Read 2
Samuel 21-22 & Luke
22:1-30
To discover:
As you read consider what we learn of the LORD.
To ponder:
God’s covenant warned of the
sending of famine if Israel
were unfaithful (Deut 28v23-24). So when this famine persisted for three years
David sought to establish from God whether there was a reason. And there was.
Although not recorded elsewhere, God reveals (probably through a prophet) that
Saul had broken the special covenant Israel
had made with the Gibeonites (Jos 9), by putting them to death. As this
covenant was made on behalf of the whole nation and Israel’s
king was her representative, the sin justly warranted a famine that impacted
everyone even though Saul was now dead.
David
shows respect for the Gibeonites by asking their perspective on punishment.
They correctly affirm they have “no right” to demand money or the death of just
anyone in Israel,
but only of the perpetrator’s descendents. This accords with how “the land” is
polluted by murder, and atonement made only be the death of the polluter (Num
35v33-34). But with many murdered and Saul dead, this penalty could only be met
by his descendents. And here the Gibeonites may even be showing restraint in
the demanding this for only seven.
David
keeps his word to Jonathan by protecting Mephibosheth. But seven are killed and
“exposed” on a hill “before the LORD.” This signified that they were under
God’s curse and that God’s justice was being satisfied - although the bodies
should probably not have been left there (Deut 21v23). God’s acceptance of the
events is seen by his then answering prayer “for the land” - probably that the
famine would lift.
The pain of
these events is not minimised. The mother of two of those concerned, one of
Saul’s concubines, protects their bodies against birds and animals as long as
they are exposed. David is clearly moved, offsetting her suffering by collecting
their bones and ensuring the bones of Saul and Jonathan are given an honourable
burial in their family tomb. The inference is that the bones of the woman’s
sons may have been included too (21v13-14).
We of course
struggle here, not used to such extreme justice. But God’s clear affirmation of
these events demonstrates how absolutely justice is required for wrongdoing, and
even years later, no matter how distressing it might be for us or even him.
This is sobering.
The description
that follows of continual war with the Philistines shows David’s kingdom was
never fully established in the peace and security Israel’s
covenant spoke of. The Lord Jesus would be needed for this. Nevertheless, we
see God fighting for David, and David’s significance affirmed as “the lamp of Israel.”
1 Chronicles 20v5 tells us Elhanan actually killed Goliath’s brother. This may
be recorded as Goliath here to stress the end of his legacy (21v19), or to
bracket David’s reign with 1 Samuel 17. We should remember our battle against
the world, the flesh and the devil will remain until Christ comes in victory.
David’s song is
close to Psalm 18 and helps conclude the book with an affirmation that God was
to be honoured for David’s deliverances. He is David’s “rock”, “refuge”,
“shield” and “stronghold.” It was as David “called” on God that he was saved,
even from the brink of death. 22v8-16 may be just be a poetic way of affirming
God’s power, but may refer to him actually using the elements in helping David.
This was all because he “delighted” in David, not because he was sinless, but
because his heart was for God, and so, even given his sin over Bathsheba,
David’s disposition was one of “righteousness” and “blamelessness.” With God’s
help David therefore “crushed” his enemies, was “preserved” as king, and found
“foreigners” submit to him. He therefore praises God, and can be sure God will
keep his promise that his descendents will reign forever. We too can be sure
that if our general disposition is of righteousness and blamelessness (1 Thess
2v10), proving our faith, then through Christ God will deliver us.
Praying it home:
Thank God that he is for us and so
none can stand against us. Pray that we would display the righteousness and
blamelessness that marks strong faith.
Thinking further: Punishing children
for the sins of their fathers
This event is difficult as Saul’s
apparently innocent descendents are punished for his crime. This seems to
contradict the fact that God detests the condemning of the innocent (Prov
16v15) and that he explicitly says sons should not be punished for their
father’s crimes (Deut 24v16, Ezek 18v20). We cannot be sure, but the answer
probably lies in the fact that these events were a working out of divine
justice directly rather than social justice within Israel’s
legal system. The above verses are concerned with the latter, ensuring Israel’s
fallible exercising of justice had adequate boundaries. However, God declares
that with respect to the former he will personally punish children for the sins
of the fathers “to the third and fourth generation” (Ex 20v5. Deut 5v9. Ex
34v6-7). Harsh as this seems, it is testimony to how serious sin is, and is
something we must trust God on. He always does what is right, and his goodness
is gloriously displayed in Jesus.
We see the principle
worked out in the fact that we share in Adam’s guilt and so are born under wrath
(Eph 2v1-3, Rom 5v12-21). Moreover, we have seen it in Israel’s
history when Achan’s family were put to death for his sin (Jos 7), and perhaps
when David’s sin with Bathsheba meant the death of his newborn son as well as
the family strife that followed.
This oneness or solidarity
between the heads of families and their descendents is alien to us, but was
accepted in the ancient world. At one level it is rather obvious, as a parent’s
sins have knock on effects for their children. But we should note that
scripture affirms an element of divine justice in this within Israel,
and hints that it may apply to families more broadly too. This gives us yet another
reason not to turn from the Lord. Having said this, as Christians we should not
live in fear that our struggles are somehow a punishment or curse for an
ancestor’s evil, for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus” (Rom 8v1).
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