Saturday 12 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 19
Relationships Restored
David was mourning for his son. The troops stole quietly into the city as though they had lost the battle, so great was David’s unhappiness over his son’s death. But Joab boldly rebuked the king for allowing his grief to make him self-centred. He had failed in his duty to thank the loyal men who had risked their lives to save him. Joab urged David to encourage the troops before they deserted him. David listened to his advice and took up his place at the gate to talk to the fighting men. It is easy to allow our own emotions to distract us from the needs of others. We need to be careful when we are going through tough times not to get self-absorbed. It is not wrong to grieve and mourn, but it is wrong to be full of self-pity with no room in our hearts to think of others.
Awakened to his responsibilities, David then spoke to the elders of Judah asking why they should be the last to bring the king back to his rightful place at the centre of his kingdom. He replaced Joab with Amasa and won them over. Then David returned as far as the Jordan.
David’s foolishness over his family had nearly lost him his kingdom, but God’s hand was still on him. In the rest of this chapter we see relationships improved as David forgave those who had misjudged him and let him down, and their loyalty was restored.
Prayer:
* Pray for those who are struggling with their emotions at this time, that they will not let their troubles blind them to their responsibilities towards others.
* Pray for those who are discouraged, that they may find their joy and strength in the Lord.
* Have you misjudged someone? Repent and confess it before the Lord.
Friday 11 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 18
Absalom’s Death
David divides his army into three divisions headed by Joab, Joab’s brother Abishai and a Gittite named Ittai. Although Ittai was a Philistine he was loyal enough to head up a division of David’s army (15:18-22). Loyalty is not valued highly by our current society, but is highly valued by God. He is looking for committed and faithful people to work for Him. Are you loyal enough that the Lord can trust you with a specific instruction or ‘assignment’?
Although David’s men had the advantage, as they knew how to fight in the forest terrain (v.8), it was because the Lord was with them that they defeated Israel’s army.
David gave his men instructions to be “gentle” with Absalom and not to act hastily. But Joab didn’t listen to David’s instruction. He saw his chance to kill Absalom (when he was hanging from the tree by his hair). When one of his men reminded of what David said (vv.12, 13), Joab took no notice and drove three javelins into Absalom’s heart and killed him (v.14). His motives were good, as he knew that Absalom would continue to cause trouble for David while he lived, but he disobeyed the king’s instructions. Do you obey the Lord’s instructions to the letter or are you like Joab who thought he knew better than his leader?
David had been persuaded to wait at home and was anxious for news. When he saw a single runner approaching he assumed that he was bringing good news. Then a second runner was spotted. They do bring good news about the defeat of Israel’s army, but not good news about David’s son. When David heard the news about Absalom he was distraught. Even though Absalom had rebelled against him, he was still David’s son and David had loved him. Even though he was a man after God’s heart and privileged in so many ways, David was not spared times of pain and suffering. We will also experience loss and heartache. The challenge is to allow it to work good in us – to make us better, not bitter.
Prayer:
* Are you truly committed to God? If not ask the Lord to draw you closer, that you may get to know Him more and become more loyal to Him.
* Have you disobeyed the Lord’s instructions? If so, confess and repent.
* Pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, whether through death or a breakdown in relationship.
Thursday 10 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 17
Absalom’s Rebellion
Absalom’s rebellion included all of Israel. The fact that there were 12,000 men suggests 1,000 men from each of the twelve tribes. The elders of Israel agreed with Ahithophel’s plan to attack David. Absalom’s response is so different from David’s. When David was being pursued by Saul, he refused to kill Saul when he had the opportunity, because he recognised that Saul was the Lord’s anointed, yet now Absalom and the elders of Israel are plotting to kill David, the king appointed by God Himself. They did not understand, as David had, that God’s hand of protection is on those He has chosen and that to reject them is to reject Him.
Absalom wanted a second opinion and asked Hushai for his advice. Hushai warned that David was a fighter and advised that they should attack him first. As a friend of David, Hushai subtly undermined Ahithophel’s advice by appealing to Absalom’s fears and egotism. Hushai was working in accordance with God’s plan to frustrate Absalom’s rebellion (v.14) and, because God was in charge, Absalom decided to take Hushai’s advice rather than Ahithophel’s.
God’s protection was also on two other loyal men – Ahimaaz and Jonathan. They heard of the plan and tried to reach David to warn him. They had to hide in a woman’s well, but their pursuers were diverted and they were able to escape and alert David to the planned attack. David and his men escaped by crossing the Jordan. The Lord’s protection was on David and his men because they feared Him and were working for Him.
Leaders are not perfect. They make mistakes and may even fail in what God has called them to do. But it is for God to raise people up and His job to remove them from their position of leadership if necessary. We should never set ourselves against those whom God has appointed to lead us (at work, in the home, at church, in the nation), but pray for them, submit to them and honour them as those whom God has chosen.
Prayer:
* Rebellion is as witchcraft in the Lord’s eyes. If there is any rebellion in you, confess it and repent.
* Pray for the leaders at Ruwach, that they may be alert to the plans of the enemy and be leading us to the place the Lord has for us as a church.
* Thank the Lord for His protection. Pray for the persecuted church, that the Lord will protect them and keep them from harm.
Wednesday 9 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 16
Unjustified Criticism
Have you ever been criticised unjustly, or been accused of something that you have not done? Have there been times when people you thought were your friends turned out to be against you and only out for their own gain? That’s what happened to David.
First along comes Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth (remember his story in chapter 9?). It seems he was looking only for personal gain. David did not see through him but accepted that what the servant said was true. It’s very easy to accept what someone says at face value, but we need to be wise and question a situation or claim, particularly if the person stands to gain from the situation. The Holy Spirit will guide us if we listen to Him.
Next on the scene is Shimei. He accused David of being responsible for Saul’s death – even though David had no part in it. This time David got it right. He did not respond to the curses and lies but trusted God to be his vindicator.
Finally in this chapter we read of the advice of Ahithophel to Absalom. Ahithophel had been one of David’s most trusted advisers. People often surround themselves with advisers to help in decision-making. It’s important to choose your advisers carefully! The advice given to Absalom was poor, and by overstretching himself the adviser himself ended up committing suicide (17:23). David’s prayer (15 :31) was answered.
Prayer:
* Pray for anyone you know who is being falsely accused, that God would enable them to react in a godly way.
* Pray that God would give you discernment, that you might see people’s motives and be wise in whom you trust.
Tuesday 8 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 15
Absalom – a Flawed Character
The next five chapters take us into a period of David’s life when there was considerable rebellion against him throughout the nation. And it was started by his son Absalom. Absalom had grand plans and had many of the qualities that would have made him a successful king. But he lacked self-control and the depth of character needed to do the job. He was also short on personal integrity. In the end he was not able to admit his mistakes or to ask for forgiveness.
He is not alone in finding that difficult. God offers us forgiveness, but we cannot receive it unless we are prepared to admit our sins and confess them before God. Absalom rejected his father’s love and was in rebellion against him. For a while things seemed to go well for him, but, as we shall read in later chapters, in the end it all went wrong. It’s the same for us. We can choose in the short term to live a worldly life and enjoy physical success and comfort. But if we reject our Father’s love and His direction for our lives and stay estranged from Him, then the end result will be pain and frustration. Without submission to God, and those He puts in authority over us, we will never live successful lives.
So what can we learn from Absalom’s life? First, that the sins of the fathers are often repeated and extended in their children. Second, that taking good advice and thinking it over patiently will always be better than being led by your emotions. And finally, it doesn’t matter how clever you are, if you persist in acting wilfully then disaster will ultimately strike.
Prayer:
* Pray that God would help you not to repeat the sins of your own parents, but to make right choices before God.
* Pray for Christian parents you know whose children have rejected God. Pray that God would comfort them and draw their children back to Himself.
Monday 7 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 14
Rebellious Son, Forgiving Father
Chapter 14 presents a portrait of Absalom as a rebellious figure. He seems to have an air of independence and a scheming mind. On top of this he was a handsome young man (v.25) and so probably came across as a charismatic type of person, easily winning people over to his ideas and persuading others to join him in dubious and immoral works. David was indecisive and weak. He ignored his son’s sins, with the result that things went from bad to worse. Not dealing with sin immediately, whether our own or others’, only makes matters worse in the longer term.
The final part of the chapter records David’s forgiveness of Absalom. Unfortunately his desire to make right with his son was more important to him than his God-given responsibility to discipline him. David forgave Absalom, but he didn’t deal with the sin or cause Absalom to deal with it either. He should have dealt with the problem, at the same time determining whether there was any repentance in Absalom. There is no evidence in the story that Absalom was willing to accept responsibility for his actions. In fact the very way he engineered his meeting with his father (vv.29-33) suggests that he had not reformed his ways. What is more, it seems as if he was sure of his father’s weakness in such matters, as he issued the challenge of v.32 “… if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me”. Yes, as fathers we are called to forgive our children as God has forgiven us, but we have a responsibility to discipline and correct our children too.
Prayer:
* Continue to pray for fathers known to you, that they will have wisdom and courage to carry out their responsibility well.
* Pray for any bad relationships within your own family, that God would help the parties involved to put them right.
Sunday 6th March 2011 – 2 Samuel 13
Family Problems
In this chapter David’s story continues to unfold, and we read about the problems within his family. His wives were to be the cause of many of his problems – not surprising really when you consider how many he had!
His family were rebellious, his children ill-disciplined, and other men slept with his wives. Much of this was the direct result of his sinful behaviour with Bathsheba, as predicted by Nathan. It reminds us that our sinfulness may well have consequences for others – it’s not only we who suffer! This chapter also reminds us that none of us is perfect. David was a brilliant king and a great military leader, but his handling of his close relationships left a lot to be desired. He lacked sensitivity in dealing with his wives and did not discipline his sons as he should have done.
The family home became a place of anger and hate (see vv.21-22). Because of what Amnon had done to his sister, Absalom not only became angry with Amnon but, because he internalised the anger instead of dealing with it, his anger turned to hate. And the hate resulted in revenge rather than resolution. Further murder was the result (vv.23-29), as one of David’s sons killed another. What had gone wrong? David had refused to exercise his responsibilities over his sons. He stood back and let Absalom take the law into his own hands, rather than solving the issue according to the accepted law and practice. As fathers, we need to take this chapter to heart and ask God for strength and wisdom as we seek to be the head of our families and to bring wise counsel and upbringing to our children.
Prayer:
* Pray for yourself or the men in your family to take seriously the responsibilities of fatherhood.
* Pray that God would bring about a reversal of the situation in our nation where many children are growing up without a father.
* Pray for any rebellious children you know who are bringing grief to their parents.
Saturday 5 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 12
A Fresh Start
It took some time before David was able to face up to his sins. God sent Nathan, His prophet, to confront David. Eventually David saw the truth of the situation (v.13). There is no doubt about his repentance; Psalm 51 is testimony to this. And Nathan was able to assure David that his sins were forgiven (v.13). But there were still consequences to be faced – we can read of them in v.14 as Nathan spells them out. The consequences of David’s sin were irreversible. And it’s true for us as well. God is always willing to forgive us and restore our relationship with Him, but the effects of our sin remain.
Look at Psalm 51, though. David did not wallow in self-pity. He turned back to God and resolved, with God’s help, to start again. We have a God of grace. Despite David’s fall into sin, God restored him and Himself referred to David as a man after His own heart.
In many ways the birth of Solomon was a fresh start for David and Bathsheba. Verses 16-23 tell of how their first son died, just as prophesied by Nathan (v.14) as a punishment for David and Bathsheba’s adultery. Solomon was actually the fourth son of the couple (see 1 Chronicles 3:5). He was to prove to be an exceptional son and future king of Israel.
The other person who stands out in this chapter is Nathan. He was God’s spokesman to David, and was fearless in carrying out his ministry. God gave him wisdom to confront David in a way that brought conviction. Through this he was able to restore David by showing him his sinfulness, and then to comfort David by pointing to God’s forgiveness, without ignoring the continuing consequences of his sinful behaviour. Like Nathan, we need to be able to share the truth with our fellow Christians, to be a constant friend to them and to encourage and support them when they are feeling the pressure.
Prayer:
* Thank God that no sin is too bad for Him to forgive.
* Thank God for Christian friends who challenge, support and encourage you.
* Pray that you may be a “Nathan” in the lives of people you care for.
Friday 4 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 11
Dealing with Temptation
This chapter graphically describes how David fell deeply into sin. It all started with a temptation – a temptation he would not have faced if he had done what was expected of him and gone to war at the front of his army. Instead, with too much time on his hands, he found himself on the palace roof one night. He looked down and saw a beautiful woman bathing. At that point he could have looked away, or walked away and filled his thoughts with something else. But he didn’t. He carried on looking. And then he fed that first temptation by asking his courtiers about the woman (v.3). In v.4 we read that he deliberately sinned. Then it got worse as he tried to hide his sin, first by deception (vv.6-11) and then by murder (vv.15, 17). In the next chapter we will read how his sins were found out and he was punished. But many other people felt the effect of his actions, they were so far-reaching.
Sin is often like a snowball rolling down a slope. It gets bigger and bigger and more and more difficult to stop. Once sin gets a foothold in our lives it often proves difficult to get rid of it (see James 1:14-15). The more of a mess we get ourselves into, the more difficult we find it to admit it.
And it all starts with a “little” temptation. We are all tempted into sin at one time or another. But there are some basic principles we can adopt to prevent temptations developing into sin. First, we should regularly ask God to help us stay away from situations where we might be tempted. It is also helpful to memorise appropriate Scriptures so that the Holy Spirit can bring them to our minds when we are facing temptation. It is also good to make yourself accountable to another Christian whom you trust and to whom you can turn for support when temptation presents itself.
Prayer:
* If you have allowed sin to get a hold in your life, repent and ask God to help you unravel the mess.
* Pray that God will strengthen you to recognise and stand against temptation.
* Pray for your fellow cell group members, that they too will be able to resist temptation.
Thursday 3 March 2011 – 2 Samuel 10
An Angry Response
Hanun became the king of the Ammonites on his father’s death. David sent messengers of condolence to him, but somehow he and his advisers completely misread the situation. The Ammonites assumed the Israelites were spies who had come with a plan to overthrow the country. That was bad enough, but Hanun’s mistake threw him into confusion and he reacted still further and more aggressively by preparing to make war with the Israelites.
It’s so easy to respond with anger when we find ourselves in the wrong, making the situation even worse. The possibility of admitting his mistake and apologising did not seem to cross Hanun’s mind. Instead he committed his people to battle and lost everything. As Christians we need to develop humility, recognising that we are sinners saved by grace, and always thinking the best of other people.
“Be of good courage, and let us be strong, for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight”. With these words Joab, David’s army commander, encouraged his brother Abishai (v.12) as the Israelites faced the Ammonite and Syrian armies. We can see a balance here. On the one hand Joab is marshalling his troops and using the best tactics to ensure success, but he is also acknowledging that whatever happened, the result was in God’s hands.
There’s a lesson for us in these verses. It is easy to throw up your hands and say “what will be will be”, but God has given us brains, wisdom and physical resources, which he expects us to use, whilst trusting God for the right result and following the leading of His Holy Spirit.
Prayer:
* If you have caused a problem in a relationship by a wrong reaction to someone, repent now and ask God to help you apologise and put things right.
* If you are facing a difficult situation right now, ask God to help you find the right balance between using your own resources and leaning on Him.