King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2024
Chapters: II SAMUEL 23-24, PSALMS 97-99
Message: God’s Righteous Judgment
Hello My Friend,
Well, I saw God’s hand once again as I watched a pickup truck hit a car so hard that it flipped up into the air and landed upside down. Praise God that the woman walked out of there and that no other vehicles were involved. Praise God that nothing caught on fire and that it was not me. But as I sat in my truck frozen for a few minutes watching the police scramble to get her out the only thing I could think of was that I hope the person was saved. Then I thought about my family and was ready to quit my job and go straight home and yet God pointed out to me the inevitable, [James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.]
We only have today to do the things that we need to do as there is no guarantee that tomorrow will be here. Oh, we can make plans and God welcomes that, but those plans ought to be what gives glory to Him and in His will otherwise we will keep going from one thing to another and never be satisfied. While salvation has never been about works, our work after we are saved determines how others see Christ. And humility goes a long way with God and the sooner we accept that the more we will understand God’s will.
[Psalms 99:2-7 The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. 3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. 4 The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. 6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them. 7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.]
[thou dost establish equity,] Equity, is the impartial distribution of justice, or the doing that to another which the laws of God and man, and of reason, give them a right to claim. In other words, it is the treating of a person according to justice and reason according to God’s Word. Jesus, said it this way, [John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.]
Righteous or just judgment does not give respect of persons. Righteous judgment does not condemn the sinner nor does it condone the sin. Righteous judgment consists of common sense discernment backed up by the truths of God’s Word. Even if we do not know God’s Word we ought to know that some things are just wrong and need not be afraid to speak up when we see something. Perhaps we are the ones who need that righteous judgment upon ourselves before we can give it to others. The great thing about righteous judgment is that it reminds us that God is always with His people regardless of how many times they mess up. As we come to the end of the reading of 2 Samuel, David recalls how God had been there for him.
[2 Samuel 23:1-4 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.]
[He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.] This is the problem with all of our nations, including once God fearing nations, they stopped fearing God and that trickled down to the people. David, understood this and even points out that people in his own family had not been fearing God. Perhaps, David felt that he was partially to blame for that and that probably grieved him, but he also understood that salvation was not a group effort, it comes down to each individual.
[2 Samuel 23:5-7 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. 6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: 7 But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.]
[yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant,] One can train up children in the fear of God, but each and every person must work out their salvation with God on their own. This is why there will be so many family members separated from one another as those whom never accepted Christ as their Saviour before they breathed their last breath on earth will be cast into hell. This is why we also need to make sure they know that they can be saved from hell.
[Psalms 98:1-4,8-9 A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. 2 The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. 3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together 9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.]
[with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.] Yes, salvation was granted by God through grace in their faith in the LORD even before Christ’s passion. How was this possible? They believed in the same promise that we do, [Romans 4:13-14,20-22 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.]
As I was reading this chapter it occurred to me that David knew he did not have for the most part a Godly and prosperous kingdom on his own either, it took several Godly and faithful men and women to do that. A second account is given to the leaders of David’s army, of whom are called his mighty men.
[2 Samuel 23:8-12 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.]
[and the LORD wrought a great victory that day;] Do you see how David knew that every victory came from God? The same is true today, and I certainly know that no good thing can be accomplished without Christ. I will even go as far as to say that bad things cannot be overcome without Christ. David, understood, he knew he messed up bad with Bathsheba and Uriah, in how he attempted to handle his sin on his own, he even goes as far as to include Uriah as one of his mighty men.
[2 Samuel 23:16-19,39 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. 19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.]
[howbeit he attained not unto the first three.] While Abishai was still mighty and honorable man, David’s hero’s were the ones who risked their lives to get him water from that well. When we come to understand that people’s souls are more important than what we desire that is when we count any loss as but dung, [Philippians 3:8-9 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:]
David, had his share of judgments placed upon him, but he knew that he was still loved by God because of the covenant that He made with him. Perhaps one of the greatest testimonies that shows salvation has always been about grace and not of works is when David had to choose righteous judgment himself. It all began when David decided to call for a census of Israel and Judah.
[2 Samuel 24:1-4 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. 3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? 4 Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.]
[And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel,] God’s, first judgment toward Israel for quite some time had been the three year famine, which had been when taken care of when David appeased the Gibeonites. This time it is probable that it was for their joining Absalom in his rebellion and later on for the insurrection of Sheba, in which multitudes joined him to overthrow David. While God is merciful He is also just and very patient, and He will not be mocked either, eventually all will see that righteous judgment, [Galatians 6:6-7 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.]
Well, the Law in regards to a census states, [Exodus 30:12-13 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.]
Since David broke that Law by the people not paying the amount owed and I suspect they did not know this, yet righteous judgment was required. And as we can see the judgment would be a plague or disease that would spread among the people, but God gave David a choice, he would have to decide the judgment.
[2 Samuel 24:10-13 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. 11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. 13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.]
[now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.] Since David sinned he had broken that one on one connection with God and therefore He sent Gad to let him know that. Even the saved must come to God confessing their sin if they want to reconnect with Him, [1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.]
Some times it does take others to show us the err of our ways, nevertheless, how would you like to be the one who decides the judgment of not only your own life, but an entire nation?
[2 Samuel 24:14-17 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. 15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.]
[let us fall now into the hand of the LORD;] David, knew all too well that God was more merciful than man any day, and that while God is a just God it is better that judgment come from Him. Judgment always comes to God’s people first. Why? Because once we leave the earth we will no longer be judged for our sins, but God will not just allow us to get saved and live our lives as heathens, [1 Peter 4:17-19 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.]
[there died of the people…seventy thousand men.] Seventy thousand people died in one day and this was to be for three days. Can you imagine just how many would have died if the disease continued for three days? Do you think that God enjoys seeing so many people end up in hell? He does not and would save them all if they had only repented, but righteous judgment means that God is no respecter of persons, [Romans 2:9-12 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;]
At this point, seeing that angel about to stricken the people David, begged God to put the judgment upon him and his family, but spare the people, whom he considered as being innocent, [2 Samuel 24:18-21 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. 20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. 21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.]
[Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him:] It is no wonder why he bowed down as he seen all these men and the king charging toward him.
[2 Samuel 24:22-25 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. 23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. 24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.]
[neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.] This is exactly the place where Abraham stood when he was about to offer Isaac, [Genesis 22:7-8 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.]
Salvation is never free, it is always bought with a blood sacrifice. The animal sacrifices never made salvation permanent because they never actually removed the sin, what they did was remove God’s anger toward the sinner and gave redemption to them through their admission of sin. God, gives us a choice, we do not have to choose Him, we do that by choice, which is often why He does prove us to see if we are serious about our faith. We could question God’s methods, but what good would that do, the only thing that it would do is reveal the truth that perhaps we did not believe with all our heart that Jesus is the only way. This is God’s world, He created it and will do with it what He will and He does not need our permission or support.
[Psalms 97:1-6,10 The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. 2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. 3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. 4 His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. 5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. 10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.]
[The heavens declare his righteousness,] Look up in the sky, the sunsets, the rainbow after the rain, the stars shining bright on a clear night, and you will see God. Those who refuse to see that God is the maker and keeper of these things are nothing, but reprobates, [Romans 1:20-21 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [2 Samuel 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Every day I am amazed that no matter how many mistakes I make You still love me, You have not forsaken me, and I still have a place in heaven with You. Your judgments are righteous and we should rejoice in them because they are what conform us into an image that resembles Your Son. Lord, continue to lead me and guide me, keep me in Your Word, learning, understanding, and conforming to Your Son until You bring me home. Let my life be an example of not only Your mercies and grace, but of Your righteous judgments that keep me out of Satan’s hands and in Your will. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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