Transcript for Day 127: Kindness for the House of Saul (2022)

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz and you're listening to the Bible in a year podcast where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of scripture. The Bible in a year podcast is brought to you by Ascension, using the great adventure Bible timeline will read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. Today is Day 127. We are reading from 2 Samuel chapter 9 and 1 Chronicles chapter 2. We also praying Psalm 28. I know yesterday was kind of a long episode. So shorten it down. I mean, not that we did it on purpose, but it is only three chapters basically today. We're reading as always from the translation called revised standard version, second Catholic edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from a sentient. Also, if you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. And if you've not yet subscribed to this podcast, you can subscribe to this podcast. Whenever you'd like to subscribe to this podcast, subscribe to this podcast. It's day 127. We're reading second Samuel chapter nine. 1. Chronicles chapter 12 and Psalm 28. 2. The Second Book of Samuel, chapter 9. David's kindness to Mfavisheth. And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba and they called him to David and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, Your servant is he. And the king said, is there not still some one of the house of Saul that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Zeba said to the king, there is still a son of Jonathan, he is crippled in his feet. The king said to him, where is he? And Zeba said to the king, he is in the house of Makir, the son of Amil at Lodibar. Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Makir, the son of Amil at Lodibar. And Mithivasheth, the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and did obey sins. And David said, Mithivasheth, and he answered, behold your servant. And David said to him, do not fear. For I will show you kindness for the sake of your father, Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul, your father, and you shall eat at my table always. And he did obey sins and said, What is your servant that you should look upon a dead dog such as I? Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, all that belonged to Saul, and to all his house, I have given to your master's son. And you, and your sons, and your servants shall till the land for him, and shall bring in the produce that your master's son may have bread to eat. But, but Fibishth, your master's son, shall always eat at my table. Now, Zeba had 15 sons and 20 servants, then Zeba said to the king, according to all that my Lord, the king, commands his servant, so will your servant do. So Mufibishth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons, and Mufibishth had a young son whose name was Micah. And all who dwelt in Zeba's house became Mufibishth's servants. So Mufibishth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet. The first book of Chronicles, chapter 12, David's followers in the wilderness. Now these are the men who came to David at Zicklegg while he could not move about freely because of Saul, the Son of Kish. and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. They were bow men, and could shoot arrows, and slings stones, with either the right or the left hand. They were Benjaminites, Saul's Kinsman. The chief was Aheezar, then Joash, both sons of Shema'a, of Ghibya, also Jezeel, and Plect, the sons of Azma V. Burakha, Jihu of Anathoth, Ishmaia of Gibyan, a mighty man among the 30 and a leader over the 30. Jiramaya, Jahaziel, Jahanan, Josephad of Giderah, Eluzae, Jiramoth, Bialia, Shimaraya, Shavataya, the Harrafite, Elkana, Isshaya, Azarel, Johezer, and Jashopeaam, the Korahites, and Joela, and Zabadaya the sons of Jiraham of Gidor. From the gathites, they went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains. Ezra, the chief, Obedaya, the second, Iliab, third, Mishmanah, fourth, Dhramaya, fifth, Atai, sixth, Eliel, seventh, Johanan, eighth, Elzebad, ninth. Jeremiah 10th, Mach Bonay, 11th. These gadgets were officers of the army, the lesser over a hundred and the greater over a thousand. These are the men who crossed the Jordan at the first month when it was overflowing all its banks and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west. And some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David, David went out to meet them and said to them. If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be knit to you. But if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and review you. Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the 30, and he said, we are yours, O David, and with you, O Son of Jesse, peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you. Then David received them, and made them officers of his troops. Some of the men of Manasa deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. Yet he did not help them for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, at peril to our heads he will desert to his master's Saul. As he went to Zikleg, these men of Manasa deserted to him. Adna, Josephad, Jadaya El, Michael, Josephad, Elihoo, and Zalethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasa. They helped David against the band of Raiders, for they were all mighty men of Valor, and were commanders in the army. For from day to day, men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army like an army of God. David's army at Hebron. These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops, who came to David and Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord. The men of Judah, bearing shield and spear, were 6,800 armed troops. Of the Simianites, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100. Of the Levites, 4,600. The Prince Joja da, of the House of Aaron, and with him 3,700. Zedok, a young man, mighty and valor, and 22 commanders from his own father's house. Of the Benjaminites, the Kinsman of Saul, 3,000, of whom the majority had hitherto kept their allegiance to the House of Saul. Of the Ephraines, 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their father's houses. Of the half-tribe of Manasa, 18,000, who were expressly named to come and make David King. If his a car, men who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their Kinsman under their command. of Zebulin, 50,000 seasoned troops equipped for battle with all the weapons of war to help David with singleness of purpose. Of Naftali, 8,000 commanders with whom were 37,000 men armed with shield and spear. Of the denights, 28,600 men equipped for battle. Of Asher, 40,000 seasoned troops ready for battle. of the Rubenites and Gaddites and the Half-Tribe of Manassa from beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men armed with all the weapons of war. All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with full intent to make David King over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David King. And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had made preparations for them. And also their neighbors, from as far as S.A.K.R. and Zibilin and Naftali, came bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of meal, kicks of figs, clusters of raisins and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel. Psalm 28. Prayer for help and Thanksgiving for it. A Psalm of David. To you, O Lord, I call. My rock. Be not deaf to me. Lest if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplication as I cried to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. Take me, not off with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while mischief is in their hearts. Repay them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds, repay them according to the work of their hands, render them their due reward, because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of his hands. They will break them down and build them up no more. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield in him my heart trusts. So I am helped, and my heart exalts, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people, he is the saving refuge of his anointed. O save your people and bless your heritage, be their shepherd, and carry them forever. Father in heaven, we give you praise and thank you so much. We thank you for this season of our lives. We thank you for guiding us and speaking to us for the last 127 days and shaping our hearts, our minds, by your word and by who you truly are, who you are calling us to be. We ask you to please fill us with a spirit of courage, fill us with a with a singleness of purpose, fill us with the wisdom to be able to know which actions to take and to know which actions to refrain from taking. We make this prayer, the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen. And the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Okay, here we go. Gosh, this is so good. Okay, so in the second time of chapter nine, we have this young man named Bifibia Sheth. So my Fibia Sheth, right? We know what that is. This is the grandson of King Saul. He is the son of Jonathan. And it's even just this chapter chapter nine starts off with David asking this really important question. Now we just had, in the second time of chapter seven, we just had David asked the question, what can I do for God? Right and he says I want to I want to build a temple. I want to hear I am living in Jerusalem. I live in this really nice house house a cedar and the Ark of God is dwelling in a tent. So what can I do for God? I want to build a temple and of course Nathan says no someone else is going to do that so TBD on that one But here in second Samuel chapter nine David's asking the question, okay, what can I do? What kind of kindness not can I show to the Lord? But what kind of kindness can I show to others right now? And he wants to honor the covenant that he made with his blood brother, right? His covenantal brother, this friend of his, this deep friend of his Jonathan. And so he asked, you know, are there any sons, any family of Jonathan left? And there's one son, Mithibasheth. And so remember the story, we kind of glossed not glossed over it, but we just, we didn't touch on it a couple weeks ago when we read the story. where Babishath, with the family of Saul, family of Jonathan, they're all racing away, and Babishath's nurse dropped him and he became lame in both feet, so unable to walk well. He was hurting. And yet here's David, who says, no, restore to him, restore to this young man. Even though he is the grandson of my enemy, he is the son of my blood brother. He's the son of my friend, with whom I made this covenant. And so, you know, my Phivisheth would think that here is David, if this is going to be dynasty, if Saul is going to have a dynasty at all, that would mean that my Phivisheth would be David's natural born, like literally born enemy. And yet David did not treat him like an enemy in the same way that David So often did not treat Saul like an enemy. And definitely did not treat Jonathan like an enemy. But he treated him like a friend. In fact, he treated him like his own son. He said he would eat at the King's table as one of the King's sons. Now, my favorite chef would come before the King David with the notion that, okay, here it is. This is the last day of my life on this planet because it makes sense. The new king would kill any descendant of the old king. David shows his wisdom here. He just shows so much wisdom and so much compassion. He shows the kindness of the Lord by saying, no, I do not want to do that. I want to destroy you. In fact, I want to elevate you and honor you. Now, I've heard people, other people talk about, here's David, you know, if you're a friend's close, keep your enemies closer and that's what David is doing here with Mifib Fashat, keeping him in his house whole basically and letting him be moved around and have some honor, but you know, keeping him under his thumb. But that doesn't strike me as David's M.O. Right? That's not his modus operandi. David's M.O. here is I'm going to honor King Saul because he was anointed. I'm going to honor Jonathan as my friend. And so of course I'm going to honor in a real way, not in a kind of duplicitous or manipulative way. This young man, Mifibishath. It truly scripture just seems to indicate that David's intention was to give honor or to give kindness, you know. As he says, is there anyone still left in the house of Saul that I make show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? And this is the question we get to ask ourselves as well. Is there anyone around me right now that I can show kindness to for the Lord's sake? Now last quick thing in first Chronicles chapter 12 with all these numbers I get turned around. But in first Chronicles chapter 12, one of the things that we see is we of course were introduced to David's army and these continue these mighty men of David. Now, this is his anointing. This is David's being made king and in first chronicles, it's kind of summing up the story. Kind of a remember if we talked about when we talked about Deuteronomy and Exodus happening at the same time, where we have, sorry, Deuteronomy and numbers happening at the same time, where Deuteronomy's looking back over the story and kind of giving a bird's eye view of this. First Chronicles is kind of giving us a little bit of a bird's eye view of the events that we heard just a couple days ago when it came to David being named King and David bringing together all of the tribes of Israel into one United Kingdom. Not no longer a loose confederation of tribes, but actually a United Kingdom. But talks about these men who were part of David's army at Hebron. And if they have anything in common, they have in common the bravery, their valor, they have in common their singleness of purpose and their wisdom. Now, every one of them is described as being brave, right? They're all described as having valor. Their faces were like lions, they have character, right? But they're also wise. This is an interesting thing. It says that of the tribes of Benjamin, and says of the Benjaminites, the Kinsman of Saul, 3000 of whom the majority had hitherto kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. And that makes sense. And David would see, you see, David would value that. Benjaminites, Saul was a Benjaminite. And David would value the fact that, no, these Benjaminites were either too faithful to the house of Saul, because David also recognized the legitimacy of the house of Saul. And so it makes so much sense that David would not only notice this, but would honor that kind of thing later on, verse 32 in chapter 12. It also says, of Izacar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. Again, the same kind of thing, these men of wisdom, they're not only brave and have valor, they're men of wisdom, then who had understanding of the times, meaning that the men of Izacar also were faithful to Saul, while Saul was king, and now they're faithful to David, while David is king. And again, keep that in mind that this isn't just someone's saving their own skin, at least not as is a chronicled in first chronicles. These are people, the people of Izacar, And we have wisdom. And they knew when Saul was king, we'll be faithful to the king. When David's king, we'll be faithful to the king. And that's so good. Last little quality that these soldiers, these army had, not only were they brave and had valor, not only did they have wisdom, but they also had a single mindedness of purpose. And goes on, does scripture says here that they have this dedication and perseverance, where they're able to focus in on here is what my job is to do here. My job is to defend the king. My job is to defend and fight against those were enemies of the people of Israel and they had that singleness of purpose. Not only that, I guess the one last quality, they were very good at what they did, right? They were a men of valor who were good with spear and shield. That in fact, some of them are described as being able to do a bone arrow and a sling with both their left and their right, which is just... pretty awesome. They can not only sing a stone with their right hands, but also with their left hands and medexters when it comes to battle, which you can see how that would be so incredibly important as they move forward and have to defend Israel against the Philistines and those other nations around them. So, here we are on Day 127 with 2nd Samuel and 1st Chronicles and just getting the story and getting the story of David, the King going because David, the story of David, the King is now going to unfold for the majority of the rest of 2nd Samuel and the rest of 1st Chronicles as we learn the story, hear the story of King David and then in the story of King Solomon as we move forward. of this journey through the Bible, you guys, oh my goodness, what a somewhat incredible gift it is to be able to journey with you. That's why I'm praying for you every day because it is an honor. It's an honor to be part of this community, this Bible, any your community. I know that you're praying for each other and that is massively important because If we're not praying for each other, we're just, we just happen to be a bunch of people who are listening to one podcast on a regular basis. But that's, this community is more than that. It is a community because we don't just listen to the same word, the word of God. We're also lifting each other up before that same God, that God who loves everyone who's listening to these words. If you're here, these words right now, that means that God is reminding you of how much He loves you. And there are people in this world right now who are praying for you and you are not. Alone. I am praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.