Category: 2 Samuel

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Intra-family relationships can be fraught with many tensions. Joab is Absalom’s cousin though much older. The big questions in all this history are: Who will be David’s heir? and What is the worth of that heir? That is still the question today for Jews today. Is Jesus of Nazareth David’s heir?

SJA Notes

* O Lord, let Your enemies be put to shame and dismayed forever, that they may know that You alone, whose name is THE LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.

“Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God?”

The subterfuge and politicking is thick in this reading!

David shows both his discernment and his lack of discernment – absolving himself of the responsibility of resolution and restoration.

We need to look to the LORD and not to man!

David is fracturing, showing big cracks in his character – just as we all do.

But the LORD.

It is HE who works salvation, bringing the banished home, drawing close the outcast.

As the woman says to David,

“But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.”

Hallelujah for God’s redemption to us through His Son, Jesus!

More Jesus. Less us.

* Father God,

Thank You for redeeming us through Your work at Calvary.

Thank You for bringing home the banished and drawing close the outcast.

Please help us to turn to You today when trouble and turmoil come.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

David’s immorality has its consequences in his family. The fruits of rape, rejection, and murder are all harvested by David as time goes by. We see that David cannot change his children’s hearts. God’s people need a greater Saviour. Our families need this same Saviour too, as David’s did.

SJA Notes

* Holy God, please give justice to the weak and fatherless – rescue the weak and the needy, deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

“Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her.”

Here we see the sword not departing from David’s house.

How terrible these deeds are.

Amnon’s despicable act.

Absalom’s hatred and revenge.

Jonadab’s plotting and playing both sides.

David’s weakness as a father.

Why wasn’t Amnon punished by David? David got angry, but did nothing further.

Why wasn’t Absalom punished by David? David’s spirit longed to go out to Absalom.

The sword was at the house of David. The consequences of his murder and adultery quickly took a horrible toll on his family.

This is an important reminder for us.

While in Jesus we are fully and completely saved, the consequences of our sin on earth are real.

We need God’s word written on our hearts,

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

More Jesus. Less us.

* God Above,

You are the good God, who is love. You are just and You are true.

You are the way, the truth and the life. There is none like You.

Please write Your word on our hearts.

Please make us more like Jesus!

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Nathan bravely approached King David about David’s immoralities. David was someone who could be rebuked and not react violently. He repented – as Psalm 51 testifies. His words in verse 23 have brought comfort to many. Our resurrection hope is wonderful!

SJA Notes

* God Above, may we listen to You, walk in Your ways, submit to You.

“You are the man!”

This is not a jovial word between friends.

This was Nathan the prophet of God calling out David the prince of God’s people – the Lord’s anointed – for his sin.

“Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight?”

This is not a word to the unbeliever, to one who is still living in rejection of God.

This was to a man after God’s own heart, King David, whom the Lord had made great!

For us today we can take comfort that in Jesus, our King, we have a King who never, not once, despised the word of the Lord. He never did a single wrong thing.

He is our forever King! We can rely upon Him completely.

And too. Because we are sinners. We can be encouraged, exhorted, convicted, to respond to godly rebuke as David did.

“I have sinned against the LORD,”

We know that Psalm 51 was written by David about this very event, and it holds a detailed process of humbly falling on the Lord’s mercy regarding our sin (which deserves just punishment).

But here, in the depths of this dark passage, we see David holds to the resurrection hope that we all have (we need to do this too!).

Of his baby boy who died, David says,

“I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

* Father God,

Thank You that Jesus our King without fault or error.

Thank You that we can find forgiveness in Your mercy, we humbly seek Your forgiveness today!

Lord, please forgive us our sin!

Amen.