April 2012 – Page 2 – Old Testament Survey

2 Samuel 15

Who, in your life, speaks lies to your face in order to build you up to break you down? If you cannot think of one, and your are a Christian, might I suggest the father of lies, Satan? Be careful for he is out to devour you (1 Peter 5.8).

2 Samuel 15

Absalom’s rebellion begins here and continues until his death in 2 Samuel 19 (see the study to come). This chapter divides itself into the treason shown by Absalom (1-12) and avid fleeing from Jerusalem (13-37).

Reading these first twelve verses lead us to believe that Absalom was quite bitter with his father. He spent five years away from him, and four years plotting his overthrow in the city of Jerusalem. He slowly but steadily led people away from David and into his own favor by telling them what they want to hear (see our study of 2 Samuel 14 and the woman of Tekoa). Remember back to 2 Samuel 11 where Ahithophel was introduced (see our study), he is brought back to the story here. He was Bathsheba’s grandfather who was also David’s counselor. What he did in this chapter was a payback for what David did to his granddaughter and her husband, Uriah. He advises Absalom to do to David what David did to Uriah, take another man’s wife. If Absalom could sleep with David’s concubines, mistresses, or wives, he could lay claim to the throne. Ahithophel will present himself again in 2 Samuel 17 (see our study to come). By the end of this first division, Absalom has many followers and this act of treason growing the act of rebellion begins in the next division.

In the next division, as David is fleeing, the author presents those who are faithful to God’s king. There is Abiathar (see our studies in 1 Samuel 21-24, 1 Samuel 30, and 2 Samuel 8), groups of people from various nations, and Ittai the Gittite displays his loyalty to David much like Ruth did to Naomi (see our studies in Ruth). David refuses to use the Ark as a symbol of protection. I believe he learned his lesson from Saul’s misuse of the Ark in 1 Samuel (see our study of 1 Samuel 5-7).

In order to have inside information, David sends his trusted advisor, Hushai, to give advice against Ahithophel. This leads to Ahithophel’s ultimate suicide (see our study to come in 2 Samuel 17).

The path David to on his escape from Jerusalem, David traveled the same route Jesus would take on the night of His betrayal along the Kidron Valley through the Mount of Olives.

2 Samuel 14

There are times when people play on our emotions and on our real experiences in order to manipulate us into doing something which seems right in our eyes (Read Judges) but in the end it is destruction (Proverbs 14.12). This is syncretism at its peak. Be careful of things that you want to hear (2 Timothy 4.1-5) that do not align with Scripture. This is Satan’s number one ploy. In this chapter David’s trusted nephew was the source.

2 Samuel 14

Depending on how the preposition in verse one is rendered, this chapter takes two differing views. If the preposition עַל is translated “toward,” which is contextually difficult, the meaning is that David desired to have Absalom in his presence. However, is refusal to meet with him when he returned to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 14.24). The preposition most likely should be translated “against,” which better fits the passage. For the rest of Absalom’s life, he and David were at odds with each other. He would not allow Absalom into his presence, Absalom rebelled against David (see our study of 2 Samuel 15), and Absalom died tragically in rebellion to David (see our study to come on 2 Samuel 18 and The Consequences of Sin [study to come]). Through the deceit and duplicity of Joab in this chapter, David granted Absalom’s return. There was not repentance on Absalom’s part and not reconciliation on either part. Absalom was next in line to be king, Joab was playing both sides of the field and was not above deception to obtain favor in the eyes of both David and Absalom. In using this woman, he played on David’s emotions and upon a real experience David had. Nathan was a prophet through whom God spoke to convict David of his sin (see our study of 2 Samuel 12). The woman of Tekoa was used to play on this real experience in David’s life. She told him things that would get his emotions playing on who his son was and the need to see him no matter the cost. It would cost Absalom his life, David’s relationship was never restored with Absalom because they never sought reconciliation. They did not discuss the sins nor seek forgiveness for them. Even though Absalom goes before David with obeisance, there is no repentance. Nothing biblical occurs.

Absalom’s character surfaces at the close of the chapter (25–33). He is good looking, charismatic (in the true sense of the word-drawing people to him), deceptive, and cruel.

2 Samuel 13

A generality follows:
This is a warning to all women, beware the flattery and seduction of men whose sole desire is to have sex with you. The treatment that Amnon gave Tamar should not be considered abnormal. It is normal. When a man is in lust with a woman and is unwilling to go through the formalities of marriage, his sole desire is the sexual experience, and not the person.

2 Samuel 13 (See our study of 2 Samuel 11,The Consequences of Sin [study to come], and David’s Family Tree)

David’s dysfunctional family is portrayed in this gruesome tale of Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom. The actions taken and not taken in this chapter will haunt David for the remainder of his life. The crux of the story is this, David’s children, from various wives, fall in lust with each other. The son and daughter of a foreign princess (Maachah the Geshurite) were Tamar, a virgin, and Absalom. They were good looking, which led to both their downfalls. Amnon, David’s oldest son by a foreign wife (Ahinoam the Jezreelite), fell in lust with her. He deceived her into sleeping with him, he raped her, and then pushed her away in disgust. According to Levitical law, he could not marry her even if he desired to (Leviticus 18.11). Her brother wants their father, David, to discipline his oldest child, which he does not. Absalom becomes quite angry and plots to kill Amnon. He is successful. The heir to the throne is murdered. Let’s see what parallels this has with David’s sin with Bathsheba. David slept with a woman that he should not have slept with and she was in a time of purification. David committed deception and murder to correct a sin. David is reflected in the lives of these sons of his. No wonder he didn’t want to discipline Amnon nor Absalom. Absalom is lost too. He flees to his mother’s area of the world and lives in Geshur, which is a refuge for criminals. David did not mourn the loss of his dead son, much like he did not mourn the loss of his dead son in 2 Samuel 12 (see our study). Instead, he mourned the loss of his living son, which runs parallel to 2 Samuel 12 as well.

A generality follows:

This is a warning to all women, beware the flattery and seduction of men whose sole desire is to have sex with you. The treatment that Amnon gave Tamar should not be considered abnormal. It is normal. When a man is in lust with a woman and is unwilling to go through the formalities of marriage, his sole desire is the sexual experience, and not the person.

How you treat women reflects your character. How you discipline your children will determine their future. Think on these matters.

Psalm 122

Verses 1-2-We made it! There is joy, laughter, delight found in these verses.

Verses 3-5-Jerusalem is wonderful because God dwelt there

Verses 6-9-Jerusalem needs our prayers

Is this how we are on Sunday? I want to go to church. It is a great place to be because God is present. Let us continue to pray that God will actively be at work here.

Is it also a command we take literally, to pray that God’s peace will abide in Jerusalem? Where do you stand on this matter?

Psalm 86

When you take time to pray today, to whom do you pray? Is it more of an expression of orry or of trust? Do you believe the God who commands us to pray, hears us pray, and eeks to answers those prayers? This is the God of this psalm and of the Scriptures. Pray ccording to His Word, believe He hears, and expect Him to answer.

Psalm 86

This psalm is worthy of using as a model prayer for the believer. It offers us insight into the prayers of David, the character of David, the nature and character of God, and it makes you think more of God than you have ever thought of Him before.

There are fourteen times in these seventeen verses that David makes a plea to God. He calls God his master (אֲדֹנָי, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 15) and David calls God the covenant God (יְֽהוָה 1, 6, 11, 17). In each case his prayer reflects that relationship with God. He is a humble servant bowing before his awesome Lord and mighty God.

One other note of interest is the preposition “for.” It is used throughout this psalm as an introduction to the topics of prayer (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13). David needs God’s attention, as do we, because he is poor and needy, he is devoted to God, he is confident in his master who forgives, is great, does wonderful works, and who loves with an everlasting love. David understood this concept of prayer and we need to cling to it too. Why bother praying if the God you serve is not powerful, capable, and willing to answer? The difference between prayer and worry is this: When you worry you talk to yourself, when you pray you talk to Someone who can do something about it.

When you take time to pray today, to whom do you pray? Is it more of an expression of worry or of trust? Do you believe the God who commands us to pray, hears us pray, and seeks to answers those prayers? This is the God of this psalm and of the Scriptures. Pray according to His Word, believe He hears, and expect Him to answer.

Psalm 51

Peter and Judas. David and Saul. Which one of the pairs are you? Judas and Saul were upset and saddened by their sin. Peter and David were repentant and saddened. They knew to whom to turn. They had hope. The former were without hope and God in this world (Ephesians 2.11-13).

Psalm 51 (See our study on Psalm 32 and 2 Samuel 12)

David is living in light of Psalm 32.3-4 when Nathan the prophet walks into the palace. He confronts the man and David is released from the stronghold of sin as he works through the concept of this psalm.

Verses1-4-David doesn’t address God as the covenant God of Israel, Jehovah (יְֽהוָה), in this psalm. He addresses Him as the creator God, Elohim (אֱלֹהִים), or Lord (אֲדֹנָי) because of his unworthiness to regard himself as one of God’s own. David basis his forgiveness solely on whom God is not what David had done. This is the first step. David is contrite, remorseful over his sin. The second step is the confession of sin. It is admitting to God what He already knows and agreeing with Him that you are wrong. The third step is to admit you have nothing in yourself to deal with your sin; you need God.

As David stated, our sin is against God and Him alone. However, the consequences go far beyond and reaches to those we love. It hurts us. As describe in Psalm 32 and in this psalm, sin affects our bodies. David’s eyes, mind, ears, heart, spirit, and mouth were affected in the physical realm. David’s fellowship and joy with the Lord were affected in the spiritual realm. Sin hurts those we are to love. Tragedy strikes families (see 2 Samuel 11 and 2 Samuel 12 for our study on this).

Verses 5-12-David confesses that not only does he have a desire for sin but that he was born that was as is all humanity. Once he acknowledges this, David begins a progression in his prayer. He asks God to purge him, remove his defilement. He asks God to wash him, to cleanse him deeply. He asks God to let the bone He broke through discipline dance again. [I will link my sermon series on Dancing with Broken Bones at a later date.] He asks God to make him experience the joys of answered prayer. He asks God to not treat him according to His sins but to hide His face from them. He asks God to create in him a clean heart. This prayer is ultimately answered in Christ. As Christians, we have been given a new heart in Jesus. He asks God not to cast him away from His presence. He asks God not to take His Holy Spirit from him. This is a cry from the Old Testament as is evidenced with the Spirit of God left Saul that should not be on the lips of the saints in the New Testament. [If you desire more on this topic, let me know.] He asks God to restore to him the joy that can only be found in salvation. And lastly, David asks God to keep him from falling again.

13-17-David declares that he will live a life in which others will see and hear of God. Throughout this psalm David proclaims it is not what we can give but our humility before God. God delights in our coming to the Creator of the universe and learning from Him how to live the life for which we were created.

18-19-Praying for self to praying for the nation. Both are important and necessary for us to live the life God created for us to live.

Sin is complicated, but goodness is simple.

As in Psalm 32, there are basically three or four words that comprise the sin committed by David. The three mentioned in this psalm are the first of the four mentioned in Psalm 32. This is why David had to cry out to God for Him to have mercy on him.

Psalm 32

Complete cleansing and forgiveness are found in these verses too. Transgression is removed. Sin is covered, iniquity is not counted against, and deceit is no longer found. In Christ these are ours.

Psalm 32

Tired. Aching. Hurting. Exhausted. Fatigued. Undernourished. Roaring in misery and anguish. Sounds like a third world country. For a Christian it is, it is a place we should not be found. It is in a state of being disciplined by God for sins committed. This is David’s description of himself as he was being disciplined by God for his sin with Bathsheba (see our study of 2 Samuel 11). This psalm was written after Psalm 51 (see our study) more as a reflection of what had happened to him after his sin and before the arrival of Nathan (see our study of 2 Samuel 12). It is a maskil used to relive a teachable moment for many to understand. Amazingly, this private psalm is sung as part of the services of the synagogue during the Day of Atonement services.

Psalm 32 is reflective of what God has done and Psalm 51 appears to be written in the struggle.

Various outlines can be made from this psalm. An example would be to divide it in six equal parts (1-2, 3-4, 5, 6-7, 8-9, and 10-11).

Verses 1-2- the forgiven man
Verses 3-4-the physical and psychological effects of unconfessed sin
Verse 5-confession as the remedy to obtain God’s forgiveness
Verses 6-7-forgiveness brings back prayer
Verses 8-9-forgiveness bring back biblical insight
Verses 10-11-forgiveness provides personal testimony

It could also be divided by the pauses (Selah): 1-4, 5, 6-7, and 8-11.

Verses 1-4-Man cannot forgive on his own. Sin is always against God and witnessed by others (Psalm 51). Because our sin is against Him, He is the agent of forgiveness and we are the recipients. He forgives, He covers, He washes clean; we accept, we praise, we stand amazed. When we do not accept His forgiveness, we die a little each day. Our soul becomes like a sponge in the desert that has seen no rain for years.
When Paul quotes verses 1-2 in Romans 4.6-8, he reminds us that forgiveness is a free gift of God based on the work of Christ, not an effort of good works on our part.

Selah-Do you believe your sins are forgiven? Why? On what basis are they?

Verse 5-Confessed sin restores the soul not because it places us in right relationship with God, Jesus did that. Our soul is refreshed because our fellowship with God is restored (1 John). We can now access the Water of Life, the Bread of Life, Life Himself. This only comes when we confess our sins (1 John 1.9). Confession is to freely admit that our action was what God calls it. There is no excuse for it and no reason that is acceptable. It is a violation of God’s character.

Selah-Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of your sin and of God’s righteousness (John 16.5-15).

Verses 6-7-Once David repented, he realized that it is always to God that we need to go in order to get things right. In order for us to live the life He created for us to live, we need to be in Him. He is our hiding place (see song below).

Selah-When you do wrong, do you run to God or away from Him? He is your only source of hope.

Verses 8-11-David reminds us that we are indeed responsible for our actions. He ends this psalm of penance with joy.

[more will be discussed on sin/forgiveness/relationship/fellowship in later posts if requested]

Definitions

David uses four words for sin in the first two verses alone: transgression, sin, iniquity, and deceit. These words provide insight into different shades of rebellion against God.

Transgression is a breaking of God’s Law (פֶּשַׁע/ἀνομίαι)
Sin is breaking the laws God placed in motion to rule His creation (חֲטָאָֽה/ἁμαρτίαι)
Iniquity is the staining of the soul through depraved activities (עָוֹן/ἀδικία)
Deceit or guile is misrepresenting the character of God by presenting yourself as something other than you are (רְמִיָּה/δόλος)

Complete cleansing and forgiveness are found in these verses too. Transgression is removed. Sin is covered, iniquity is not counted against, and deceit is no longer found. In Christ these are ours.

Media

You are My Hiding Place by Selah (Psalm 32.7)

1 Chronicles 20

When this chapter is considered, we need to see that God is still at work in the repentant David. He conquers the foes, slays the giants, and has victory in his life. As we see in the chapters that follow, the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba will haunt him all the days of his life.

1 Chronicles 20 (see our study of 2 Samuel 11 and 2 Samuel 21.15-22 [study to come])

This chapter is found within two chapters in 2 Samuel as is seen above. The purpose of the Chronicles is to present a “cleaner” version of David to promote the kingdom as the exiles return to the land. This is clearly seen in this chapter with the omission of the incident between David and Bathsheba (see our studies of this account in 2 Samuel 11 and 2 Samuel 12).

As we have studied 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles differences are evident (the number of soldiers, for instance). This chapter presents a difficulty as well as we compare it to the 2 Samuel 21 passage and others. An attempt to harmonize them will be made here.

Potential discrepancies:

2 Samuel has the place of battle as Gob, not Gezer.
2 Samuel names the slain giant’s son as Saph, not Sippai.
Goliath’s slain brother, Lahmi, is not given a name in 2 Samuel.
Abishai’s slaying of the giant Ishbi-benob is not given in 2 Chronicles.

Possible solutions:

Gob was located close to Gezer and may not have existed in the time of Ezra’s writing of the Chronicles.
Saph and Sippai are variations of the same root name.
The last two discrepancies merely reflect the author’s purpose or focus. The absence or inclusion of a name or place in one does not preclude it from occurring.

2 Samuel 12

Do you notice that when you become angry at a sin in another, there are times your anger is directed toward you because you know that you are committing the same sin?

2 Samuel 12 (1 Chronicles 20.1-3 see our study of 1 Chronicles 20)

Our studies of Psalm 32 and Psalm 51 will be forthcoming. David spent at least six months in misery due to his sin. Bathsheba gets pregnant in 2 Samuel 11 (see our study), the two discover she is pregnant, David has Uriah murdered, they wait a few months for mourning, they marry, the baby may not have yet been born. Then comes Nathan to confront David for his sin. Whatever the amount of time, Psalm 32 and Psalm 51 describe the anguish David was going through during this period of his life.

After Nathan’s parable, wherein David becomes indignant, God brings the discipline upon His child (Hebrews 12.4-11). The consequences of David’s sins were mentioned briefly in our study of 2 Samuel 11. Here, God lays them out through Nathan to David. They are:

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.
11 Thus says the LORD: I will raise up trouble against you from within your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this very sun.
14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die.

Notice for each consequence there is a reason given. As parents, we need to take this seriously. The consequence matches the discipline given.

If the rest of David’s life was outlined according to his children, four of David’s male children die. This baby (2 Samuel 12), Ammon (2 Samuel 13), Absalom (2 Samuel 18), and Adonijah (1 Kings 2) all die in relation to the consequences of David’s sin. Some have seen this as fulfilling Exodus 22.1 in lieu of the death penalty for David and Bathsheba (Leviticus 20.10).

Do you notice that when you become angry at a sin in another, there are times your anger is directed toward you because you know that you are committing the same sin?

The mourning of David in this chapter (15-23) gives us insight into his belief of the afterlife and of God’s mercy and grace. David mourned by fasting and praying while the child was alive. When he found the child to have died, he finally ate. He knew that the child might be spared by God. After the baby died, he knew God would not raise him from the dead. David knew that he would be with the baby after David dies. This causes us to ponder the eternal state of babies who have died [email me if you desire further study on this topic].

After the child born to David and Bathsheba dies, she has another child (24-25). They called him Solomon. Interestingly, Nathan called him Jedidiah, which means “loved by the Lord.”

The chapter ends where 2 Samuel 11 should have begun, David went to war as the kings are supposed to do. This passage is found in 1 Chronicles 20.1-3.

2 Samuel 11

In your weakness do you seek Him or do you attempt to be strong? You will fall. What will the consequences be?

2 Samuel 11

There is no parallel passage for this chapter and the next found in 1 Chronicles. The writer of the Chronicles was attempting to paint the kingdom, particularly David, in a good light. This chapter is the watershed event in his life. It is the turning point in David’s illustrious career. It also did not change God’s perspective of him (1 Kings 15.5). He sinned, yes; he was forgiven, yes; he repented, yes. God blessed him and disciplined him and allowed him to suffer the consequences of his sin.

When this chapter is evaluated, the conclusion of the matter begins in verse one.

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

David was neither where he should have been (“when kings go out to battle, . . . But David remained at Jerusalem”) nor was he doing what he should have been doing (“when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab”). David literally and figuratively removed his armor (Ephesians 6.10-12). He was wrong on both counts. Being in the right place and doing the wrong thing can lead to sin. Being in the wrong place doing the right thing can lead to sin. Being in the wrong place doing the wrong things will always lead to sin. This is what James tells us in James 1.14-15.

A quick outline of the chapter present us with the sin of lust growing into adultery (1-5), adultery leading to deception (6-13), fear leading to desperation and murder (14-26a), and the unfaithfulness to God and Uriah leads to David displeasing God (26b). David was middle-aged at this point in his life. He may have thought he didn’t need to care about things about him as carefully as he did when he fought Goliath. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10.12-13 of potential outcomes for those who have attitudes like this. Normally we quote verse 13 stating that God will deliver us from or through temptation. What we do not look at is verse 12. When we think we are able to handle life without God (see our study on Psalm 70), we will fall with no guarantee of deliverance. We need to know that when we are weakest we rely on His strength but when we think we are strong we live like we don’t need Him (2 Corinthians 11.30)

The life of David will never be the same. The chapters after this present many problems for David from the death of the son he had by Bathsheba to the revolt of his son Absalom at the end of the book. Each incident comes back to this one incident in David’s life. An example of this is Bathsheba’s family. Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, was the daughter of Eliam. He was one of David’s closest men (2 Samuel 23.34). He was also the son of Ahithophel. He was a private counselor to David. It was he who aided in Absalom’s rebellion against his father, David (2 Samuel 16.21). His advice was for Absalom to take David’s wives or concubines for his own so that when David dies, Absalom could be king (this plays out to the ultimate end in 1 Kings). Because David messed with Ahithophel’s family, Ahithophel sought revenge. It all comes back to the sin of David and Bathsheba in this chapter.

In your weakness do you seek Him or do you attempt to be strong? You will fall. What will the consequences be?