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.
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