Tag: murder

Absalom’s Conspiracy (2 Samuel 15:1-13)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Absalom propitiating friends, painted 1595, in the National Museum, Warsaw, Poland

In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”

The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.

Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.

A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.” (New International Version)

Although Absalom, a son of David, began to despise his father, he learned some things from him, namely, the ability to wait and plan. He spent two years preparing to kill his half-brother Amnon, and four years getting ready to kill his father and take his throne.

I’m sure Absalom did not feel like a murderer. He likely looked at the situations and felt justified in doing away with Amnon, then going after David. To be sure, Amnon had committed a heinous crime – one in which Tamar, Absalom’s sister, was left bereft, only to be cared for by her brother. Absalom seems to have believed he was merely dispensing justice, not murder.

David, typically astute and proactive, was anything but that when it came to his family; he did not initiate very much of anything. The king’s inaction was so profound that Absalom began plotting a takeover. As in the case of Amnon, it’s likely that Absalom saw forming a conspiracy as bringing some needed justice.

After all, it appears that King David had become lax in his royal responsibilities. Seemingly, David was no longer himself – deciding cases in favor of the weak, needy, and vulnerable. Absalom was more than happy to fill the void.

Absalom evidenced an oversized ego in believing that if he were the judge in the land, everything would be okay. Whenever a person who feels the smack of injustice begins interacting with others who have not been receiving justice, rarely does that person rely upon the Divine Judge for righteousness. Absalom took matters into his own hands.

Whenever we hear the cry “It’s not fair!” there is often, not far behind, an angry person seeking to become judge, jury, and executioner.

So, Absalom worked the crowd. He spent years refining his image, and presenting the sort of reputation he sought from the people. Absalom was handsome and charming. The country became putty in his hands.

What nobody knew was that Absalom had an axe to grind, that underneath the silver tongue and the careful marketing opportunities was a person who was downright hurt, and mad enough to destroy and kill.

Finally, he began implementing his plot for taking over the kingdom. And he would need all the appearances of royal approval from some people in high positions. A religious banquet with a few hundred people, including David’s trusted counselor, would do the trick. The plan was to gain enough endorsements to gain momentum for others to join the conspiracy.

And it worked. The hearts of the people were with Absalom. They loved the guy.

Yet, the thing about it is, it wasn’t so much that Absalom loved the people, near as much as he hated his father, King David.

For the truly right, just, and good people of the land, they could observe the distinction. They knew better. The good people of the kingdom could discern that Absalom may look good, but something didn’t smell right about him.

No matter how flawed David was, or how much he had slipped in his duties, he was still nevertheless the king, the anointed one whom God had chosen. And the wise people could keep their wits about them, and begin to see what was really going on.

Anyone who comes along and tells us that they can make everything better, and do it quickly, is probably a hack preacher who, like Absalom, has a grievance against someone.

We can do better than leaders like that. And we can do better than to incessantly criticize existing leadership – no matter where it’s found – until we have done our due diligence in spending years in prayer for our leaders, and done what we could do to help them be successful in their positions.

Nurturing bitterness and hate is a one way trip to the grave. The evidence is seen in the constant vitriol we hear on a daily basis. But cultivating wisdom and discernment, along with a healthy spiritual and religious life, brings sanity and compassion where it needs to be.

Which way do you want to go?

Blessed heavenly Father: Forgive me for the things in my life which continue to keep me from the path you have chosen for me. Remove the sins from my life that block me from becoming the person you want me to be. Fill my life with your Holy Spirit that I may be a light unto others, so that they may come to know you. Amen.

Be Careful about Your Decisions (2 Samuel 11:14-21)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
David and Uriah, by Rembrandt, c.1665

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”

So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

Joab sent David a full account of the battle. He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’” (New International Version)

Today we have a lesson in the middle of a story about King David’s greatest error in judgment and cover up of that decision. Indeed, bad decisions can often beget even more bad decisions.

It would be an understatement to say that David blew it. Our Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Samuel are arranged by the original editor in such a way that the chapter of 2 Samuel 11 is a hinge upon which the life of David moves.

All of the material before 2 Samuel 11 is generally positive, describing a man devoted to God in every way. But everything after this chapter is mostly tragic. The editor wanted readers and listeners to understand that God cares about morality and ethics by showing the consequences of both a life well-lived, as well as a life that is self-centered.

Before our verses for today, the story begins with David choosing adultery and taking another man’s wife. King David should have been doing the work of a king – protecting and serving Israel. But instead, he hung out in Jerusalem and avoided all the needed military stuff. (2 Samuel 11:1)

The editor wants us to see that King David was shirking his responsibility, which then brought a set up for moral failure. It appears David was resting on his laurels, content with his victories and successes. For the most part, at the time, the nation was happy and prosperous.

The king was walking around on the roof of his palace, instead of being in the trenches with his men, leading them in the defense of Israel.

Rather than giving proper orders as a king ought to do, David was sending people to do his personal bidding in satisfying his earthly wants. This is a significant reversal of what we see from earlier chapters in the story of David.

Up to this point we have observed David as a merciful king, seeking to use power for benevolent purposes in the common good of the nation. But in today’s chapter, David turns into the typical earthly king, ordering others around and using his authority to get what he wants.

The editor wants us to learn some lessons from David’s life. One of those lessons is that if the right and just King David can fall, then none of us are immune from falling into bad decisions which alter people’s lives forever.

The moment we think we are above falling, look out, because an arrogant nose dive into depravity is probably not far behind.

The stories of people who fall into immorality are mostly the same. Having some power or authority to wield, they use it to assert control over another person or group in order to get what they want – without being concerned for the needs and wants of others, and usually unconcerned for the negative consequences it brings upon other people.

It’s important that we call such behavior what it is: Evil. Awful. Selfish. Ungodly. A violation of ethics and morality. An offense against God.

David committed adultery, then lied, manipulated others, and covered up his actions. He murdered an innocent man, and was okay with an entire regiment of soldiers getting killed to ensure that an innocent man would be dead.

None of that icky nasty stuff was a mistake, or a lapse in judgment. It was pre-meditated sin.

And the way to deal with such sin is not to say something like “I did it, but it wasn’t really me; I’m not really like that!” Well, apparently, you are. Maybe David thought he was above it all, and believed it wasn’t really something he could ever do. But he did.

David gives Uriah a letter for Joab, by Pieter Lastman, 1619

Once we make an immoral and ungodly decision, it often causes us to start selling-out our principles and convictions. Sin only begets more sin, until we deal with it squarely.

Truth is a celebration of openness and honesty. Shame keeps to the shadows and prizes secrecy and remaining quiet. If one chooses not to go down the path of truth, then they will be continually encrusting their lives with lies so that no one ever knows.

In fact, much of religious legalism is nothing more than a person piling on the rules in order for others to not see the guilt and shame that hides deep within. Only through confession, repentance, and faith, will forgiveness, wholeness, and happiness ever occur.

Yet another lesson we can learn from this story of David is that the results which may satisfy our wants may not necessarily satisfy our needs, or God.

David accomplished what he wanted. He was successful in covering up his sin, and he got the woman he wanted. But God saw the whole thing, and was not okay with any of it. 

We must not assume that because we do something, and there was no immediate lightning strike, that it was okay. 

To only selfishly satisfy ourselves is to be a spiritual cannibal who eats other people alive.

So, how might we avoid falling into the same sorts of bad decisions which befell David?

  • Make prayers of confession a regular staple of your daily spiritual regimen. Had David engaged in prayer on the roof instead of being bored, we would likely have a very different story.
  • Maintain an active and engaged mind. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. David was wandering around the palace instead of actively engaged in the government of his kingdom.
  • Keep the Sabbath. A day of rest helps the body to be in healthy rhythms of care, as well as enabling the spirit to connect meaningfully with God. Without adequate rest, we are like the little kid in a grocery store at 9pm throwing a fit and having a meltdown. David got out of a healthy rhythm as king, and it led to a fall.
  • Strengthen your family relationships. If you are married, live from the place of your marriage. Marriage is more than living with someone and having occasional fun; it is a one-flesh relationship that is meant to be a priority. Only from this relational place can a spouse effectively take on the world with all its needs and brokenness. 
  • Submit to accountable relationships. There are far too many lonely people with few friends in this world, even among people who are constantly around others. Everyone needs a small coterie of confidants with whom to share anything and everything with.  David’s close friends were all out with the army, and he was alone. Not a good thing.
  • Avoid stuffing all desire down as selfish and bad. Jettisoning desire only sets us up for a fall. But identifying godly desire enables us to make better decisions which engage the whole person.

Almighty God, you are the fountain of all wisdom and grace. You know our needs before we even ask, and our ignorance in not asking for the things we really need. Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things that in our blindness we don’t know to ask for. 

Gracious Lord, we acknowledge and confess our sinful nature, prone to evil and slow to good.  You know our secret sins, and how often we have offended you and damaged others through wandering from your ways, wasting your gifts, and forgetting your love. Cleanse us from our hidden sins and forgive our faults for the sake of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen.

This Is No Time for Bitterness (2 Samuel 3:31-38)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
David at the tomb of Abner, by Unknown Artist, 1850

Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.

The king sang this lament for Abner:

“Should Abner have died as the lawless die?
    Your hands were not bound,
    your feet were not fettered.
You fell as one falls before the wicked.”

And all the people wept over him again.

Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”

All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? (New International Version)

To put it succinctly, Abner was a rascal. He was smart and savvy, as well as self-centered and treacherous. Abner was the general of Israel’s armies. In his shrewdness, Abner knew that King David of Judah would eventually win out.

So, he set things up to sell-out his position with Ish-Bosheth, the king of Israel, and bring all of Israel and Judah together as one people. Then, he would be the general in a united kingdom under David.

However, Abner had burned some bridges in his day, and created some enemies. Joab was one of them, David’s general. What’s more, Joab was loyal to King David and did not have intentions like those of Abner. All of this (and more) stirred within Joab, as Abner and David talked through a transition plan.

Joab was a bitter man. He and his brother Abishai did not like their king consorting with Abner. Abner had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon. Bitterness turned Joab into a myopic person who could only see his own perspective. So he and his brother murdered Abner without David’s knowledge. Abner was a stinker in a lot of ways. But he didn’t go around murdering people, and he himself didn’t deserve to be murdered.

When David found out, he chose not to channel his anger into another murder. Instead, he wisely focused on grieving the loss of Abner and demonstrating to all Israel and Judah what sort of king he really was.

“Many people suffer because of the false supposition on which they have based their lives. That supposition is that there should be no fear or loneliness, no confusion or doubt. But these sufferings can only be dealt with creatively when they are understood as wounds integral to our human condition.” Henri Nouwen

Far too many people allow their spiritual and emotional wounds to fester – eventually poisoning their own character. With the illness of bitterness, someone is always bound to get hurt.

We all have to contend with adverse situations and hard circumstances. Our doubts, wonderings, hurts, and suffering may be legitimate, yet if addressed in an illegitimate way, those things become emotional wounds that seek to wound others.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (Hebrews 12:14-15, NIV)

David had no picnic for a life. Saul had tried to repeatedly kill him, hunting David down like an animal. After Saul was killed in battle, there were all sorts of shenanigans going on with people like Abner and Joab. This was no idyllic setting for David to set up a kingdom.

And yet, David made it work by not succumbing to the bitterness which was so easy for others. King David did something different. He seemed to understand that his own woundedness, sufferings, and doubt was the place for personal and spiritual growth – a way of connecting with God.

The hurts which David acquired in his life never became a source of shame to him. Instead, those things became a source of healing – which made him a wounded healer who was able to rule Israel and Judah with mercy, wisdom, and justice.

For us, the same thing can happen. All of the stuff we’ve been through, from people who intended harm for us, doesn’t have to end with being poisoned by bitterness. Our actual woundedness can become the place where we bless the world.

Indeed, ‘tis our weaknesses which give us our true strength.

Bitterness, on the other hand, may fuel some anger and give us a false sense of strength; but it’s only really a matter of time until we implode. And before that happens, the bitter person will likely take down others with the inevitable spit of poison which is vomited up from the pit of their serpentine belly.

We are, like David, to take a different path in dealing with the troubles brought upon us by others:

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:30-32, NIV)

The road to a better life is full of twists and turns, and fraught with severe potholes and downed trees. But the road to a bitter life is quite easy, straight and paved perfectly smooth with asphalt. The problem is that it is a one way highway to the cemetery.

The clock is ticking, and it’s no time for bitterness. Which road will you take?

Blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, please don’t let our appropriate anger morph into destructive revenge. Don’t let our raw hurts become a festering and putrid abscess of the soul, which is bent on getting even—repaying harm for harm, evil for evil, and death for death.

Holy Spirit, our Companion and Counselor, don’t let our hearts become gardens for the roots of resentment, growing into bushes of bitterness. Give us, instead, the desire to forgive others. May redemption and restoration have their way in us, through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Dealing with Another’s Evil Intentions (1 Samuel 19:18-24)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
David and Saul, by He Qi

When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 

Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah;” so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied. 

Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.

So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (New International Version)

King Saul was in the middle of a personal downward spiral of evil. And David was his target. Even though David served Israel and the king with distinction and bravery, his success aroused the jealousy of Saul.

It came to the point that David needed to flee for his life because Saul saw him as a threat and was out to kill him. Instead of trying to go it alone, feeling angry and defeated, David went to the one person he knew was wise, discerning, and could help: Samuel, the priest and prophet of Israel.

David was not looking to kill Saul, as Saul was trying to kill him. He just needed someone to talk to, some empathy and solid help in this very unwanted and awful situation.

As we move through the biblical narratives which tell of Saul and David, we will observe that God is with David and helps him through his travails; but God is not with Saul, who is continually haunted with a bad spirit whenever he descends into the dark path of jealousy, anger, even murder.

It is only human to wonder why people of faith, with good and genuine hearts, must contend with such self-absorbed narcissistic people like Saul. We can only answer it in part: the presence of evil in the world; the place of trials and tribulations in the believer’s life, etc. For the most part, it is a mystery for which we shall not have answers, this side of heaven.

But what we do know is that God is concerned for the godly, for those who seek to do right, have pure hearts, and think of the common good of all the people. And the Lord can deal with evil, while protecting the good, in quite unexpected ways.

We expect prophets to prophesy. We don’t expect anyone else to necessarily do so. Yet, in this story, we see God sending the spirit of prophetic speech not just upon the prophets and the good folk, but upon those who have ill intentions toward the godly ones.

Yes, the Lord sent a spirit upon people who were trying to kill David, and then even upon Saul himself; not to illumine, but to prevent. The power of prophecy in this instance was not a sign of being chosen by God, but a clear sign from God of rejection.

In stripping off his clothes and laying naked in prophetic utterance, Saul was being humbled, abased, and mortified. Decades later, King David would do so willingly as a repentant person. But here, King Saul does so unwillingly, as an unrepentant person who needs to let himself be among the penitent persons. But, alas, Saul did not do so, and was continually moved by other forces other than the Lord.

For the believer who is in the throes of a gaslighting boss, or a narcissistic leader, or a self-centered relative, today’s story is an encouragement: God’s will on this earth shall prevail; and the Lord will take care of those who desire to live a just, right, and good life.

Conflict and trouble must not necessarily result in one’s devastation and discouragement.

Whenever we find ourselves in the crosshairs of an evil person, we do not need to add to the madness with harsh and divisive words.

Instead, we can be sober-minded and good-hearted by handling the adverse situation with gentle words and a wise spirit. We can face the trouble, without wishing it away, by going to a wise person for counsel and help, if need be.

The mark of a truly good person is not whether they have conflict in their life, or not, but by how they handle the trouble when it comes. And as for the troublemakers and chaotic people themselves, the Lord knows how to deal with them.

You may be in an unwanted situation, dealing with a difficult person. Please don’t let that person steal your personal integrity and happiness from you. The one thing you can always control – that nobody can ever take away from you – is your own attitude and ability to respond.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

You and I really can deal with this. If the hurt was unintentional, then forgive and let it go. If the hurt was intentional, we need not be judge, jury, and/or executioner. That’s God’s job, not ours. Rather, we can choose to forgive and not hold onto bitterness; talk with a wise person to receive wise counsel, and not spread anger and slander; and determine to be joyful and godly, not sullen and irritable.

O Lord God almighty, listen to the prayer of the righteous! Direct the way of your servants in safety under your gracious divine protection, so that through all of the changes of our earthly pilgrimage, we may be guarded by your mighty help and power. Amen.