The Meaning Of Life

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/2_samuel/20.htm

It doesn’t matter how good you are, how well you treat others, how much of a Christian you are, you will always have foes. They will either be arrogant and have no respect for you simply because of their own self-absorption, they will be jealous of you or your position, or they will think their views are superior to yours. All you have to do is look at our government, and no one president in my lifetime was totally loved by all; we’ve came close, but that was back with we, as a people, were more civil, respectful, and kind to each other. Today, we are extremely polarized and we hate, disrespect, and protest against anyone we disagree with. So even though David was very likely the most lauded King of Israel, besides God Himself, there were those that turned against him. And once again, another one has rebelled against David and has turned a lot of the people of Israel against him. And I don’t perceive it so much as a hatred as much as it is a power struggle.

So David feared this rebel, named Sheba, would lead more people away than Absalom did, so he sent his army to pursue Sheba, and they found him, and a loyal and faithful person gave him up, or at least gave up his head, because we see one more story of just how violent those days were.

Think back a few centuries to the story of the Gibeonites that deceived Joshua. Remember the Lord had command that all the inhabitants of Canaan be driven out, and Joshua and his army were a force to be reckoned with. The Gibeonites feared for themselves, so they came to Joshua, pretending to be from a distant land, and made a pact with the Israelites. And it wasn’t until after this vow was made that Joshua discovered they were from the land of Canaan.

Well, when Saul became King, he retaliated against the Gibeonites, despite the vow between them and Joshua. And now God has decided to avenge them. Even though God originally want them driven from the land, a vow was made to them, and that vow is very precious in God’s eye; vows and Covenants mean a great deal to Him. So he assigned David the task of righting the wrong.

And the Gibeonites wanted reverge. They asked for seven descendants of Saul to hang to make vengeance for Saul’s actions.

And as we wrap up the chapter, we see where the Israelites go to war against the Philistines yet again, but David in his old age, becomes faint during battle, and it begins the decline of David so he will be unable to fight in war any longer.