Daily Devotional for Saturday, January 27

The Transgression of Saul

“Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites,” 2 Samuel 21:1.

As a parent, when dealing with disobedience, consequences are ineffectual unless they are carried out. If you tell your child, “Finish your dinner or you will not get dessert,” and then give him dessert even when he left half his dinner on his plate, why bother giving him instructions at all? Our God is a holy Father and in Him is no variation.

Sometime during David’s reign, the Bible does not specify exactly when, there was a famine in the land. Whenever there happens to be a catastrophic event or natural disaster in the Bible, it is usually a judgment being carried out by the Lord. The Lord revealed to David that this famine was due to Saul breaking the terms of a treaty created with the Gibeonites recorded in Joshua 9. Even though Joshua was tricked into making this treaty, it was still binding. Remember, God cannot waver on His promises. David sought some sort of restitution with the Gibeonites, and they decided on sending seven of Saul’s descendants to be hanged. It is unclear why seven is the number chosen, but most likely it is because the number seven symbolizes completeness or perfection. David chose seven of Saul’s children and grandchildren to be offered up to the Gibeonites, but spared Mephibosheth because of his treaty with Jonathan. Rizpah, one of Saul’s concubines and the mother of two of the chosen descendants, stayed with the bodies to protect them from the animals. After hearing this, David retrieved the bones of Saul and Jonathan and buried the seven with them in the tomb of Saul’s father, Kish. In the end, God sent rain.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY
There are no exceptions to God’s plan. May we be urgent to share the gospel of Jesus Christ as He is the only way to Heaven.

Ashley Ridings