2S21-18: Think for Yourself—Even If It Gets You Thrown Out of Church

Yesterday, we finally finished up the deranged story about King David’s solution for ending the famine due to a 3-year drought that had struck the land of Israel.

Now, there’s no doubt the famine was caused by divine origins.

How do we know this?

Because the Lord told David so.

Nevertheless, what makes this story so difficult to untangle is the many confusing variables it presents to us.

FIRST, the Lord tells David that the drought is being caused by the curse of blood guilt hanging over the land due to Saul’s attempt to massacre a certain group of citizens living in the Benjamite city of Gibeon hundreds of years ago.

SECOND, these citizens were NOT Hebrews.

They were Amorites whose forefathers had entered into a peace treaty with Joshua about four centuries earlier.

THIRD, this peace treaty had been sealed by a vow made in Adonai’s name.

This meant that when Saul went hog wild and tried to eradicate the Gibeonites, he violated the Lord’s holy name.

FOURTH, at the Gibeonites’ request, 7 male descendants of Saul were turned over to them to be executed as an “atonement.”

The men were killed, and then their bodies were impaled on stakes where they were left to rot.

FIFTH, afterward, Rizpah, one of Saul’s concubines and the mother of 2 of the fatalities, set up camp where the corpses had been so disrespectfully displayed.

She did this to drive off birds of prey and other wild animals from chomping at the corpses. 

She also stayed there for a period of about 5 months.

Once the seasonal rains began to fall, she interpreted this as a divine sign that God’s curse over the land had been lifted.

She then returned to Jerusalem.

SIXTH, David was so inspired by what Rizpah did and her faithfulness that he went out of his way to have the remains of the corpses transported back to Benjamite territory for a proper burial.

This would have been viewed as a great act of kindness on David’s part.

No doubt, David also thought Rizpah’s faithfulness had played a part in getting the Lord to respond.

SEVENTH, after all was said and done, this is what we’re told in verse 14.

Here it is in 3 different translations:

“Then they buried the bones of Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son in the territory of Binyamin in Tzela, in the tomb of Kish his father; they did everything the king ordered. Only after that was God prevailed on to show mercy to the land.”—2 Samuel 21:14 (CJB)

“They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.“—2 Samuel 21:14 (NIV)

^“And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.“—2 Samuel 21:14 (KJV)

So what’s the usual flawed as all hell Christian interpretation of this event?

They say that human blood just had to be shed for the curse of blood guilt to be lifted off the land.

Their theological conclusions shouldn’t surprise us because Christians love to play the “bloody sacrificial death” card every freaking chance they can get.

I know it seems like I’m picking on Christianity here.

So lemme be fair.

Many Jewish theologians, both ancient and modern, also arrive at the same conclusion…but for different reasons.

I’m telling you, I stand with Tom Bradford and his Torah Class on the matter in asserting all of these homies are flat out wrong.

That’s right, man.

I said it.

They’re about as wrong as saying the sun revolves around the Earth.

But why are they wrong?

Because…this story is fraught with a wild mixture of Torah, manmade ideas, and pagan superstitions.

So this was Israel’s current situation at the end of King David’s reign.

It’s important to understand this as we arrive at the close of the books of Samuel, and before we enter into the era of the kings.

Alrighty, let’s switch over to the takeaway.

Here’s the thing.

I know a lot of people tend to put their pastors, preachers, and teachers up on pedestals.

I’m sure you can learn from a lot of them.

But for crying out loud, homie, don’t worship them.

They’re not the end-all be-all when it comes to theological understanding.

Learn to use your God-given brain and think for yourself.

This is one of the biggest criticisms I have of those who worship at congregations.

Everybody just blindly accepts what they’re force-fed from the pulpit.

Sometimes it’s not their fault.

If they question their pastor on a certain teaching or doctrine, they could get their butts thrown out of the congregation.

Hell, man, it’s happened to me a couple of times.

But who cares?

You have the freedom to read the Scriptures for yourself.

And then, through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit…

Come to your own conclusions…

Instead of always relying on some dude with 20 PhD degrees hanging on his wall.

Ya feel me?

Done.

CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT

“Now these Berean Jews were of
more noble character than those
in Thessalonica, for they received
the message with great eagerness
and examined the Scriptures
every day to see if what Paul
said was true.”
— Acts 17:11

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
he will teach you all things
and remind you of everything
I have told you.”
— John 14:26

“But you have an anointing
from the Holy One,
and all of you know the truth.”
— 1 John 2:20

“As for you, the anointing
you received from him remains in you,
and you do not need anyone to teach you.
But as his anointing teaches you
about all things and as that anointing
is real, not counterfeit—
just as it has taught you,
remain in him.”
— 1 John 2:27

“If any of you lacks wisdom,
you should ask God,
who gives generously to all
without finding fault,
and it will be given to you.”
— James 1:5

“Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewal
of your mind, that by testing you
may discern what is the will of God
—what is good and acceptable
and perfect.”
— Romans 12:2

“Study to show yourself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth.”
— 2 Timothy 2:15

“All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the servant of God may
be thoroughly equipped
for every good work.”
— 2 Timothy 3:16–17