Friday, April 02, 2004
1 Samuel 26-27 - David's Thinking
In Chapter 24, David refused to take Saul's life, evoking from Saul the response, "You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil." (1 Samuel 24:17)
There is a similar encounter in Chapter 26. David and his nephew Abishai sneak into Saul's camp, and take his spear and water bottle from Saul while he is sleeping. David shows Saul what he has done.
1 Samuel 26:21 Then Saul said, "I have done wrong; come back, my son David, for I will never harm you again, because my life was precious in your sight today; I have been a fool, and have made a great mistake."
David returned Saul's spear, and the Chapter concludes with this exchange, beginning with David speaking to Saul:
1 Samuel 26:23 "The LORD rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD gave you into my hand today, but I would not raise my hand against the LORD's anointed. 24 As your life was precious today in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he rescue me from all tribulation."
25 Then Saul said to David, "Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them."
So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
The natural question is why, when, on two separate occasions, David had won from Saul the confession on Saul's part that his enmity to David was wrong, did David not return to Saul's court? The next chapter opens with the narrator’s answer.
1 Samuel 27:1 David said in his heart, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines; then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand."
This is a reasonable distrust, based on David’s history with Saul. The outcome was that David took his 600 followers to Achish, the Philistine king at Gath and became his vassal. He lived as a raider, lying to Achish that he was raiding Jewish communities when, in fact, he was raiding Geshurite, Girzite, and Amalekite towns. (1 Samuel 27:8)
David, "thinking, 'They might tell about us, and say, 'David has done so and so.'" (1 Samuel 27:11), slaughtered the civilians of the towns he raided "leaving neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing." (1 Samuel 27:9)
This, “thinking” that the narrator attributes to David, is imbedded in distrust and leads to lies and slaughter. In all these events, from the time that the Lord told David to attack the town of Keilah through the casting of the lots by the priest Abiathar (1 Samuel 23:1-6), through the attacks on David by Saul and David's refusal to kill Saul, through the events with the fool Nabal and his wife Abigail, and through David's retreat to Gath, God takes no active role in the narrative; God neither acts nor gives David instruction. So, this story concerns the character of David, not God. David has shown remarkable nobility is his relationship first with Saul and then with Nabal and his wise wife, Abigail. But here, in the inner confines of his heart, David’s thinking is based in distrust and fear.
In the lies and the resultant slaughter of the innocent Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites we see again, as we did in the slaughter of the priests and the rest of the community of Nob (1 Samuel 22), the price that the innocent pay when leaders -- even good leaders -- are incapable of the boldness required to make peace, and instead resort to lies for security.
There is a similar encounter in Chapter 26. David and his nephew Abishai sneak into Saul's camp, and take his spear and water bottle from Saul while he is sleeping. David shows Saul what he has done.
1 Samuel 26:21 Then Saul said, "I have done wrong; come back, my son David, for I will never harm you again, because my life was precious in your sight today; I have been a fool, and have made a great mistake."
David returned Saul's spear, and the Chapter concludes with this exchange, beginning with David speaking to Saul:
1 Samuel 26:23 "The LORD rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD gave you into my hand today, but I would not raise my hand against the LORD's anointed. 24 As your life was precious today in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he rescue me from all tribulation."
25 Then Saul said to David, "Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them."
So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
The natural question is why, when, on two separate occasions, David had won from Saul the confession on Saul's part that his enmity to David was wrong, did David not return to Saul's court? The next chapter opens with the narrator’s answer.
1 Samuel 27:1 David said in his heart, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines; then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand."
This is a reasonable distrust, based on David’s history with Saul. The outcome was that David took his 600 followers to Achish, the Philistine king at Gath and became his vassal. He lived as a raider, lying to Achish that he was raiding Jewish communities when, in fact, he was raiding Geshurite, Girzite, and Amalekite towns. (1 Samuel 27:8)
David, "thinking, 'They might tell about us, and say, 'David has done so and so.'" (1 Samuel 27:11), slaughtered the civilians of the towns he raided "leaving neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing." (1 Samuel 27:9)
This, “thinking” that the narrator attributes to David, is imbedded in distrust and leads to lies and slaughter. In all these events, from the time that the Lord told David to attack the town of Keilah through the casting of the lots by the priest Abiathar (1 Samuel 23:1-6), through the attacks on David by Saul and David's refusal to kill Saul, through the events with the fool Nabal and his wife Abigail, and through David's retreat to Gath, God takes no active role in the narrative; God neither acts nor gives David instruction. So, this story concerns the character of David, not God. David has shown remarkable nobility is his relationship first with Saul and then with Nabal and his wise wife, Abigail. But here, in the inner confines of his heart, David’s thinking is based in distrust and fear.
In the lies and the resultant slaughter of the innocent Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites we see again, as we did in the slaughter of the priests and the rest of the community of Nob (1 Samuel 22), the price that the innocent pay when leaders -- even good leaders -- are incapable of the boldness required to make peace, and instead resort to lies for security.
Monday, March 29, 2004
1 Samuel 25 - Abigail's Righteousness
The story of Abigail serves as a sequel to the account of how David refused to take the life of Saul. David has a legitimate complaint against Abigail's husband Nabal, a very rich man, whose men and flock had benefited from David's protection against harassment from the Philistines in the wilderness where they grazed.
Nabal's name means "fool," and that is the part he plays. Instead of returning goods for good, Nabal turns David's men away. David resolves to avenge himself on Nabal and kill every male belonging to him.
Abigail, hearing of this, orders gifts sent to David and appeals to him with a lengthy speech:
1 Samuel 25:24 She fell at his feet and said, "Upon me alone, my lord, be the guilt; please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 My lord, do not take seriously this ill-natured fellow, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
26 Now then, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, since the LORD has restrained you from bloodguilt and from taking vengeance with your own hand, now let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be like Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If anyone should rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living under the care of the LORD your God; but the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 When the LORD has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief, or pangs of conscience, for having shed blood without cause or for having saved himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant."
This is an amazing appeal (1) to conscience – that David should live free of blood guilt; (2) to forgiveness – we have choices to make in how we live and act, even when we are justly angered; and (3) to faith – that since God is moving powerfully in David's life, he should rely on God. Her appeal is predicated on the same theology that David, himself, relied on in showing mercy to Saul when Saul was in his power: God can and will act as judge. As Abagail put it, David should avoid "pangs of conscience...for having saved himself." (25:31) For David to kill Nabal and his family would be to put himself in God's place, to 'save' himself.
David, his eyes opened by Abigail's words, restrains his hand, and is able to see God's hand in what happens next:
1 Samuel 25:38 About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal, and he died. 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the LORD who has judged the case of Nabal's insult to me, and has kept back his servant from evil; the LORD has returned the evildoing of Nabal upon his own head."
Many of us, today, are made extremely uncomfortable by the notion that God actually acts as judge. But that God so acts makes it possible for us to show mercy and restraint without abandoning purpose or a sense of justice.
Abigail expressed this eloquently to David:
25:29 If anyone should rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living under the care of the LORD your God; but the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.
This phrase, "bundle of the living" is unique; but it is similar in concept to the "book of the living" and the "book of life" mentioned in Psalm 69:28, Philippians 4:3, and frequently in the Book of Revelation, where it is written:
Revelation 20:12 Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books....15 and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
This, too, is Gospel.
Nabal's name means "fool," and that is the part he plays. Instead of returning goods for good, Nabal turns David's men away. David resolves to avenge himself on Nabal and kill every male belonging to him.
Abigail, hearing of this, orders gifts sent to David and appeals to him with a lengthy speech:
1 Samuel 25:24 She fell at his feet and said, "Upon me alone, my lord, be the guilt; please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 My lord, do not take seriously this ill-natured fellow, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
26 Now then, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, since the LORD has restrained you from bloodguilt and from taking vengeance with your own hand, now let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be like Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If anyone should rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living under the care of the LORD your God; but the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 When the LORD has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief, or pangs of conscience, for having shed blood without cause or for having saved himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant."
This is an amazing appeal (1) to conscience – that David should live free of blood guilt; (2) to forgiveness – we have choices to make in how we live and act, even when we are justly angered; and (3) to faith – that since God is moving powerfully in David's life, he should rely on God. Her appeal is predicated on the same theology that David, himself, relied on in showing mercy to Saul when Saul was in his power: God can and will act as judge. As Abagail put it, David should avoid "pangs of conscience...for having saved himself." (25:31) For David to kill Nabal and his family would be to put himself in God's place, to 'save' himself.
David, his eyes opened by Abigail's words, restrains his hand, and is able to see God's hand in what happens next:
1 Samuel 25:38 About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal, and he died. 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the LORD who has judged the case of Nabal's insult to me, and has kept back his servant from evil; the LORD has returned the evildoing of Nabal upon his own head."
Many of us, today, are made extremely uncomfortable by the notion that God actually acts as judge. But that God so acts makes it possible for us to show mercy and restraint without abandoning purpose or a sense of justice.
Abigail expressed this eloquently to David:
25:29 If anyone should rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living under the care of the LORD your God; but the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.
This phrase, "bundle of the living" is unique; but it is similar in concept to the "book of the living" and the "book of life" mentioned in Psalm 69:28, Philippians 4:3, and frequently in the Book of Revelation, where it is written:
Revelation 20:12 Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books....15 and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
This, too, is Gospel.
Sunday, March 28, 2004
1 Samuel 24 - David's Righteousness
David is no Quaker. He was a warrior and no pacifist, and he took up the sword of Goliath when he felt he needed it. But his refusal to seize power by assassinating Saul when he had the opportunity proves his faith in God's faithfulness to his promise and (which is more important) God's power to act in the world to bring about his purposes. A lesser faith would have seen the opportunity presented by Saul's vulnerability as God-given.
While David was seeking refuge from Saul in the wilderness, Saul and his army do not realize it, but have David trapped deep in a cave in the En-gedi. While Saul is releiving himself near the mouth of the cave, David's men urge him to seize the moment and kill Saul.
1 Samuel 24:4-7 Then David went and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's cloak. 5 Afterward David was stricken to the heart because he had cut off a corner of Saul's cloak. 6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to raise my hand against him; for he is the LORD's anointed." 7 So David scolded his men severely and did not permit them to attack Saul. Then Saul got up and left the cave, and went on his way.
Later, David shows Saul what he had done, and uses it as a token of his loyalty.
1 Samuel 24:11 See, my father, see the corner of your cloak in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your cloak, and did not kill you, you may know for certain that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are hunting me to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between me and you! May the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
This reliance on God's ultimate ability and willingness to act as judge is central to David's faith, and critical to his willingness to restrain his hand when he could have seized power. Quoting Deuteronomy 32:35, the Apostle Paul articulates this principle for the Christian community in Rome:
Romans 12: 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
Saul's response shows that there is still goodness and nobility in him:
1 Samuel 24:17 He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. 19 For who has ever found an enemy, and sent the enemy safely away?
David was no pacifist and no Quaker. In this act, however, he demonstrated the power of nonviolent action to "answer that of God" in even the most adamant of enemies.
While David was seeking refuge from Saul in the wilderness, Saul and his army do not realize it, but have David trapped deep in a cave in the En-gedi. While Saul is releiving himself near the mouth of the cave, David's men urge him to seize the moment and kill Saul.
1 Samuel 24:4-7 Then David went and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's cloak. 5 Afterward David was stricken to the heart because he had cut off a corner of Saul's cloak. 6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to raise my hand against him; for he is the LORD's anointed." 7 So David scolded his men severely and did not permit them to attack Saul. Then Saul got up and left the cave, and went on his way.
Later, David shows Saul what he had done, and uses it as a token of his loyalty.
1 Samuel 24:11 See, my father, see the corner of your cloak in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your cloak, and did not kill you, you may know for certain that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are hunting me to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between me and you! May the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
This reliance on God's ultimate ability and willingness to act as judge is central to David's faith, and critical to his willingness to restrain his hand when he could have seized power. Quoting Deuteronomy 32:35, the Apostle Paul articulates this principle for the Christian community in Rome:
Romans 12: 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
Saul's response shows that there is still goodness and nobility in him:
1 Samuel 24:17 He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. 19 For who has ever found an enemy, and sent the enemy safely away?
David was no pacifist and no Quaker. In this act, however, he demonstrated the power of nonviolent action to "answer that of God" in even the most adamant of enemies.
