The Battle of Gibeon

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

2 Samuel 2:24-32

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?”
27 And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning.”
28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore.

Three brothers became two brothers. Asahel was dead, and Abner was the man who killed him. Yes he sought to deter Asahel from the conflict. Yes he knew the outcome of any attack on Asahel. Abner was an experienced warrior, whereas Asahel’s “claim to fame” was that he was “swift of foot as a wild gazelle” He could run!

Experienced warrior against a sprinter, or even a long distance runner. Seemed like the result of any conflict would be obvious. And it was. Asahel lay on the ground, bloodied and defeated.

And two brothers found focus! Abner was the man to be dealt with, and Joab with his brother Abishai were in the chase. Vengeance became the motivating force in these two men’s lives, and this death of Asahel became a unifying event for the men of Benjamin following Joab. This had all the earmarks of getting very bloody, with much death and destruction on the battlefield.

There isn’t many motivators that are more powerful than vengeance. To get even, to take vengeance, especially in such an unjust and cruel act such as Abner’s killing of Asahel, blinds the most common man to any logic, and reason against completing this bloodthirst.

Joab and Abishai appear to be the exception, at least for the time being!

Abner was on the run, and as he had mentioned to Asahel, he knew the outcome of his killing Joab’s brother.

2 Samuel 2:22 …Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?

To “lift up my face” is an interesting phrase, and worth considering for a moment. What was Abner trying to say to Asahel as he was being chased?

This phrase speaks of a confidence before another. This phrase speaks of the honor / shame culture these people were immersed in, and the importance of the clear conscience in relationships. Consider two verses in Job, as some of his counsellors try to help the suffering saint.

Job 11:15 Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure and will not fear.

Job 22:26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.

Yes, Abner and Joab were competing generals, but prior to this killing, their seemed to be a mutual respect.

A confidence and assurance in relationships between two successful warriors. A clarity between men that resulted in a respect, and a showing of honor, even though of different opinions! (What are we missing out on in our current society as this mutual respect for others of a different opinion is sorely lacking!)

Abner knew this mutual respect would evaporate if the conflict with Asahel resulted in his death, and sure enough, it did.

What was Abner’s next ploy. Somewhat genius, for he played the nation card, speaking of senseless death of Israeli brothers. We must remember that Israel is in the midst of a civil war at this time, an internal fighting has the potential to consume the nation.

Abner, to rescue his own skin, showed concern for the nation. Convenient. Of a pure motive? You decide, but it certainly was a convenient argument to provide relief from the pursuit of the motivated men chasing him and his crew!

Why Joab gave up the chase, when he had a united army and motivated leadership to take Abner, and his men down? Let’s remember that Joab has been running his men hard during this battle, and he may admit to the truth of the nation consuming itself. What would be left for him to have power over if decimated?

No, Joab and Abishai, relented the chase, at least in appearance for the sake of the nation. Other opportunities may arise for Joab to take care of “concerns” his brother and he harbored. But for now, hostilities ceased.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

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The Battle of Gibeon

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

2 Samuel 2:18-23

18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle.
19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.”
21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
22 And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?”
23 But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

Do you see the Lord in Asahel. A man determined to face the leader of the enemy camp, a man seeking to honor his sovereign and in the pursuit, experiencing death!

But I get ahead of myself, for this passage also speaks of Abner and as such continues to describe the type of man we will bump into occasionally as we follow David’s life through these studies.

Let’s remember Abner in this story, a man who led Saul’s army against David and was essentially running the northern kingdom. He was Saul’s cousin, and had power for many years. He was not about to give that up.

At the pool of Gibeon, he sought to find victory over Joab and David’s forces, but death took all 24 soldiers. Now the full battle broke out, with the nation of Israel in full civil war. Joab’s forces were dominating and Abner was on the run. Although he was on the run, he was not an easy adversary, for Abner had been a warrior his entire life and had shed much blood. To kill a man meant nothing for Abner and yet in this altercation, he sought to pause, to distract Asahel from the chase. All with good intentions? You be the judge.

Nevertheless, he warned off Asahel, sought to redirect, all without success. Eventually, after expressing the fallout that would result in his killing Asahel, it became apparent the death was necessary in Abner’s mind. And Abner continued in his flight.

But let’s also return to Asahel. I realize I began this blog with a short bit on how Asahel may picture the Messiah in his actions, but let me reconsider.

At some convenient point, Asahel determined within himself that it was his calling to take on a challenge for David. The actual circumstances may have simply provided an opportunity for a young man who sought to prove himself. His brother Joab was the Kings general, and his other brother Abishai, had proved his muster back when David entered the camp of Saul and took his spear and water jug. For a quick review, my reader may want to check out the story of Abishai in Life of David – 20.02. To say the least Abishai was honored in his mighty acts for David.

And then there is Asahel. A man who sought to attain to the glories of his brothers, and by all accounts of Abner not worthy of any glory yet.

But Asahel was “I” centered, and I fear his ego delivered him to an early death.

I suppose I see a bit more of me in Asahel, for the only thing he says in this passage is “I”, and it seems that he may have been out of his depth in the confrontation. For though he died for a noble cause, for his king and country, it was a method that seemed destined to failure, and that seemed fueled by his own desire for glory.

Asahel was a brave, but rash young man, seeking his own glory. This is a severe parting of the ways in his representing a picture of the Christ as a willing servant and sacrifice, a Son who sought His Father’s will above his own life. Asahel’s impacted the lives of the army of David, and especially Joab, for we shall return to this killing in future posts, but for now, two lessons may be gleaned from this passage.

Rash decisions

Asahel made a rash decision to make a name for himself in the heat of battle. This most assuredly was not a planned effort with, making a decision based on possible outcomes, times of prayer and considered dangers. Of course it was in the heat of battle, but it was not a requirement for Asahel to chase Abner, an order Joab had directed to Asahel to be obeyed. No it seemed to be nothing but a decision Asahel made on the spot, and locked Asahel into the chase with no the freedom to pull away. And that brings us to the second lesson.

Self glory

In Asahel’s decision to follow after Abner, a greater adversary, Asahel locked himself into a inescapable condition of either killing Abner or dyeing, No other option was available for Asahel, for that would require a humility, a realization that he was out of his depth, and a certain self abnegation.

Self glory has often placed me in similar circumstances. Thankfully none that required my death, as I am obviously still punching keyboard keys! But the desire for self glory, and the forgetfulness of the glory of God in any circumstance often leads me in to a false dichotomy. Either one result or the other will be required as I seek my own glory.

It isn’t so if we allow God to be in the mix, for though I sometimes invite Him into my mess, He has remained faithful in working through my self glory mess for His eventual sake.

It is the “eventual” aspect that bothers me. I have wasted much time in my walk with Him.

As I close, consider decisions that are made in your life, and let’s seek to ask for God’s guidance in those decisions. Let us not be driven by self glory, but to raise up the glory of God in all our actions!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

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The Battle of Gibeon

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

2 Samuel 2:12-17
12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
14 And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
15 Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is at Gibeon.
17 And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

Abner is on the march. He made Ish-boseth the king of what remained of Saul’s kingdom and the first order of business was to confront David.

Now let’s remember that Abner and David had history, that Abner “discovered” David for Saul, he knew of David’s prowess on the battle field, he had been loyal to Saul during the hunting of David, and he had been publicly shamed by David, in front of all his troops. You remember when David crept into the camp and took Saul’s spear? Abner took a serious shaming then.

Abner may still be licking his wounds!

It seems that Abner and Joab had communicated and coordinated a place and time for confrontation. Initially it seemed the two men decided to be “civil” about the terms of battle. The setting appeared to be a polite meeting of national leaders, a diplomatic conference amongst warriors. But these men were warriors, battle hardened soldiers that knew the fate of the kingdom was to be decided on the battlefield.

Why then suggest the battle of the 24 soldiers?

Was it suggested in order to save the lives of fellow countrymen? The nation had just split with the anointing of David and the crowning of Ish-boseth. Up till then, the men were all united as the nation of Israel.

Or was it that both generals understood the weakness the nation would suffer if both armies fought to the death? After all, it may have been only a few weeks previously that the Philistines rampaged through the nation, showing their dominance and striking a serious blow on the nations army.

I want to think the generals were thinking of the nation as a whole at this time, but the end result was simply a bloodbath with no desired outcome. Even if some of one group of 12 survived this fight, would not the armies take up arms again, if not that day, soon enough.

No, twenty-four soldiers fell that day, with much blood spilling out. As an act of honor for these men, the field was named the Field of Sharp Swords. Instead of risking all the soldiers, 12 of each side would battle, and die. A futile act that accomplished nothing. 12 men sacrificed to no end. And a bloody civil war broke out. Israel was at war with itself, consuming itself and becoming weaker and weaker militarily with every man falling.

How foolish for a nation to war against itself. For the sake of the pride of two generals, a nation was on fire.

At this point, what could David do? He was being guided by God onto the throne of Israel, and because of loyalty to Saul and a desire to maintain position, Abner forced his hand. Did not Abner know of the promise of God, the anointing of David to rule over all Israel? I suggest he knew, but was not concerned about the peace of the people of Israel, just the power of his position.

My friends, may I remind you we have Abner’s in the church. We must recognize that strong, self willed men often fight to get into leadership positions within the church body, thinking they are great gifts to the kingdom of God. But as Abner was destroying the kingdom he publicly pledged allegiance to, so these men and women who seek power also, with a feigned humility, seek control over the flock, no matter the cost.

When I think of this condition within the church, I ponder on what it means to lead. How is it to best impact those we love without shoving our opinions sometimes violently down their throat.

May I suggest the written/spoken word, fitly spoken, with a quiet humble spirit is powerful for the one who has ears to hear.

Also, any attempt to force our will on another believer seems to be beyond the scope of our calling. Now of course if I see a brother walking into a busy street, I will not quietly mention John 3:16 and hope for the best. I will force my will on him, knocking him back to the sidewalk, away from the traffic.

That should be obvious, but in relation to counselling our brothers, I often think of Paul in his relationship with Apollos. Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles, requested (strongly urged) Apollos to travel to Corinth. Apollos decided not to.

1 Corinthians 16:12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.

Paul didn’t seem threatened by the decision Apollos made, though it was against his wishes! How could Apollos reject the counsel the great apostle provided?

For myself, I reconcile this conflict understanding that both men answered to Jesus. Apollos related to Paul as a man who was his brother, and not his Lord.

May we sit under leaders in the church who understand the importance of believers following Jesus directly as opposed to interjecting their opinion into the relationship between the believer and his Lord.

With that said, I would like to emphasize to all who read this that this is a call to obedience to Jesus, not a call to disobedience to a Christian leader. There is a difference! May we have the wisdom, grace and humility to understand the ways of God for our lives!

And watchout for those Abners! They seem to be multiplying, tearing the church apart and letting many die on the field of battle for the sake of their wants!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

Come join us at Considering the Bible

David Anointed King of Judah

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

2 Samuel 2:1-7
1 After this David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.”
2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
3 And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron.
4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,”
5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him.
6 Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing.
7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

A bit of a recap is in order.

David, as a young man and an increasingly important soldier for the nation of Israel, became in the kings eyes a competition to the throne. The rumor spread through Israel that he had been anointed by the prophet Samuel and tensions rose in the royal family. Eventually David became an outcast, literally running for his life from the man he had just eulogized in the previous passage.

For the young man David, his initial anointing from the Lord by Samuel to become the next king may have occurred as early as age 15. 2 Samuel speaks of David being 30 years old when he began to reign.

2 Samuel 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

I understand that David was 30 years old in this passage when he was anointed the second time by the men of Judah in verse 4, creating a split kingdom. David ruled over Judah, while the remaining tribes assumed the royal lineage, under Saul’s son Ish-boseth.

With all of this background, what jumps out to me is the extended period of time David was “on-hold” for the throne. Not only on hold, but under pressure, experiencing disappointment, despair and a threat of death at the hand of his father-in-law.

In all of his waiting, there must have been times when he looked back on the day Samuel anointed him, and longed for the realization of his ascension. Up to 15 years of waiting, and now the door is open. Obviously David was meant to simply take the throne, for he had been promised it, and this is the opportunity to take it.

Yet he asked the Lord. He saw opportunity, and we know David was a man of action, yet he asked of the Lord for guidance on timing and location. Note that he was very specific in his request to the Lord, even to which city would be best to return home to. He brought his family, and his faithful men, and resided in Hebron.

Now what happened between verse 3 and 4? David is in Israel, and suddenly the men of Judah anointed David. Was this a spontaneous action on the part of the men of Judah, or did David run a political campaign to arouse the locals to his availability to lead?

If David was reluctant to enter Israel without the Lord’s direction, it seems obvious to me that he trusted God to bring to fruition the promise he made to David. To begin a political ad campaign seems out of character for David at this point of his life, even having the appearance of him trying to influence the situation for selfish gain.

He arrived in Hebron, and the promise was realized by the actions of the men of Judah. To think David interjected his will on the men of Judah to attain the throne seems to be without justification from the text and out of character for a man who sought God for such specific direction.

In this second anointing of David by the men of Judah, the nation was split in two, with Saul’s son Ish-boseth taking the throne to the north.

And then David acts. It may be considered his first official act as king over Judah. He praises Jabesh Gilead for their mercies to King Saul.

Let’s remember that Jabesh Gilead is not in Judah, but within the land of Gad originally, and as such was under the leadership of Ish-boseth. This doesn’t stop David for he has the temerity to send men to Jabesh Gilead, and to speak a blessing on them, repaying their kindness and encouraging them. No mention is made of Saul’s son reaching out to the only ones who showed his father respect.

David was astute in the healing of the nation, and as he grew in power within the tribe of Judah, he sought good relations with those outside of his authority.

This is instructive, for I sometimes think with an “us / them” attitude. My little kingdom needs my attention and those outside of it can find encouragement elsewhere. This is not David’s stance, for he sought to bring all of Israel into a united kingdom.

So is the Greater David, as He is constantly looking beyond the borders of His kingdom, inviting those into the kingdom of God, seeking to enlarge His tents.

As Isaiah once prophesied of the expansion of the Kingdom of God.

Isaiah 54:2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.

The place of His tent has been enlarged, even to include the entire earth. Let us look to those who may be on the outside as those we need to encourage to enter the Kingdom, to meet the Savior and to enjoy eternal life in the Son, the Greater David.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

Come join us at Considering the Bible

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

David has executed the Amalekite who he understands killed his king and best friend. Now, after completing judgement on the Amalekite. David now turns to mourning, to writing a lament regarding Saul his king, and Jonathon his friend. For this passage I would like to consider the two subjects in separate posts.

This post will consider David and his expression of mourning for Saul, his father in law, his friend, his adversary, and his king. A much more complicated relationship, yet the expression of sorrow from David is an honest and deep expression of David’s respect for Saul, and the throne he occupied. He saw Saul as representing God’s man for the nation of Israel.

Let’s read the lamentation once more, considering David’s relation to Saul.

2 Samuel 1:17-27
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son,
18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:
19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 “You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.
24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! “Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
27 “How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”

David’s relationship with Saul, to say the least, was fraught with conflict, tension, confusion, madness and abandonment. No telling of the naked truth would suffice in this funeral dirge for Saul, and as we see David speak of the departure of his king, we see into the heart of David a deep commitment to honor the one man who caused him such terror and trial!

David’s relationship with Saul is expressed in this passage from the point of view of a honorable man, as David sought to honor the king with his accomplishments, and not with the kings efforts as they impacted David. This time of mourning was not about David, but about the first king of Israel, and as a man of character, David would focus on that.

sword of Saul returned not empty

Saul was first and foremost an effective warrior. His sword accomplished that which it set out to perform. This statement, true as it was, honored Saul, and was intended to dull the memory of his body taken from the battle field and shamed by the Philistines.

It is an extension of David’s desire not to have the news of the fall of the mighty ones (Saul and Jonathon) spread through out the Gath and Ashkelon, the land of the Philistines.

Right from the start, Saul knew how to muster his army, how to execute effective combat, and won many battles to the benefit of his kingdom. David remined the nation of this characteristic of their first king.

beloved and lovely

David is being, at least in my opinion, incredibly gracious in this description of Saul, for as we discussed in the previous post, these terms refer to love and agreeableness.

David, in his experience, must have felt betrayed in any love Saul had for him, as he was rejected many times by the king, even in his efforts to bring the king success.

As for agreeableness, this also seems to be difficult to associate with David, for Saul seemed to be against many requests David brought before the king. Many times Saul would not consider any benefit David requested.

As David recounts these characteristics, he may be thinking of Saul in the beginning of his relation with Saul, as he ascended in his kingdom as an effective soldier for Saul, and as a family member eventually. As an example, David won the hand of two of Saul’s daughters. Two of Saul’s daughters? Saul’s eldest daughter Merab was a reward for taking out Goliath. David eventually rescinded the offer due to his humble origins. Yes, Saul finally agreed to the provision of his second daughter to David, but if I recall, it was grudgingly, and with ulterior motives.

After David married Michal, and was forced to begin running from Saul, Saul took Michal from David and married her off to another man, named Paltiel.

Agreeable? David is so gracious! As mentioned in the first post, this funeral dirge, as it related to Saul, is a difficult discussion, yet it shows the heart of David as he relates to the dead, his forgiving spirit, and of his desire to speak well of his departed king.

swifter than eagles, stronger than lions

Again, David refers the the effectiveness Saul exhibited in battle. He was swifter that eagles. David had first hand experience of Saul’s swiftness, as he was often barely ahead of Saul and his army as they pursued him.

Yet we cannot claim this phrase is only for Saul, for David declares this characteristic was of both Saul and Jonathon, that they were swifter than eagles and stronger than lions as a team, in unity on the battlefield.

Both Saul and Jonathon were effective in battle, exercising a swiftness and courage that often overwhelmed the enemy. As a military tactician and strategist, David honored both men in this statement, emphasizing their strength together.

daughters of Israel, weep over Saul

Finally, as a fruit of the military wins over their national enemies, the populace experienced prosperity. During Saul’s reign, in our study on David, we have focused on how Saul impacted David. This obviously was only a part of Saul’s efforts in the throne, and it is apparent that Saul brought much good to the nation. He provided an environment that elevated the living conditions of this upstart monarchy.

All of that is gone now. The nation has been overwhelmed, with the victorious Philistines marauding through the country without a leader to defend it. For some, it may appear the nation was over before it ever had a chance. A one king nation and now it has been vanquished. A flash in the pan, an utter failure of a nation, soon to be absorbed into the surrounding cultures.

Yes it was a very dark day for Israel. Prosperity was gone, along with a potential loss of identity, becoming at best a puppet state for Philistine, or simply to fade away as a people. No other country has experienced the lows that Israel has, and as an early national defeat, the people would mourn, the survivors would mourn, the rebels would mourn.

And God would provide a man who had been through the wringer, who had been under God’s preparatory hand for years.

David would ascend to the throne.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

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David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

David has executed the Amalekite who he understands killed his king and best friend. Now, after completing judgement on the Amalekite. David now turns to mourning, to writing a lament regarding Saul his king, and Jonathon his friend. For this passage I would like to consider the two subjects in separate posts.

For this post, lets consider David and his expression of mourning for his best friend Jonathon. I wanted to discuss Jonathon, for his feeling toward Jonathon definitely seem less complicated.

2 Samuel 1:17-18
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son,
18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:

David wrote out his heart, and intended the entire nation to be taught of his feelings of the downfall of the ruling family of Israel. He was not seeking to sling mud, create division or push some agenda on the nation. He spoke of them as mighty ones, Israel’s glory, beloved and lovely, united in death. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s read the passage.

2 Samuel 1:19-27
19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 “You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.
24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! “Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
27 “How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”

David refers to Jonathon specifically in verse 22, 23 and 26. Now of course, as David speaks of the mighty ones having fallen, he is including Jonathon, but for the sake of this post, let us consider David’s specific references to Jonathon

bow turned not back

David starts out with the bravery of Jonathon. Any reader of the Old Testament, and of the exploits of Jonathon can readily recall when he took on a battalion of Philistines with his sheild bearer. And he attacked based on outside circumstances, believing God could direct. Amazing courage.

Also, to be in the kings house and yet to be faithful to David, the rightful king, must have strained at Jonathon’s senses of right and wrong, but we must consider the courage it took to be faithful to one in the house of his very enemy.

This condition should be easily recognized by the believer in Jesus, for as we believers walk this earth, we are essentially in the house of the enemy of our King. As Jonathon, we also are to realize our allegiance is with the King not in the land, and that a rebel king is seeking our obedience.

May we be faithful in walking with the only True King!

beloved and lovely

Beloved – simply expressing love for family, a neighbor or for God. David knew his friend and that he was of the right spirit, not vengeful, but with the right spirit.

This word is used of Saul in the same passage, and it will be mush harder to understand when we discuss David speaking thus of him!

Lovely – to be pleasant, agreeable. Sometimes this term refers to singing. This is the spirit of seeking unity, to be at peace. This should not be confused with the spirit of giving up, or of appeasement, for they are two different spirits. To be agreeable is to seek a way for finding similar ground to stand on with those you differ.

Truly, to be agreeable is as much an attitude as an action, and in the attitude of being agreeable, much can be accomplished. To be flexible in finding righteousness is a skill that comes from the Lord, and exhibits a gracious character, a character that draws people to us.

lies slain on your high places

David did not shy away from hard truths. Jonathon had been massacred on the hills, even on the high places.

High places sometimes refers to areas of cultic worship. For our passage this morning, it is likely David is referring to the battlefield of Mount Gilboa. Even as Israel had the advantage in location, for the word speaks of the Philistines chasing the Israelites on Mount Gilboa, Jonathon was slain.

love was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women

This is a magnet verse for a certain group within the church that carry an agenda. It is as if the term “love” (אַהֲבָה ʼahăbâh) describes love in a restricted physical sense only.

When coupled with the following verse, this group within the established church claim David and Jonathon were lovers sexually.

1 Samuel 20:17 And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

Regarding the term “love”, it is true that the term is used once in reference to sexual desire.

2 Samuel 13:15  Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!”

And it may be understood to speak of the sexual act between a man and woman, but many times, even in the most sexually active book of the Bible (the book of Songs), the term may also speak of the emotional spiritual desire and not only that which is of the physical act. I have added a few verses to consider for my reader.

Song 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house,
and his banner over me was love.

Song 2:5 Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love.

Song 5:8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love.

Song 8:6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love.

Song 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house,

Proverbs has a reference that leans towards the sexual act between a man and a woman

Proverbs 5:19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love. he would be utterly despised.

The point is that the term does not have to identify sexual activity, and may refer to love generically, that is in the sense of care, bonding and commitment.

My goodness, this term is also used in God’s care towards His people.

Hosea 11:4 I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.

Jeremiah 31:3 the LORD appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you

So what is David speaking of in this verse then?

I would suggest we remember David’s experience with women, even at the time these passages were written.

David entered into multiple marriages, and at times, his wives tried to shame him, or were used to provide advantage for king Saul.

As he was not faithful to one woman, it can be understood that this reflected into his own opinion of women and their importance in a man’s life.

David had found a soul he could trust, that his soul had bonded with and that he related to deep in his heart. His attachment to Jonathon was soulish, of the inner man and related to the higher ideals of friendship, trust and honor between men.

For those men in my audience, think back to your closest male friend, and honestly consider your feelings toward him. A close friend, a trusting relationship, a bonding of experiences between men, does not require the introduction of any sexual act between them. But there are some in the established church with an agenda.

For the believer, the man or woman who has a living experience with the Risen Savior, it is wise to consider those introducing this heinous picture of David and Jonathon as worthy of rejection. David had enough sin on his plate. We need not consider his relation with Jonathon to also be sinful!

Leave a comment to discuss!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

Come join us at Considering the Bible

David Hears of Saul’s Death

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

Come join us at Considering the Bible

David Hears of Saul’s Death

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

2 Samuel 1:1-10
1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.
2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage.
3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”
4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him.
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’
8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’
10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

In this passage, we have a story of an Amalekite telling a story. A fabrication to ingratiate himself to the future king of Israel.

So many questions.

• Was this one of the Amalekites that escaped from David’s attack, when David came to rescue those taken from Ziklag?
  • If so, this poor Amalekite escaped from David to simply fall into the hands of Saul, just as he was being defeated. What luck!
  • Much more likely, this Amalekite was not of the armies that David decimated, but simply a prisoner of war that was being held by the camp of Israel.
• Earlier on in 1 Samuel, the text tells us that Saul died before the armor bearer committed suicide.
  • How did this Amalekite kill Saul without mentioning the killing of the armor bearer, who was sworn to defend the king against all threats?
• It is interesting that this Amalekite mentions Saul and his son Jonathon, but not the other sons.
  • Might he have known of the bond David had with Jonathon?
• Why would Saul call to his arch enemy, an Amalekite, to kill him? He had plenty of Philistines surrounding him if Saul sought death.

I could go on, but suffice to say, this Amalekite, in the aftermath of the battle, may have tripped over the body of king Saul, and simply took the crown and armlet of the king. Simply taking advantage of the death of soldiers in the battle field. Kind of a sad picture in my mind, that a foreigner was just waiting to pick from the dead, but somehow it may fit with this fellow. Not of the highest moral fiber, as he is obviously a liar. A liar and a story-teller!

As for David, let’s remember he just got back from a battle, rescuing his family from the Amalekites, and on the third day, was told information that would propel him into the position of king! Saul was the only man who stood in his way, and God had promised him this position. It was David’s time to rise to the throne!

But unlike this Amalekite, he refrained from looking first to his advantage, but sought news of his nation’s state of affairs, and of King Saul.

Here was a man who had nearly entered into battle against his own people, allying himself with the Philistines. David had a busy time this last few days, seeing God consistently working in his life. He had seen the hand of God rescue him from a very sticky situation with the Philistines. He had seen the hand of God deliver him from his own army moving to mutiny him as they entered the plundered Ziklag. He had seen the hand of God provide guidance to the Amalekites camp. He had seen the hand of God provide victory over the Amalekites. He had seen the hand of God in protecting his loved ones, recovering every kidnapped victim of Ziklag.

Now the hand of God was providing news of David’s opportunity to claim the kingdom as promised, and he asked about Saul and Jonathon. The kingdom could wait, for David was of a different spirit than this Amalekite.

Whereas the Amalekite would weave a story to get something, David would put off advantage for the sake of information. He knew the importance of data over dollars!

Much can be gleaned from this passage, but for this writer, these two men reveal a difference that is stark, that is important and for the believer, should be heeded. We, as believers should prioritize facts, data, information, knowledge and the wisdom of God as He works amongst us.

And He is working! Even when a liar comes to tell you a story! God is at work, if you have eyes to see!

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

Come join us at Considering the Bible