10/24/2010 8:36:04 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My
Worship Time Focus: David rewards the faithful
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: 2Samuel 19:31-40
Message of the verses: “ 31
¶ Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come
down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to escort him
over the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was
very old, being eighty years old; and he had sustained the king while he stayed
at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33
The king said to Barzillai, "You cross over with me and I will
sustain you in Jerusalem with me." 34
But Barzillai said to the king, "How long have I yet to live, that
I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35
"I am now eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad?
Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore the
voice of singing men and women? Why then should your servant be an added burden
to my lord the king? 36 "Your
servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king
compensate me with this reward? 37
"Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near
the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant Chimham,
let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your
sight." 38 The king answered,
"Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in
your sight; and whatever you require of me, I will do for you." 39 All the people crossed over the Jordan and
the king crossed too. The king then kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he
returned to his place.
“ 40 ¶ Now the king went on to
Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also half
the people of Israel accompanied the king.”
Verse
thirty-one speaks of Barzillai as being a Gileadite and one who helped to take
care of the needs of David when he was holding out at Mahanaim. A person who is a Gileadite is one who lived
on the West side of the Jordan River, but still belonged to the nation of
Israel. It must be remembered that there
were two-and-a-half tribes of Israel on the west side of the Jordan River for
they asked Moses if they could claim that land after the armies of Israel
defeated the nations in that area.
Dr.
Wiersbe has some interesting things to say concerning people who are older and
Barzillai was eighty years old, which was old for this time period, older than
eight would be during the time that we live in, in the US. “Older people don’t like to pull up their
roots and relocate, and they want to die at home and be buried with their loved
ones. At his age, Barzillai couldn’t
enjoy the special pleasures of life at court, and he would only be a burden to
the king, who had enough to think about.”
Matthew Henry writes, “They that are old must not begrudge young people
those delights which they themselves are past the enjoyment of, nor oblige them
to retire as they do.” Barzillai wanted
David to take his son with him instead of him going and so David took Chimham
with him and in the second chapter of 1Kings David tells Solomon, “"But
show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among
those who eat at your table; for they assisted me when I fled from Absalom your
brother.’” In Jeremiah 41:17 we find “And
they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, which is beside Bethlehem, in order to
proceed into Egypt.” Now it is not known
for certain if this is the same Chimham they are speaking of here, but it could
be.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I suppose that I had often wondered why it
was that mom and dad did not stay in Florida, but come home to Lodi after
spending thirteen winters there, and why it is that mom does not want to go to
Hawaii and live there and I guess the answer is found right here in 2Samuel
speaking of a man named Barzillai. I
still have a hankering to live elsewhere for a while, but I don’t know if this
is in the will of the Lord.
My
Steps of Faith for Today:
1. Put
on the whole armor of God.
2. Trust
the Lord to see us through this day living for Him.
10/24/2010 9:05:23 AM
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