FAMINE AND FOES. 2nd Samuel 21
When Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land, the Gibeonites, who were Hivites, deceived them into making a covenant that guaranteed their security and protection. Saul broke this promise when he was king and killed some of the Gibeonites when he tried to eliminate them. For some reason, he was not able to do what he apparently intended. Likely, his motivation for wanting to do that was excessive nationalism and tribalism because they lived in territory assigned to the tribe of Benjamin. His great-grandfather was known as the “father of Gibeon.”
Generations earlier in Israel's history, Joshua acted without consulting the Lord. He assured the Gibeonites that they would not die, even though they had used deception to gain this promise. Then Saul killed some of the Gibeonites years before the famine. These events are not chronological, so sometime during David's reign, the three years of famine came across the land of Israel.
God does not keep time the way we do. Time does not limit his memory, and His commands and laws do not gradually fade into insignificance. Justice is done by God even if it doesn't happen immediately in our way of reckoning. We may think a matter is finished because it hasn't continued to be a problem, even though we have managed to ignore it or put it to rest unresolved. Promises made are like vows that cannot be broken without consequences that follow. We need to be careful in making vows and promises that they are not made without the assurance from God that they are in His will. What one willful person does in the energy of the flesh can affect many people for a long time. Every man suffers for his own sin, but the children who follow often suffer too for a rash decision made on the spur of the moment. It is a fearful fact that those who lead the people of God can create a negative issue or result that will have a long-lasting impact.
Because Saul sinned by breaking a promise, the whole nation suffered. David saw the problem and its effect on his people. After three years of famine, David woke up to the fact that this problem was an act of God and went to the Lord to find out what the sin was that had caused this. The Lord answered right away, precisely when David was before Him in contrition, knowing something wrong had to be faced. An oath sworn to in the name of the Lord had been violated, and justice had to be carried out even though Sau was dead.
Instead of going to the Lord for the solution to the problem, David went to the Gibeonites and asked what they wanted to do to rectify it. The Lord had revealed to him the problem, but he went to the Gibeonites for the answer. They did not want vengeance to fall on Israel because they depended on Israel for survival, but in their anger, they wanted all of Saul’s sons to be put to death openly to be seen by all the people. David accepted their demand even though it was directly against the law. Children were not to be put to death for the sins of their fathers.
God is aware of every part of every situation in which we are found. When He has made plain to us through His word by the Holy Spirit that which is wrong, we should know that He knows what is to be done to bring about the right conclusion. Sin that is not confessed has long consequences. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." God has promised forgiveness when sin has been confessed, and we do what is right.
There is a sensitive example of a mother’s love for her sons in this dark picture of revenge. Rizpah, the mother of two of them, guarded the bodies of Saul’s sons for nearly six months lest animals and birds further desecrate them. When David heard what she was doing, he took the bones of the seven sons who had been hanged. He got the bones of Jonathan and Saul from Jabesh Gilead and buried them all together in the family tomb of Kish, in Zelah, in the territory of Benjamin, the tribe to which they belonged.
In the early part of the story of David, we read that he took five smooth stones from a brook when he killed Goliath. Four other giants in the Philistine army had to be dealt with. During his reign as king, David faced one of them, whose name was Ishbi-benob, and was having trouble conquering him. Abishai killed that giant, and from then on, David's men wanted him to step back and let them do what was needed. Sibbecai killed the giant named Saph. Elhanan killed another, who was also named Goliath, and Jonathan killed the fourth, who had twelve fingers and toes. Just because we have had one victory ourselves does not mean we do not need the help of other brothers and sisters in Christ. God does meet our needs and responds to our calls in prayer, but He answers in His own way, which is not necessarily what we expected.
Who would have thought after all these years, history would repeat itself? Although Goliath was long dead, resentment remained in his family and tribe, and they were determined to destroy David and his household. But God had His men who He designated, and when the time was right, they brought all the giants down. Antagonism had caused a serious fight, but God had promised His servant’s crown would not be taken away from his seed throughout the coming generations.
There will be times of trouble as long as we are in the world. The curse has not been lifted from the earth, so we still have the thorns and thistles to contend with. Sometimes, we will have difficulties with other believers; sometimes, there will be opposition and conflict with enemies. Our only recourse to deal with the challenges and troubles in life is to go to our Lord, and by the power of God, these things can be dealt with in a way that is according to His will and word.
There are times when we least expect opposition and bitterness when Satan stirs men to attack us either to eliminate us or ruin our reputation and testimony. We must be prepared to defend the honor of our Lord and His people, meet the challenge, and drive the enemy back. It is not all that easy when we think the battle has already been won and begin to realize the bitterness some men have. The strength of the Lord and the power of His Word give us the needed wisdom and understanding of how to deal with this problem, and we can, from those dangers, be saved.
God’s grace is sufficient to bring down our strongest foe even though we are weak. When dangers arise over which we have no power, we must seek God’s face and confidently go to Him. Sometimes, we’re tested as to our faith that God allows what was a past problem to reappear. But we must learn that He wants us to trust Him when we cannot do what we once did, and He will remove every fear.