Daily Encouragement

March 21, 2010 - The Man Who Refused To Revenge

While David was hiding in the wilderness of En Gedi, Saul led an army of three thousand to look for him and his followers of six hundred. It happened that Saul himself went into the cave where David and his men were hiding. As Saul was relieving himself, David's men whispered him that now God had given the opportunity for him to kill Saul. Yet David refused to kill him except to cut off a piece of Saul's robe. David said that he should not harm the Lord's anointed.

After Saul left the cave, David came out also to bow before Saul and told him he could have killed him but he wanted to prove that he did not want to harm Saul. The changeable and emotional Saul was then fully convinced that he was wrong toward David. He cried and begged David to make vow not to hurt his family. And he took his soldiers home.

David's behavior truly displayed that he was a man of God. He did not take revenge to the point of endangering himself for the future. He fully trusted in God and let God be the avenger for him. The New Testament says, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19 NKJV) Especially toward our brothers and sisters who are anointed by the Holy Spirit, we should overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21) David's life had demonstrated this truth.

March 22, 2010 - The Wisdom Of A Great Woman

Meditation on 1 Samuel 25

The Bible records the detail of Abigail's intervention of David's revenge against her bad tempered husband, Nabal who foolishly insulted David as well as pretending not to recognize David's contribution to protect his property and his country. Her wisdom in action and words were outstanding among women. Let's look at what she did as soon as she knew that her husband's bad mouth that caused David's coming to attack.

She quickly prepared a lot of good foods and loaded them on the donkeys. She brought those foods with her to meet David and bowed down before him.

She took on the mistakes of her husband as her own and asked for forgiveness. She also admitted the wrong of her husband who was obstinate.

She confessed the great accomplishment of David for God and pointed out his innocence in all his doing in the past.

She recognized God's protection for David and his victory against his enemies.

Then she persuaded David not to take revenge with his own hand so that his conscience would be clear when David would become king.

This episode showed that she was a very intelligent and knowledgeable woman who could act quickly to prevent the destruction of the entire household of her husband as well as stopping the murderous intent of David which would lead to the lost of innocent lives. Her deeds and words of wisdom were marvelous and courageous. They were good lessons for us to learn.

It was God's intent to judge her husband eventually so that he died. But her heroine effort was memorable and effective to prevent further disastrous result of the temper of two men.

March 23, 2010 - The Tragedy Of Consulting With A Medium

Meditation on 1 Samuel 28

The emotionally disturbed Saul was full of fear when he faced the attack of the Philistines at Gilboa. God's presence has departed from him. Samuel had also been dead. His prayers were not answered. So he resorted to consult a woman medium in order to know what he should do.

Bible Commentators have seven or eight different interpretations concerning his encounter with the woman who supposedly had called up Samuel from the dead through a séance experience. The ancient rabbis all considered that it was really Samuel who spoke to Saul. Several church fathers such as Augustine and Jerome also though it was Samuel himself that appeared. Evangelical scholars like Unger and Gleason Archer with many scholars do take Saul's conversation with Samuel authentic. So I believe that God had intervened in this particular incidence to show Saul that he was doomed because of his disobedience to God in not destroying all the Amalekites and other rebellious act. God had become his enemy because he treated himself above the law. Notice also that the woman who supposed to have a familiar spirit to deceive people did suddenly cry out with fear when she saw Samuel. She was not expecting that in her normal consultation with the spirit.

The question then remains why God would choose a forbidden practice to express his will? The answer was that the pronouncement of Samuel was for the doom of Saul. So any practice of consulting with a medium would lead to destruction and ruin. The Bible strictly forbids it. (Deuteronomy 18:9-14)

March 24, 2010 - The Heart Of A Great Man

Meditation on 2 Samuel 1

After David heard the death of Saul and his son, Jonathan in the battle field, he expressed his grief with a song and told his countrymen to learn it. (v. 17-27)

In this song, he lamented the fallen away of great heroes. It was a patriotic song with deep emotion of love and memory. He recalled the accomplishment of Saul as well as Jonathan's love to him. Here we have a great expression of brotherly love, "I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; Your love to me was more than the love of women." (v. 26 NASB)

Instead of rejoicing over the death of Saul who had been chasing after him with an army for years, David mourned for Saul and extolled Saul's virtue. David recalled the deep love and sacrifices Jonathan had shown to him ever since they met after the battle with Goliath. (1 Samuel 18:1-4) He sang that Jonathan's love to him was more than that of women, possibly his own wives!

We are touched by such a great heart of David. He had shown what forgiveness, patriotism and brotherly love mean.

March 25, 2010 - God's Holiness Must Be Observed

Meditation on 2 Samuel 6

The ark represented the presence of God. King David wanted to have the symbol of God's presence in Jerusalem, the capitol of his nation. It was so good to show that he wanted God to rule over him, his army, his people and his nation. His intent was noble. But the way he moved the ark was unacceptable to God. The whole nation needed to learn a great lesson concerning the holiness of God.

There were at least two things that the Levites did wrong. God's rule clearly stated in Numbers 4:15, the ark must be carried by the Levites and that they should not touch the ark at all. The penalty of violation was death. The ark of God was totally holy and transcendent. No one other than the High Priest could even see it. It must be covered. (Numbers 4) But this time the ark was carried by oxen. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah the priest put his hand to hold it and he was stricken to death by God. God's rule must be upheld. No one could try to be helpful to God. The Levite ought to know that.

What a serious lesson about God's holiness and awesome power that was. Though we are in the New Testament age, I believe that the holiness is still vital for us to observe carefully to the detail in doing God's work and ministry in worship. Otherwise we are worshiping ourselves and our liking rather than the holy God.

Look at David, his initial ignorance and anger was subsided when he realized that the ark brought blessings to the Obed-Edom who housed the ark. He again brought the ark to Jerusalem this time carrying by the Levites. (v. 13) He and the people worshiped and dance before God with joy. God's presence was celebrated and honored!

March 26, 2010 - A Righteous Kingdom To Serve God

Meditation on 2 Samuel 8

God had blessed David and the kingdom of Israel abundantly. The twelve tribes were then united under one ruler appointed by God. David led them to overcome all their enemies in the Promised Land. The kingdom was expanding and the neighboring nations were bringing in tribute to David. He organized the nation according to the Law of Moses. In everything David adhered to pleasing God and obeying the commands of God.

In verse 15, it is recorded that David administered justice and righteousness for all his people. That was the way God wanted and the people would enjoy. In the same passage, David's cabinet was mentioned. Besides the military chief, he had a recorder, a secretary of state, a mighty soldier, who had a priestly status, over the immigrants, two chief priests, and his sons serving as chief ministers. (v. 18 NASB)

The word for chief administers was actually one word, priests, in the original Hebrew language. It was exactly the same word as the word for the priests in verse 17. Some translate that the sons of David were royal advisers or princes of the court. But the new American Commentary gave a very good explanation why the word “priests” was used for the duty of David's sons. David bestowed the title on his sons in recognition of the Torah's assertion that Israel was to be a "kingdom of priests." (Exodus 19:6) David wanted to train and dedicate his sons to faithful service to the covenant between their father and God. They should be serving God all their lives just like their Dad.

Today, all believers are to be a kingdom of priests to our God and Father also. (Revelation 1:6) What a great honor and privilege!

March 27, 2010 - The Leaven Of Sin

Meditation on 2 Samuel 11

This chapter is one of the saddest passages of the Bible. David the mighty man of God committed adultery and even deliberately caused the death of one of his great and loyal soldier who was the husband of Bathsheba. God was not pleased at all.

Usually Bible students see the problem of David's sin began with his laziness of sleeping in the late afternoon and got up in the evening. He should have been leading his battle against the enemies like he did in the past. Then on the roof top, he had failed to turn his eyes away from looking at a woman who was taking a bath. He took step to find who the beautiful woman was and invited her to his house to sleep with him.

But I believe David's problem began way before this incidence. 2 Samuel 5:13 says that David had gotten more and more concubines after he began to rule in Jerusalem. This was in violation of Moses' warning for the future kings of Israel in Deuteronomy 17:17, "Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself." (NKJV)

Sin would cause one's heart to turn away from obeying God gradually. Eventually it affected the man or woman to be totally self-centered. We can see how David moved more and more into lies and cover-up and murder. Even though his sins were forgiven because he confessed it, the result of that sin had affected his own children and nation in a tragic way later.

May God help us to realize the leavening effect of sin.