God's reward to the Rechabits, to always have someone in their household who will serve God, can be contrasted with what God is promising is coming on Jerusalem, destruction. God is reinforcing the teaching that obedience brings blessing. We may not like it and want to argue that God isn't fair, but that is about as foolish as saying gravity isn't fair when you jump off a building. If you do something wrong, there are consequences whether you like it or not.
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In the midst of Second Samuel 9 and David's actions toward Jonathan's son, we see something interesting, not in the fact that Jonathan's son was taken care of, that is kind of expected, understanding David's character. But what I've noticed in this chapter is what Mephibosheth named his son. Names often tell what the parent is thinking and feeling or what they believe. And Micah means who is like God. For a man who was crippled, who was part of a royal family but is not now, for him to name his son, who is like God, shows me that Mephibosheth must have had great faith like his father.
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We should consider the first and last verses of Romans Chapter 13. The first part says "everyone must submit himself." I'll pause there and then go to the last verse: "Rather, clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature". These two points of this chapter are important and nearly sum it up.
We have to remember that Paul's world, the Roman authorities, were not the good guys. They weren't nice, yet Paul was saying submit. Now, how much we should submit and how much we shouldn't, and if we have a dictator like Hitler, is it right to oppose him or to do something against them? Were the Founding Fathers right or wrong in what they did? That's a discussion for another day.
What I wanted to point out is that everyone must submit. That's part of the problem with humanity. We don't want to submit to the authority that God has placed around us and through us. We don't want to submit to our parents, we don't want to submit to the government, we don't want to submit to our bosses or our coworkers (If they've got a good idea). We want to be the guy in charge. If we're going to be Christians, we have to be willing to submit. And part of that submitting is loving our neighbors, which is what's mentioned in the middle of the chapter. Paul wraps up this thought by saying, clothe ourselves. Part of submitting to God means we need to put on Christ and not think about how we gratify the desires of the sinful nature. In other words, we need to be focusing on serving Christ and clothing ourselves (allowing us to be more like him), rather than planning to do those things that aren't right.
This is the thing I've noticed in life. Sometimes, we aren't doing the thing that's wrong, but we're thinking about it. The problem with thinking about it is clear. Jesus says thoughts will become your actions. Where you're thoughts go, you will go. Thoughts will produce those sins. If you lust after a woman in your heart, in your mind, that is, you've already committed adultery. Why? Because you're on that trajectory. However, if we're going to follow Christ, if we're going to submit to Christ, we have to stop thinking and planning how we're going to indulge. But instead, clothe ourselves in Jesus Christ and love our neighbor. Because that's part of what Jesus calls us to do.
What do you see in this chapter?
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In verse four, God has given those who fear God a banner. Banners in war were set so that troops would have a rallying point or a place they should be. One of the most dangerous times in a battle that I have read is when a group or a person isn't where they are supposed to be during a battle. Equally dangerous, and goes along with that, is when you can't tell where you are supposed to be. I remember reading somewhere that someone got lost and found themselves surrounded by the enemy, and they just kept marching with them until they found their own forces. God, however, has offered us a banner, a sign, to those who fear him, and I would say that rallying point is God himself. He is the one we need when we are in danger.
When we come to Second Samuel Chapter 8, there's an
interesting thing that happens. David defeats the Moabites, who had previously
given sanctuary to his parents. But once he defeats them in the battle, because
evidently something changed, he made them lie on the ground, measured them
off of the cord, and cut off two lengths of them, putting two-thirds to death
and one-third were left alive. The reason this happened was not clear.
According to tradition, the Moabites turned against David, or maybe a portion
of the Moabites turned together against David. According to tradition, David's
parents were killed. Possibly, this is why David took such actions against
captured soldiers. By the way, having people who had committed horrible crimes lie
down to be killed was a cultural thing in the East. Typically, it was not seen
in the people of God, but here it seems David did it. Again, we're not
explained why in the Bible, but tradition seems to say David was correct. Or at
least it seems to be.
At the end of the day, we should always do to others
as God would have us, not according to the cultures of the day, or because of
anger or vengeance. But that's a subject for another day.
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In Second Samuel Chapter 7, we see Nathan starting off thinking, "It's good what you're thinking, David," and telling David to go about. God, however, corrected Nathan. This shows you that sometimes what may seem like a good idea and a godly thing, God may say no to. Not every great and good idea is good for you or for me.
The other thing I notice in this chapter is that when
David gets the news that his family line is going to be blessed, he accepts it.
He praises God, saying that God is like no other, that God is going to confirm
his word. He takes it by faith, in a sense saying, This has happened. David is
praising God like he already has the answer in front of him, like he already
sees it. But he can't see it. He doesn't know what the future will hold, but he
knows God. And therefore, he can praise God because he knows he will fulfill
it.
It's like for us in the New Testament when we are told
to give God thanks in all things, not necessarily for all things, but in all
things. Why? Looking back to Romans 8, because “God can work and will work all
things to good for those who love him, for those who are called according to
his purpose.” So let's praise God, because he's got it.
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Just a side note on the way God deals with people. I find that God can be very ironic at times. God told the people to give liberty to their servants, but they didn't. God says He will give liberty to those who disobey, liberty to face the sword, the freedom to enjoy pestilence and famine; basically, God will free you from the burden of life. What God is really giving them is what they have given to others, but the way God says it has a sarcasm to it that I find fascinating.
