Fear The Vengeance Of The Lord

Introduction

* Many Christians claim to enjoy a loving relationship with God, but they may not revere (fear) God.

* Many Christians merely take comfort in the fact that they are not breaking the law.

* <Deu 12:28>: Be careful to obey all these things I command you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.

* God cares whether we are doing good and right before Him, and to others.

* <Jer 17:10>: “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

* <Jer 9:23-24>: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

<2 Sam 21:1-7>

1 During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

2 The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) 3 David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”

4 The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.”

“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.

5 They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, 6 let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord’s chosen one.”

So the king said, “I will give them to you.”

7 The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul.

The Gibeonites

* During the times of Joshua, a neighboring tribe in the land of Canaan.

* Fear the God of Israel.

* Trick Israel into making a peace agreement with them.

* Willingly and humbly work as woodcutters and water carriers for the Israel community.

King Saul tries to annihilate the Gibeonites out of zeal

* The danger of zeal without justice.

* Saul’s misguided zeal has harmed the innocents and brought calamity on Israel.

* As obedience is better than sacrifice, justice is more important than zeal.

A few guiding principles on justice and honor

1) God expects us to keep our promises.

2) Time does not diminish our obligation to promises.

3) God’s correction will come even a long time after the offense.

King David is to deliver the justice of God to the Gibeonites

1) “What can I do for you?” – Humility

2) “And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD” – To win the hearts of the Gibeonites, not just deliver a simple payback.

3) Gibeonites replied: “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us…“Let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and to be hanged at Gibeah, the place where Saul was born and made King”.” – Gibeonites wants justice, not retribution.

God’s grace and mercy were present even in the midst of executing justice

<1 Sam 20:42>: Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.

* Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth (Jonathan’s son), were spared.

* David is a king who will not fulfil one promise at the expense of another.

* <Ge 18:25>: Abraham said: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right”?

* Reflection: Who are you? And what should your attitude be?

Gibeonites? Descendants of Saul? Or King David?