2 Samuel 14:14 - Why Die When You Can Live?
2 Samuel 14:14; Why Die When You Can Live?
2 Sam 14:14 (NIV) Like water spilled on the ground, which
cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life;
instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain
estranged from him.
2 Sam 14:14 (CWR) All of us must die sometime, and when it
happens, we are like spilled water on the ground which no one can gather
up. Yet God respects each life and has provided a way to bring us
back from death so we will not remain separated from Him.
CONTEXT
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem (14:1-33)
Joab negotiates Absalom's return (13:38-14:24)
Joab Sends a Wise Woman to David
The Woman of Tekoa
CROSS REFERENCES
Numbers 35:15 (KJV) These six cities shall be a refuge, both
for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the
sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may
flee thither.
Psalm 90:10 (NCV) Our lifetime is seventy years or, if we are
strong, eighty years. But the years are full of hard work and pain. They
pass quickly, and then we are gone.
Acts 10:34 (KJV) Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Romans 2:11 (KJV) For there is no respect of persons with God.
John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
1 John 1:9 (KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
Ezekiel 18:31 (KJV) Cast away from you all your transgressions,
whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit:
for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
COMMENTARY / APPLICATION
Overview
David committed adultery with Bathsheba (11:1-13), and then
arranged for the death in battle of her husband (vv. 14-27). When
confronted by Nathan the prophet David confessed his sin (12:1-14), but
despite David's prayers the child conceived in adultery died (vv.
15-31). David's weakness was reflected in his son Amnon, who raped a
half sister (13:1-22). The girl's brother Absalom then killed Amnon
(vv. 23-39). Absalom fled, but later this favorite son of David's was
allowed to return to Jerusalem (14:1-33). [The 365-Day Devotional
Commentary]
"Bring back the young man Absalom" 2 Sam. 14:1-33. General Joab
devised a fable intended to give David a basis for restoring Absalom.
The problem the fable set was a conflict of legal principles: murder
deserved the death penalty, yet each family line in Israel must be
preserved. When the case was presented to David, he reluctantly decided to
protect the killer to preserve the family line. The woman who presented
the case then argued that David should permit Absalom to return,
suggesting it is godly to devise "ways so that a banished person may not
remain estranged from him."
David did bring Absalom back to Israel, but could not bring
himself to see his son for two more years.
The argument that Joab designed was specious in that David had
other sons besides Absalom. The two cases were not parallel. David's
delay in seeing Absalom suggests he was not comfortable with his
decision. Yet God does devise ways to restore the banished: the way of
forgiveness. By failing to forgive fully when Absalom was returned, David
himself created a bitterness which found expression in rebellion and
civil war. [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
"God will not take away the life." God is kind, loving, and
forgiving. When anyone sins and afterward truly repents, the Lord is
willing to forgive him his sin and restore him again to divine favor.
These words constitute a fitting portrayal of God's love toward the
sinner, [SDA Commentary]
His Name Is Bill
His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes
in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his
entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kinda esoteric and
very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very
conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students, but
are not sure how to go about it. One day Bill decides to go there.
He walks in
with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service
has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a
seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By
now people are looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says
anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and when
he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the
carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college
fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church before!)
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air
is thick.
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back
of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now
the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, a three-piece
suit, and a pocket watch. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified,
very courtly. He walks with a cane and as he starts walking toward
this boy, everyone is saying to themselves, you can't blame him for
what he's going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and of
his background to understand some college kid on the floor?
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church
is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All
eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The
people are thinking, the minister can't even preach the sermon until
the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly
man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty he lowers
himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be
alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion.
When the minister gains control he says, "What I'm about to
preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will
never forget." Author unknown re Luk.10:29-37]
The Crooked Tree
Aaron was one of the workers at the tree farm. As Aaron was
working one day he noticed a crooked tree. He knew the tough standards
the tree farm had, and if something was not done that tree would be
plucked out. The tree looked so helpless in the sun with it's branches
reaching for the ground. Aaron thought to himself, "Surely it is not my
responsibility to help this tree. It would require too much work when I could
of course do something more useful for the farm by helping straight
trees stay straight." So Aaron left as if he had never seen the tree
and forgot all about it.
Eric was another worker at the tree farm and he too noticed the
crooked tree. He felt sorry for it but knew there was nothing he could
do. Somebody needed to do something or the tree would die. He felt
a need to help in some way, but what happens if it does not work.
What is going to happen if he works on the tree and it does not
change? He decides he needs to tell the gardener about the tree.
Because he does not want to get directly involved he sends an unsigned
letter to the head gardener. He tells of the crooked tree and all of
its problems and even the exact location of the tree, row and plot
section. The gardener however does not pay any attention to unsigned
letters and throws it away without even reading it.
Tom was one more tree farm worker who observed the crooked tree.
He felt compassion for the tree and he decided to act. He ran
and got the book Counsels to Trees and Bushes and read how a trees
branches are to be straight and reaching for the sun. Nothing happened
to the tree - it just stood there. But every day Tom came out to
the spot where the tree was and read to the tree. One day he read
from The Desire of all Agriculture, that a crooked tree affects other
trees and makes them crooked as well. So he yelled at the tree to
straighten-up but to no avail. The tree just seemed to get worse. So finally
after much talking he gave up. He felt satisfied because he had tried
so hard even though he didn't really do anything.
Bruno was a new tree farm worker. He too, as soon as he arrived
took note of the crooked tree. He decided that he must help the
tree. He began working with the tree. Bruno knew the standards of
the tree farm. He knew how the tree would end up if something was
not done. He knew all the books about having straight trees. But
he also knew something else. He knew the Author of those books.
He had studied from the Master Teacher on how to grow trees. He
went out every day putting his knowledge to good use. Each day he
would do a little something to help the tree get straightened up. He
would tie up one of the trees crooked limbs. He would pull it just
enough to make it a little straighter, but not too much that it would
crack or break. In a few days he would pull it up a little more, but
still not too much that it would do any damage. Then he would take
straight boards and splint up bent parts of the tree to help it grow
taller. Soon the tree became more and more straight and taller. The
other trees began to notice how the tree was changing. As the tree
became more straight and taller Bruno began to take off some of the
ties and then some of the splints. It wasn't long before all the
ties and splints were off and the tree was one of the most straight
and tallest trees in the whole garden. [Source: Pastor Kilgore and
modified by Arthur Gibbs and his Dad re Luk.10:29-37]
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