S) "9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, 'As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, 10 when one told me, saying, "Behold, Saul is dead," and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and destroy you from the earth?'"
2 Samuel 4:9-11 (NASB)
O) These brothers have killed Ish-Bosheth, who was Saul's oldest living descendant. They assumed too much, and were not even paying attention to the precedent that they had. David would not take Saul's life in his own hands, though he had multiple occasions. Furthermore, he had made a covenant with Jonathan before the LORD, to spare his family. King David asserts again, here, that it is the LORD who saves him, not other people. These brothers did what was right in their own eyes, without seeking the LORD, or even the wisdom of others.
A) It seems that the motive for these brothers, was to garner favor with the king. It's a dangerous thing to seek the favor of man, although there are plenty of verses that speak to the benefits of being in a king's good graces. It's pretty easy to say, that when I'm seeking advancement of some kind (a la career goals), that I need to seek the will and plan of the LORD, and also seek counsel to that effect as well. One underlying problem with these brothers, though, is that they were in cahoots with each other. So, it is important that, while I seek counsel, I do not simply seek corroboration. I should, possibly, even seek out a person with an opposing view, so that I can carefully consider both sides of a situation. But, if everyone is agreeing with me, then I should at least seek multiple points of view that come to the same conclusion. All of that counsel, however, is still secondary to the Holy Spirit leading me in the first place. Seeking the will of God through the Bible, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, are things that these brothers grim didn't have. I do, and I should not neglect that fact.
P) Father, keep selfish ambitions far from me. God, I want to walk in a way that glorifies Your name, and promotes Your Kingdom. I don't want to waste my time, seeking the favor of man, if it doesn't also serve Your purposes. If there is a godly use to my promotion, at work or in social circles, then let me be used as a willing vessel. However, let me always seek Your direction in such plans, and seek wise counsel of people who are not afraid to rebuke and correct me. Let me always be teachable, and have a soft heart to hear wisdom. Open my eyes to see, and my ears to hear, to know Your ways and follow them. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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