Thing You Need to Know... from 2 Samuel

Prayer

Alas! that the great majority of the Christian world so early lost sight of the fact, and that many are still so slow, even among Protestants, to perceive it clearly. The NT minister is not a priest, a cleric—except in so far as all Christians are a priesthood—he is a teacher in God's name, even as the OT prophet was a teacher, with the peculiar advantage of being inspired. You also know that it was by no means the main business of the prophets to predict the future . . . but that they spoke of the past and the present, often much more than of the future.

Professor James Stitzinger

The Irrationality and Terror of Evil in a Fallen World—Pray for Grieving Waukesha

Al Moehler, The Briefing, Tuesday, Nov 23, 2021 - It had to be an absolutely harrowing site. The crowd was gathered for a Christmas festival on Sunday night, when an SUV pressed into the crowd. We're told the bodies flew through the air. Eventually, almost 50 people were injured. At least five had died in Waukesha, Wisconsin. And the harrowing site was actually something that brings the biggest of moral issues to mind. It raises massive questions because SUVs are not supposed to hurdle themselves into a crowd gathered for a Christmas festival. People were there for a parade. People were there in order to begin the Christmas season. People were there in order to enjoy the fellowship and the fun. But of course, this wasn't merely a vehicle that went into the crowd, killing five, at least five thus far, and injuring almost 50. It was a human being behind the wheel with every indication of having done so deliberately. Now, as you think about this, you recognize the inadequacy of a secular worldview, trying to answer the question. But at the same time you see that worldview or those who are operating out of that worldview, trying to get to the biggest question. The biggest question of course is, why? Why would anyone have done this? Now, here's something to watch. Our first thought has to be for the people there in Wisconsin who are grieving and those whose lives are right now critically on the line. We pray for those individuals. We pray for their families. We pray for a grieving community. But you also notice that even as this a crime that has taken place, people immediately wanted to know what does the crime mean? What would've been the motivation behind it? What was the motive? Why would anyone do this? Now, one of the things we need to note is that in our contemporary context, driven primarily by a secular worldview, the options are pretty limited to come up with explanations of why. For one thing, you really can't deal much with the idea of inherent evil. Instead, you have to look for some other explanation. There must be some sociological explanation. You see this playing out in so many public debates. Perhaps there's a political or an economic motivation. Given the worldwide context of terrorism, people began to ask the question, rather automatically, was this a terrorist attack? Was it personal? That's another interesting question. Was it personal? Was this an effort to try to bring about homicide or injury to specific individuals against which the driver was aggrieved? By the time, yesterday evening came to a conclusion, it was pretty clear that police were not ready to say this was a terrorist activity. There was no sign, at least as of last night, that there was any kind of organized ideology behind this. There was no link to any kind of terrorist network. When it comes to the understanding that it might have been personal, law enforcement officials there in Wisconsin have at least dismissed that, initially as a reality. Instead, there is this effort to try to come up with some explanation that would make evil rational, that would make this irrational attack explainable in rational terms. Now, here's where Christians understand, that there are limits to how rational irrationality can be. When we think about evil, we need to understand that the Christian worldview presents evil in a multifaceted way. It is first of all, a rebellion or a revolt against God. Now, in that sense, very importantly, evil predates creation, because the fall of Satan and his fallen angels came before the creation of the world. Evil thus as rebellion against God already existed. And God given his sovereignty, his omnipotence, and his glory, his justice and his righteousness, even before the creation of the world, God was determined that he would bring evil to an end. That's very clear in the revelation of God's own character and power. But then of course came the creation of the world. And shortly, after the creation of human beings made in God's image, we sinned. That's right. The scripture says that Adam and Eve sinned, but the Scripture also says that "In Adam we sinned." Let's try to come up with a rational explanation for the fall. In reality, it simply can't be explained in rational terms at all. Rationally, Adam should never have sinned against God. Rationally, Adam should never have yielded to temptation. Rationally, Adam should have looked at the entire creation along with Eve and understood it to be good and given to us for our enjoyment in the garden. But there was that one tree and that one tree became an irrational obsession. After the fall, evil has become an inescapable part of human experience. Not just in the world out there, not just in the headlines, not just in a murderous street in Wisconsin, but in our own experience and in our own lives. Indeed, the scripture says "In our own hearts." And this means that even within ourselves, evil has a rational expression, but it has irrational roots. We cannot explain even with satisfaction to ourselves why we see ourselves fall short of our own expectations. That's the kind of testimony we see from the apostle Paul in Romans 7. The biblical balance between the rational and the irrational is seen in the fact that the police already seemed to have calculated, come to the conclusion in their investigation, that the man who is now the central suspect, a man known as Darrell Brooks Jr, had a pattern of criminal activity. The mainstream media have reported that he was at least arrested more than 10 times since 1999 on criminal charges. Furthermore, there were at least two open criminal charges and someone in the District Attorney's office there in Wisconsin, indicated that he was free because prosecutors had asked for an unacceptably low bail. The Associated Press reported yesterday, "The man suspected of plowing his SUV into a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing at least five people and injuring 48, had left the scene of a domestic dispute just minutes before." The police there in Wisconsin have now drawn up five charges of intentional homicide against the man who's identified as a 39 year old citizen of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As the story unfolded, the team of the Associated Press reported, "A joyous scene of marching bands and children dancing in Santa hats and waving pompoms gave way in an instant to screams and the sight of crumpled bodies as the SUV sped through barricades and struck dancers, musicians, and others. Members of a Dancing Grannies club were among those killed, as was an employee of Citizen's Bank." Here's the rational and the irrational dimension that is so central to the biblical worldview. This man, we are likely to discover, had at least some rational plan, some rational motivation to conduct evil. He used his reason. He used his intelligence. He used his bodily presence. He used an SUV in order to carry out intentional homicide. But at the same time you asked the question, why? There is not going to be an acceptable secular answer. Psychology can get you, only so far. Criminology, only so far, sociology, politics, economics, only so far. Even genetics. People are trying to look for some genetic or biological basis for all kinds of things. But in reality, the secular worldview simply doesn't have the equipment to answer the question about the absurdity of sin. What we see here is the darkness of the human heart. And we know, in biblical terms and in contemporary terms, even if we're honest, in personal terms, just how dark that can be. Just how irrational, just how inexplicable, just how contrary to our own good. But the allure of evil is one of the earliest truths we learn in scripture. We will continue to follow this story. We will continue to pray for the people in Wisconsin. We will continue to think of those families who have suffered such utterly inexplicable and horrifying loss. It's also just not wrong to want to know more, to want to know why, but in reality let's just face this up front. There will never be, in secular terms, an adequate satisfactory answer to the question why.

What does the bible say about evil? Are only some people evil and others good?

Where does evil originate?

James 1:13–15 ESV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

One of the most important truths of the Bible is our need for a redeemer. We celebrate Christmas because God the Father has given us God the Son to be our redeemer.

The greatest danger we may face is our denial of our won evil desires and our own need of a personal Savior. You need to recognize the rebellion in your heart. you need to realize your need of a savior.

2 Samuel is the story of a great man who was used by God to do great things but then allowed himself to fall into great sin. And this great sin had great consequences.

If you were to say, “the bigger they are, the harder they fall,” which story in the bible would you think of?

After looking at David and Goliath you would think that it was the giant who was defeated by a young boy with a sling shot. But you would be wrong. It was a king who fell because of a woman in a bathtub.

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

The lesson this morning is this: guard your heart, recognize your need for a savior, recognize the Savior who is both the punisher of sin and the forgiver of sin.

2 Samuel continues the simple truth: The Lord doesn’t just look at the hearts of Old Testament persons, he is looking at your heart today.

While Israel was accomplishing its greatest national victories it was slowly beginning a downward slide away from the Lord. Just like today. We are accomplishing some of the greatest medical, scientific and technological advances in history. But we are also becoming more and more secular as a culture. God is being pushed out of our lives in place of things and the worship of the self made man. We are becoming a culture that thinks that we don’t need God and that we are the reason for our success, Instead of thanksgiving being an opportunity to give thanks we are being told to use this weekend as an opportunity to simply have an attitude of gratitude for what we have accumulated. God has been kicked to the curb.

From Dale Ralph Davis - 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity:

An outline of 1 and 2 Samuel - from last week

Chapters Focus Summary 1 Samuel 1–7 Samuel 1 Sam. 7:15–17 1 Samuel 8–14 Saul 1 Sam. 14:47–52 1 Samuel 15–2 Samuel 8 David/I 2 Sam. 8:15–18 2 Samuel 9–20 David/II 2 Sam. 20:23–26 2 Samuel 21–24 Kingdom

An outline of 1 Samuel - from last week

I. A Prophet from God’s Grace, 1–7 II. A King in God’s Place, 8–14 III. A Man after God’s Heart, 15–31

An outline of 2 Samuel

A Man After God’s Heart, chs. 1–8 A Servant under God’s Rod, chs. 9–20 A Kingdom in God’s Hands, chs. 21–24

Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity, Focus on the Bible Commentary (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2002), 10.

2 Samuel: A book of great deceit (Just like the Garden of Eden)

2 Samuel begins with a lie - the Lord knows the heart

2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity The Exposure of Falsehood (Esp. 1:6–10)

So on the first page of another biblical book we run straight into the God who exposes us, who delights in truth in the inward parts (Ps. 51:6), who sets our secret sins in the light of his presence (Ps. 90:8). Nor will this be the last episode—there will be ‘Amalekites’ in the church. Ananias and Sapphira will feel the need to boost their self-esteem within the Jerusalem Church (Acts 5:1–11 in light of 4:32–37) and end up in twin graves for it. Even if we could fool kings and churches Jesus has taught us that no one will escape D-Day (for Disclosure): ‘There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs’ (Luke 12:2–3, NIV). Yet strangely we find ourselves often cuddling this absurd notion that if we have duped man’s eye we have eluded heaven’s gaze as well.

David is King but he has not freed the world from sin - only a perfect savior can do that

The deceit of the Amalekite (chpt 1)

The deceit of Joab (chpt 3) 3:26 - Abner is killed

The deceit of Ish-bosheth’s murderer’s (chpt 4)

The deceit of David’s heart (5:13

2 Samuel 5:12–13 ESV

And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.

Deut 17:16-17 don’t acquire wives

The deceit of Uzzah’s careless worship and David’s anger (chpt 6:5)

In this chapter we see glimpses of the Fall in Genesis and the rebellion of the those who left Egypt. We see the disobedience of Adam and Eve to God’s command - don’t eat. (Now it’s don’t touch). We see Nadab and Abihu who carelessly worshipped. We see the Anger of Moses, an anger which cost him his entrance into the promised land.

In 7:18 we see David;s prayer of Gratitude - Giving thanks to the Lord w=for all that he had done.

The Lord gives David victory (8 and 10) and David shows kindness (9)

But then in chpt 11 we see the results of David’s apathy and the spiritual neglect of his heart - at the time when kings go off to war...

A number of things are left to the imagination - why didn’t David go, why was Bathsheba on the roof, how many people knew what happened? This is the vagueness of Scripture and the precision of scripture. What happened to David could happen to you. The Specifics are not as important as the results of David’s sin.

The rest of the book involves the sad fallout of David’s sin and, since we’ve used this term repeatedly, the deceit of David’s son Absolom.

David is a servant being disciplined by the Lord and even in this discipline he is loved by the Lord and protected by the Lord.

I’d like us to end this morning by looking at chapter 12 - Nathan confronts David

Here are the key thoughts:

First, the Lord knows - everything we do is before the eyes of the Lord

Second, we must confront sin - we must not think that sinful rebellion can just be allowed to continue unchecked and unabated.

Third, we need to see sin the way that the Lord sees sin - the story of the poor and rich man (12:2-4)

Fourth, we need to see ourselves in the self righteous anger of David - our defensiveness and false pride and our attempts to sound holy and good when we are actually weal and sinful.

12:13 Fifth, we need to see the Lord’s grace and the incredible forgiveness and mercy of the Lord. Yes there are consequences, but there is also grace.

David is a spiritual super hero - but he needed a savior.

We don’t fight armies, we don’t write scripture, we are’n the kings or queens of God’s nation. But you also need a savior, you need to have a heart check, you need to deal with anything that is leading your heart astray. You need t realize that the Lord knows exactly what is in your heart. Will you then confront that sin personally and receive the grace and mercy that is freely offered through the cross of Jesus?