bathsheba came to David to remind him of his promise, they were really reminding him of much more than a human promise. They were reminding David that his God had personally chosen Solomon. Although David was weak and his health was failing, this was one time where he must take a stand and act decisively. He knew God's choice. As king, it was his duty to make God's choice clear and put Solomon on the throne.

 

Father, thank You for choosing and loving Solomon. I am comforted by Your work to set him on the throne. It reminds me that You are in control even when other people do their best to steal Your blessings away from Your children. Thank You that You have set that same love on me through Jesus Christ, that when You look at Jesus You include me in Your blessings for Him. Thank You that You plan to restore me, love me, exalt me, provide for me, include me – all through my relationship with Your sinless, chosen, dearly loved Son Jesus Christ – and that Your plans cannot be frustrated.

 

A No-Cost Sacrifice?

2 Samuel 23:24-24:25; Psalm 123; Proverbs 16:21-23

 

But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. – 2 Sam. 24:24-25a

 

David sounds so noble. He's the king! Why not take advantage of Araunah's offer? Why not let Araunah donate the oxen and the wood for a burnt offering? Isn't that the privilege of a king?

 

But David wasn't trying to be noble. He was being responsible. He was being realistic. He was being repentant.

 

If we look at the context, there was a reason for this offering. There was a need for this offering. The angel of the LORD had already killed seventy thousand Israelites (2 Sam. 24:15)! What was going on?

 

Here was the problem: David had taken a census of Israel's fighting men (2 Sam. 24:1-9). So what? A census. No big deal, right? But apparently it was a big deal. Joab had tried to discourage David from taking a census. And afterwards, David's conscience felt guilty and he confessed to God that he had sinned in counting the people (2 Sam. 24:3, 10)! Why would he feel guilty for counting the people? There is no direct command against it in the Scriptures. Many people's best guess is that David's purposes were to demonstrate Israel's strength by pointing to military numbers rather than to Israel's God. This would be quite an insult to God, who had demonstrated His ability to protect David and his kingdom against stronger and more powerful enemies since the day David fought Goliath!

 

Regardless, the passage is clear on one thing: It was David's sin that led to God's plague. It was David's sin that opened the gates of destruction on 70,000 Israelites. So when Araunah invited David to accept his oxen and carts as free gifts that David could use in sacrifice, it was impossible for David to accept! He felt the weight of his sin! He had watched its consequences destroy 70,000 of the people he had counted. David's whole point in offering a sacrifice to God was to say once more, "I am the guilty one. I deserve the judgment! Please don't make these people pay for my sins any more!"

 

No, David wasn't being noble. He was admitting his lack of nobility before a holy and righteous God. He was recognizing his sinfulness and the way that it had hurt those in his care. I'm sure David recognized that his cost was light compared to the cost others had paid, even after he had bought the threshing floor and the materials for the offering. But David deserved even worse, and knew it. Paying the price for the offering was an outward statement of his inward deficiency.

 

Father, help me to be deeply aware of my guilt when I sin against you. Help me to recognize that my sin affects more people than just me. And help me, like David, to do everything I can to put myself between other people and the consequences of my sin. At the same time, I know I could never survive Your full judgment against my sinfulness. I could never pay the penalty. It would kill me. Thank You that Jesus Christ died in my place. And rose. And thank You that now you call me to be a living sacrifice – no longer to atone for my sins, but still for the sake of others (Col. 1:24). May my small sacrifices lead many others to Christ's great, all-encompassing sacrifice so that they may join me in being safe from Your coming judgment.

 

God Versus the Wise, the Strong, the Great

2 Samuel 17: Psalm 119:129-152; Proverbs 16:12-13

 

What’s the difference between those who follow God and those who oppose Him? Does God bless His followers with amazing gifts, but remove gifts from rebels? Can a man be wonderfully wise one day, and after rebelling against God lose all wisdom?

 

Perhaps.

 

But sometimes after men rebel against Him, God prefers to leave a strong man with his strength or a wise man with His wisdom. God can defeat His opponents even when they remain strong. God is always stronger.

 

Ahithophel was considered wise. People respected his advice “like that of one who inquires of God” (2 Sam 16:23). And yet Ahithophel ended up taking his own life.

 

When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb. – 2 Sam. 17:23

 

Ahithophel had been David’s counselor. Now he was serving as Absalom’s counselor, opposing God’s anointed one. But other than his rebellion, what had changed? Had his counsel become foolish?

 

No. Ahithophel’s advice was still wise. God had not struck him with foolishness. Ahithophel had not suddenly become a moron. He still had all the power of wisdom that God had consistently blessed him with.

 

But God knew that Ahithophel’s world would fall apart if people stopped listening to him. So rather than taking away Ahithophel’s wisdom, God took away Ahithophel’s idol: men’s praise. And once his idol, his god, was gone, Ahithophel had nothing left to live for. The true God had defeated his idol, leaving Ahithophel with nothing. With nothing to live for, Ahithophel did the only thing his wisdom and logic allowed him to do: set his house in order and commit suicide. For God, defeating a rebellious strong man is as simple as defeating his idol.

 

Father, may I value nothing and no one above you. May there be nothing in my life so valuable to me that without it my life is meaningless – nothing and no one but You. You are my life. You must be my life! Everything in Jesus, Jesus everything. Jesus is the only one in the entire world worth giving my life for, worth giving my life to. May I not be like Ahithophel, seeking life and meaning in an idol that will ultimately suffer defeat at Your hands. May I put my confidence and hope only in You and in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Only with You is my life safe.

 

God Versus the Wise, the Strong, the Great

2 Samuel 17: Psalm 119:129-152; Proverbs 16:12-13

 

What’s the difference between those who follow God and those who oppose Him? Does God bless His followers with amazing gifts, but remove gifts from rebels? Can a man be wonderfully wise one day, and after rebelling against God lose all wisdom?

 

Perhaps.

 

But sometimes after men rebel against Him, God prefers to leave a strong man with his strength or a wise man with His wisdom. God can defeat His opponents even when they remain strong. God is always stronger.

 

Ahithophel was considered wise. People respected his advice “like that of one who inquires of God” (2 Sam 16:23). And yet Ahithophel ended up taking his own life.

 

When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb. – 2 Sam. 17:23

 

Ahithophel had been David’s counselor. Now he was serving as Absalom’s counselor, opposing God’s anointed one. But other than his rebellion, what had changed? Had his counsel become foolish?

 

No. Ahithophel’s advice was still wise. God had not struck him with foolishness. Ahithophel had not suddenly become a moron. He still had all the power of wisdom that God had consistently blessed him with.

 

But God knew that Ahithophel’s world would fall apart if people stopped listening to him. So rather than taking away Ahithophel’s wisdom, God took away Ahithophel’s idol: men’s praise. And once his idol, his god, was gone, Ahithophel had nothing left to live for. The true God had defeated his idol, leaving Ahithophel with nothing. With nothing to live for, Ahithophel did the only thing his wisdom and logic allowed him to do: set his house in order and commit suicide. For God, defeating a rebellious strong man is as simple as defeating his idol.

 

Father, may I value nothing and no one above you. May there be nothing in my life so valuable to me that without it my life is meaningless – nothing and no one but You. You are my life. You must be my life! Everything in Jesus, Jesus everything. Jesus is the only one in the entire world worth giving my life for, worth giving my life to. May I not be like Ahithophel, seeking life and meaning in an idol that will ultimately suffer defeat at Your hands. May I put my confidence and hope only in You and in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Only with You is my life safe.

 

In His Hands

2 Samuel 15:23-16:23; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 16:10-11

 

When David’s own son was attacking him, there was only One person closer than family to whom David could turn: the LORD Himself. The ark of God had come out of the city with David, and the priests offered sacrifices before it until all the people had finished leaving the city. But David knew that He needed more than the ark; He needed God.

 

He said, Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him. – 2 Samuel 15:25-26.

 

It would have been easy for David to associate the ark so closely with God that he wanted to keep it with him. But David’s God was much bigger than an ark. David’s God could hear him no matter how far he was from an ancient box. David’s God had more good up His sleeves than could fit in the ark. David knew that God could not be contained by the ark of the covenant. And in the end, it was the LORD that David needed, not an artifact.

 

Father, I have You. I am in Your hands. Knowing You, may I never let anything else take Your place in giving me security, hope, peace or joy. I may be separated from church walls or sanctuary spaces, but You are mine. I may be away from believing friends and family, but You are mine. I may even face such persecution that I am forcibly separated from Your written Word and from all access to brothers who would verbally remind me of Your words, but You are mine. If I have You, I have everything I need. Thank You that You are mine and, more importantly, that I am Yours. In Your hands I rest.

 

Access or Death!

2 Samuel 14:1-15:22; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 16:10-11

 

For three years, David’s murderous son Absalom fled to Geshur (2 Sam. 13:38). David could not bring himself to bring Absalom back, probably because David knew that he needed to discipline his son severely and was unwilling to do it.

 

But then Joab found a way to encourage the king to bring Absalom home, and David permitted Absalom’s return. Still, David seemed to be trying to enforce some kind of discipline and said, “He must not see my face (2 Sam. 14:24).”

 

David’s heart was aching for Absalom. But Absalom struggled with this set-up, too. After two years in Jerusalem without being allowed to see his king and father, Absalom wanted access. Why? Because he was supposed to have access! He was the king’s son, the first in line to receive the throne when his father passed away. Being allowed to exist was not enough. Absalom needed to know his status in the kingdom once again. He had never been charged with a crime. He had never been convicted of a misdeed. And yet he was living under the stigma of an uncertain place in the kingdom.

 

So Absalom said, Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death. – 2 Samuel 14:32. To him, it was better to know his standing before the king than to remain in limbo between the fullness of life and the fullness of death – even if it meant death.

 

Now Absalom was guilty. There was no “if” about it. And David never did punish him. Instead, he allowed Absalom back into his presence, back into the full privileges he had as a prince of Israel.

 

But God is a better king than David was. We need access to God. But when we approach God, we should approach knowing that we are guilty. We should approach knowing that God punishes guilt. So the only way that we have access before God is by Jesus Christ. God found another way to punish our guilt when He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us. When we approach our God and King, we are pronounced guilty, and then we stand and watch in horror as the fullness of God’s wrath is poured out on Jesus Christ for our sins. The cross should have been ours! But God also loves us more than David could ever love Absalom, and so we can now have access. Because Jesus Christ not only took the punishment for our sins, but rose again to give us new life with Himself. The One who died for us is the One who lives for us. Unlike Absalom’s access to David, our access to God is not cheap! But it is transforming, and it is genuine, and it is full! We stand before God now, guiltless, not because we never sinned but because Jesus has already been punished for us. And so with Jesus we now have the full privilege of God’s sons in His Kingdom.

 

Father, thank you for giving me access without killing me. I was guilty. But You have made me able to stand in Your presence without guilt. You have changed me in my very heart. You have raised up my brother, Jesus Christ, to stand forever before You. And you have made me a co-heir with Him, though He did everything good and I did nothing good. Thank You for access to You.

 

Discipline or Destruction: You Choose for Your Kids

2 Samuel 13; Psalm 119:81-96; Proverbs 16:6-7

 

Kids are going to sin. And all sin is destructive. But sin that is disciplined can and should be less destructive than sin that is not disciplined.

 

In 2 Samuel 13, King David’s kids begin to go crazy with sin. First Amnon rapes his half-sister. Bad… obviously. Then he drives her away. Again, bad.

 

But what happens? What does David do about it? When King David heard all this, he was furious. – 2 Samuel 13:21.

 

Wait! That’s it? He was angry? He was furious? Of course David was furious! His son had just raped his daughter! But what did he do?

 

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 tells us what David should have required of his son Amnon, given the situation – minimally: If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.

 

Of course, this is not just any man meeting any woman. This is a brother raping his sister. His sister’s innocence in the matter is what makes it so that these laws probably don’t apply:

 

If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off before the eyes of their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible. – Leviticus 20:17. When Tamar realized she was about to be raped, though, this is what she begged her brother to do instead. She would rather to have been disgraced and cut off before the eyes of the people as a married woman than to have been raped. Amnon would have none of this, though. No commitment. Just personal pleasure. So he raped her.

 

Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible. – Leviticus 20:19. It is not clear what being “held responsible” means here, but again, this law could not be applied to this situation because Amnon and Tamar could not both be held responsible. Only Amnon was responsible.

 

And so at the very least, Amnon should have been required to care for Tamar for the rest of his life, and hers. This was the law within God’s covenant community.

 

But David, their father, got furious. David, the king, got angry. But did nothing. He did not enforce a single one of these laws, not even the most lenient of them, on his son Amnon. Tragedy had struck. But if David had disciplined Amnon, he may have prevented further tragedy.

 

How so? Tamar’s full-brother, Absalom, knew what had happened to his sister. For two years he cared for her and watched miserably as the beautiful sister he had previously known now lived the despairing life of a “desolate woman” (2 Samuel 13:20). For two years, Absalom simply stewed, hating Amnon for what he had done to Tamar (2 Samuel 13:22). For two years, his anger mounted as David neglected to discipline Amnon for his sin.

 

So what could have been avoided? David could have avoided his son Amnon’s death. He could have avoided watching Absalom turn into a murderer who would go on to rebel against David himself.

 

All it would have cost David was the pain of disciplining his son Amnon.

 

Father, thank You that You love me too much to allow my life to be destroyed by sin. You are willing to intervene with more than anger, but with rebuke and correction (2 Tim. 3:16). Help me to be a father like You. A Father who not only hates sin, but who loves the sinner enough to intervene. To pay the cost of discipline. To suffer sin’s results with Your children, rather than withdrawing from us. Help me to be a father like that.