David: A reason for Hope

I like to get to work 20 - 30 minutes early, sit in my car and read the Bible from beginning to end, as a separate thing from my more steady, focused devotional reading. It presents a very different look and from time to time, certain things catch my attention, usually because it somehow eluded me or I just missed in prior readings.

One would be some rather surprising actions by David, the "Man after God's own heart".

Now. do not get me wrong..I think he was exactly as the Bible says, a great man of God who tried to walk in God's ways. It is a foundational belief that must be true for the Bible to be that which it purports to be, God's Word. But that does not mean he was perfect.

For example, he is rightly praised for not once but twice having the opportunity to lift his hand against God's anointed, but he refused to do so.

Why, then, was he working with the Philistines? The Philistines were the deadly enemies of the Israelites in the time of Saul, and for a year and four months David not just lived in the land of the Philistines (I Samuel 27:7), but he engaged in genocidal raids (I Samuel 27:8-11...And David saved neither man nor woman alive..."). It is intriguing to note the area he raided was "the south of Judah" (p.10)

This was a benefit to the Philistines in that it allowed them to devote their troops to the war with Israel instead of with the Geshurites, Gezrites, and Amalekites. This is evidenced by the statement that Israel abhorred David.

It got to the point where David and his men were marching against Saul (chapter 29)in the battle that saw Saul die, only to be sent back because the Philistines did not trust him. If David was loyal to God's anointed, as the Scripture is often interpreted due to his sparing of the life of Saul, why would he be willing to march against his own people?

It is also interesting to note the vast number of not just wives but concubines* David had...of course we know of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, Abigail (formerly Nabal's wife), Michal, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah, and then in II Samuel 5:13 he takes yet more.

It is also interesting to note the viciousness often demonstrated in his victories. Take, for example, how he measured the Moabites with the line.

I have read several descriptions of what this means, and the one that makes the most sense has to do with height...anyone over a certain height was executed.

Generally, people either pass over that passage or, as I recently read, say "God certainly didn't condone the butchery".

Really? Where, exactly, does He condemn it? It was a matter of record that nations of evil were to be slain, every living thing...including the animals. So why would this be different? It was done ion the context of God establishing David's kingdom.

David also seemed to be lacking in his parenting attentions. He said nothing to Amnon after Amnon raped his sister. He later allowed his son Adonijah to act in ways that soon led to the death of Adonijah.

He allowed Ziba to profit by half of Meshibosheth's household through deceit and treachery.

He gave seven men guilty only (as far as we know) of being sons of Saul to be executed by the Gibeonites for the actions of Saul.

He issued a census that led to pestilence in the land.

So we have a picture of a man of violence who slew massive populations, who married many women and had others to whom he was not married*, who was questionable in his parenting...and this is the man who was after God's own heart.

It is illuminating that a person whom, in the eyes of the world today would be considered a "warlord", an international criminal for his genocidal attacks, and evil man for his polygamy and relations with women to whom he was not married...is capable not only of salvation but of greatness before God.

It gives hope to those of us of lesser abilities for both good and evil.

*Concubines may have been considered women to whom he was married or may not...there is some debate on the matter. Abishag the Shunamite leaves little to debate, however, though the claim is explicit that they did not have relations, yet lay together.