2 Samuel Chapter 21:1-7

People who follow Jesus are socially filled with love and grace and mercy and through our lives, and through what we do. People will be convicted of how they live on a daily basis. I don't have what that person has. I desire what they have. Part of that is being gracious and loving and kind, even when people are being ugly.you certainly see that life of Jesus he seemed Jesus weeping over Jerusalem days before he should be crucified enters welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina today. Pastor David's teaching through second Samuel chapter 20 and we have is our guest of the studio, one of David McGee's associate pastors welcome DA hey Bob, excited about being here want to pray for a few cities in our listening audience, today in Arkansas. We have Fort Smith, Huntsville, Jonesboro para gold Paris Pine Bluff and in California we have Barstow Lord, thank you for the cities.

We pray that many with tune in and listen to your word today. God we pray for those who are sick and battling different ailments.

We pray that you would please heal them for your glory God. We pray that many will put their hope and trust in you for their salvation today we pray for revival in the cities. Everyone but would get excited about following you lower pray for the churches and pastors in these areas that they would stick to your word look to what your word has to say make application of it and others will be drawn to that as well as a folly. You in Jesus name, amen.

Thank you DA appreciate your prayers for our listeners as Pastor David teaches through this chapter were going to see a lot of battles and suffering that goes on and yet even in those things their life as we can take out that are very encouraging to us DA can you share some of that with us. Bob today positives can show us that God's word teaches us how to not only love those whom are close to us, but also how to love our enemies and the impact it can have on not only us but on them as well.

As we love them also brother. So let's listen as David McGee shares a verse by verse through second Samuel chapter 21.

Turn with me to second Samuel chapter 21 were looking at the life of David were beginning really to wrap the life of David got a few chapters left with David been through a lot of things learned a lot of things as we get into chapter 21.

We point out something that's not obvious, but these last few chapters are. They don't necessarily follow the timeline of the rest of the book up till now. Second Samuel first Samuel has been in frequent okay meaning unit one event after another in the reporting just as they happen when we get to chapter 21 that changes.

It's almost like there's kind of a appendix. If you will, that the author wanted to include a few more events and put them on the end of second Samuel Celeste understand that because if you don't understand that you look at this ego. While this is happening right after this, actually the first 14 verses go somewhat back into the early part of the reign of David and 15 through 22 go a little bit later into the to the reign of David to give you that background, second Samuel chapter 21 says now there was a famine in the days of David for three years. Year after year. And David inquired of the Lord and the Lord answered, it is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house because he killed the Gibeonites couple important things in this first verse talks about David inquiring of the Lord and one talks about inquiring it's very strong in the original Hebrew. It's the search by any means necessary. It's not just asking a question for David was earnestly asking the Lord, Lord, what is going on what is happening.

Why are we having a famine. When we look at this thing we need to understand that we we have the opportunity we have the ability to inquire of the Lord, that we do is we go to other people and in that time, a place for that we do biblical counseling here.

I think that's a good thing. But keep in mind as you begin to know the Lord, you can go straight to the Lord and that should be the first place we go, but often it's the last place we get sometimes America is a hey you know I'm thinking say what you think and say what what is the Lord say a cop out.

You can sometimes people ask want to direct you here so that you can begin the continue to build that relationship with the Lord so that you inquire of the Lord, and you can inquire of the Lord do many ways, the worship I don't remember how the media worship in the Lord. Also, he remind you of some speaks to you about an issue that obviously the Bible teaching also through your own personal like Bible study or devotions office in prayer. There are many ways to inquire of the Lord now, and it's a good thing to go and ask the Lord why something is going on why this happened.

Wise is going on in my life or that person's life or the situation or that circumstance. It's a good thing.

It doesn't lack faith gives the Lord an opportunity to share things with you when you have a listening ear. One time we think will not and ask God why doing something that might show a lack of faith might show greater faith to say God I just want to make sure that there you not try to speak to me through this and asking why something is happening. It's interesting you ever notice as you read the Bible to let you know it's like an onion. You can just you can read the same chapter 10 times and you'll see 10 different things and as I begin the study in and look at this.

Something occurred to me that I was going toss it out there for your consideration. Obviously were told what were told there was a famine in the land right and then David goes to God and says God why is there a famine in the land and in God's as well as because of this, God is been controlled. God is in control of the climate. God is in control of the environment.

God is in control. The atmosphere, not us, that we have our little microclimates right you know in your house you got your microclimates year able to set the temperature in your hopefully right so in an invitation want to figure out how that works done.

I mean, when you're young teenager you got, you really don't have the number one that was an HVAC work with heating and air in and one time I was in the house was by myself and it was cold so turn the heat way they got too hot so open when target like this to our speech about heating and air that night.

That was kinda interesting with God is in control of the club where you go well let's just say I'm not saying he is right, but let's just say for a discussion say that perhaps some of you have a heart that was the aforesaid but perhaps let's just say for discussion say that Al Gore have some content to what he saying years of struggle this summer about the whole global warming thing. Let's even go one step further, saying that it's a fact.

But let's just say say it is a fact for discussion say that it is a fact that the earth is getting warmer and and there's going to be big problems but here's where we have to come to a fork in the road with Mr. Gore. I have a problem with thinking that we can do anything to change it on a long-term large-scale basis. I'm not saying that we shouldn't watch the way we consume things. I'm not saying I'm not going to get the whole environmental thing.

I'm not saying that we should just disregard all that you just squander God's resources as you see fit. I'm not saying I think I think there is an issue where we have not been as responsible with the resources that we could have or should have been. But at the end of the day friend who is responsible for the weather events, is he. Is it really you, and that a little bit arrogant. I think it is God's response. Now this opens another discussion that will of God is responsible for the climate change and it indeed is getting warmer and only have a place to turn to God in this moment say God is a reason this is happening and be in opening our hearts to listen to what God may have to say is maybe there is a reason this going. Maybe it is going on and maybe there's a reason that's going on. Maybe God is beginning to pull his hand back and say okay what if you don't want me involved in your life if you don't want me involved in the government. If you don't live with me involved in your personal aspects and you know what, I'll begin the poem I handle.

Maybe that's happened maybe when you look into the book of Revelation and you see things talk about this on scorching the earth. Maybe there's a reason I'm not trying to paint this doomsday scenario. What I'm saying is, at this juncture. If you look at some of the information.

Some information is got scary.

If you look at the information you can say she in this is going on then got wise and going on and how how might we impact the future its interest is. Here's what usually happens when Christians asked this question and I know what some of you are thinking.

So maybe thinking. I'm glad he's saying this because I think it's happening because of you know, you probably got your list. You think because of the not there's not gotten the government. There's not gotten the schools are not. Whatever your personal list because of her Christian say will you know if this continues, then we are going to begin to experience God's judgment. It's interesting because people look at things that are going on and they say that going on Limburg and experience God's judgment yes when you look around and see some of things that were seeing. That's not bringing all God's judgment that is God's judgment.

See, when you have a situation like that is going on in public schools today.

You 40 years ago or so they Got out of public school is that when I got have prayer when I get to do this when I can have Bible reading in all these things right now 40 years later were spending millions and millions of dollars trying to figure out what's wrong with the school system. We can't figure out why the use don't have a review of life.

Our view of others.

When we have intentionally taught them that they involve evolved from lower life form that they were a big cosmic chemical accident. So we look at these things in NC that is.

That's not going to bring all God's judgment, not having gone to school not having prayer in school, that is God's judgment because the judgment of God always involves this involves him beginning to take his hand off a culture his hand off the society and God sent okay if you don't want me involved in your life if you don't me involved in your schools.

If you don't want me involved in that and okay go for the Sciacca is this kind of heavy. But these are some of the things that we can see going on now immediately when I say that here's what we think, well, we have all these problems because all these people that don't know God are just pulling us down this list wide path to judgment and distraction through convenient and the blame the other person because he then I have no responsibility have no accountability I shared with y'all that you know when I was growing up.

I made this when I was little I made this Mr. nobody had two older brothers and you know, the oldest brother, he would blame the two younger brothers went somewhat wrong. The middle brother would blame me when something went wrong and I long have anybody to blame. So I invented this. It was called Mr. nobody my mom played along. She should've played on to something would get trashed is Mr. nobody.

You know so I quit doing that a couple years ago and remember what the Bible has to say about this is I don't want to say hey you know with judgment of God is coming in and all these things are happening because something is wrong with the world.

Second Chronicles of familiar scripture to some of it chapter 7 verse 14 says that my people are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. According this passage is not on the world its own is interesting that this is second Chronicles will be studying that afterwhile. But this is second Chronicles. It's in the Hebrew Scriptures, nobody really called themselves after the name of God the Jewish people at the top didn't call themselves after the name of God that is a new testament phenomenon in the sense that we call ourselves what Christian we get that little Christ. We do call ourselves after the name of God and God's as you know what people not give those people Seattle.

We often do those people with those people straighten up the whole world be a better place if people were called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

So as we think about global warming as we think about some of these issues may not understand this is the philosophical discussion, but as we consider those things we need to consider those things in more spiritual people. We need to consider those things in the spiritual life is okay in this is true why is this true and how can we impact the course you know that the thing is, well, I don't think I can impacted at all.

You can impacted numb way by praying and asking God to intervene because in that scripture.

He gives us the promise that he will hear a you will forgive our sin and he will heal the land a man saw stuff off one person will finish up at like 11 or so. So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought the kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah remind you, you can go back and do it now, but if you want to go back read Joshua chapter 9 what happens when they come into the land, the giving of thanks here that the children of Israel are just awesome and powerful in their defeating other armies and white people out giving us a wedding to go make a treaty with these guys so they disguise themselves like they came from.

This really long journey. They come up and say hey we want to have a treaty with the really really far away and Joshua doesn't ask the Lord. He doesn't inquire of the Lord doesn't seek the Lord and he goes okay will have a treaty with when he discovers that these are these people are from right down the road they deceived Joshua do something very noble lot of integrity, even though they deceived him. Joshua says you know what I made this treaty on that on our went on about were not even difficult place because he was early for us to get everybody out of Israel.

Here we have these people.

Much later in time, because all these problems while because Joshua without inquire of the Lord had this treaty with them but he did say you know what here's what's can happen.

The have a treaty with but you're actually going to serve the people of Israel and you become woodcutter's and stuff and you can read Joshua chapter not so that's what happened. So all throughout history, Israel had honored these treaties until I got the Saul and Saul and his zeal. It says, sought to kill when you look at the lifeless on the course and in looking at first.

Then we took a very in-depth look at the life is interesting because here we have a God who seem like at times he was zealous but usually he was being he was misdirected in his times of the issue and he would come up with these edicts and say hey absolutely anybody who eats today in the middle of this battle were to put him to death and come up with these weird things he was at the wrong time and he was not zealous when it was appropriate when Samuel said this is what I want to do and got a spoken to me what you do in this way Saul would listen that he would be zealous in those times he would be zealous and times that he should have been has nothing to do with anybody that's here tonight but I'm just mentioning Ms. because you understand more often zealous in and times we should where we zealous. I can tell you one place where everyone of us is when it comes usually to the sins of others were zealous, you shouldn't do that you should do that like that little people over at all where we not zealous when it has to do with our sin and our failure then were not as though zeal is a very very good thing but it's like dynamite unit. It's a good thing. A very powerful thing. When used correctly, but it can be disastrous when issues incorrectly. Now the Bible talks about the only couple places John chapters to 16/17 is anything to those who sold doves take these things away. Do not make my father's house a house of merchandise.

Then his disciples remembered that it was written zeal for your house has eaten me for Jesus obviously had a real problem where they they had something like a caf� bookstore up with the Temple Mount, or someone was going on there and they were selling the week we got home that wasn't a problem. Jesus had was they were ripping people off the moneychangers to get the shackles to go to the temple. People were ripping people off at those tables are ripping them off as if they sold them the dogs and that's part of the reason Caiaphas got really upset about Jesus is Jesus saying this is all that this is the zeal for your house has eaten me up zeal for going to church all something really good thing to be zealous to be in the fellowship in the be in church. It's a good thing probably have friends, and perhaps family. They don't understand your zeal to go to church. That's okay because at one time you were just like you when you talk to someone and they were going to church like pending church like last week going hand, some wrongly and as you know, it's a good thing to be zealous for God's house.

What something else about us is zealousness is good. Titus chapter 2 verse 14 to talk about Jesus, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every real estate and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works, so be zealous for good works great thing that's something we and zealous for the house of God been zealous for good works.

There's a good thing couple other things.

Galatians chapter 4 verse 18 for what it is good to be zealous in a good thing. Always. And not only were not present with his be zealous for good thing. First Corinthians chapter 14 verse 12 says even so use that you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the evocation of the church who seek to excel so zealous for spiritual gifts, often on a prayer for somatic, praying for leadership.

I pray that God will give them the gifts of wisdom in the gifts of knowledge so that we can help lead people in and teach people instruct people in counseling while because we should be zealous for these spiritual gifts.

The Bible says that we should but zealous to destroy your enemies's not good that's not good. Zealous to point out what's wrong with the other person that's not good that's not good. We see Peter in the garden be in real zealous when he pull out the sword and cut the geysers area zero. That's not a good time necessarily to be less verse three therefore David said to give me nights.

What shall I do for you and with what shall I make atonement, you may bless the inheritance of the Lord to give me and I said to him, we will have no silver or gold from Saul from his house, nor shall you kill any man in his will for us sociable, whatever you say. I will do for you is interesting note is the question that David asked in verse three, and with what shall I make atonement.

Atonement in the Hebrew call for to cover what shall I do to cover this wrongdoing. They give me nights that you know what, it's not silver or gold. Interesting stuff, stairstep this but they say no when silver goes on to do it and then David opens himself up and says what ever you say to do.

That's what were going to do. They continue verse five. Then answer the key is for the man who consumed us and plotted against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel. Let seven men of his descendents be delivered to us and we will hang them before the Lord and give me of Saul and the Lord chosen the king said I will give them verse seven. But the king spared for the chef, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because the Lord's oath that was between them.

Between David and Jonathan, the son of salsa. We remember that this is the chapter encapsulates so many different things from preceding chapters of an preceding book.

My fellowship with the son of Jonathan.

Jonathan was the son of Saul, David made a pact with Jonathan he would look after him in his house forever after Jonathan was killed. David inquired if there was anybody left of the house.

So I found my fellowship and during a time so money and ran with for Bishop. They dropped and he was laying and he had a found a place at the at the table of David for the rest of his life. David looked after that we talked about the fact that David is a picture of Jesus's letter parallels in their that the David is a picture of Jesus and actually from the lot of Judah from we see Jesus coming from the lineage of David on both sides. As far as Mary and then when you follow the follow the genealogy. Joseph was not his father, God was his father, but also Joseph was of the line of David. So David is a picture of Jesus, who is a famous chef. The picture picture bus and our inability to follow God walk after God in our own human effort in God and his graciousness allows us to sit at the king's table. But let's remember something Saul was an enemy of David. David was not an enemy of Saul was always an enemy of David Damon would have been within his rights to wipe out everybody in salsa because they could claimant. Some of them didn't claim right to the kingship. So David would've been within his rights to eliminate the figure shift, but he didn't parallel in the New Testament, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for good decision when even the Pharisees. They love people that love them is easy and it well actually it's hard sometimes a lot of people that even love you. It's really difficult to love people that don't like you or hate you or speak ill of life lesson here the gracious, loving and kind to all people, even to our enemies are those connected with her and be gracious, loving and kind all people, even to our enemies or those connected with her in the mama paints a picture that people who follow Jesus are specially filled with love, grace and mercy and through our lives, and through what we do. People will be convicted of how they live now. Sometimes you use words to do that but people people to see the way that we live on a daily basis and think you know I don't have what that person has.

I desire what they have and part of that is being gracious and loving and kind, even when people are being ugly.

She certainly see that life of Jesus he see Jesus leaping over Jerusalem days before he should be crucified in Jerusalem see Jesus hanging on the cross, asking the father to forgive them because they don't really understand what that is the kind of grace and mercy and love that word to show the world friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible.

You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and the thought to meditate on throughout your day.

From the heart. David McGee, that sounds good Pastor day and again.

It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on a lifestream link their experience alive services David Sumter, North Carolina. That website crossed the bridge.com those are terrific and it's easy and it's free so folks sign up today@crossthebridge.com and thank you for listening. We hope you'll join us again next time. As we continue studying first by first through second Samuel