Make it Right

I read an interesting and, quite honestly, rather disturbing portion of scripture this morning.  Second Samuel chapeter 21 gives an account of how David avenges the Gibeonites, righting Saul’s wrong.  So there’s a famine in the land 2 years so “David sought the face of the LORD” basically saying, “Uh, something’s not right here. WHat’s going on?”  and the LORD said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gigeonites to death.”  Now, the Gibeonites are a curious group and always kind of puzzle me.  When Joshua and his guys first inhabited the promise land, the Gibeonites got scared that they’d get wiped out, so they pretended to be from a land far far away, wearing old worn out clothes and bringing moldy bread (interesting that apparently the ubiquitousness of moldy bread was the same then as it is now), and asked the Israelites to make a treaty with them and deal kindly with them. The Israelites didn’t seek the Lord, made the treaty, and then and only then discovered that the rascals were their next door neighbors and the Lord had intended for them to be wiped out.  So, basically what they had done was agree to share their promised land with these tricksters for all time.

And because God honors a vow, the treaty would last for all time. Never were they to slaughter the Gibeonites. Well, Saul, who is famous for not following directions very well, had put some Gibeonites to death during his reign.  We’re talking a long time ago. David wasn’t even around then so it obviously wasn’t his fault.  So it kind of seems random that God’s allowing this famine because of a sin that some dead king did a long time ago.  So David asks them basically, “how can I make it right by you?” and they respond they want some of Saul’s blood.  So, David agrees to avenge the Gibeonites by executing seven descendents of Saul.  Wait, what?

That’s the part that really trips me up.  So these seven men, grandsons of King Saul, who probably didn’t even know the guy that much, are executed because of some stupid thing their grandpa did? That’s harsh.  So I’m not going there, but the point seems to be that sin is a big deal, and requires restitution.

Now we know we’ve been bought and redeemed by Christ, but I wonder if there is a principle here for me/us. Because when David did that, and avenged the Gibeonites, it says, “And after that God responded to the plea for the land” v. 14.  Hm.  Who do I need to avenge?

I just wonder if maybe God thinks it’s important for us to be mindful of ways that we need to make things right.  So I prayed and asked God if there was anything I needed to be reminded of, anything that need to be made right, so that a spiritual famine would not take place in my life, but that God would hear my plea.  I was reminded of two things:  Jeff and I had decided to support some certain missionaries in February, but then the house sold things got crazy, and I realized today that we never followed through and called the mission agency.  That might seem small, but if those missionaries were counting on our contribution, we were essentially robbing them, not letting our yes be yes.  This passage showed me that in order to make it right, we should not just start now, but pay back the months we’d neglected.  In essence, righting the wrong we’d overlooked.

Secondly, God brought to mind a very difficult relational/business situation we’ve been in. THe other person, through an amazing change of heart, chose to bless us.  We have an opportunity to make a pretty significant choice to bless her back, and in light of this passage, I think any measure is worth being upright before God and man.  Thankfully we don’t have to find anyone’s sons and have them hanged.

I know Old Testament passages like this can be confusing. I still don’t understand why God would let those seven men die for sins they didn’t commit. But I also know He sees stuff I don’t. But what I love is when those old dusty musty stories come alive with conviction and truth for today.  Because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  And now I need to go, I have some checks to write :-).