2nd Evangelical Free Church

Blogging through Samuel: A prayer before undertaking any action.

2 Samuel 5

Following the death of Ish-bosheth David assumed rule over all Israel. He realized that the Lord has granted him this blessing, this honor, this great responsibility. He acknowledged that he would do the Lord’s will. He began by consolidating his power and then extending it. For this reason he took Jerusalem from the Jebusites. It was centrally located, well-fortified and not under the authority of any one particular tribe since no one until David had been able to conquer it. Thus no tribe could quibble over the prestige of being the capital. 

The Philistines saw David’s moves as a threat to them. They began to think that David had designs on their territory and so they attacked. David apparently was not thinking about fighting them and so consulted the Lord in prayer to determine what to do. He knew that unless it was the Lord’s will that he should fight back, any military action would be doomed to fail. 

We must realize that we too are in a war against the world. If we are to counterattack we must do so using the Lord’s weapons not those of the world. And the first and greatest weapon we have is prayer for it puts us in touch with our sovereign Lord. He alone is the one who can lead us to victory over temptation and evil. In addition in our arsenal we have the weapons of love, mercy, and sacrificial offering. We do not do things the way the world does them. We are always to remember that we are building God’s kingdom, not our own.   

 

Blogging through Samuel: Helping the helpless and the needy.

2 Samuel 4

The sad story of Ish-bosheth comes to an end. With the death of Abner he was totally powerless. The only person who could possibly have helped him was his nephew Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son. Unfortunately he was handicapped and physically helpless. Consequently Ish-bosheth was crippled by grief, fear, loneliness and despair which made him easy prey for opportunists out to gain power and prestige for themselves. When the two murderers boldly told David of their deed, they expected some sort of reward for removing the last obstacle to David’s kingship over Israel. However, David was incensed and outraged. This was a relative of Saul and Jonathan and so his murder had to be punished. 

 In addition, David saw how cruel the murderers were. They took advantage of someone who was emotionally crippled. With utter disregard for the sanctity of that man’s life they sought to build up their own reputation. The lesson we can learn then is not to abuse anyone no matter how helpless or emotionally unstable they are. It is a sin to abuse people, to kick them when they are down. It is a sin to berate and insult people who are struggling with fear and emotional problems. The flesh in us may want to call them names and make fun of them, but the desires of the flesh have no place in God’s kingdom. Rather we should reach out to those who are struggling and offer them encouragement, help, acceptance and love. We should work hard to defend them against bullies, legalists, bureaucracy, and tyrants. After all, isn’t this what Jesus did for each of us?   

 

 

Blogging through Samuel: Politics is a dirty business.

2 Samuel 3

The conflict between Ish-bosheth and David continued for several years. There is no doubt that the Lord was with David for he was blessed with sons. His power and influence grew quickly which was quite distressing for Ish-bosheth who must have felt threatened and insecure. He grew resentful of Abner’s power and sought to check it but with devastating results. The act that Abner was accused of was a power play, and Abner resented it. His lust for power can also be seen in the way he approached David. Although he sought to help David become ruler of all Israel through peaceful means it is obvious that he was seeking favor and a high position for himself. 

Part of the political machinations going on here involved the restoration of Michal, David’s first wife. Because she was Saul’s daughter this move would enhance David’s claim to the throne. She is a helpless pawn in the political maneuvering. Politicians often use and abuse people to achieve their personal agendas. They seek power, prestige and wealth and do not care how many poor and needy folk they deceive, hurt and abuse along the way. Politics thus should have no place in the church. The church’s mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus and welcome all those lost sinners who come seeking the forgiveness and mercy of God. We are not here to build our kingdom, but the Lord’s. Thus when we come together as a Church to make decisions, we should ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, wisdom and patience so we will not act out of fear or personal ambition.

 

Blogging through Samuel: The tenuous nature of power.

2 Samuel 2

Now that Saul was dead, David and his group felt that he could now cease running and settle down. He could also take his place as King of Israel in accord with God’s promise. Though he knew of God’s promise and that it was certain, he still consulted the Lord in prayer to determine if this were the right time to make his move. The Lord agreed but Israel as a whole felt otherwise. David was at first only able to rule Judah. The rest of the nation was ruled by Ish-bosheth, the only surviving son of Saul. He ruled only because of his powerful advisor Abner who appeared to have a great lust for power. Both men stood in opposition to the will of the Lord.

As often is the case with power-hungry people, God blocks their way. They object to His way of doing things and seek to frustrate His plans through violence, threats, lies and deceit. Those who so establish themselves against the Lord will find that their way is cursed. Whatever violent and evil schemes they devise to spring upon the weak, the needy and the righteous will all fall back on them. Whatever lies they tell about the righteous will be exposed and punished. Now we might think this does not happen in real life, that those who hate God seem to have the upper hand, they seem to prosper. Yet if we were to look at the headlines of our daily newspapers or the Internet we would discover that every day that celebrities, leaders and politicians who were on top of the world fall into disgrace and ignominy.

Blogging through Samuel: Saddened by death.

2 Samuel 1

If we were to judge by some of the Psalms in which David prays about those who seek his downfall, we would expect him to be happy over the death of King Saul. Over the years Saul sought to kill him and gave him no rest. The Amalekite who brought back the news of Saul’s death lied to David about his role in the King’s demise because he thought that he could curry favor by claiming to have slain the one who had given him such trouble. David did not know he was lying but had him slain anyway. He saw his actions and his boast as an affront to the Lord. After all, an attack on the Lord’s chosen was an attack on the Lord.

David and his forces did not rejoice. They mourned for the loss of King Saul, his son Jonathan and the men of Israel, their own brethren. David had a relationship with Saul, and a close friendship with Jonathan despite the malice the King bore toward him. David did not hold a grudge nor did he seek to pay back evil for evil. He also mourned because of the way in which the loss of the Lord’s chosen reflected on God’s reputation. The pagan Philistines would rejoice in what they believed to be the superior nature of their gods while belittling what they perceived as the weakness of Yahweh.

The lesson we learn is that we ought not rejoice over the death of the wicked or of anyone. This is because that person has gone either to eternal bliss with the Lord and thus is beyond the range of our venom or else they have come under God’s condemnation and are in a far worse condition than anything we could put them, worse in fact than any of us could ever experience in this life. We may ask the Lord to break the power of the wicked and vindicate His own, but we should always ask for their salvation. Still its is always the Lord’s place to judge not ours.

 

Blogging through Samuel: The effects of sin.

1 Samuel 31

One of the most important lessons we learn from Saul’s death is that God’s judgment is sure and certain. Although those who live wicked and sinful lives appear to be happy, prosperous and undisturbed, God sees them and knows their sin. He will be sure to punish every evil deed.

Saul’s death also reminds us that sin, even that which we commit in private, affects other people. Saul wasted his life and God-given talents by chasing David while neglecting his family and the defense of his nation. His sinful behavior destroyed his family and jeopardized the lives and safety of his fellow Israelites.

We should all be aware of how our behavior affects others. Parents should be especially aware of how their behavior affects their children. Sins of the parents have immediate and long term results. Such results are most obvious in families of alcoholics, drug addicts and child abusers who often pass their evil traits to their children and their children’s children. Yet sin is passed on in other families as well, even those who are outwardly religious. Children suffer from the errors, sins and maltreatment of thoughtless, legalistic or selfish parents and learn to imitate such behavior. Egotistical and ungodly parents produce egotistical and ungodly children. Such children find it hard to love themselves, their parents or anyone else. The cycle repeats itself over and over again in each generation unless the Lord steps in with His love to short circuit the cycle. The punishment for the sins of those who repent and fall on His mercy falls on Jesus.

Blogging through Samuel: Dealing with loss.

1 Samuel 30

Here we read of another unfortunate consequence of David’s lying. The army was away from home which gave David’s enemies an opportunity to stage a major raid. When David and his men arrived at Ziklag, they were exhausted from their march. Therefore were totally overwhelmed by the realization that they had lost their homes and families. Most of them were so filled with grief that they were in total despair and utterly useless. But David did the only thing he could do: he prayed. In response the Lord gave them him and all his men the strength they needed for the prayer revealed that He guaranteed total victory and complete restoration of all that was lost.

When we are in difficult situations faced with loss, pain, sickness and death we may tend to isolate ourselves in grief and despair. Many of us become immobilized, unable to think or act. Even prayer takes great effort. Yet prayer is the key to overcoming the forces arrayed against us. It puts us in touch with our Father, the sovereign Lord of the universe. He encouraged David and his men and He promises to do no less for us if we go to Him and throw ourselves at His feet.  It may also be helpful top read the Scriptures for there we see God’s promises fulfilled to all of His servants. Finally knowing that we are powerless in difficult situations should also remind us that we need to show compassion and mercy unto others in similar circumstances and not abuse them or belabor them with easy answers and platitudes.

Blogging through Samuel: Deliver us Lord from evil.

1 Samuel 29

David’s lies finally caught up with him. He now found that he was forced to fight against his own countrymen. This shows us the dangers of keeping bad company or condoning the evil action and behavior of associates, friends, co-workers or relatives. Inevitably we will be forced between loyalty to them versus loyalty to the Lord. Sometimes our loyalty may force us to act in a way which compromises our values and our faith. But even if we do not act with those who sin, we still sin because we condone their sinful behavior by saying nothing and/or by failing to attempt to prevent the evil they desire to do.

 David is fortunate because the Lord intervened to prevent him from fighting against his own people. We should not expect that the Lord will always do that when we are in a difficult place. The Lord steps in only when such action falls within His will and plan. More often He allows us to endure the consequences of our actions for it is His will to discipline and chastise us for our foolish and compromising behavior. Therefore we should not place ourselves in such situations and then wonder why we suffer the consequences.

 

Blogging through Samuel: You say you love Jesus? Then why are your reading your horoscope?

1 Samuel 28:3-25

Saul was extremely distressed by the forces arrayed against him, not just the Philistines but David as well. He sought guidance and encouragement, but not from the Lord. He desired the counsel of his old mentor, Samuel, but in order to obtain his advice, he needed to consult a medium, a person who claimed to communicate with dead spirits. Most Biblical scholars believe that the Lord allowed Samuel to appear despite the woman’s fraudulent abilities.  Some maintain that a demon appeared masquerading as Samuel in order to dishearten Saul. Still others maintain that the woman fooled Saul into believing that Samuel was speaking for Saul only heard what Samuel had prophesied to him previously and which now confirmed his fears. 

Whatever the case, Saul sinned because he sought guidance about the future apart from the Lord. The Lord forbids all such means as mediums, spiritists, ouija boards, fortune-tellers and horoscopes and all those people popularized in the media who claim to see, channel or speak with the dead. We may think them harmless but all these things are insults and affronts to the Lord’s authority and wisdom. All who use them do not seek counsel from Him through the means He has ordained: the Scriptures, prayer and the church. 

In addition, those spirits which claim to be the spirits of the departed or “higher powers” or “enlightened entities” are in fact demons bent on deceiving gullible and vulnerable people and leading them away from the Lord into sin and eternal damnation. So Christians ought to shun mediums, fortune-tellers, horoscopes and even media “prophets” if they want to honor the Lord. They must even shun those who honor or promote them in any way.

 

Blogging through Samuel: Sometimes lies can lead you into a heap of trouble.

1 Samuel 27-28:2

David became somewhat depressed. He had tried hard to convince Saul of his good intentions, yet the King appeared unconvinced. David and his men are tired and stressed out from being constantly on the run from Saul’s relentless pursuit that barely gave them time to rest. In order to take a break, he and his followers went to the Philistines who allowed them to settle in Ziklag, an isolated town deep within their territory. It is worthy to note that David had lost faith because he did not ask the Lord if this move was His will nor does it appear that he remembered the sure fulfillment of Samuel’s prophecy that he would be King. 

Nevertheless it does not appear that the Lord deserted him even though David was forced to lie. Ziklag is a town that was in the land promised by Yahweh to the tribe of Simeon. From there, David waged a successful campaign of holy war against the Lord’s enemies.

As we should recall lying to confuse one’s enemies was a tactic of holy war, one that David used to full advantage. Yet at the same time we should also note that lying does have destructive and harmful consequences. David’s lies and deception eventually forced him into a compromising position. Most lies wind up in the same way. Eventually our web of deceit becomes unraveled by our thoughtless folly and prideful presumption. Eventually we are forced to make choices that give us no other option than to lie even further and, ultimately to be exposed and shamed as liars.