David Will Focus on his Perspective from 2 Samuel 19:1-8

10/20/2010 10:01:26 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  David focuses his perspective

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  2Samuel 19:1-8

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  Then it was told Joab, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom." 2  The victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, "The king is grieved for his son." 3  So the people went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. 4  The king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!" 5  Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, "Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6  by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7  "Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, surely not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now." 8  So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate," then all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled, each to his tent.”

 

            Today’s SD begins chapter ten in Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on 2Samuel and he entitles it “David’s Return and Renewed Problems.”  The chapter is divided into five main points and it covers chapter nineteen of 2Samuel.  The divisions are based on this statement:  “This chapter describes five steps David took to bring about the healing of the nation,” and today’s SD is the first step.

            This was a bitter sweet victory for David as the victory was one, and yet in winning the victory he lost his favorite son in the process.  Dr. Wiersbe uses a quote from a Scottish pastor in many of his commentaries and it fits into this section very well:  “Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.”  From my own experiences in life I know that this statement is true and it was true for David in this chapter.

            I suppose that the killing of Absalom was not right, and Joab did not need to do it because it was a direct order from the king, but if he had not killed Absalom then there could have been worse problems and later on David will chose another man to lead his army and it is probably because of what Joab had done.  David saw Absalom as his son, but the people who were fighting for David saw him as a man who had murdered his brother and slept with his father’s concubines, and brought about a coup in Israel that divided the nation and the short speech that Joab gives to David snaps him out of his depressed state of mind that a father would have after finding out that his son had been killed to began to act as the leader that he was.

            Dr. Wiersbe points out that David did not truly seek the mind of the Lord in doing what he was doing, for in earlier years David would use prophets or the Urim and Thummim to find out what the Lord would have him do.  He did write some wilderness Psalms, but never really sought the Lord.  Dr. Wiersbe writes the following on this subject:  “But we wish David hand sought God’s direction as he dealt with Absalom and the problems he created.  When it came to dealing with his sons, David needed all the help he could get, but perhaps he wouldn’t admit it.  It’s never too late for God to work.”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The quote from the Scottish Pastor and the last sentence in the first part of this SD are things that will help me in life.  Be as carful after the victory as before the battle and remember that it is never too late for God to work are wonderful words of wisdom to remember.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1.      Remember these two statements as I go about my day for they have much significance for the things that I am going through at this time of my life.

2.      Trust the Lord to guide my path today.

3.      Put on the spiritual armor to be protected from the evil one as he works to tempt me and ruin my life.

 

10/20/2010 10:34:51 AM