The Gracious Messiah

2 Samuel 1:1-2:11; Psalm 118:19-29; Proverbs 15:27-28

 

Saul was David’s enemy. But they had something very important in common. They were both messiahs – the LORD’s anointed ones.

 

So when Saul was killed in battle, David did not rejoice over him. He did not take the opportunity to search out all the people who had supported Saul and fulfill some desire for revenge against Saul by punishing them or threatening them. Instead, he honored those who honored Saul. Why? Because Saul had been the LORD’s anointed king.

 

The men of Jabesh Gilead, after the Philistines killed Saul and took his body into Philistine land to celebrate, showed kindness to Saul even after his death. They formed a raiding party, snuck down into Philistine territory, and brought Saul’s body back to Israel for an honorable burial. David could have taken their allegiance to Saul as a sign that they would not be faithful to him. After all, Saul had been against David throughout the end of his life.

 

But this is how David responded to the men of Jabesh Gilead:

When David was told that it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, he sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead to say to them, "The LORD bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them." – 2 Samuel 2:4b-7

 

God’s anointed one blesses those who honor God’s anointed one, even if they honor him in death. This is how David saw things. He treated the men of Jabesh Gilead as if they had been faithful to him, not because he had directly benefited from their kindness but because he counted their kindness to one of God’s anointed ones as kindness to all God’s anointed ones, including him. Because God lives forever, He is always able to establish a Messiah. In this case, there were two successive messiahs – first Saul, then David. But now we have a Messiah who is actually God Himself – the King Jesus Christ.

 

He is even more gracious than David. David graciously loved men who had loved another of God’s anointed ones. But Jesus loves men who have rebelled against God and His Anointed One. He allows them to repent of their rebellion. He died on a cross, but Jesus was raised from the dead and lives forever to bless those who love their Messiah. Let’s be among those who faithfully love God’s Messiah. He will graciously care for us forever.

 

Father, thank You that Your Anointed One, Jesus Christ, is willing to receive us. He does not take vengeance on us for the times we did not serve Him, but instead offers us a chance to pledge allegiance to Him. And those who are His receive His blessings, including eternal life with You. You are so good. Thank You for giving us such a gracious Messiah.

 

Unearned Victory Spoils

1 Samuel 29-31; Psalm 118:1-18; Proverbs 15:24-26

 

Hard work should be rewarded with hard cash. Right? And if that’s true, then easy work or rest should not be rewarded, right?

 

David and his men returned to Ziklag, where they were staying, after a three day trek. Arriving, they found that Amalekite raiders had burned their town and had taken their families away. They were physically tired. They had been marching for three days. And now they were emotionally tired: “David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.” – 1 Samuel 30:4

 

But God led David to pursue the Amalekites. Two hundred of the men soon had to drop out of the chase because of exhaustion (1 Samuel 30:9-10), but four hundred others pursued and fought the Amalekites. They won their families back and made off with loads of plunder.

 

Plunder that they weren’t willing to share with the two hundred exhausted men. Why? “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered” (1 Samuel 30:22). These men had fought, and the other men had not. So the fighters did not want to share the benefits of the fight.

 

David would have none of it. He insisted that the spoils of victory be divided not according to the kind of work done, but on the basis of being a member of the team:

 

The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike. – 1 Samuel 30:24

 

In saying this, David set the pattern for Israel from that day on (1 Samuel 30:25). Fortunately for us, this is the same pattern that Jesus has followed. None of us has been able to do anything to overcome Satan, sin and death. Essentially, while we stayed with the supplies, Jesus Himself went into battle. Alone. And alone, Jesus won the victory as He suffered on the cross and then rose from the dead. We did not fight. He did.

 

And yet Jesus includes us in the victory. He sees us as being on His team, though we have done pretty much nothing but confess that He is the Lord and King (Romans 10:10). Like David (thank goodness), Jesus offers the spoils of victory to us, even though we did not do the hard work that made the victory possible. But thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:57!

 

Father, thank You for the victory. Thank You for giving me the victory – a victory I did not earn. May many others share in our victory.

 

You're As Good As Dead If You're Consulting the Dead

1 Samuel 26-28; Psalm 117; Proverbs 15:22-23

 

There’s only one God of life. So if He’s against you, you’re hopeless. Really.

 

That’s essentially what the dead Samuel says to Saul when the king has a medium bring Samuel up from the grave for a consultation:

 

Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors--to David. Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. – 1 Samuel 28:16-19

 

If the LORD – the true God – is your enemy, then what good will a session with the dead do you? There are debates over whether this was really Samuel’s spirit or not, but the Scriptures just seem to assume that Saul actually got his wish to encounter Samuel. Whatever happened, raising the dead or consulting with spirits is surely a powerful experience. But there is no power among the dead, or even among the spirits, that is powerful enough to save God’s enemies from His hand. Even if Samuel had wanted to help Saul, Samuel could have done nothing for him. God was against Saul, and Samuel could only pass on this chilling prophecy: “… tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.”

 

Why do we ever look for some alternative route to safety besides a secure friendship with the God of Creation? How can we ever fool ourselves into believing that any power can be even remotely as beneficial as His? What makes us dare to disobey Him, to turn away from Him, to anger Him? Every blessing is in God’s hand. All other powers are shallow and illusory, no matter how impressive they are. They simply can do us no good. The only security worth seeking is the security God offers us through faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection – the faith that confesses that Jesus is Lord!

 

Father, many of us today would not consult with spiritists and mediums, but we still find sources of security and safety outside of your hands. We put our hope in security systems, weapons, walls, locks, and the kind of protection our money can buy. We feel safe so long as we have high enough approval ratings from the people around us. May we stop seeking security in anyone else besides You. You alone are God. If we put our hope in anyone or anything but You, we are as good as dead.

 

When God Says Go and Men Say No

1 Samuel 22-23; Psalm 115; Proverbs 15:18-19

 

What are you supposed to do if you’ve heard from God, you have His direction, you have his guidance… and the people you lead aren’t sure whether they want to follow you in that direction?

 

Do you yell and shout and insist on your way – God’s way? I mean, you heard from God, after all!

 

Do you go off by yourself, obeying God alone and leaving your followers behind?

 

Do you give in to the followers and just not go in God’s direction?

 

Do you go back to God and say, “Which would you prefer that I do? Abandon the followers you’ve given me or abandon this plan?”

 

As God’s servant, you can’t abandon God’s assignments. As a leader of God’s people, you can’t just ditch the people you’ve been given by God. What do you do?

 

Here’s what David did. I find it amazing!

 

When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors," he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?"

 

The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

 

But David's men said to him, "Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!"

 

Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand." So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. – 1 Samuel 23:1-5

 

David was both a bold follower of the LORD and a gentle leader of his men! He knew what God had said the first time, and he was not willing to stop obeying God. But he also listened to his men’s concerns, and he was not willing to ride roughshod over them. So David responded neither by abandoning the LORD nor by abandoning his men. Instead, David asked God a second time what he should do.

 

It’s not as though David mis-heard God the first time. But he still went back humbly to ask again.

 

And when God gave the same response as before, David was able to go back to his men saying, “God Himself has promised to guard us and give us the victory not just once, but twice! Let’s go!” In the process, he reaffirmed both his commitment to following God and his commitment to responding appropriately to his men’s needs and concerns. And in the end, he was still able to lead the men to follow God.

 

Father, why do we so often feel tempted to choose between You and the people You have given us? Why do we so rarely reaffirm our commitment to both of You the way David did here? Help me to listen to You as a servant should, ready to obey. And help me also to listen to those under my care the way a leader should, with genuine concern for their ideas, feelings, and needs. When the two seem to be in conflict, help me to respond as David did. Help me to reassure the people You have given me to care for that I am concerned for them by willingly saying, “I’ll check with God again.” And help me to always be faithful to Your commands and direction as I hear from You. Thank You for David’s wonderful example here.

 

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Get a Life! No, Not That Kind of Life!

When you hear the words, “Get a life,” what pops into your imagination? Do you imagine having nicer clothes, the latest gadgets and conveniences, a sporty car, an enormous house? Do you imagine fame, or power, or entertainment?

 

I do. At least, pretty often I do.

 

But Paul doesn’t. Listen to what he says to Timothy:

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. – 1 Timothy 6:17-19

 

Did you catch that? Paul just contrasted a life of riches and conveniences with a life that doesn’t depend on them at all, but rather depends on God and generously gives wealth away! In the end, a life of godly goodness is worth more than a life of wealth, conveniences, power and entertainment.

 

So which life is truly life? And when people say, “Get a life,” which life will you pursue?

 

God-Based Peace

1 Samuel 20-21; Psalm 113-114; Proverbs 15:15-17

 

People often say that religion is the cause of many wars. While not denying that many wars throughout history have had religious motivations behind them, there is also something to be said for religion as the basis for peace.

 

Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, `The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.' " Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. – 1 Samuel 20:42

 

Jonathan stood to inherit the kingship of Israel. His father was king. Yet he had sworn an oath of friendship and peace with David – the very man whom God had anointed to replace Jonathan’s father as the next king. Jonathan and David, apart from their common God, should have been enemies. But their friendship under God united them in peace.

 

There is only one true God. The claims by various religions that there are true gods other than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – competing gods who oppose Jesus Christ – is a basis for wars. One day, when Jesus returns, there will be one last war as he defeats all the demonic gods who oppose him and all the men who have followed other gods in rebelling against the One True King. But there will also be peace. There will be a peace unlike any peace ever experienced among men since the Fall at the Garden of Eden, because all humanity that remains will once again be in unity. They will once again be united by the Only True God, and there will be peace.

 

That peace has begun already for those from all nations and former religious affiliations who have been brought under the kingship of Jesus Christ: For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. – Eph. 2:14-18

 

Father, thank You that those of us who have confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord have already begun to experience a peace that will last forever with one another, the kind of peace that only comes by sharing the same God. Thank You that we are still living in the days when we can invite others to share that peace. It is so good to be able to bring others the good news that You are withholding Your wrath against rebels, patiently giving everyone more and more time to realize that You are King and that You are willing to grant merciful pardons because of Jesus’ sacrificial death for us on the cross. May I go out today, ready to extend the peace of Jesus Christ to everyone I meet.