What Was the Deal With the Philistines?

 

2 Samuel 21:18-22(NKJV)

18Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed £Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant. 

19Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of £Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

20Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. 

21So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of £Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

22These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

It seems like Israel fought the Philistines more than any other group of people.    Why is that?  I don't know for sure but here is the lesson that I take from it.  There are certain battles that you will have to refight through out your life.

We all have to fight our own personal battles in life and that battle is different for each of us.  And obviously there is more than one.  But what I have found is that there is usually one or two battles that you have to keep refighting for your entire life.  For me that main battle would probably be procrastination.

It's an issue I've dealt with repeatedly throughout life.  One might say it is my Philistine Battle.  What is your Philistine Battle?  Whatever it is, don't be discouraged.  Rely on Jesus and you can win that battle over and over again, just like David did!

Off With His Head, And Other Biblical Stories!

2 Samuel 20:14-22(NKJV)

14And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maachah and all the Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after £Sheba. 

15Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.

16Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’” 

17When he had come near to her, the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”

18So she spoke, saying, “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes. 

19I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?”

20And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! 

21That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.” So the woman said to Joab, “Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 

22Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

Wow!  Chopped the dudes head off and threw it over the wall.  That's pretty gruesome.  That was a pretty big price to pay.  And for what?  What did he do?  He simply crossed the King.

Are you ready to pay that price when you cross the King?  What am I talking about?  I think you know don't you?  When we cross God, we are crossing the King of the Universe. 

Is God going to say "off with your head!"?

That depends.  And here is the cool thing.  It depends on a decision that you make and nothing else.  God won't force this choice on you.  He gives you free will to decide. 

What is the decision that you have to make?  Whether you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God as we are told in the Bible.  And whether Jesus was crucified for our sins and that He rose again on the 3rd day.

Because when you say that what you are really saying is "I believe you God".   I believe what you are telling me through your word, the Bible.  I believe you when you say that Jesus paid for all of my sins, if I will simply confess His name. 
 

Have you done that yet?  Have you had that conversation with Jesus?  Have you invited Him to take over your life?  Why not do it right now.  "Dear Jesus…."

Oh and BTW, that whole off with your head thing?  As long as you've invited Jesus to take over your life, you don't even have to worry about it.  You are good to go! 

Will We Never Learn?

Why is it in some things we never learn?  I wrote on Tuesday about doing the right thing, don't make exceptions.  We were looking at how King David extended mercy to his son Absalom, going against the way prescribed by God.

Do you remember how that turned out?  It came back to bite King David in the butt!  His son comes back and drives King David out of Jerusalem  and tries to hunt him down and kill him.  Well look at this!

2 Samuel 18:5(NKJV)

5Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

David turns around and does it again!

The sad part is, we all do that don't we?  We do something the wrong way, we know better and yet we turn around and do it again.  Want to avoid that?  Stay focused on God's Word!

It's All In The Attitude and Expectation

 

2 Samuel 16:5-9(NKJV)

5Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 

6And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 

7Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 

8The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”

9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”

That's an understandable response.  But check out what King David had to say.

2 Samuel 16:11-13(NKJV)

11And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 

12It may be that the Lord will look on £my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 

13And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. 

Many of us in this situation would be mad.  We'd want to take the guy out.  We'd probably be feeling a bit like we were being punished.  But not David.   His first line of thought is that "Hey God can always turn this into something good!"  Expect good things to happen and they usually will! 

Do The Right Thing, Don't Make Exceptions

Because look what happens when you do.

2 Samuel 14:21-24(NKJV)

21And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and thanked the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.” 

23So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 

24And the king said, “Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king’s face.

To bring you up to speed, Absalom whose father is King David, killed one of David's sons by a different mother, and many would say justifiably so because the other son had raped Absalom's daughter.  But the fact was the Absalom plotted and deceived in order to kill the other son and so Absalom was banished from the Kingdom.

But here is where King David made a mistake.  He knew banishing Absalom was the correct thing to do but he also missed his son.  He let others talk him in to allowing Absalom to return.

Now some would say he was showing mercy but let's see how it turned out. 

2 Samuel 15:1-6(NKJV)

1After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 

2Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” 

3Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.” 

4Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” 

5And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. 

6In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

2 Samuel 15:10-13(NKJV)

10Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’” 

11And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything. 

12Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

13Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

And as a result King David had to flee from the son he had shown mercy to.

Here is the lesson that I take from this.  There was a system of rules and laws in place that governed the killing of another man.  There were cities of refuge where you could go for safety but you had to stay there until the next Jubilee.  King David knew all that but he over rode the law and made an exception.  In other words he substituted his judgment for God's law and look how that turned out. 

Things Done In Secret

 

2 Samuel 13:9-12(NKJV)

9And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. 

10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. 

11Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

12But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! 

Here's a simple warning.  When someone suggests to you a course of action and they remove all witnesses and insist it be done in secret, RUN!  It's generally not a good thing.  It is not on the up and up.  It's probably not going to turn out well. 

I Never Realized Solomon Had A Nickname

 

2 Samuel 12:24-25(NKJV)

24Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he£ called his name Solomon. Now the Lord loved him, 

25and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So £he called his name £Jedidiah, because of the Lord.

I've read this passage many times over the years and yet I never really picked up on the fact that Solomon had a nickname.  Jedidiah.

Now the whole story of Solomon I find interesting.  Solomon came from the union of King David and Bathsheba who King David took from another man and then ended up having the other man killed to cover up what King David had done.

Think of that.  David had always been a man after God's heart and yet he did this extremely sinful thing.  And yet out of that God produces the heir to King David's throne and the continuation of the line to Jesus.

And by the way, what does Solomon's nickname, Jedidiah, mean?  Beloved of the Lord!

Now if God can love Solomon like that after all the sin that brought him into the world, just think how much God can love us when we ask forgiveness for all the sins in our past! 

And how do we get that love and forgiveness?  By simply accepting Jesus, God's son, as our Lord and Savior.  Have you done that yet?  If not there is no better time that right now.  Just ask Jesus to come into your life and take over.  "Dear Jesus…."