Sep 28th

2 Samuel 23     Ezekiel 30     Galatians 3     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

This chapter can seem confusing – why was what David did so wrong? Whilst it’s not clear, we see one possible explanation from the context of the Israelite censuses such as we see in Exodus 30:12. Counting something, whether it be objects, livestock, or people, implies a level of ownership. Israel belonged to the Lord and him alone, and David’s attempt to count them is an attempt to show ownership what is rightfully God’s. David wanted to know how many men there were to identify growth in the size of the nation and army, and thank himself for it.

Do we ever do the same in the Church? Do we play the numbers game, and compare ourselves to other churches? Or previous generations? Wanting growth isn’t a bad thing, but as Joab points out in verse 3, it is the Lord who is responsible for that growth. This is also an example of when Joab advises correctly.

David realises the error of his ways, and is faced with two difficult decisions. The first is to decide what his punishment will be; he chooses three days of plague. Verse 14 shows us that David is more afraid of man than God; he trusts God’s mercy, but underestimates God’s justice, and knows that men can be very wicked. David chooses a quick plague that results in his people suffering and dying in huge numbers. David sees this and recognises his sin. It is God’s compassion for his people that halts the plague before it reaches Jerusalem, not anything David does. That God shows compassion where David showed fear emphasises that God is the rightful owner, and that we should desire to be under God’s kingship. This resonates with 1 Kings 3:6-28, where Solomon identifies the true mother of a baby because of her compassion, not her greed.

David finally catches up with things and goes about making amends, and it is here that he is faced with his second, perhaps more subtle decision. Does he accept Araunah’s gift of a free sacrificial spot? David knows that coming before the Lord in repentance isn’t supposed to be an easy ride. Sin matters, and he has to deal with it and it is going to cost him. Do we have the same awareness of the seriousness of our sin? Do we take repentance seriously enough? Gloriously, in Christ we know that we have full forgiveness of sins when we come before the Lord, and that he will answer our prayers just as he answered David’s.

(Christ Church couple)

Sep 27th

2 Samuel 23     Ezekiel 30     Galatians 3     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Also Psalm-like, this penultimate chapter records David’s final song-like words, followed by a record of David’s ‘mighty men’.

The LSB encourages us to consider that David’s success was largely down to the ‘mighty men’ that followed him. It also suggests that these men, unlike Joab, were not motivated by their own goals, nor was David using them for his own purposes. Partly what made David a great leader is that he desired to see these men reach their full potential, like Barnabas, who frequently introduces figures who later become historically significant in Acts. We tend to focus on the big players, like David, Solomon, Paul the Apostle etc. and we gloss over the supporters in the background. However, there are no insignificant figures in God’s eyes. Do we see ourselves as less significant than the Christian ‘celebrities’? Or more significant than others in our church?

So often we skirt over lists of names, but God has inspired the authors of the Bible to place them there for a reason. God cares for the individual, as much as the community. Also these lists, much like the list in Hebrews 11 or the genealogies in the Gospels, remind us of all the faithful who have trusted God in the past and blazed a trail for him. Will we be inspired by them, or rush past them to get to the next story?

(Christ Church couple)

Sep 26th

2 Samuel 22     Ezekiel 29     Galatians 2     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

This Psalm-like section is David’s heart-felt song to his deliverer, the Lord God. Again, as an appendix, this section probably fits more comfortably with earlier chapters of David’s life but the Holy Spirit is (perhaps) asking us to remember David as a man who died with a thankful heart, and a song in his mouth for God.

Many of the phrases and imagery used might be familiar to you but they are always worth meditating on. At different times in life these living and active words will be made flesh to us by the Holy Spirit.

The LSB advises us not to read verses 22-24 thinking that David never sinned. As Christians, we should read this with the perspective of grace, not works and the law. David is considered ‘blameless’ before God because he knows God’s faithfulness in every ounce of its meaning.

Verse 35-37 shows David giving all the praise and glory of his military successes to God. David was a mighty warrior, but only because the Lord himself trained him. The challenge here is to do likewise, in whatever it is we find ourselves succeeding in.

(Christ Church couple)

Sep 25th

2 Samuel 21     Ezekiel 28     Galatians 1     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

The NIV Life Application Study Bible suggests the following chapters are an appendix, and that the events recorded happened at various points during David’s reign.

The first event recorded is a famine of three years. Notice that it is in direct response to this that David ‘sought the face of the Lord’ (v.1). The text seems to suggest a swift response from the Lord; the famine is ‘on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death’, says God to David (v.1). Although David has been battling with his own issues during his reign, God does not forget the downtrodden from Saul’s enthronement. The famine serves as a sign to David that he has business to do with God, and to act as advocate for the downtrodden Gibeonites that the Lord himself has not forgotten. This also reflects Joab’s sins that seem to go unpunished until after David’s death - human lifetimes are not limiting factors to God, and we must trust him and his justice in his time.

David’s response is to immediately address what God has told him. God is remarkably silent on what David is to do about it, and so David uses his initiative and talks with the Gibeonites, asking what they need. We must speak to God, but it is also crucial that we actually speak to people. This resonates with James 2:16, ‘If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?’.

David agrees to the demands of the Gibeonites, and allows Saul’s sons to be killed. The LSB exposes the difficulty in exploring this text, but suggests that Saul’s sons may have been involved in the killing of the Gibeonites, which was a serious offense against God. Alternatively, the culture of that time treated families as entire units, and so blood-vengeance would fall to an entire family.

Verses 15-22 state that there were four other battles, outside of the main narrative battles recorded in the rest of 1 and 2 Samuel. David must have been exhausted from seemingly ceaseless fighting, but he is supported by his men who say ‘Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished’ (v.17).

Both David’s response to the Gibeonites and the army’s response to David shows that they are willing to aid each other, even though in worldly terms it might not be their responsibility. God uses us to aid others, even though their suffering may not be our fault. God never forgets the downtrodden, and neither should we.

(Christ Church couple)

Sep 24th

2 Samuel 20     Ezekiel 27     2 Corinthians 13     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Again we see Joab as betrayer, and like Judas, betrays with a kiss (v.9). He approaches Amasa with a kiss but stabs him, and Scripture tells us in its wonderfully graphic way that his ‘intestines spilled out on the ground’ (v.10). One of Joab’s men cries out ‘whoever favours Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!’ (v.11). Factioning begins, not over the king, but over the army General. Joab’s role is distracting men’s focus away from the king.

This chapter is largely concerned with the uprising of Sheba, son of Bicri. Faithful to David, Joab persues Sheba; like with Absalom, however, Joab’s own interpretation of justice controls his actions, not his obedience to David. Joab kills Amasa en route, showing he is equally distracted by his own aims, and uses the path that David sends him on to achieve his own goals.

It is striking that Joab survives so long in David’s life given the blood that is upon his hands. Scripturally, David never actually discovers that it was Joab and his men that killed Absalom, and this is made especially clear in 1 Kings 2:5, when only the bloodshed of Abner and Amasa is reported by David to Solomon.

It seems clear that Joab is determined to serve King David, but in completely the wrong way. Joab leaves a trail of destruction, and David never commands this. It is also clear that Joab is a complex figure, and it is a reminder that it really is not for us to judge, but for the King.

The Life Study Bible (LSB) suggests that Joab was brilliantly minded and loyal, but cared little for who he hurt, and how he executed his plans. The primary lesson appears to be recognising that ‘even brilliant leaders need guidance’ (LSB). David allows himself to be guided, and wins the hearts of his people, but Joab does not allow himself to be guided by others and by God, and meets his downfall because of this.

It’s very easy for us to sprint off and do things with the best intentions, without considering if it’s the best thing. Do we remember to stop, and ask what our King would have us do?

(Christ Church couple)

Sep 23rd

2 Samuel 19     Ezekiel 26     2 Corinthians 12     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

The first half of this chapter reveals a great deal about the quality of relationship between leader and people. David, the shepherd-turned-king, displays emotion that confuses his people. Absalom, David’s son, had treacherously conspired against his sovereign father to bring about his downfall. David had issued commands for Absalom not to be killed, but Joab (the Commander and army General) took justice into his own hands and had him killed. On hearing the news of his son’s death, David weeps and mourns.

Naturally, the Israelites are confused; it is the fatherly heart of David that appears to rule, not the head-knowledge of a betrayed king. Is this the same David that led Israel to such victories previously, and defeated lions and a giant?

David is heatedly challenged by Joab, who says in verse 5 that “today you have humiliated all your men”.  Despite David’s mournful state, Joab maintains his role as army General and Commander, and speaks on behalf of David’s ‘men’. This must have been difficult for David to swallow, but judging by his response, it was exactly what he needed to hear. Joab tells David what to do – “now go out and encourage your men” (v.7). David effectively does as he’s told, and ‘they all came before him’ (v.8).

David’s personal division had led to division amongst the people, as verse 9 tells us that ‘throughout the tribes of Israel, the people were arguing with each other’. That the king mourned the death of Absalom, the traitor, may have suggested to the Israelites that his kingship isn’t held deep within his heart, but if he were to hate his son, his father’s heart (a heart of compassion) would be drawn into question. Indeed, it must have been difficult for David, and perhaps you are reading this and can relate to the turmoil and pain felt when betrayed by someone you love.

As much as Joab’s command to David to encourage his men is laudable, we must not forget that Joab had actually had Absalom killed against David’s wishes. Joab was loyal to his image of what King David should look like – a fierce warrior who would kill his own son to avenge betrayal. This is not what David’s heart looked like, and we know that David had a heart after God’s own (1 Sam 13:14). Joab seems to resonate with Judas Iscariot, who believed that Jesus was Christ the warrior king, and would physically champion the Romans, and on discovering this was not The Way, betrayed him. Joab is replaced by Amasa (v.12), David’s nephew; we are given no explicit reason, though we can reasonably assume it is because David is reforming his close counsel with his kinsmen, especially as Amasa previously fought for Absalom, and also to punish Joab for his crimes.

We see in verse 14 that David ‘won over the hearts of all the men of Judah, as though they were one man’. The unity shown by Judah is strikingly similar to the call of unity in the New Testament, particularly 1 Corinthians 1:10, to be ‘perfectly united in mind and thought’. This is a challenge for leaders and followers alike: shepherds, are you presenting yourself in such a way to your sheep that they know your voice, are won-over, and all follow you? Do you go out to simply encourage your men (and women)? Sheep, do you seek to be of one mind with your sheepfold, and being won-over by your shepherd, do you follow?

(Christ Church couple)

Sep 22nd

2 Samuel 18     Ezekiel 25     2 Corinthians 11     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Earlier on this year I went to a wedding at a registry office.  I knew the bride and groom and one or two of their family and friends.  The timings were tight in the registry office, so the wedding guests were being ushered in and out fairly quickly.  What I didn’t realise was that there were two weddings going on at the same time.  I was ushered into a room, and I started taking photos of the room and the quirky features, and I took a few casual shots of the guests.  After a few minutes I realised that I didn’t recognise anyone at all and that I was at the wrong wedding!  Thankfully I managed to quickly get to the right wedding!

Paul at the start of this chapter, is talking about a scenario far worse!  Imagine marrying the wrong person!  This actually happened in Genesis 29.  Jacob made his vows to his veiled bride, and drank heartily at the wedding reception.  He carried his still veiled wife onto the wedding bed.  The following morning, he woke up with more than a hangover!  Paul in this chapter, warns the Corinthians, and in fact us, that this could be the story of our lives.  Paul longs for the Corinthians to be fully devoted to Christ.  The bride of Christ, the church, fully devoted to their husband, Christ!  Imagine what a life fully devoted to Christ looks like?  What were the dangers that threatened to distract or undermine the Corinthians from their devotion to Christ?  The dangers were the super-apostles and false teachers who came with a different Jesus, or a different spirit or a different gospel.  And these dangers are still rife today.  We need to keep our eyes fixed on Christ – the Christ of the Bible.  Remain devoted to him and be concerned about others remaining devoted to him too (just like Paul was concerned).  The Christ of the Bible is the only Christ that can save us and others.  He is the hope for all nations!

(lay member of staff)