Sermons About Gibeonites
2 Samuel 21:1-14 - The Cost of Covenant Breaking
Chapter 21 starts a new section (21-24) in closing the book of 2 Samuel. Some thing think that this secion is an intrusion to our the them of transition (David to Soloman). But I believe that the author is making a conclding point on how God's kingdom is to be goverend. In our passage in 2 Samuel 21, David's kingdom is experiencing a famine which causes David to pray to find out its cause. God says it is because the bloodguilt on Saul because he put the Gibeonites (who had made a Covenant with Israel in the name of the Lord (see Joshuah 9)) to death. David Doesn't pray for a solution but seeks atonement with the Gibeonites who want 7 men to pay with their lives. The difference between David and Saul is show by David loyality to the covenant he made with Jonathan to protect Mephibosheth (Jonathan's son). it ends with showing Rispah love for her son in protecting the bodyas and David giving Saul, Jonathan and the other that were hanged to bury them. We learn how misplaced zeal can cause us not to rely on our covenant with God and his mercy.
1 Amens
