2 Samuel 22:8-16 ESV

8 “Then the earth reeled and rocked;

the foundations of the heavens trembled

and quaked, because he was angry.

9 Smoke went up from his nostrils,

and devouring fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

10 He bowed the heavens and came down;

thick darkness was under his feet.

11 He rode on a cherub and flew;

he was seen on the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness around him his canopy,

thick clouds, a gathering of water.

13 Out of the brightness before him

coals of fire flamed forth.

14 The Lord thundered from heaven,

and the Most High uttered his voice.

15 And he sent out arrows and scattered them;

lightning, and routed them.

16 Then the channels of the sea were seen;

the foundations of the world were laid bare,

at the rebuke of the Lord,

at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

GOD’S IMMANENCE.

In this song, Moses had articulated and rehearsed God’s activities within creation. That is, God is expressed through but distinctively over and above His creation. He is immanent.

“God’s immanence refers to His presence within His creation. (It is not to be confused with imminence, which refers to the timing of Jesus’ return to earth.) A belief in God’s immanence holds that God is present in all of creation, while remaining distinct from it. In other words, there is no place where God is not. His sovereign control extends everywhere simultaneously. [https://www.gotquestions.org/immanence-of-God.html]

David had expressed that God controls everything He has made. It’s a preposterous thought that the creator of the universe have no control over it, isn’t it? God is neither identified with creation nor distant from it.

Paul had written,” He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”[Col 1:16-17]

Our world won’t go wild as a headless chicken as the skeptics believed. A sovereign personal God is in control. Next time when we hear we see and hear lightnings and thunders, respectively, may we recognize the sovereignty of God. He who could rock the foundations of the heavens also could give us sleep in the midst of the storms.

-------------------------

Visit our website and FOLLOW Gospel Light Christian Church Filipino on YouTube and Facebook.

2 Sam 22:1-7 ESV

And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said,

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold and my refuge,

my savior; you save me from violence.

4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,

and I am saved from my enemies.

5 “For the waves of death encompassed me,

the torrents of destruction assailed me;

6 the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

7 “In my distress I called upon the Lord;

to my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry came to his ears.

THE LORD IS MY ROCK.

David could just looked back and retrace God’s indelible footprints all over the places he had been through. The treacherous ‘ebbs and flows’ of life were not able to shake his “rock’, not even a micro-inch of it.

His ordeal was unimaginable when he related;

“For the waves of death encompassed me,

the torrents of destruction assailed me;

the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.” [v.5,6]

Later, he also wrote Psalm 23:4 and did say;

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

God’s presence had assured David that He is just a prayer away. Thus he said,”

“In my distress I called upon the Lord;

to my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry came to his ears.” [v.7]

Certainly our challenges are as drowning as storm surges. We must neither descredit nor deny the magnitude of our problems. But, we should also recognize the impregnability of our God as our Rock. In other words, it isn’t how overwhelming are our loads but how awesome is our Lord. Theris no wave so big that our God isn’t bigger still. Yes, like David, we may claim;

““The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold and my refuge, my savior.”

-------------------------

Visit our website and FOLLOW Gospel Light Christian Church Filipino on YouTube and Facebook.

2 Sam 21:15-22 ESV

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.

THE LAMP OF ISRAEL.

During the confrontation with the Philistines, David fought but grew weary in battle. 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. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his rescue and attacked the Philistine and killed him.

Like the ageing David, we might be assuming that we are physically strong as before. There is a time to go to war and a time to rest from it. The willingness is there but the body doesn’t warrant anymore. Let’s recognize that there is a time to press the accelerator and a time to press the break. Everything is beautiful in his time.[Ecc 3:11]

David's men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.” They demanded David to rest from battle. Thus, it was David’s last. His soldiering days was over. Although he wasn’t there at the succeeding battles, all of their victories were ascribed to him interestingly. [see v18-22] Success in leadership is getting things done through others. Simply put, David lived a life of influence and significance among his people. For them, he was ‘the lamp of Israel’.

I am so glad to see godly and loving children who insist that their parents had to take rest from labor and toil and enjoy the life afforded to them, such as vacations and breaks. They see their parents as the lamp of their lives. Conversely, I am saddened to see grandparents having to work in their old age as burning a candle at both ends in order to support their families.

May we will seee in our churches more ageing leaders who do inspire the young generations to pursue the gospel work. Leaders may not last long but their godly legacy should continue. May the baton be passed effectively to the next generations. Conversely, it would be sad to see a bitter generation drifting slowly yet surely away from the love of Christ and the gospel. May God help us.

-------------------------

Visit our website and FOLLOW Gospel Light Christian Church Filipino on YouTube and Facebook.

2 Sam 21:10-13 ESV

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.

DOING WHAT IS RIGHT.

Rizpah, the mother of two sons having been executed, held a vigil over the bodies until the late rains came. Undeniably, she resigned quietly to the fate of his sons but her grief didn’t just go away easily.

This means that the bodies of these men were deliberately hanged and left unburied. Definitely, it was disgraceful but a stern warning to the nation. For “he who is hanged is accursed of God.”[Deut 21:23] David did what was right though how painful it was. This was to emphasize the fact that these men were executed as an act of judgment. Indeed, “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”[Heb 10:31] “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”[Ecc 12:13,14]

And surely, the coming of rain showed that the famine was over, that justice was satisfied, and that Israel was delivered. That, God responded to the plea for the land to bring in productivity again. Our God is both tough and tender, isn’t He?

When David had heard about what Rizpah did, he did give a decent burial to Saul and his son Jonathan. He commanded that the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan be gathered and buried in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father.

Saul did what was wrong and the nation of Israel had suffered for it. What happened to his seven sons was incomprehensible. It was tough and painful but David had to do it. Indeed, it is always the right time to do what is right. Disciplining our kids is painful but we’ve got to do it quickly now. For. it’s not right to delay doing what is right.

-------------------------

Visit our website and FOLLOW Gospel Light Christian Church Filipino on YouTube and Facebook.

2 Sam 21:1-9 ESV

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.

A RETRIBUTION.

The three-year famine had prompted David to seek 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.” Saul had dishonored God by trying to anihilate the Gibeonites that caused the famine. God isn’t capricious but consistent to His character of holiness.

During the time of Joshua, the Gibeonites did try to deceive Israel into making a peace treaty with them, though Israel was forbidden to make peace with any of the tribes of Canaan (Exodus 23:23-24). They approached Joshua craftily, had misrepresented themselves (pretended), and gave false “evidence” of their deception (old sacks, old wineskins, old and patched sandals, dry and moldy bread). But despite their lies, they have a proper admiration and honor for the God of Israel. Because they believed that the Gibeonites were from a distant land, they made the treaty with them. Consequently, they had to keep their oath, even if it was a bad oath. Joshua could not kill the Gibeonites, but he could control them by making them perpetual workmen for the tabernacle service. They would serve in menial ways such as cutting wood for the sacrificial fires of the tabernacle and carrying water used in its service. [see Jos 9:1-15]

When king David asked them what they wanted, they asked that seven of Saul’s sons be given to them, so that they may hang them before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.” But, Mephiboseth must be spared for David has a covenant with his father, Jonathan.

We’ve got to honor whatever oath the Lord binds. Why did Jesus say, "What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”? [Matt 19:6] Don’t we reap the sad consequence today when vows of marriage are not honored? A man and woman who willingly placed themselves under oath in marriage should strive to preserve and persevere in their marriage. 

2 Samuel 20:14-22

14 And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled and followed him in. 15 And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down. 16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’” 17 And he came near her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” 18 Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter. 19 I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?” 20 Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. 

A WISE WOMAN. 

Sheba was trapped inside the walled city of Abel of Beth-maacah. Thus, Joab and his men cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down. A wise woman surfaced and negotiated politely with Joab. She said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter. I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?” 

The impulsive Joab came into his senses to say,“Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” It wasn’t just or fair to penalize the whole city in order to apprehend a fugitive, was it? Thus, the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. 

This tactful woman was able to pacify an angry Joab. As Solomon had said, ”A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”[Prov 15:1] A soft word was heard loudly and effectively by Joab. How many times we don’t hear each other by our shoutings? She with her wisdom had saved the city. Indeed, “wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.”[Ecc 7:19] 

Indeed, wisdom is much effective than physical might. As Solomon had related,” I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siege works against it. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.” [Ecc 9:13-15]

Thankfully, as His children, we are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God. [1 Cor 1:30b]

2 Sam 20:1-2 ESV

Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said,

“We have no portion in David,

and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;

every man to his tents, O Israel!”

2 So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

A WORTHLESS MAN.

The rift between the northern and the southern kingdom was an opportunity for a troublemaker, Sheba, son of Bikri, a Benjamite, to put a final wedge for secession from David’s kingship . A conclusive parting of ways from David as he blew the trumpet and shouted;

“We have no portion in David,

and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;

every man to his tents, O Israel!”

A story was told that while two farmers were arguing about the ownership of a cow, somebody was milking it. Such is the case in profitless Christian bickering. When Christians fought over petty issues, Satan is as Sheba does come in and fuel the pride to consummate the break up. Ans as Paul warned us, “so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” [2 Cor 2:11]

Let’s remember that our fight isn’t among ourselves. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”[Eph 6:12]

May we won’t be carried away by our passions and pride in our relationships. How many splits had been instigated by nourishing pride among God’s people? A civil war is always a loss-loss situation to one’s country, is it not? Likewise, divisions in the body is as an implosion finally detonated by our enemy, Satan.

2 Sam 19:41-43 ESV

41 Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?” 42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense? Or has he given us any gift?” 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

ESTEEMING OTHERS AS BETTER THAN OURSELVES.

David's return to Jerusalem was marked by the escalating tensions between the Northern and Southern tribes, each being jealous of the king's favor. The northern tribes had felt sidelined in this ceremonial welcoming back of David from across the Jordan River.

They argued about who was more loyal to King David, and who had the greater right to honor him. They felt unappreciated by the southern tribe of Judah. This tension between Judah and the ten northern tribes set the stage for civil war in David’s day and the eventual division of the nation into two later.

Selfish ambitions always trigger relationship tremors. As James had written, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” [Jas 3:16] This even plagued the apostles, who were closed to Jesus.

At one time, James and John asked Jesus, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. [see Mark 10:35-41] Why were they indignant to the brothers James and John? Thus Jesus said to them, “To sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” The sovereignty of God should have settled their pursuit for it.

Certainly, they argued who had more favor from king David. But, should we compete who had more grace from Jesus, our king? Didn’t He wash the disciples feet , all without exception? Did He die more for some and not to others? Didn’t God so love the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life?[John 3:16]

Our true blessedness isn’t in sitting at Jesus side as the John and James wanted. It is in stooping down with Him in order to wash others feet. Thus Jesus admonished them about serving, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”[John 13:17]

Today, let’s heed to what Paul had said. That is,” So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”[Phil 2:1-4]

2 Sam 19:31-40 ESV

31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. 33 And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you.” 38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you, and all that you desire of me I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. 40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. All the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

GRACEFUL AGING.

For the goodness that Barzillai did to him at Mahanaim, David had decided to reciprocate his favor. He said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” But, Barzillai, being a wealthy man himself, did refuse gently.

His reason was that he, at 80 years old, was too old to enjoy the luxuries of life. “Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women?”, he argued.

Simply said, Barzillai found out he passed the time of youth. Eating good food and listening to beautiful music weren’t anymore a pleasure but a struggle. He felt he would be a burden to David rather than be a blessing. [see Ecc 12:1-11]

May we would age beautifully as Barzillai who just wanted to be a blessing and not a burden. A selfless man even at his old age. He even blessed Chimham by recommending him to David in his stead, which David took unhesitatingly. Let it be that we should seek to bless others always with our right hands without letting our left hands know about it, should we not?

Apparently, he looked forward to retire quietly in his home town until his death. There was no sense of regret whatsoever for having wasted his life. Indeed, there is a reality of physical life ebbing low. As Psa 90:10, says,

“ The years of our life are seventy,

or even by reason of strength eighty;

yet their span is but toil and trouble;

they are soon gone, and we fly away.”

Our season of ‘toil’ will turn into ‘trouble’. It’s irreversible. Thus, let’s be ‘making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” [Eph 5:16]