Today's treasure: 2 Samuel 21:14
Read 2 Samuel 20: 1-26
Why did Joab kill Amasa?
Why did Amasa's body have to be moved?
How did the woman of Abel Beth Maacah prove herself wise?
David should have known Joab was not going to clean out his desk and resign peaceably. He forced his way back into his former position by killing Amasa, the man David had chosen to replace him. Read 1 Chron. 2:16-17.
what was the relationship between Amasa and Joab?
Power was so important to Joab that he did not stop at spilling his own family's blood.
Joab meant to cause Amasa's death but not to cause a traffic jam. What is it about human nature that draws us to the morose? Aren't we just as guilty as others? Don't our eyes almost automatically fall on the captions depicting violence in the papers? We've almost grown accustomed to the articles describing crimes witnessed by people who refused to help.
Why do you think people are unwilling to get involved when they see someone in need or when they witness a crime?
As the plot thickened in the 20th chapter, one woman was willing to become more that a spectator to imminent disaster, and an entire city was spare. We don't even know her name, she was not looking for recognition or fame, she was looking for the city's salvation.
Read 2 Sam. 21:1-14
what did God do after the Gibeonites were repaid and David had the bones of Saul and Jonathan moved to the tomb of his father (v.14)
Many years later the people of Israel were suffering the ill effects of a king who was rebellious to God. God was holding the nation of Israel to an old vow made with Gibeonites generations prior to David's reign.
God meant for His people to be good on their word and He still does.
Israel had to keep their agreement with the Gibeonites even though they should never have entered it. Saul broke the agreement with the probable aid of his sons and tried to annihilate a people innocent of their father's sins.
God considers vows extremely important. Countless men and women have broken marriage vows by claiming it was a mistake. Others have vowed to honor their mates, but honor moved out long ago. Rather than continue in disobedience, God provides two responses to broken vows: repent and recommit.
The Israelites recommitted themselves to the vow they made by satisfying the demands of the Gibeonites. David gave the Gibeonites what they asked and the famine ended.
As rain drenched her hair, a grieving mother gathered her sackcloth and returned home. The mental image of a mother guarding her sons' bodies from predators was obviously more that David could shake. The image reawakened old pictures from years past that disturbed him--the exposed bodies of Saul and his dear friend Jonathan. Their remains were not where they belonged.
David did not send a soldier for their bones. He went for then himself. He gathered them, brought them back and buried them in the tomb. (2 Sam 21:14) Obedience has amazing effects.
Christ has led us to a warfare far more effective than guns and tanks. We have weapons of grace, mercy, love and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. It's time for all old battles to end with forgiveness, acceptance. Rebellion leads to famine in our relationships to God. A new beginning is as close as the fresh smell of rain.
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