Sheba, leader of a rebellion against David, was pursued and trapped by Joab in the city of Beth-maacah. In an effort to capture this man, Joab besieged the city and his men began attacking the wall in order to topple it (2 Samuel 20:14-15). As this was happening, as wise woman came out to reason with Joab in order to spare the city.

“‘I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You are seeking to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?’ Joab replied, ‘Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy! Such is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Only hand him over, and I will depart from the city.’ And the woman said to Joab, ‘Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.’

“Then the woman wisely came to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king in Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 20:19-22).

There are some principles of justice found in this account:

1. It is not fair for people to be punished for another’s sin. The woman made this argument. Joab agreed with her. This principle is also found in Ezekiel – “The person who sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:20).
2. Rebellion cannot be tolerated. Samuel told Saul, “For rebellion is as the sin of divination [witchcraft, KJV], and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23). Samuel explained that Saul’s rebellious actions caused God to reject him as king. The sin of rebellion was why Sheba deserved punishment and why the people of Beth-maacah were to give him up.
3. Those who receive the wicked one become guilty themselves. John wrote that one who receives a man who progressed beyond God’s revealed will (a form of rebellion), “participates in his evil deeds” (2 John 11).

It would not be fair for many to be condemned because of one man’s sin. However, tolerating and accepting that one man’s sin is a sin in itself, thus making those who accept him also guilty and worthy of condemnation. This is why the head of Sheba had to be “thrown to [Joab] over the wall” (2 Samuel 20:21), and why Christians are told, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves” (1 Corinthians 5:13).

Tomorrow’s reading: Psalm 5, 38, 41-42

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

David placed his complete trust in the Lord and relied upon Him for help in times of trouble. He regularly referred to his integrity as a reason why God should help him, even inviting God to examine him to prove his faithfulness.

“Examine me, O Lord, and try me; test my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.

“I do not sit with deceitful men, nor will I go with pretenders. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked. I shall wash my hands in innocence, and I will go about Your altar, O Lord, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving and declare all Your wonders” (Psalm 26:2-7).

What if God examined us? What would He find?

• Do we walk in the truth?
• Do we keep ourselves from deceitful and wicked men?
• Do we hate the gathering of evildoers?
• Do we have clean hands and can claim innocence?
• Do we worship God as we should?

Paul tells the brethren in Corinth, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!” (2 Corinthians 13:5). We must continually evaluate ourselves to see if we are conducting our lives in a way that is pleasing to God.

We do not need to wonder about the standard of judgment, either. Jesus said, “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day” (John 12:48). God examines us according to His word. We need to examine ourselves by the same standard. If we do this, we can be confident of our reward from God.

Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Samuel 19-21

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

As David traveled with his men, a man named Shimei came and followed along with them, cursing David, throwing stones at the king and his servants, and accusing David of being a man of bloodshed who was receiving what he deserved in Absalom’s rebellion. Abishai, one of David’s men, wanted to kill Shimei for his taunting.

“Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and cut off his head.’ But the king said, ‘What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, “Curse David,” then who shall say, “Why have you done so?”’ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, ‘Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him. Perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction and return good to me instead of his cursing this day.’

“So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him. The king and all his people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there” (2 Samuel 16:9-14).

Shimei’s speech was offensive to the followers of David. His words mocked the king and showed support for Absalom’s rebellion. Many rulers, upon receiving these verbal attacks, would have punished the speaker. Yet David did not. He knew that while this man’s speech was not pleasant, it must be protected on the chance that Shimei was speaking divine truth (2 Samuel 16:10).

I pray that the leaders in this country will continue to allow us the freedom to speak without retribution, just as David did with Shimei. When we accurately represent the Scriptures, we may teach things that are offensive to others. While we can (and should) continue to teach in the face of persecution, our efforts will be hindered in such circumstances. Free speech allows as many people to hear the gospel as possible. This is what God desires and is what we should pray for (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Tomorrow’s reading: Psalm 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

“O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him” (Psalm 4:2-3).

Too many have a warped sense of priorities, especially when it comes to spiritual things. They will reject the things of God, consider righteousness a reproach, and will refuse to follow the truth. They mock such things and ridicule those who value them.

What is their alternative? They follow after the lusts of the world which are “passing away” (1 John 2:17). They accumulate earthly treasures which are uncertain (1 Timothy 6:17) and can be destroyed or stolen (Matthew 6:19). They reject God who is the giver of all good things (James 1:17). And they reject the truth by which they could be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10) and “obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away” (1 Peter 1:4). No matter how valuable they believe their riches and lifestyles to be, they cannot compare with the things that God offers.

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

When the end comes, it will not matter what we have gained in this life. All that will matter is whether or not we have served the Lord. Do not love what is, in the end, worthless so much that it distracts you from what is truly important – securing the reward in heaven that God will give to the faithful.

Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Samuel 16-18

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

David’s son Absalom desired to take the throne from his father. But to do it, he did not rely upon military strength alone. Instead, his plan was to turn public support away from his father and toward him.

“Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, ‘From what city are you?’ And he would say, ‘Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.’ Then Absalom would say to him, ‘See, your claims are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king.’ Moreover, Absalom would say, ‘Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice.’ And when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his had and take hold of him and kiss him. In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:2-6).

With his promises of justice for all and the false claims that David cared nothing for their problems, Absalom was able to win the hearts of the people. Once he had this popular support, he posed a real threat to his father.

“Then a messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.’ David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, ‘Arise and let us flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go in haste, or he will overtake us quickly and bring down calamity on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword’” (2 Samuel 15:13-14).

Without the support of the people, Absalom was not in a position to overthrow his father. With the support of the people, Absalom was able to easily take power because David fled, knowing that Absalom’s popularity among the people would lead to a quick victory for the rebel.

This ought to remind us of the power that exists in a majority. It does not mean the majority is right, but they are in a position of power. As public opinion today turns against God, the church, the Bible, morality, etc., we ought to prepare for trouble ahead.

Tomorrow’s reading: Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you” (Psalm 32:8-9).

One of the traits that sets mankind apart from the animals is that we have the ability to reason and make thoughtful decisions. Unfortunately, this ability is not always utilized; hence the reason for the psalmist’s admonition.

When we teach others, we must remember that all we can do is what the psalmist says: “I will instruct you and teach you in the  way which you should go.” We cannot force people to believe something or to live a certain way. We can, and should, reason with them and persuade them to believe and do what is right. But we cannot change their beliefs or actions against their will. There eventually comes a time when we need to “shake the dust off [our] feet” and move on (Matthew 10:14).

When we are taught, we need to pay attention to what we hear and examine it (Acts 17:11). If it is true, we must accept it; if it is false, we must reject it (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). We cannot blindly follow any teacher that comes along and tries to move us in a certain direction. We must use the minds that God has given us, determine what is right, and go in that direction.

Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Samuel 13-15

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

We remember the story of David and Bathsheba. The pregnancy that resulted from their affair led David to arrange to have her husband killed. There are many lessons to be learned from David’s sin, but I want us to remember at least one point from Bathsheba’s husband – Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11:3).

Uriah was described as a servant of David (2 Samuel 11:24) who fought under the command of Joab (2 Samuel 11:1,14-16). He was also a Hittite. This is significant. Notice a couple of passages:

“For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will completely destroy them” (Exodus 23:23).

“When the Lord your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you, and when the Lord your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them” (Deuteronomy 7:1-2).

Uriah was born into one of the nations that was marked for destruction. Yet here he was among the people of God, serving David, and fighting the enemies of Israel. What this shows us is that God, even during the time when the Law of Moses was in force, accepted those from every nation who would leave their people and join with the people of God. It is as Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (Acts 10:34-35).

God continues to accept those who will come to Him, regardless of their background. No matter who we are, if we will faithfully obey Him, we can be saved.

Tomorrow’s reading: Psalm 32, 51, 86, 122

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

In this psalm of praise, David mentions God’s providence as one of the reasons why He is to be honored.

“You visit the earth and cause it to overflow; You greatly enrich it; the stream of God is full of water; You prepare their grain, for thus You prepare the earth. You water its furrows abundantly, You settle its ridges, You soften it with showers, You bless its growth. You have crowned the year with Your bounty, and Your paths drip with fatness. The pastures of the wilderness drip, and the hills gird themselves with rejoicing. The meadows are clothed with flocks and the valleys are covered with grain; they shout for joy, yes they sing” (Psalm 65:9-13).

In the beginning, God established the natural laws that govern the world in which we live. The fact that we have rains, streams, harvests, and flocks is a testament to God’s power, love, and wisdom.

At the end of His creation, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good‘ (Genesis 1:31). This is still true today and will continue to be true as long as this earth stands. God, by His providence, will continue to provide for us. Praise Him for that!

Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

When the king of the Ammonites died, David sent some of his servants to Hanun, the son and successor of the deceased king, in order to comfort him and show him kindness. However, Hanun was convinced by his princes that David’s servants were there to spy out the city and overthrow it (2 Samuel 10:1-3).

“So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away. When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, ‘Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and them return’” (2 Samuel 10:4-5).

Hanun, based on false assumptions about David’s intentions, humiliated these men. Upon realizing this, he could have admitted wrongdoing and sought to make things right. But instead, he became defensive, causing the situation to escalate.

“Now when the sons of Ammon saw they had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Arameans of Beth-rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men. When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men. The sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city…” (2 Samuel 10:6-8).

Once the fighting started, it did not go well for the Ammonites.

“So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him. When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city” (2 Samuel 10:13-14).

What started out with Hanun embarrassing a few men, resulting in a military defeat to the Israelites and a loss of an ally in the Arameans (2 Samuel 10:19).

We may, through our words or actions, humiliate and embarrass others. Although the consequences are rarely as monumental as this example, we should still learn from Hanun’s sin and his mistakes in handling it. When we hurt others, we should not become defensive and cause the situation to become even worse. Rather, we should recognize our fault and humbly seek forgiveness from the one we have wronged. Remember Jesus’ instruction on this point:

“Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering” (Matthew 5:23-24).

When we have wronged someone, reconciliation should be a priority. We must take the initiative to try to make amends.

Tomorrow’s reading: Psalm 65-67, 69-70

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]

It is natural to feel a sense of indignation when we hear one who has rejected God attempt to explain the Scriptures to us. This feeling should not be surprising, for even God has this reaction to the attempts of the wicked who claim to speak His truth.

“But to the wicked God says, ‘What right have you to tell of My statutes and to take My covenant in your mouth? For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you. When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you associate with adulterers. You let your mouth loose in evil and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done and I kept silence; you thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes’” (Psalm 50:16-21).

It can be aggravating to hear atheists, immoral persons, irreligious political figures and celebrities, and others attempt to use (and abuse) the Scriptures for their own corrupt purposes. This frustrates God as well. Such persons have no right to speak or attempt to represent His great and perfect word.

This should also serve as a reminder for us. If we want God to be pleased with our efforts to teach others His will, we must believe, honor, and obey His word. Paul wrote, “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?” (Romans 2:21). It is not enough to speak the truth. We must live according to it.

Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19; Psalm 20

[I'm using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you'd like to follow along, too.]