[NIV] 1 During the reign of David, there was a faminefor three successive years; so David sought the face of theLORD. The LORD said, "It is on account of Saul and his
blood-stained house;
it is because he put the Gibeonitesto death." - P120
6 let seven of his male descendants be given to us tobe killed and their bodies exposed before the LORD atGibeah of Saul-the LORD‘s chosen one." So the kingsaid, "I will give them to you.
"
- P121
7 The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, theson of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD be-tween David and Jonathan son of Saul.
- P121
During a famine, David seeks the Lord. God reveals that this is happeningbecause Saul had unjustly killed Gibeonites. - P121
David asks the Gibeonites howhe can make atonement. They ask for seven of Saul‘s descendants to be killedand their bodies exposed. - P121
David agrees but spares Mephibosheth. The bonesof Saul‘s descendants are buried, and the famine ends. - P121
10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spreadit out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of theharvest till the rain poured down from the heavens onthe bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by dayor the wild animals by night. - P122
14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathanin 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.
- P123
A three-year famine leads David to seek divine guidance. God revealsthat the famine is due to the bloodshed committed by Saul againstthe Gibeonites, a nation to whom Israel had sworn protection fromthe days of Joshua. - P124
Justice has to be satisfied for the transgression ofthis covenant. - P124
Justice has to be satisfied for the transgression ofthis covenant. This shows us just how serious a matter covenants arein God‘s eyes. The Gibeonites tricked Joshua into making a covenantwith them, but God still requires Israel to honor the covenant theymade before Him. - P124
We find both a duty and security in this a dutyto represent God‘s glory rightly by staying faithful to our words, andsecurity in knowing that God will never forsake His covenant promiseto save us through Christ‘s work on the cross. - P124
17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David‘s rescue;he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then Da-vid‘s men swore to him, saying, "Never again will yougo out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel willnot be extinguished." - P126
18 In the course of time, there was another battle withthe Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Husha-thite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha. - P126
20 In still another battle, which took place at Gath,
there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand andsix toes on each foot-twenty-four in all. He also wasdescended from Rapha.
21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,
David‘s brother, killed him.
- P127
There is a battle between the Philistines and Israel where David is almost killedby one of the descendants of Rapha. - P127
Abishai saves him and strikes down thePhilistine. David‘s men swear that he will no longer go out into battle withthem. In subsequent battles against the Philistines, the Israelites kill fourdescendants of Rapha. - P127
David‘s loyal fighting men refer to him as "the lamp of Israel" becausehis leadership is as vital as a light in the darkness. - P128
To protect David, hismen tell him that his days of joining them in battle are over. David takestheir words to heart after being delivered by one of his loyal soldiers,
Abishai, from the Philistine warrior Ishbi-Benob. - P128
For David, a warriorof exceptional gifts and successes, this decision must not have been easy.
But a leader‘s true value lies not in the gifts they possess but in the waythey faithfully serve and care for their people-even when this requiresstepping out of the limelight. - P128
Godly leaders are characterized by bothhumility and faithfulness. - P128
Some of the exceptional exploits of David‘s men are described in thispassage. Some of these men are listed among David‘s mighty warriorsin chapter 23. - P128
Their fierce loyalty as followers of the king also qualifiesthem to serve as great leaders. - P128
Good leaders are people who have firstlearned to follow faithfully. - P128
In the church, godly leadership is oftenforged in the painful fires of spiritual battle. - P128
As we faithfully serve ourLord in the trenches, we can expect Him to not only work through usto encourage others in their struggles but also to place us in positionswhere we can stand as examples of godliness to those whom we serve. - P128
Lord Jesus, teach me the ways of a loyal follower. May my leadership andfellowship reflect a desire to serve You in all things. - P129
Help my attitude andbehavior to be a source of encouragement to others. In Your name, amen. - P129
There is no one-size-fits-all blueprint for godly leadership. But sacrificeand submission are qualities found in all godly leaders. - P129
Placing othersabove themselves and remaining true to their God-given calling, theyare willing to do whatever is needed. Like Jesus in the Garden of Geth-semane, they wrestle with God‘s will for their lives. - P129
Then, they submitto His plan and purpose. This willingness to sacrifice for others andsubmit to God‘s calling is what marks a truly great leader. - P129
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