Who is God? And, how can we find God - Bible answers.

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/13/2-samuel-21-commentary/

Second Samuel 21 Commentary

The second and last section of chapter 21 gives us a list of victories over David's main enemies. Looking at the fact that chapter 22 is a praise song of victory over Saul and the other enemies, could this be a pointer that David was just too happy to kill off Saul's relatives? Was he still looking at Saul's family as an enemy to disarm by killings?

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/11/2-samuel-19-commentary/

Second Samuel 19 Commentary

Joab is David’s nephew and fiercely loyal. He is a stone-heart army commander of Israel. But we suspect David has had too much of Joab and demotes him and promotes Amasa. The King is probably still upset about the killing of Absalom by Joab. We cannot wait to see how the handover process will proceed!

Shimei who had insulted the King shows up. David forgives him and rebukes Abishai who wants Shimei to pay with his life for having insulted the King. We admire David for this generosity.

Barzillai is a wealthy man who had helped the fleeing King. David wants to show gratitude by asking Barzillai to come with him to Jerusalem. How long have I to live, Barzillai asks. This is an important question coming from a man who understands time. Like Barzillai, each man is invited to ask the same question. How long have I to live for me to continue wasting time? How long have I to live for me to continue dressing like a sixteen-year-old girl? How long have I to live for me to continue dreaming about vanity?

Barzillai is a very wealthy man and he is eighty years old. He is wealthy probably because he learned to ask this same question as a lad. A man who cannot ask this question in his twenties will have problems understanding that at forty, he doesn’t have time to continue a vanity life. His mindset is that there is always time.

How long have I to live, is a question every sinner must ask. As Jeremiah puts it: “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” Every man must ask this question with eternity in the picture.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/10/2-samuel-18-commentary/

Second Samuel 18 Commentary

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The story of Absalom ends today, and so ends the mutiny that temporarily dethroned David. The ungodly Absalom dies in battle against his own father. Of course, politicians can learn a lot from his patience, his timing, and his strategies. He took 2 years to plan the murder of his brother Amnon. He took 4 years to plan and execute an uprising that saw his father temporarily vacate the throne.

These emotions are for mortals; heaven doesn’t have them. Absalom deserves his punishment for dishonoring his father. He cut down the length of his own lifespan by dishonoring his own father. There is a law regarding his behavior and there is strict enforcement for it. We cannot escape. The chapter invites us to reflect on the law of the LORD and how it comes to bear on humans. Whether completely ignored or only partially appreciated, or fully understood and loved, the law has the last laugh. Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. Psalms 119 verse 89.

Joab is a ruthless soldier but he is not responsible for Absalom’s death. David has survived the mutiny but it’s not Hushai’s advice that is responsible. All of these things are happening here because the word of the LORD has decided. David is in this place because of chapter 11 of this book. Absalom is here because of Exodus 20 verse 12.

And when the books are opened at the final judgment, a normal moment of entertainment shall convict some because the big book calls it adultery. The admired politics of Absalom may be called by different names in study books but the big book called it sin and Absalom was judged accordingly. It is not what the world calls it that matters, but what the big book calls it.

The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!” Uriah’s father must have wept this way. Uriah’s children probably still wept at each anniversary, year by year. This trouble for David served a purpose by reminding him of the pain of loss suffered by others.

At times the LORD allows trouble on our heads to help us appreciate the trouble others have gone through because of our sins against them. At this point, you are a very good teacher. “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.” Psalm 51 verse 13.

It is always a good ending when sinners turn back to the LORD as a consequence of such experiences. I guess that is the reason for these writings.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/09/2-samuel-17-commentary/

Second Samuel 17 Commentary

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“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20 verse 12. Yesterday we saw Absalom publicly dishonor his father. Today we see two wise men help Absalom with plans to terminate David’s life. We don’t need any reminding that Absalom is David’s third-born son. David’s tender heart doesn’t deserve this, but that is the least of our concerns here. There is a higher throne, bigger than the one Absalom is seeking, that has taken note of this kind of wickedness.

Two men step forward to provide guidance to Absalom. Ahithophel is an interesting character. His advice is rejected but it is the right military strategy. Yesterday we learned that both David and Absalom regarded Ahithophel’s advice as ‘the very words of God’. This is a problem. David spoiled Ahithophel. He probably got to a point where he felt no one could possibly say no to his counsel. When it happens, he is so devastated that he kills himself.

Yesterday he counseled Absalom to sleep with his father’s wives and today he has provided the right military strategy to terminate David’s life. Both pieces of counsel are very ungodly. This is the man who was regarded very highly by David. It is so strange that the entire nation is so engrossed in the politics of the throne that no one stops to ask if at all what was being done met the standards of the law. The world is not short of genuine men of God who can provide counsel, but who looks at them?

Regardless of his intelligence, Ahithophel is just another Sangoma, a witch doctor. Such is the wisdom of man without God. Never mind their education or reputation.

Stop briefly and look back. In the initial stages, we saw David consult the LORD regularly. Now that David is on the throne, his trips to the throne room have been reduced. Instead, we have Ahithophel in the picture. We fear for David. Well, we should also fear for Israel who thinks Absalom can rule them. A man who treats his own father this way can never have time for anyone else. Shouldn’t this be simple wisdom?

In the midst of trouble are moments of relief for the saint. These are not random moments of lucky but divine relief times. So we see Barzillai and Makir show up to provide supplies for the fleeing King. The saint is encouraged to look around them and spot these refuge chambers in their lives. They are provided by the LORD for relief.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/07/2-samuel-15-commentary/

Second Samuel 15 Commentary

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Trouble continues for David. He is forced to flee from his palace by Absalom's conspiracy. For his part, Absalom is an impressive and patient political operator; but he is wicked.

Whether or not the saint plays a role in their own trouble, David’s reaction is a good lesson for us all. The LORD is in charge of events. Life doesn’t exist independent of God’s overall control. It is to this that the saint is invited to look to in total surrender.

Genuine repentance includes the real brokenness of the heart. David has acknowledged that whatever is happening around him is the doing of the LORD. So to the LORD, he appeals and this appeal is one of submission. He makes a request to the LORD for help from this point of submission.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/06/2-second-samuel-14-commentary/

Second Samuel 14 Commentary

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We have a very difficult situation at the palace. David wants Absalom back but he cannot say it. Joab senses that the king wants to have Absalom back and devices a plan to initiate the process.

Absalom is finally brought back to Jerusalem but the King doesn’t want to see his son. Interestingly, Joab also doesn’t want to see Absalom. We know Joab and Absalom are first cousins. In order to force Joab to see him, Absalom burns Joab’s crop field. We are also told about Absalom’s very good looks.

It is very easy to smell trouble right here in this chapter. Absalom is trouble in the making but that is for tomorrow. Today we can focus on the decisions at the palace that could have probably added fire to the trouble.

After Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom’s sister, apart from being upset, David goes quiet. It is a point of indecision. It is probably this indecision or the decision to accommodate this kind of sin within the palace that probably angered Absalom. Now that Absalom had exacted justice, the king wants to act tough. Absalom sees nothing but injustice at the palace. He is not completely wrong.

Under the Law of Moses, Amnon deserved death. It didn’t happen. Check Deuteronomy 22 verses 23 to 27.

Indecision in the case of Amnon robbed David of his authority to act in the case of Absalom. Indecision can only produce further indecision and more trouble. In the case of sin, indecision today is only more indecision and more trouble tomorrow. The scripture encourages us to ruthlessly deal with sinful situations in order to avoid more trouble tomorrow.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/04/2-samuel-12-commentary/

Second Samuel 12 Commentary

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By the time the LORD is sending Nathan to confront David over his sin, months have passed. Bathsheba has given birth to David's son and life is flowing normally. David's plan has worked. We know he had swiftly moved in to marry Bathsheba to conceal his sin. Everyone would understand the child as one born under normal marriage circumstances between David and Bathsheba. Had he delayed marrying Bathsheba, the child was never going to be treated as David's but as Uriah's.

Indeed it is the purpose of these lines that we, the transgressors of today, can turn back to the LORD. We want to read Psalms 51 again and again to learn more. It is an invitation to self-introspect. And when a good job is done we can agree with David that indeed man is born in sin and is a sinner himself right from that point. David’s prayer for a clean heart and a royal spirit is very much in order.

“Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” We have a direct reference to Genesis when the LORD cast man out of his presence – out of the Garden of peace and tranquility. Or more recently, the thought is directly connected with Saul’s loss of God’s presence when the Spirit left him. David is very much aware of what happens since he was the man tasked to conduct deliverance sessions for Saul through his music.

It’s from the mouth of David, and in this moment that we learn that the LORD doesn’t delight in sacrifice. Indeed the greatest sacrifice the LORD wants is a broken spirit. He will gladly accept a heart that is broken because of sadness over sin.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/03/2-samuel-11-commentary/