This is a small group that was following the plan to read through the Bible one chapter at a time with Good Morning Girls. Good Morning Girls is on an indefinite break. But will we continue reading through the Bible.
Each Monday go to the Weekly Reading Plan or the Bible Study Thread for our current book to see the introductory post for the week and the weekly reading passages, discussion questions, and memory verse.
Be sure to come here each day to see what the members of the group are sharing. Try to participate in the discussion with a post at least once each week to share with us what God is teaching you. Posting on the forum helps motivate all of us to keep reading by seeing the others persevering and it provides additional insight and learning.
Each Friday we will attempt to share a Friday Devotional that addresses some of the topics we have read that week.
Please also take time to read the Group Overview post that provides some ideas on how to get the most out of your study here! You can find this post in the the "Bible Study" section of the board.
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Re: 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 14
Joab seems to really care about Davie and to be trying to help him. He is loyal, but his is not that ethical. Here, he seems to be giving David good advice; I wonder why he did not give David better advice in the past. Perhaps he always gives advice based on what he thinks is in David’s best interest regardless of whether it is ethical.
14:24 And the king said, "Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence." So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king's presence.
David would not just give real forgiveness and reconciliation. This makes Absalom bitter. After all, David was partly to blame because he refused to deal with the first offense of the rape in a just manner.
We must not be stubborn. We must be humble enough to reach out and offer grace and reconciliation and to be patient with people and willing to accept faults and not let ourselves get offended or annoyed with someone and let that cause a breach. We must not let our pride get in the way of relationships.
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Re: 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 15
15:13 And a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom."
People are fickle. They forgot who God had ordained and sought who seemed exciting ot them or tickled their ears or who they thought was in their own interest.
How often do we seek to do what we think is in our own interest instead of what honors God or what God has ordained?
15:25 Then the king said to Zadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place.
Here David is back to where he started only this is more humiliating since he runs from his own son. But, he still has complete confidence that it is up to God to do whatever He wants. He submits himself completely to God.
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Re: 2 Samuel
Week 3 Devotion
Out-sinning God's Grace
Looking at David's failures, we see God's great grace and mercy even though there were consequences.
It is hard for us to wrap our minds around the fact that, given David's great sins, God can call him a hero of the faith and a man after God's heart.
So, I decided to share a post that I wrote over a decade ago about how we struggle to understand God's forgiveness.
Blog: Out-sinning God's Grace
Podcast: Out-sinning God's Grace, Direct MP3 Download
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Re: 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 16
16:10 But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David,' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"
He did not defend his own honor. This is like Christ who never defended Himself, but always defended God’s honor.
16:11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
David had bigger problems than this.
16:12 It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today."
We really need to get over ourselves sometimes. What is it to us when someone “disrespects” us? Is that not really a small problem in life? It is probably best to just not worry about it, choose to give them grace and look at their struggles that lead them to that action and let God sort out the rest.
Let God judge, let God defend, let God reward.
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Re: 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 17
I don’t understand how they can just reject David and just decide to kill him because they want something or someone else.
We decide or imaging doing all sorts of evil when we decide we want something else or we don’t want what God wants, so we let our desires rule us and do or think wrong.
This is the truth of human nature so we must be vigilant in guarding against that nature. We must actively and continuously submit our minds, thoughts and desires to God’s truth. We must set our minds on His truth and person and renew our minds in meditating on His truth and focusing on His love and presence and trust in and hold fast to His peace.
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Re: 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 18
It was so hard for David to accept the truth about his son and stand up to him and stop enabling him. He would let his son abuse and kill him before he put up any boundaries or correction.
We see this today. People let their adult children disrespect and mistreat them and behave in all sorts of unkind ways yet they will not place any boundaries or rebuke them in any way. This does not help a person; it does not turn them to Christ. In fact, I think it can turn them against Christ because it hardens them and confirms them in their wickedness.
It is loving to rebuke, correct, and limit and stand up against error and sin. David failed to lovingly confront Absalom, but also failed at showing grace and being quick to seek reconciliation and seek to understand his heart.
This festered in Absalom’s heart till he hated his father so much he would kill him!! How bitterness can grow. David did not understand how far the bitterness would go when he kept ignoring Absalom and refusing to reconcile with him or address his concerns and hear his heart.
Do we do this? Do we allow bitterness to grow in our own hearts because of someone’s rejection and hurt until we develop hateful murderous hearts?
Or do we treat people as David treated Absalom? Do we fail to lovingly conform and deal with wrong doing and put up boundaries, but also quickly seek reconciliation and extend mercy and try to understand their perspective?
We could prevent a lot of relational problems if we avoided the errors of both Absalom’s bitterness and David’s passivity.
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Re: 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 19
19:3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle.
19:6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased.
David was so self-focused that he did not think about how his men felt or show appreciation for the fact that they risked their lives for him.
He was rightfully distraught over the life of Absalom, but he still needed to be a leader and go out and at least thank and acknowledge their victory. He did not need to celebrate, but he should have made it clear that they could feel good about celebrating and that he supported them. Then he could have gone back to privately grieving.
Relationships can be complicated. We’ve had a hard time acknowledging someone else’s good blessing because we are mourning our our own losses. There is nothing wrong with mourning and people should understand it. But there is a delicate balancing act to be able to mutually support each other and to care about another person’s life while still dealing with ours and it goes both ways.
Optional GMG Discussion/ Personal Reflection Question: Mephibosheth was completely devoted to King David. He was so devoted that he did not care about his own wants or desires. He watched and waited for his return. He looked for the King. He longed for the King and he loved the King.
How are you like Mephibosheth? Are you watching and waiting for the return of Christ? Do you look for, long for and love the King of Kings? How can you live more fully focused on God rather than your own wants and desires?
Wow, this is a good question. I can be almost obsessed with my own wants or desires instead of focusing my energy on the coming of Christ’s kingdom.
What a good reminder to focus on the return of Christ when all things will be made new and when we will be made perfect and whole instead of focusing on this temporary journey.
We rejoice in our hope in God’s glory and our hope of His return.
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Re: 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 20
As David allowed sin to go unpunished numerous times, we see it allowed sin to fester and solidify as a principle in his kingdom.
We cannot allow wickedness to go unpunished. It started when Joab killed Abner and has just continued. Allowing it to go unpunished emboldens Joab in his evil and wickedness it also spread to David as we saw with Uriah. Similarly, we saw when he allowed his son to go unpunished for rape it fed wickedness in the heart of Absalom.
Must root out unrighteousness, wickedness, evil and sin in our lives and in our spheres of influence if we have the authority and leadership.
Last edited by TBG (7/03/2017 8:58 am)
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Re: 2 Samuel
Week of July 3
This Week’s Reading Assignment
Post your input below this post.
S.O.A.K. any verse of your choosing.
Day One
Reading: 2 Samuel 21
Verse of the Day: 2 Samuel 21:1
Optional GMG Discussion/ Personal Reflection Question: After a famine in the land went on and on and on, David finally sought God. CS Lewis said: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
God uses difficulties and trials to turn our hearts toward him. What pain or trial has God used in your life to get your attention and how have you sought and found God in the midst of your difficulty?
Day Two
Reading: 2 Samuel 22
Verse of the Day: 2 Samuel 22:2
Optional GMG Discussion/ Personal Reflection Question: David lists all the things that God is to him. He gives him title after title, as he praises God.
What is God to you? Give God praise by listing some of the titles you have for God below.
Day Three
Reading: 2 Samuel 23
Verse of the Day: 2 Samuel 23:4
Optional GMG Discussion/ Personal Reflection Question: As David reflects on his life, though it was far from perfect, he remembers how blessed he was. God was always with him and never forsook him. Like a glorious sunrise, after a dark night, were the blessings of God in his life.
Pause for a moment and consider the most beautiful sunrise you have ever seen. Where were you? Now compare that to the blessings you have received in your life despite the imperfections. How are God’s blessings like a sunrise in your life?
Day Four
Reading: 2 Samuel 24
Verse of the Day: 2 Samuel 24:24
Optional GMG Discussion/ Personal Reflection Question: David sinned by numbering his people and attempting to take credit and glory, for the growth of his kingdom. God punished David. David desired to be back in fellowship with God and so he built an altar. Araunah offered to give David what he needed for his sacrifice but David knew that his sacrifice must cost him something if it was going to please God.
Following God comes with a cost. Is there something you need to give up so you can live a more obedient life to God? What has following God cost you? Remember what we gain far outweighs any sacrifice we could ever give.
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