11-13-13. 2 Samuel 21:1-22. DAVID, THE LAMP OF ISRAEL-my devotional

Key Verse: 21:1a                                                                                                                                                     Kevin E. Jesmer

“Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year.

And David sought the face of the Lord….” (ESV)

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I don’t have much time seeing that I am working, but I do have some time to mediate on your word today. This is the most important activity to keep my mind heart and soul on track and focused on what it is truly important. I pray for my family and friends to always keep their hearts and minds and souls tuned into the kingdom of God and on Jesus Christ as the travel their road of life. Bless the Art of Marriage seminar at Lori’s house. May the session be encouraging to the couples that attend. Please come to me and share your life giving truth in my heart. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1: A Famine (1-14).

Verses 1-14, “Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. 3 And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?” 4 The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “What do you say that I shall do for you?” 5 They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel, 6 let seven of his sons be given to us, so that we may hang them before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.” 7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9 and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before the Lord, and the seven of them perished together. They were put to death in the first days of harvest, at the beginning of barley harvest. 10 Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell upon them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the air to come upon them by day, or the beasts of the field by night. 11 When David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, 12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa. 13 And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan; and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 14 And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father. And they did all that the king commanded. And after that God responded to the plea for the land.”  (ESV)

During a long period of famine, David sought God and heard his word. Verse 1a reads, “Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said,..”  He set the good example for his pep[le. It is not easy to seek the Lord i the middle of a national; tragedy, like a famine. It is easier to blame God and become depressed and angry or even despaired of life. But David showed the better way. He showed us that we need to seek the face of the Lord at these times. Julie was laid off work. She had many interviews, but instead of despairing she sought the face of the Lord. She prayed and she had peace in her heart and in God’s perfect time, she was able to get a job. She was free from fear because she sought the face of the Lord. We are praying for ministry in Northern Ontario. It was not easy. It has taken two years of constant communication with people. But our first group of missionaries is going to a remote community in February. We have been blessed because we could seek the face of the Lord. We can trust God and since June 2012 until now, God has done some wonderful things, even bringing missionaries to the region. We need to always seek the face of the Lord in troubled times.

When he sought the Lord, David discovered the reason for the famine. The famine was because Saul was unfaithful to the promise the Israelites made to the Gibeonites before the Lord during the time of Joshua. (Jos 9) Saul had not honored that oath. David learned that he must repair this broken oath by punishing the house of Saul. He did this by executing seven descendants of Saul. But David was faithful to his own promise to Jonathan and he spared Mephibosheth. Even in the matter of the bodies of Saul’s descendants David sought to honor God. God sent rain, and the famine broke (10,14).

I am not sure that one can say that there is an absolute reason for every difficult and trying situation in our life. But sometimes there is a legitimate reason. We can not get caught up with the way of thinking, “Why did this happen to me, what did I do wrong?” Can you imagine Jesus saying on the cross, “Why is this happening to me, what did I do wrong?” For Jesus it was the will of God. What about my attempts at establishing a house church ministry? After 12 years of trying there is no more NIU UBF. Do I take this as a failure? Do I ask myself, “What did I do wrong?” I could think about my lack of relationship building; our inability to generate an atmosphere among us that inspired people to come and join in the mission; our own busy-ness of life; lack of prayer and on and on. Maybe if I take time off and receive the right kind of training then re-approach the house church then everything will change and I will be able to head up a new house church ministry.  But I don’t think anyone can keep living thinking that their hardships are a result of the mistakes that they make. Jesus did not make any mistakes when he was rejected and suffering and nailed to a cross. Actually it was because he was doing the right things. We need wisdom from God to interpret events properly.

But I do agree that we need to inquire of the Lord when we are faced in troubles. There may not be any problems. There may be lots of problems. The important thing is that we must grow through every trial of life and mature in our faith. If we need to repent of something…then repent. If we need to learn something, then learn something. If we need to simply trust God and not know the reason then so be it. But the bottom line is we need to be in constant prayer and in communion with the Lord. Lord, help me to pray to you and inquire of you and accept any answers that you give.

I can also see the type of people that God honors. Look at verse 10, “Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell upon them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the air to come upon them by day, or the beasts of the field by night.” Rizpah honored the dead bodies. She was concerned about peoples’ dignity and honor even in their death. She was an honorable woman. David was impressed by her and he went to get the bones of Jonathan and Saul, which were being stored in dignity by the men of Jabesh-gilead. David wanted the seven descendents and these bones all to be buried together. He took a lesson from Rizpah and the men of Jabesh-gilead. We need to honor and respect people. We must uphold peoples’ dignity. God upholds those who do.

Part 2: The Lamp of Israel (15-22).

Verses 15-22, “15 There was war again between the Philistines and Israel, and David went down together with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines. And David grew weary. 16 And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was armed with a new sword, thought to kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.” 18 After this there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giants. 19 And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, struck down Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 21 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, struck him down. 22 These four were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.” (ESV)

During David’s time, the Philistines were Israel’s greatest threat. The defeat of these four giants by David’s Mighty Men shows that he had broken the back of Philistine oppression. David was a man who gathered very powerful people around him. How could you not want to be part of David’s team. He inspired people. He set the example. He led in grace and truth. And people were willing to go into battle under his leadership.

Look at verse 2 Samuel 21:17b, “…Then David’s men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”David was getting old and was growing weak in battle. During this battle, the people confirmed that David, the man who sought God, was the lamp of Israel. He was the man of God for that generation. People looked to him for wisdom and encouragement. His life revealed the mind of God and God’s heart. He was the light of Israel.

Who is the light of America? Of course it is Jesus. But as far as person who inspires it could be a few. Martin Luther King Jr. was a light for America. Billy Graham is a light for America. His recent broadcast showed that people are still interested in what he has to say even though he is 96 years old. Who will be the light of America when Billy Graham passes? I am not sure if there is such a light yet. But I believe God is working in someone’s heart at this very moment.

Prayer: Lord, help me to seek your face and honor you in all the matters of my life

One Word: Seek the face of the Lord