Jan 2, 2022. II Samuel 21:12-22

Posted byJohn Sanzone

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DAVID’S SETTING SUN. II Samuel 21:12-22. 01/02/2022. #52.

2 Samuel 21:12-22 [New King James Version]

12 Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa. 13 So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father. So they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God heeded the prayer for the land. 15 When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. 16 Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.” 18 Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant. 19 Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

  1. House Cleaning
    1. After Gibeon took vengeance upon Saul’s sons and grandsons, David decided to give a proper burial for Saul’s and Jonathan’s bones
    1. Over 20 years had passed since the Phil. killed Saul
      1.  The men of Jabesh-Gilead had taken the bones of Saul and Jon. hanging on a wall
      1.  Saul had rescued Jab./Gil. 60 years earlier
    1. Even though Saul had persecuted David, David honored him as “the anointed of the Lord”
      1.  David wanted to honor Jonathan
      1.  Brings closure to Saul’s legacy
    1. David also had the bones of the men Gibeon hanged
      1.  The disgrace of Saul = put into the past
      1.  God’s judgment on Saul’s house is complete
    1. After this judgment God sent rain back to the land
  2. Philistine fade
    1. Over the next several years Israel and the Philistines continually battle
      1.  The traditional enemy of Israel
      1.  Steadily, Israel weakens the Phil.
    1. In the line of the Anakims, Israel fights 4
      1.  Each giant is killed in turn
      1.  One giant had 24 digits and an 8 pound spear that was like weaver’s beam
      1.  Philistine power fades with each battle
    1. David finally gets to that age where he no longer could do battle with young warriors, let alone giants
      1.  Abishai had to rescue him
      1.  David’s men forbade him from going to battle any longer (too valuable to risk)
      1.  David is probably in his late 50’s at this point
  3. Autumn of life
    1. Deterioration is slow and mostly imperceptible
      1.  Our minds do not realize that the body had lost both flexibility and strength
      1.  David nearly loses his life because he does not realize that he was no longer could do battle
    1. These wars probably occurred over a decade or so
      1.  After David’s reign, the Philistines disappear as a serious regional power
      1.  Even though God punished David for his sins, he blessed his efforts to further Israel
    1. Notice that God didn’t simply move opposition out of the way
      1.  David had to fight the battles
      1.  David had to discover that his skills were waning
      1.  David had to accept his new role away from battle
    1. The autumn of life is a time of evaluation and mentoring
      1.  David needed to take stock of his life
        1.  Avoid earlier mistakes and sin
        1.  Continue advancing spiritually
      1.  David needed to use his experience to help others
      1.  David needed not to quit or allow past to neutralize him (forgiveness brings restoration and renewal)
      1.  Need to plan to end well
    1. Reduced abilities brings new opportunities
      1.  Experience in our spiritual walk can mentor others
      1.  Not to bemoan what was lost, but moving forward
      1.  Sprinting to the finish line to honor Lord