READING FOR JUNE 9, 2025: 2 SAMUEL 21 GALATIANS 2, PSALM 51:13-19 2 SAMUEL 21 The chapter begins with a story that indicates sin can be corporate (not merely individual) in nature and that the consequences might be experienced many years after the fact. Israel was undergoing 3 years of famine. In verse 1 it says David then sought the presence of the Lord. God told David the reason for the famine was due to Saul putting Gibeonites to death despite Israel’s covenant with them. The covenant and Saul's breaking it occurred years earlier, but God was choosing to discipline Israel through a famine at this time. David was not at fault other than being a citizen of Israel. This seems to be corporate, not individual, guilt and punishment. Could a country, church, or other entity be guilty of sin that impacts how God deals with this group years after those living at the time were dead? The text suggests so but also states those experiencing the consequences need to seek the Lord’s insight.
David’s solution was to ask the group sinned against, the Gibeonites, how amends could be made. This resulted in seven grandsons of Saul, seemingly uninvolved in the event, being handed over to be hanged by the Gibeonites. This is hard for us but notice the result: “After that God responded to prayer for the land.” Has our country sufficiently addressed its practice of chattel slavery? Might our church not have been obedient in sharing the Gospel since its founding in 1851? If so, would there be any appropriate response from us today?
Once the famine ceased, we see the Philistines threatening again, led by a giant champion descending from and similar to Goliath. Although he wanted to kill David, Abishai stepped in and slew the giant. With the loss of David narrowly averted, David’s men insisted that he not go out to battle any longer. His age and fragility prohibited him from active fighting, but he was still considered the “lamp of Israel.” Just because our age doesn’t allow to do what we once did, doesn’t mean we still can’t play a vital role in the Kingdom of God. The next verses show how this worked. Israel was threatened by yet another Philistine giant (with 12 fingers and 12 toes) who the text states was felled “by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.” David had learned to lead by delegating the fighting to those who were younger.
GALATIANS 2 After reading this study guide, it would be good to reread Galatians 2 and then reread this guide. The topic is that important and can be that difficult to understand. Certainly, it is challenging to convey clearly.
After 14 years of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, Paul went back to Jerusalem and let the church leadership examine his message. He did this because some “false brothers” thought Paul was teaching incorrect doctrine. But Peter, John, and James supported Paul’s message and those converted through it. They did not require Gentile converts to adhere to the
READING FOR JUNE 9, 2025 CONTINUED: GALATIANS 2, PSALM 51:13-19 ceremonial law: such as circumcision or a kosher diet. Soon after that, Peter visited the church in Antioch, Paul’s base of operations. There, Peter apparently ate non-kosher food with uncircumcised believers in Jesus without a concern.
Then some Jewish believers in Jesus came from James, who seemed to be the leader of the church in Jerusalem (see Acts 15). Suddenly, out of concern for the reaction of these Jewish Christians, Peter disassociated himself from the Gentile believers and reverted back to the ways of the Mosaic Law. This in turn impacted the behavior of the rest of the Jewish Christians in Galatia, even Paul’s trusted coworker Barnabus. Somewhat shockingly, this public act called for Paul to publicly rebuke Peter for acting as if faith in the completed work of Jesus was not sufficient to make the believer acceptable in the sight of God—that somehow doing the ceremonial works of the law was still required.
Paul asks if not keeping the ceremonial law (such as in kosher food and circumcision) is sin, does that mean that faith in the justifying work of Jesus does not free us from sin (vs. 17)? Paul answers that the law itself showed him that our justification comes only from dying to ourselves, to our works, and living in the forgiveness and power of the living Christ (vs. 19-20). Ponder again his last statement: “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” THIS IS THE GOSPEL!
PSALM 51:13-19 David seems to link his state of unconfessed sin, unclean heart, and lack of joy to his being ineffective in converting unbelievers to faith. Might an ineffectiveness in our Christian witness be linked in this same way? David certainly believes a restored relationship with God will facilitate his bringing unbelievers to God. Perhaps we might pray for this closer relationship with God and then likewise commit to sharing the good news of God as David intended: “Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. Lord, open my lips, so that my mouth may declare Your praise” (vs. 14-15). So often we think the way we live our lives is sufficient testimony to others about our faith so that we don’t need words. Not so with David.
Why does the Psalmist say in verse 16 that God doesn’t delight in burnt offerings when God commanded Israel to offer them? In fact, verse 19 says God does delight in these offerings. It is because God cares much more about the intent of our heart than our religious activity. He is making a point that we must embrace. John the Baptist was sent to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus by telling us we are in a state of condemnation and need to repent. Jesus’s first words of ministry? “Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near”’ (Matt. 4:17). We are not OK. We are not good. We need to repent in order to receive the sacrifice of Jesus our savior and then follow Him as Lord. THIS TOO IS THE GOSPEL!
