2 Samuel 1:1-16 - A Lying Amalekite

2 Samuel 1:1-16

Then David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?" (verse 14)

Message: A Lying Amalekite

Time: Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). It chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. 

What the Lord is Saying: David has defeated the Amalekites (I Samuel 30) and Saul has died (I Samuel 31) and "David remained two days in Ziklag" (v.1). Then on the 3rd day, a man comes to David and prostrates himself having escaped from the came of Israel.  This man tells David about the events of I Samuel 31 but is not honest about retelling those events. He says he was the man that Saul had asked to kill him, thus being his armor bearer and says in verse 10, "I stood beside him and killed him" but we know this is a lie. David laments then the life of Saul and his son Jonathan, tearing his clothes, weeping and fasting. This man claims though to be the son of an alien, an Amalekite. But this lie comes back to bite him and end his life because David asks him how he was able or had the right to destroy Saul, whom the Lord had anointed. So David had one of his men strike him and he died. Verse 16 - "And David said to him, "Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the Lord's anointed.'" 

It is possible this man died because he was looking for a reward from David as he had traveled 80 miles to get to David and with David being the new King he probably thought David wanted Saul dead. Matthew Henry writes that among other things, this episode proves that “to give assistance to any in murdering themselves, directly or indirectly, if done wittingly, incurs the guilt of blood.”

I have struggled with lying most of my life. I think I do it to make myself look better than I am. I don't think my life alone, as it is, is good enough I suppose so I bend the truth. It is subtle. But being getting people's acceptance or approval, I don't seem to have any other motivation. Granted, as I have gotten older I think the lies have stopped. It was bad when I was younger. Sometimes it is done to hide the truth. Sometimes I feel I do it because people aren't listening to me and so I stretch the truth to sound like things are worse off than they really are if I am trying not to do something or give someone something. But, to say you have killed someone when you haven't and to do it in order to possibly get a reward seems like a big problem. 

Summary: An Amalekite shows up on the scene saying he helped kill Saul, but David saw through him and had him killed for even saying he would assist in killing the Lord's anointed.

Promise: Let us seek always to tell the truth and not to try to manipulate events in an ungodly manner to our own advantage.

Prayer: Lord, I admit, as you know, lying has been a problem for me. It can be habitual at times, making myself sound better or worse because I don't believe people will accept me as I am. I do want people's approval. Lord, I should love myself I know the way you love me. Forgive me. Yes, I think it is better than it was for me, but it is still part of my life. Thank you for forgiving me and cleansing me from all unrighteousness. Thank you for this lesson today and this reading. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Deuteronomy 5:20 - False Witness

Deuteronomy 5:20 - You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 

Message: False Witness

Time: This book chronicles farewell messages by Moses, the 120 year old leader of the Israelite, primarily intended for the lay person. It covers about one month, at the end of the forty-year period in the wilderness - 1405 BC. It is a renewal of the old covenant given at Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab.

What the Lord is Saying:

In Matthew 22 is the record of the Pharisees asking Jesus what is the greatest commandment. Jesus starts by saying - "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." But then he says there is a second commandment that is like the first one and that is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." I've always found it interesting that he puts on part with loving God, loving others. And so while the 10 commandments are numbered, it also seems like there is an equality given for all of the commandments, that not any one is greater than the other and that they all work together. 

Today I look at this commandment about "not bearing false witness against your neighbor." There are different relationships mentioned in the commandments - our relationship with God, the church, children, parents, husband and wife, others in society, and more distinctly our neighbor. Granted, everyone can thought to be our neighbor but it seems like there is some distinction between our neighbor in these last 2 commandments. 

In a simple way, telling a lie can be bearing false witness against your neighbor though I do not think these are all lies. But it is fair to say that in this commandment is the expectation that our speech needs to be truthful about others. In my life, I've noticed this being rather difficult in the workplace. At times as a manager my job is to listen to employees and one area is listening to how an employee believes or thinks or hears other employees are talking about him or her. Obviously, if the employee has been offended directly then I must take this seriously, but when an employee hears through another employee something about oneself, it reminds me that these are rumors and potentially gossip. When I am feeling wronged by a person, often the first thing that I will do is want to tell someone else. I do this because I think I want others to sympathize with me or agree with me. This is clearly a sin though. At its core this is gossip. And in this communication is often sometimes a tendency to slander the person as well - so when I share I go beyond the comment and even have a tendency to make the situation sound worse that it was. I need to be more careful with my speech for my words can have lasting results. 

From a lying standpoint, when I say something about another person that is not true, I am lying. Often I will tell people what they want to hear. It would be better for me probably to not speak. But I also see this as a problem in the workplace and at home in family relationships. 

The other side of this commandment deals with legal testimony as to bear false witness or accusing someone who has committed no crime. In other words, falsely accusing an innocent person. Deuteronomy 19:16-19 says:

6 If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, 17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. 18 The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother.

I think of the workplace as well and a desire sometimes to assume people are in the wrong. Again, there is a desire in man to be better than another person. This is a source of competition and can be a good thing, but given the situation, I think we must also recognize the other side of the coin or stand in the other person's shoes. Again, I think it is important to remember the command that we are given overall and that is to you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Even in competition we can have love. And we can consider the other person. 

Summary: To bear false witness against your neighbor is to think or say something about your neighbor that is not true. 

Promise: Gossip and slander are the calling cards of this sin. Rather than speaking to people face to face and understanding their situation, we like to place ourselves above the person through gossip and slander and lessen the worth of a person. We really need to repent and ask God to help put this sin to death. 

Prayer: O God, I need help with this sin that I often struggle with in my life. I do have this temptation to make myself look better than another person, to set myself on a pedestal, especially when I feel wronged. I've struggled with this during my life. Help me to be a person of truth and to know when not to speak. These are little momentary choices I can make each day, but give me the courage and the discipline to make those decisions so that I honor you with my words and in my heart with my thoughts. Change me. Turn my wrongs into right. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of July is about the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God. 

Bringing me to Christ

The Restraint of the Law - the law is given for lawless, unholy, disobedient people, to restrain us from acting on our sinful thoughts. Restraint and Guilt - the law is meant to restrain Christians and non-Christians alike; so that others may see Christ. The Law's Revelation of Sin - The Law reveals sin, at times making it more desirable, and show the sin which people commit and the complete standard it expects. The Law and Our Powerlessness - We are powerless over the Law and Sin revealed. It is in Christ that we receive forgiveness and the power to resist sin. The Law our Guardian - The law is not a tool of justifying me, but rather it is an instrument to bring me to Christ and show me my need for Him. 

Guiding our Lives

The Guidance of the Law - The Law is a guide in our lives for what pleases God and what it looks like to walk in holiness. The Antinomian Error - We were slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to obedience and righteousness. Judaizing Legalism - The error of Judaizing Legalism is the idea that obedience brings about God's acceptance of us for salvation. The Deadliest Form of Legalism - This legalism is that one would get too focused on external practices instead of focusing on the heart.

The Law is our Guide

The Centrality of Love - Love and the law go hand in hand. We do not belong to God unless we love our neighbor, and we cannot love our neighbor without knowing and doing God‘s law and loving him. Finding Guidance in the Law - God's Word, all if it, is a guide to my life and I am to meditate on it continually. 

Caring and Protecting Us

The One and Only God - I seek to trust and love God above all else today. Images and Idols - Pictures, statues, symbols, art, people are not bad; but be careful about placing too much emphasis on these things I see. Using God's Name Frivolously - Blasphemy or using God's name frivolously are examples of taking God's name in vain. Keeping the Lord's Day - It is vital that we are setting apart a day to gather for worship and fellowship, resting from our ordinary vocations. Honoring Father and Mother - Parents are to rear their children in faith, teaching them to respect authority and children are to follow. Murder, Self-Defense and Hatred - Murder is not unforgivable and yet like any other sin, even hatred, we need to avoid it. It has consequences in this life. Adultery - Breaking the covenant of marriage by replacing what God has commanded with our own choices. The Many Forms of Theft - Any time we take anything from another, a store, another person, our employer, or another owner of those goods or services, we are committing the crime of thievery.

Acts 5:1-11 - God the Holy Spirit

Acts 5:1-11
But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. 6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.

7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.

Message: God the Holy Spirit

Time: Clearly written by Luke, this book follows the lives of Peter and then Paul after Jesus' ascension into heaven. The book was completed about 62 AD as Paul sat in prison. It provides an account of the growth of the Church and spread from Jerusalem, from a small group of frightened believers in Jerusalem transformed into an empire-wide movement of people who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and it should help us to be bold and have zeal in our walks with God.

What the Lord is Saying:

As I think and study about the doctrine of God, there remains this view of God as exhibited in three persons of the Godhead who share the essence of God. Three persons, not in the same way we think of persons with separate bodies, but three entities that have distinctive roles and yet share the same essence or substance - God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.

In this account in Acts Ananias and Sapphira (members of the Jerusalem church) sell a piece of property and keep back a portion of the proceeds for themselves rather than surrendering the full proceeds to the church. What stands out in this story today is Peter's remark that Ananias has spoken a lie to the Holy Spirit and later also spoken You have not lied to men but to God. Thus, there seems to be a reference here equating the Holy Spirit with God. This is a tragic story as this lie ends up killing Ananias and Sapphira.

There are a couple of other scriptures mentioned in this devotion. 2 Peter 1:21 speaks of how the words of scripture came to be: for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. Yet, the Old Testament also says that the word of the Lord came from Lord Yahweh. But the Holy Spirit was involved. John 14:16 refers to the Holy Spirit as another helper, a title also given of Jesus. Clearly there are connections here and the Spirit will be studied further.

In my reading of the book, the Forgotten God by Francis Chan I believe the work of the Holy Spirit is more clearly reflected and defined.

Promise: Jesus gave us another Advocate or Helper like Himself to be with us after he ascended to Heaven.

Prayer: Thank you for your revealing yourself God in the works of the Father, Son, and Spirit. Help me to better understand these persons of You and how all of you make up the 1 God. Thank you for these devotions and giving them to me to help me better understand you.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.

Romans 3:15-17 - Ruin, Misery, and Bloodshed

Romans 3:15-17

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And the path of peace they have not known.”

Message: Apart from Christ, we are quick to ruin others.

Time: Paul probably wrote Romans between A.D. 57-58 while he was at Corinth in the home of his friend and convert Gaius. He planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money from the Gentile churches to the poor in Jerusalem. Then he hoped to visit Rome on his way to Spain. His hopes were later realized, but not as he had expected. When he finally arrived in Rome in early A.D. 60, he was a prisoner under house arrest (Acts 28:11-31).

What the Lord is Saying:

Background

Paul is in the middle of describing the fact that both Jews and Greeks are guilty of breaking God's Law and stand condemned before Him. Apart from divine grace, we are incapable of following God and living our lives in a way that honors Him. We do not begin life living in a manner worthy of our calling. Paul has mentioned earlier in chapter 1 that we do begin life with a knowledge of right and wrong, a knowledge of who God is, but that doesn't mean we begin life giving glory to Him. There is none righteous. There is no one who does good. 

In verse 13 and 14, Paul showed us how our tongue gets us into trouble and how our tongue springs forth evil. He now shifts to our feet. Our feet take us places and they take us places. And yet we begin walking away from God and His ways. 

Verse 15

"Their feet are swift to shed blood." Isaiah 59:7, "Their feet run to evil." 

"Their feet" speak of our approach to life. "Swift" or oxus, apart from God, we are prone to violence. Swift is the picture of being rapid in motion. It also means a keen edge for cutting. "Shed" is to pour out. "Blood" is the basis of life. 

Our approach to life is we rapidly pour out the basis of life (in others). 

Wayne Barber, from his notes on Romans states, "the vengeance of lost man is incredible. We have seen it in many places, even in the heart of a little child when some other child takes his toy and he looks at him and says, "I hate you. I hate you. You took my toy. I wish you were dead." Where did that come from? Was he taught that in school? Was he taught that at home? No. It came from the fact that he was born depraved as a result of Adam’s sin. The vengeance of even a child shows us that man does not have any good in him whatsoever. If you ever think differently, you have missed the point of why the gospel is such good news."

What I see here is how quick I will hurt another person. I do it all the time. Maybe the hurt is not inflicting bodily harm, but it is through my words. And the point is, I don't want to be wronged. I am very quick to defend what I think is right, in my own eyes. I do it with my kids, my wife, my co-workers, my church friends, strangers. 

And the thing I notice is I often don't notice it immediately in myself, but when I see it in another person it is glaring. I saw it yesterday in a person as they so quickly assaulted another person's life and how they were living it and how they thought that person wasn't being sensitive to their family. And this person's response was to then lash out in return. And as I looked at this situation, I saw how ugly it looked and was outraged somewhat at how a person could be that way toward another. And yet, I don't look at myself quickly and examine myself as to how I work in this same way, at times, in my life. I think of my relationship with my father, and at times, how quickly I think of the worst rather than the best in him. I am embarrassed by this. I do this with my wife. People I am close to and know better than others is often the biggest problem. It is these people that are an open book to me. I am close to them so I see there weaknesses and yet I often quickly assault rather than understand. I am swift, with a keen edge for cutting. 

Verse 16

Isaiah 59:7 also states, "Devastation and destruction are in their highways." Romans 3:16, "Destruction and misery are in their paths." 

Destruction means to break into pieces or crush completely. Misery is what follows destruction. Misery is the harm that follows destruction. When I break something it produces a harm or feelings of sorrow for that which is broken. Path is anywhere that we travel. 

This is a sobering picture. As I travel, I will break into pieces people, causing feelings of harm. Wherever man goes, sin soon follows. 

What is amazing in life is how hurt is everywhere. Sometimes it comes about intentionally but all to often, it is unintentional. People feel wronged by the way they see things in others. They have opinion inside of them of how people should be. And misery is the result. Misery often produces a hatred toward God. People get broken and have sorrow and blame God. But, more importantly, here, I guess is simply the realization of how much we need to be In Christ. And apart from Christ, we are prone to hurt others. 

Verse 17

"And the path of peace they have not known." Isaiah 59:8, "They have made their paths crooked. Whoever treads on them does not know peace."

Right now, in the world, and really throughout history, we are constantly seeing people and nations struggling with peace. ISIS terrorist group in Iraq. The terrorist group in northern Nigeria abducting innocent girls. The problem between Israel and Palestiine. Ukraine and Russia.

In this verse, Paul is explaining that man doesn't know peace. He doesn't know what it means to have harmony with his fellow man. 

Promise: This is a reminder that we are continually in need of God's forgiveness. Man needs God.

Romans 3:5-7 - Is God Unrighteous?

Romans 3:5-7 - 5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?

Message: The Fourth Objection is offered: God isn't really righteous, is He?

Time: Paul probably wrote Romans between A.D. 57-58 while he was at Corinth in the home of his friend and convert Gaius. He planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money from the Gentile churches to the poor in Jerusalem. Then he hoped to visit Rome on his way to Spain. His hopes were later realized, but not as he had expected. When he finally arrived in Rome in early A.D. 60, he was a prisoner under house arrest (Acts 28:11-31).

What the Lord is Saying:

Background

Paul is using a diatribe in his writing thus far. This is where he is speaking like he is having a conversation with an imaginary objector. Chapter 2's focus was not on how God judge saves, but how God judges and he gives no free pass to any man based upon their affiliation. So, the Jew as God's chosen people don't get a free pass, not because of their affiliation with the recipients of the Law nor because of their act of circumcision. God is not partial to anyone. He judges everyone equally. A man must be justified by his perfect obedience to the standards that a person has received. For the Jew, that is the Law; for the non-Jew, that is the standard the person knows (i.e. conscience). 

And so now in chapter 3 Paul clarifies that there is something special about God choosing His people. They do have a responsibility before God to care for the commands of God. They have a responsibility to live a life worth living and represent Christ on this earth. Not to save themselves through those acts, but they live in a righteous way in response to God making them righteous. God is God and he is not simply God because of a person's righteous behavior or obedience. He is God no matter what. 

The Fourth Objection

Paul poses the fourth objection from his imaginary accuser in verse 5. If a person's unrighteous behavior (practicing sin) then causes God to be shown as righteous, then how can that person receive wrath? 

Unrighteousness is adika, a dike or "without what is right." It is injustice behavior that injures another person, such as theft, fraud, sexual crimes, deceit, or lying.

Why is God responding to our unrighteousness with wrath when it actually seems that we can then more clearly see that God is righteous?

This is another very important question to examine here because this is a question or statement that often comes up in our lives. Men take commandments of God and then make them out to be something they are often not. Satan's desire is to do anything he can to take the focus off of God and sometimes what he does is very subtle. Sometimes it is very apparent, but other times it is very subtle. I think of the phrase, "money is the root of all evil" which is quoted from I Timothy 6:10 and man often uses this to say evil is the result of a love for money when in actuality God is simply saying that evil can spring forth from a love of money. Money doesn't cover all evils, but it is a root or it plays a part in evil, but not all parts. It is important always to read God's word in context. And even here Paul is showing the tendency of the Jew to take his words and then sort of twist them. Isn't this what Satan did when he tempted Jesus?

The Antagonists Response to the Objection

In the remaining part of verse 5, the antagonist actually gives an answer to his own question, but again it is falsehood basically saying, "So, Is God doing something wrong here as well?" This Jewish antagonist is trying to punch holes in Paul's arguments. Paul uses the statement, "I am speaking in human terms" to show that natural man is always making attempts through natural man's thinking to rationalize a holy God. To go back to Romans 1:25, "For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." Man thinks he can rationalize the things of God. Man uses man language to try and describe God. 

I Corinthians 2:14 states, "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." Man must submit or surrender to God first and then God will reveal Himself to man. Only then can we understand God's mysteries. 

The Real Response to the Objection

Verse 6 begins with "May it never be" which I saw in verse 4 to mean basically, "that's impossible." Basically, the objection that is raised is man stating he does not like to be judged. The verse that men over and over take out of context is "don't judge me." Man is stating over and over, don't throw a light on me and tell me that I am wrong for what I am doing. Again, they take a phrase in the Bible and they use it as they see fit. And people everywhere don't want to see that they have done anything wrong. I see it everyday at work and even at home. Responsibility for one's actions is very hard for some people, but everyone shy's away from it. Adam himself in the Garden stated, "The woman that Thou gavest me led me astray." 

God administers justice not because man is unrighteous, but because God is just. God is righteous. God must judge, condemn, and punish because He is Holy. So Paul is saying, "Man, don't try and bridge the two (man's sin; God's righteousness), for they are separate. God is just. God must punish sin." 

The quick response to the Response

In verse 7, a quick response by the objector to Paul's response, in a way setting up verse 8, is that through my lie (or unrighteous act toward my fellow man as learned in verse 5), God is shown to be true, why am I being judged. Again, I look here at natural man. And he hates the target on his back. He hates accountability. 

I have been in a men's accountability group now for the last 8 years and through that time I have encouraged other men to do the same. I have seen what value there is in men meeting with other men and sharing their sin and their praises and seeking scriptural help from other men to correct their behavior and be accountable. And through this process, other men I approach to be in a group dodge this accountability. They don't want it. They run away from this. They think of every excuse possible so as to have to meet with other men. They don't want to be accountable to other men. I often don't want to be accountable. I can show up at times at my meetings thinking, "I don't want to share the sin I have been in this week." But sometimes I do because of the transparency of others. And sometimes I continue to try to frame myself as different that who I really am.

I watched the movie Phone Booth this past weekend. While I know the director didn't mean anything scriptural when he directed this story written by another, the content yet was very biblical as this man was basically being held hostage by another and the only way out was to admit his secret sins or the sins he thought he was the only one that knew about. It was interesting to see Hollywood say, "no man can be an island." Man needs to be authentic. It's unfortunate the movie had so much bad language, but the message was still very clear.

I am reminded of this in verse 7, even after the answer was given in verse 6, man quickly responds with another quick objection giving the impression now that my lie results in God's glory and yet I am being judged a sinner? God is good. Man is not. They are distinct. It is not that God is good because man is not. God is holy and demands perfection. Man is unholy and lawless. God is always the answer to man. Yes, God can be glorified through man's sin, but this doesn't exempt man from judgment nor from his sin.

Promise: God always judges righteously.