Good By God's Standards

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your tongue plots destruction,
    like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
    and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
    O deceitful tongue.

5 But God will break you down forever;
    he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall see and fear,
    and shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
    God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

8 But I am like a green olive tree
    in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
    forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever,
    because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good,
    in the presence of the godly. – Psalm 52:1-9 ESV

Doeg the Edomite had done a good thing, or at least he thought so. He had done exactly what the king of Israel had commanded him to do, and he knew it was going to win him favor in the king’s eyes. The fact that he had personally killed 85 priests of God, along with all their family members, didn’t seem to bother him. He seemed unconcerned that King Saul’s personal bodyguards had each refused to kill the Lord’s priests. When the king turned to Doeg and presented him with the opportunity to prove his loyalty, he stepped up to the challenge.

This story began when David was serving in King Saul’s royal administration. He had been hired by Saul after his unexpected victory over Goliath, the Philistine warrior who had repeatedly taunted and mocked the Israelites for their unwillingness to face him in hand-to-hand combat. David, a young shepherd boy, took on the Philistine's challenge and, with God’s help, scored a decisive victory over his much larger and battle-hardened foe. David’s success over the Philistine made David famous and Saul jealous. It wasn’t long before the insecure king viewed David as a threat to his reign.

Possessed by an evil spirit and driven by jealousy, Saul attempted to take David’s life, forcing the young man to flee for his life. Desperate to escape from the demon-possessed king, David sought refuge in the town of Nob, where Ahimelech the priest provided him with food and the sword of Goliath, which had been kept there ever since David had killed the Philistine champion in battle. Little did David know that Doeg the Edomite, one of King Saul’s chief herdsmen, was there in Nob and saw the whole exchange between David and Ahimelech. He returned to Saul and reported that the priest had aided and abetted David, a fugitive from justice.

As a result of Doeg’s news, King Saul commanded the slaughter of all 85 of the priests of God living in Nob, along with their families. When Saul’s bodyguard refused to do his bidding, Doeg the herdsmen was given a chance to improve his station in life by proving his loyalty and displaying his bravery to the king. And evidently, according to David, Doeg the Edomite even bragged about his brave “exploits” against the unarmed priests of God, trying to present himself as a mighty warrior.

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?
    Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?
All day long you plot destruction.
    Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
    you’re an expert at telling lies.
You love evil more than good
    and lies more than truth. – Psalm 52:1-3 NLT

Doeg had a knack for blowing the whole affair out of proportion, expanding the story with fanciful lies designed to justify his actions and boost his fame. David accused him of being “an expert at telling lies” (Psalm 52:3). He saw Doeg for what he was: a man who loved evil more than righteousness. He distorted reality by making evil appear as if it were good. At the end of the day, Doeg the Edomite cared more about himself than he did about God. His willingness to slaughter God’s priests reveals that he had no fear of the Almighty and no desire to do the right thing. He was obsessed with his own well-being and self-gratification. No doubt Saul rewarded him well for his “brave” handling of the whole affair.

While David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), Doeg was a man after Saul’s own heart. Like Saul, he wasn’t interested in doing what God wanted done; he was a selfish, self-centered man who longed to make a name for himself. His murder of God’s priests was probably well rewarded by Saul. More than likely, he was raised from chief herdsman to warrior status. His X-rated exploits got him a promotion, a raise, and the king's praise. But David warned Doeg about the reality of his situation.

You love to destroy others with your words,
    you liar!
But God will strike you down once and for all.
    He will pull you from your home
    and uproot you from the land of the living.  – Psalm 52:4-5 NLT

God was going to repay Doeg in full for what he had done. David says, “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness” (Psalm 52:7 NLT). David sarcastically refers to Doeg as a “mighty warrior” and accuses him of trusting his newfound wealth instead of God. He was addicted to his fame and fortune and became increasingly wicked, looking for additional opportunities to pad his resume and expand his wealth.

But Doeg’s “good deed” was in direct opposition to God’s will. He had slaughtered innocent people just to pad his resume and improve his lot in life. He was rewarded richly for his efforts, but God would hold him accountable.

David knew that those who oppose God’s will may receive rewards and recognition in this life, but, in the end, they will always get what they deserve. David preferred to trust in God. Rather than take matters into his own hands and do what appears to be good and expeditious by the world’s standards, David preferred to obey God. He would do only what God would have him do. On two different occasions, David had the opportunity to murder King Saul, and had he done so, he could have ended his fugitive lifestyle. Even David’s companions encouraged him to kill Saul, seeing it as a God-ordained opportunity to take revenge on his enemy. But David refused, knowing that God had not given him permission to kill the king. He believed that God would take care of King Saul in His own time and according to His own terms. In the meantime, David would trust God.

Despite the anger of Saul and the efforts of men like Doeg, God came through for David. Eventually, God eliminated Saul and elevated David to the throne. David trusted, and God provided. This is what led David to say, “I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people” (Psalm 52:8-9 NLT).

Doeg trusted in himself. David trusted in God. Doeg was out for himself. David was out for God. Doeg looked successful, but would eventually fail. At one time, David appeared abandoned by God and was an apparent failure in the world’s eyes. But he trusted God and was rewarded for his faithfulness. David did what was right, according to God’s standards, and enjoyed true success. Doeg did what was right in his own eyes and according to the world’s standards, but failed in the end. We aren’t told what happened to Doeg the Edomite, but we can rest assured that God repaid him in full for what he had done – either in this life or the next.

David knew that God would deal with Doeg justly. “But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living” (Psalm 52:5 NLT). David trusted God.

Father, this world is constantly tempting us to live according to its standards. It wants us to do good on its terms, but You call us to trust You and live according to Your standards. Keep reminding us that Your way is the not only the best way, it is the only way. Your will trumps our will every time. Doing what is right in our own eyes or according to the world’s standards is never a profitable path to take. Trusting in You isn’t always easy, but it is always profitable. 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.

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.

The LORD of Hosts Is With Us

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah – Psalm 46:1-11 ESV

The title of this psalm reveals that it was written by one of the sons of Korah and “according to Alamoth.” The meaning of this description is somewhat obscure, but the Hebrew word ʿălāmôṯ refers to maidens or young women. Some conjecture that this psalm was to be sung by men but in falsetto voices “according to the alamoth style” (NET Bible). This musical notation was intended to dictate the vocal style of the song when performed. 

But while the title’s exact meaning remains undetermined, the psalm’s message is clear. The opening line establishes the theme.

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble. – Psalm 46:1 NLT

Inspired by this psalm, the great reformer Martin Luther penned the opening lines of his hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

A mighty Fortress is our God
A Bulwark never failing
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing

Isaac Watts also found inspiration from this psalm when writing “O God Our Help In Ages Past.”

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Both Luther and Watts found the message of Psalm 46 hopeful and inspirational. Its declaration of God’s greatness even in the face of calamity struck a chord with them, and they echoed its message in their own words and for a more contemporary audience.

The psalm contrasts the eternality and power of God with the temporal chaos of the fallen world in which men live. Earthquakes, natural disasters, storms, and man-made wars may rock our world, but God remains firmly established on His heavenly throne and in complete control of all things. Chaos may abound around us, but there is no reason to fear because “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:7 ESV).

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the psalmist painted a beautiful picture that portrays the past, present, and future plans of God. Isaac Watts seemed to grasp this point when he penned the opening line of his hymn. He mentioned God’s help in the past ages as the source of our hope for years to come. God is constant and consistent. He is eternal and unchanging.

So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! – Psalm 46:3 NLT

The God who created the world can maintain and sustain it, even in the face of earth-shattering disasters. His presence is a source of power that assures His people of protection and peace even amid the storms of life. The psalmist describes the assuring nature of God’s presence.

A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it. – Psalm 46:4-5 NLT

The city of God refers to Jerusalem, but there was no river flowing in or out of the capital city. Yet, the apostle John was given a glimpse of the New Jerusalem, the city which will be the home of God’s people where they will dwell with Him for eternity. That city will feature a river flowing from the throne of God.

Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. – Revelation 22:1-2 NLT

In that city, the permanent presence of God will provide protection from pain, sorrow, suffering, storms, and wars.

“Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:3-4 NLT

But until that day comes and the holy city descends from heaven to earth, the world will be marked by continuing chaos and confusion.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts. – Psalm 46:6 ESV

But God will be with us. He will not leave us or forsake us.

The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. – Psalm 46:7 ESV

In the present, storms will come, wars will rage, chaos will persist, and fears will assail us. But we can rest in the hope of God’s pervasive presence and power. The psalmist fills his song with words of comfort and encouragement, speaking of God’s sovereignty over the nations of the world.

Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire. – Psalm 46:8-9 NLT

But this image of God defeating the armies of the world is prophetic, foreshadowing an event that remains unfulfilled but clearly predicted in the Book of Revelation.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. - Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

In a vision, John was given a preview of coming attractions. He was allowed to witness the second coming of Christ when, as the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus will defeat the armies of this world and set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, shouting to the vultures flying high in the sky: “Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared. Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and strong warriors; of horses and their riders; and of all humanity, both free and slave, small and great.”

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies. – Revelation 19:17-21 NLT

We still live in a world marked by wars and marred by natural disasters. But there is a day coming when God will bring an end to all the chaos and confusion. He will send His Son to earth a second time to finish the redemptive plan He began on the cross. It is our hope in God’s promise of these future events that allows us to experience peace in the present world in which we live. God is reminding us that He is in charge and will one day make all things new.

“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.” – Psalm 46:10 NLT

In his vision of the end times, John was allowed to hear the words of another song entitled “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:3 NLT). Sung by a choir of men and women who had been martyred by the Antichrist, this song echoes the words of Psalm 46.

“Great and marvelous are your works,
    O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
    O King of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
    and glorify your name?
    For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
    for your righteous deeds have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:3-4 NLT

The God who will bring about the restoration of all things is near — even as the chaos and confusion seem to reign over us. He is not distant or disinterested in the current condition of this world. He is not powerless or impotent. No, the psalmist would have us remember “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:11 ESV). But there is a day coming when God will send His Son again, and the New Jerusalem will descend. The end will come just as He promised and the eternal state will begin — never to end. And, once again, John was given a glimpse of that new city that should produce faith and hope in the heart of every believer.

I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. – Revelation 22:22-27 NLT

Father, the world is a place of chaos and confusion, and it can feel as if You are nowhere to be found. But this psalm reminds me that You are always with us. You never leave us or forsake us. You never forget about us. In fact, You are working a plan that includes the here and now and the hereafter. As You told the people of Israel, “I know the plans I have for you, They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT). That promise holds true for us as well. Help me to rest in Your eternal plan. Restore my hope so that I can resist the urge to doubt and fear when the storms of life come and wars rage all around me. You are with me and You have great plans for me. 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 Just Judge

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.

1 O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge;
    save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
2 lest like a lion they tear my soul apart,
    rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
    if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my friend with evil
    or plundered my enemy without cause,
5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,
    and let him trample my life to the ground
    and lay my glory in the dust. Selah

6 Arise, O Lord, in your anger;
    lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
    awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
    over it return on high.

8 The Lord judges the peoples;
    judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
    and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
    and may you establish the righteous—
you who test the minds and hearts,
    O righteous God!
10 My shield is with God,
    who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
    and a God who feels indignation every day.

12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
    he has bent and readied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
    making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil
    and is pregnant with mischief
    and gives birth to lies.
15 He makes a pit, digging it out,
    and falls into the hole that he has made.
16 His mischief returns upon his own head,
    and on his own skull his violence descends.

17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
    and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. – Psalm 7:1-17 ESV

The introduction to this Psalm uses an obscure Hebrew word (shiggayon) of unknown origin with an equally illusive meaning. Some speculate that it refers to the song’s musical style or tempo, while others claim it is a word that conveys intensity of emotion. The introduction also introduces David’s adversary, Cush the Benjamite, but provides no details concerning their relationship. This individual is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture so it is impossible to discern the nature of their conflict.

David had a strained relationship with the tribe of Benjamin because they were the kinsmen of Saul, whom David replaced as king of Israel. David’s ascension to the throne after the deaths of Saul and his son Jonathan, was met with opposition from the 11 other tribes of Israel. Saul’s military commander, Abner, took it upon himself to crown Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, as the king of Israel. This led to an intense and lengthy division of the nation.

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. – 2 Samuel 2:8-11 ESV

There was ongoing war between the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Judah that left David with a fractured kingdom.

While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. – 2 Samuel 3:6 ESV

The kingdom remained divided for seven years until Ishbosheth was assassinated. His death prompted the elders of the 11 tribes to seek reconciliation with David and the tribe of Judah. 

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. – 2 Samuel 5:3-5 ESV

While the nation was finally unified and under the leadership of a single king, it did not mean that the old wounds were healed. When David later faced a coup attempt by his own son and was fleeing the city of Jerusalem, a Benjamite named Shimei took out his pent-up anger on the deposed king.

When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.” – 2 Samuel 16:5-8 ESV

It is impossible to know when this psalm was written, but it appears that Cush the Benjamite had a bone to pick with David. In this Psalm, David claims to have been falsely accused and slandered by those who hate him. The wording of this Psalm has led some to speculate that David wrote it before he became king. They believe David’s reference to his pursuers and his request for refuge and deliverance indicate his flight from King Saul.

Even though God had anointed David to be the next king of Israel, Saul remained on the throne. David even served in Saul's court until the king became jealous of his growing popularity among the people. On two different occasions, Saul attempted to kill David, forcing the young man to seek refuge in the Judean wilderness. Saul hired a team of 3,000 trained mercenaries to seek and destroy David. Yet David chose not to seek revenge or attempt to expedite the end of Saul’s reign. During those difficult days, David called out to God. He appealed to the one who could do something about his situation. As David suffered, he sought justice. He asked God, as judge, to rule on his behalf. If he was guilty, he was willing to suffer the consequences.

O Lord my God, if I have done wrong
    or am guilty of injustice,
if I have betrayed a friend
    or plundered my enemy without cause,
then let my enemies capture me.
    Let them trample me into the ground
    and drag my honor in the dust. – Psalm 7:3-5 NLT

But David remained confident in his innocence. He knew that God was all-knowing and aware of what was happening inside his heart.

For you look deep within the mind and heart,
    O righteous God. – Psalm 7:9b NLT

So he begs God, “Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High!” (Psalm 7:8b NLT). David had a firm grasp of God’s role as judge of all mankind. He also knew that God was a righteous judge who ruled rightly in all cases. He also knew that God was fully capable of bringing down the hammer on those who were guilty and unrepentant.

If a person does not repent,
    God will sharpen his sword;
    he will bend and string his bow.
He will prepare his deadly weapons
    and shoot his flaming arrows. – Psalm 7:12-13 NLT

God was not only capable of judging rightly and justly but also of imposing the appropriate punishment when guilt was established.

David had no confidence in men's justice and fairness. He knew men well because he had been burned by them before. David was well aware of the deceitfulness of the human heart, and he wrote about it often.

The wicked are stringing their bows
    and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
    at those whose hearts are right. – Psalm 11:2 NLT

Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners.
    Don’t condemn me along with murderers.
Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
    and they constantly take bribes. – Psalm 26:9-10 NLT

David put his trust and confidence in the justice of God. He knew he could trust God to judge fairly, impartially, righteously and accurately. He knew God would defend him, protect him, and ultimately save him – because he was innocent. So David declared, “I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the Lord Most High” (Psalm 7:17 NLT).

David expresses gratitude and offers praise to the sovereign ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. He knew God to be a just and honest judge who is always right and never wrong. He knew God was fully aware of all the facts and would never accuse wrongly or punish undeservedly. The wicked would receive what they deserved. The innocent—those whose hearts are true and right—would receive justice because God is just.

Father, You are just and right in all You do. You never punish inappropriately or decide a case wrongly. You are the honest Judge. You are the righteous Judge. You are the holy Judge. I can trust You. 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.

I Have Returned

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ 13 And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’” – Zechariah 1:7-17 ESV

Zechariah, which means “Yahweh remembers,” was common among the Jews but perfectly suits the author of this book that bears his name. As a post-exilic prophet, Zechariah receives a message from Yawheh intended to encourage the generation of Jews who have returned to Judah from their exile in Babylon. Despite all the 70 years of captivity their fathers and mothers endured, this remnant of Israelites has not been forgotten by God. The LORD of Hosts had graciously restored them to the land and was calling them to repent and renew their covenant commitment to Him.

Part of the message Zechariah will deliver is God’s call to complete the rebuilding of the Temple. But while this task will be completed in Zechariah’s lifetime, much of what he has to say to the citizens of Judah involves the distant future. This book is primarily eschatological in nature, dealing with events that neither Zechariah nor his readers will ever see. One such event is described in Chapter 12.

Watch, for the day of the Lord is coming when your possessions will be plundered right in front of you! I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the population will be taken into captivity, and the rest will be left among the ruins of the city.

Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south. You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all his holy ones with him. – Zechariah 12:1-5 NLT

The Book of Zechariah contains numerous references to the end-time fate of the nation of Israel and the role of a divine redeemer who rescues and restores them to prominence and favor with God. As the returned exiles labored to rebuild the Temple destroyed by the Babylonians, Zechariah and his fellow prophet, Haggai, were commissioned by God to encourage the demoralized people of Judah to complete the Temple. But their primary message was that of future blessing.

“For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” – Haggai 2:5-9 NLT

God had plans for the people of Judah that extended beyond their immediate context and far into the future.

“Particularly prominent in the book is the Messianic element. With the exception of Isaiah, there is no other prophet whose book contains such a wealth and variety of this element, not only in proportion to the total amount of material offered, but also as a sum total of passages.” – H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Zechariah

For Zechariah, these messages came on a single night in the form of eight apocalyptic visions. These rather bizarre and disturbing dreams gave Zechariah a glimpse into the distant future and were meant to assure the struggling people of Judah that God had not forgotten them. He had plans for the future of Jerusalem that were far beyond anything they could have imagined. Their job was to rebuild the Temple. God would do the rest.

Three months after his commission, Zechariah received the first of his eight visions from God. In the darkness of night, an angel visited Zechariah. As Zechariah and his divine guest talked, he saw a vision of a man seated upon a horse among a grove of evergreen trees. This rider was accompanied by others who sat upon horses of varying colors. Curious to know the meaning of this vision, Zechariah asked his angelic messenger for an explanation, but the answer came from one of the riders. He claimed they had been sent by God to “patrol the earth” (Zechariah 1:10). The other riders spoke up and declared that they had faithfully completed their assignment.

“We have been patrolling the earth, and the whole earth is at peace.” – Zechariah 1:11 NLT

This message must have sounded strange to Zechariah. He was living among the returned exiles in the devastated remains of Jerusalem. The walls around the city were little more than rubble. All the homes remained uninhabitable. Despite their return to the land, the people of Judah remained the unwilling servants of the Persian empire. And they were surrounded by hostile nations that constantly thwarted their efforts to rebuild and repopulate Jerusalem. From Zechariah’s perspective, the world was anything but peaceful.

Even the angel seemed to contradict the optimistic report of the riders.

“O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long until you again show mercy to them?” – Zechariah 1:12 NLT

His prayer echoed the sentiments of the people. They continued to labor at rebuilding the Temple, but the work was slow, tedious, wearying, and seemingly unfruitful. The deck was stacked against them and their joy at returning to the land of promise had been anything but promising. The future looked bleak. They had no king, no army, a city with no walls or residential housing, and the ever-present threat of future invasion by Persia or some other world superpower.

But Zechariah heard Yahweh speak “kind and comforting words to the angel” (Zechariah 1:13 NLT). God reassured His angelic messenger and told him to deliver an assignment to Zechariah.

“Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong. But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions.

“‘Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.” – Zechariah 1:14-16 NLT

The mounted horsemen appear to represent the host of heaven. They are angelic warriors who patrol the earth and ensure that God’s will is carried out. They appeared to Zechariah to let him know that all was well because God was in control. Despite the Babylonians and Persians, the LORD of Hosts remained in power and was ready to extend mercy to His people by assisting them in rebuilding their city and the Temple.

The Jews would complete the Temple five years later (Nehemiah 7:4), but it would be another 71 years before the city walls were restored (Nehemiah 11:1). Yet, God kept His word. It would be a slow and plodding process but, eventually, the city of Jerusalem would be restored.

Zechariah was to deliver this message of hope to the disheartened people of Judah. He had heard the words of the riders, declaring a time of peace. He had received God’s promise that the work on the Temple and the rebuilding of Jerusalem would not be in vain. The LORD of Hosts was on their side. Yahweh was no longer angry and was ready to bless them once again. God had not forgotten them. He had also not forgotten the role the Assyrians and Babylonians had played in the demise of His chosen people. He assured Zechariah that these nations would pay dearly for their wanton destruction of Israel and Judah. While they had served as His instruments of judgment on the disobedient people of God, the Babylonians and Assyrians did not have to be coerced to carry out their duties. They did their jobs willingly and with great pleasure. Now it was time for divine payback.

But as the visions will reveal, God had far more in store for His chosen people than a Temple that was a shadow of its former glory and a wall hastily built in 52 days. He was looking to make Jerusalem the greatest city on earth and restore the people of God to power and prominence under a King who would reign in righteousness and bring peace to the world. 

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.

God of the Impossible

9 Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 13 I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.” – Nehemiah 2:9-20 ESV

The time came for Nehemiah to leave behind his comfortable life in Persia and begin the 800-mile journey to Jerusalem. Nehemiah was accompanied by a contingent of royal guards who provided protection for the traveling party, which appears to have been small in number. Once they crossed the Euphrates River and entered “the province Beyond the River” (Nehemiah 2:7), Nehemiah presented the governors of the region with the letters of safe passage Artaxerxes provided.

Once Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, two local officials, Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite, disclosed their displeasure.

…they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel. - Nehemiah 2:10 NLT

When these two men became aware of Nehemiah’s intentions to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, they couldn’t hide their anger. As Nehemiah’s building plans progressed, they would be joined by a third governor, Geshem the Arab, who assisted them in mocking the Jews.

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked. – Nehemiah 2:19 NLT

These disgruntled governors were hoping to demoralize the Jews by accusing them of insurrection. They were hoping to turn the local Jewish population against Nehemiah by questioning the wisdom of his actions. If they could raise doubt concerning the viability of Nehemiah’s plans, he would lose his labor force. This intense pressure to intimidate and discourage the Jews was relentless. Chapter Four reveals that Sanballat and his fellow governors continued to ridicule Nehemiah and his grandiose plans.

Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” – Nehemiah 4:1-2 NLT

Tobiah joined in the sarcasm-laced rhetoric, stating, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” (Nehemiah 4:3 NLT). When their words failed to dissuade the Jews, they would begin to consider violence as their only other option.

…when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. – Nehemiah 4:7-8 NLT

But just three days after his arrival, Nehemiah and a few companions made a late-night inspection tour of the city’s walls. He had not yet disclosed his plans to anyone, including the local Jewish leaders, so this excursion was a fact-finding mission designed to determine the scope of the project. As he carefully navigated the rubble-strewn passage around the long-fallen walls, he could have become discouraged at the extent of the damage. At one point, the debris field was so dense that his donkey was unable to pass through. But despite the abysmal condition of the walls, Nehemiah did not lose heart. Upon completing his inspection, he gathered “the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration” (Nehemiah 2:16 NLT) and presented them with an unexpected and unprecedented challenge.

“You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” – Nehemiah 2:17 NLT

For these men, Nehemiah’s words must have sounded like madness. What Nehemiah was suggesting was impossible. Had the darkness prevented him from seeing the full extent of the situation? Did he really believe he could do what no one else had done for nearly 150 years? The walls of Jerusalem had lain in ruins since 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar’s forces leveled them as part of their long-standing siege and eventual takeover of the city.

…on January 15, during the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his entire army against Jerusalem. They surrounded the city and built siege ramps against its walls. Jerusalem was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah’s reign. – 2 Kings 25:1-2 NLT

On August 14 of that year, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king, arrived in Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings in the city. Then he supervised the entire Babylonian army as they tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side. – 2 Kings 25:8-10 NLT

It had been 142 years since the walls fell and during that time, no attempt had been made to rebuild them. It was a project of such epic proportions that no one ever dared to take it on – until Nehemiah showed up on the scene.

This newcomer brought with him a renewed sense of hope and expectation. He told the people about his plans but made sure to disclose God’s role in it all. He wanted them to know that he was on a mission sanctioned by Yahweh Himself. The sovereign LORD had even moved the heart of King Artaxerxes to put the full weight of his royal authority behind the project. Nehemiah’s words had an immediate impact on his audience, causing them to declare, “Let us rise up and build” (Nehemiah 2:18 ESV). They were pumped and ready to begin. Nehemiah’s pep talk had left them so enthused that they conveniently overlooked the sheer size of the project and the relentless determination of their enemies.

But as verse 19 reveals, the enthusiastic Jews were soon reminded that their efforts would not come without opposition. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem launched an immediate public relationship campaign designed to discourage and dissuade the Jews from accomplishing their God-ordained task. Yet, Nehemiah countered their attacks with a reminder of God’s presence and power.

“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.” – Nehemiah 2:20 NLT

Nehemiah saw Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem as what they were – enemies of God who had no right to question God's people and no claim on the land that He had given to the Israelites as their inheritance. These men weren’t just opposing the efforts of Nehemiah and his fellow Jews, they were directly violating the will of God Almighty.

Sanballat was probably a Moabite from Horonaim, a city of Moab. Tobiah was an Ammonite. Geshem was an Arab who governed over the region south of Judah. It is interesting to note that these three men represent three distinct people groups that had a love-hate relationship with Israel. The Moabites were descendants of Moab, the son born to Lot as a result of his incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter (Genesis 19:37). The Ammonites were descendants of Ben-ammi, the son born to Lot through his incestuous relationship with his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38). The “Arabs” mentioned in this passage is likely a reference to the Edomites who controlled an area east of the Arabah, from the Zered to the Gulf of Aqaba. They were the descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. So each of these nations was made up of people who were blood relatives of the Jews but they were not heirs of the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

As Nehemiah makes clear, they had “no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:20 ESV). These nations had long ago compromised their spiritual standards and comingled with the pagan nations that lived in and around Canaan. They were idolatrous and polytheistic. During Israel’s 70-year exile in Babylon, each of these groups had taken advantage of the situation by claiming Israelite land as their own, and for the last 142 years, they had done everything in their power to oppose the Israelite’s repatriation of the land.

But Nehemiah had come to set things straight. The walls would be rebuilt and the security of Jerusalem would be restored. Despite the odds, Nehemiah knew they had Yahweh on their side.

“The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build…” – Nememiah 2:20 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.

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

The Good Hand of Our Great God

1 These are the heads of their fathers' houses, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylonia, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king: 2 Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush. 3 Of the sons of Shecaniah, who was of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah, with whom were registered 150 men. 4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men. 5 Of the sons of Zattu, Shecaniah the son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men. 6 Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men. 7 Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men. 8 Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him 80 men. 9 Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men. 10 Of the sons of Bani, Shelomith the son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men. 11 Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah, the son of Bebai, and with him 28 men. 12 Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men. 13 Of the sons of Adonikam, those who came later, their names being Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men. 14 Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.

15 I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi. 16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight, 17 and sent them to Iddo, the leading man at the place Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his brothers andTeh the temple servants at the place Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen, 18; 19 also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his kinsmen and their sons, 20; 20 besides 220 of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty. – Ezra 8:1-23 ESV

The opening verses of chapter 8 provide a more detailed account of the summary in chapter 7, verses 7-9. In this chapter, Ezra recounts his preparations to lead a second wave of exiles back to the promised land. It had been nearly 80 years since King Cyrus had issued his decree authorizing the return of Judah's captured citizens and underwriting their rebuilding of Jerusalem and its Temple. Zerubbabel, the grandson of King Jehoiachin and a descendant of King David, led a relatively small contingent of Judahites who could prove they were the rightful claimants to the land of their forefathers. Upon their return, this initial group of repatriated citizens found the atmosphere in Jerusalem to be anything but welcoming. They were met with opposition and faced with the formidable task of rebuilding a city that had been decimated by the Babylonians 70 years earlier. The long-abandoned city had become a home to squatters who occupied any still-standing structures. The walls lay in ruins and the once-magnificent Temple had been reduced to rubble. But over the next eight decades, despite relentless opposition and oppressive conditions, the people labored to rebuild, restore, and reclaim the City of David as their own.

A series of kings had ruled the vast Persian Empire with Artaxerxes being the latest. He had authorized Ezra’s request to return to Judah with a contingent of exiles comprised of “priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants” (Ezra 7:7 NLT). These men would assist Ezra in his quest to reeducate the people of Judah in the ways of Yahweh. Nearly 150 years had passed since the nation of Judah had fallen to the Babylonians and during that time, the people had long ago abandoned their worship of Yahweh. Their Temple had been destroyed, leaving them with no sacrificial system or a means of receiving forgiveness or atonement. During their days of exile, the Mosaic Law had become an afterthought. With no Temple in which to perform their priestly duties, the Levites faded into obscurity. Yet, God had given these men explicit orders to teach the people of Israel His laws.

“You must distinguish between what is sacred and what is common, between what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean. And you must teach the Israelites all the decrees that the Lord has given them through Moses.” – Leviticus 10:10-11 NLT

Moses outlined the two main job descriptions of the Levites.

“They teach your regulations to Jacob;
    they give your instructions to Israel.
They present incense before you
    and offer whole burnt offerings on the altar.” – Deuteronomy 33:10 NLT

Teaching and sacrifice. Those were the two primary responsibilities of the Levites and, though the Temple had been destroyed, their commission to teach the Law to the people had never been revoked.

Chapter Seven revealed that the main focus behind Ezra’s return was to reacquaint God’s people with His Law.

Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. – Ezra 7:10 NLT

To accomplish this task, Ezra would need the assistance of qualified men, so he set out to recruit worthy candidates from among the remaining exiles. Verses 1-14 of Chapter Eight contain a partial list of those he found. It appears that this list includes the names of the descendants of the priestly and royal families along with those whose relatives had made the trip 80 years earlier.

After assembling all those who had volunteered to make the arduous trip back to Judah, Ezra reviewed his trip manifest and made a disconcerting discovery.

“I went over the lists of the people and the priests who had arrived. I found that not one Levite had volunteered to come along.” – Ezra 8:15 NLT

This news left Ezra with no choice but to delay his departure so he could launch a recruitment effort to find and enlist additional Levites. It is clear from Chapter Six that there was a contingent of Levites already in Jerusalem. 

…the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses. – Ezra 6:16-18 ESV

But Ezra knew that he would need additional Levites if he was to accomplish his goal of teaching the Law to the people of Judah. Knowing that his recruitment efforts would be met with resistance, Ezra chose nine qualified leaders to relay his invitation. Two additional men joined the expedition who were known for their discernment and wisdom. With the help of Yahweh (Ezra 8:18), Ezra’s recruitment team proved successful and returned with 38 Levites and 220 temple servants.

With his list completed, Ezra prepared to begin the long trek to Judah. But before starting, he called on Yahweh for divine provision and protection.

“I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.” – Ezra 8:21 NLT

Ezra knew they would need God’s assistance because it would be a long and potentially dangerous trip. His call for a fast was partially motivated by his knowledge that there would be no royal military escort to accompany them on their way. It seems that King Artaxerxes had offered the services of his troops but Ezra was too embarrassed to make the request. He had boldly told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him” (Ezra 8:22 NLT). This left him with no option but to trust God; a potentially frightening but providential place to be. Ezra confidently states, “we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer” (Ezra 8:23 NLT).

It’s difficult to tell whether this statement reflects Ezra’s faith and confidence at the moment they prayed or if was written in hindsight after Ezra and his fellow travelers arrived in Judah safely. But, either way, Ezra believed in the power and provision of Yahweh. He trusted that his call to return to Judah was of God. He had faith to believe that their trip would be providentially overseen by God. He was confident that their mission to teach the Law of God to the people of God would be successfully carried out by the power 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 Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Where There’s HIS will, There Is Always a Way

17 The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now 18 the letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me. 19 And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. 20 And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. 21 Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. 22 And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”

23 Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. 24 Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. – Ezra 4:17-24 ESV

After a letter-writing campaign to King Artaxerxes, the enemies of the Jews finally got their wish. The king took the advice of the letter’s authors and searched the royal archives where he found ample evidence of Israel’s former glories and past rebellions. The records revealed that powerful kings had once ruled over this kingdom “Beyond the River” (Ezra 4:17 ESV), a reference to the Euphrates. Men like David and Solomon had established far-reaching empires that exacted the payment of taxes and tribute from the surrounding nations. Unwilling to risk a Jewish insurrection if the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, Artaxerxes ordered the immediate cessation of all rebuilding efforts. He addressed his letter to Rehum who served as the “lord” over the province once known as Judah. Rehum’s exact role is unclear but he either served as governor or as the head of the Persian military high command stationed in Judah. Artaxerxes gave Rehum the royal authority to force the Jews to stop building.

“…make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me.” – Ezra 4:21 ESV

The king was buying time to consider a more permanent solution to the problem. But, in the meantime, Rehum and his cohorts had the authority to use military force to outlaw any efforts to rebuild the walls. They had gotten what they wanted. It would be two years before King Artaxerxes allowed construction on Jerusalem and its walls to begin again. His change of heart came at the behest of one of his servants who just happened to be a Jew. Nehemiah, who served as cupbearer to the king, received news of the sad state of affairs back in Judah.

“The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” – Nehemiah 1:3 ESV

Using his access to the king, Nehemiah put in a request to return to Judah to help oversee the rebuilding of the walls.

“If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” – Ezra 2:7-8 ESV

In his record of the occasion, Nehemiah writes, “the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me” (Nehemiah 2:8 ESV). Nehemiah and a contingent of fellow Jews made the long trip back to Judah accompanied by Persian troops sent by the king. When he arrived in Judah, Nehemiah met with the local officials and handed over the king's letters.

Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. – Nehemiah 2:9-10 ESV

Despite the negative reception, Nehemiah would begin work on the walls and gates of Jerusalem.

However, the two-year delay must have been difficult for the Jews living in Jerusalem. They had no way of knowing that God would one day move Nehemiah to use his position on the king’s staff to request royal authority to restart construction on the walls. So, each day, they would walk by the dilapidated walls and wonder why God had allowed the enemy to win. They had faithfully tried to carry out God’s plans but had failed.

So why the delay? Why were the Jews seemingly thwarted in their attempt to remain faithful to God? It is easy to sit on this side of the story and question why the people did not persevere and simply continue to build in the face of opposition. But they were greatly outnumbered and ill-equipped to stand against their enemies. This was a time of great discouragement and disillusionment. The people of God had to feel confused by the events surrounding them. They had to question whether God was in control. They had to wonder whether they should have ever returned.

In verse 24, Ezra returns the story back to the days of King Cyrus. He states that “the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia” (Ezra 4:24 ESV). Verses 6-23 serve as a parenthetical section that was meant to accentuate the ongoing persecution of the Jews as they attempted to carry out God’s plans for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Work on the Temple was stopped in 536 B.C. and would not begin again until 520 B.C., 16 years later.

Setbacks and standstills are common in our spiritual journeys. We should not be surprised by them, but instead, we need to learn to expect them and push through them. Despite the unexpected delays, Ezra and his fellow Jews needed to know that God was not done yet. He was still sovereign and all-knowing. He was fully aware of the opposition and the pressure being put on the Jews to give up on their God-given task. The enemy was alive and well. The temptation to throw in the towel and give up on their divine commission was real. But their God was great.

We too will face opposition. We will be tempted to give up when the going gets tough. But we have to remember that God is with us. He will not leave us or forsake us. The rebuilding did begin again. After a delay, the people once again took up the task of completing God's Temple. God was still in control. Distraction, discouragement, and delays are inevitable. But in the end, God's will always wins out.

God is always there, even when things look bleak and the opposition seems too strong. When we face delays in our spiritual journey, it is easy to lose hope and give up. But we must never lose sight of His constant presence, all-prevailing plan, and limitless power. We must never be surprised when facing opposition; it is part of the process. It is par for the course. But we must also never forget that God is always working. He never gets distracted or discouraged. He is always there, behind the scenes, fulfilling His will in His way and according to His perfect timing.

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

Doom, Gloom, and Hope

1 The vision of Obadiah.

Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom:
We have heard a report from the Lord,
    and a messenger has been sent among the nations:
“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”
2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
    you shall be utterly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
    you who live in the clefts of the rock,
    in your lofty dwelling,
who say in your heart,
    “Who will bring me down to the ground?”
4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle,
    though your nest is set among the stars,
    from there I will bring you down,
declares the Lord.” – Obadiah 1:1-4 ESV

This book is part of a larger collection of prophetic writings called the Minor Prophets. This designation was meant to highlight the shorter length of the books when compared with the “Major Prophets.” While shorter in length, these books carry no less weight and their authors are no less significant than their more wordy counterparts.

Much scholarship has been conducted over the years to ascertain the identity of the book’s author. The name Obadiah was common among the Hebrews and the Old Testament refers to 13 different characters by this name. Despite the efforts of biblical scholars and historians, no consensus has been reached regarding the identity of the author, making it virtually impossible to determine when the book was written.

“This shortest book in the Old Testament, consisting of only twenty-one verses, bears the distinction of being the most difficult of all the prophecies to date.” – Gleason L. Archer Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction

All we know about the unidentified author of this rather diminutive book is that his name meant “Worshiper of Yahweh” or “Servant of Yahweh.” He was a faithful follower of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who received a divine commission to deliver a message to God’s people. But the message he was given did not address the people of Israel or Judah. Instead, it dealt with the nation of Edom, which was comprised of distant relatives of the Israelites. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the firstborn son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob. Esau was the grandson of Abraham, the patriarch of the Hebrew people.

The story of Jacob and Esau as recorded in the Book of Genesis, is a tale filled with deceit, envy, hatred, and division. These twin brothers were born to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau, who came out of the womb first, was the rightful heir to all that Isaac owned. But through a series of events, Esau forfeited his birthright for a bowl of stew, then helplessly watched as his brother deceived their father and stole the blessing of the firstborn. Having been robbed of all that was rightfully his, Esau set out to kill his brother. But Rebekah intervened and sent Jacob away. Years later, the brothers were reunited and the feud between them was settled. But Esau ended up relocating to a region just south of the Dead Sea on the border of what would become the land of Israel.

Centuries later, the descendants of Jacob, now known as the Israelites, were making their way from Egypt to the land that God had promised as their inheritance (the inheritance that had rightfully belonged to Esau). But it has always been God’s plan for Jacob to receive the inheritance. In fact, when the boys were still in the womb, God informed Rebekah, “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).

In God’s sovereign plan, it had always been Jacob, the second-born, who would receive the blessing and the inheritance. It was Jacob whose name would later be changed to Israel. It was Jacob who would move his small family to Egypt to escape the famine in the land of Canaan. It was Jacob’s son, Joseph, who would rise to power and prominence in Egypt and provide food and shelter to his family. It was the descendants of Jacob (Israel) who would be delivered from their captivity in Egypt and led by Moses to their new home in Canaan.

But on their way to their promised inheritance, they encountered difficulty from their distant relatives, the Edomites. This unfortunate event is recorded in the Book of Numbers.

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. And when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King's Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.”  – Numbers 20:14-18 ESV

Long before this confrontation took place, God had given the Israelites strict instructions regarding any future encounter with their distant relatives.

“You will pass through the country belonging to your relatives the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. The Edomites will feel threatened, so be careful. Do not bother them, for I have given them all the hill country around Mount Seir as their property, and I will not give you even one square foot of their land. If you need food to eat or water to drink, pay them for it. For the Lord your God has blessed you in everything you have done.” – Deuteronomy 2:4-7 NLT

The Israelites had been forbidden to take land from their relatives. Yet, when they asked for permission to pass through the land of Edom, the descendants of Esau treated them with disrespect and disdain. Their shared bloodline made no difference. And, as time passed, the Edomites and Israelites would remain sworn enemies.

When Israel finally conquered and occupied the land of Canaan, their first king, Saul, would face ongoing opposition from the Edomites. So would his successor, David( 1 Samuel 14:47, 2 Samuel 8:14, 1 Kings 9:26). Years later, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, the Edomites joined forces with the Moabites and Ammonites to attack Judah (2 Chronicles 20:1-27). The Edomites would also rebel against King Jehoram of Judah (2 Kings 8:16-22). Eventually, they would be defeated by King Amaziah of Judah (2 Kings 14:9-11) but their subjugation to the people of Israel would end with their attack on Judah during the reign of King Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:17).

This love-hate relationship between the Israelites and Edomites went on for centuries. By the time of Obadiah, the Edomites had proven to be a perpetual thorn in the side of God’s chosen people. The message given to Obadiah was addressed to the kingdom of Edom but intended for the ears of the people of Judah. God wanted them to know He would deal with the Edomites justly and effectively. He was well aware of their past actions and would punish them appropriately.

God had bad news for the people of Edom. A prideful people who lived in virtually impregnable conditions in the cliffs south of the Dead Sea, they were about to experience the humbling discipline of God. He was going to breach their defenses (Vs 2-4), plunder their treasure (Vs 5-7), and destroy their leadership (Vs 8-9). But while most of the book of Obadiah seems to be words of warning against the people of Edom, it was written to the people of Judah. This book was meant to be a word of encouragement to the people of God about His sovereign rule and reign over their lives, circumstances, and future.

God was not unaware of or indifferent to the condition of the people of Judah. He knew what was going on and was fully aware of the events taking place around them. This included the behavior of such nations as Edom. It may have appeared to the people of God that He was unsympathetic or preoccupied elsewhere during their times of difficulty, but nothing could have been further from the truth. He was not only aware, He was in control, and He had a plan. The message to Obadiah was one of hope for the people of God because He was about to act on their behalf. He would right all the wrongs, defend the helpless, and keep His covenant promises.

It may get worse before it gets better, but IT WILL get better - much better. Nations like Edom will not be able to stand against the wrath of God. When Christ returns to Earth the second time, He will wage war against the nations that have aligned themselves against God and His people.

It is interesting to note that when Jesus came to earth as a baby, Herod the Great, an Edomite, tried to have Him destroyed when he put to death all the Jewish boys under the age of two. The animosity of the Edomites for the people of God had not abated, even in Jesus’ day. But Herod failed and the plan of God would succeeded.

Even today, there are nations trying to destroy the people of God – the nation of Israel. Jerusalem itself is a battleground of contention and strife between Muslims and Jews. The Palestinians and Iranians would love to see Israel completely eliminated from the face of the earth. But God is their protector. He will not allow that to happen. He is in control and will finish what He began with the people of Israel. He is going to fulfill every promise He has ever made to them. Obadiah is a reminder to us all that God is in control. He knows what is going on around us. He knows our hurts, cares, and concerns, and He has a plan. He will ultimately right every wrong, destroy every one of His enemies, and restore righteousness to the earth. Even amid all the doom and gloom, we can have hope – because our God lives!

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

I Heard, but I Did Not Understand

1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” – Daniel 12:1-13 ESV

The prophecy ends leaving Daniel in a state of confusion. He has been given a glimpse of Israel’s future but has no idea what it means, when it will happen, or how it will all turn out. He responds in fearful confusion, “I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, ‘O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?’” (Daniel 12:8 ESV).

Daniel’s consternation is understandable because of the frightening nature of the prophecy. Gabriel, the divine messenger, has described a series of disconcerting events including wars on Earth and in the heavenly realms. He spoke of a period of 490 years that would be “perilous times” (Daniel 925). Gabriel warned of a coming prince who would destroy Jerusalem and the recently reconstructed Temple. It would be a time accompanied by floods, desolation, and seemingly endless wars.

In chapter 10, Daniel was exposed to even more details about the future that left him dismayed and filled with dread.

“…no strength was left in me…” – Daniel 10:8 ESV

“I retained no strength.” – Daniel 10:8 ESV

“I fell on my face.” – Daniel 10:9 ESV

“I stood up trembling.” – Daniel 10:11 ESV

“I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.” – Daniel 10:15 ESV

Daniel was terrified by all that he had seen and heard. None of it had come across as good news to the elderly servant of Yahweh. This whole series of disturbing visions had come as a result of Daniel’s prayer to his “great and awesome God” (Daniel 9:4 NLT). But it was not what Daniel had expected to hear. Daniel had appealed to Yahweh’s covenant-keeping nature, begging Him to fulfill His promises of unfailing love to those who love Him and obey His commands (Daniel 9:4). Daniel had confessed the sins of his people and freely admitted they did not deserve God’s goodness, grace, and mercy. But Daniel had appealed to God’s mercy, begging Him to intercede on behalf of the downtrodden and disenfranchised people of Israel.

“We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” – Daniel 9:18-19 NLT

Yet, the message that Gabriel brought was anything but encouraging. None of it made sense because it painted a bleak and foreboding picture of the future that filled Daniel with dread, doubt, and discomfort. 

To restore Daniel’s confidence, the heavenly messenger delivered a word of comfort and encouragement.

“O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” – Daniel 10:19 ESV

Daniel was strengthened by these gracious words and expressed his desire to hear more about God’s plans for the future. But what came next was more bad news. Gabriel launched into a lengthy description of wars between the Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, and Syrians (Seleucids). These kingdoms of the north and south would battle over the land of Palestine, with Israel sitting at the center of the conflicts. Once again, this news would have left Daniel perplexed and questioning the purpose behind it all.

When Gabriel described the future desecration of the Temple, Daniel must have been beside himself with anger and resentment.

“His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration. He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.” – Daniel 11:31-32 NLT

How could these things be part of God’s will for the people of Israel? Had God not heard his prayer? Was God oblivious to their plight and unwilling to keep His covenant promises? This entire sequence of events was beyond Daniel’s comprehension, and what he heard next made matters even worse.

“Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed. During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere. And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.” – Daniel 11:33-35 NLT

But what Daniel failed to understand was that God had a long-term plan for the people of Israel that included both suffering and salvation. He would eventually answer Daniel’s prayer but not on Daniel’s timeline. In fact, Daniel would not live long enough to see most of these prophecies fulfilled. Yet God was gracious enough to let him know that there would be a happy ending to this dark and disconcerting story.

This is where the final chapter comes in. It closes with a glimpse into the far-distant future. God gives Daniel a final view of His plan for Israel. While much of what He revealed to Daniel in chapter 11 had to do with Antiochus Epiphanes and events that have already taken place, chapter 12 contains details about events that have yet to happen – even in our day. They refer to the seven-year period known as the Great Tribulation – part of God's 70 sevens (chapter 9).

In this closing chapter, God reveals to Daniel the final phase of world history before Christ returns to the earth. He refers to it as a period of unparalleled persecution of the Jewish people, the chosen people of God.

"…there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time." – Daniel 12:1 ESV

This “time of trouble” will be unprecedented and exceed anything the Israelites have experienced since becoming a nation. Nothing will compare with this dark chapter in Israel’s future, including their captivity in Egypt or their fall to the Babylonians. Yet Daniel is told, “at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book” ( Daniel 12:1 ESV).

There is hope. The future is dark but a glimmer of light can be seen on the horizon. Gabriel begins to paint a hopeful vision of the future that reveals God’s sovereign plan to fulfill every promise He made to the people of Israel.

“Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.” – Daniel 12:3 NLT

He has not forgotten them and will not fail to keep His covenant commitments to them. But Daniel is warned that their suffering will continue for as long as God deems it necessary.

"It will go on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened." – Daniel 12:7 NLT

The cryptic phrase “a time, times, and a half time” is a distinctively Hebrew way of describing time. It refers to a year, two years, and half a year, which adds up to three years. This alludes to the second half of the seven-year Tribulation that will come upon the Earth during the end times. This is the final “seven” of the seventy-sevens described in Daniel 9.

Daniel confesses his confusion, saying, “I heard, but I did not understand” (Daniel 12:8 ESV). He had no way of understanding what this vision meant. He had no concept of the end times or any capacity to decipher the complicated numerology used in the vision. All he can do is ask what the outcome will be. But rather than an answer, Daniel receives an order to go about his business.

“Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.” – Daniel 12:9-10 ESV

This is the same basic answer that Jesus gave to His disciples just before He ascended back into heaven. After witnessing His death and miraculous resurrection, the disciples were anxious to know what He would do next. So, they asked, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” (Acts 1:6 NLT).

They were still hoping that Jesus would establish His earthly Kingdom. Their dreams of serving in His royal administration had been reignited by Jesus’ victory over death. If He could rise from the dead, He could certainly conquer the Romans.

But Jesus told them “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know” (Acts 1:7 NLT). They needed to go about their business and the next verses reveals their job description.

“…you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 NLT

They had work to do and so did Daniel. He didn’t need to understand all the details regarding the end times. In fact, he wouldn’t be around to see any of it happen. Neither would the disciples of Jesus. They are all long gone but the prophecy contained in Daniel 12 remains unfulfilled.

The Great Tribulation has yet to take place. Because of the unprecedented scope of human wickedness and evil that marks our day, some believe we are living in the Tribulation. But Jesus described this future period as something far worse than anything humanity has ever experienced.

“For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.” – Matthew 24:21-22 NLT

We may live in dark days, but they are nothing compared with what is to come. The Great Tribulation will be marked by intense persecution of the Jews because of the rise of the Antichrist – a powerful political figure who will make the exploits of Antiochus Epiphanes pale in comparison.

All of this would have shocked poor Danie. He had watched his people suffer through exile for almost 70 years and now he was being told that their persecution would last until the end of time. It would not get any better. During his lifetime, Daniel had been privileged to witness a remnant of the people of God return to the land of promise. But now he was being told of future days when they would be scattered yet again. There would be wars, persecutions, and countless attempts to exterminate the Jews over the centuries. Even today, we are witnessing verbal and physical assaults on God’s chosen people as millions revile their very existence and the nations plot their extermination.

While they occupy part of the original promised land, they remain under constant attack. But God is not done. He is not finished with His people. Their suffering will continue, but a day is coming when He will restore them. There is one last Great Tribulation to be endured but then His Son will return. There is hope. There is a happy ending to this story because God has written it and He will fulfill it.

So Gabriel tells Daniel to "go your way until the end." He provides Daniel assurance that all will work out, including Daniel's own resurrection to new life in Christ's future kingdom. Daniel will die, but he will rise again, so that he can spend eternity with the God in whom he had placed his hope and trust all those years living in captivity in Babylon. Daniel could rest knowing that God was going to faithfully complete what He had promised to do. And we can rest in that same promise.

We may not understand all that these prophecies contain, but we don't have to. Like Daniel and the disciples of Jesus, we need to go about our business and live with hope in the promises of God. He will do what He has said He will do, and He will do it according to His divine timeline.

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.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

The People Who Know Their God

1 “And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

2 “And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills. 4 And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.

5 “Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. 6 After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times.

7 “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. 8 He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. 9 Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.

10 “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. 11 Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. 12 And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. 13 For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.

14 “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. 15 Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. 16 But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. 17 He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. 18 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him. 19 Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.

20 “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle. 21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22 Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant. 23 And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people. 24 Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers' fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. 25 And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. 26 Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed. 28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.

29 “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. 30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. 34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, 35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.” – Daniel 11:1-35 ESV

Chapter 10 ends with a statement from Gabriel, the angel who delivered the vision to Daniel. In his closing remarks, Gabriel announced, “But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince” (Daniel 10:27 ESV). Many Old Testament translators believe verse 1 of chapter 11 should be included in the parenthetical statement made by Gabriel that began in verse 21 of chapter 10. The New Living Translation renders the opening line of chapter 11 in this way:

“I have been standing beside Michael to support and strengthen him since the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede.)” – Daniel 11:1 NLT

They have made the remarks part of Gabriel’s closing message to Daniel, ensuring that the content of chapter 11 remains closely linked to the vision recorded in chapter 10. This is not a new incident and does not describe yet another vision. Gabriel is simply revealing additional information from “the book of truth” (Daniel 10:12 ESV).

Gabriel begins, “now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them” (Daniel 11:2 ESV). The heavenly messenger is still providing Daniel with an answer to the prayer he prayed in chapter 9. Having read in the writings of Jeremiah that Judah’s 70-year exile was about to end,  Daniel was concerned about the fate of his people. What would happen to them when they returned to the land of promise? How would they fare?

Gabriel was sent to give Daniel a glimpse into the expansive plans that God had for His chosen people. In these chapters, Daniel is getting a panoramic view of prophetic history, beginning with the not-so-distant future and ending with events related to the end of the age. Verses 2-35 cover the flow of history from the days of King Cyrus to the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes, a vile world leader who will abuse the people of God mercilessly and relentlessly. Then the narrative will fast-forward to a future time when another world ruler will arise who mirrors the actions of Antiochus Epiphanes. This future king “shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods” (Daniel 11:36 ESV).

Daniel has no way of knowing that the first part of Gabriel’s message concerns events preceding the first advent of Israel’s long-awaited Messiah (verses 2-35). The second half of the message concerns events that will precede Messiah’s second coming. But for those of us living after the first coming of Jesus the Christ (Messiah), this chapter provides us with hope because everything found in verses 2-35 has been fulfilled with painstaking clarity and detail.

In the first half of this chapter, Gabriel provides Daniel with news about the future – disturbing news that outlines the various wars and conflicts that will take place in the years ahead. He tells of the coming of Alexander the Great, the various kings of Egypt, and ultimately, the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian king who was so wicked that he foreshadows the coming of the Antichrist. The amazing thing about this message is its unbelievable accuracy. Some biblical scholars find the accuracy of these predictions too good to be true and write the entire chapter off as nothing more than a ruse. They conjecture that the author wrote this material long after the events it records, disguising his efforts as prophecy. But if they are right and chapter 11 is history disguised as prophecy, then the rest of chapter 11 should have already been fulfilled as well.

But as will become clear, there is no historical evidence that the events recorded in the second half of the chapter have already taken place. The prophecies found in verses 2-35 are not cleverly disguised historical events; they are divine predictions from the lips of the sovereign God of the universe. He knew, down to the smallest detail, what was going to take place long before it happened. He knew all about the coming wars between the Syrians and Egyptians. He knew who would win and who would lose. And while these great leaders would operate as if they were in control of their own destinies, in the end, their futures were in the hands of God.

Throughout this chapter, we read such phrases as "the end will come at the appointed time,"  "then at the appointed time," and "the appointed time is still to come." The rise and fall of nations is under the sovereign hand of Almighty God. He is in complete control. Daniel is reminded, "For what has been determined will surely take place" (Daniel 11:36 NLT).

Verses 2-35 set up and establish the rise to power of Antiochus Epiphanes, a conniving, flattering, and powerful king who seemed to have a special hatred for the people of Israel. His actions against them foreshadow the events of the end times when the Antichrist will target the people of God and persecute them as they have never been persecuted before. At one point, Antiochus Epiphanes, frustrated over a battle lost to the Egyptians, orders his general, Apollonius, and a contingent of 22,000 soldiers to attack Jerusalem on a Sabbath. They take many Jewish women and children captive, plundering the temple, and burning the city. His goal was to completely exterminate Judaism and to Hellenize Palestine. He would forbid the Jews to follow the Mosaic Law or practice the Jewish sacrifices, festivals, and circumcision. He would even install an image of the Greek god Zeus in the Temple and offer an unsanctioned and unclean sacrifice to his false god on the altar dedicated to Yahweh. This cruel and wicked man sacrificed a swine to Zeus and sprinkled its blood within the Holy of Holies, desecrating the Temple and defaming God’s name.

Yet, despite all these dire predictions, Daniel is told, "But the people who know their God will be strong and resist him" (Daniel 11:32 NLT). Even during the dire days of Antiochus Epiphanes, the people of God will remain. There will always be a remnant of God-fearing, God-believing, God-empowered saints to stand against the greatest of enemies. God was calling Daniel and the people of God to remain strong during the coming persecution because He would be with them. The immediate future was filled with turmoil, upheaval, political unrest, and persecution for the people of God, but they were to remember that He was in complete control.

We must remain strong as well. We should not be shocked at what we see taking place around us. There is a spiritual battle taking place that manifests itself in the material world. Wars and violence should not shock or scare us. They are to be expected and simply part of living in a fallen world at war with God. But we can rest in the knowledge that our God is great and is in full control of the situation. Like Daniel, we must learn to trust God even when we don't understand the ways of God. We must continually seek to grow in our knowledge and understanding of His character.

Paul even prayed for the believers in his day that God would give them, "complete knowledge of his will” and “spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9 NLT). He knew the importance of these things and how necessary they were to a believer’s survival in a wicked world. Those equipped with a knowledge of God’s will, spiritual wisdom, and understanding would not only survive but thrive.

Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. – Colossians 1:10 NLT

May you and I grow in our knowledge and understanding of God so that we might be strong and resist the enemy in our day. As we grow in our knowledge of God, we will come to love and trust Him more – no matter what comes our way.

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.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

LORD of All

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for he is the living God,
    enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
    and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
    he works signs and wonders
    in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. – Daniel 6:1-28 ESV

This chapter contains one of the Bible's most familiar and beloved stories. For centuries, it has been a staple of Sunday School classes, and Daniel's daring exploits have been used to inspire young children to stand up for their faith against all odds. Among Christians, the phrase “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” conjures up visions of living an uncompromised and faith-filled life even in the face of life-threatening opposition.

But there is far more to the story than the simple tale of a faith-filled man willing to face death rather than compromise his religious convictions. The story’s placement in the narrative is important and is probably not in chronological order. It comes immediately after the stories of Belshazzar’s death and Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling by the hand of God. It is intended to continue the theme of God’s sovereignty over the kings and nations of the world. Daniel is the common thread that ties all these stories together. This Hebrew exile has the unique privilege and responsibility of acting as God’s mouthpiece to some of the most powerful men who ruled over one of the most dominant nations on Earth. Daniel is featured prominently in each of these stories but he was never intended to be the lead actor in the dramas they unfold.

As chapter six begins, the reader is presented with the name of yet another ruler. Since chapter four ended with Belshazzar’s death, it would be easy to assume that the story picks up with his replacement. The opening verses state, “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one” (Daniel 6:1-2 ESV). To the modern reader, this opening line seems rather black and white; a new king named Darius took over for the recently deceased Belshazzar. But there is a problem. No extra-biblical sources have been found that corroborate the existence of a king named Darius who ruled over the kingdom of Babylon or the Medo-Persian empire.

There has been much debate about who this individual was, with some suggesting that Darius was just another name for Cyrus, who ruled the Medo-Persian Empire. Others have speculated that it was Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, who served as his father’s co-regent over the kingdom of Babylon and later inherited the throne. A third option is that Darius was an individual named Gubaru, an official in Cyrus’ administration, whom the king appointed as ruler over Babylon immediately after its capture by the Medo-Persian forces.

The simplest solution to this problem may lie in the meaning of the name “Darius.” Of Aramaic origin, Darius translates as “lord” and was likely a title rather than a proper name. It seems that the author purposefully chose to leave out the name of the king involved in the story. He also provides scant details to help determine the date of the events recorded in this chapter. It is as if Darius was intended to represent all the “lords” who ruled over the kingdom of Babylon and its successor, the Medo-Persian empire.

Darius is not the point of the story any more than Daniel is. But the title “lord” takes on important significance as the story unfolds. Whoever this man was, he had power and authority. He ruled over a nation that had proven its dominance by conquering a great part of the geographical landscape of that day. This Darius commanded fear and respect from his citizens and wielded his power with the aid of his royal officials. As his empire grew, he divided it into 120 provinces and put them under the care of his hand-picked officials. Daniel was included in this list of “satraps” or governors.

But before long, Daniel “proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers” (Daniel 6:3 NLT). Daniel’s superior leadership skills led the king to consider plans “to place him over the entire empire” (Daniel 6:3 NLT). News of Daniel’s pending promotion soon reached his 119 peers and they were far from pleased. They immediately set out to scuttle the king’s plan and end Daniel’s hopes of “lording” over them.

Their plan was simple but deadly, designed to appeal to the king’s pride and vanity. They recommended that Darius issue a decree requiring every citizen in the nation to cease all worship of any other deity except him for 30 days.

“Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you…” – Daniel 6:6-7 NLT

They recommended an official edict that would place Darius as “lord” over all other gods, including the God of Daniel. This was a calculated and callous plan designed to do one thing: Prevent Daniel’s promotion by ending his life. But they failed to realize that their ingenuous plan to elevate their “lord” was going to end up offending the LORD Most High. They were out to eliminate Daniel at all costs and their efforts would prove costly. It should not be overlooked that their recommended punishment for violation of the edict involved death by the “king” of beasts.

“…whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.” – Daniel 6:7 ESV

Darius the “lord” liked what he heard and willingly signed the document they had pre-prepared. Unknowingly, Darius had sealed Daniel’s fate and set in motion a chain of events that would prove who was “Lord” of all.

As the 119 satraps expected, Daniel chose to violate the king’s edict. He would not cease praying to his God and was caught in the act by his enemies. They took the matter to the king and the news of Daniel’s actions left the “lord” in a conundrum. What was he to do? He thought highly of Daniel but he also had a reputation to maintain. After all, he was “lord” over all the kingdom of Babylon and he expected his citizens to treat him with the respect and honor he deserved.

But Darius was torn and spent the rest of the day trying to come up with a way to save Daniel’s life. But the “lord” was powerless to overturn his own edict because he was bound by “the law of the Medes and the Persians” (Daniel 6:15 NLT), which meant that he lacked the power to change the law he had decreed. There was nothing Darius could do. The matter was out of his hands and Daniel’s fate was sealed. Or was it?

As the story goes, Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den and miraculously survived. His life was spared but not by Darius the “lord.” Another LORD intervened and proved Himself greater than Darius and the law of the Medes and the Persians. This LORD didn’t answer to man-made edicts. As a result, Daniel exited the Daniel’s den unscathed and announced, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty” (Daniel 6:21-22 NLT).

This miraculous event led the joyous king to issue another proclamation.

“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is the living God,
    and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
    and his rule will never end.
He rescues and saves his people;
    he performs miraculous signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.” – Daniel 6:26-27 NLT

The “lord” had learned an invaluable lesson. He could issue decrees. He could demand that every knee bow and every tongue confess him as “lord” but he was nothing compared to the LORD of Daniel.

Once again, God proved Himself superior to the kings of the world. Whoever Darius was, he was nothing compared to Yahweh. And while Daniel displayed great faith and fearlessness in the face of opposition, the real hero of the story is the LORD Most High, the living God whose kingdom will never be destroyed.

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.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Failure to Measure Up

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

24 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31  And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. – Daniel 5:13-31 ESV

Daniel, most likely in his 80s, was summoned to appear before the king. The elderly octogenarian, who had served for decades in the courts of the kings of Babylon, did as commanded and entered the familiar courts of the royal palace. Once inside, he was confronted by a scene of chaos and confusion. The room was filled with thousands of Babylon’s most powerful and influential citizens who appeared strangely agitated. A contingent of the king’s wise men was also present, but these royal counselors seemed to be missing their usual swagger and confidence. The atmosphere was tense as Daniel entered the room and everyone’s eyes followed him closely as he slowly made his way to the king’s dais. Hushed whispers filled the room as the lords and ladies quietly discussed Daniel’s fate. Would he be able to fulfill the king’s request? Was this shuffling old man up to the challenge? Some in the room would have recognized Daniel and been familiar with his reputation. Others, unfamiliar with Daniel’s back story, would have viewed his with skepticism and doubt. At this late stage of life, it’s unlikely that Daniel cut an imposing figure, but he had something going for him that no one else in the room could claim: He had Yahweh’s power and presence on his side.

It seems apparent from the text that Belshazzar did not know or recognize Daniel. The king’s mother had informed him of Daniel’s past exploits under the reign of her father Nebuchadnezzar. So, when Belshazzar saw Daniel, he asked for proof of identity.

“Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar?” – Daniel 5:13 NLT

But before Daniel had time to respond, Belshazzar blurted out the distressing nature of the situation.

“I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it.” – Daniel 5:14-15 NLT

The scenario was familiar to Daniel because he had seen and experienced it before. Decades had passed and the king before whom Daniel stood bore a different name but it all must have felt like déjà vu to this aging Hebrew. New king; same old familiar story.

Once Daniel heard the king’s explanation of the problem and the more-than-generous reward that accompanied its solution, he bluntly responded, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means” ( Daniel 5:17 NLT). His words would have shocked everyone in the room, including the king’s wise men. How dare he talk to the king in such a disrespectful manner? Who did he think he was and how stupid could he be to turn down a chance to become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom?

But Daniel wasn’t interested in rewards or royal appointments. He served a higher authority and he made that fact known. He quickly recalled his former relationship with the king’s grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, to whom “the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor” ( Daniel 5:18 NLT). This simple declaration was intended to let everyone in the room know that Daniel’s God was the one true God, and He was the source behind Nebuchadnezzar’s success. 

Daniel could read a room as well as he could read the handwriting on the wall. He knew exactly what was going on and understood the message that Yahweh had sent to Belshazzar. Some things never change, and this much younger king suffered from the same age-old problem of pride as his grandfather. But Daniel knew that Belshazzar had complicated his pride problem by choosing to flaunt his power in the face of Yahweh.

Before revealing his hand to the king, Daniel recounted the painful lesson that Nebuchadnezzar had to learn.

“He [God] made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace. But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.” – Daniel 5:19-20 NLT

Daniel wasn’t telling Belshazzar anything he didn’t already know. The young king would have been familiar with the stories of his grandfather’s power and glory. He would also known about the seven-year period of insanity Nebuchadnezzar endured. But Belshazzar’s recent behavior demonstrates that he was less than familiar with the role Yahweh played in his grandfather’s rise and fall. This news would have come as a surprise and, to ensure that Belshazzar connected all the dots, Daniel added that Nebuchadnezzar “was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them” (Daniel 5:21 NLT).

This last line was meant to drive home a point. Daniel wanted Belshazzar to understand the gravity of his situation. He had been given a message from the same God who had stricken his grandfather with a long-term case of insanity. Daniel even claims that Belshazzar knew of God’s involvement in Nebuchadnezzar’s fall, but refused to acknowledge it. Instead, he treated Yahweh with contempt by desecrating the sacred cups dedicated for use in Yahweh’s house. He had profaned what was holy. He had taken what belonged to God and used it for his own selfish desires. He and his drunken guests had quenched their thirsts at the expense of God’s glory. To make matters worse, they used those same cups to honor their false gods.

“You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!” – Daniel 5:23 NLT

Belshazzar didn’t need to read the handwriting on the wall to understand what had taken place or the motivation behind it. He recognized pride and arrogance when he saw it but he was also able to see the depth of the message contained in the simple hand-scrawled message: “Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin” (Daniel 5:25 ESV). These words were written in Aramaic, the lingua franca of the Babylonian government. Everyone in the room could read them but no one could decipher their meaning. Each word is a term referring to weights and measures. Mene (mᵊnē') was used to refer to a weight of measurement (50-60 shekels) and to convey the act of numbering or measuring something. It carries the idea of balancing scale. Tekel (tᵊqal) refers to the act of being measured. Parsin (pᵊras) comes from a word that means “to divine” or “to break in two.” It was often used to refer to a half-shekel. These words, joined together in an awkward, incomplete sentence made no sense to anyone in the room, except Daniel. 

The words literally read “Weighed, weighed, measured, and broken.” Yet only Daniel was able to assess their true meaning, which he quickly revealed.

“Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” – Daniel 5:26-28 NLT

As Belshazzar seems to have feared, this was not good news. God was letting the king know that his days were numbered and the glory days of the Babylonian empire were quickly coming to an end. But Belshazzar had no idea just how quickly this message was going to be fulfilled. God had seen enough. He had used the Babylonians to accomplish His judgment against the people of Judah but now He was ready to punish them for the very role they played. This may come across as unfair or malicious on God’s part, but He had never forced Nebuchadnezzar to invade Judah. God simply used the king’s natural desire for global domination to accomplish His own sovereign will for Judah’s subjugation.

It’s fascinating to consider the words of the prophet Jeremiah.

“Flee from Babylon! Save yourselves!
    Don’t get trapped in her punishment!
It is the Lord’s time for vengeance;
    he will repay her in full.
Babylon has been a gold cup in the Lord’s hands,
    a cup that made the whole earth drunk.
The nations drank Babylon’s wine,
    and it drove them all mad.
But suddenly Babylon, too, has fallen.” – Jeremiah 51:6-8 NLT

That day had come and Belshazzar would be the last king to rule over the Babylonian empire. In fact, he had less than 24 hours to live. After fulfilling his promise to reward Daniel for interpreting the message, Belshazzar was killed that very night. The Persians and Medes conquered Babylon in October 539 B.C., ending Belshazzar’s life and ushering in the era of Medo-Persian dominance.

Daniel walked out of the room dressed in a royal robe, draped in gold chains, and possessing unprecedented power and influence that must have left the king’s wise men in a fit of rage and jealousy. This elderly, unassuming servant of Yahweh was elevated to a place of honor within the Babylonian government, while the pride-filled king was dethroned and deprived of life. This stark contrast reflects the timeless truth found in the pages of the Scriptures.

Pride ends in humiliation,
    while humility brings honor. – Proverbs 29:23 NLT

The Lord mocks the mockers
    but is gracious to the humble. – Proverbs 3:34 NLT

“…those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Matthew 23:12 NLT

God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble. – 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6 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.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

The Confort of Conceding God’s Control

1 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5 Then Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “Thus has Ahithophel spoken; shall we do as he says? If not, you speak.” 7 Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai said, “You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people. 9 Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men. 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and all the men with him not one will be left. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there.” 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom. – 2 Samuel 17:1-14 ESV

It is impossible to discern the will of God unless He chooses to reveal it. All we can do is look at the external circumstances and wonder what it is that He is doing or whether He is doing anything at all. the apostle Paul told the believers in Rome, “Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” (Romans 11:33 NLT). Solomon, David’s own son, would speak of the unfathomable ways of God in the book of Ecclesiastes.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. – Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT

Sometimes it is clear what God is doing. At other times, we find it difficult to even sense His presence. But the Bible paints a picture of God that shows Him intimately involved in His creation and with the lives of men. Because of our limited, earth-bound perspectives and our inability to see beyond the physical dimension in which we live, we fail to see God at work. Even when we sense He might be up to something, we question His ways. But He would have us remember:

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT

So when David found himself being forced to abandon the city of Jerusalem because of a military coup orchestrated by his own son, he had no idea what God was up to. He was left to wonder if God was punishing him and had chosen to give his kingdom to another. Or perhaps, God had something else in store. David couldn’t fully comprehend the nature of his circumstances but was willing to believe that God was behind all that was happening to him and around him. He had even sent Hushai, one of his personal counselors, back to the city of Jerusalem to act as a spy within the administration of Absalom. This decision, while apparently David’s idea, would be used by God to accomplish His will concerning Absalom.

Ahithophel, another one of David’s former advisors, had betrayed him and was serving as a counselor to Absalom, having helped plan the coup that displaced David as king. He had become a close confidant and advisor to Absalom. It was he who had given Absalom the advice to publicly humiliate David by sexually assaulting his ten concubines on the palace roof. But it is important to remember that this event had actually been foretold by God Himself. He had warned David that this very thing would happen, in exactly the manner it happened (2 Samuel 12:11-12). So Ahithopel’s advice to Absalom had actually been the will of God. The Almighty had used this unfaithful, wicked man to accomplish His will concerning David.

Now Ahithophel came to Absalom with yet more advice. But this time, God would choose to use another source to accomplish His will. Ahithophel most likely felt like he was on a roll. He had the new king’s ear and it was to his advantage to make sure David was eliminated as a possible threat. So he asked Absalom for permission to take 12,000 men and hunt down David while he was weak and weary. He swore to kill only David and promised Absalom, “Then you will be at peace with all the people” (2 Samuel 17:3 NLT).

But God had other plans. So, while Absalom had been pleased with the advice of Ahithophel, for some unexpected reason he decided to seek other counsel and turned to Hushai. Little did Absalom know that Hushai was actually a spy, having been sent by David with the following instructions: “Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice” (2 Samuel 16:34 NLT).

Having Hushai secretly ensconced in Absalom’s court gave David a decided advantage by providing him with inside access to his son’s plans. But it was God who orchestrated the circumstances so that Hushai was allowed to influence Absalom and thwart the counsel of Ahithophel. The text makes it perfectly clear that this was all God’s doing

For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom! – 2 Samuel 17:14 NLT

Where did Hushai get the idea for his plan? God. Where had Ahithophel gotten the idea for Absalom to do what he did to the ten concubines of David? God. The Lord had ordained all that had happened. He was behind the events taking place. Absalom’s takeover of the kingdom could not have happened without God’s permission. Even Ahithophel’s betrayal of David was all part of God’s plan. And yet, these very thoughts can cause a great deal of discomfort and confusion. They force us to wrestle with the idea of God either causing or allowing evil to happen. They leave us having to struggle with questions regarding the free will of man and the seeming fatalism involved in the sovereign will of God.

Did God cause Ahithophel to betray David? Was God behind Absalom’s plans to overthrow his father’s government? There are aspects regarding the will of God and how He brings it about that we will never fully understand. The ways of God are beyond our capacity to discern or understand. The capacity to comprehend how God accomplishes His will is far beyond what our finite minds can handle. Yet, just because we can’t understand or explain the ways of God does not mean we should refuse to acknowledge His involvement. Moses would have us remember this important reality concerning God:

He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is! – Deuteronomy 32:4 NLT

We may not understand the ways of God and we may even find it difficult to approve of how He does things, but who are we to question God? As created beings, what right do we have to disagree with or disapprove of how the Creator works? The apostle Paul warns us, “Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” (Romans 9:20 NLT). The prophet Isaiah offers a similar warning:

"What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!' Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can you be?'” – Isaiah 45:9 NLT

In our quest for autonomy and self-sufficiency, we have bought into the lie that we are somehow in control. We live by the words of the poet, William Ernest Henley, who wrote, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul” (Invictus).  That is what led Absalom to do what he did. He had convinced himself to believe that he was a self-made man and in charge of his own future. But he failed to realize that it is God who directs the affairs of men. God does not cause men to sin, but He does use their sinful dispositions to accomplish His divine will. The prophet Isaiah provides us with yet more helpful insights into understanding how God works.

God would use the pagan King of Assyria to punish the rebellious nation of Israel. When the will of God was accomplished and the king was enjoying his victory, he would boast:

“By my own powerful arm I have done this.
    With my own shrewd wisdom I planned it.
I have broken down the defenses of nations
    and carried off their treasures.
    I have knocked down their kings like a bull.
I have robbed their nests of riches
    and gathered up kingdoms as a farmer gathers eggs.
No one can even flap a wing against me
    or utter a peep of protest.” – Isaiah 10:13-14 NLT

The pompous and prideful Assyrian king would fail to recognize that there was someone greater behind his victory. Yet, the prophet would reveal the true source of the king’s success.

But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it?
    Is the saw greater than the person who saws?
Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it?
    Can a wooden cane walk by itself?
Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
    will send a plague among Assyria’s proud troops,
    and a flaming fire will consume its glory.
The Lord, the Light of Israel, will be a fire;
    the Holy One will be a flame. – Isaiah 10:15-17 NLT

Our natural tendency is to want to elevate the power of man and to negate the sovereign will of God. Man’s innate desire to be his own god is what drives him to reject the power of God. Yet the story of David reminds us that our God is in control of all things and at all times. The Lord had ordained the events surrounding David’s life and He had a perfectly good reason for all that was happening. Neither David, Absalom, Ahithophel, nor Hushai were in control – God was.

For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom! – 2 Samuel 17:14 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.

Treating Sin Lightly Can Be Deadly

18 Then the king answered the woman, “Do not hide from me anything I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” 19 The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered and said, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. 20 In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.”

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage and blessed the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence.” So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king's presence. – 2 Samuel 14:18-24 ESV

As the story unfolds, the woman from Tekoa reveals why Joab chose her for the job. Verse 2 states that she was a "wise" woman, and now it becomes clear just how wise she really was. The Hebrew word the author used to describe her is chakam, and it can refer to someone crafty, shrewd, or wily. While Joab had given this woman the story she told to David, her craftiness shows up in how she handled the situation once David saw through her little ploy. She was adept at thinking on her feet. So, once David guessed that it had all been the handiwork of Joab, she craftily responded, “Nobody can hide anything from you…” (2 Samuel 14:19 NLT).

Most likely fearing David’s anger at having been tricked, she buttered him up by telling him, “you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!” (2 Samuel 14:20 NLT). This woman was shrewd and perfect for the role she had been asked to play. She knew just how to handle David.

But one of the most interesting things she said to the king required no deceit or flattery. She simply told David the truth.

“In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this.” – 2 Samuel 14:20a

This statement is loaded with significance, and the full weight of its import will not be seen until the story has fully unfolded. Joab had instigated this whole affair to get David to allow the return of Absalom from exile in Geshur. He wanted things back to the way they were before and thought his plan would force a family reunion between David and his son. Joab’s efforts appear to be motivated by his concern for David’s mental and emotional well-being and the impact Absalom’s absence was having on David’s ability to run the kingdom.

King David, now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom. – 2 Samuel 13:39 NLT

Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom. – 2 Samuel 14:1 NLT

As David’s friend and military commander, Joab sensed that the king’s three-year separation from his son had taken its toll and was becoming a threat to the nation’s security. So, his attempt to reunite David and Absalom was well-intended but probably misguided. At no point in the narrative does Joab seek the will of God. There is no indication that any aspect of his plan came from God or had His Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Even the woman from Tekoa, who delivered an Oscar-winning-worthy performance, was relying solely on her skills as an actor and her gift of persuasion. When she admits Joab’s role in the whole affair, she ends up praising the wisdom of David but says nothing about the will of God.

“My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me what to say. He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!” – 2 Samuel 14:19-20 NLT

Was any of this God’s will? Had he given Joab instructions to orchestrate this long-delayed reunion between David and his son? While the doctrine of God’s sovereignty would state that He is ultimately in control of all things and nothing happens without His knowledge or permission, that does not mean He approves or condones all that happens. The Bible tells us, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NLT) and “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” (Proverbs 19:21 NLT).

God has given man a certain degree of autonomy and self-determination. But, in the end, His divine will is always accomplished. Joab could scheme and plan. The woman from Tekoa could put on a persuasive performance filled with falsehoods and flattery. But despite their actions, God’s will would be accomplished.

Joab had been out to “change the course of things,” but he was going to find out that, despite his plans and expectations, the purpose of the Lord would ultimately prevail. God had plans for Absalom, and if David refused to do what was just and right concerning his son’s actions, God would step in and do what needed to be done.

David agreed to Joab’s plan and gave permission for Absalom to return home, but it would not prove to be a joy-filled reunion. David instructed Joab, “Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.” (2 Samuel 14:24 NLT). In other words, David allowed Absalom to come home but then placed him under house arrest, effectively keeping Joab in forced exile. He was home but still estranged from his father and family. The happy reunion Joab expected never took place. The prodigal returned, but not to the open arms of his father.

Once again, David took the path of least resistance. He brought his son back, but he neither punished nor pardoned him for his crime of murder. Perhaps David thought he had done Absalom a favor by allowing him to return. But David knew the law of God. He understood that as the king, he was the ultimate enforcer of the law. God demanded that justice be done, and because David’s son was guilty of murder, he deserved to die. But David could not bring himself to condemn his son to death. So, he did nothing. 

The Book of James contains a sobering reminder of the serious nature of David’s inaction.

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. – James 4:4 ESV

David knew what he had to do, but he refused to do it. By placing Absalom under house arrest, David conveniently put this problem out of sight and out of his mind; he didn’t have to think about it. While Absalom had been in Geshur, David had an excuse for doing nothing; his son was under the protection of another king (the father of Absalom’s mother). Now that Absalom was home, David kept him hidden from view so he wouldn’t have to think about him. In a real sense, David was committing the sin of omission. He knew the right thing to do, but he chose to do nothing and, in doing so, he sinned against God.

We can ignore sin or attempt to turn a blind eye to it, but it never goes away. We can refuse to deal with the sin in our life or within the body of Christ, but the danger remains. David’s decision to allow Absalom to return would prove deadly. His son’s presence in the kingdom would be like a cancerous cell being released into the body where it spreads and infects, ultimately bringing death.

David didn’t know it yet, but he was about to get a powerful and painful lesson on what happens when a child of God fails to do what God has called him to do. Yes, God is gracious, merciful, and forgiving, but He is also just and righteous. Absalom had murdered his brother and God’s law demanded that justice be done. Absalom deserved death and, as God’s king, David was obligated to enforce divine justice. Refusing to do so was just another sin, complicating the matter even further. David could attempt to turn a blind eye to Absalom’s transgression, but God couldn’t. David could sequester his guilty son out of sight and out of mind, but the omniscient God of the universe was not fooled and His will was not satisfied. As long as God’s justice remained unfulfilled, He would remain unsatisfied with the status quo. God patiently endured and allowed David to implement his strategy for dealing with Absalom’s sin, but justice would be served. David would learn that ignoring sin never makes it go away. Refusing to deal with it only aggravates it. Avoidance and denial are never effective means for dealing with sin. Failure to confront sin is sin.

In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul had to deal with a problem that had come to his attention. There was a member of the local congregation who was having an ongoing affair with his stepmother. To make matters worse, David discovered that, rather than dealing with this blatant case of immorality as sin, the church was actually approving of it. So Paul was forced to write and warn them of the danger of their action (or inaction).

Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are.” – 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 NLT

Passivity toward sin creates a vulnerability and susceptibility to commit further sin. Sin is infectious and never remains static. It spreads and its very presence within the individual or the body of Christ has a numbing effect that makes further sin not only possible but probable. David could sequester Absalom away, out of sight and out of mind, but the sin of Absalom was going to spread and have a deadly influence on David’s kingdom. David could attempt to lock Absalom away and hope that the forced isolation would do him good, but until justice was served, the situation would only grow worse.

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.

Do As You Have Spoken

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”– 2 Samuel 7:18-29 ESV

One of the keys to understanding David’s lasting legacy as Israel’s greatest king is found in this marvelous prayer he offers to God. As the Scriptures make painfully clear, David was far from perfect. Yes, according to God’s own estimation, David was a man after His own heart, but he also had a heart that was strongly attracted to women. He also had an impulsive streak that continually got him in trouble and an equal predisposition toward inaction that caused him great difficulty. But when all is said and done, and the evaluation of David’s life is complete, it is difficult not to conclude that he was a man who loved God and understood the unique nature of their relationship.

In this prayer, David repeatedly refers to himself as the servant of God, and another eight times he calls God his master. This speaks volumes regarding David’s comprehension of his role and God’s rule. David may have been the king of Israel but God was the King of the universe. David understood that he served at the behest of the sovereign Lord and he had been the unworthy recipient of God’s grace and mercy. His rise from a lowly shepherd boy to the most powerful position in the land had been totally undeserved and David acknowledged that fact. His humility shines through as he expresses his amazement that God had chosen to use him.

“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” – 2 Samuel 7:18 NLT

As David reflected on the charmed nature of his current life and considered the implications of God’s promise of an everlasting dynasty, he couldn’t help but confess that none of it had been his own doing.

“Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness…” – 2 Samuel 7:21 ESV

David didn’t see his elevation to the throne as something he deserved or had earned. It had been in fulfillment of God’s promise and was an outward demonstration of God’s faithfulness and sovereign power. He had been the recipient of God’s unmerited love and favor. And David’s past experience confirmed that the Almighty always fulfills what He promises because He is the faithful, covenant-keeping God.

As king, David enjoyed all the perks and benefits that came with the job. He was a man who wielded great power and influence. He was revered by his own people and feared by the enemies of Israel. He possessed great wealth and a reputation as a mighty warrior. But David was far more impressed with the greatness of God.

“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!” – 2 Samuel 7:22 NLT

This man who helped put Israel on the map militarily and politically knew that God was ultimately responsible for its existence. It had all been according to His sovereign will. David understood that the only reason he had a nation over which to rule and reign was because God had ordained it. There would have been no Israel had God not chosen an obscure pagan named Abraham to whom He promised to form a great nation. There would have been no exodus unless God had chosen to step in and rescue His people from their slavery in Egypt.

“What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt.” – 2 Samuel 7:23 NLT

David knew that God had been the one to lead the people of Israel out of bondage, across the wilderness, and into the land of Canaan. It was God who had performed miracles along the way and provided victories over the inhabitants of Canaan.

“You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.” – 2 Samuel 7:23 NLT

It did not escape David that there would have been no land for him to rule over had God not made it possible, and he was blown away by it all. Now, to top it all off, God promised to “build a house” for him. This wasn’t about a residential upgrade. God wasn’t guaranteeing David the promise of a grand palace made with great stones, massive wooden beams, precious metals, and rare jewels.

No, God was promising to expand David’s kingdom and extend his dynasty for generations to come. His would not be a one-and-done reign like that of Saul, whose dynasty died with him. David would see his kingdom thrive and flourish under the leadership of his own son, Solomon. David’s reign would eventually come to an end, but God promised that his fame and renown would long outlast him.

“Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!” – 2 Samuel 7:10 NLT

“Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:16 NLT

What an amazing promise. The staggering significance of those words did not escape David because he knew just how fleeting a king’s reign could be. He had personally watched Saul’s reign come to an abrupt and ignominious end and knew that kingdoms could end just as easily as they began. David understood that the key to his kingdom’s longevity was tied directly to God’s sovereignty. So David asked God to graciously extend his kingdom forever. 

“…now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!” – 2 Samuel 7:29 NLT

God had made the promise and now David was humbly asking Him to graciously fulfill it. This was not an expression of doubt on David’s part. He was not questioning the faithfulness of God but was simply acknowledging his fear of doing anything that might jeopardize its outcome.  He knew that the length of his legacy was tied directly to the depth of his dependency upon God. As long as he recognized God as the ultimate King of Israel, his kingdom would flourish and his legacy would last. David knew that the blessings of God were bound to his own obedience as king. He stood as the representative for God’s people, serving as their proxy or stand-in. His faithfulness was to reflect the hearts of the people. His leadership would inform and influence the nation.

There is an old proverb that says, “As the king, so are the subjects.” The truth of this statement can be seen in the lives of Israel’s kings as evidenced in the books of First and Second Kings. In these ancient texts, a repeated pattern emerges that chronicles the disobedience and unfaithfulness of Israel’s kings. Time and time again, these men chose to worship false gods and, in so doing, they led their subjects away from the one true God. They sacrificed their dependence upon God in exchange for the false assurances of idols and unreliable alliances with foreign nations. They turned their backs on God and, eventually, God was forced to turn His back on them. Despite His calls to repent, the kings refused to obey. Their stubborn resistance to His will resulted in the northern kingdom of Judah being conquered and enslaved by the Assyrians. Hundreds of years later, the southern kingdom of Judah would suffer a similar fate, falling to the Babylonians and suffering seven decades of enslavement and subjugation.

Yet, God would remain faithful. He would keep His covenant promise to David. The throne of David remains empty to this very day. The nation of Israel has no king at this moment in time, but God is not done. A King is coming. One day, Jesus Christ the Messiah and descendant of David will return to claim His rightful place as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will establish His throne in Jerusalem, ruling as the rightful heir of David the King, and His reign will be an everlasting one. Not only that, but His rule will be marked by righteousness, justice, and holiness. When that day comes, there will be no other kings and no other kingdoms to stand against His because there is no God beside Him. Jesus Christ will be the final fulfillment of God’s promise to David.

“Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:16 NLT

The greatest news is that David’s kingdom did not end with his death or with that of his son Solomon. It didn’t end with the captivities of Judah or Israel. It didn’t end with the fall of Jerusalem or the destruction of the Temple. There is a day coming when God will fulfill His covenant with David. He will send His Son back to earth to take His rightful position as the heir to David’s throne, where He will rule and reign in righteousness. And it is to the promise of that day God’s people look and hope.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. – Daniel 7:13-14 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 Crippling Effect of Self-Sufficiency

1 When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (for Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3 the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron. – 2 Samuel 4:1-12 ESV

The transition of the kingdom from Saul to David has been anything but smooth up to this point. With Saul’s death, one would think that the path for David’s God-ordained ascension to the throne would have been cleared of all roadblocks. But then Abner showed up and convinced Saul’s son, Ish-bostheth to claim the crown for himself. This set up a long, drawn-out conflict between the tribe of Judah and the remaining tribes of Israel. Then, when David’s men routed the army of Ish-bosheth, it seemed obvious that Abner, the commander of Ish-bosheth’s troops, would have recommended surrender. But instead, he returned home and committed the cardinal sin of sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines. When Ish-bosheth questioned Abner’s motives, he the general showed his true colors, turning his back on the house of Saul and offering his services and the allegiance of the remaining tribes of Israel to David.

To solidify his claim to the crown, David took Abner up on his offer and made a peace treaty with him, with a special addendum, that Ish-bosheth agree to return David’s wife, Michal, to him. The only problem with David’s deal with Abner is that he never informed Joab, his own military commander. This oversight proved to be a major mistake on David’s part because he failed to take into account that Abner had murdered Joab’s brother, Ahasel. Joab took David’s treaty with Abner as a personal affront and decided to take matters into his own hands by murdering Abner. This forced David into damage control, prompting him to throw a huge state funeral for Abner and pronounce a devastating generational curse on his own military commander.

Things were spinning out of control and would only get worse. Upon hearing of Abner’s death, Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul and the king of the remaining tribes of Israel lost his nerve. Up until that point, he had been little more than a puppet king, relying heavily on Abner’s charisma and leadership to survive. Now that Abner was dead, he was on his own, a thought that scared him to death. Not only that, the people of Israel had no confidence in his ability to lead the nation without Abner’s assistance. This fact would become painfully clear for the young king.

Suspecting that Ish-bosheth’s fledgling reign was coming to an end, two Israelites came up with a plan to assassinate him. Rechab and Baanah believed that with Ish-bosheth out of the way they could hand over the kingdom to David, and receive a reward for their act of allegiance.

But the one thing missing from this twisted tale is any semblance of a word from God. Everyone is acting on their own initiative and for their own good, with no regard for what God would have them do. The assassination of Ish-bosheth was the brainchild of Rechab and Baanah, who were attempting to facilitate the outcome that best suited their own personal interests. Just like Abner, Rechab and Baanah were not fans of David; they were in it for what they could get out of it. Ish-bosheth was nothing more than a means to an end. He was their ticket to notoriety and reward.

What’s important to note is that all of this began with David’s decision to make an alliance with Abner, a plan concocted by Abner without the approval of God. At no point in the story does David seek or receive God’s permission to sign a deal with Abner. Yet, in doing so, David created a highly unstable and potentially dangerous atmosphere.

God didn’t need David’s help in uniting the kingdom and He had not sanctioned a treaty with Abner. But because David chose to act without God’s approval, Abner was murdered by Joab, who was cursed by David. and Ish-bosheth ended up assassinated by Rechab and Baanah. In the end, those two men would be executed by David’s order, with their heads and hands cut off and their bodies hung up for public display. What a great way to start a kingdom!

There is one subtle ray of light that illuminates the darkness of these events but it’s easy to miss. Verse four mentions Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. This verse is like a parenthetical statement that comes out of the blue. It doesn’t seem to fit the context, but it sets up something that happens later in the story and is recorded in chapter nine. Mephibosheth was the grandson of Saul, and as such, he would have been a potential heir to the throne of Saul. But as a child, he suffered from a tragic accident that left him a permanent physical disability.

He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to get away, he fell and was injured. Mephibosheth was his name. – 2 Samuel 4:4 NLT

In the middle of all the death, deceit, self-centered promotional efforts, jockeying for position, seeking of rewards, and looking out for number one, Mephibosheth’s name appears as a subtle hint that it is the helpless and hopeless, the overlooked and the down-and-out who God protects. Abner could make deals, but he would eventually have to deal with God. Rechab and Baanah could come up with plans to line their pockets and improve their futures, but ultimately, their futures were in God’s hands. Joab could seek to mete out revenge on his own terms but would learn that vengeance, when not left up to God, can end up as a curse rather than a blessing. David could attempt to speed up his ascension to the throne of all Israel but he would learn that trying to accomplish God’s will his own way rarely ends well.

We’re told that Mephibosheth “was crippled in his feet.” Could it be that this little description was meant to provide a not-so-subtle insight into how David, in an attempt to help God out, was actually crippling his own kingship? The helplessness of Mephibosheth provides a dramatic reminder of David’s need for God. This young boy, who could not walk on his own, would find himself at the mercy of the king. He would have no other choice but to entrust his life to the sovereign will of his grandfather’s successor. And David was still learning that his life, kingdom, and future reign over the house of Israel were completely at the mercy of God Almighty. Waiting on and resting in Him would be the best course of action.

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 Perplexity of God’s Sovereignty

1  After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’” – 2 Samuel 1:1-16  ESV

The Bible is full of irony and this story is a case in point. Saul, having taken his own life by falling on his own sword, was left on the field of battle, his body exposed and unprotected. Still bearing the king’s armor and royal crown, Saul’s corpse would have been easy to spot on a battlefield covered in dead and wounded soldiers. But according to this story, an Amalekite mercenary got to Saul before the Philistines did. He took Saul’s crown and armlet and made his way to Ziklag, having concocted a false version of the events surrounding Saul’s death. He hoped that David would reward him for having killed Saul. But the irony in all of this is that this man, who falsely took credit for Saul’s death and stole his crown and armlet, was an Amalekite.

Early in Saul’s reign, he received a word from the prophet Samuel, ordering him to destroy the Amalekites.

“The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” – 1 Samuel 15:1-3 ESV

Saul complied with God’s command and led the Israelites into battle. But while he successfully defeated the Amalekites, he failed to follow through on all of God’s instructions.

And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. – 1 Samuel 15:7-9 ESV

God commanded the complete annihilation of the Amalekites but Saul decided to take a different path. Not only did he refuse to kill the king of the Amalekites, but he also left a good portion of the people unharmed. The very fact that this Amalekite mercenary was still alive and able to steal the crown of Saul is proof that the command of God had been ignored.

God had commanded the complete destruction of the Amalekites but Saul had refused to comply with God’s wishes. That one act of defiance had long-lasting implications for both Saul and David. It was the Amalekites who raided David’s stronghold in Ziklag and captured all the women and children.

Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. – 1 Samuel 30:1-3 ESV

Obviously, the number of Amalekites spared by Saul was large enough to form a raiding party to attack Ziklag. Not only that, some of the Amalekites were serving as mercenaries in Saul’s army.

That brings up a second point of irony. The Amalekite in this story made his way to David, proudly proclaiming his Amalekite ethnicity, but totally unaware that David had just defeated and plundered his countrymen for having raided his city and captured its inhabitants. In other words, this young Amalekite picked a bad time to show up in David’s camp bragging to have killed the king of Israel.

The fact that the account of chapter one of 2 Samuel differs slightly from that of chapter 31 of 1 Samuel has caused some consternation over the years. But it is not a case of a discrepancy in the Bible; it’s simply the facts related to the events. Chapter 31 of 1 Samuel records what actually happened as it relates to Saul’s death and the aftermath. Nowhere does it mention his crown or armlet. Only his head, decapitated body, and armor were taken by the Philistines. Had they found something as significant as his crown, it would been mentioned. But according to the story in chapter one of 2 Samuel, the crown had been taken by an Amalekite who was plundering the bodies of the fallen. He was not mentioned in the closing chapter of 1 Samuel because it was a record of Saul’s death, not David’s reaction to it. The author reserved the events surrounding the Amalekite and his plundering of Saul’s crown and armlet until later.

The Amalekite mercenary’s arrival in David’s camp and his news of Saul’s death were not received with the joy and gratitude he had imagined.

David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day. – 2 Samuel 1:11-12 NLT

This was not the reaction the young man had hoped for. He knew of Saul’s hatred for David and had heard the rumors about David being the next king of Israel. So, he fully expected that his presentation of Saul’s crown would have elicited a much different response from David. Yet, instead of responding with joy and offering the Amalekite a reward, David went into mourning, weeping over the death of the Lord’s anointed. There was no celebration, no gloating, and no victory dance over Saul’s well-deserved death. The idea that an Amalekite had been the one to take the king’s life was too much for David to handle. Based on the young man’s bold claim, David had him executed – not exactly the reward he had been seeking.

What is interesting to note in this story is God’s sovereign hand at work behind the scenes. These two chapters mark a turning point in the story of David’s life. Between them, we see a transition of power taking place between Saul and David. It’s fascinating to consider that this unsuspecting Amalekite was used by God to bring the crown of Saul and hand it to the man whom God had appointed and anointed to be the next king of Israel. This simple act was meant to be a tangible sign of God’s providential oversight of the entire story. Everything was happening according to God’s sovereign and strategic plan for David’s rise to the throne of Israel.

David’s path to the throne had been a long and arduous one. From the day he had been anointed by Samuel until the moment Saul took his own life, David had experienced a long and pain-filled journey filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, and moments of doubt and despair. David’s faith had been tested. He had been oftentimes confused by the events surrounding his life. He didn’t always understand what was going on or enjoy how God had chosen to direct his life. But he kept trusting. He kept waiting. And while he had been presented with two different opportunities to take Saul’s life, he had refused. In both cases, he considered Saul the Lord’s anointed and was unwilling to raise his hand against him. To the very end, David showed honor and respect for the Lord’s anointed, even mourning the death of the very man who had dedicated years of his life to David’s destruction.

Saul was defeated by the Philistines. He took his own life. An Amalekite plundered the crown from his dead body and claimed responsibility for his death. He expected a reward for his service but instead, David mourned and rewarded the Amalekite with death. Saul’s crown, the symbol of his power, had been handed over to David by an unlikely source and in an unexpected manner. Saul’s short-lived dynasty had come to an abrupt and ignominious end. With his death, the transfer of power had begun. David was poised to become the next king of Israel. God’s hand-picked successor was about to ascend the throne and assume the responsibility of leading the people of Israel on behalf of God. The man who had repeatedly shown honor and respect for the Lord’s anointed was about to become the Lord’s anointed.

Up to this point in the story, every single event and circumstance had been part of God’s sovereign plan for David’s life. The timing was perfect and the events were unfolding just as God had ordained.

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.

When We Call Out, God Shows Up

7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.

11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14 We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.” – 1 Samuel 30:7-15  ESV

David had returned home to Ziklag to find it had been plundered and all the women and children taken captive by the Amalekites. With all that had happened over the last few days, David’s men were fed up with his leadership and threatened to stone him. Yet, in the middle of a potential revolt, “David drew strength from the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:7 NET). With his wives missing and his life threatened by his own men, David turned to God for help. This was not the first time David sought God’s will in a matter, but more recently, he had tended to make decisions without God’s input. That’s how he and his men ended up living in Ziklag, a city in the middle of Philistine territory. David had fled to Philistia to escape Saul’s ongoing pursuit. But there is no indication that David sought or received God’s approval to live among the enemies of Israel.

Yet, when the time came and David found himself between a rock and a hard place, he cried out and God heard. When he ran out of options and had no more tricks up his sleeve, he turned to God and found his heavenly Father to have a receptive ear and a heart willing to step into the mess David had created. All David had to do was reach the end of himself and cry out to the one who was willing and capable of doing something about his predicament: Jehovah.

There is something about despair that makes us more dependent upon God. Our moments of helplessness and hopelessness tend to drive us to God and play a big part in releasing His faithfulness. He is always ready, willing, and able to save His people, but it requires that we call out to Him. We are reminded of this fact in the story of God’s rescue of the people of Israel when they were living as slaves in Egypt.

Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act. – Exodus 2:23-25 NLT

I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. – Exodus 3:7 NLT

I have seen. I have heard. I am aware.

Those three statements from God should create a sense of relief and calm in us as we recognize His care and concern for His people. Nothing happens in or around our lives that God does not see. When we cry out, He always hears, and there is nothing we can tell Him of which He is not fully aware. Our prayers are not meant to inform God of our predicament but to invite His involvement.

God knew what David was facing. He was completely aware of the problem David had created for himself and already had a plan in place to deal with it. So when David sought God’s guidance, he received it. Using the Urim and Thummim, which were kept in the high priest’s ephod, David sought God’s input, asking him two questions:

“Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?” – 1 Samuel 30:8 NLT

First, David wanted to know if he was to pursue the Amalekites and secondly, if he did, would he find success in catching them. And God gave him the green light.

“Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!” – 1 Samuel 30:8 NLT

Not only would David catch them, but he would recover everything they took, including all the women, children, livestock, and loot they had plundered. God was going to bless David – despite David. God would rescue David from the pit he had dug for himself and assuage the anger and resentment of David’s men. All David had to do was draw strength from the Lord. He had to place his hope in and seek his help from the Jehovah.

This would be yet another valuable life lesson for David and contribute to his ongoing education regarding the power and presence of God. He would later turn what he  learned into beautiful words of praise.

But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
    my cry to him reached his ears. – Psalm 18:6 NLT

The following words from Psalm 18 could have been penned as a direct result of this very circumstance in David’s life.

I chased my enemies and caught them;
    I did not stop until they were conquered.
I struck them down so they could not get up;
    they fell beneath my feet.
You have armed me with strength for the battle;
    you have subdued my enemies under my feet. – Psalm 18:37-39 NLT

God is always there when we call. The problem is that we don’t call on Him enough. We tend to try and solve our problems on our own. We tend to doubt that God can or will intervene on our behalf. Somehow we convince ourselves to believe that our solution will be just as effective as anything He comes up with. But when we finally reach the point where our circumstances cause us to give up and cry out, God hears and answers. And when He does, we end up singing His praises just like David did.

The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
    May the God of my salvation be exalted! – Psalm 18:46 NLT

God has a habit of showing up when we call out. He wants to rescue and redeem. He desires to shower His children with His blessings and poor out His grace and mercy on their behalf. David had tried living according to his own faulty plans; now he was ready to rely upon the Lord. God had a plan for David's life and as soon as David let go of his agenda, God was ready to implement His.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the LORD. – Jeremiah 29:11-14 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 Self-Delusion of Self-Preservation

1 Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,

‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?”

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel. – 1 Samuel 29:1-11  ESV

While Saul was busy consulting with a witch, David was consorting with the enemy. According to 1 Samuel 27:7, David had been living in the land of Philistia for 16 months, and he had pulled it off by living a lie. He had deceived King Achish into believing he had turned his back on Israel and had chosen to join forces with the Philistines. Evidently, David had been convincing. If there had been an Academy Awards that year, David would have won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Drama. He had completely fooled Achish into believing he was a faithful friend and ally. David’s performance had left Achish fully convinced and willing to defend him to the rest of the Philistine commanders.

“This is David, the servant of King Saul of Israel. He’s been with me for years, and I’ve never found a single fault in him from the day he arrived until today.” – 1 Samuel 29:3 NLT

Even after Achish heard the concerns of his fellow officers, he refused to buy into their fears and expressed to David his unwavering confidence in his faithfulness.

“I swear by the Lord that you have been a trustworthy ally. I think you should go with me into battle, for I’ve never found a single flaw in you from the day you arrived until today” – 1 Samuel 29:6 NLT

“As far as I’m concerned, you’re as perfect as an angel of God.” – 1 Samuel 29:9 NLT

But while David’s performance had been convincing, it didn’t come without a cost. The longer he stayed in Philistia and kept up his ruse, the more dangerous his predicament would become. It was only a matter of time before David found himself in the awkward and unenviable spot of having to display his true colors. He couldn’t keep up this charade forever. In time, the nations of Israel and Philistia would find themselves at war and David would be caught in the middle. That is exactly the scenario recorded in chapter 29.

The Philistines had gathered all their troops to do battle with the Israelites. King Achish and his men arrived at Aphek on Philistia’s northern border with Israel. Bringing up the rear of his column was none other than David and his 600 fighting men. The significance of this moment is monumental. Here is David, the God-appointed, Spirit-anointed future king of Israel, riding among the forces of the Philistines, one of the greatest enemies of the people of God. This was no longer one of David’s cleverly disguised raids against Israelite enemies (see 1 Samuel 27:8-12). An all-out war between the Israelites and the Philistines was about to take place and David would have to make a decision. Would he fight with the Philistines and risk the wrath of God? Or would he do exactly what the Philistine commanders feared and turn against them in battle and become their adversary (1 Samuel 29:4)?

Without reading ahead, it’s easy to assume that David would have chosen the latter path. After all, he had passed up two opportunities to raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed (1 Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel 26:9); so why would he suddenly change course and wield his sword against God’s chosen people?

If he did, he would find himself facing two foes: Achish and Saul. For the last 16 months, Saul had abandoned his hunt for David but his hatred for him remained undiminished. He most likely believed David was a traitor who hoped to steal the crown of Israel with the aid of the Philistines. So, if Saul met David on the battlefield, he would see him as an enemy, no matter which side he chose to fight for.

David was in a predicament. His plan to escape Saul’s wrath by living among the Philistines seemed like the logical thing to do at the time, but it appears that he made his decision without input from God. There is no indication that God directed David’s actions or ordered his escape into Philistine territory. Now David was faced with the inevitable consequences of his Godless decision. But while David had left God out of his plan, God had not left David. The Almighty may not have approved of David’s strategy, but He was committed to David’s well-being and future.

Despite David’s actions, God knew David’s heart. Years earlier, when Samuel the prophet was surveying the sons of Jesse looking for the next king of Israel, God told him, “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:9 NLT). While David’s decision-making may have been suspect, his motivation was not, and God knew it.

David had been trying to do the right thing. He was still a faithful servant and all the while he lived in Philistia, he continued to fight against the enemies of Israel. But his self-inspired strategy for self-preservation produced a less-than-ideal outcome that only the sovereign hand of God could resolve.

As David and his men arrived at the Philistine camp at Aphek, the other Philistine lords were furious that Achish had brought this former Israeli commander and his men into battle with them. They questioned his reasoning and intelligence. Who in his right mind would allie himself with the man who killed the Philistine champion, Goliath? And, to make matters worse, Achish was the king of Gath, the hometown of Goliath. Yet here he was riding into camp with the man who had songs written about his military exploits against the Philistines.

Their disagreement with Achish’s decision was unanimous and unwavering.

“Send him back to the town you’ve given him!” they demanded. “He can’t go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us in battle and becomes our adversary? Is there any better way for him to reconcile himself with his master than by handing our heads over to him?” – 1 Samuel 29:4 NLT

They saw David as a threat and Achish as a fool. To them, everything about this scenario was wrong and David had to go. Outnumbered and unable to defend his decision, Achish reluctantly gave in to their demands. Always the performer, David reacted with surprise when Achish ordered him and his men to return to Ziklag.

“What have I done to deserve this treatment?” David demanded. “What have you ever found in your servant, that I can’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?” – 1 Samuel 29:8 NLT

It’s interesting to note that David used similar words when questioning Saul’s unjust treatment of him.

“Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true.” – 1 Samuel 24:9-10 NLT

“Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What is my crime?” – 1 Samuel 26:18 NLT

David couldn’t understand why Saul was out to kill him. But he knew exactly why the Philistines were suspicious of his motivation and worried about his allegiance. Ever the dedicated thespian, David feigned surprise and did his best to act offended by the assertions of the Philistine commanders.

But in reality, this was the best thing that could have happened to David and his men. God had intervened and spared them from having to go into battle. At the very last minute, God stepped in and providentially protected David from the mess he had created. But as the next chapter will reveal, God’s timely rescue of David would not prevent him from experiencing the fruit of his godless decision-making. David had determined to make plans without God’s input and he would have to suffer the consequences. God protected David from having to go into battle with the Philistines, but David would not escape the discipline of God.

God had plans for David that included the years he spent hiding and wandering in the wilderness. God could have put David on the throne the very day Samuel anointed him, but David was not yet ready to be king; he needed to be prepared for the role. He had to learn the lessons God had for him, and a big part of God’s preparation for David would be found in his failure to trust God.

His tendency to make decisions without God’s input would teach him the danger of autonomy in the life of the servant of God. Decisions made apart from God will never result in the blessings of God. Trying to do God’s will his own way would never produce God’s results. This phase of David’s life would provide yet another valuable opportunity for him to learn to trust God, rather than himself.

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.