QT 3/23/2023 2 Sam 14:1-13, Need for God's leading in difficult decisions

2 Samuel 14:1–3 (ESV) —

1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart went out to Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. 3 Go to the king and speak thus to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

2 Samuel 14:12–13 (ESV) —

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.” 13 And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again.

 

NOTE: There are at least four interesting things happening in this passage. First, this fictitious story that is then judged by David and then turned back on David is the same thing Nathan did (God did) to David in the Bathsheba incident. Secondly, the story has a lot of similarities to Cain and Abel where God spared the life of Cain after the murder of his brother Abel. Third, the story illustrates the power of a story (acted out) in influencing our emotions and causing us to act in some new or different way. My fourth thought is below.

 

Stories can be very powerful, but they must also end in a way that provides direction. Unchecked emotion is not good and usually leads to anger, violence or excessive depression. It is important to provide wisdom. This woman ends up giving wisdom to the king, the piece that must always follow a good story -- so, what do I do with this emotion? In this case, the application was to reconcile.

 

Was reconciliation the best advice? Ultimately it leads to Absalom revolting against the King and a number of people are killed. The biblical principle is two-fold. On one hand, love is a fulfillment of the law and reconciliation is extremely important. On the other hand, he committed murder and the law required death. David offered mercy, but could he do that? He was not the only one offended in the matter. This was a royal issue that affected all the people.

 

In the end, I do not know what is the right choice. Only prayer can help.

 

PONDER:

1. Do my stories have a practical ending?
2. Emotions are powerful and need direction to prevent irrational actions -- Am I careful with the use of stories?

 

PRAYER: Father, the story here is a narrative of a true event. This is what really happened. Since it is prose and not didactic, it has no command attached to it. Give me wisdom in these situations to seek you and to listen to your voice. I don't want to act without your direction. Some decisions are just too hard to know what is right. Lead me and guide me.