2 Samuel Chapter 21 Verses 1 - 2

 Drought years were not all too uncommon just as they aren’t in our

modern world. But three consecutive years of no yield of crop was

certainly uncommon. Implied here is that David doesn’t inquire of the

Lord about the famine in year one or in year two, but by year three he

senses something isn’t just natural, that something more is going on.

 Deuteronomy 28:1-2, “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey

the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His

commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will

set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall

come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the

Lord your God.” And then it goes on to list all these blessings including

the food that they will have.

 Then, Deuteronomy 28:15, “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey

the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His

commandments and His statutes which I commanded you today, that all

these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” And then the text

goes on to list all these difficulties/curses including the food they will

have (or the lack thereof).

 So, three years of the field not producing, and the assumption is that it

was because of rain, but not necessarily, doesn’t have to be, it could be

that it’s raining plenty and just no crop, David senses something is up.

 Our experience in the New Covenant, the law of God fulfilled by Jesus

is quite different but certainly similar. We are no longer restrained by the

law, that has been fulfilled in Jesus, but under the New Covenant of

relationship with God through Jesus Christ, Paul says in 2 Corinthians

5:14 that it is the love of Christ that compels/restrains us.

 It’s a whole different thought and experience to the point that Jesus said

in Mark 8:36, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world,

and loses his own soul.” You can have the world now and yet ache all

day on the inside missing everything. The picture and type in the Old

Covenant was obedience, and the revelation of the New Covenant is

relationship. The closer you are with Jesus, the more blessed you are.

It’s just that simple. And now obedience is a secondary matter. Meaning,

it comes…, it’s there, but it’s a result, not a requirement.

 It was through the perfect obedience of Jesus that we have been made

well. So, Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My

commandments.” Followed by the promise of the Holy Spirit as our

Helper when we do… So, it’s the same but different. The famine isn’t in

our bank accounts necessarily because of disobedience to God, the

famine is now in our hope, in our heart of hearts…, in the inner person.

 David senses that God has something on His mind so He inquires of the

Lord and the Lord says, “I was waiting for you to ask Me.” Ha! See

that!? Three years and the Lord didn’t tell him what’s up. Why? He

didn’t ask. An entire sermon unto itself…

 And the Lord says, “It’s because of what Saul did to the Gibeonites.”

This was decades old. This happened decades ago. And yet God

remembers and will recompense every falsity, every injustice done even

to people that are not His. The Gibeonites were descendants of the

Amorites, which were not descendants of Jacob.

 More than 400 years prior to David, in the days of Joshua, Israel swore

not to harm the Gibeonites. And yet at some point in Saul’s reign, he had

apparently broken that promise and I like that God won’t let that slide.

Broken promises are especially evil. A promise, which in the life of a

Christian is any commitment, anytime you tell someone you will do,

they count on it. They trust it. When you break that, you harm the very

source of their connection with God. You punch their trust. You teach

someone not to trust. You harm them in their trust. This is especially

grievous…

2 Samuel Chapter 21 Verses 3 – 6

 I really have issues with this that I’ll get into but one observation to

make here is that David seeks to make things right not by being king

but being a servant. He could have approached them and said, here you

go…, here are all the things that I think should make things right. But

he doesn’t do that. He asks them, what will make things right?

 That is an outstanding lesson for us when we have wronged someone.

This is what works. This is what heals relationships and rights wrongs.

What do we do? We apologize. We state our sorrow. Wow. How selfish!

When is the last time you offended someone and without apologizing

you said, how can I make this right? You know what that

communicates? Yes, that you’re sorry but that you’re willing to do

whatever it takes to make things right. FAR more powerfully

messaging love than sharing your sorrow with whom you’ve hurt…

 Their request is a bit horrifying. “Give us seven men of his descendants

and we will hang them before the LORD.” These aren’t Israelites. They

don’t know the God of Israel. James 1:19-20 says, “So then, my beloved

brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

 There’s probably a long conversation we can have about this passage

and happenstance. I’ll spare you and move on however enough to say, I

wish David would have negotiated. What they ask for is to return evil

for evil. Romans 17:17 says, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard

for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as

depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” So, I have issues with

David’s immediate compliance. However, some can make the play here

that it is just, as it was Saul who killed the Gibeonites…

2 Samuel Chapter 21 Verses 7 – 9

 Interesting to find out that Saul had two sons that had the same name.

Quite odd for sure and not sure what that means but certainly very out of

the ordinary.

 And this is perhaps a little get right at Michal. Remember Michal

despised David. She was a daughter of Saul and a wife of David but

there were problems. And as a result of those problems, she didn’t have

any children of her own. So, these are sons she “brought up” for her

sister’s husband, and we aren’t told why. Most likely her sister had died.

2 Samuel Chapter 21 Verses 10 – 14

 God heeded the prayer for the land at this point and lifts the three-year

famine. Was it because of the death of Saul’s sons or was it because of

the humility and empathy of David in bringing the bones of the fallen

king back into the land. A move of compassion and care for Rizpah? In

the words of the wise tootsie roll owl, “The world may never know.”

HA! (But I have my opinion) ��

2 Samuel Chapter 21 Verses 15 – 17

 Close call for David and his people become concerned. He was a source

of strength and identity for the people. Worth more than just a sword

against the enemies of Israel. So, they encourage him to protect himself

for the sake of the people.

 They call him the “lamp of Israel.” That’s an interesting statement and

an intense compliment. One who brings light. Hope. Happiness (in the

Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon). At some point, you have to allow

yourself to shift a bit to make room for what is best. Maybe your

successor. Maybe someone who needs to do the work now. You still

have a place. David has a place as the “Lamp” that is arguably more

important than his place as the warrior king.

 Notice too that he didn’t begin as the “lamp of Israel.” It was through

his service, humility and being a man after God’s own heart that he is

recognized as such. So many want to be treated as the “lamp” when they

haven’t taken the time to bring light, hope and to make others shine.

2 Samuel Chapter 21 Verses 18 – 22

 What’s interesting and notable here is that we see Isrealites killing

giants. Where were they in the valley of Goliath? Nowhere to be found

and yet here we read of giants being killed by Abishai, Sibechai and

Elhanan. The point I want to make is that the courage and the faith of

David spread. It’s one of the greatest satisfactions of leadership. Of

faith. To see others rise and even surpass you.