Past Behavior, Present Behavior

Why are we surprised when people who have done wrong things in the past do it again? In 2 Samuel 20 there’s an account of David sending out his new general, Amasa, to raise an army and go after a man who instigated a rebellion once David returned to the throne in Jerusalem. Sheba’s revolt was unorganized and unsuccessful, but David did not want Sheba to raise any more trouble, so David wanted him killed.

Amasa had been Absalom’s general and David, in an attempt to pacify Absalom’s followers, had elevated Amasa to the commander of his army. David’s nephew, Joab, had been the captain of the army for many years. When Amasa did not rally the necessary troops in the time David had allowed, David sent Joab, and troops faithful to Joab, out to find Sheba. On his way Joab’s army met Amasa’s army. And treachery occurred.

Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. ¹⁰ Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri (NASB, 2 Samuel 20: 9-10).

Joab had no orders to harm Amasa, so why did he kill him? Just like in 2 Samuel 3:26-30 when Joab killed another potential commander of David’s army (Abner), Joab was out to keep his rank in David’s kingdom. He ruthlessly murdered his rivals for the 2^nd in command of David’s kingdom. He had done it before, so we should not be surprised that he does it again. Joab used deception to draw the unsuspecting Abner to his death by Joab’s hand, and here Joab does it again. He greets Amasa, his cousin, with kindness and apparent friendliness as one would a family member. Once Amasa is close enough, Joab fatally stabs him.

Maybe we don’t go to the point of killing our rivals, but where do we act in a way that undermines someone else’s position or authority? Self-promotion at the expense of others runs rampant in our society. We are ordered by Christ to look out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4 NASB: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”) This does not mean we don’t take care of our needs, but it means taking other people’s needs into account in all we do.

Being Extraordinary

The more I read and study in 1 and 2 Samuel, the more I realize all of David’s flaws. It could lessen my respect for him, but what it’s doing is encouraging me.

David felt the same emotions, committed flagrant sins, made similarly poor choices, and left a legacy for his family of mixed value and outcomes just as I do today. He was an ordinary man. The record of his life in 1 and 2 Samuel proves he was an ordinary man. He was not superhuman. He was not without grave flaws. He was not the perfect man some like to believe he was. He was ordinary.

There’s a New Testament character that is also often viewed as doing little or no wrong. Paul. Yet we have in Paul’s own words, that he was unable to do the all the things according to the Law given by Moses. He wrote Romans 7:15 after his encounter with Jesus. It says,

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. (NASB)

The passage also implies that Paul knew he was unable to think and act as a perfect man. Recalling to my mind the grave injuries Paul caused for the early believers, even putting some to death, I can see his ordinariness. When I contemplate that he had disagreements with fellow-laborers, even to the point of severing relationships I see another flaw. (In Acts 15:37-40 there’s an account of some sharp disagreements with John Mark and Barnabas that had profound impact on the missionary work of those early days.)

Ordinary people. Just like me they had flaws and folly. YET, God used them in extraordinary ways. Their ultimate saving characteristics were steadfast commitment to the person and purposes of God. They may have even faltered in those commitments, yet they always returned to worshiping and obeying God.

I can be like that, too. I can continually recognize God for who He is. I can have a steadfast commitment to the purposes of God. I can and do practice worshiping God daily. And I can repent and turn back to His Word and obey it as often as I need to. Ultimately, the flaws and failings of the great men in Scripture encourage me. Just like them I can be extraordinary.

As Tom Bradford in his Torah Class notes said, “David proves he is an ordinary man but he was elevated to extraordinary by God’s decision and declaration.” God can elevate you and me if He so chooses. I need to be ready to obey and watch God make me extraordinary, too.

Priorities

My Bible studies this week overlapped. We can see some messed up priorities in David’s life. While my other study was about determining and implementing Biblical priorities.

Basically as David’s army in exile began their march into battle against Absalom and his forces, David made a firm plea to his military leaders and to each group of soldiers leaving through the gates of the city he is currently taking refuge in. “The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom’ (2 Samuel 18:5, CJB). While it seems like this was a compassionate and loving thing to do, David was actually putting his family above sound military procedures that would protect David’s followers. Keeping Absalom alive was increasing the chances of a continued struggle, and more death and destruction for Israel. “David had been putting his family above his duties to Yehoveh for a very long time, and the outcome was disastrous” (Bradford, Torah Class, Lesson 27).

In Christian circles we often hear the saying “God comes first and family second.” However, many Christians make decisions based solely on what is best for their family. In the NavPress study on how to live as a mature Christian (Bearing Fruit in God’s Family), there’s two sessions on priorities. In the second part there’s a chart that places God first, followed by Family, Work, and Other. All these are realistic priorities. However, another illustration shows how our relationships with others, including our family, improve as we focus on becoming more Christ-like. The goal is to have everybody pursuing God’s interests. On each side of the base of a triangle are people, and God is at the top point. As the people get closer to God, they move up the sides of the triangle and actually get closer to each other as they do. (I wish I could draw a picture for you but I’m not that skilled on a computer.) Try diagraming this for yourself.

David’s example shows that he was not drawing closer to God but trying desperately to improve his relationship with Absalom setting aside the God guidelines he was supposed to be focusing on. It’s not wrong to want closer relationships with our family members and others. It just doesn’t truly happen until everyone is pursuing God.

July 4, 2019

Patriotic ideas reel around this date in American historical annuls. There were issues of patriotism in the Israel of David’s era as well. Who would the people support? David and be forced to flee Jerusalem? Or Absalom and reign in Jerusalem rebelling against God’s anointed king?

Just like in our day and age, pretty sounding words and decisive actions drew people to Absalom. The people were drawn to king Saul in the same way. Absalom appeared as a kingly figure. Absalom did things to please and sway the people. Underlying those actions was self-aggrandizement going on. Absalom was seeking to better his reputation, influence and power over the state of Israel. He felt he deserved the right to rule. He’d been planning it for a long time (all the way back to when he killed his half-brother, Amnon, to eliminate the competition for the throne).

As we live in America today, we need to be evaluating those that wish to lead our nation. Are they using pretty sounding words? Are they appealing to the vanity of different people groups? What are their true motives? Does their plans really aid our nation as a whole or just certain segments of our society? I realize, as I struggle to get real answers to these questions myself, that it seems impossible to evaluate those in leadership in our country on a national scale. We find ourselves forced into “reading between the lines” and looking for “off-the-record” comments to determine what’s real. I feel powerless to know for certain what is right, although I do have my opinions.

So, I do what I can. I pray – a lot. I learn to apply Scripture to my own actions and try to evaluate whether the behavior of these would-be leaders agree with Scripture’s commands. And, I bring it closer to home. I look at local leaders I can get to know for myself (instead of relying on Facebook or newspapers). I apply the Scriptural commands to their ideas and behaviors. Furthermore, I look at my church leaders. How are they measuring up? And I ask myself, and pray some more, about what I can or should be doing to uphold the principles of God. In my own life, in the life of local leaders, and in the way I vote.

That’s what I’m thinking about on this 4^th of July. This is what I’m praying about on this 4^th of July. I desire to be patriotic, but my heart longs to be right with God.