A Tale Of Two Kings (Part 5)

In my previous two posts we saw that the difference between David and Saul (in God's eyes) was not the scale or scope of their sin, but the difference between true biblical repentance and worldly remorse. Everybody sins - and that is terrible. But not everybody repents - as we see with Saul. Sure he thought he was repentant, but he was really only sorry for the being busted and the consequences that came from that. Saul reminds me of Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. I always considered the disgraceful aspect of Clinton's behavior was not his immorality (though that was extremely bad). What was disgraceful was his unwillingness to admit to any wrongdoing, his continual self justification, his continual portrayal of himself as a victim, and his continual blaming of right wing conspiracies against him. David, on the other hand, came straight out and confessed his sin and accepted full responsibility.

There are two types of people - sinners who try to cover their sin, and sinners who repent. Which one are you?

Repentance
Repentance is clearly important to God. The Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, and Jesus Himself all began their ministries with a call to repentance. Jesus made it very clear when He spoke about a natural disaster of His time where eighteen people died. He said that although they did not die because they were more sinful than others, “unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:3).

The word repentance comes from the Greek word “metanoia” which means a change of mind. Several other states of mind can easily be mistaken for repentance so before defining repentance let’s define what it is not.
1.Repentance is not reformation.
2.Repentance is not remorse.
3.Repentance is not regret.

Repentance Defined
Wayne Grudem defines it as “a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ”. Repentance is genuine sorrow for offending God that changes us to be more like Jesus.

God’s View
Jesus said “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7). Our repentance starts a party in heaven.

Free at Last
It is repentance that sets us truly free. Free from the fear of being found out. Free from condemnation. Free from the facades that we live behind. Free from guilt. Repentance should not be a one-off event but a lifestyle practice. We all need to live this way because we are all sinners. The Bible makes it clear that we are all sinners (Romans 6:23) therefore we’ve all got stuff we need to repent of. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Maker of heaven and earth, Your ways are so much higher than our ways. All that You do is perfect and all of Your ways are just and right. I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ knowing that I cannot stand in Your presence in any other way. I have sinned against You and have no excuse. You know all the thoughts and intents of my heart. I confess them to You. I am not sorry because of the consequences but because it damages my relationship with You. I repent of it, turn away from it, and plead Your forgiveness. I put all of my trust in Your promise that You will immediately totally cleanse me of all my unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Thank You Lord for the greatest act of love in history by dying for my sins so that I can have right standing with You and eternal life instead of hell. In Jesus name amen.

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A Tale Of Two Kings (Part 4)

In today's fourth installment we will look at David's response to the exposure of his sin. In this and the previous post we really get to see what made Saul and David so different and perhaps where the dividing line lay between the king rejected by God and the king that was known as a man after God's own heart . . . read on . . .

And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."

Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of 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 sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.' (2 Samuel 12:1-12)

David’s Response (2 Samuel 12, Psalm 51)

1.Confession

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." (2 Samuel 12:13)

Rather than follow Saul's path of lying, blaming, and justifying - David immediately confesses. God doesn't categorise us into sinners and righteous, but rather those who confess and forsake their sin, and those who don't. Which one are you?

“He that covers his sins shall not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

2.Repentance

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:1-17)

David put his repentance on display in the 51st Psalm. Here is where David differs markedly from Saul.

Question: How many times does David attempt to justify any of his actions in this Psalm?
Question: How many people does David blame for his predicament in this Psalm? Who?
Question: Does David seem concerned about his public reputation?
Question: Is David more concerned about losing the throne or losing the Holy Spirit?

I could speculate that if Saul had written the 51st Psalm he would have said things like "create in me an even greater reputation" and "cast me not away from my throne O Lord" and "please don't take from me the royal car with the flag on top".

3.Acceptance of living with the consequences.

Though God pardoned him, David still suffered the consequences of his actions and none of them were pretty. Repentance doesn't get us off scot free, we will usually reap what we have sown, but it is an open door to right standing with God and David knew that was the one thing he couldn't live without. Covering sin only delays the consequences. Nothing remains hidden forever. But better to live with the consequences of our earthly actions, with a repentant heart and a clear conscience, than to dive headlong into the unquenchable flames of hell.

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A Tale Of Two Kings (Part 3)

In today's third installment we will look at Saul's response to the exposure of his sin. In this and the next two posts we are going to really see what made Saul and David so different and perhaps where the dividing line lay between the king rejected by God and the king that was known as a man after God's own heart . . . read on . . .

Saul’s Response (1 Samuel 15 continued)

And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD."(1 Samuel 15:13)

1. Lying - here Saul blatantly lies to the prophet Samuel.

And Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?" Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction." (1 Samuel 15:14-15)

2. Blaming - in verse 15 Saul blames everybody else.

3. Justifying - after blaming everyone in verse 15 Saul goes on to justify his actions by saying that they planned to sacrifice all the animals (they should have destroyed) to the LORD.

Lying, blaming, and justifying - do these responses resemble things we see on the news and in our everyday lives . . . perhaps in our own lives? Let's continue onto verse 16:

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night." And he said to him, "Speak." And Samuel said, "Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, 'Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD? (1 Samuel 15:16-19)

In these verses Samuel clearly points out what Saul’s sin is.

And Saul said to Samuel, "I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal." (1 Samuel 15:20-21).

In the face of all this clear exposure of his sin, Saul still perseveres in trying to deny any guilt on his part. As you read verses 20 and 21 you can see the mental drunkenness that continual lying produces in Saul's bizarre self refuting statement where he both emphatically states that he has "obeyed the voice of the Lord" and spared the life of Agag.

(Interesting footnote concerning Agag - In the book of Esther, over five centuries later, a descendant of Agag called Haman very nearly succeeded in a Hitler like plan to exterminate the entire Jewish race. Something interesting to ponder in the light of people's questioning about how God could send Saul to wipe out an entire people group.)

And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams". (1 Samuel 15:22)

Here we hear the well known verse that was behind Steve Camp's great song "Consider the Cost". God is so much more interested in our day-to-day obedience to Him than in the sacrifices we try to appease Him with (Isaiah 58:1-7). Think about that next time you are exerting yourself during a worship service.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king." (1 Samuel 15:23)

Verse 23 is interesting in that it is the verse that precedes Saul’s “repentance”. Do you think there is something said here that finally prompts Saul to confess his sin? Is there insight here to what Saul values most?

Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. (1 Samuel 15:24)

Here we see that Saul knew his sin all along as he readily verbalizes what it is. Saul is more concerned about protecting his own kingdom than building God’s. Are you sorry because you sinned against God or sorry that you got caught?

Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may worship the LORD." And Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel." As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret." Then he said, "I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the LORD your God." (1 Samuel 15:25-30)

Tragically, after all this, Saul’s greatest concern is to maintain his public profile by concealing his personal problems. After all that transpired he still didn’t get it! Saul's repentance was not built upon godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10) but upon worldly sorrow. That is a big clue as to where this series is heading as we continue on Wednesday . . .



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A Tale Of Two Kings (Part 2)

Continuing on from Wednesday, today we will take a look at the sins of Israel's first two kings - Saul and David - to see if we can start to understand why God rejected Saul but regarded David as a man after God's own heart. On my first journey through the Scriptures I was perplexed by the stories of these two men because I expected God's assessment to be based upon their faithfulness to His commands. But that just didn't seem to be the case . . .

Saul’s Sin

And Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. Then Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. (1 Samuel 15:1-9).

Saul was sent on a mission to totally obliterate a tribe of people known as the Amalekites. This meant people, livestock, and all material goods. Saul only partially destroyed the Amalekites, keeping much of their livestock and valuables as well as sparing the life of Agag their king. Saul was rejected as king for this transgression.

David’s Sin

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged(C) Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
2It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on(D) the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this(E) Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of(F) Uriah the Hittite?" 4So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. ((G) Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 5And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, "I am pregnant."

So David sent word to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, "Uriah did not go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?" Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and(J) the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing." Then David said to Uriah, "Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die." (2 Samuel 11:1-15)

In summary:
1.David stays home when he should be leading his army in an important war.
2.He sees a beautiful woman bathing from the roof of his house. She is the wife of one of David’s soldiers who is off fighting in that war.
3.David commits adultery with Bathsheba and she gets pregnant.
4.David calls her husband, Uriah, back from combat duty to “see how the war is going.”
5.He sends Uriah back to Bathsheba hoping he’ll have sex with her thereby covering David’s tracks.
6.Oh no, Uriah won’t do it while his fellow soldiers are risking their lives on the battlefront.
7.David gets Uriah drunk but he still won’t sleep with Bathsheba.
8.David then instructs his generals to send Uriah on an assignment that was so dangerous he would certainly be killed.

Saul was rejected but David is remembered as a man after God’s heart.
Question: whose sin was the worst?
Why then, did God rate them differently?

Continued on Monday . . .

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A Tale Of Two Kings (Part 1)

Saul was Israel’s first king. He was called by God to be king and then rejected as king by God. Then there is David, the second king. God always accepted David no matter what he did. David is always remembered in the Scriptures as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) while Saul is remembered as the king rejected by God. They were both great leaders with flawed character – yet one found favor with God, while the other was rejected. This presented a huge mystery on my first journey through the Scriptures - but it was a mystery that held the crucial answer to knowing what God values and who God receives.

Saul and David: Similar Backgrounds
(Note: these are not necessarily traits exhibited through their whole lives)

They were both handsome (1 Samuel 9:2, 16:12).
They were both humble (1 Samuel 9:22, 18:18).
They were both bold (1 Samuel 11:7, 17:32).
They were both called by God (1 Samuel 9:17, 16:12).
They were both anointed king by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 10:1, 16:13).
They were both empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 11:6, 16:13).
They were both leaders (1 Samuel 11:11, 18:5).
They were both warriors (1 Samuel 11:11, 17:49).
They both sinned against God (1 Samuel 15, 2 Samuel 11).
They were both confronted by a prophet (1 Samuel 15, 2 Samuel 12).

As we analyze the sins of these men, and their responses to God in relation to their sin, we are faced with powerful and surprising truths as to how God measures a man. Is there more to godliness than being righteous? Find out on Friday when we continue with part 2 of this series and examine the major sins in the lives of Saul and David.

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