READ: 2 Sam 23:8-39 / Proverbs 31:10-31
Verses chosen for meditation: 2 Sam 23:16-17
16 Then the
three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out
of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to
David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17 and said, “Far be it from
me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who
went at the risk of their lives?”
REFLECT
Verses 8-39 in this chapter detail a list of
David’s mighty men. These 32 verses accounted for the mighty warriors while
only four verses (v.1-4) encapsulated David’s humble life, in which God has
started him as a shepherd boy but later rose to become heir of the Messiah.
Let’s briefly look at the special-mention
outstanding three, out of the entire list. Josheb-basshebeth, was the chief of
the three, who alone killed 800 men with his spear. Next was Eleazar, who legendary struck down the Philistines until his hand
clung to his sword. Shammah fought his way out at a ground full of lentils and
finally overcame the Philistines.
The passage then mentioned that these three men went down to the cave of
Adullam with King David when he and his ragtag army were hiding from Saul there. Then in his nostalgic longing, David casually vocalised his desire for the
water from his home-town Bethlehem’s well. In a stunning
act of bravery, these warriors got hold of the water and offered it to David.
But David couldn’t bring himself to drink it. Instead, he offered it to the
Lord in worship (vv. 16-17).
Friends, have
we ever wondered why these men remained faithful to King David, given at that
juncture, David has lost his status and was at his lowest state?
RELATE
Hearing David’s craving, the
warriors took initiative to bring the well water to him. Frankly, they need not,
considering that it was not the King’s command but only his craving. Moreover, to
get the water means having to brave through the dreaded Philistines on risky
ground. The passage described these warriors as distressed
under the reign of Saul. Basically, they were men of difficult background. They
were in debt, bitter and discontented, all having their own problems to
overcome (refer to I Sam 22:2).
Yet David treated
these men with dignities and accepted them as they were, regardless of their usefulness
to the leader’s cause. This is where King David’s character stands out. David
accepted them and trained them into his loyal fighting troops. In the same way,
our Lord Jesus does not require all our problems to be resolved before we come
to Him. Jesus accepts those in distress, discontented and transforms them into
a band of mighty and notable men (women included) for His purposes. We may feel unwanted and
wasted lives. But Jesus who lives within us sees us as His miracles to turn our
lives around. What an assurance in Christ Jesus!
“17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The
old has passed away; behold, the new has come. “(2 Cor 5: 17 ESV)
Contrary to most leaders, David did not exert
his sense of entitlement as a king and expected these men to bring the water. David’s men were not unwilling conscripts who grimly fulfilled
their duty (vv. 13-17), but they found David to be a worthy leader to follow. These
mighty men were willing volunteers who served out of devotion and honour to David
as their humble and godly leader. David was so touched that he could not drink the
water because he acknowledged the sacredness of the devotion of these men. David knew that they loved him enough to
die for him. Overwhelmed by their devotion, David had to refuse to drink the
water, but “poured it out before the Lord” as a drink offering, 2 Sam 23:16.
Through David’s responses, the men saw how David
has appreciated and honoured them. Doesn’t this also not portray Jesus’
humility, righteousness, and justice (righteous and wise as in Proverbs 29:7 - A righteous man knows the rights of the poor;
a wicked man does not understand such knowledge)?
In the same way my friends, rejoice that Jesus always honours all that we are and doesn't impose His rights on us nor condemn us. He gives us all a free will to follow Him or not.
REST
While David was portrayed as an ideal king with justice
and humility, today we recognise that Jesus is the better King and leader for us to follow. We may be broken, empty and guilty people but we are recipients of Your
grace. So, accept and change us to fit into Your big purpose. In His Name, we pray.
Amen.
Vincent
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