365 Reflections

Even great heroes need a team. 2 Samuel 21:15 (ESV) 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. For the first time in the scriptures, we read that David was tired. Great heroes eventually grow old and inevitably die. David has been through some serious stuff as well in recent years. He's faced family turmoil, betrayal and undermining staff. He's got a reason to be tired. When we read how the battle advances, something very important happens: 2 Samuel 21:16–17 (ESV)   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.” ...

We don't live in a culture of covenants. We should. They are all over the Bible and they were serious. They were also intended to save and bless people. We turn to another troubled moment for David to see how. David's troubles with rebels turn into troubles with the Lord. In 2 Samuel 21, there's a three-year famine n the land and the Lord tells David why: 2 Samuel 21:1–2 (ESV) 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. It should be eye-opening to modern people that the Lord would hold Israel accountable for the mistreatment of a people group from a generation ago. But the Lord is not LIKE US. He is perfect in justice and will r...

2 Samuel 20:1 (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!” No sooner is the rebellion of Absalom put down when David's kingdom faces another rebellion from a man named Sheba. It is a different sort of rebellion however albeit an effective one. This time the rebel calls out to the people and retreats. He never comes after David, he never attacks or fights, he only runs to Abel and eventually meets his demise. If Absalom represented the fall of Satan's kingdom at the cross, Sheba represents Satan's kingdom after. For he has no authority to fight God's people or attack Jesus. He is disarmed (See Colossians 2:15) and can only howl his lies. Sadly, many people listen to and follow Sheba just as many people listen to and follow the devil. 2 Samuel 20:2 (ESV)  ...

NOTE : If you are new to this blog, it started on blogger and is duplicated on Tumblr. The Tumblr page may not have all the posts from the beginning. Therefore, this is #1000 on the blogger page:  https://365reflect.blogspot.com/ POST : It is appropriate that this is my 1000th post on the Bible. We come to an important story surrounding David's return with an aged man named Barzillai offering a place in David's house to his son. 2 Samuel 19:37–38 (ESV)   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.” The story tells us as David returned he met Barzillai, an aged wealthy man who cared for David and his men while they were in exile during A...

David is saved from his son's rebellion and now is about to return to Jerusalem to assume the throne. But we must remember how much damage has been done to the kingdom and to David during this whole ordeal. He was cursed and betrayed. He was abandoned by the very people he led to the pinnacle of glory! And yet, when David returns, he models for us a compassion and grace we will only see more perfected in the true David, Jesus Christ. First, we see hesitancy in bringing David back. So much hesitancy that he has to instigate the reconciliation himself. 2 Samuel 19:11–13 (ESV) And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah , ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? 12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, ...

One of the questions we have to ask about the end of Absalom's rebellion concerns the actions of Joab toward the young rebel. He violently strikes him down and buries his body in a heap of rocks. Mind you, this is after Joab received clear instructions from David to deal gently with the boy for his sake. 2 Samuel 18:16–17 (ESV) Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home. When news of Absalom's death comes to David, he falls to pieces as any father would over a dead child. But Joab once again seems emotionally detached from the entire experience. He reprimands David for disrespecting his men and showing more love for the one who hated him than those devoted to him. 2 Samuel 19:5–6 (ESV)  Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have tod...

At the end of the battle between David and Absalom, we see David's experience, humility, and commitment to empowering leaders beyond himself proving to be the difference. The text wants us to see how David goes to work putting the right battle plan in place versus Absalom. He has established and experienced leaders to give charge of the men. These are men David has believed in and shaped. 2 Samuel 18:1–2 (ESV)  Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite . And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” Notice Ittai the Gittite, who only recently joined David, in fact, the day before David fled the city! Now that same Ittai will command one-third of the entire army. That's called trust! Dav...

Ignoring those who came before us has become common the habit of this generation. Today we demonize people from the past because they fail our present-day "enlightened" character measurement. On top of this, we see rising dishonor for the aged, an obsession with youth, and a growing aversion to fathers. Absalom is the archetype of a young, proud man who refuses to heed wisdom from those who are regarded as wise and understanding. He has the elders of Israel, 10 tribes and a vast army on his side during his rebellion but his refusal to listen to them will be his undoing. His advisor is Ahithophel. Here's what the text says about him: 2 Samuel 16:23 (ESV) Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom. Ahithophel's advice for Absalom is that he himself will take a detachment of soldiers and snipe the king by catching him off-guard. Absalom n...

The Lord's greatest people are known for two things: trusted friends they develop and rely on AND vicious enemies that attack them. 2 Samuel 16:2–4 (ESV)   And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3 And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’ ” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.” Into the drama of David's exile arrives Ziba, the former servant of Saul. Commentators agree this exchange is terrible for David. He takes Ziba's word that Mephibosheth is thinking Absalom (of all people!) is...