Sin, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation: A 2 Samuel 13-15 Devotional

In the story of 2 Samuel 13-15, Amnon, David’s first son, lusts for his half-sister, Tamar. He tries many times to coax her to be with him, but she refuses because she wants to stay pure. Amnon, with his friend Jonadab, hatch a plan to get Tamar into Amnon’s room. Amnon pretends to be sick and will only eat food if Tamar feeds him. Though she does not want to do it because she knows Amnon’s heart and mind, David convinces her to take food to Amnon. When she is in Amnon’s room, he overpowers her, rapes her, and then becomes angry with her and throws her out of his room.

Absalom, Tamar’s full-brother by blood, saw Tamar when she exited Amnon’s room and noticed her torment. When he asked what was wrong, she told him the story.  David heard about the incident, but did nothing to confront Amnon or Tamar to resolve the issue and discipline Amnon (13:21). From that time, Absalom hated Amnon and looked for a good time to take revenge. Two years later at sheep-shearing time, Absalom asked David to let all his brothers help him with sheep shearing. David did not see a need for it. Absalom asked them for Amnon only. David agreed. Absalom hatched a plan to kill Amnon and told his servants when they heard him say, “Kill him,” they were to fall on Amnon and kill him. This they did.

A servant fled from Absalom’s home to tell David all his sons had been killed. One of David’s advisors, Jonadab, told him, “My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s expressed intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister, Tamar.” Later Jonadab told the king he saw his sons coming down a hill. They were not dead. By that time, Absalom fled his house, crossed the Jordan River, and went to his grandfather’s home in Geshur. His grandfather was Talmai, king of Geshur.

The story above covers only chapter thirteen. In chapters 14 and 15, Absalom stays away from Jerusalem, returns to Jerusalem by Joab’s prompting of David, is not welcome in David’s sight, pleads to see David, enters into David’s presence without being reconciled and forgiven, hatches a plan to take the throne from David, and scares David away from Jerusalem.

David failed to recognize and address Amnon’s sin against Tamar. He failed to address Absalom’s sin against Amnon and left him in Geshur to become bitter and angry. David requested Absalom’s return, but refused to see him. David, after three years and Absalom’s attention-seeking, permitted Absalom in his presence, but did not reconcile with him. David, the man after God’s heart, was not using God’s wisdom, nor showing God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness. He did not address the sins of his children and, thus, did not forgive them. David did not console Tamar, and did not discipline Amnon and Absalom.

To ask for forgiveness, a person must recognize his or her sin. David did not address his family after committing adultery with Bathsheba. Amnon decided to act upon his lust and raped his sister. He saw what David did and did not constrain himself just as David did not constrain himself with Bathsheba. David did not use the time of repentance with God after Nathan confronted him to teach and lead his family to God again. The domino effect seemed to occur after that with the Amnon and Tamar incident, then with Amnon’s murder and Absalom’s rejection by David. At any point in these incidents, David could have interjected and stopped what would happen next by bringing the wisdom of God into the situation. He could have led his children back to focus on God instead of their own wants. By doing that, David could have led them to see their wrongdoings, led them to repentance with God and asking for forgiveness from God and their family, and to reconciliation. Yet, David did not do these.

After his and Bathsheba’s baby son died, David sought God’s forgiveness, but not that of his family. He did not use that as a teaching moment. He did not address Amnon and his sin so Absalom harbored unforgiveness in his heart against Amnon, which led to Amnon’s murder and Absalom’s greater guilt and sin. David did not forgive Absalom when he came before him. They were reunited in body, but not reconciled.

Unforgiven sin leads to separation – from the one who hurt you and from God. To have reconciliation, confession of one’s sin and forgiveness must occur. David never sought to restore Amnon and Absalom’s relationship to loving brotherhood. He did not seek to restore his relationship with Absalom and Absalom held it against him. Because of that, Absalom plotted to usurp David’s kingship. After David’s not reconciling with Absalom, Absalom worked at increasing his popularity and decreasing David’s. He sought to take the throne from David. David eventually fled Jerusalem with 600 people from his household.

Unconfessed sin leads to bitterness and more sin. Unforgiven sin lead to hard hearts, bitterness, and dissension. David could have been the example of God’s mercy and forgiveness, but we do not see that here. Absalom tried to get David’s attention to be able to be in his presence and be reconciled. David’s mercy did not extend to reconciliation. David had already forgotten the love and mercy of God who forgave him his sin with Bathsheba and allowed him to continue to live and reign as king of Israel.

We need to make sure our walk with God is a close walk so we can instantly recognize sin in our lives. When we recognize sin, we can confess and ask for God’s forgiveness so a wall is not built between Him and us. God said He is faithful and just to forgive all sin (1 John 1:9). We need only acknowledge it, confess it, and repent then God will extend his love, mercy, and forgiveness towards us.

Just as God gives us His love, mercy, and forgiveness, we need to extend it to others who have sinned against us. Even when a person does not recognize he or she sinned against us and hurt us, we must, through the power of God and His mercy, forgive the person who hurt us. If we do not, reconciliation cannot occur and bitterness will grow in our hearts. David harbored bitterness toward Absalom. Absalom harbored bitterness against Amnon, which led him to murder his own brother.

Unforgiveness leads to bitterness, hatred, and murder. Unconfessed sin leads to estrangement in relationships and bitterness. Today we must decide to seek God’s forgiveness. We must recognize our sin and confess them to God seeking His love, mercy, and forgiveness. Besides this, today we must forgive the person or people who have hurt us even if they do not ask for forgiveness. Unforgiveness leads to a hardened heart and bitterness. It keeps us from a close relationship with people and with God.

Sin leads to broken relationships and dissension.

Seek God and His love, mercy, and forgiveness.

He can turn brokenness into wholeness and unity.

What will you choose to do today?

David, God's Man to Rule: 2 Samuel 8

2 Samuel 8

King David was called a man after God's heart by God. He was a regular man. He sinned against God as we all do. He sought the Lord as many of us do. He repented. He followed. He gave God the glory and praise. He waited on God. Most of the time.

In 1 Samuel 8 we read of David expanding his borders. His kingdom grew much in this chapter. Why was the favor of the Lord on him so evidently in this chapter? Here are a few possibilities:
1. He sought and followed God.
2. He dedicated the winnings to the Lord.
3. He did not totally annihilate his enemies, but left a remnant so they could see and hear about Yahweh God and choose to follow Him.
4. He had vision. He sought what God wanted to give him.
5. He was just and righteous.
6. He gave praise and glory to God.

Do you want to be considered one of the saints of the Lord like the roll call of saints in Hebrews 11? We need to each look to our hearts and lives and see if we are doing the things David did in this chapter (minus the annihilation of enemies because we have the victory now that the Messiah has come).

Are you seeking and following God? Are you looking for His vision for your life? Are you dedicating the things in your life to God for His purposes? Are you praising and giving God all the glory? Are you just and right with God and man?

We must each come to God asking these questions and seeking to be made right before Him. Then we can know we are growing and seeking to have a heart for God, too.

A Heart for God - God's Leader

2 Samuel 7

What do we need to hear from this about the prophet, Nathan?

1. Nathan was David's accountability to God. David sought Nathan to determine if what he had in his heart, to build a fine temple for the LORD, was good.

2. We must seek God's will to make sure our idea is iin line with God's best interest. Nathan previously told David to do what was in his heart and build the temple for the LORD. After hearing from God, Nathan spoke for Him to David of God's direct intentions about the temple. God's idea is best to our good ideas. God's plan was the way to go, though David had a good heart and wanted to provide God a temple since he himself had a grand palace made of cedar.

3. We must not assume that a leader God has chosen is always right in what they say. Nathan and David both had a heart for God. God spoke to Nathan later and told him His exact plans. We must always check with God and His Word to know God's plans for certain. Nathan was obedient to tell David exactly what God wanted. David was obedient to listen and he praised God from verses 18-29.

Oh that we would be willing to hear God's heart at all times, even when it is different from what we want or deem best. And, then to proclaim God's greatness!

Ends and Means: A 2 Samuel 4 Devotional

Focal verses: 2 Sam. 4:5-8

 ⁵“So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, departed and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest. ⁶They came to the middle of the house as if to get wheat, and they struck him in the belly; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. ⁷Now when they came into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him and beheaded him. And they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night. ⁸Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; thus the LORD has given my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul and his descendants.” [NASB]

Rechab and Baanah were commanders of troops in Saul’s army, which Ish-bosheth inherited from his father, Saul. When Joab, the commander of David’s army, killed Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, in revenge for killing his brother, Rechab and Baanah took matters into their own hands. Before we go further in this study, I find it interesting that the Hebrew meanings of the names Rechab and Baanah. Rechab means “rider” and Baanah means “affliction.” They enacted their names when they killed Ish-bosheth.

Back to your story. Why would Rechab and Baanah decide to kill their king, Ish-bosheth? That is an interesting question. Immediately prior to the time of Ish-bosheth’s murder, Abner began encouraging the Israelites to give their allegiance to David. He did this out of spite when Ish-bosheth reprimanded him for lying down with one of Saul’s (his father) concubines. Abner did not like being called-out and reprimanded so he swore he would change allegiances and take Israel with him. Later in 2 Samuel 3, Joab killed Abner.

Back to our question: Why did these two men kill Ish-bosheth? Two possible answers come to mind. The first is they wanted to finish what Abner tried to do before his death. They wanted to make David king of all Israel. The means of it did not matter to them. For Rechab and Baanah, the ends justified the means. They did not ask David or God how to make David king of all Israel; they decided for themselves. By taking the head to David, they wanted recognition as loyal followers of David and consideration as men of worth.

The other possible answer to this question could be Rechab and Baanah were loyal to Abner in life and so wanted to be loyal to him in his death. They decided to finish what Abner began. Again, Rechab and Baanah did not consider how Abner wanted to make David king over Israel and Judah; they just acted upon their impulses. In this answer, they perhaps sought the approval and applause of their fellow Israelite army and civilians. Faithful even after death. Once again, they considered the ends justified the means.

Rechab and Baanah were not commanders of armies, but of troops. There is a reason they were not higher commanders and it probably hinges upon their wisdom and maturity about purposes, actions, wisdom, and maturity. When a goal reaches into the future, the best course of action is not necessarily the most expedient one. Rechab and Baanah were both a part of the nation of Israel God created. Their father and rabbis taught them about Yahweh. Each of these men knew to seek the Lord’s will before acting. Yet they are like people nowadays, too. They wanted to reach a goal and took whatever means they felt most necessary to bring about a quick result. They did not consult with God, a rabbi, another military leader, or an elder. Rechab and Baanah heard God anointed David. They wanted to follow the command of their leader who was murdered, but they wanted to do it the way they wanted and for the desired intent of their own good. They wanted recognition by the new king who ruled over them.

In life, we believe we know God’s plan and want to make it happen. We immediately begin to make plans to make God’s results happen. Then we wonder why we are experiencing difficulties. When we do this, we become like Rechab and Baanah. We get too concerned with reaching the goal and consider all costs necessary to get to the end. The goal becomes our focus and not God. Our commendation of “good servant” becomes more important than continuing to listen to God. Teachers and preachers expressed in the past, “God is more concerned with the journey than with the destination.” Our walk with Him here on earth is about becoming closer to God and becoming more like Him. It is not about getting to the goal, heaven. If that were the case, then we would all just kill ourselves now. God, though, created us for relationship with Him and He put us on this earth to begin and develop that relationship. He put us on earth to enjoy His creation, too. If the goal were merely to get to the end result and be with God in heaven, then He would not have created the universe and placed us on earth to live.

God anointed David to be king over all Israel over fifteen years before he actually began his reign. He had a plan, but it would happen in His time. Things needed to happen. David needed to grow and mature. Rechab and Baanah did not wait on nor ask God what He wanted them to do when Abner died. They aimed to accomplish the goal no matter how they had to do it. These commanders of troops killed the God-appointed king of Israel then. David, as God’s instrument, administered punishment to them for killing God’s appointed king for Israel.

God cherishes our lives. He created us to love us and have a relationship with us. This takes time to grow and know. All relationships take time to be built. Our lives are about the journey as well as the end. The journey is the time we need to know God and grow more like Him. The end is the place we will forever be with God in His heavens if we accept Him and His gift of salvation.

Those teachers and preachers were right. Life is about the journey. It is also about the destination – heaven. Do you work doggedly to get the job done and forget to ask God how He wants it done? Do you spend too much time working for God instead of getting to know Him His heart, and His plans? Maybe it is time for you and me to turn to God and consider His plans and timing. Maybe you have walked about from God in your process of doing His work.

Do not be like Rechab and Baanah. Seek God first when trying to help Him bring about His will. Seek God so you can know Him and be known by Him. Seek God so you can have life through the salvation He provided through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Now is the time to turn around and seek God first (Matthew 6:33).

A King, A Protector, A Commander

A King, A Protector, A Commander

        

Saul was God’s appointed king of Israel at the request of the Israelites. The Israelites wanted to have a king like the nations that surrounded them. They wanted a man who was a ruler of men, who stood a head above the others (1 Samuel 9:2). The Israelites wanted a military man. Though God had been and was the Israelites’ protector, they requested a protector. Saul was those things and strove to follow Yahweh. He made decisions after consulting God through Samuel. During times of decision-making, Saul often disobeyed God. God eventually withdrew His hand from his kingship (1 Samuel 15:11, 23). From the time He withdrew His hand from Saul, Saul chose his own way. He refused to repent and ask forgiveness from God.

            God chose David to be the succeeding king of Israel after Saul and his sons died (1 Samuel 16:12-13). Samuel anointed him while Saul still reigned. David was a well-equipped shepherd. His family had no experience of being kings. David learned quietness of spirit and listening for God’s voice while he was a shepherd. He learned the arts of protection as a shepherd. God would prepare David to be king of His nation and to be a leader of men. He taught him about the sanctity of His decisions, too, i.e. Saul was God’s anointed; Israel was God’s chosen people.

            While Saul chased David in the wilderness in 1 Samuel, David had an opportunity to kill Saul in a cave (1 Samuel 24). He chose not to harm Saul, but instead showed Saul his fidelity to him (1 Samuel 24:8-10). David taught his men and Saul he followed God by choosing not to kill His anointed king. He recognized the sanctity of Saul’s life. Saul epitomized the idea of a human king. He followed his own will instead of God, who anointed him. Notice David kept his sword and knife from Saul’s body. He would not harm God’s anointed king even though the king did not follow Yahweh. Saul was like the people who heard about God - His love and desire to be in relationship with them - but who chose still to follow their own paths. David was like people who responded to God’s message of love and choose to be in a relationship with Him, striving to follow His will in their lives. David could not harm Saul because he was God’s chosen leader for His people. Saul was David’s king.

            Saul’s armor-bearer was with him in the last moments of his life. He asked his armor-bearer to finish his life so he would not fall into the hands of the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:4-6). Saul feared torture by the enemy who beleaguered him most throughout his reign. He knew the Philistines would delight in claiming they killed the mighty king of Israel. Saul feared the pain he would experience from a slow death, too. He knew God removed His hands from him and this punishment fell on him and his sons because he did not obey God and kill king Agag of the Amalekites. Saul’s armor-bearer could not kill the king. He feared people of higher rank would learn of it. The armor-bearer was aware Saul was the king. He could not kill the king, his master, and the commander of Israel’s army. The armor-bearer would not seal the fate of death upon Saul. He honored Saul in death just as he did in life. Saul was his king and military leader.

            The men of Jabesh-Gilead learned about the death of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:11). They heard of the Philistines hanging their bodies upon the wall of Beth-Shan, a major crossroad within Israel. The name Beth-Shan means house of ease. The people named the city this because it was a place of tranquility and a refuge for travelers. With the nailing of these corpses upon the city wall, the tranquility left Beth-Shan and Israel. The previously anointed one of God was dead; the anointed sinful man met his judgment. Jabesh-Gilead was a town/village that Saul and an army of Israelites protected from the Philistines. The men felt indebted to their protector and savior, Saul. Their final act for him became a means of thanking and honoring Saul and his sons. The men of Jabesh-Gilead made their way by night to Beth-Shan and took the bodies off the wall (1 Samuel 31:11-13). They took them to Jabesh-Gilead to receive a proper royal burial and warrior’s remembrance. Saul was their savior-protector.

            Each of these men experienced Saul in different ways. Every one of them experienced him as king. The armor-bearer experienced him as the military chief, one who commands respect. He gave tribute and honor to Saul by not killing him and by killing himself when Saul died, which was common in that time of the relationship of servant to master. The men of Jabesh-Gilead experienced him as protector-savior. They honored Saul’s memory by giving him a king’s tribute – removal from the wall of shame in Beth-Shan and a proper burial. David experienced him as God’s anointed king for Israel, his first acquaintance to royalty, and the father of his best friend, Jonathan. He gave honor to Saul in his death and life. In life, David spared Saul on occasions when he could have killed him. In death, he honored him by killing the Amalekite who claimed to have killed God’s anointed one (2 Samuel 1:1-10). David honored him by writing one more song of loss and glory for the king and his best friend, Jonathan, Saul’s son (2 Samuel 1:19-27). Each of the men remembered, gave praise, and honored the man, Saul, whom God anointed for Israel.

Though God chose Saul to be the leader of the Israelites, He did not force His will upon Saul. He allowed Saul to choose whom he would follow, Yahweh or his own self. Saul chose his own way most often. God left him to his own demise since he followed his own will. God chooses humanity to receive His love and mercy through the salvation Christ offers. Many people, like Saul, will choose to walk their own way and make their own decisions. They fall into pits of their own demise like Saul. We remember these people with honor just as the men did of Saul.

God blesses the people who choose to follow His will. Those who choose to follow God’s will are they who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. These people receive His mercy and grace. The loving Savior and strong King leads them. Jesus is the mighty Warrior who fights for the souls of everyone. The heroes of the faith - God’s forgiven children - are the ones remembered by men on earth. God will remember them in heaven, give them reward, and praise them for their works on earth. God will remember them throughout eternity. Jesus is the only true Savior, Warrior, and King. He is the One who saves from sin and death and battles the forces of evil for us. We make Him our King when we confess our sins, believe He is the Son of God, and follow Him.

We each must decide for ourselves whose will we will follow and

abide by the results of those decisions,

be it to death or life everlasting.

What is your choice?