2 Samuel 21:1-22


Difficulties seemed to follow the reign of David one right on top of another.  It seems like one problem would be resolved and then another one would just pop up in its place.  In many ways this is the reality that all of us face because we live in a sin cursed world.  However, David’s experience was also unique in many ways because of the discipline that he was experiencing because of his sin with Bathsheba.  As discouraging as this must have been, David never turns from God or blames God for the hardships of his life.  He honors and worships God and continues to seek Him.  Difficulties in our lives should never be allowed to build up bitterness in our hearts towards God.  We must continue to trust Him and serve Him as long as He gives us life.

DAVID SEEKS GOD IN THE FACE OF FAMINE: Israel was struck with a famine for three straight years.  This was not part of the punishment that God had told David He would bring on Israel, so David seeks God to find out why his famine is persisting and what he can do about it.  God reveals to David that the famine is due to the sin of Saul against the Gibeonites.  Joshua had made a treaty with them and Saul had broken that treaty when he sought to destroy them from the land.  When David finds out that this is the reason for the famine, he quickly goes to seek out the Gibeonites to find out what he can do to make things right.  They request that seven of the descendants of Saul be given to them that they may hang them.  David complies with this request but spares the life of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, out of faithfulness to Jonathan.  God lifts the famine from the land.  It is hard enough to make restitution for our own sins, yet David finds himself having to deal with the sins of his predecessor.  David does not accuse God of injustice or complain about having to deal with Saul’s dirty laundry; he simply seeks God and does what he knows is right.  Many things in life may not seem fair to us.  We must not allow these things to become excuses for us to be disobedient.

DAVID SERVES GOD IN THE FACE OF FIGHTING: David is in a constant state of war with the Philistines.  Now this is what God said would be inflicted upon David for his sin with Bathsheba.  He has no one but himself to blame for this reality.  Giant after giant come after David and his people, yet time after time God provides deliverance through the bravery of the soldiers of Israel.  God is always faithful to His children even in the midst of His own discipline.  It is great to know that God is gracious and forgiving even when He is punishing.  Once again, we find David accepting this reality in his life as from the Lord and he does not complain or quit; he simply moves on to the next thing and faithfully seeks to serve the Lord.  We can trust the Lord to be a faithful deliverer as we week to serve Him, even when we are being disciplined by Him.

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