Only one hero

S: 1 Kings 5:3 "You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet."

O: 1 Chronicles 22: 8-10 provides the background to this: But Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

As I have observed in earlier blog posts, David committed a lot what would be considered war crimes today – he killed prisoners of war, he exterminated entire tribes, including women and children, etc. But God did not reprimand him for killing so many people – instead, God reprimanded him for killing one man – Uriah – in trying to cover up his adultery with Bathsheba.

One lesson I had drawn from that earlier was that God distinguishes between sins David committed knowing he was wrong, and sins he committed in ignorance, and in God’s mercy, he deals graciously with human blindness.

Today’s SOAP illustrates that, while God gives us grace for those things, they still do have consequences. The people David unjustly killed are still dead. And God could not permit him to build his temple because of the blood on his hands. God can ordain a kingdom purpose through David’s reign while still marking killing people as unfitting for the temple.

So we distinguish between God’s sovereign use of war in history and God’s delight in peace, holiness, and covenant obedience. Even when violence occurs within redemptive history, Scripture does not let us become casual about bloodshed.

God truly established David’s kingdom, but He did not allow David to build the temple because David’s reign was marked by warfare and bloodshed. This means Scripture neither denies God’s historical purposes in war nor treats violence as morally light. The temple pointed to God’s dwelling in peace, so a man of war was not the fitting builder. David was useful in God’s plan, but not morally ultimate. The kingdom needed a greater Son than David.

A: We must not assume that just because God used someone effectively that God endorses everything he or she does. God does not glorify violence, even though he may have used it for good – God works all things for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). The acts are not necessarily good in themselves, but God still uses them for good.

So, being used by God does not mean all one does is equally fitting or ideal. We must not glorify force, and must not idolise a powerful man like David, but look to Christ, the true King of peace.

P: Lord, make me humble, truthful, and peace-loving. Teach me to trust Christ, not flawed human strength. Amen

Outsiders inside

S: 2 Samuel 23-24

O: Back in Deuteronomy 7:1-2, it says “When Yahweh your God brings you into the land where you go to possess it, and casts out many nations before you—the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—seven nations greater and mightier than you; ² and when Yahweh your God delivers them up before you, and you strike them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them.”

And back in Deuteronomy 23:3, it says “An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one belonging to them enter into Yahweh’s assembly forever”.  

Yet, here in 2 Samuel 23-24 we see, as part of the people of God, Uriah the Hittite, Zelek the Ammonite, and Araunah the Jebusite!

And don’t forget, the whole book of Ruth – Ruth being a Moabite!

How? Did God contradict himself?

Nope. The Book of Jonah is a huge example of this. “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!” No ifs, buts or exceptions. Yet, when they repent, God “went back against His word!”

Except that everyone knew that there was that implicit “unless you repent” – Jonah knew, that’s why he refused to go warn them in the first place, and the Ninevites knew, which is why they repented and were saved.

So when we see these seemingly “blanket condemnations”, we must remember, there is always an implicit “unless they repent”.

As Ezekiel 33:11 says, “As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!”

A: As Ruth the Moabite declared, “Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16)

When we sin, we need to confess our sins, for God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.  Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Isn’t God wonderful? Let’s repent and turn back to Him!

P: Father, thank You for your wonderful grace and for Jesus’ sacrifice to save us.  In Jesus’ name, amen.