John 8:1-11 Part 1 – Two Responses to Jesus: A Tale of Hearts and Choices

This is one of the most well-known and profound stories of Jesus: the account of the woman caught in adultery, brought before Him by the scribes and Pharisees in an attempt to test His wisdom and authority. Here I wanted to focus on the different response between the people who came to and the group of the scribes and the Pharisees. The first group came to listen and be taught by Jesus. The second group came to find a ground for accusing Jesus. Their contrasting responses reflect the choices we all make when we encounter Jesus.

In the opening of John 8, Jesus returns to the temple again after a series of dialogues with a hostile crowd in chapter 7. The scene immediately draws our attention to see the contrast between the people who came to Jesus early in the morning and the group of the scribes and the Pharisees.

Text Summary

Early in the morning, Jesus sat down and began to teach many people in the temple. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery in front of Jesus, asking Him what needs to be done to the woman, invoking the law of Moses. Instead of responding directly to their accusations, Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground. He then said, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her’ After Jesus stooped down to write the second time on the ground, people began to leave one by one. After no one left, Jesus told her that He did not condemn her and to not sin anymore.

The First Group: Eager to Learn

The first group is described as “all the people” (John 8:2). They gathered early in the morning, drawn to Jesus’ presence and teaching. Given that this is early morning, we have a reasonable basis to think that these people made a deliberate choice to seek Him out this time of the day with a humble, teachable heart. By sitting down to teach them, Jesus honored and accepted their desire to listen. This simple detail of sitting down points out Jesus’ character of intimacy, accessibility and humility.

The Second Group: Eager to Accuse

But then, an unwelcome interruption – a striking difference from the eager group. The scribes and the Pharisees, dragging a woman caught in adultery, intrude on the scene. In contrast to the people who came early with a teachable mind to listen to Jesus’s teaching, they came with an evil intent to establish ground to accuse Jesus (John 8:6). Their actions, likely fueled by jealousy (Mark 15:10), revealed their inability to inspire people with the same grace, truth, and authority that Jesus embodied.

The Choice

What a sharp difference we see between these two groups! The first group of people came early and Jesus began to teach them. They made a choice to come early in the morning to listen. The second group that comprised the scribe and the Pharisees came not to listen, but to test and establish a ground for accusing Jesus.

Even in these opening few verses in chapter 8, we can draw practical, immediate lessons: the same stimulus can evoke vastly different responses in people. Jesus exposed Himself to a wide variety of groups, especially after the start of His ministry. He taught in the temple, engaged with people across socioeconomic boundaries, preached on mountains, performed miracles like healing the blind, and debated with hostile Jews, including religious authorities. To all that Jesus taught and demonstrated, some responded attentively, like those who came early to the temple to hear Him teach while He sat down. Others, however—like the scribes and Pharisees—chose to test Him and seek grounds for accusation.

The Choice Before Us: A Teachable Heart or a Hardened Heart?

This passage invites us to reflect on the choices we make when we encounter Jesus. Do we approach Jesus with a teachable heart, seeking to learn and grow? Or, do we approach Jesus with a hardened heart, dismissing His teachings and allowing our hearts to be captivated by jealousy? The difference can be striking, and that choice remains within our discretionary decision. May we guard our hearts and cultivate a teachable spirit as we approach the presence of Christ, eager to learn and grow in faith

More to continue on the next blog.

Revelation 1: The True Focus of Revelation is Jesus Christ

The Book of Revelation opens with a strong, declarative statement: this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John makes this emphatic point to ensure that readers keep their focus on Jesus as He is revealed through the many visions describing God’s judgments, rather than being distracted in speculation about peripheral elements like the beast, the dragon, or natural disasters. The book invites the church of that time to see Christ in a newly revealed way, offering encouragement during periods of persecution and suffering.

In particular, the description of Jesus in Revelation 1 builds upon the majestic portrayal of the Son of Man in the Book of Daniel, further emphasizing His ultimate sovereignty, authority, and everlasting power over all realms—both in heaven and on earth. This vision must have been an immense comfort and source of strength for the first-century church. And the remarkable thing is that this invitation to know Christ in His fullness extends to the church today as well.

Summary

The book was introduced as the Revelation of Jesus Christ, given by God and communicated by His angel to His bond servant John. John began his letter by greeting his fellow partaker in suffering, the seven churches in Asia, with an emphatic, encouraging message that praises God for His glory and dominion that transcend time boundaries and that Jesus would certainly be coming back with clouds.

Then, John went on to share his brief, but powerful encountering experience with Jesus in the Spirit on one of the Lord’s days while he was on Patmos Island. First, he stated that he heard a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet that commanded him to write what he would see in a book and send it to the seven churches in Asia. Then, he saw the one like a son man, who manifested a majestic and awe-inspiring image, in the middle of the seven golden lamp stands. Although John fell at His feet like a dead man, he was comforted by the son of man and was told to write things that he had seen, he was seeing, and he would see.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The True Focus

Revelation (apokalypsis in Greek): laying bare, a disclosure of truth, cornering things before unknown, manifestation, appearance.

Right from the start, the very first phrase captures the essence of the book: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” This is not a revelation of the Apostle John himself. Though he was a faithful servant of God and entrusted to deliver the message, John was merely the messenger. The central focus of the book is not the end of the world, nor does it center on the rise of the dragon, the beast, or the angels and their judgments through catastrophic events like natural disasters. While these dramatic elements are described in detail and capture much attention, they are not the primary focus. The purpose of Revelation is to reveal Jesus Christ. The word “revelation” in Greek, apokalypsis, means the unveiling or disclosing of truths previously unknown. In this case, it appears that apokalypsis points to a fuller disclosure of certain often-overlooked attributes of Jesus Christ, which would serve as an encouragement to His followers enduring persecution and suffering.

One of the risks when reading Revelation is the temptation to focus disproportionately on the events or peripheral elements described. It’s crucial that we not let these aspects distract us from the main subject: Jesus Christ. Perhaps this is why John begins with a strong, clear statement: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” Just as John used the word “sign” (sēmeion in Greek) in his Gospel to emphasize that the seven recorded miracles were not significant in themselves but pointed to God and Jesus, so too in Revelation the awe-inspiring, fearful, and at times unsettling visions serve a similar purpose. They function as signs pointing back to Jesus.

As we read chapter 1 and the rest of Revelation, let us focus on the character of Jesus Christ rather than speculating about other elements. One of the key messages of Revelation is that Jesus is coming back with the clouds, which often symbolize the full presence of God. His return will fulfill His promise to His disciples and the world—for ultimate redemption and the full manifestation of His presence. While the timing of this return is known only to the Father, many have attempted to speculate, only to reveal the futility of such efforts. Our task is not to predict the when, but to focus on the certainty of His return and what it reveals about His character.

Three Key Titles of Christ in Revelation

As a starting point of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, John reminds the readers of the three fundamental descriptions associated with the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:5: the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Jesus as “the faithful witness” signifies His role in perfectly revealing and testifying the truth of God. Jesus as “the firstborn of the dead” points to His resurrection after the death on the cross, highlighting His power even over death (Col 1:18, 1 Corinth 15:20-23, Romans 8:39). “The ruler of the kings” affirms Jesus’ ultimate authority over all, including all mankind’s power structure and institutions. John reminds the readers of Jesus again of these important characters and attributes of Jesus – in part to strengthen those who were undergoing persecution and suffering.

Christ’s Majestic Revelation: A New Vision of Authority

Revelation 1 introduces a unique and majestic portrayal of Jesus Christ, which echoes the descriptions from the Old Testament, particularly from the book of Daniel, but also presents new revelatory aspects of His divine nature and role that are distinct from the rest of the New Testament. The depiction of a son of man in the Revelation is similar to that in Daniel, but expands farther with more descriptive details and unique elements.

The description of highlighted Jesus’ characters in Revelation 1 builds upon the imagery found in the book of Daniel but goes much farther. Daniel shows a glimpse of the son of man’s authority and majesty, but Revelation unveils the son of man in additional ways: His presence that transcends time boundaries, His majestic descriptions that show His kingly authority, and His ultimate grip transcends heaven.

First, Jesus says, “I am the first and the last, echoing the earliest statement by the Lord God that He is the Alpha and Omega. His statement symbolizes that He is the origin and completion of all things. This identification is unique in the book of the Revelation and emphasizes Christ’s eternal, uncreated and His sovereign control over history. This identification is the repeat yet expanded version of the description given in Daniel (7:13-14) which describes a son of man, who came to the Ancient Days, was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that is an everlasting one immune to destruction.

Second, Revelation 1 expands upon the majestic descriptions found in Daniel 7, presenting Jesus in His glorified, post-resurrection state. The imagery of Christ in Revelation in 1:12-16 is more vivid and complete, emphasizing His identity as both Judge and King. His white wool-like hair shows His wisdom. His fiery eyes symbolizes His penetrating discernment (His people from those of the beast), the bronze feet His steadfastness and purity, and sharp-two edged word His powerful judgment.

Third, revelation 1 shows more specifically Jesus’ ultimate authority over the realm that is largely invisible – the dead. Although Jesus’ authority over the realm of the dead was shown indirectly through His resurrection, Revelation 1 makes this more explicit from Jesus’ statement that “I was dead, and behold,I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” The statement signifies His authority over life, death, as well as eternal destiny. This description is a fuller revelation of the divine power over the living and dead hinted at in Daniel 12:1-2

The Command to Write: Preserving the Revelation

Notable commands were given to John in this chapter: the command to write – twice. First, a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet instructed John to write in a book what he was about to see and send it to the seven churches (1:11). Then, a second command comes from the one like a son of man, concerning the things that have been seen, were being seen, and would take place (1:19).

The repetition of this command to write underscores the significance of the book of Revelation – its role in comforting and encouraging Jesus’ followers while offering others an opportunity to acknowledge God and return to Him. This command is particularly notable because, in the four Gospels, Jesus never directly commanded His disciples to record His actions and words. The New Testament writings were composed by His disciples, inspired by the Holy Spirit absent without explicit directives. However, in this chapter, two direct commands were given to John to document the vision to the church. This highlights the urgency and importance of the overall message of the book of Revelation, especially for the seven churches, who were desperately seeking the living and powerful message of Christ in the midst of suffering and difficulties.

From Private Vision to Public Revelation

The scope of the Book of the Revelation is vast. The message was given to John in a deeply impressive way, particularly through powerful visual and auditory forms. John was tasked with taking in these overwhelming and inspiring revelations and faithfully converting them into written words to the seven churches in Asia Minor.

Yet, this monumental revelation was initially very private to John, and that privacy carries a significant meaning. First, the private delivery of messages highlights the deep intimacy between John and God – an intimate connection between God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and John. This is fitting, given John’s unique relationship with Jesus as one of His closest disciples. Second, the private nature of the revelation can be seen as a way to safeguard, a way to ensure the message’s integrity is kept before being open to the public. This helps to prevent immediate public distortion, misunderstanding, or exploitation of the Revelation of Christ. Third, this private nature of the message places John as a mediator like a prophet of the Old Testament where God had revealed messages and visions privately to His prophets before being communicated to a wider community of Judah and Israel.

Though private at first, the revelation was meant to be shared with the broader community of believers, and eventually, the whole world. John was to bring this revelation to his fellow bond-servants of Christ, including the seven churches, as a source of comfort and encouragement, reminding them of Jesus’s eternal power and authority over all affairs of the world.

Then, as Revelation 1:3 declares, “Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it,” the message was to reach beyond churches, offering the entire world a chance to hear and heed the words of Christ. In this way, the Book of Revelation echoes the heart of John 3:16-19 – God sent His Son not to judge the world, but so that all might believe and have eternal life. The revelation is an invitation to return to God before the appointed time draws near.

Esther 1: A Captivating Narrative of Feast of Folly

Feast. Wine. Drunken king and nobles. Rash decision. Ludicrous, perplexing decree. These elements make up a captivating narrative in the first chapter of the book of Esther.

However, Esther 1 is more than just a captivating story. The chapter invites us to contemplate on the meaning of the two kinds of feasts: 1) the feast filled by alcohol and ambition that seek conquest and revenge; 2) or the feast inspired by the Holy Spirit’s influence that embraces humility, reflection, and God’s goodness to honor God and love neighbors.

Chapter Summary

In the third year of his rule, King Xerxes showcased his unparalleled wealth and glory to his nobles and princes through an extravagant 180-day exhibition. The culmination of this opulence was a seven-day banquet during which royal wine was liberally distributed to all people at the citadel of Susa.

During this banquet when his spirit was high with wine, he commanded his seven eunuchs to bring his queen, Vashti, to display her beauty to the princes. When Vashti refused to come, Xerxes was furious and gathered his wise men and seven princes to discuss how to deal with this incident.

One of the princes, Memucan, spoke up to make an emphatic point that this incident may result in a nationwide disrespect of husband, and recommended that Queen Vashti be deposed and that someone else be selected as a new queen in her stead. In addition, he was instrumental in making a decree that every husband is to be respected and should be a ruler over his own household throughout the kingdom of Persia.

A Feast of Revenge and Conquest

The grand feast was not merely a display of opulence – it was a statement of revenge and conquest. The feast was an important part of diplomatic and military preparations for war, which was in part to revenge for the defeat that Darius, Xerxes’ father, suffered at the hands of the Greeks at Marathon, approximately 10 years before the feast (490 B.C.). This defeat by Darius fueled the empire’s thirst for retaliation.

The thirst for retribution also revealed the inner workings of the powerful empire’s desire for continual expansion of its empire and asserting its supremacy – even when it was not necessary or economically justifiable. Greece did not pose an existential threat to Persia, nor did they show any intention to invade Persia at that time. In addition, irony shrouded this endeavor for retribution as Persia led by Darius was the aggressor. The feast serves as an embodiment of the empire’s insatiable desire for conquest and exact revenge, taking away the lives of other nations.

The Intoxicated Proclamation and Its Ripple Effects

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1

The transcendental truth regarding alcohol was made by Solomon in Proverbs 20 remains a powerful reminder for all of us. Rarely any good comes from an intoxicated group of people.

Likewise, this was the case for Xerxes and his noblemen during the feast as a rash decision, fueled by the intoxicating influence of alcohol. King Xerxes’ decision to summon his queen, Vashti, to display her beauty before the noblemen was the first sign of the folly under alcohol’s influence. Vashti’s refusal became a catalyst for a series of subsequent rash decisions. Xerxes convened his council, including seven eunuchs, who were also likely under the influence of alcohol, to come up with a perplexing proclamation to the nation, mandating that a “that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people (Esther 1:22).”

This episode reveals a folly of decisions made under the haze of wine and implications of impulsive actions. Xerxes, a formidable king who reigned over vast dominion, did not know how to manage his own household. He proved himself to be susceptible to the allure of drink, resulting in a deposed Queen, which he regretted later (Esther 2:1), and a proclamation that attempted to impose respect for the husband through decree rather than earned admiration. On the other hand, Apostle Paul reminds the husbands to “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Eph 5:22-23).” This is the decree of God.

Subtle Mockery of Xerxes the Great

The title “Great” is often used for Xerxes. It was first used by Greek historians, such as Herodotus and Plutarch, to describe his power and ambition. Xerxes was far richer than other Persian kings (Daniel 11:2) and ruled over a vast area of territories of 127 provinces. In terms of power and ambition, he was rightly described as “the Great,” given his power and ambition.

However, this chapter may have been written to imbue a subtle mockery of Xerxes the Great. The pinnacle of the subtle mockery was manifested through the decree that attempted to legislate respect, a notion inherently rooted in earned regard rather than imposed authority (“that man should be master”). Plus, this decree was the product of a combined counsel, including the seven eunuchs, considered the pinnacle of the empire’s intellect. The author appears to be asking “Is this the best that Persia’s, the most powerful kingdom on earth at that time, can come up with?”

Feasts of God vs. Feast of Xerxes

The grandeur of Xerxes’ feast starkly contrasts with God’s ordained feasts outlined in the book of Leviticus. These feasts are characterized by life-giving, humility, self-reflection, and both spiritual and physical nourishment. While Xerxes’ feast was marked by vengeance, boasting, and indulgence, God’s feast served as a central reminder of covenantal relation, in which the identity of God’s people resides. For example, the purpose of the Passover feast was to remind the Israelites of their God whose power was exercised to deliver them out of the unjust slavery bondage. It was a feast to celebrate God’s delivery of His people from the oppressive power of the world. In the Day of Atonement, God wanted to ensure that His people understand the gravity of sin. This was the day of national repentance, reminding them of their utter sinful nature and necessity for forgiveness.

Conclusions

In a world where power, conquest, alcohol, and revenge dictate, the divine feasts present an alternative perspective – one that embraces humility, reflection, and celebration of God’s goodness. The clash between these two feasts invite us to contemplate the meaning and purpose of the feasts. Which kind of feasts would you, followers of Christ, partake in?

Daniel 1 Part 2 (1:4-21) From Crisis to Opportunity: How God Used the Collapse of Judah to Expand His Remnants’ Understanding of Him

When His people sin, remaining faithful to His unchanging principles and character, God acts with justice to discipline His people. In the beginning of this chapter, God executed judgment on the nation. In the rest of the chapter, however, God showed compassion and grace to His remnant at the individual level through Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

God of Principle II (Compassion): Despite the sins of Judah, God showed compassion and ensured the survival of His people. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among those who received God’s favor (Daniel 1:6, 8). Through God’s compassion, Daniel and his friends were able to abstain from the king’s choice food and instead eat only vegetables, thus keeping themselves undefiled (Daniel 1:8-16).

God of Principle III (Grace): For Daniel and his three friends – who were likely in their late teens or early twenties – being deported from their homeland of Jerusalem to Shinar in Babylon, a foreign land full of idols, was a traumatic and difficult circumstance. Nevertheless, God provided them with more than enough to live as men of God. God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom (Daniel 1:17).

Summary (Daniel 1:4-21)

Daniel was determined not to defile himself with the king’s food and wine. He sought permission from the commander of the officials to avoid consuming it. With God’s favor and compassion, the commander agreed to test Daniel and his friends by allowing them to eat only vegetables and water for ten days. When they appeared healthier than the other youths, the commander withheld the king’s food and continued to provide them with vegetables.

God gave these four youths knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom. After three years of education, they were presented to King Nebuchadnezzar and found to be ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers. Daniel continued to serve until the first year of King Cyrus.

Prudently denied King’s Choice Food

Daniel’s unwavering confidence in God was evident even though he hailed from a defeated nation. He understood that it was God’s will for Judah to be delivered to the Babylonians, and he prudently displayed this confidence to the Babylonians. With faith in his God, Daniel made the bold decision not to defile himself with the king’s choice food and requested that he be given vegetables and water instead.

While this may seem like a trivial matter, it was a risky request for Daniel to make as a prisoner from a conquered nation. If King Nebuchadnezzar had found the request displeasing, Daniel could have been executed. However, it was crucial for Daniel to maintain his identity before God the LORD, and his confidence in the sovereignty of the LORD gave him the strength to make this audacious request.

It’s worth noting that the term “defile” here refers to more than just physical intake but also spiritual intake. The meat offered to new students in the Babylonian royal institution was likely sacrificed to Babylonian gods and not prepared according to Levitical standards. By eating this meat, Daniel would have defiled himself spiritually. This was why he took the risk of requesting vegetables and water instead of the king’s choice food, displaying his unwavering faith in God even in the face of danger, even death.

… Yet, “accepted” Babylonian name and education

On the other hand, we find it intriguing that Daniel did not oppose being given a new Babylonian name, Belteshazzar (Daniel 1:7), and accepted Babylonian education (Daniel 1:5).

First, Daniel knew his identity in the LORD God. The meaning of Belteshazzar is “Bel will protect,” and Bel is one of the Babylonian deities, a far cry from the meaning of the name Daniel, which means “God is judge.” Although others in Babylon may have referred to him as Belteshazzar, Daniel knew the meaning of his name and his identity in God the LORD. Therefore, he did not care what other people would call him or how they would try to define him.

Second, Daniel did not reject being educated in Chaldean literature. Given that Babylon was the most powerful nation in the region, it is likely that their progress in science, technology, military, and agriculture was far more advanced than that of Judah. Additionally, Babylon may have had a better understanding of the literature and geopolitical insights of surrounding nations. These kinds of knowledge did not oppose the principles of God in and of themselves. Daniel was confident in God’s ability to use even the leading scientific knowledge and literature to further his understanding of God and to serve Him as well as the king of Babylon.

Opportunity to expand One’s Visions

The collapse of Judah was a great crisis for the Jewish people, as it threatened to erode their identity in God. But it also presented a great opportunity. In the aftermath of the destruction of Judah and God’s temple, the Jews had a chance to expand their understanding of God. God can work wonders with His remnants, even through the wisdom and literature of the gentiles, especially the Chaldeans.

Daniel and his three friends were among those remnants who were given knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom. They did not reject this education, but instead used it to further their relationship with God. They did not allow themselves to be turned by Chaldean literature and wisdom, but instead used it to become even stronger men of God who could serve both their pagan kings and honor God (Daniel 2 and 3).

If Judah had not collapsed, Daniel and his friends might not have had the opportunity to serve the king of Judah in such important roles. Those who were faithful to God might have faced persecution in Judah, as Jeremiah did. The intelligence and wisdom of Daniel and his friends might have shone more brightly under the Babylonian empire, where they were allowed to be educated. In addition to the word of God, they equipped themselves with the world-leading Chaldean wisdom and literature, becoming more refined men of God with competence.

We can learn from their example today. We too can use cutting-edge technology and frontier knowledge to serve our nation and honor God at the same time. We must not allow this knowledge to master us, but instead subject it to the service of God, our nation, and our neighbors. In this way, we can use even secular knowledge to become more refined men and women of God.

Conclusion

The last verse of this chapter shows that Daniel was a man who served faithfully for around 70 years until the first year of Cyrus. Daniel was undoubtedly a competent man of God, but it’s essential to recognize that his success and longevity were a manifestation of God’s faithfulness. Despite Judah’s sins and the collapse of their nation, God remained compassionate and gracious to His remnants, including Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. We can draw inspiration from the lives of Daniel and his friends and see how God’s wisdom and knowledge were instrumental in the foundation of their success in the kingdom of Babylon.

As followers of Christ today, let us continually praise God for His unwavering love and faithfulness towards us. May we seek God’s grace and compassion in our lives, knowing that He is the ultimate source of all wisdom, knowledge, and strength.

Daniel 1 Part 1 (1:1-1:3) The True God: Why the Defeat of Judah Did Not Compromise God’s Sovereignty

The defeat of God’s nation and people by Babylon did not compromise His sovereignty. Instead, this event – the loss of national sovereignty and people being led away in captivity to the land of Babylon – highlighted His sovereignty in a powerful way. God demonstrated both His judgment and compassion through this event. At the national level, He executed His judgment on Judah for their collective sin. However, at the individual level, God showed compassion and grace to the captives, including Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

Summary

The LORD God gave Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. In addition, Nebuchadnezzar took some of the vessels from the house of God and also selected some of the sons of Israel – youths who showed intelligence and discerning knowledge – to educate them for three years in order to serve him personally. Among these youths were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

However, Daniel was determined not to defile himself with the king’s food and wine. He sought permission from the commander of the officials to avoid consuming it. With God’s favor and compassion, the commander agreed to test Daniel and his friends by allowing them to eat only vegetables and water for ten days. When they appeared healthier than the other youths, the commander withheld the king’s food and continued to provide them with vegetables.

Collapse of Judeo-centric Worldview

“God is on our side” is a phrase we often use to comfort ourselves, but it must be taken with caution. We need to be on God’s side, not the other way around. When Joshua met the captain of the host of the LORD before Israel’s first battle in the land of Canaan, he asked which side he was on, to which the captain replied that he came as the captain of the host of the LORD (Joshua 5:13-14). This reply implies that it was irrelevant which side he, who was representing the only true God, was on. Joshua immediately postured himself to the listening and obedience mode to the captain. As such, Joshua and the Israelites needed to be on the LORD God’s side.

Approximately 600 years later, it appeared that the people of Judah had forgotten this important lesson. They believed that God was on their side unconditionally and would protect them from Babylon, despite prophet Jeremiah’s warning. However, they failed to understand that their obedience and reflection of God’s holiness were necessary for God’s protection. They were chosen by God, but with the condition that they follow His commands (Deuteronomy 28). Continuing to sin and refuse to repent, they falsely believed that God would defend them. Although God had protected them in the past, deliberate sin and injustice could not be tolerated forever.

Therefore, Jeremiah’s prophecies and warnings of the collapse of Judah and the plundering of the Temple of God were fulfilled, which bewildered the leaders and prophets of Judah. Their Judeo-centric worldview and perhaps their understanding of the sovereignty of God also collapsed.

However, the national defeat and plundering of the Temple of God did not demonstrate the collapse of God’s sovereignty. Instead, they revealed a different aspect of God’s sovereignty, one that was wider and deeper than their formal understanding of God

The Sovereignty and Faithfulness of God in Defeat of His People

The book of Daniel opens with the “defeat” of God’s people and their nation. King Zedekiah of Judah was captured and the Babylonians completely overran Judah and Jerusalem. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took vessels from the house of God and brought them into the temple of his own god. Additionally, he took many fine and intelligent youths from among the sons of Israel as captives to eventually serve him and the kingdom of Babylon. At face value, this appeared to be a complete defeat of Judah and its God, the LORD. However, this event in no way compromised the absolute sovereignty of God. In fact, the defeat of Judah only highlights the sovereignty of the LORD.

In ancient times, conquests and wars were believed to be the result of struggles between different gods. The Babylonians, for example, believed that the defeat of Judah proved that their gods were stronger than the LORD of Judah (Daniel 1:1-2). Similarly, other nations believed in their gods within their own understanding. Their gods operated according to their respective beliefs of how gods should operate. When they won wars, their gods were praised as stronger than the gods of the defeated nations. When they lost wars, the power of their gods was nullified.

In other words, the value of these gods depended on the winning and prosperity of the people who believed in them. This is a great irony because if gods were dependent, then how can they be gods? In fact, they were merely just idols, created in the image of sinful and limited man. For gods to be considered true God, they need to be completely independent and transcendent over the understanding and reasoning of people.

In contrast to the gods of other nations, the true God, the LORD, does not operate within the realm of reason and understanding of finite human minds. The LORD God is a God of absolute principles that do not depend on the winning and prosperity of His people. The defeat of Judah and the plundering of God’s temple do not nullify God’s sovereignty. Although this event must have been a great shock to many in Judah, as many prophets continued to falsely prophesy that the LORD God would deliver Judah from the Babylonians, the defeat, deportation of the Jews, and plundering of the temple, in fact, testified to the faithfulness of the LORD and one of His principles: absolute justice.

God of Principle I (Justice): God hates sin. As the people of Israel and Judah failed to obey the LORD, depriving justice to orphans, widows, and aliens, God delivered Judah to the Babylonians.

God, in faithfulness to His principle of justice, executed judgment on Judah at a national level. He had warned the Israelites in His covenant with them, spoken through Moses, that failure to obey His commands and show justice and mercy to the weak of society, such as orphans, widows, and aliens, would result in being removed from the land He had given them (Deuteronomy 28:58-64). During the last few kings of Judah, God sent many prophets to exhort their leaders to repent and obey His ordinances and statutes. However, the people of Judah repeatedly defied God’s call to live a holy life, resulting in oppression of the weak and injustice. God removed them from their land and delivered them to their enemies, as He had promised. Along with the defeat of Judah, God willingly allowed Himself to be humiliated as Nebuchadnezzar plundered the temple of God (Daniel 1:2).

Conclusion

The book of Daniel begins with a cataclysmic event of the collapse of Judah, which posed a great crisis to the identity and future of God’s people. However, this collapse was also an opportunity for the remnant of Jews who survived by God’s compassion to understand and experience His grace in a new way.

Likewise, we may face similar crises in our own lives, but let us stand firm and cling to God, for these moments may be opportunities to deepen our understanding of Him.

2 Samuel 9: Machir Who Showed Loving-kindness

[Jesus said] “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭40‬

This chapter shows a glimpse of how David ruled his people in Israel – by administering justice and righteousness (2 Samuel 8:15). How a society treats the least and weak is a good reflection of the degree of justice and righteousness of that society. In this chapter, David personally reached out to show kindness to Mephibosheth, a grandson of the fallen previous king, when he did not need to.

At the same time, I would like to highlight Machir, a relatively unknown person in the bible, who showed kindness to Mephibosheth before David searched for him. Let’s not overlook what Machir did.

Chapter Summary

David wanted to show kindness to anyone left of the Saul’s household for the sake of Jonathan. Ziba, a former servant of Saul, was summoned, and David found out that son of Jonathan, who was crippled in both feet, was in the household of Machir in Lo-debar, located in the southeast of the Sea of Galilee.

Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came and prostrated before David. David showed kindness to Mephibosheth and reassured that he would be given back the land that used to belong to Saul and be regularly eating at David’s table. David told Ziba to cultivate the land on behalf of Mephibosheth.

David’s Open Meekness

In the previous chapter, David, being empowered by God the LORD, flexed his muscle to defeat surrounding nations at all four fronts – south, east, west, and north – to make a name for himself and to receive tributes from them.

On the other hand, this chapter shows David’s kindness extended to one of the weakest and most vulnerable families and persons: a household of the grandson of a fallen king, who was crippled in both feet. Any descendants or relatives of a fallen king were natural targets for elimination from a new king. Plus, he was handicapped. Therefore, politically and physically, he was one of the most vulnerable person in the entire Israel. It is not strange to see that he lived in the very northern city in Israel, Lo-debar, far away from the land of Judah, where the new king David resided.

That person was Mephibosheth, the grandson of late king Saul. David reached out to Mephibosheth to show kindness to have him dine with David regularly and restore his grandfather’s land when he did not need to. God reached out to us to show grace when He did not need to. David kept his word when he made a covenant with Jonathan to treat his descendants with kindness (1 Samuel 20:14-15). God made a covenant with us unilaterally to demonstrate His grace. Here, we see David showing God’s loving-kindness to the most vulnerable person and family in Israel.

Jesus told His disciples that whatever they did for the least was equal to what they did to Him (Matthew 25:40). That was what David did. What David did must have been an example of how his governing officials should rule and take care of his people – by administering justice and righteousness.

David was not alone. We see another relatively unknown person who showed loving-kindness.

Machir’s Covert Kindness

Although his name was stated only once in this chapter and not much explanation is given other than he was the son of Ammiel, I want to focus on Machir and his character, especially in contrast to that of Ziba.

Although Ziba was the official servant of Saul, it was Machir who gave practical help to Mephibosheth by showing hospitality and providing shelter for him for many years. Was there a real need or obligation or any benefit associated with taking care of Mephibosheth for Machir’s perspective? Not much. Mephibosheth was a grandson of Saul, a fallen king, who could pose much more liability than benefit for Machir.

Taking care of Mephibosheth, a grandson of a fallen king, must have posed a great liability with little benefit for Machir, especially in the era of the new king. It was possible that Machir simply regarded Mephibosheth as a broken person in need. Mephibosheth lost both his father and grandfather at the battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 31). With both of them dead, his royal status plummeted to the level lower than that of an ordinary citizen. Besides, he was crippled. Despite all these factors, Machir undertook a great risk to take Mephibosheth under his protection. Machir had nothing to gain from taking care of Mephibosheth, but he did it in accordance with God’s loving-kindness. In addition, when David and his men were feeling from Absalom with a weary state, Machir was also one of the people who brought food to them in Mahanaim (2 Samuel 17:27-29).

Ziba the Shrewd Wealth Builder

On the other hand, Ziba as a servant of Saul was supposed to be the official caregiver of Mephibosheth. Ziba was “helpful” by informing the location of Mephibosheth to David. However, instead of taking care of Mephibosheth, he seemed to have found a way to enrich himself by having multiple wives, along with many sons and servants (2 Samuel 9:10). It is not exactly possible to know how he enriched himself when the Saul kingdom fell, but we can make an educated guess that he was a shrewd man, who knew how to take advantage of changing political landscape to obtain additional wealth.

We see more evidence later of his shrewd nature in building his wealth. In 2 Samuel 16, when David was fleeing from his son Absalom, Ziba acted swiftly before Machir and others to aid David with food, but lied to David that Mephibosheth was delighted when David was running away from Absalom. When David heard this, he gave everything that belonged to Mephibosheth to Ziba. Then, Zina prostrated himself before David (2 Samuel 16:1-4) – note that Ziba did not prostrate before David in the first encounter, but only when he was promised for additional wealth. This episode showed that Ziba was a shrewd man, who knew how to grow his wealth by trickery in a turbulent political situation. It was possible that Ziba could have accumulated his wealth in a similar manner after the fall of King Saul.

Conclusion

David showed loving-kindness to one of the most vulnerable households in Israel openly: the grandson of Saul. By treating the weak with dignity, he showed a glimpse of what it meant by administering justice and righteousness to the people of Israel. Machir was a hidden hero – who showed compassion to take care of Mephibosheth, which carried a great risk. However, we have people like Ziba, who was a shrewd person in building his wealth by taking advantage of political turmoils. The chapter shows a microcosm of this world – we may have people with genuine hearts to help the weak, but people who are very shrewd in building their wealth.

Which one would you be?

2 Samuel 8: Overcoming Four-front War and Conquering Kingdoms by Faith

David overcame a four-front war by defeating the Philistines, the Moabites, Hadadezer king of Zoba, Arameans, and the Edomites. The author of Hebrews describes his conquest of these kingdoms as an act of faith.

Summary:

After God’s promise to build a house for David, David defeated and subdued many surrounding nations, including the Philistines, the Moabites, Hadadezer king of Zoba, Arameans, and the Edomites. Internationally, David defeated the nations on the west, east, north, and south because the Lord helped him to achieve victories wherever he went (2 Sam 8:6 and 14). Domestically, David reigned over all Israel by administering justice and righteousness.

Non-discriminatorily Defeating Enemies around the Border by Faith

The table below summarizes David’s exploits against his surrounding nations. To the west, he subdued the Philistines and took their major cities. To the east, David defeated the Moabites and they became David’s servant, bringing tributes. To the north, David attacked Hadadezer as well as Arameans, who came to help Hadadezer. David installed a military presence around Damascus. To the south, he defeated the Edomites and they brought tributes to David.

Table 1: Summary of David’s Exploits against Surrounding Nations

Defeating Enemies by Faith: Fulfilling Promise of 400 year-old

… David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises…put foreign armies to flight.

Hebrews 11:32-34

The author of Hebrew makes a statement that it was by faith that David “conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness,” and “put foreign armies to flight.” The statement by the author of Hebrew matches the details of 2 Samuel 8 very well. Then, what does it mean that David conquered kingdoms by faith? I believe David’s actions were considered faith because they were aligned with God’s promises, and David acted in full dependence and partnership with God.

More specifically, David’s conquest and subjugation of His enemies was in some way an extension of God’s promise and command that would go all the way back to Joshua. God said to Joshua that “Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates — all the Hittite country — to the Mediterranean Sea in the west (Joshua 1:4),” which was much more than the Isrealite territory and includes all the land that belonged to David’s enemies in 2 Samuel 8: Philistines, Moab, Edom, Hadadezer, Arameans, and Hammath. As David ousted the Jebusites to fully conquer Jerusalem to fully claim God’s inheritance, so did David defeated the external enemies around Israel.

Defeating Enemies by Faith: Overcoming Four-front war

Although we do not know the exact details and timing of these wars (against Philistine, Moab, Aram, Edom), that David was able to defeat his enemies in all four-fronts is noteworthy.

Let’s compare David’s exploits with what Germany tried to do during the first and second world wars. In the first world war, Germany developed a plan to overcome a two-front war risk posed by France to the west and Russia to the east. The Schlieffen plan was to make a swift campaign on the western front to defeat France, then to redirect the troops to the Eastern front to subsequently defeat Russia. The plan failed as the German offensive came to a standstill at the Marne (a river in France) and the Russians mobilized quicker than the Germans envisioned. At the start of the second world war, Germany used blitzkrieg (a term used to describe a method of offensive warfare designed to strike a swift, focused blow at an enemy using mobile, maneuverable forces, including armored tanks and air support) to swept through France, Poland, Norway, Belgium, and Holland and France with astonishing speed and force. However, German forces’ blitzkrieg proved less successful against Soviet defenses, and Germany eventually re-postured itself into a defense war.

Even formidable German forces in two world wars were not able to overcome the two-front war. However, David was able to do it – by the power of the LORD his God. Something for us to note in our mind.

God’s Faith in David: David’s Name to be Great

It is said David made a name for himself. Was this a statement that David was elevating himself?

No. Back in 2 Samuel 7, God promised that he would make David’s name great like a great man on the earth. This statement does not indicate that somehow David fell into arrogance, but instead shows a fulfillment of God’s promise to lift up the name of David.

Defeating Enemies by Faith: Following the LORD’s command wholeheartedly

Another sign of David’s faith in God was how he treated the horses when he captured 1,700 of them. A rational way is to have these stolen horses to be spared and used for future war against adversaries. However, David hamstrung most of the horses (1600 out of 1700) and left only 100 for chariots. When Joshua defeated the Northern coalition forces in Canaan, he also hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire (Joshua 11:9). Likewise, David followed the command of the LORD in Deuteronomy to not rely on chariots or horses (Deuteronomy 17:16), but only on the LORD God for the battle against adversaries.

Defeating Enemies by Faith: Through Mighty Warriors

The LORD helped David achieve great victories wherever he went (2 Samuel 8:14). This statement does not necessarily mean that the LORD God gave victories to David in a supernatural way all the time. God often works through people – this time, God provided David through many competent, loyal warriors.

One of the key reasons for David’s victory was his mighty, loyal warriors. Although 2 Samuel 8 does not describe David’s warriors in detail, 2 Samuel 23:8-36 lists and highlights all the mighty warriors, 37 in total and their exploits. We need to notice that it was not David alone who made these great exploits. These exploits were accomplished with his competent, mighty warriors who were loyal to David. The meaning of the LORD helping David includes the LORD’s empowerment of David through his mighty warriors. God often manifests His power via His people.

Nation that Administers Justice and Righteousness

While defeating external nations around Israel, David ruled Israel internally by administering justice and righteousness. What does it mean by ruling by administering justice and righteousness? It probably means that David governed the nation by the two major commandments stated in the Law of Moses: 1) loving God; and 2) loving neighbor as yourself. Loving God was reflected in the worship system that David established by organizing the Levites (2 Samuel 6 and 1 Chronicles 15-16). Loving neighbors can be practiced by implementing detailed rules and regulations laid out in the book of Moses (from Exodus to Deuteronomy), which comprises moral, social, and business ethics. One of the concrete commands that practice caring for neighbors is in Leviticus 19:9-10, which states not to gather all the gleaning and not to go over the vineyard a second time to pick up graves. These commands were given to share the wealth that God promises to bless the Israelites in a way to protect the dignity of the poor, widows and orphans. A nation that administers justice and righteousness provides a way for the poor to live while protecting their dignity.

Be Victorious Christian!

Externally, David defeated the enemies by conquering them. Internally, David administered justice and righteousness to his people. David used the power that the LORD God gave him appropriately. He used power to defeat the external threats and to defend his people. This kind of appropriate use of power is called “meekness.”

Jesus demonstrated the pinnacle of meekness. For us, He died on the cross to save us. To His enemy, Satan, He crushed its head. Likewise, for those of us, who have power, intellect, wealth, let us use them meekly, in the way in which Jesus and David used.

2 Samuel 6:20-23: Ominous Sign to David’s Family

David was a man after God’s own heart and he was a genuine worshipper of God. Yet, this passage tragically indicates that he may have been a failing husband based on how Michal responded.

Content Summary

David made the second attempt to bring the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom by assigning the Levites to carry the ark of God. As the ark of God was being brought to Jerusalem, David was dancing and leaping with all his might. On the other hand, Michal despised David who was leaping and dancing, in her heart.

David and Michal: Failure as a Husband?

Being overwhelmed by the joy of bringing the ark of God to Jerusalem, David came to his household to bless them – only to be snubbed and greeted by mockery from one of his wives, Michal, daughter of Saul.

Michal made a mockery of David by saying, “how the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!” (‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭6:20‬)

On the surface, her contempt of David resulted from David’s overly excessive and unrestrained dancing and leaping with joy. However, this was not likely the primary cause of Michal’s mockery and disdain of David in this passage. Her contempt was likely an expression of multiple complicated factors that attributed to Michal’s explicit disdain of David.

First, she failed to know the LORD God just as his father did. King Saul did not know the LORD. Likewise, Michal did not know the LORD. Therefore, she simply could not understand the extent of David’s joy, dancing and leaping when the ark of God was brought to Jerusalem.

Second, she might have been bitter that David’s love was divided among the nine wives and other concubines. Before coming back to David, she was a wife of Palitiel, and given that he followed her with tears all the way seemed to indicate that he loved her dearly. Michal was probably receiving 100% of Palitiel’s love (2 Samuel 3:15-16). When she was taken back to David again, she was only one of many wives. She might have felt unfulfilled in this marriage, might have become bitter over time, and started to build resentment toward David. Then, what was in her heart was simply expressed in words of mockery against David.

This is a bit tragic to see a divisive heart between a husband and a wife. In the Bible record, Michal was the only woman to be in love with David (1 Samuel 18:20). Yet, she came out to disdain David’s worship before God.

David’s Problem: Too Many Wives and Concubines

“A man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24).”

Michal’s contempt reveals some of the dark side of David’s family. David was a man after God’s own heart. He was one of the most intimate person with God. He was a great warrior, general, and king. However, in management and leading his household, he did not seem to be a beloved husband (or father as revealed in the later chapters of 2 Samuel). David having too many wives, which God commanded not to do (Deuteronomy 17:17), may have been the root of many heart-wrenching events that broke out later in his life. There is no way for a man to be one flesh with many women. God designed one husband and one wife to be one flesh (Genesis 2:24).

2 Samuel 6:1-19: Pause and Check Your Zeal for the LORD God

Zeal without knowledge can result in a devastating consequence. In his first attempt to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem, David was zealous but had little awareness of the prescribed word of the LORD God about how to properly transport the ark of God. As a result, Uzzah died, and the bringing of the ark of God had to be stopped. In a positive aspect, however, having learned from the first mistake, David made appropriate rectification, and eventually successfully brought the ark of God in his second attempt.

Content Summary

David gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand, to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah (a city located approximately 10 miles west of Jerusalem) to Jerusalem. They placed the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and David, and the house of Israel started to celebrate with all kinds of musical instruments.

On the way, near the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah, one of the escorters of the ark of God, was struck death by the LORD as he reached out and touched the ark of God because the oxen nearly upset it. Being puzzled, David became very afraid of the LORD that day, halted the march to Jerusalem and took the ark of God aside to the house of Obed-edom. The ark of God stayed there for three months.

Previous Major Breakthroughs

David underwent God’s breakthroughs both internally and externally in 2 Samuel 5. Internally, David risked and showed his audacity to conquer Jerusalem, the formidable natural fortress occupied by the Jebusites, by launching a sneak attack from the water shaft. Externally, David followed the LORD’s guide to defeat the iron weapon-equipped Philistines – not just once, but twice – who came with a strong intention to shake the foundation of David’s throne over the entire Israel Kingdom.

Because David conquered Jerusalem, a suitable place to be the capital as it is located in the middle of Israel territory, and repelled external threats posed by the Philistines, he was ready to make his next major move – that is, to establish a worship system of God around the ark of God by bringing it to the capital.

Ignorance is not Bliss: First Attempt to Bring the Ark of God

The ark of God resided in the house of Abinadad in the city of Kiriath Jearim (same as Baale-judah) for 20 years since it was returned from the Philistines (1 Samuel 6:21-7:1). David was ready to bring the ark of God because it had not been sought after during the days of Saul.

Doing the right thing the right way does take patience and a correct understanding of the instruction given by the LORD God, especially related to the ark of God where the presence of God resided. Perhaps a pause to directly inquire of the LORD God was needed for this important task. David made two crucial mistakes, however.

The first mistake was that David did not inquire of the LORD directly about how to transport the ark. It was good that David consulted people regarding bringing the ark of the LORD. It was noble for him to seek the consensus of all Israel about this monumental task of bringing back the ark of the LORD (1 Chronicles 13). However, he failed to consult the most important person – God.

The second mistake was that David did not check the prescribed methods laid out in the book of Moses. The ark of the Lord was to be hand carried by the Levites, specifically the sons of Kohath, using the pole (Exodus 25:13-14). However, it was carried by non-Levites (Ahio and Uzzah are likely to be from the Judah tribe) by using a cart. The idea of a new cart may have been a sincere way to treat the ark of God with reverence, but this was how the Philistines returned the ark of God back to the Israelites when they could no longer endure the powerful judgment by the ark of God (1 Samuel 6:10-11). Only the Levites and the sons of Kohaths were to cover the ark of the LORD and carry – no one was supposed to even see the ark of God.

Overall, this was a manifestation of collective ignorance of 30,000 people, including David. Among the 30,000 people assembled, some of them were probably from the Levite tribe. However, none of them noticed the wrong way of carrying the ark of God. Indeed, although Israel had some great leaders like Samuel and David, the overall understanding of the law of the LORD (law of Moses) even among the Levite was unacceptably low, not much different from that in the days of the Judges.

Perhaps, David was too eager and impatient to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. His desire and sincerity were notable, yet, without proper knowledge and awareness of the holiness of God, the breakout of a disaster appeared to be inevitable.

Mercy of God in Uzzah’s Death

Uzzah died as he reached out and touched the ark of God to stabilize it. His death may appear to be unfair. He was carrying the ark of God. Plus, his household provided a place for the ark of the LORD for 20 years. God’s treatment of Uzzah may have seemed too harsh. It is difficult to grasp the full understanding of God’s punishment.

At the same time, we see the mercy of God. David as the chief of this task could have been punished to death. All the 30,000 people who were nearby the ark could have been struck dead – as the ark of the LORD should not even be seen. The mercy of God curbed this holiness power to only affect Uzzah. Although Uzzah’s death was puzzling and sad, his death also demonstrates untouchable holiness of God and His mercy.

Preparation According to God’s Word: Second Attempt to Bring the Ark of God

David learned his lesson from the first failure and made a thorough preparation. In his first attempt, he had the zeal to bring the ark of God. He assembled 30,000 men, consisting of those captains of thousand, and hundreds, and people as far as from the Sihor of Egypt, to make this trans-national scale event (1 Chronicles 13:1-5). In the second attempt, David prepared a place for the ark of God in advance, by pitching a tent for it (1 Chronicles 15:1). David gathered the Levite priests, sons of Aaron, and organized the entire Levites and assigned them specific roles in the process of bringing the ark of God. He also gave them specific roles to minister before the ark of God after its arrival. His preparation this time was much more thorough.

David’s preparation to bring the ark of God was not just for one-time worship of God. Using this as an opportunity, he was establishing a national system of worshiping God around the ark of the LORD. Establishing the positions for each Levite group was likely to have encouraged the Levites to educate themselves in the Law of Moses to correctly worship the holy God. This national system of worshiping God would be a major distinguishable feature from other surrounding nations.

Learn from Your Mistake and Establish Your Worship System

Although David’s first attempt to bring the ark of God became a disaster, he was able to quickly rectify his first wrong and brought the ark of God successfully the second time. By bringing the ark of God, he began to establish a national worship system.

How would this apply to us? What is something that we need to rectify and establish our own worship system?

2 Samuel 5:1-13: David’s Breakthrough

David, even after becoming king over entire Israel, refused to be complacent. He decided to take on one of the most difficult missions – driving out the Jebusites from the stronghold of Jerusalem. Empowered by his audacity and faith in God, he succeeded. In response, a foreigner, Hiram King of Tyre, sent his skilled men to build a palace for David. Although he showed himself to be a great king and military leader, he may not have been a great husband or father in his household. David took many wives and concubines, going directly against the command of God given through Moses (Deuteronomy 17).

Summary

After the death of Ishbosheth, all the tribes of Israel and their elders came to anoint David as king over all Israel. David made a covenant with them before the LORD at Hebron.

In the first mission as king of Israel, David led his men to capture Jerusalem through the water channel by defeating the Jebusites, who were very confident that they could fend off David and his men. David lived in the stronghold and became greater and great because the Lord God was with him.

While he was becoming greater and greater, Hiram king of Tyre sent cedar trees and carpenters and stonemason to build a house for David. David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel. Meanwhile, David took many concubines and wives.

The Philistines mobilized to attack David when they heard the news that David had been anointed King over Israel. However, David defeated the Philistines twice by inquiring of the LORD and following His direction. In the first battle, David experienced the LORD breaking through the Philistines, and then he burned their abandoned idols. In the second battle, David circled around the Philistines to attack to repel them from Geba as far as Gezar.

Three Anointing Ceremonies – Steadfastness of God

David went through three anointing ceremonies before becoming king of the entire Israel. The first one was a private event by Samuel when David was just a teenaged, shepherd boy. The second one was a tribal-level ceremony by the people of Judah after the death of Saul. This was the third one by the elders from the entire Israel (2 Sam 5:3).

Although David was anointed to be king and that promise was made by the LORD God, who alone is sovereign, it still took many years. Why did it take so many years and three ceremonies? Many years might have been necessary in order to mold David into a person after God’s heart suitable to be king over God’s people. Although the fulfillment of God’s promise may look slow in our perception of time, the fulfillment of His promise is certain.

King like Shepherd under Covenant before the LORD God

Covenant is one of the crucial differences between the Israel kingdom and other kingdom – especially the covenant made between the king and the people, which was made before the LORD God. In other words, David was to know that he was the representative of the LORD (before the LORD) and to implement fair, righteous rules and laws for governing God’s people (establishment of covenant). In many other nations, the king considered himself/herself a deity to be above the rule of law. Partly as a result, pagan kings developed a governance in which a small minority tended to dominate and oppress the rest of the population. However, David subjected himself to the rule and desire of the LORD God by making a covenant before the LORD and with the Israel people.

Shepherding is a great example of how God’s king is to rule His people. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep, said Jesus (John 10:11). Likewise, David was to be a ruler like a good shepherd, willing to lay down his life for the sake of God’s people.

A Major Breakthrough based on Faithful Audacity and Intelligence: Jerusalem

After many years of running away and hiding from King Saul, becoming king over the entire Israel was a great feat for David. David could have taken some time to bask in and enjoy this glory given from the LORD God. Yet, he refused to be complacent with the status quo, especially regarding the inheritance that was given to the Judah tribe by God – all the way back to Joshua’s time. He was hungry – not for self-gain or self-elevation – to fulfill and walk out God’s promise given to Moses and Joshua that the LORD God would drive out seven nations, including the Jebusites (Deut 7:1-2).

There was a portion – a stronghold – of Jerusalem still occupied by the Jebusites. David identified this as his first mission as king. The stronghold portion of Jerusalem had been a perennially remaining major conquest task for the Israelites, especially the Judah tribe – for at least more than 500 years. Not even Caleb, a great past leader of the Judah tribe, and his men were able to drive the Jebusites out (Joshua 15:63). The sons of Benjamin failed to drive out the Jebusites (Jdg 1:21). God’s promise given to Moses and Joshua that He would give the entire land by driving out seven nations, including Jebusites, had not been fulfilled. This must have been a burden that bothered David, and David resolved to fulfill this task once and for all.

Jerusalem was a formidable fortress. The stronghold, surrounded by sturdy walls, was constructed on a steep hill. Therefore, the Jebusites were very confident that they could fend off any attack from David, mocking that even lame and blind would turn him away (2 Sam 5:6). The Jebusites were right – only until the day when David (with Joab) made a breakthrough by capturing this stronghold (2 Sam 5:7; 1 Chron 11:5-7).

The success was a combination of his audacity based on his faith in God and of, also, possibly all the intelligence gathered from his forefathers, including Caleb and various leaders of Judah and Benjamin after their numerous failed attempts. With his faith plus all the accumulated intelligence from his forefathers, he was able to locate the water shaft through which Joab was able to make a sneak attack.

Then, how did the Israelites actually defeat the Jebusites? Joab probably infiltrated into the stronghold of Jerusalem by climbing through the water shaft covertly (picture below). Once Joab was inside the stronghold, he opened the gate for David’s army to come within the stronghold and defeated the Jebusites. It was like a Trojan horse, which was brought into Troy after they thought the entire Greek army retreated. The hidden Greek within the Trojan horse opened the gates at night to let their comrades in, and together they destroyed Troy.

https://www.adefenceofthebible.com/2015/11/04/davids-capture-of-jerusalem/

David pulls out an incredible breakthrough with the help of his God, finally fulfilling the last remaining mission from the days of Joshua, at least regarding the inheritance given to the Judah tribe. This breakthrough was crucial. Not only did this allow David to establish the capital of Israel in the middle part of the country, but also a motivation and home to bring the ark of God (1 Samuel 6) to establish a national worship system around the ark of God

Acknowledged by a Foreign King

After defeating the Jebusites and capturing the stronghold of Jerusalem, we see a “strange” action by Hiram king of Tyre. He suddenly sent messengers to David with the best materials and expert labors to build a cedar house for David (2 Sam 6:11). Why did Hiram king of Tyre decide to build a house for David?

His decision might have been prompted by David’s defeat of the Jebusites and capturing their stronghold, which had been known as “the impregnable fortress” in that region. So shocking and so swift was the victory by David over Jerusalem, his fame seemed to have reverberated throughout the region, including Hiram. Being impressed, Hiram might have realized that a powerful deity must have been with David. As one of the responses, Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with materials and labor to build a house for David – voluntarily.

Then, it is said “David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel (2 Sam 6:12).” Interestingly, the text does not indicate that David realized that he was king when he was anointed by the Israel elders. It was when a foreigner, a king of a different nation, sent a messenger and other material to build a house for David, David realized that he was established as king over Israel and his kingdom had been exalted for the sake of God’s people.

We see a virtuous cycle. David became king of Israel. David, in his faith and action, captured the stronghold of Jerusalem. In response, Hiram King of Tyre sent a messenger to build a house (palace) for David. Then, David realized that he was established as king.

However… too Many Wives and Concubines

So far so good. David became king under the covenant relation before the LORD and His people. David defeated the Jebusites to establish Jerusalem as the new capital of Israel.

However, David “took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem (2 Sam 5:13).” Although this was a normal practice of the kings of other nations, this was not to be done by kings before the LORD God. God clearly said through Moses that the king “must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray (Deut 17:17).”

We see that David was an excellent king and military leader. However, he may not have been a great husband/father within his household, possibly due to taking many wives and concubines. David’s many wives and many sons eventually caused him a few major griefs in his later life – to be seen in later chapters of 2 Samuel.