In the previous chapter we learned that armies often carried their gods into battle in the hope that they would bring them victory. David’s men win the victory, capture the idols, and then burn them. The presence of the idols failed to bring victory to the Philistines. For some unexplained reason David determines to bring…
Spy in the Sky – 2 Samuel 5
With the death of Ish-Bosheth and Abner the leaders of the northern tribes acknowledge the inevitable. Suddenly, they realize and declare God’s will that David be the king of all Israel. The elders gather and anoint David. David treats these rebellious elders honorably and makes a covenant with them. David’s wise action unifies the kingdom….
Have We Progressed? – 2 Samuel 4
This short chapter contains descriptions of a murder and an execution. The reign of Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth ends quickly when two of his raiding party leaders murder him in his house. They appear to be motivated by the possibility of gaining a prominent position in the new regime of King David. After murdering Ish-Bosheth they…
Weakness – 2 Samuel 3
We were so used to peaceful transitions of power that it is difficult to imagine how difficult it must have been for Israel to shift their allegiance from King Saul to the new King David. Years went by and David gets stronger as those loyal to Saul and his family grow weaker. David poorly handles…
February 2022 Photo Contest
The theme for our February photo contest was RED. He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is RED,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is RED and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you…
Bless the Dying – Prayer in the Night
I am reading Tish Harrison Warren’s newest book “Prayer in the Night.” The book drills down into a nighttime prayer recited by many. The chapter that especially caught my attention is entitled “Bless the Dying.” What follows are a few passages I highlighted followed by my responses to them. Ground zero of our human experience…
Division – 2 Samuel 2
King Saul dies in battle and the custom of the time says one of his sons must be the next king. The tribe of Benjamin wants this as does King Saul’s top general Abner. This chapter describes the conflict that occurs whenever the will of the people conflicts with the will of God. These types…
Lament – 2 Samuel 1
2 Samuel begins the story of David’s reign over Israel. This chapter contains the story of how David became aware of Saul’s death and then how he reacted to this sad news. Death Announced While Saul has been leading his army against the Philistines, David has been leading his army against the Amalekites. The Philistines…
Suicide – 1 Samuel 31
An unusual amount of time has passed since I last added to this blog. The topic of this chapter challenges me at several levels. Many years ago, my brother committed suicide, so the topic is personal. Then, the text tells us what happened but provides no clarity on the eternal impact of suicide. Probably because…
January 2022 Family Photo Contest
We started 2022 with our picture theme being water. I am delighted that we are getting to view water in so many ways. If only there was some rain. Water is a consistent theme in scripture and our picture theme verse comes from John 4. Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this WATER will be thirsty…
