2 Samuel 21
-The section which could be entitled “The Later Years of
David’s Rule” begins in chapter 21 with the three-year famine that occurred in
Israel during his reign. David sought the presence of the LORD on this matter
when it began to get really bad as the land thirsted for rain and the resulting
waters. The LORD frankly told His servant, “It is for Saul and his bloody
house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” There had been a covenant made
with this remnant of the Amorites, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal
for the sons of Israel and Judah during his reign (see Joshua 9:3-20).
Therefore, at the hearing of this message of the LORD his God, David came to
the Gibeonites to ask what he could do for them to make atonement for this
grievous error so that they might bless the inheritance of the LORD rather than
bring a curse on it. The Gibeonites had no concern for silver or gold from Saul
or his house. Neither was it for them to put any man to death in Israel, but
David told them he’d do whatever they asked. Then they decided, “The man (Saul)
who consumed us and who planned to exterminate us from remaining within any
border of Israel, let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang
them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” David
consented to this retribution, but he spared Mephibosheth because he was of the
house of Jonathan whom he had a lasting covenantal oath with himself. David
took the two sons of Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah and Saul, as well as the five
sons of Merab, who was also a daughter of Saul. So in sum, seven men
grandchildren of the deceased former king were handed over to execute justice
on the breaking of this ratified covenant (or promise). They were hanged in the
mountain before the LORD in the first days of the barley harvest. Rizpah took
sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock from the beginning of this
harvest until it rained on them from the sky. She would not let the birds to
rest on them in the day nor the beasts of the field by night (2 Samuel
21:1-10).
-When David learned what she was doing, he went and took the
bones of Saul and Jonathan back from the men in Jabesh-gilead, who had valiantly
stolen them from the open square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had
ruthlessly and disgracefully hanged them after the battle at Gilboa (see 1
Samuel 31). These bones were now properly laid to rest with the bones of the
seven who had died sacrificially to make atonement in the country of Benjamin
in Zela in the grave of Kish, the father of Saul (1 Samuel 9:1-2). “Thus they
did all that the king commanded, and after that God was moved by prayer for the
land (2 Samuel 21:11-14).”
-War came back to the nation from the hands of the
Philistines in David’s later years. The veteran warrior went down to fight
alongside his servants, but David became weary in his aging body. Ishbi-benob,
who was among the descendants of the giant (Goliath), had a new sword with
which he intended to kill King David. However, in a heroic feat of strength, the
legendary Abishai, son of Zeruiah, had his back, helped him and struck the
Philistine with a killing blow. At that scary point the men of David swore to
him that he would no longer go out to battle. Otherwise he could possibly “extinguish
the lamp of Israel.” They loved their king and venerated him in his posterity
(2 Samuel 21:15-17).
-After this there was another war with the Philistines at
Gob. It was there that Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down another descendant
of the giant by the name of Saph. War eventually erupted again at Gob with the
Philistines, and this is when Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite
killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear like a weaver’s beam. Then, another
war occurred with the Philistines where there was a man of great stature with
six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He was a descendent of the
giant as well, but when he defied Israel, just like his ancestor he was struck
down by Jonathan the son of Shimei, who was David’s brother. “These four
(Ishbi-benob, Saph, Goliath the Gittite, and the six-fingered/six-toed man) were
born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand
of his servants (2 Samuel 21:18-22).” It had taken hundreds of years, but Israel
was finally facing their giants in faith and boldness (Numbers 13:25-33).
-*Application* There are a couple of thing we would do well
to note here from this chapter. First, keep your promises and make sure future
generations know the importance of steadfast oaths unto others. God hates lies,
and He can’t stand for people to go back on their word. So we must be people
who keep our word and make it a permanent bond. Secondly, we must have faith
and boldness when the enemies of the LORD come against us. We cannot back down
or wimp out. David, even in his old age, was ready, willing, and able to go to
battle with the young guns. Thankfully, we can have the support and help of: 1)
those who have been our trusted friends through the ages and 2) those who are new
blood coming up to defeat the foes in our conflicts.
Verses to Memorize:
2 Samuel 21:14, 22
No comments:
Post a Comment