Faith, Famine, and Fruitfulness

24 Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five shekels of silver.’ 26 Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 And he said, “If the LORD will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?” 28 And the king asked her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him.’ But she has hidden her son.” 30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body— 31 and he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.”

32 Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” 33 And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?” 

1 But Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the LORD, Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.” 2 Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, “If the LORD himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” But he said, “You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”– 2 Kings 6:24-7:2 ESV

One thing that becomes painfully evident when reading God’s Word is that it often paints humanity in far-from-flattering terms. The characters found in the Bible are presented with all their flaws and foibles fully exposed. The reader gets to see the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of human nature in all their gory details. There are examples of mankind’s more positive traits, but they seem few and far between. From the opening pages of Genesis to the closing chapters of Revelation, the fallen nature of humanity is presented with painstaking accuracy.

Throughout the book, we see a litany of vices on display, including all of the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth. Countless stories chronicle mankind’s stubbornness, arrogance, and selfishness, and they are intended to stand in stark contrast to the righteousness of God. Throughout the Bible, we see the sinfulness of man set against the stark backdrop of God’s incomparable holiness. The stories of mankind’s unfaithfulness, arrogance, pride, and sin are seamlessly woven together with the countless examples of God’s power and sovereignty. And today’s passage contains one such story.

For some time, Ben-hadad II, the king of Syria, had been trying to develop secret plans to invade Israel. But each time he attempted to put them into action, the Israelites were one step ahead of him. He discovered that Elisha the prophet had been receiving secret intel on all their planning sessions, and it had come directly from Yahweh, the God of Israel. Since Ben-hadad couldn’t do anything to stop the all-powerful Yahweh, he decided to capture Elisha. But, once again, his strategy failed miserably. When his troops laid siege to the city of Dothan, where Elisha was living, God blinded them. Then Elisha led them to Samaria, where the king of Israel spared their lives and hosted a feast for them. These men returned home, grateful to be alive.

But then we read, “Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria” (2 Kings 6:24 ESV). We’re not told how much time transpired between Ben-hadad’s last failed attempt to attack Israel and this latest campaign. But he had not given up his intentions to conquer the nation of Israel. This man’s stubborn persistence is on full display. Despite what had happened to his troops the last time they went into Israelite territory, he was determined to carry out his latest plan.

As a result of the siege, the conditions inside Samaria quickly deteriorated. Food became scarce, and the people within the walls of the city became desperate. Price gouging was prevalent because there was nothing to eat. People were willing to pay exorbitant prices for anything that even remotely resembled food.

The siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung sold for five pieces of silver. –  2 Kings 6:25 NLT 

These were desperate times. And to make sure we understand just how bad things had become, the author reveals that the people had resorted to cannibalism. To drive home the dire nature of their circumstances, he shares the story of a mother sacrificing her infant son so that she and her friends could survive. This sickening story was told to King Jehoram as he walked along the city walls, surveying the worsening conditions of his people. What makes this incident all the more repulsive is that it involved deceit and dishonesty. Facing starvation, two mothers had agreed to kill their own children and eat their flesh just to survive. One had followed through on her commitment, but when it came time for the second mother to kill her child, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. In a desperate attempt to preserve the life of her child, the woman hid him.

The abysmal conditions within Samaria should have come as no surprise to the people of Israel because Yahweh had warned them that disobedience to His law would result in severe discipline.

“If in spite of all this you still refuse to listen and still remain hostile toward me, then I will give full vent to my hostility. I myself will punish you seven times over for your sins. Then you will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters.” – Leviticus 26:27-29 NLT

“They will attack your cities until all the fortified walls in your land—the walls you trusted to protect you—are knocked down. They will attack all the towns in the land the LORD your God has given you.

“The siege and terrible distress of the enemy’s attack will be so severe that you will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters, whom the LORD your God has given you.” – Deuteronomy 28:52-53 NLT

Upon hearing the woman’s story, King Jehoram was sickened and tore his clothes in mourning. Yet, rather than see the situation as a sign of God’s judgment against apostate Israel, the king decided to blame Elisha. After all, the prophet was Yahweh’s official spokesman and had proven to be a thorn in Jehoram’s side for some time.

“May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t separate Elisha’s head from his shoulders this very day.” – 2 Kings 6:31 NLT

Jehoram was about to make the age-old mistake of killing the messenger. He knew that Elisha spoke for God, so he assumed that if he could eliminate the prophet, the conditions in Samaria would improve. But Elisha was not the cause of his problem or the source behind the judgment Israel was experiencing. The siege and the resulting famine were the handiwork of the sovereign, all-powerful Yahweh. God had warned them what would happen if they turned their backs on Him, and now they were suffering the consequences.

Jehoram’s decision to kill God’s prophet was doomed to failure. However, fueled by anger, arrogance, and pride, the king sent a messenger to retrieve Elisha and bring him back to the palace for execution. But Elisha was one step ahead of Jehoram, having been informed by God of the king’s intentions.

“A murderer has sent a man to cut off my head. When he arrives, shut the door and keep him out. We will soon hear his master’s steps following him.” – 2 Kings 6:32 NLT

When the messenger arrived, he found the door to Elisha’s home blocked. So, he dutifully delivered his message from the king.

“All this misery is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?” – 2 Kings 6:33 NLT

Jehoram acknowledged that God was behind the siege, but he also revealed his doubt that God would ever rescue them. Since he couldn’t vent his frustration on God, he was determined to take out his anger on God’s prophet. He was following the same strategy his mother Jezebel had used when Elijah defeated and killed the 450 prophets of Baal. Angered by the prophet’s unexpected victory over her false god, she ordered his death (1 Kings 19:2). Now, years later, here was her son attempting to thwart the plan of God by killing the prophet of God. Jehoram’s pride, arrogance, and anger are on full display. At no point does he take ownership of his godless leadership of the nation. He displays no remorse or repentance. Yet, the prophet delivered an unexpected and seemingly inexplicable message to the king.

“Listen to this message from the LORD! This is what the LORD says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, six quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.” – 2 Kings 7:1 NLT

Things were about to take a dramatic turn for the better. In just 24 hours, God would miraculously reverse the conditions in Samaria. The long-lasting siege and the devastating famine would come to an abrupt end, and the people living inside the walls of Samaria would suddenly find food readily available and affordable. But the king’s messenger found Elisha’s prediction to be far-fetched and refused to believe a word he said.

“That couldn’t happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!” – 2 Kings 7:2 NLT

This arrogant man questioned the prophet's words, but, more importantly, he displayed his doubt in Yahweh's power, and Elisha warned him that he would pay dearly for his mistake.

“You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!” – 2 Kings 7:2 NLT

God was about to do something incredible, but this emissary of the king refused to believe it was possible. Like his boss, he had long ago given up any belief in Yahweh's sovereignty and power. From his godless and apostate perspective, this problem was too big, even for God. For this unbelieving, apostate servant of the king, news of Israel’s reversal of fortunes was too good to be true. He refused to believe that the Syrians would suddenly abandon their siege and that the conditions in Samaria would miraculously change overnight. His faith in Elisha’s God was too small, so he forfeited any hope of enjoying the fruits of Yahweh’s favor.

The emissary’s doubts in Elisha’s words and Yahweh’s power reflect the spiritual state of the entire nation of Israel. His reticence to believe brings to mind the words of Yahweh recorded by the prophet Micah centuries later.

“You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. – Malachi 39-11 ESV

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Light Shines in the Darkness

25 When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite. 26 Run at once to meet her and say to her, ‘Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?’” And she answered, “All is well.” 27 And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’” 29 He said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child.” 30 Then the mother of the child said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. 31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, “The child has not awakened.”

32 When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. 33 So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. 34 Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. 35 Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36 Then he summoned Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out. – 2 Kings 4:25b-37 ESV

Oftentimes, when reading the stories contained in the Scriptures, we find ourselves trying to ascertain their meaning or attempting to discover some helpful point of application. We desperately search for some relevant truth that we might apply to our own lives. And while this is a worthy goal, our relentless quest for a personalized point of application can leave us missing the primary message of the passage. This can be especially true when we extract these stories from their surrounding context. When we attempt to turn the stories of the Bible into Sunday School lessons, we tend to rob them of their Scriptural context and meaning.

In reading the story of the Shunammite woman, it would be easy to focus our attention on the loss of her child and the faith she exhibited by seeking out the prophet. And while there are lessons to be learned from her actions, the author seems to have a far greater and more significant point of emphasis. This entire story takes place in the context of Israel’s ongoing apostasy. It is a time of spiritual darkness and moral apathy. The kings of Israel have consistently led the nation away from the worship of Yahweh by promoting their own replacement deities. From the golden calves erected by Jeroboam to the Canaanite gods promoted by Ahab and Jezebel, the people of Israel have had a host of idols from which to choose. But through it all, Yahweh has remained faithful and all-powerful, and He has continued to reveal Himself through His prophets. First, He spoke and exhibited His power through Elijah. Then, upon Elijah’s death, God revealed Himself through Elijah’s former servant, Elisha.

But the stories involving Elijah and Elisha are not intended to focus our attention on these two men; they are designed to draw our eye to the God who worked through them. They were messengers of Yahweh and human conduits of His grace, mercy, power, and, at times, His judgment. They were the human representatives of God Almighty, speaking and acting on His behalf, and displaying His divine attributes before the people.

So, when the Shunammite woman discovers her son is dead and seeks out the prophet of God, it is less a statement about her faith than it is about God’s invasion of the darkness of Israel. All that takes place in this story is intended to point to Yahweh, not the woman, Gehazi the servant, or Elisha the prophet. But because we’re human, we tend to focus all our attention on the human actors in the drama and, in doing so, we run the risk of minimizing the role of the lead actor in the play: God Himself.

If we isolate this story from its context, we miss out on all that the author has been trying to reveal about God. Earlier, in Chapter 17 of 1 Kings, the author told the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. After his decisive victory over the 450 prophets of Baal, Elijah had been threatened with death by Queen Jezebel, so he ran for his life. But God intercepted His fearful prophet and sent him to the town of Zarephath in Sidon. There, Elijah met a poor widow who was gathering wood to cook a final meal for herself and her son. But Elijah performed a miracle, providing the woman with a seemingly endless supply of flour that would sustain their lives for a long time to come. Sound familiar? It should. A very similar scene occurred when Elisha encountered the prophet’s widow in 2 Kings 4. This woman was about to lose her boys to slavery because of an unpaid debt. She was destitute and down to her last jar of oil. But Elisha intervened and miraculously multiplied her oil so that she had enough to satisfy her debt and sustain her and her sons for years to come.

But the similarities don’t stop there. The feel-good story of the widow of Zarephath also contains a less-than-happy plot twist. Her young son died unexpectedly, and she confronted Elijah about this devastating turn of events.

“O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?” – 1 Kings 17:18 NLT

Even Elijah was at a loss to understand why this tragedy had occurred, and he expressed his exasperation to Yahweh.

“O LORD my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?” – 1 Kings 17:20 NLT

But the point of the passage is not the woman’s anger or Elijah’s disappointment with God. It is the divine intervention of Yahweh.

And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” The LORD heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! – 1 Kings 17:21-22 NLT

Remember, both Elijah and Elisha had been chosen by God to be the human vessels through whom He revealed Himself to the people of Israel. They were nothing more than men, but God had set them apart for His use. He spoke and acted through them and, oftentimes, despite them.

However, don’t miss the significant parallels that can be found in all of these stories. The Shunammite woman, like the widow of Zarephath, suddenly finds her joy interrupted by the death of her child, so she seeks out the prophet of God. This time, it’s Elisha, and she confronts him about this devastating turn of events. Her worst nightmare has come true.

“Did I ask you for a son, my lord? And didn’t I say, ‘Don’t deceive me and get my hopes up’?” – 2 Kings 4:28 NLT

She was justifiably angry, and her appearance caught Elisha off guard; he had been given no prior insight from God concerning the death of her child. Yahweh had not revealed the nature of her distress or provided the prophet a solution to remedy it. But once Elisha discovered what had happened, he acted promptly. This former servant of Elijah would have been intimately familiar with the story of the widow of Zarephath. Most likely, he had been there to witness the miraculous death-to-life transformation that had taken place.

So, fully trusting that God would intervene yet again, he commanded his servant to take his staff and lay it on the body of the dead child. But this “remedy” proved ineffective. That was not the way God was going to restore the boy’s life. He wanted Elisha to be personally and physically involved in the miracle. It was not that God could not or would not operate through a staff. He had done so before and could do so again – if He so chose. Consider all the miracles God performed through the staff of Moses. However, on this occasion, God was going to require that Elisha be intimately involved in delivering the miracle. Just as Elijah had “stretched himself out over the child” (1 Kings 17:21 NLT), so Elisha “lay down on the child’s body” (2 Kings 4:34 NLT). In both cases, these men acted as God’s hands-on representatives, illustrating His intimate concern for His people through their own physical touch and personal involvement.

In a sense, the God of the universe had required both Elijah and Elisha to have some skin in the game. They became active agents in delivering God’s miracle. However, neither of these men was intended to be the focus of the story or viewed as the source behind the miracle. They were simply instruments in the hands of God. Yet, their personal touch made the transcendent God more knowable and relatable. Through their intimate involvement, they made the care and concern of God tangible and visible. God chose to revive the lives of these two boys through the hands-on touch of His chosen prophets.

Once again, let us not overlook the overall context of Scripture. These two stories point to an even greater display of God’s love and intimacy that was to come. Centuries later, God would send His own Son as His anointed messenger, delivering a message of repentance and renewal to the rebellious people of Israel. Jesus would become the final prophet of God, who would make the power and presence of God known through His incarnation.

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. – John 1:18 NLT

“Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.” – John 6:46 NLT

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. – Colossians 1:15 NLT

Jesus was God in human flesh, delivering the divine message of redemption and spiritual rejuvenation. Like Elijah and Elisha, Jesus was required to personally engage with the nation of Israel. However, His involvement in restoring life to the spiritually dead nation would require a far greater price than either Elijah or Elisha had paid. Jesus was required to sacrifice His own life so that many might live. He stretched out His hands on a cruel Roman cross, paying the penalty for mankind’s sin by offering His own sinless life as a substitute for sinful humanity. He died so that we might live, and paid the ultimate price so that those who were dead in their trespasses and sins might experience new life and enjoy a new relationship with God. 

Elijah and Elisha both restored life to dead children, but Jesus came to provide eternal life to those who were condemned to death for their sins. Neither of the women in these stories deserved to see their sons resurrected to life. They had done nothing to earn the miracle of new life for their boys. If anything, they stand as symbols of the spiritual state of the nation of Israel. One was rich while the other was poor. Yet, they both lived in a time of spiritual apathy and apostasy. Their sons represent the next generation of Israelites who would grow up under the death-producing influence of idolatry. Yet, Yahweh graciously broke through the darkness of Israel’s apostasy and delivered life to the dead, just as He would through His Son generations later. 

Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.

The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
    a light will shine. – Isaiah 9:1-2 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All Is Well

8 One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way. 10 Let us make a small room on the roof with walls and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there.”

11 One day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and rested there. 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘See, you have taken all this trouble for us; what is to be done for you? Would you have a word spoken on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.” 14 And he said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 He said, “Call her.” And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 And he said, “At this season, about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not lie to your servant.” 17 But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time the following spring, as Elisha had said to her.

18 When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again.” 23 And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” She said, “All is well.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. – 2 Kings 4:8-25 ESV

When Elijah had been the prophet of God to Israel, his ministry seemed to focus on the royal household. Virtually all his interactions had been with King Ahab or his wife, Jezebel. While Elisha had begun his own prophetic ministry with a confrontation between himself and King Jehoram, he seems to have been a prophet to the people. In the last story, Elisha came to the aid of a recently widowed woman who was facing the prospect of having her two sons sold into slavery because of an unpaid debt. In a sense, this woman represented the nation of Israel. She had been left destitute by her husband, a former prophet of God. While alive, this man of God had incurred a sizeable debt, and had he made no plans for its repayment in the case of his death. In a real sense, the people of Israel found themselves spiritually destitute and owing an enormous debt to God Almighty. Their kings had taken advantage of God’s love and mercy, using His resources to fund their own profligate lifestyles. They had lived for the moment, never considering what would happen when God called their debt due. Jeroboam, Ahab, Ahaziah, and now Jehoram, all led the people into idolatry, leaving them with a debt they could not repay.

But Elisha had intervened on the widow’s behalf, providing her with a miracle that eliminated her debt, spared her sons, and met her needs for a long time to come. Through the actions of His faithful prophet, Yahweh revealed His love and concern for His covenant people. Now, the story shifts to yet another encounter between Elisha and a woman in need. But this time, the woman wasn’t even aware that she had a need.

For some unspecified reason, Elisha and his servant, Gehazi, made regular trips to the northern region of Israel that took them to the city of Shunem. In this city, Elisha made the acquaintance of a local woman who offered the prophet and his servant the use of her home so they could rest. Realizing that Elisha was a prophet of Yahweh, she showed him hospitality and even had her husband construct a room on the roof of their home where the two men could stay when they were in town.

Unlike the widow in the previous story, this woman was apparently wealthy and well taken care of. She had a husband and enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle. But she was also generous and willing to share what she had with others. The gracious hospitality she extended to the prophet of God reveals that, despite the apostasy all around her, she had maintained her dedication to Yahweh.

Desiring to thank the woman for her courtesy and care, Elisha sent his servant to inquire what they could do for her. He wanted to repay her for her kindness. But it’s interesting to note that he offered to speak a good word to the king or the commander of the army on her behalf. Why would the prophet of Yahweh offer to act as an intermediary between this woman and these two apostate leaders of Israel? Perhaps it was a test, designed to see if the woman was a faithful follower of Yahweh. Would his offer of access to the king pique her interest and reveal a self-aggrandizing side to her personality? Or, instead, would she ask the prophet of God to appeal to Yahweh on her behalf?

But the woman simply responded, “I dwell among my own people” (2 Kings 4:13 ESV). This rather cryptic-sounding statement was her way of saying, “I’m just fine. I’m well-taken care of and in need of nothing.”

Yet, Elisha somehow senses that her answer was not quite honest. She was hiding something. It was Gehazi who made the keen observation that she and her husband were childless. She had a husband and enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle, but Gehazi recognized that her husband was advanced in years, and she had no sons to carry on the family name. 

While the woman in the previous story had been without a husband, she had been blessed with two sons. But the Shunnamite woman had a husband and no children. For the moment, the woman had no perceived need, but the day was coming when her husband would die with no male heirs to whom he could leave his land and estate. In that culture, the inheritance could not be passed on to the wife. So, without a son, she would be left with nothing. She didn’t realize it, but her predicament was far more precarious than she imagined.

So, Elisha called the woman in and informed her, “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!” (2 Kings 4:16 NLT). Her reaction to this news reveals that she had long ago given up hope of ever having a son.

“No, my lord!” she cried. “O man of God, don’t deceive me and get my hopes up like that.” – 2 Kings 4:16 NLT

When Elisha asked the woman what he could do for her, she had hidden her heart's desire. She gave the impression that she had no need and was perfectly fine, but she had lied. Her heart longed for a son, but she had become convinced that her dream would never come true. So, she lived with a constant fear of the future. What would happen to her when her husband died? How would she survive?

But, once again, Elisha, operating on behalf of Yahweh, spoke a word of blessing over the woman, predicting that she would give birth to a son, and his words proved true. God performed a miracle and granted the woman her heart's desire; she conceived and gave birth to a son. But the story doesn’t stop there. In the space of just a few verses, the author reveals that the storybook ending was about to take a dark turn. This precious gift from God was going to be suddenly and unexpectedly taken away.

One day, while visiting his father in the fields, the young boy complained of a headache. He was rushed home and, later that same day, he passed away in the arms of his mother. Every detail of this story makes the reader want to ask, “Why?” None of this makes sense. Why would God give this woman a son and then allow him to die? What good did it do for her to give birth to a son if he would never live long enough to become the heir? The woman was no better off than she had been before. If anything, her sorrow was only intensified by the loss of her long-awaited son.

But the actions of the woman reveal something about her faith. Upon her son’s death, she took the body and laid it on the prophet’s bed. Then she ordered her husband to saddle a donkey so she could fetch the prophet. At this point, it seems that the boy’s father was unaware that his son had died. For whatever reason, the woman chose to keep him in the dark, assuring him, “All is well” (2 Kings 4:23 ESV). Her son was dead, but she still had hope. She knew that the very same man who had predicted the birth of her son would know what to do. This time, rather than hide her need, she sought the one who could do something about it. And she found Elisha at Mount Carmel, the site of Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal.

The location where she found the prophet of God is vital because it provides the reader with a direct link to Elisha’s mentor, the prophet Elijah. The story of the wealthy woman from Shunem and the untimely death of her son is intended to recall the story of Elijah raising the dead son of the widow of Zarephath. Elijah had provided the impoverished widow and her young son with a miracle supply of oil and flour that would last until the drought in the land had ended. But this blessing was followed by what appeared to be a curse.

Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?” – 1 Kings 17:17-18 NLT

The distraught woman accused Elijah of taking the life of her son as judgment for her own sin. But the prophet “took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to the LORD, ‘O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?’” (1 Kings 17:19-20 NLT). Three times Elijah prayed over the child and “the Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived!” (1 Kings 17:22 NLT). The woman’s response to this miraculous event was simple and yet profound. She stated, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the LORD truly speaks through you” (1 Kings 17:24 NLT). 

The story from 1 Kings 17 is intended to inform the reader’s interpretation of the events found in 2 Kings 4. The death of the Shunnamite woman’s son should produce a sense of déjà vu, a feeling of having been here before. It is unclear whether the Shunnamite woman had heard the story of Elijah’s healing of the widow of Zarephath’s dead child, but the reader has. Therefore, there should be a growing sense of anticipation and expectation about what is about to happen. Yahweh is moving behind the scenes and is orchestrating the events with divine precision and perfect timing. The attentive reader can sense that something miraculous is about to happen because the need is dire, but Yahweh is great.  

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Hear this, all peoples!
    Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high,
    rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;
    the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
    I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
    when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth
    and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another,
    or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of their life is costly
    and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever
    and never see the pit.

10 For he sees that even the wise die;
    the fool and the stupid alike must perish
    and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their homes forever,
    their dwelling places to all generations,
    though they called lands by their own names.
12 Man in his pomp will not remain;
    he is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;
    yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
    death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
    Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
    for he will receive me. Selah

16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
    when the glory of his house increases.
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
    his glory will not go down after him.
18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
    —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
    who will never again see light.
20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. – Psalm 49:1-20 ESV

This psalm is an honest response to one of the most common concerns expressed by the godly in every generation. Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous seem to suffer? This seeming incongruity on God’s part has always puzzled His people, often causing them to question His justice. The author of Psalm 73 voiced the frustration of the faithful as he conveyed inequitable success of the godless.

I envied the proud
    when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
They seem to live such painless lives;
    their bodies are so healthy and strong.
They don’t have troubles like other people;
    they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. – Psalm 73:3-5 NLT

He goes on to express the impact this inequity has on God’s people.

And so the people are dismayed and confused,
    drinking in all their words.
“What does God know?” they ask.
    “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
Look at these wicked people—
    enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. – Psalm 73:10-12 NLT

This is exactly the problem the author of Psalm 49 is addressing, but he comes at it from an eternal perspective. Rather than focusing on the temporal success of the wicked, he points out the promise of future reward for the righteous. He approaches the whole matter from God’s all-knowing, all-seeing vantage point. Yahweh is not blind to the actions of the unrighteous, and He is not guilty of injustice or inequity. Things are not always as they seem. So, inspired by the wisdom of the proverbs, the psalmist calls on all people to listen to his counsel.

Listen to this, all you people!
    Pay attention, everyone in the world!
High and low,
    rich and poor—listen!
For my words are wise,
    and my thoughts are filled with insight. – Psalm 49:1-3 NLT

Rather than rail against God for His apparent mishandling of earthly affairs, the psalmist sought to take a more long-term perspective. While it may appear that the wicked grow wealthy as they purposefully disregard God’s law and abuse His people, their affluence will have no influence on their eternal state. They will never make enough money to pay for their sins or ransom their way out of judgment.

Why should I fear when trouble comes,
    when enemies surround me?
They trust in their wealth
    and boast of great riches.
Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death
    by paying a ransom to God.
Redemption does not come so easily,
    for no one can ever pay enough
to live forever
    and never see the grave. – Psalm 49:5-9 NLT

The psalmist repeatedly brings up the topic of Sheol, or the grave, because he is attempting to shift the focus to the fate of the wicked. Death is inevitable and unavoidable. This life can be fleeting and fickle, with some enjoying experiencing joy and material success while others suffer great sorrow and the pains of poverty. But in the end, they all suffer the same fate: Death.

King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived and he enjoyed all the perks that came with his role as king. He was wealthy, powerful, well-educated, and surrounded by all the pleasures money could buy, but he had learned that money was an unreliable source of satisfaction and provided no protection from the grave.

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! – Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 NLT

There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children. We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us. – Ecclesiastes 5:13-15 NLT

A rich man may use his money to build a beautiful mausoleum to contain his remains, but his wealth can’t stave off death. That is precisely the point the psalmist is trying to make.

Those who are wise must finally die,
    just like the foolish and senseless,
    leaving all their wealth behind.
The grave is their eternal home,
    where they will stay forever.
They may name their estates after themselves,
   but their fame will not last.
    They will die, just like animals.
This is the fate of fools,
    though they are remembered as being wise. – Psalm 49:10-13 NLT

It doesn’t matter if you’re wise, foolish, wealthy, impoverished, famous, or faceless — everyone faces the same fate. With this rather somber and depressing thought in mind, the psalmist drives home his primary point. He will rest in God’s sovereign protection and provision.

Like sheep, they are led to the grave,
    where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
    Their bodies will rot in the grave,
    far from their grand estates.
But as for me, God will redeem my life.
    He will snatch me from the power of the grave. – Psalm 49:14-15 NLT

The wicked, like all mankind, will eventually face death. Their bodies will rot in the grave while others spend their hard-earned wealth and enjoy the fruits of their earthly labor. And when they are gone, there will still be righteous, God-fearing people who remain behind. Verses 14 and 15 are sometimes construed as the psalmist’s belief in some form of afterlife. But at this point in their history, the Israelites did not have a fully formed theology of heaven, hell, and the eternal state. Their concept of life beyond the grave was a work in process that had yet fully developed.

“It is possible that the psalmist is looking at ultimate eschatological realities, anticipating his own resurrection and a time when the righteous, not the rich, will rule on earth. However, it is more likely that the ascendancy of the righteous refers to their vindication in this life, a well-attested theme in the Psalter, especially in the wisdom psalms (see, e.g., Pss. 1, 34, 37, and 112, as well as the discussion above). In this case verse 15 refers to God’s preserving the psalmist through ‘evil days’ (cf. v. 5) by keeping him from premature, violent death at the hands of the oppressive rich and from the calamity that overtakes them. ‘Morning’ (v. 14), which brings to mind the dawning of a new day after a night of darkness, aptly symbolizes the cessation of these ‘evil days.’“ – Robert B. Chisholm, Jr. – "A Theology of the Psalms." In A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament

It's unlikely that the psalmist is expressing his belief in a place called heaven or declaring his hope in an eternal abode beyond the grave. He is simply stating His trust in God’s sovereign will over the affairs of life. He knows that he, too, will one day face death, but he trusts that his days are numbered by God and that nothing will happen to him until his God-ordained hour comes.

The emphasis of his song is not on the hope of heaven but on the inevitability of death. Everyone dies — from the wealthiest and wisest to the impoverished and ignorant. Death is the great leveler. But the righteous have God on their side. He watches over them and protects them. He preserves their lives even when they are confronted by the unfair and unjust actions of the wicked. So, he concludes:

So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
    and their homes become ever more splendid.
For when they die, they take nothing with them.
    Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
In this life they consider themselves fortunate
    and are applauded for their success. – Psalm 49:16-18 NLT

Don’t waste your time envying them or longing to be like them. Don’t get fooled by their apparent success and seeming avoidance of God’s judgment. Death will come for them just as it does for everyone else. The Jews did believe that death was not the end, but it was not a well-formed or fully developed doctrine at this time. The psalmist is not trying to encourage hope in the afterlife; he is trying to remind his fellow Hebrews to trust God in this life. In a sense, he is saying, “Don't judge a book by its cover.” The wealthy wicked may seem blessed and free from pain and suffering, but death is the inevitable judgment for all mankind. Death, as the apostle Paul put it, is “the wages of sin” (Romans 6:23 NLT). Death entered the world because of sin, and only God can preserve and protect His people from the penalty of death. In the psalmist’s day, they believed God could delay death for His righteous ones. 

But it wasn't until the coming of Christ that the concept of a permanent escape from sin’s penalty became a reality. With His death and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for mankind’s sin debt. Death still occurs. The righteous must still face the inescapable reality of the finality of life. But the apostle Paul reminds us that there is hope beyond the grave because of the atoning work of Jesus.

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NLT

The psalmist had no concept of this great truth, but he encouraged his audience to sing God’s praises nonetheless. He believed in the goodness and greatness of God in this life, even though he had no fully developed doctrine of the next life. He was willing to trust God in the here and now, even when it didn't make sense. Death is the great equalizer, but God determines each man's fate. As David confessed in Psalm 139, God knew his birth date and death date before he was even born.

You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed. – Psalm 139:16 NLT

So, don't worry. Don’t be jealous. Don’t allow the apparent success of the unrighteous weigh you down or cause you to doubt God’s goodness. He is in control, and your life is in His all-powerful hands.

Father, I needed to hear this today. We live in a world where nothing seems to make sense. It seems like the wicked get rewarded while the righteous are forced to suffer in obscurity and face ridicule for our faith in You. It’s so easy to allow jealousy, envy, fear, and doubt to creep in and destroy my confidence. But this psalm reminds me that You are in control — at all times. I know things the psalmist didn’t know. I have been exposed to the truth of the gospel and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. I know where I'm going when I die, yet I still struggle with fears, doubts, and questions about the seeming lack of justice in this life. Help me stay focused on Your faithfulness and sovereignty. You are not done yet. Your plan has not yet been completed, but it will be. Thank you for this timely reminder.. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Deeply Dependent

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.

1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord,
    you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
    I was dismayed.

8 To you, O Lord, I cry,
    and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
    if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
    O Lord, be my helper!”

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
    you have loosed my sackcloth
    and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! – Psalm 30:1-12 ESV

David wrote this Psalm as a song to be sung at the dedication of the Temple – an event he would never live long enough to personally witness. But the words of this Psalm reflect David's heart toward his God. He loved God and had a desire to worship and honor Him with his life. He recognized God's hand in his life over the years and had a unique vantage point to look back and put his life in perspective. He could see the countless times God had rescued him from his enemies. He could recall the many times he had called out to God in sickness or weakness, and God had answered with healing and strength. There had even been occasions when David’s life hung in the balance, and God restored him.

You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.
    You kept me from falling into the pit of death. – Psalm 30:3 NLT

He remembered the many times in his life when his actions had angered God, but he also recalled how God quickly extended mercy whenever he repented.

For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
    but joy comes with the morning. – Psalm 30:5 NLT

David could vividly recall the sleepless nights when he was in tears because of hopelessness and helplessness. But morning always seemed to bring joy and a sense of peace because God was there.

Then there were those times when all was going well in David’s life. His world was trouble-free, and this idyllic state produced a false sense of security.

When I was prosperous, I said,
    “Nothing can stop me now!”
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
    Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. – Psalm 30:6-7 NLT

In those moments, David tended to get cocky and begin to take himself a little too seriously. He became dangerously independent from God – an ever-present danger for God’s people. David could probably recall the words Moses spoke to the people of Israel as they prepared to enter the land of promise for the very first time.

“Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God…” – Deuteronomy 8:11-14 NLT

David knew he had been guilty of not heeding this warning. In the good times, he had tended to take credit for his successes and ignored his need for God’s power and provision. Bolstered by his achievements, David proudly proclaimed, “Nothing can stop me now!” He was invincible, or so he thought. In retrospect, David realized that it was only the favor of God that allowed him to prosper and thrive. If God ever removed His unmerited favor, David’s seeming successes would quickly become glaring failures. David spoke from personal experience, having repeatedly discovered the truth behind the Proverb: “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 NLT). In those moments, David cried out to God to protect him from self-destruction. 

 I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
“What will you gain if I die,
    if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
    Can it tell of your faithfulness?” – Psalm 30:8-9 NLT

Whenever we get brash and bold enough to believe that we don’t need God, He allows us to understand what that kind of life will look like. Prosperity without God’s presence is joyless, meaningless, and in the end, a waste of time. Success without God’s favor is like eating cotton candy; it tastes great but provides no long-term value for sustaining life.

At those moments when David realized he had begun to take himself too seriously and God too lightly, he repented and cried out for mercy. He begged God to forgive him and restore Him. “Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me. Help me, O LORD” (Psalm 30:10 NLT). Those are words that our heavenly Father loves to hear from His children. He longs to be there for us, to help us, protect us, give us direction, and lovingly provide for us.

David knew from experience that God was always there to pick him up when he was down, to meet needs he couldn’t meet, to win battles he had no strength to fight, let alone win, and to forgive him when he repented. God is faithful in replacing our sadness with joy. All He asks is that we replace our independence with dependence and our self-sufficiency with a total reliance upon Him. When we do, we will be able to say along with David, ” O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!” (Psalm 30:12b NLT).

Father, forgive me for my arrogant independence. Far too often i want to live my life my way and take credit for the successes. But then I want to turn around and blame You for the failures. May I grow increasingly more aware of just how much I need You for everything in my life. And may I never forget that I can take no credit for anything good that happens in my life. It is all a result of Your good favor. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Patience of God

 We don’t often discuss the patience of God, yet it is an essential part of His nature and the explanation for sinful mankind’s ongoing existence. As a just and righteous God, He is obligated to punish all those who rebel against Him and, according to the apostle Paul, every single human being who has ever lived falls into that category.

For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
    no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.” – Romans 3:9-12 ESV

There are no exceptions or outliers. Everyone has sinned and is deserving of God's ultimate punishment for rebellion against Him: Death. Yet, Paul goes on to provide the good news that involves God’s enduring patience.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. – Romans 3:23-25 ESV

God had a plan for dealing with man’s sin problem and the accompanying death sentence that it incurs. For millennia, God put up with man’s ongoing disregard for His holiness and abject rejection of His sovereignty. He would have been justified in wiping out the entire human race but, instead, He patiently endured their unrighteousness and ingratitude, so that He could send His Son at just the right time.

This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. – Romans 3:25-26 ESV

God described Himself to Moses as “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy!” (Exodus 34:6 NLT). He went to proclaim His divine capacity to show patience even in the face of unrelenting disobedience to His will.

“I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” – Exodus 34:6 NLT

David penned a psalm that declared this one-of-a-kind attribute of God.

The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
The Lord is good to everyone.
    He showers compassion on all his creation. – Psalm 145:8-9 ESV

Moses also declared the wonder of God’s persistent patience.

The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations. – Numbers 14:18 NLT

The patience of God. We all desperately depend upon it because, without it, we would be in trouble. Most of us understand the holiness of God and have no trouble recognizing that we are anything but holy. So, we count on God’s longsuffering nature to overlook our many shortcomings. We memorize verses that speak of God’s slowness to anger. We meditate on those passages that speak of His unfailing love. The older we get, the doctrines of His mercy and grace become near and dear to us.

As we saw earlier, David was particularly fond of God’s enduring patience because he had been its beneficiary on more than one occasion.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities. – Psalm 103:8-10 ESV

The mercy, grace, and patience of God go hand in hand, but they remain separate and distinct qualities or attributes of God. Wayne Grudem provides us with succinct definitions for each of them.

“God’s mercy means God’s goodness toward those in misery and distress.

“God’s grace means God’s goodness toward those who deserve only punishment.

“God’s patience means God’s goodness in withholding of punishment toward those who sin over a period of time.” – Wayne Gruden, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine

All three are expressions of God’s inherent goodness. We know He is good because He is merciful, gracious, and patient, and we regularly find ourselves the undeserving recipients of His mercy, grace, and patience. Yet of these three, His patience is the one we most take for granted. Notice Gruden’s definition. He specifically states that God’s patience is His withholding of well-deserved punishment from those who have sinned repeatedly and regularly. Their activity warrants God’s judgment but, instead, He responds with patience.

The apostle Paul described this as God’s forbearance.

Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. – Romans 3:24-25 ESV

The Greek word Paul used for forebearance is anochē and it can also be translated as self-restraint or tolerance. It involves a willful action on God’s part to acknowledge the sins of men while choosing to postpone His divine judgment for a later date. It does not mean that God “overlooks” or “excuses” our sins. To do so would be out of character for God; it would go against His nature. But as Paul states, God was willing to put on hold His condemnation of humanity’s sin because He knew He was sending His Son as the propitiation or means of providing a satisfactory solution for the problem.

God could have punished all mankind and been totally just in doing so. As Paul states, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 NLT), and God, as the righteous judge of the universe, would have been right and just in pronouncing and carrying out judgment upon all humanity. But He showed patience instead. He postponed the inevitable because He was about to do the unimaginable.

God was going to send His own Son as payment for mankind’s sin debt. And that debt was formidable and well-deserved. In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul describes humanity in unflattering terms that magnify the incredible of God’s patience toward them.

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. – Romans 1:29-32 NLT

Paul goes on to say that this sad description of mankind’s state was universal and all-inclusive.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. – Romans 3:23 NLT

All deserved to die, but God was willing to forego the inevitable until the time came when He could send His Son into the world. And God’s timing was perfect.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. – Romans 5:66 NLT

Just one verse later, Paul adds, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 NLT). A lot of time had passed between the “birth” of Adam and Eve and the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The first two humans were made in God’s image but Jesus, the sinless Son of God took on human flesh so He could bear the exact image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). With each passing century, God displayed His divine patience, postponing His right to mete out His wrath upon sinful humanity, so that He might one day display His love through the sacrifice of His own Son.

Paul reminds us that God “did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all” (Romans 8:32 NLT). God’s patience and love are inseparable. He was willing to wait because He wanted to shower His undeserved love on His creation.

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. – John 3:16-17 NLT

A. W. Tozer describes God’s patience in this way:

“The patience of God is that excellency which causes Him to sustain great injuries without immediately avenging Himself. He has a power of patience as well as a power of justice.” – A. W. Tozer, The Attributes of God

God has the power to judge. But He also possesses the power to forego judgment for a season. Because of our sin natures, we can end up using any power we possess as a weapon. The evil in our hearts causes power to go to our heads, resulting in injustice and inequity. We become the judge, jury, and executioner, meting out our brand of vigilante justice rather than choosing to show patience, mercy, and grace. Part of the problem is that we lack the strength to control our own power. Unlike God, we do not possess the self-control that would allow us to replace our need for justice with a desire to show loving patience.

In Matthew’s gospel, he records a parable by Jesus designed to illustrate the Kingdom of Heaven.

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.” – Matthew 18:23-27 NLT

The servant owed more than he could ever pay, so he begged his master for patience. To his shock and surprise, he received the complete forgiveness of his debt. But the story goes on.

 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.” – Matthew 18:28-30 NLT

The king, who possessed great power, showed remarkable patience. The servant, who had been the recipient of the king’s undeserved patience, showed his own sinful heart by having his fellow servant thrown into jail. This man had been more than willing to accept the gracious, merciful, and loving gift of the king’s patience and forgiveness. But he was unwilling to pass on the goodness of his master to his fellow servant.

We must never undervalue or overlook the patience of God. It is on display all around us. We are daily the recipients of it. A. W. Tozer reminds us to consider the wonderful reality of the patience of God.

“How wondrous is God’s patience with the world today. On every side people are sinning with a high hand. The divine law is trampled underfoot and God Himself openly despised. It is truly amazing that He does not instantly strike dead those who so brazenly defy Him. Why does He not suddenly cut off the haughty infidel and blatant blasphemer, as He did Ananias and Sapphira? Why does He not cause the earth to open its mouth and devour the persecutors of His people, so that, like Dathan and Abiram, they shall go down alive into the Pit? And what of apostate Christendom, where every possible form of sin is now tolerated and practiced under cover of the holy name of Christ? Why does not the righteous wrath of Heaven make an end of such abominations? Only one answer is possible: because God bears with ‘much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.’” – A. W. Tozer, The Attributes of God

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Wages of Sin

15 Then Nathan went to his house. And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” – 2 Samuel 12:15-23 ESV

This is a disturbing and difficult passage to comprehend. It involves the death of an innocent child, apparently as the result of God’s direct intervention and discipline. As a result of David’s role in Uriah’s death and his subsequent marriage to Bathsheba, he was given a dire warning from the prophet Nathan.

“The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.” – 2 Samuel 12:13-14 NLT

Verse 15 seems to make quite clear God’s involvement in the situation.

And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. – 2 Samuel 12:15 ESV

The Hebrew word translated as “afflicted” is nagaph and it means “to inflict” (as in a disease). It’s the same word used in Exodus when God “struck” the firstborn of the Egyptians as part of the tenth plague.

At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.– Exodus 12:29 ESV

What are we supposed to do with this information? It raises all kinds of ethical and moral questions in our minds. Why would God punish an innocent child for the sins of his parents? What had the child done to deserve death? Is God a vindictive god who lashes out in anger, inflicting pain on the innocent to get the attention of the guilty? Why didn’t God kill David since he was the one who sinned and commissioned the murder of Uriah?

These kinds of questions are legitimate and perfectly normal for us to consider as we deal with this passage. But the conclusions we draw or the answers we walk away with must be based on a biblically accurate understanding of God.

Let’s take a closer look at what is going on in this story. David, the king of Israel, was the God-appointed and Spirit-anointed leader of the nation. He represented God on behalf of the people and was to rule and reign over them, modeling his leadership style on that of a shepherd.

“I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel.” – 2 Samuel 7:8 NLT

“You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.” – 2 Samuel 5:2 NLT

He chose his servant David,
    calling him from the sheep pens.
He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
    and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—
    God’s own people, Israel. – Psalm 78:70-71 NLT

He was to serve and care for the people of Israel, putting their needs ahead of his own. He was to be the shepherd-king, lovingly and sacrificially protecting and providing for the people of Israel on behalf of God.

But when David sinned with Bathsheba, he was not acting as a shepherd. He didn’t have the best interests of the flock at heart. In fact, the passage in 2 Samuel that chronicles David’s sin reveals that when he was informed that Bathsheba was a married wife of Uriah, he “sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her” (2 Samuel 11:4 ESV).

The phrase “took her” is the Hebrew word laqach, which means “to seize, snatch, or take away.” David stole another man’s wife. This is made perfectly clear when we look at the story the prophet Nathan used to convict David. He devised a sad tale about a poor man who had a lamb that was like a household pet. One day, a rich man, who received a surprise visit from a friend, decided to confiscate the poor man’s lamb to feed his guest. The text states, “he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him” (2 Samuel 12:4 ESV). Nathan used that same Hebrew word, laqach in his story. The rich man took advantage of the poor man by stealing his prized lamb. This wasn’t a case of need because the rich man had plenty of sheep to spare. It was a case of greed.

It’s interesting to note David’s righteous indignation upon hearing this heart-wrenching story.

“As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” – 2 Samuel 12:5-6 NLT

David had stolen Uriah’s “lamb,” even though he already had more wives than he needed and far more than God had commanded. But he used his divinely-ordained power to satisfy his own desires. He “snatched” the love of Uriah’s life away from him – callously and needlessly. He knew Bathsheba was a married woman but he didn’t care. He saw what he wanted and he took it.

When his moral indiscretion resulted in Bathsheba’s unexpected pregnancy, he attempted to cover it up. But when those efforts failed, he arranged Uriah’s death. With Uriah out of the way, David was free to marry Bathsheba and, despite his disobedience, he fully expected to enjoy the blessing of a son and future heir. Despite his sin, David saw nothing wrong with having an heir who would be the fruit of his own immoral act. But as king, David was going to be held to a higher, more stringent standard.

It’s obvious from the text that David loved this child. He prayed desperately and intensely, begging God to change His mind and spare the child.

David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused. – 2 Samuel 12:16-17 NLT

For seven days, David fasted, wept, and prayed, imploring God to show grace and allow his son to live. But God did not answer David’s prayer; at least not in the way David desired. His son eventually died and it proved to be a devastating blow to David. Yet, even he seemed to understand that this judgment from the hand of God was deserved and anything but unfair. He didn’t rail at God. He didn’t shake his fist in indignation at God. In fact, the text states, “David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped” (2 Samuel 12:20 ESV).

But again, we are left with the question, “Why?” Why did God choose to take the life of the child? Why did the innocent suffer on behalf of the guilty? As the king of Israel, David had broken his covenant with God and with his people. He had stolen what was not his. He had taken what had belonged to another and tried to garner blessings through his sin. The literal “fruit” of David’s sin with Bathsheba was their son. That son did not belong to David any more than Bathsheba did; he was a stolen blessing.

This story is reminiscent of that of Esau and Jacob, the twin sons of Isaac. Esau was the older of the two, having come out of the womb first, with Jacob literally holding on to his heel as he made his entry into the world. Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, had been barren and unable to have children, but in answer to Isaac’s prayer, God caused her to conceive. He told her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23 ESV). But when the two boys became adults, Jacob, with the help of his mother, concocted a plan to steal the birthright that rightfully belonged to Esau as the firstborn son.

Keep in mind that God had already promised that Jacob would rule over Esau. The older was going to serve the younger. But in an act of distrust and self-reliance, Rebekah and Jacob came up with a plan to trick the dim-sighted Isaac and cause him to give the blessing that belonged to Esau to Jacob. When Esau found out what had happened, he was justifiably angry. He called out his mother and brother, rightfully labeling their act as nothing less than theft.

“No wonder his name is Jacob, for now he has cheated me twice. First he took my rights as the firstborn, and now he has stolen my blessing.” – Genesis 27:36 NLT

Esau used the very same Hebrew word, laqach. Jacob had snatched what did not belong to him. Even though God had promised that the birthright would eventually be his, Jacob decided to take matters into his own hands, and his actions would result in God’s punishment. The blessing of the birthright would turn into a curse. To escape his brother’s wrath, Jacob would end up running for his life and spend years in self-imposed exile. He had the birthright and the blessing, but no joy. He had the legal claim to inherit all that belonged to his father but lost the right to live with his own family. 

God would eventually allow Jacob to be restored to a right relationship with his estranged brother. The years of exile would come to an end and Jacob would enjoy the benefits of the birthright and the blessing of a reunion with his family. 

In the same way, David’s loss would be followed by a future blessing from God. Despite all he had done, David would eventually enjoy the God-ordained birth of another son by Bathsheba. He lost the first son as punishment for his sin but God blessed him with another son who grew up to be the heir to the throne and the man picked by God to build the Temple in Jerusalem. David sinned and the child died, and while the child’s death was clearly God’s doing, it was not God’s fault. He was justly meting out the punishment David deserved. David had killed Bathsheba’s husband, so God took the life of David’s son. The first action was undeserved and unmerited. The second was earned, not by the child, but by the king whose immoral actions had brought about the child’s very existence.

This story is not intended to be a model or illustration of how God deals with ALL sin. It simply reveals how God chose to deal with the man He had anointed king over His people. David was being held to a higher standard. He should have known better. He should have lived differently. And when his immoral actions brought down the righteous wrath of God, he had no one to blame but himself.

Yet, God forgave David and blessed him with the gift of another son.

The Lord loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded. – 2 Samuel 12:24-25 NLT

David named his new son, Solomon, which is derived from the Hebrew word shalom. It carries the idea of “completeness, soundness, welfare, and peace.” In choosing this name, David was expressing his understanding that God had turned his brokenness into wholeness. The merciful God had replaced David’s sorrow with peace and contentment. But God had another name for the child; he was to be called Jedidiah, which means “beloved of the Lord.” This second son of David and Bathsheba was God’s gift to them. He was the gracious replacement of the son they had lost, and every time they looked at Jedidiah, he would be a reminder of God’s holiness and undeserved grace and mercy. The Great Shepherd was showing the shepherd-king what godly leadership should look like.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Sin Always Comes at a Cost

1 And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.” – 2 Samuel 12:1-14 ESV

When David received the news from Joab that Uriah had been killed in battle (just as David had commanded), he responded flippantly, “Do not let this matter displease you…” (2 Samuel 11:25 ESV). Joab, under David’s direct orders, had purposefully sent Uriah into a dangerous situation where he was exposed to enemy fire. In other words, Joab had been complicit in David’s plan to have Uriah murdered. Yet, David told his general not to be bothered by this violation of God’s law.

The language David used is interesting. The Hebrew word translated as “displeasure” is actually rāʿaʿ, which most often gets translated as “evil.”  The literal translation would be, “Do not let this thing be evil in your eyes.” In other words, David was telling Joab not to see what he had done as evil or sinful. He wasn’t to grieve over it or be upset about it. Yes, he had just overseen the execution of an innocent man and caused the needless deaths of many of his own men but, from David’s perspective, it was no big deal – “for the sword devours one as well as another” (2 Samuel 11:25 ESV). 

But David’s words stand in stark contrast to those of the prophet Isaiah.

“What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.” - Isaiah 5:20 NLT

David was attempting to negate the gravity of his sin and was even unwilling to admit that what he had done to Uriah and with Bathsheba was actually a sin at all. David was totally unrepentant and non-remorseful and he didn’t want Joab to be displeased about his role in the affair either. But David conveniently forgot about God’s displeasure. What he had done was sin and God hates sin. He is the holy and righteous God who must deal justly with sin. He can’t ignore it, excuse it, or turn his back on it. And because David was the king of Israel, he was held to an even higher standard by God. He was God’s chosen representative and the leader of God’s people, and as the old proverb states: “As is the king, so are the subjects.”

What is amazing about this story is that it took a third party to bring David to a point of repentance. It was not until Nathan the prophet showed up at David’s doorstep that David had second thoughts about what he had done. Even Psalm 51, written by David as a result of this whole affair regarding Bathsheba and Uriah, was written after Nathan had been used by God to convict David. The description attached to the psalm explains this fact: “A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba.”

David finally came to a realization of the gravity of his actions only after God sent Nathan to expose David’s sin. And, frankly, it took the rather deceptive tactics of Nathan to get David to recognize the weight of his actions and the depth of God’s displeasure. Blinded by his lust for Bathsheba and motivated by a desire to protect the integrity of his name, David had launched a staggering plan to cover up his immoral actions and, all along the way, he rationalized and justified what he had done. But once God stepped in, David stood convicted, condemned, and completely reliant upon the mercy of God.

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment. – Psalm 51:1-4 ESV

While David may have been successful at persuading Joab to blow off his role in Uriah’s death, he would never convince God that what he had done was a good thing. God wasn’t just displeased; He was angry and His was a righteous indignation. He had taken David’s actions personally.

“Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.” – 2 Samuel 12:9 NLT

David had to be reminded that his reign had been God’s doing. The royal power he had used to satisfy his lust and order the death of an innocent man had been delegated to him by God.

“I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.” – 2 Samuel 12:7 NLT

God even reminded David of what had happened to Saul, who had also multiplied wives for himself, in direct violation of God’s command.

“I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.” – 2 Samuel 12:8 NLT

This was not God giving His approval of Saul’s collection of wives, and it cannot be used to infer that God was transferring the rights to Saul’s many wives to David. This would be in direct contradiction to God’s own commands (Deuteronomy 17:17). God was simply stating that the sins of Saul had led to his fall. David had taken ownership of all that had belonged to Saul, all because God had made it possible. Yet, had responded to God’s goodness and grace by committing two indefensible sins.

“Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.” – 2 Samuel 12:9 NLT

David was convicted and confessed his sins before God and, while he would receive forgiveness, there would still be consequences. 

“From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.” - 2 Samuel 12:10 NLT

David’s sin would not go unpunished. He would receive God’s forgiveness but he would also pay dearly for what he he had done.

“Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” – 2 Samuel 12:11-12 NLT

This devastating news got David’s full attention and he responded: “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13 ESV). He recognized that his actions had been a form of rebellion against God Himself. What he had done to Bathsheba had been a violation of her marriage vows to Uriah but, ultimately, it was a violation of God’s law. David had taken the life of an innocent man and, in doing so, he had taken a divine right and made it his own. He had played god and had no right to do so. 

But David took responsibility for his sins and repented. He didn’t argue, excuse, rationalize, or justify himself. He confessed and took his punishment like a man, but God was not going to let David off easy.

“…the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.” – 2 Samuel 12:13-14 NLT

Years later, in one of his psalms, David said of God, “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12 ESV). David would come to love and appreciate the forgiveness of God but he would also undestand the discipline of God.

The most difficult thing about this passage is the death of the child born to David and Bathsheba. This innocent child had been the result of their adulterous affair but had played no part in it. He had been the unwitting byproduct of their sin and, yet, it was he who paid the highest price. As difficult as it is to understand the seeming unfairness of this punishment, it makes more sense when considered in the light of the words of James.

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. – James 1:14-15 ESV

To blame God for the death of the child would be wrong. It was the sin of David that caused the child’s death. The sad reality about sin is that the innocent always suffer the most. When we sin, we always try to justify or rationalize our actions by claiming that we are not hurting anyone else. But sin always has a victim other than us. If we look at the list of sins in Galatians chapter 5, we see that they are all other-oriented. Our sins are always damaging to others, and it was David’s sin with Bathsheba and his role in the death of Uriah that led to the loss of his own son. He could not point his finger at God and attempt to blame Him.

As we will see in the rest of the chapter, David will pray to God for his son’s healing, but he will not blame God for his son’s illness. He knew where the blame belonged. David had taken another man’s wife and shown no pity. He had arranged for the murder of that same man and had shown no remorse.

But David was going to learn a powerful and life-changing lesson from this dark moment of the soul. He would later write the following words that reflected his new understanding regarding sin and repentance.

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. – Psalm 51:16-17 ESV

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

One Sin Leads to Another

22 Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is gone? 25 You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

26 When Joab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it. 27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon. – 2 Samuel 3:22-30 ESV

Committing sin is really quite simple. For most of us, it comes far easier than we would like to admit. We can find ourselves committing sins as the result of the slightest temptation or provocation. But the ramifications of sin are rarely simple or easy. Sin can be addictive and habit-forming, with one sin leading to another in a seemingly endless wave that increases in intensity and frequency over time.

That happens to be the case concerning David, as recorded in chapter 3 of 2 Samuel. David, in his desire to have his first wife Michal returned to him, made an unwise decision that was unsanctioned by God. In exchange for Michal and the allegiance of the rest of the tribes of Israel, David made an alliance with Abner, the former commander of Saul’s army. This was the same man who had convinced Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, to claim the throne as Saul’s rightful heir. Without God’s counsel or approval, Abner appointed Ish-bosheth king of the Benjaminites and all the other tribes of Israel. In doing so, he stood against not only David but God, who had chosen David to be Saul’s replacement. It’s clear that Abner did not act in ignorance because he told the elders of Israel:

“For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. Now then bring it about, for the Lord has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’” – 2 Samuel 3:16-17 ESV

His decision to make Ish-bosheth king of Israel was an act of rebellion; he refused to accept God’s choice of David as the next king of Israel. Yet, David, in his desire to get his wife back and in hopes of solidifying the kingdom, made an agreement with Abner – without seeking God’s input or approval.

When Joab, a commander in David’s army, returned from battle with his troops, he was stunned to hear what David had done. He immediately confronted David, saying, “What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away? You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you’re doing!” (2 Samuel 3:24-25 NLT). Joab was not only appalled by David’s naiveté but with his insensitivity. Abner had brutally murdered Joab’s brother, Asahel. From Joab’s perspective, David should have executed Abner as an insurrectionist and murderer.

The news that Abner had been allowed to walk away unpunished for his sins left Abner incensed and committed to taking matters into his own hands. Unwilling to accept David’s unholy alliance with his brother’s murderer, Joab sent troops to find Abner. This entire scenario took place in the city of Hebron which was one of the six cities of refuge established by God (Joshua 20:7-8).

“When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, designate cities of refuge to which people can flee if they have killed someone accidentally. These cities will be places of protection from a dead person’s relatives who want to avenge the death. The slayer must not be put to death before being tried by the community.”  – Numbers 35:10-12 NLT

These six cities were intended to serve as sanctuary cities, providing protection to anyone who had committed murder. In those days, Israel had no police force and revenge killing was a common occurrence. The Mosaic Law clearly prohibited murder and the punishment for taking another man’s life was the death penalty. Typically, the sentence was carried out by a relative of the deceased. This individual was referred to as the go'el ha-dam, the blood-avenger.

The murderer must surely be put to death. The avenger of blood [go'el ha-dam] himself must kill the murderer; when he meets him, he must kill him. – Numbers 35:18-19 NLT

But God knew there would be cases of unpremeditated murder. Accidents would happen. Unintentional deaths would take place, leaving the perpetrator at the mercy of the blood-avenger. To provide protection for these individuals, God designated the cities of refuge to serve as sanctuaries where the murderer could receive protection and the guarantee of a fair and impartial trial.

It is no coincidence that Abner came to David in Hebron, one of the six sanctuary cities. But Abner’s murder of Asahel had not been an accident; it was premeditated and particularly violent. He had run Asahel through with the butt-end of a spear. Yet, Abner, knowing that Joab would seek vengeance for the death of his brother, sought refuge in Hebron.

Once again, our sins have a way of not only multiplying but of infecting those around us. David’s lust for Michal, who had remarried and was therefore off-limits for David, caused him to make an unwise allegiance with Abner. Rather than punish him for his murder of Asahel, David rewarded him with freedom. This decision caused Joab to take matters into his own hands. He did what David had been unwilling to do, and what he did was in keeping with the commands of God. Consider carefully what God had said about the matter:

“But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him down with a wooden tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. And if he pushed him out of hatred or hurled something at him, lying in wait, so that he died, or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.” – Numbers 35:16-21 ESV

Abner deserved death for what he had done, not a get-out-of-jail-free card from the king. So, Joab faithfully fulfilled his role as the blood-avenger and put Abner to death. This act, while fully in keeping with God’s command, did not sit well with David. He was so angry he actually put a curse on Joab and his family.

“May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!” – 2 Samuel 3:29 NLT

Throughout his life, David showed a disinclination to deal with those whose actions deserved judgment. When his son, Amnon, raped his half-sister, Tamar, David did nothing to punish him. When Tamar’s brother, Absalom, arranged for the murder of Amnon, David refused to take action. Years later, after David had allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem unpunished, Absalom fomented a rebellion against his own father. And what did David do? He abandoned the city. He gave up. He walked away.

If David truly believed what Joab did to Abner was wrong, he did nothing about it. Rather than punish Joab, he pronounced a curse. By placing all the blame on Joab, David attempted to himself from any responsibility. This was wise political policy since David was attempting to establish his kingdom. He feared how the Benjaminites would respond when they heard of Abner’s death. But David’s curse on Joab appears to be completely uncalled for and without divine authorization. Abner had been a traitor and a murderer. He had led an insurrection against the God-ordained king of Israel. Rather than face capture, he had brutally murdered his pursuer and, according to the command of God, he deserved death. In fact, David had violated the very word of God by making his agreement with Abner. In essence, he allowed Abner to purchase a pardon he did not deserve, an action God had clearly prohibited

“Also, you must never accept a ransom payment for the life of someone judged guilty of murder and subject to execution; murderers must always be put to death. And never accept a ransom payment from someone who has fled to a city of refuge, allowing a slayer to return to his property before the death of the high priest.” – Numbers 35:31-32 NLT

The truly fascinating thing about all of this is David’s reaction to the death of Abner. As the rest of the chapter reveals, David ordered a national day of mourning for Abner. We will never know how much of it was based on political posturing. Was David simply attempting to win over the northern tribes by assuring them of his love for Abner? Only David and God know for sure. But suffice it to say that David showed far more sadness over the death of Abner than he did of Asahel, one of his own men. There is no record of David having mourned Asahel’s death. No tears were shed. No memorial service was held. Yet, David will go out of his way to memorialize and eulogize the death of a traitor and a murderer.

Sin has a way of metastasizing like cancer. Unchecked, it can spread, infecting our lives and destroying our spiritual health. Not only that, it can contaminate those around us. Sin is never static and it is almost impossible to control. We are deluded and naive if we think we have a handle on our sin and can manage it. Sin is dangerous and deadly, and when we attempt to apply logic to our sins to rationalize our behavior, we run the risk of opening the door to additional and even more deadly forms of rebellion against God.

The apostle John gives us some sobering counsel regarding the sin in our lives:

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. – 1 John 1:8-10 NLT

David’s reign was off to a less-than-stellar start. The man after God’s own heart was displaying his propensity to crack under pressure and make unwise decisions that would produce unwelcome outcomes. Small compromises, subtle sins, and convenient alliances would end up producing long-term ramifications for David and his kingdom.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

An Unexpected Response

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:

19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
    How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath,
    publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

21 “You mountains of Gilboa,
    let there be no dew or rain upon you,
    nor fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
    the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

22 “From the blood of the slain,
    from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan turned not back,
    and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
    In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
    they were stronger than lions.

24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
    who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
    who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen
    in the midst of the battle!

“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26     I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
    your love to me was extraordinary,
    surpassing the love of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen,
    and the weapons of war perished!” – 2 Samuel 1:17-27  ESV

What is someone’s normal reaction to the failure or fall of an enemy? It probably isn’t to compose a beautiful poem or song lauding their accomplishments. Most people wouldn’t go out of their way to praise someone who purposefully opposed them and caused great pain and suffering. No, the most likely response would be a sense of relief mixed with a somewhat veiled form of self-satisfaction. Any demonstrations of sorrow and remorse would be little more than outward displays of proper etiquette. For most people, their true response would remain hidden from view. Inside, they would be celebrating what could only be seen as a case of the wicked getting their just desserts.

But it’s amazing to see how David reacted to the death of Saul, a man who had made it his sole mission in life to eradicate David. With single-focused persistence, Saul hunted David like helpless prey, making his life a living hell. On two separate occasions, David spared Saul’s, receiving the king’s guarantee that he would call off his manhunt. But Saul’s words proved empty and his promises unreliable as he continued to treat David with contempt and sought every opportunity to kill him.

But when David heard that Saul was dead, he didn’t rejoice. There were no expressions of relief or prayers of thanksgiving to God for having delivered him from his enemy. No, David mourned. It would be easy to assume that most of David’s sorrow was directed at his friend Jonathan, the son of Saul, who was also killed on the field of battle that day. But this lament won’t allow us to draw that conclusion. David goes out of his way to express his sorrow over the death of Saul, the very one who, on two different occasions, tried to kill him with his own hands. David even praises the life of the one who had sought his death.

For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;
    the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil. – 2 Samuel 1:21 NLT

The bow of Jonathan was powerful,
    and the sword of Saul did its mighty work.
They shed the blood of their enemies
    and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes. – 2 Samuel 1:22 NLT

How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! – 2 Samuel 1:23 NLT

O women of Israel, weep for Saul… – 2 Samuel 1:24 NLT

This lament reveals a great deal about David. It was not that David was above seeking vengeance or wishing ill will on his sworn enemies. Psalm 28 reveals that David was capable of calling down the wrath of God on his enemies.

Do not drag me away with the wicked—
    with those who do evil—
those who speak friendly words to their neighbors
    while planning evil in their hearts.
Give them the punishment they so richly deserve!
    Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness.
Pay them back for all their evil deeds!
    Give them a taste of what they have done to others.
They care nothing for what the Lord has done
    or for what his hands have made.
So he will tear them down,
    and they will never be rebuilt! – Psalm 28:3-5 NLT

But throughout his ongoing conflict with Saul, David viewed the king as the Lord’s anointed. In David’s mind, Saul was the God-appointed king of Israel and therefore, worthy of honor and respect. To attack Saul would have been to attack God. To dishonor the king would be to disrespect the One who had placed him on the throne in the first place. But there is more here than just respect for a position; David legitimately loved Saul. He viewed him as a father figure.

When David had his first opportunity to take Saul’s life, he referred to him as “father,” assuring him, “May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you” (1 Samuel 24:12 ESV). Later on, in chapter 26, David has a second chance to take Saul’s life, but declines, referring to himself as Saul’s servant and telling him, “Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation” (1 Samuel 26:24 ESV).

David served in Saul’s court and at one time he was the personal armor bearer to the king. He had been at Saul’s side in battle and even in the throne room when Saul did battle with an evil spirit. David would play his lyre to calm Saul’s troubled mind and, as a result, Saul treated David like a son. He even allowed David to marry his daughter. So, despite all that happened between the two men, David experienced no joy at Saul’s death; his heart was broken.

The king was dead. His best friend was gone. The armies of Israel had been defeated. The kingdom was demoralized. And the pagan Philistines were celebrating their victory over the God of Israel. David had no cause for joy. He had no reason to gloat or celebrate the demise of his former adversary. David had learned to see things from God’s perspective and there was no joyful celebration in heaven. God was not reveling in Saul’s death or Israel’s defeat at the hands of the Philistines. He takes no joy in the fall or failure of His people. So, why should we? In fact, the Scriptures make it clear that God doesn’t even rejoice in the death of the wicked.

"Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.” – Ezekiel 18:23 NLT

“For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” – Ezekiel 18:32 ESV

“As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?” – Ezekiel 33:11 NLT

David was a man after God’s own heart. If that phrase means anything, it means that David shared God’s compassion and concern for His people. David may not have liked what Saul had done to him. He may not have enjoyed the suffering he was forced to endure. But he still viewed Saul as the king of Israel and as a son of God. Saul’s death brought David no pleasure because he knew it brought no joy to God. So he mourned, wept, lamented, and celebrated. But David didn’t celebrate his victory over Saul, instead, he celebrated the life and legacy of Saul. He honored the man who had dishonored him. David offered praise for the life of the man who had offered a reward to anyone who would take David’s life. That isn’t exactly a normal response but it is a godly one.

Jesus Himself provided us with a godly response to the presence of wickedness in our lives. And even now, His words go against the grain and press against our normal predisposition. But it gives us the godly reaction to ungodliness and the righteous response to unrighteousness.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:42-48 NLT

Through his actions, David revealed the true character of his heart. He was far from perfect, but he was a man who shared God’s heart and was learning to see things from God’s perspective. Despite Saul’s harsh treatment, David refused to view him as an enemy who got what he deserved but instead, he regarded him as a dear friend who suffered a humiliating death and was worthy of honor. By respecting Saul rather than reviling him, David displayed his faith in God and his reliance upon God’s sovereignty.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The End of An Era

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11 But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days. – 1 Samuel 31:8-13  ESV

What Saul feared in life, actually took place in death. Right before taking his own life, he begged his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me” (1 Samuel 31:4 ESV). Being captured alive by the Philistines was Saul’s greatest fear because he knew they would treat him with derision and scorn. He was well acquainted with the ways of his enemy and understood that agonizing torture and public execution what be his fate.

The Hebrew word he used is `alal and it can mean “to act severely, deal with severely, make a fool of someone” (“H5953 - `alal - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 12 Feb, 2017). It carries the idea of mocking, as well as defilement. Saul, the great warrior-king of Israel was petrified by the thought of having to endure the pain and humiliation that the Philistines would inflict upon him, so he opted for suicide. But Saul’s death did not stop the inevitable. Upon finding his body, the Philistines stripped him of his armor and cut off his head. The Book of Chronicles states, “they put his armor in the temple of their gods and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon” (1 Chronicles 10:10 ESV). As if to eliminate any doubt as to the cause of Saul’s demoralizing death, the Book of Chronicles goes on to provide the following insight.

So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. – 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 ESV

This was not the only time Saul failed to remain faithful to God. He had violated the law of God by disobeying the words of the prophet and by offering sacrifices to God, a duty reserved solely for priests (1 Samuel 13). He also failed to wipe out the Amalekites and destroy all the spoils from battle, disobeying a direct order from God (1 Samuel 15). And Saul had continually ignored God’s clear pronouncement that he was to be replaced as king by a better man. In fact, he actively tried to prevent God’s will by seeking to kill the very man God had chosen as his replacement: David.

So, there was no shortage of reasons for Saul’s abandonment by God. In many ways, he is the one who left God, having chosen to live his life and rule his kingdom according to his own standards and based on his own wisdom. He had been rash, impulsive, prone to placing blame, and reticent to repent, even when proven guilty. He was prideful, arrogant, self-absorbed, and unwilling to humble himself before God. His eventual humiliation at the hands of the Philistines was his own fault; he had brought this on himself. As his world came to a crashing end on the field of battle, he found himself severely wounded, his sons dead, his army fleeing, and the Philistine troops closing in for the kill. His only recourse was to end it all. Falling on his sword was his final act of defiance, an apt ending to a life marked by a stubborn determination to always do things his way.

But Saul’s self-inflicted death didn’t prevent the Philistines from using his body as a propaganda tool. They hung his decapitated body on the walls of the city of Beth-shan, displayed his head in the temple of their god, Dagon, and placed his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth. Saul’s dismembered body became a tool of the enemy, used to promote their victory and humiliate not only Saul but the God of Israel. The armies of the Philistines had defeated the Israelites and their deity with the help of their own gods.

This scene is reminiscent of an earlier Philistine victory over the Israelites when they captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it in the temple of Dagon (1 Samuel 5). The Philistines treated the Ark as if it was an idol, a physical representation of the Israelite God, placing it at the feet of Dagon to honor his superiority over Yahweh. So, in the same way, placing Saul’s head in the temple of Dagon was a way to show that their god was greater than the God of Israel. In their minds, Dagon had prevailed over Yahweh. They had won and Saul and the Israelites had lost.

But the story doesn’t end there. When the residents of Jabesh-gilead heard what had happened to Saul and his sons, they took action. At great risk to their own lives, they planned a nighttime raid and took the bodies of Saul and his sons from the walls of Beth-shan and gave them a proper burial. No reason is given for why the bodies were burned but it could be because they had been so mutilated by the Philistines that they were beyond recognition. Or it could have been an attempt to prevent the spread of disease. Whatever the case, their bones were buried and a fast was held for seven days. There would be no memorial erected to the memory of Saul. The first king of Israel would not be memorialized or feted with a statue or an official state funeral. His ending stands in stark contrast to that of another Israelite king.

And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign. They buried him in the tomb that he had cut for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer's art, and they made a very great fire in his honor. – 2 Chronicles 16:13-14 ESV

It would become customary for the deceased kings of Israel to have elaborate burials and expensive tombs built in their honor. Such was not the case for Saul. He and his sons were buried under a tree in a non-disclosed spot. No pomp. No elaborate ceremony. No monument to mark their memory.

Just like that, Saul was gone, his memory wiped from the minds of his people. But his legacy of faithlessness and disobedience was left behind in the captured cities of Israel, the lost lives of hundreds of soldiers, and the demoralized remnants of the Jews who no longer had a king. But God was not done. This was not an ending, but a new beginning. While all looked lost and the future appeared dim, God had things right where He wanted them. The Israelites would not be without a king for long; this time, they would find themselves with the kind of king they always needed – a man after God’s heart.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Out With the Old

1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them. – 1 Samuel 31:1-7  ESV

While David and his men were pursuing and defeating the Amalikites, Saul and the Israelites were doing battle with the Philistines. David had sought the help of God and found success. Saul had sought the help of a witch and died in battle, along with his three sons. As a result of his God-ordained victory, David celebrated by distributing the spoils among his men and the elders of Judah. Yet, Israel’s defeat at the hands of the Philistines resulted in Saul’s death as well as the mass evacuation of Israelite cities near the scene of the battle. The Israelites’ loss would be the Philistines' gain as they took occupation of those abandoned cities.

Two men and two completely different outcomes, yet both taking place at exactly the same time. What is interesting to note is the easy-to-miss reference to King Saul’s armor bearer. Verse six reads: “Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.” This verse stands out because, at one time, David had been Saul’s armor bearer.

And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. – 1 Samuel 16:21 ESV

While just a passing reference in the text of 1 Samuel 31, it is significant to realize that David’s somewhat difficult-to-understand exile from the palace of Saul had been a literal godsend. God had ordained David’s disassociation from Saul to spare David the same fate as Saul. All those close to Saul, including his son, Jonathan, died as a result of his stubborn rebellion against the will of God. Had God not removed His Spirit from Saul and allowed an evil spirit to torment him, David could have remained in his service. David could have been a part of that battle with the Philistines, serving alongside the king as his armor bearer. But it had been God’s plan to separate David from Saul so that he might be spared and prepared to be Saul’s eventual replacement.

This entire scenario was the work of God; He had even warned Saul that it would happen. In fact, when Saul sought the aid of the witch of Endor and asked her to conjure up the departed spirit of Samuel the prophet, God intervened. Much to her surprise and shock, she successfully called up the dead prophet who delivered a chilling prediction to Saul.

“Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.” – 1 Samuel 28:18-19 ESV

The end of Saul’s reign was at hand. As part of His divine plan, God determined the time had come for Saul’s reign to end so that David’s could begin. However, the transition of power did not take place immediately. Saul remained on the throne and David was forced to go into hiding – all part of God’s sovereign plan.

Despite David’s earlier defeat of Goliath and his successful battles against the Philistines, this powerful pagan nation still posed a threat to the kingdom of Israel. So, on this occasion, when Saul went up against them in yet another battle, he did so without the aid of David. This time, no young shepherd boy stepped up to save the day. There was no miraculous defeat of the Philistine champion or a rousing defeat of the enemy.

Forced to go into battle without his greatest warrior and without the assistance of the Lord, Saul witnessed the complete destruction of his army by the enemies of God. It should not escape our attention that Saul, while wounded in battle, was not killed as part of the battle. He lived to witness the executions of his sons and had to watch as his kinsmen were either slaughtered in front of him or deserted the battlefield in fright.

Saul was not allowed the dignity of falling in battle at the hands of his enemies. There would be no songs celebrating his valiant last-gasp stance against the enemy. He didn’t go down in a hail of arrows, his blood-soaked sword clutched in his hand and the lifeless bodies of his enemies lying at his feet; he impaled himself on his own sword. Fearing what the Philistines would do to him if they took him alive, Saul chose to end his own life and with that last act of desperation and defeat, Saul’s nearly 40-year reign over Israel (1 Samuel 13:1) came to an abrupt and ignominious end.

Even in the moments before his death, Saul feared man more than he feared God. He was more concerned with falling into the hands of the Philistines than with having to answer to his God. Had Saul been able to read the words of James, he might have had second thoughts about his life-ending decision.

For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge his own people.” It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. – Hebrews 10:30-31 NLT

Perhaps Saul had deluded himself into believing he had been a faithful king and obedient servant of God. Maybe he was convinced that he was a man of integrity. Whatever the case, Saul faced a judgment far worse than anything the Philistines could do to him. It was Jesus who warned, “Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28 NLT).

Saul died, just as the prophet had foretold. Israel was defeated and the Philistines were victorious. But God was still sovereign. He was not surprised by the outcome. He didn’t panic. No knee-jerk reaction or spur-of-the-moment decision was necessary to deal with this significant setback. It had all been part of His divine plan and sovereign will.

God had given the people what they demanded: A king. But not just any king. He gave them a king like all the other nations, just as they had requested. Little did they know that their demand would come back to haunt them. They would get what they wanted and much more. God could see into their hearts and knew that their request for a king was actually a rejection of Him as their sovereign. He even told Samuel the prophet, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7 ESV).

The people’s 40-year experiment with the world’s brand of leadership had come to an abrupt end, and God was preparing to replace their king with a far better one – a man after his own heart. Not a perfect man. Not a sinless man. But a man whose heart had been trained to rely upon and rest in the will of God. A man who had learned the invaluable lessons of trusting God rather than relying upon himself. A man who had experienced the futility of self-preservation and learned the value of reliance upon the Lord.

Saul was done, but God was not. Israel was down, but not out. Their best days lie ahead of them. The king they had longed for was dead but God had his replacement in the wings. The days ahead looked dark and bleak, but a ray of hope shone on the horizon. God had a plan and He was working it to perfection. With Israel’s defeat and Saul’s death, the nation mourned but, little did they know that their best days were ahead of them.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Mind and the Mission of Christ

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:5-11 ESV

So, how are the Philippians believers supposed to live in unity, “being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind”? How will they prevent self-ambition and conceit from destroying their personal relationships and corporate witness? Where will they find the motivation and strength to live humbly, considering others as more important than themselves?

Paul doesn’t leave them on their own to figure out the answers to these pressing questions; he provides them with a succinct and simple answer: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5 ESV).

He reminds them that Christ was the key to their salvation and He will be the key to their ongoing sanctification – as individuals and as a congregation. The only way they will be able to experience the kind of unity Paul has prescribed is if they learn to think as Christ did. They are to have the mind of Christ. The Greek word Paul used is phroneō and it is actually in its verb form, transforming it into an action. The original word can be translated as “to think.” Paul is telling them to think on Christ and consider His life.  They are to be of the same mind as Christ, considering their circumstances and responding to them as He would. And notice the environment in which the mind of Christ was to be put to use: “Among yourselves.” The task of thinking and reacting like Christ is to be applied within the body of Christ.

Christ-likeness that masquerades as self-preservation or self-satisfaction is not Christ-likeness at all. To claim to have the mind of Christ, but to think only of one’s own self-interest is to be nothing like Christ. To prove that point, Paul ensures that the Philippian believers understand what he means by sharing the mindset and behavior of Christ. And don’t miss the very important point that Paul makes. This mindset is already available to them because of their relationship with Christ Jesus; it is not something they have to seek or produce on their own. It became theirs at the point of their salvation.

But we don’t always live with the mind of Christ. Too often, we see things from our sinful and self-centered vantage point, making even our relationship with Christ all about us. In doing so, we forget that Christ redeemed us from a life of self-destructive narcissism. We have been placed within the body of Christ so that we might display the character of Christ among our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

At one point, Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus and expressed his strong desire for them to fully comprehend the extent of Christ’s love for them. But he suggests that this could only be accomplished within the context of the body of Christ. As they selflessly loved one another, as an expression of their grateful love for God, they would experience Christ’s remarkable love for them.

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. – Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT

And just how much did Christ love us? Enough to die for us. But before Christ went to the cross, He had to come to earth, and Paul makes sure his audience understands that as horrific as the cross was, Christ’s incarnation was also an act of humiliation and shame.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being. – Philippians 2:6-7 NLT

Christ left the glory of heaven and His rightful place of honor at His Father’s side and willingly came to earth. But He couldn’t come in His glorious, heavenly form; He had to become a human being. Not only that, Jesus didn’t arrive on earth as a fully-formed man, He became a fetus in Mary’s womb and, nine months later, entered the world as a helpless infant. Yet, in doing so, He became Immanuel, God with us. But no one would have recognized Him as God. He no longer exhibited the trappings of deity. Rather than a royal robe, He was wrapped in a swaddling cloth. Instead of angels and cherubim surrounding His throne proclaiming His glory, sheep and cattle stood around His manger in disinterest. Rather than appearing as the all-powerful Son of God, Jesus came in the form of a child, a status that left him with little honor and no rights.

Paul goes on to emphasize that Jesus, the Son of God and the very image of God, became in appearance as a man, even a slave. He humbled Himself. But why? So, that He might give His life as a ransom for the sins of mankind. What He did, He did for the good of others. A point that Jesus Himself made very clear.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45 NLT

The truly amazing thing is that Jesus gave up all His heavenly prerogatives so that He might live on this earth as a human being. This does not mean that Jesus became any less God during His time on earth. He remained fully God during the entirety of His incarnation. But He willingly relinquished the independent use of His divine attributes. He became fully dependent upon God the Father during His earthly ministry. He still retained His divine power and all of the characteristics of His deity but He submitted them fully to the will of God. During His incarnation, Jesus operated under the influence of and by virtue of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Stop and think about that. The entire time Jesus walked this earth, He had the power of God residing in Him and the full ability to access that power at any moment. But He refused to do so. Which is Paul’s point. He emphasizes that Jesus “humbled himself in obedience to God” (Philippians 2:8 NLT). He did what the Father wanted, and His obedience was so precise and complete that He was willing to go to the cross where he “died a criminal’s death.” 

This is the attitude that Paul was encouraging the Philippian believers to have. They were to share the same way of thinking as Jesus. He didn’t consider Himself too good to do the will of God. He didn’t think of Himself as too important to sacrifice His life for the good of others. The prospect of humiliation was not off limits to Jesus. The thought of dying on behalf of those who actually deserved to die was not off-putting to Jesus. He did it willingly and lovingly. All that Jesus did was an expression of His love.

And we are to share that same way of thinking. We are to exhibit that same mindset when it comes to those around us – especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. But we are all prone to seek our own self-exaltation. We are driven by pride and ego. Our sin natures tend to make everything all about us. And, even as believers, we can begin to think that we are somehow better than others because we are in Christ. We are redeemed. We are children of God. We are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9 ESV). But if we’re not careful, we begin to think too highly of ourselves and end up drowning in our own perceived self-importance. But as Paul told the believers in Rome, “Don't think you are better than you really are” (Romans 12:3 NLT).

Paul would have us consider Christ. If anyone deserved to be exalted, it was Him. After all, He was God. Yet, Jesus humbled Himself; He even allowed Himself to be humiliated by the very ones He created. He suffered death at the hands of sinful men. But Paul reminds us that God exalted Him.

God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names… – Philippians 2:9 NLT

But it’s important to note that the exaltation of Jesus came after His humiliation. His resurrection followed His crucifixion. His ascension could not have happened without His death and burial in a borrowed grave.

We can waste all our time seeking to be exalted in this life, or we can share the thinking of Christ and pursue a life of selfless service to others. We can humble ourselves as He did, enduring potential humiliation and the seeming loss of our status as God’s children, or we can make ourselves the center of attention. We can pursue self-exaltation or humbly serve and love one another, allowing God to exalt us according to His timing. The words of Peter are appropriate here.

…all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for

“God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble.”

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. – 1 Peter 5:5-6 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

A Matter of Life or Death

18 Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. – Philippians 1:18-26 ESV

Paul opens this section of his letter by reconfirming his determination to rejoice in his circumstances. While news of his imprisonment had been disconcerting to the believers in Philippi, for Paul it had been just another God-ordained opportunity to spread the gospel. If others were attempting to take advantage of his situation by filling the role of messenger in his absence, so be it. As long as Christ was being lifted up, Paul was perfectly okay with it all, even if some of these people were motivated by envy rather than a sincere love for the lost.

Paul knew that any success he had enjoyed in his ministry had not been because of his powers of persuasion, but was due to the power of the gospel. In writing to the believers in Thessalonica, Paul reminded them of the treatment he and Silas had suffered in Philippi because of their preaching of the gospel. Not long after their arrival there, they had cast out a demon from a young slave girl. With the exorcism of the demon, she lost her ability to act as a fortune teller for her masters and they lost a much-needed source of revenue. In an act of revenge, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the magistrates of the city, where the two men were severely beaten and thrown in jail. Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers that all of this had taken place just before he arrived in their town.

You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else. – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 NLT

Despite all that had happened in Philippi, Paul and his companions boldly declared the gospel in Thessalonica, even in the face of opposition. They did so, not for money or the praise of men, but to please God as His faithful messengers. So, Paul was not concerned with the motives of others; as long as they were preaching salvation by faith alone in Christ alone, he was satisfied and could rejoice. He had never been in the ministry for what he could get out of it. For him, it was a calling, not a job, and He never saw himself as this gifted spokesman using his talents to further the Kingdom of God. He even describes himself as nothing more than a fragile clay jar containing the great treasure of the gospel message (2 Corinthians 4:7). When he wrote to the Corinthian believers, he reminded them that their conversions were due to the power of the Spirit, not his own eloquence.

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NLT

But as Paul writes to the Philippian believers from his house arrest in Rome, he shares with them the tremendous internal conflict he was having. It had nothing to do with a fear of death; he knew that was a possible outcome of his pending trial before Nero and he was perfectly at peace with that. In fact, he flatly stated, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23 ESV). He saw death as a reward, not a punishment. But he also struggled with the desire to continue his ministry among the Philippians and other congregations he had helped to start. As much as he longed to be with the Lord, he felt that his work on Christ’s behalf was far from over. That’s why he told the Philippians, “I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith” (Philippians 1:25 NLT).

One thing motivated Paul’s actions and attitudes – bringing glory to the name of Christ. If he could do that through deliverance from prison and a continuation of his ministry, so be it. But if his trial resulted in a death sentence, he saw that as a gracious deliverance by God from this sin-marred world. When all was said and done, Paul simply wanted to honor Christ in all that he did, which is why he stated, “I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die” (Philippians 1:20 NLT).

Paul was not making much of himself. He was not bragging about his superior spirituality or attempting to set himself up as some icon of righteousness and religious virtue. He was attempting to encourage the believers in Philippi to share the same perspective on life that he had. He didn’t view his arrest and imprisonment as a setback or a sign of God’s disfavor with him. He sincerely believed that it was all a part of God’s will for his life. By maintaining his focus on Christ and trusting in the will of God for his life, Paul had “learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11 NLT). So, he could say, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12 NLT).

He knew that the Philippian believers were facing their own set of difficulties. They were going to have struggles in their faith journey, just as he had, and he wanted them to stay strong, to remain committed to the cause of Christ, and to see the sovereign hand of God in all that happened in and around their lives.

Paul was convinced that he would be released and would one day see them again. But in the meantime, he wanted to encourage them to keep on keeping on. Later on in this letter, Paul writes these powerful words of testimony and encouragement.

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us… – Philippians 3:14 NLT

Then he follows up this statement of personal conviction and commitment with a call for them to follow his lead.

Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. – Philippians 3:17 NLT

In the verses that follow, Paul provides the Philippians with specific details concerning the conduct of all those who claim heavenly citizenship as God’s children. Their journey of faith was not going to be easy or trouble-free, but God had equipped each of them with the indwelling Holy Spirit and placed them in the body of Christ so that they had all the resources they needed to thrive, not just survive what lay ahead.

Paul was torn between two opinions; he was ready to see his Lord and Savior face to face, but he was also anxious to continue his ministry of exhortation and evangelization around the world. He was prepared to face the ongoing struggles of doing God’s will in a fallen world but, should his life end in death, he saw that as a promotion, not a punishment. So, whether he faced a long life serving God that was marked by pain, persecution, and opposition, or if his next step was heaven, he could rejoice because he was in God’s good and gracious hands.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Redemption in the Face of Rebellion

36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37 “Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers out of the blaze. Then scatter the fire far and wide, for they have become holy. 38 As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the Lord, and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the people of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar, 40 to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the Lord, lest he become like Korah and his company—as the Lord said to him through Moses.

41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” 42 And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. 46 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord; the plague has begun.” 47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. 49 Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. 50 And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped. – Numbers 16:36-50 ESV

God cleaned house. He purged the wickedness from the midst of the camp of Israel by swallowing the households of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then He consumed the 250 co-conspirators with fire as they attempted to offer unacceptable sacrifices to Him. When the smoke had lifted, all that was left were their bronze censers lying among the ashes with their charred bones.

This macabre scene was the result of a test that Moses had arranged to determine who among the Israelites was truly holy to the Lord.

“Korah, you and all your followers must prepare your incense burners. Light fires in them tomorrow, and burn incense before the Lord. Then we will see whom the Lord chooses as his holy one.” – Numbers 16:6-7 NLT

God had declared the outcome of the test in no uncertain terms; the guilty and unholy had been punished. Yet, their destruction produced a rather strange result. The incense burners these rebels had been carrying at the time of their destruction had been purified in the process. The Lord ordered Moses to have them gathered and hammered into a covering for the altar.

“Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to pull all the incense burners from the fire, for they are holy. Also tell him to scatter the burning coals. Take the incense burners of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, and hammer the metal into a thin sheet to overlay the altar. Since these burners were used in the Lord’s presence, they have become holy. Let them serve as a warning to the people of Israel.” – Numbers 16:37-38 NLT

Those men had presented their censers filled with burning incense to the Lord, but He had consumed them with flames because they were guilty of rebelling against Him. But because their incense burners had been presented to God, they had become holy or set apart for His use.

“As we think about the notion of the ‘holy,’ we recognize that things are made holy in Scripture, not because people are holy, but because the things are presented to the Lord, who is holy. Since these wicked men presented their censers to the Lord, the censers are holy, despite the men’s own wickedness.” – Ronald B. Allen, “Numbers.” In Genesis—Numbers. Vol. 2 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary

This entire story provides a powerful reminder of the ever-present danger of doubt in the life of the follower of God. Doubt has a way of turning into disobedience, and disobedience against God is nothing more than rebellion against His Word and His will.

In chapter eight of Numbers, this pattern was lived out in the lives of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On. These men were descendants of Levi and, as such, they were responsible for the care and upkeep of the tabernacle of God. God had set them apart as His servants and their jobs were essential to the spiritual well-being of the people of Israel. However, they were dissatisfied with God’s plan and wanted to debate His distribution of roles and responsibilities; they wanted more authority and a recognition of their own importance.

“You take too much upon yourselves, seeing that the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the community of the Lord?” – Numbers 16:3 NLT

Korah’s thinly veiled expression of care for the entire community was nothing more than a ruse to cover his own desire for a greater role in the affairs of Israel. He and his companions aspired to supplant Moses and Aaron as the designated leaders of the nation. In their estimation, those two men were no better than they were. As citizens of the nation of Israel and members of the tribe of Levi, they felt they were just as qualified for leadership as Moses and his brother.

They doubted God's order of things and demanded a restructuring of responsibilities and duties. Like Miriam in chapter 12, these men expressed their doubt in God's preordained order of things and it led to their open disobedience and rebellion.

As a holy, righteous King, God was unwilling to tolerate the blatant actions of these men. While the actions of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were more pronounced and worthy of God’s wrath, the truth is that the entire congregation was guilty of turning against God. They had allowed the inflammatory words of Korah to sway their thinking and turn them against Moses and Aaron.

Korah assembled the whole community against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting… – Numbers 16:19 NLT

In response to this open display of communal solidarity and insurrection, God swore to pour out His divine judgment, telling Moses, “Separate yourselves from among this community, that I may consume them in an instant” (Numbers 16:21 NLT). But Moses and Aaron interceded and begged God to spare the congregation and punish only the ring leaders. Yet God would not tolerate rebellion among His people because He knew it was like cancer that, if left unchecked, would spread and infect the entire community. So He set out to eradicate it but, in keeping with Moses’ request, He chose to spare the people.

But despite Moses’ intercession and God’s gracious acquittal of the people, the text reveals that “on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, ‘You have killed the people of the Lord’” (Numbers 16:41 ESV). Unwilling to express gratitude for God’s sparing of their lives, they once again display their ignorance of God’s ways. Refusing to believe that the previous day’s events had been God's will, they openly rebelled against God's representatives and accused them of murder.

Once again, God warned Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the people because He was about to destroy them. But Moses interceded yet again, telling Aaron to take his censer and “carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord; the plague has begun” (Numbers 16:36 ESV).

The judgment of God had already begun, and Moses' quick thinking and Aarons' immediate response spared the lives of many. Despite the brothers’ rapid response, 14,700 people died that day – at the hand of God. Yet, the number would have been much higher had Moses and Aaron not taken immediate steps to intercede. The rebellion of the people had been a sin against God, and only the atoning work of Aaron, the high priest, had been able to satisfy the righteous judgment of God against them.

Doubt is inevitable and, if left unchecked, it will always result in disobedience and rebellion against God. Mankind is prone to unfaithfulness, even those who call themselves followers of God. Disobedience is in our nature and the risk of rebellion is a constant threat for each of us.

In the gospel of Luke, there is another story of the people of God rebelling against the will of God. He had sent His Son as the Savior of the world but Jesus didn't come in the form the Israelites had expected. He failed to measure up to the standards they had set for their long-awaited Messiah. Rather than appearing as a conquering king on a white horse leading a powerful army, Jesus had shown up as a carpenter from the small hamlet of Nazareth, accompanied by a rag-tag group of disciples. Instead of revering Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah, the religious leaders of Israel responded with revulsion. As His popularity spread, their desire to eliminate Him grew stronger; they longed to rid themselves of His presence. Eventually, they had Him arrested and dragged before Pilate, the Roman governor. Their goal was to convince Pilate that Jesus was a potential threat to Roman rule by portraying Him as an insurrectionist and troublemaker. Their hope was for a speedy trial and the execution of this upstart Rabbi from Nazareth. But much to their surprise and disappointment, Pilate found Jesus to be innocent of any wrongdoing. He tried repeatedly to release Him, but the Jewish leaders convinced the people to demand His crucifixion. Out of fear that the people would stage a riot, Pilate gave in to their demands.

Their doubt led to disobedience, which resulted in rebellion, and led to the death of the One whom God had sent. They doubted God's Word and rejected His will. Writing more than 750 years before the events of the crucifixion, the prophet Isaiah predicted, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Isaiah 53:5 NLT).

God sent His Son to deal with the rebellion of mankind. Yet, Jesus did not come to pour out the wrath of His Father on sinful humanity. In fact, He declared, “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (John 12:47 ESV). His incarnation was the first step in God’s grand redemptive plan to restore humanity to a right relationship with Himself. Jesus provided a means by which sinful men and women could be healed and made whole. He paid the debt that humanity’s sin had incurred. He suffered the death that was the penalty for mankind’s rebellion against His Father. He took on the penalty for our rebellion against God.

It’s interesting to note that Aaron was able to atone for the sins of the people by taking fire from the altar of God and using it to ignite incense in a censer. The same fire that had consumed the 250 leaders who had rejected God’s will was used to atone for and spare the rebellious Israelites. An incense burner in the hand of God’s anointed was how God redeemed the unholy and undeserving. The all-consuming fire of God actually averted the deaths of tens of thousands of Israelites who had been deserving of God’s judgment. The plague was averted and the people were spared.

In much the same way, Jesus, the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity provides healing and atonement for sinful humanity. The Light of the world did not come to condemn and consume but to enlighten the darkness and provide life to those living under the penalty of death. As Jesus told the woman accused of adultery, “…neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.” Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:11-12 BSB).

Even in the face of man’s ongoing rebellion, God is gracious to provide a way of redemption.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Too Little, Too Late

26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, 30 not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

36 And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing up a bad report about the land— 37 the men who brought up a bad report of the land—died by plague before the Lord. 38 Of those men who went to spy out the land, only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive.

39 When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” 41 But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the Lord, when that will not succeed? 42 Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. 43 For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.” 44 But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah. – Numbers 14:26-45 ESV

God essentially told the Israelites that the worst-case scenario they had conjured up in their minds was going to take place. Their greatest fears were going to become reality. In an attempt to rationalize their rebellion against Moses’ leadership, they had predicted a foreboding future if they stayed where they were.

“Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey.” – Numbers 14:2-3 ESV

And God let them know that their projections of doom and gloom would come true.

“As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die. You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you.” – Numbers 14:28-30 NLT

As punishment for their rebellion, God revealed their fate. They would not be returning to Egypt and they would never enter the land of promise. Instead, they would spend the next four decades wandering in the wilderness. During that time, the entire first generation of Israelites would die of natural causes as they wandered just outside the border of Canaan. They wouldn’t have to worry about dying in battle because they would never make it to the promised land. No, their deaths would be from old age as they spent the next 40 years living a nomadic and pointless lifestyle; a year for every day the 12 spies had spent in Canaan.

There would be no supernatural cosmological display of fire and brimstone to consume the wicked. The ground wouldn’t open up and swallow all those who were guilty. In fact, for the next 40 years, God would continue to provide for their physical needs; providing them with manna, quail, and fresh drinking water. Despite their rebellious actions, God was not going to abandon or annihilate them. His presence would remain with them. The Tabernacle would be available to them for worship and sacrifice. They would continue to tend their flocks and herds, raise their children, and live out their days in relative peace and security. But they would never enter the land that God had promised as their inheritance.

“Not one of you from this wicked generation will live to see the good land I swore to give your ancestors.” – Deuteronomy 1:25 NLT

Canaan was to have been their final destination. It was a rich and fertile land, just as the spies had reported, and even before God had brought a single plague against Egypt, He had promised to lead the descendants of Jacob to their new homeland.

“I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.” – Exodus 3:17 NLT

But as a result of their stubborn refusal to trust God, they would spend 40 long years living on the wrong side of the border of Canaan. In time, one by one, they would succumb to old age and die, and their bodies would be buried in the barren wastelands of the wilderness. The stiff punishment for their rebellion led the author of Hebrews to use it as a warning to a new generation of Jews who had been offered another promise of future inheritance by God.

“Today when you hear his voice,
    don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled,
    when they tested me in the wilderness.
There your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
    even though they saw my miracles for forty years.
So I was angry with them, and I said,
‘Their hearts always turn away from me.
    They refuse to do what I tell them.’
So in my anger I took an oath:
    ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” – Hebrews 3:7-11 NLT

Canaan was to have been their place of rest. That doesn’t mean Canaan was going to be a stress-free environment, devoid of difficulties. The spies had been right; there were enemies in the land and the Israelites would have to do battle with each of them if they wanted to make the land their own. But God had promised them victory. He was going to use the Israelites to purge the land of all the wickedness, immorality, and godlessness that had filled it since their departure more than 430 years earlier.

Yet, rather than obeying God and trusting Him to give them victory over the inhabitants of Canaan, the Israelites ended up making an enemy of God.

“Because your men explored the land for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years—a year for each day, suffering the consequences of your sins. Then you will discover what it is like to have me for an enemy.” – Numbers 14:34 NLT

What makes this story so painful and impactful is that it involves the people of God. These were His chosen ones whom He had redeemed out of slavery in Egypt. He had graciously offered them freedom and a permanent homeland of their own where they could enjoy His presence, power, and provision. Yet, because the conquest of the land appeared to be a more difficult undertaking than they had imagined, they turned their back on God’s gracious offer. Once again, the author of Hebrews emphasizes the disbelieving nature of God’s chosen people.

And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. – Hebrews 3:16-19 NLT

And he warns his fellow Jews to learn from their ancestors’ mistakes.

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.… For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. – Hebrews 3:12, 14 NLT

God’s promise of rest required obedience. The land was theirs, but they would have to do battle to take full possession of it. A non-negotiable prerequisite for occupying the land was the cleansing of all its impurities, and that would require hard work and faith. Any effort they put forth would have to be based on their belief that God would go before them and provide them with victory. But for the Israelites, a long march back to Egypt and the promise of certain enslavement were more appealing than the risk of obeying the will of God. As a result, they would never enter His rest.

And, as for the ten spies who convinced the people to rebel against God, they faced a more immediate and unpleasant outcome for their role.

The ten men Moses had sent to explore the land—the ones who incited rebellion against the Lord with their bad report—were struck dead with a plague before the Lord. – Numbers 14:36-37 NLT

God had not changed His mind. His promise to provide an inheritance for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remained just as firm as ever. But there would be some who would never get to enjoy it; they had forfeited that right.

But when the people heard the news of God’s judgment against them, they were grieved and attempted to change God’s mind by feigning repentance and declaring their rejuvenated willingness to march into Canaan.

“We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us.” – Numbers 14:40 NLT

But it was too little, too late. Moses even warned them that they were only making matters worse by attempting to escape God’s judgment through their faux display of faithfulness. After watching the ten spies die from a plague, the people were suddenly motivated to obey God’s command and march into Canaan. They were suggesting immediate entrance into the land, even though that was not what God had ordered. They thought a show of enthusiasm might temper God’s anger. But Moses warned them against making such an ill-fated decision.

“Why are you now disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work. Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the Lord is not with you. When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The Lord will abandon you because you have abandoned the Lord.” – Numbers 14:41-43 NLT

But stubborn as always, the people rejected Moses’ counsel and attempted to enter Canaan – without God’s approval or help – and they failed miserably. They had forfeited their right to the inheritance. The land would never be theirs and they would never enjoy the rest that God had promised. The apostle Paul provides a powerful application of this story for those who long to enter the eternal rest that comes through faith in Christ.

I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. – 1 Corinthians 10:1-7 NLT

The Israelites had experienced the power and presence of God. He had defeated their Egyptian overlords and delivered them from captivity. He had led them, fed them, protected them, and provided for them. But when it came time to enter the land, they had rebelled against Him. And when Moses warned them against taking matters into their own hands by entering the land without God’s blessing or presence, they rebelled yet again.

But the people defiantly pushed ahead toward the hill country, even though neither Moses nor the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant left the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down and attacked them and chased them back as far as Hormah. – Numbers 14:44-45 NLT

They attempted to do God’s will without God’s permission and power, and they failed miserably. They thought they could correct their former act of disobedience with an enthusiastic but unsanctioned assault on the enemies of God. But without His permission and presence, their efforts proved powerless.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Hatred for Hidden Sin

11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Speak to the people of Israel, If any man’s wife goes astray and breaks faith with him, 13 if a man lies with her sexually, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, since she was not taken in the act, 14 and if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself, 15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest and bring the offering required of her, a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

16 “And the priest shall bring her near and set her before the Lord. 17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 18 And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord and unbind the hair of the woman’s head and place in her hands the grain offering of remembrance, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse. 19 Then the priest shall make her take an oath, saying, ‘If no man has lain with you, and if you have not turned aside to uncleanness while you were under your husband’s authority, be free from this water of bitterness that brings the curse. 20 But if you have gone astray, though you are under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself, and some man other than your husband has lain with you, 21 then’ (let the priest make the woman take the oath of the curse, and say to the woman) ‘the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your thigh fall away and your body swell. 22 May this water that brings the curse pass into your bowels and make your womb swell and your thigh fall away.’ And the woman shall say, ‘Amen, Amen.’

23 “Then the priest shall write these curses in a book and wash them off into the water of bitterness. 24 And he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain. 25 And the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand and shall wave the grain offering before the Lord and bring it to the altar. 26 And the priest shall take a handful of the grain offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27 And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has broken faith with her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become a curse among her people. 28 But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall conceive children.

29 “This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when the spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife. Then he shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall carry out for her all this law. 31 The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.” – Numbers 5:11-31 ESV

It was literally impossible for the Israelites to maintain their holiness and purity before God. Sin and sickness, both inevitable outcomes of living in a fallen world, were going to be a constant part of their lives. And because God dwelt in their midst, the ramifications of their sinfulness and sickness were serious. Disease and disobedience both separated the people from God. The very existence of disease was a direct result of sin’s entrance into the world.

Ultimately, disease and disobedience both lead to death. God gave Moses strict instructions about what to do with those who found themselves suffering from potentially contagious diseases; they were to be removed from the camp. This was not an indication that their illness was due to a specific sin they had committed, but a recognition that sickness was the inevitable byproduct of sin’s presence in the world. God expected His people to remain pure, both spiritually and physically, if they wanted to enter into His presence. But as always, God provided a means by which they could be restored to a right relationship with Him, despite sickness or sin.

In today’s passage, we see that God even expected the marriages of His people to be pure and above reproach. To our modern sensibilities, these verses contain some rather bizarre and somewhat disturbing counsel concerning marital unfaithfulness. But while it may be easy to fixate on the almost cultic nature of God’s instructions, it’s important that we not miss the motivation behind them.

God provided Moses with detailed instructions for determining whether a man’s wife was guilty of adultery. It’s interesting to note that in the “test” God provided, the hidden sin of the woman when revealed, would result in sickness. In this case, her sickness would be proof of her sin. It’s no coincidence that the resulting sickness attacked the very organs that had been used to commit the sin in the first place. There is much about this passage that is difficult to understand, but it is clear that God was dealing with sin among His chosen people in a powerful and pronounced way. This “test,” when witnessed by others, would prove to be an effective deterrent to further adultery in the camp.

In the closing part of chapter 6, God gave Moses a blessing to pronounce over the people.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. – Numbers 6:24-26 ESV

This simple, yet profound blessing reminds us that it was God’s ultimate desire to bless His people and one of the greatest blessings He could bestow on them was the guarantee of His abiding presence. But for God to remain within their midst, He had to deal justly and firmly with the sins committed by them. It was up to God to provide them with peace when their repeated sins and inevitable exposures to disease would leave them alienated from Him.

God alone is the instigator, arbiter, and maintainer of the relationship He has with mankind. It is He who seeks us and not the other way around. Left to our own devices, we will always seek a god of our own choosing, and we will tend to measure our relationship with that god based on our own performance and acts of self-righteousness.

Humanity has always lived under the delusion that life can be lived apart from the one true God. Even those who long for God, believe that He is little more than an objective to be pursued; a giver of gifts whose favor must be earned. They make God the means rather than the end. He becomes little more than a resource to get what they really want: peace, prosperity, contentment, happiness, fulfillment, and significance. This is why men tend to make gods out of anything that might offer them the hope of happiness or a better life.

But we can’t earn favor with God, and we can’t turn Him into some kind of divine lottery ticket that we hope will grant us our heart’s wildest desires. It was impossible for the people of Israel to live up to God’s exacting standards. They would and did continually fail. But God had provided a means of atoning for their inevitable sins and dealing with the inescapable reality of sickness. Sickness is difficult to hide. Skin disorders and diseases would inevitably reveal themselves to the rest of the faith community and, as soon as the sickness became apparent, it had to be dealt with. But sin can remain hidden for a long time, where it is unobserved and invisible to everyone around us. Sin is like cancer that can go undetected among the people of God, slowly spreading and infecting the body over time.

The passage in Numbers 6 contains some rather disturbing and difficult-to-understand directives for dealing with marital unfaithfulness. What God commands almost sounds like a form of witchcraft. It involves the mixing of strange potions and the incantation of curses. There are offerings made and mystical symptoms to be observed.

The whole thing comes across as something the pagan nations might practice. But this was the will of God for His people. It was a divinely ordained process for exposing sin in a marriage that could easily infect the entire faith community.

“Marital deceit is a matter of such seriousness that the truth must be discovered. It is harmful to the sanctity of the community at large, and destructive of one of the bases of community life.” – Philip J. Budd, Numbers

God takes sin seriously and He expected His children to do the same. There was no place for sinful activity among the people of God and yet He knew it would inevitably take place. That is why He established strict guidelines for exposing sin so that the people might continue to enjoy His abiding presence and power in their midst.

“. . . this particular case law is included here because it gives another illustration of God’s personal involvement in the restitution for the sin of the nation. Within God’s covenant with Israel, there could be no hidden sin among God’s people nor any hidden suspicion of sin.

“The law of jealousy shows that through the role of the priest, God was actively at work in the nation and that no sin of any sort could be tolerated among God’s holy people.” – John H. Sailhamer, “The Mosaic Law and the Theology of the Pentateuch.” Westminster Theological Journal 53 (Fall 1991):241-61.

Sin carries a cost. It promises joy and fulfillment but rarely delivers, and hidden sin is the most egregious and dangerous of all. It may lie undetected but its influence continues to spread throughout the body of Christ. We may fool all those around us, but our all-knowing, all-seeing God cannot be deceived or duped. And because He cares for His people, He will see that sin is exposed and expunged. Out of His deep desire to bless His children, God lovingly purifies their lives from the damaging effects of sin.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Journey from Merit to Mercy

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. – Hebrews 12:18-24 ESV

The author of Hebrews compares the Christian life to that of a long and arduous journey. Because of his Hebrew audience, he most likely had in mind the more than 40-year journey the people of Israel took to get to the land promised by God to their forefather, Abraham.

That trek had ended up being an ultra-marathon, covering thousands of miles and four decades, and it required incredible endurance and a constant awareness that there truly was a goal in mind. They were headed somewhere. The seemingly endless journey had an actual destination. Even on those days when it all felt pointless and mind-numbingly repetitious, they had to keep walking and trusting that God knew what He was doing and that Moses knew where he was going. At times, they had their doubts and felt free to make them known.

In these verses, the author contrasts Mount Sinai with Mount Zion. The first mountain was from their past. It was the place, early on in the Exodus story, where God had met with Moses and given him the Ten Commandments and the Book of the Covenant. That fateful day, when Moses prepared to ascend Mount Sinai had been a terrifying and life-changing moment for the people of God.

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. – Exodus 19:16-19 ESV

The physical manifestations that accompanied the presence of God on the pinnacle of the mountain had left the people in a state of fear and anxiety. The Exodus account goes on to say, “when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die’” (Exodus 20:18-19 ESV).

The dramatic pyrotechnic display they witnessed that day left them terrified. None of them missed the significance or symbolism of it all. Their God was powerful, holy, transcendent, and not to be trifled with. The dramatic display on the top of Mount Sinai was intended to reinforce in their minds the holiness of God. It was also a reminder of their own sinfulness. That fact would be reinforced by God’s giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses.

But as the book of Exodus recounts, the first time Moses returned from the top of the mountain with the tablets in his hands, he found the people worshiping the golden calf. Just days after the dramatic and frightening display of God’s presence on the mountain that had left them trembling in fear, they had determined to make their own god. Moses had been gone for 40 days and the people began to doubt that he would ever return. So, in his absence, they convinced Aaron, Moses’ older brother, to fashion a false god out of their trinkets of gold.

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” – Exodus 32:1 NLT

Angered by the actions of His rebellious people, God informed Moses of His intentions to destroy them.

“I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.” – Exodus 32:9-10 NLT

But Moses interceded on behalf of the people, pleading with God to remember the covenant He had made with Abraham.

“Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’” – Exodus 32:12-13 NLT

But their sinful actions produced painful consequences. That very day, God used the Levites to execute 3,000 individuals who had instigated the rebellion. So, from that day forward, the remaining Israelites would always view Mount Sinai as a symbol of God’s holiness and their own unrighteousness, and the Law God gave them would prove to be a constant reminder of their own sinfulness and incapacity to live obediently.

But for the believer, Mount Zion is a radically different mountain that represents an altogether different encounter with God. Mount Sinai was physical in nature and could be seen and touched, albeit on pain of death. Yet Mount Zion is a spiritual mountain. There is no smoke, fire, thunder, lightning, or ban against drawing near. Mount Zion is not only approachable, it is preferable. It is our final destination. It represents “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22 ESV).

During the reigns of David and Solomon, Jerusalem was a powerful city, the capital of the Jewish empire. It was in Jerusalem that Solomon built the temple. It was there that the people came each year on the Day of Atonement to make sacrifices to God. As the people journeyed from the surrounding areas up to Jerusalem, they would sing the Songs of Ascent found in the Psalms. One of them says, “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore” (Psalm 125:1-2 ESV).

Jerusalem, the royal city, sat on the top of Mount Zion, where it represented the presence of God. It was there that God dwelt in the Holy of Holies of the temple. It was to Zion that the people walked in order to celebrate the various feasts and festivals. It was to Mount Zion they ascended to receive forgiveness of sin and to have their relationship with God restored.

For those who have placed their faith in Jesus, Mount Zion is the final destination on their spiritual journey. It represents the believer’s heavenly home – “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” Christ-followers are on a journey to a place where they will encounter God, but rather than experiencing fear and trembling, they will enjoy peace, acceptance, joy, and freedom from sin and sorrow. There will be no condemnation. There will be no need for the law to remind us of God’s holy expectations. We will be holy.

There will be no conviction of sin or any need for the law to expose our sin anymore because we will be sinless. In a sense, the Christian life is a journey from one mountain to another. It is a long, sometimes difficult trip away from the mountain where man’s relationship with God was marked by law, rule-keeping, disobedience, fear, and failure. It is a daily walk toward another mountain where we will find complete forgiveness, the redemption of our bodies, and our final glorification.

Paul reminds us, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21 ESV).

We are on our way to Mount Zion. That is our final destination. It is our home. And while the journey there may seem long and at times difficult, we must keep our eye on the prize. We must never turn back to Mount Sinai, marked by rules and a constant reminder of our guilt and sin. Mount Zion is our home, where we will be with all those who have gone before us and enjoy unbroken fellowship with God and “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 12:24 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Faith Is Simple, But Never Easy

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. – Hebrews 11:32-38 ESV

The list goes on. The author of Hebrews draws this chapter to a close, but can’t help but add a few more names to his growing list of the faithful. He mentions Gideon, who lived in Israel during a time of spiritual apathy and moral depravity. As a result of their rebellious behavior, God gave the Israelites over to the hands of the Midians as punishment.

For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. – Judges 6:3-4 ESV

But when the people cried out to God, He sent them Gideon as a judge to deliver them. But Gideon was a reluctant deliverer. When God called him, his response was less than enthusiastic.

“Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” – Judges 6:15 ESV

And God’s response to him was simple and direct: “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16 ESV). Gideon would go on to accomplish great things for God, delivering His people from the oppression of the Midianites and, according to the book of Hebrews, he did so by faith. Each step of the way, Gideon had to believe God’s promise that He would be with him.

This is true of each of the individuals listed in the verses above. Barak had to face the overwhelmingly superior armies of Sisera on the words of Deborah, a prophetess. The odds were against him, but He obeyed the word of the Lord and God gave Israel a great victory.

Then there was Samson, a somewhat surprising addition to the list. His story is a sad one and does not end well. He was driven by his desires and eventually defeated by them. But on the final day of his life, having been blinded by the Philistines and chained between two pillars, he called out to God in faith.

“O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” – Judges 16:28 ESV

That prayer of faith lifted up in his vulnerable and weak condition was answered by God.

Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life. – Judges 16:30 ESV

He died in faith, trusting in His God and giving the last minutes of his life to destroy the enemies of God.

What about Jephthah? He had been born as a result of his father’s immoral affair with a prostitute, and when he became an adult, Jephthah was thrown out of the family by his brothers. He ended up living in exile from his family and found himself in the companionship of “worthless men.” But when the Ammonites began to oppress the Israelites, they sought out Jephthah to deliver them because he was a mighty warrior. In his newfound position as the judge of Israel, Jephthah turned to the Lord, and he made a vow to God.

“If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” – Judges 11:30-31 ESV

Jephthah believed that God could and would deliver His people. But he wrongly assumed that God would want something in return, so he bargained with God. I suggest that Jephthah fully believed that God would come through and that he would be required to follow through on his vow. But little did he know that after God had given him the victory over the Ammonites, it would be his own daughter who came out of the house to greet him, and he would go on to keep his rash vow and sacrifice his daughter.

This is a bizarre and disturbing story, and it seems a bit strange to include the “hero” of the story in the great “Hall of Faith.” But while Jephthah’s understanding of God was somewhat flawed, he did believe in the power and deliverance of God. He trusted that Yahweh could and would come through. His problem was that his faith in God was marred by a faulty comprehension of God’s nature.

In the case of David, the stories that exemplify his faith in God are many. The psalms he wrote echo his belief in God and his unwavering faith that God was his savior and sustainer. From the moment David was anointed the next king of Israel, he had to live a life of faith in God, spending years trusting in the promise of God while running for his life from the wrath of King Saul. He had been anointed king by the prophet of God, but Saul was still on the throne. David learned to wait on God, believe in God, trust in God, and rely on God. And his life reflects that faith.

From his earliest days as a young boy serving in the house of the Lord under the watchful eye of Eli the priest, Samuel developed a growing faith in God. He would become a prophet for God, speaking on his behalf and leading the people of Israel to obey the will and word of God. Samuel would eventually be called on by God to anoint Israel’s first king. And while he was reluctant to do so, he obeyed. Throughout his life, Samuel would learn to trust God. He had to believe that God knew what He was doing, even when it seemed to make no sense. His faith is best seen in his unwavering obedience to the will of God. What God said, he would do. What God declared, he would believe. Trusting that God knows what He is doing even when you can’t comprehend it or completely appreciate it is a hallmark of faith.

The author of Hebrews goes on to illustrate that faith is oftentimes accompanied by rousing success, including great military victories. Faith is often illustrated by strength in the midst of weakness, deliverance by the hand of God, and mind-blowing miracles. But just as often, faith can be accompanied by less-than-ideal circumstances. He mentions torture, mocking, flogging, chains, imprisonment, stoning, destitution, and even death.

Faith doesn’t always result in a happy ending. Samson died under the very rubble that destroyed the Philistines. David died never getting to build the temple he dreamed of constructing for God. Jephthah would see the accolades for the victory over the Ammonites go to a woman.

The focus of our faith should always be God. Faith is trusting Him regardless of what we see happening or not happening around us. The presence of difficulty does not mean the absence of God. The lack of an answer is not proof of God’s lack of power or interest. Faith that is God-focused is willing to wait and comfortable accepting seemingly unacceptable outcomes knowing that God is not yet done.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Faith of a Father and Mother

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. – Hebrews 11:23 ESV

We read it in Exodus 1: “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8 ESV). Joseph was gone. Time had passed and the preferential treatment received by his family was about to be a thing of the past. The descendants of Jacob had been fruitful during their peaceful stay in Egypt but their dramatic increase in number got the attention of the new Pharaoh and raised alarm bells in his mind. What if we go to war and they decide to turn against us and side with our enemies, he reasoned in his mind. Paranoia set in and he determined to turn the Israelites into slaves in order to control them. The book of Exodus tells us exactly what happened:

…the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. – Exodus 1:13-15 ESV

But that wasn’t enough for Pharaoh. It was their sheer numbers that worried him, not their military might. After all, they were predominantly shepherds. So he came up with a plan. He commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill all male children as soon as they came out of the womb. He was going to take care of his perceived problem by infanticide. But fearing God, the Hebrew midwives refused to obey the command of Pharaoh and when he confronted them about their blatant lack of follow through, they said, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them” (Exodus 1:19 ESV).

These brave women practiced an early form of civil disobedience and God blessed them for it. So when Pharaoh’s initial plan failed, he came up with another one.

Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.” – Exodus 1:22 ESV

This is where our passage for today comes in. Verse 23 of Hebrews 11 refers to the faith of Moses’ unnamed parents, who chose to protect their infant son from the evil plans of Pharaoh.

Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews' children.” Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.” – Exodus 2:1-10 ESV

Later in the book of Genesis, we discover that the names of Moses’ parents were Amram and Jochebed. This obscure couple, like all the other couples living at that time, were struggling with fear and apprehension due to the edict of the Pharaoh that their male children should be sacrificed to the Nile. And I believe it was Pharaoh’s intent that each and every Hebrew male child thrown into the Nile was to have been a sacrifice to Hapi, their water and fertility god. The symbols for Hapi were the lotus and papyrus plants. Papyrus was a reed that grew along the banks of the Nile and it was used for everything from paper, rope, furniture, and boats. Hapi was believed to be the greatest of the Egyptian gods and was thought to be the maker of the universe and the creator all all things. Each year, at the time of the flooding of the Nile, the people would throw amulets, sacrifices, and other offerings into the river to appease Hapi and to ensure a fruitful season of planting and harvest.

In the story, Jochebed makes a small boat made of reeds and places her newborn son in the river in order to protect him from Pharaoh. But rather than seeing her act as a sacrifice to Hapi, she was placing him in the hands of Yahweh, the God of the people of Israel. The author of Hebrews seems to indicate she and her husband somehow knew that there was something special about this child. The New International Version translates the phrase as “they saw he was no ordinary child.”

In the book of Acts, Luke provides further insight into their actions.

At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house. – Acts 7:20 ESV

The word, beautiful is the same Greek word used in the Hebrews passage. Somehow God communicated the uniqueness of this child to his parents and they determined to save his life. Jochebed made a reed boat and placed him in the river, trusting in the sovereign will of God to protect him. And God did just that. Luke goes on to record, “and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds” (Acts 7:21-22 ESV).

When Jochebed set the basket in the river she had no idea what would happen, but she had an assurance of things hoped for and a conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). She placed her faith in God and He came through. Somewhat ironically, but not coincidentally, Moses was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter and adopted into the family of the very man who was out to destroy him. God was at work.

Amram and Jochebed did not know what God had planned. They simply knew that their son was somehow unique and special. They placed him in the river fully trusting in God to do with him as He saw fit. What they did, they did by faith. And just as in the case of Abraham and Isaac, when these two parents entrusted their son to God, they received him back. Jochebed would be given the unbelievable opportunity to nurse the very son she had placed in the basket. She did so without any knowledge of what was going to happen to her infant son. She had been willing to give up that which she loved to Him in whom she believed. And she would live to see her son become more than she could have ever dreamed or imagined. God would use Moses to set His people free from their captivity and fulfill the promise He had made to Abraham all those years ago.

The very act of Amram and Jochebed placing their son in that reed basket and setting him afloat on the Nile was an act of faith in God. They were trusting in the One whom they could not see to do what they could only hope for – the preservation of the life of their son and the redemption of the Hebrew people.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.