Day 128, Chronological Bible Study
Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): 2Samuel 24; 1Chronicles 21; Psalm 6; Psalm 38; Psalm 41; 2Samuel 15:7-36 Weakness and Betrayal When we celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, many of us will honor our parents and seek to spend time with them. Some will travel significant distances to see their parents. It’s not always possible, but it’s a gracious gift when it happens! We mightn’t want to think about it, but it’s a sad reality that some adult children disrespect their parents and take advantage of their weaknesses. What should parents do when their adult children no longer respect them or even betray them? In today’s Bible reading, David faces this problem with his son Absalom. What does David do? What we learn from him can help us when we're vulnerable. At the end of this lesson are six guaranteed ways to honor parents and make them smile, not cry. David’s Weakness in Faith In today’s Bible reading, it’s late in David’s reign. The rest of the prophecies regarding the consequences of David’s sin are affecting him (2Samuel 12:10-12). As King David ages, he makes a slip in his confidence towards God. When the LORD allows Satan to tempt him, instead of trusting God, David orders his general to count his forces to determine his military strength. He finds (to his shame) this census was unnecessary. God was still protecting him, for at least 1.1 million Israelite soldiers were ready to take up arms in Israel’s defense (more…). David’s lack of faith is sinful because of the example he’s setting for the nation. If he lacks faith in God and his troops, they won’t have the confidence to fight in God’s name. Because of David’s sin, God gives him three choices for judgment, all of which are terrible. David chooses the plague, placing the nation in the LORD’s merciful hands rather than their enemies. So, God sends a pestilence, killing 70,000 of his men by the sword of the LORD through an angel. This enormous loss may have caused many of the Israelites to lose confidence in David’s leadership. Suppose we are the leaders of our families or other organizations. In that case, we must be careful—expressing a lack of confidence in God can discourage others from trusting him. Yet, what can leaders do when they doubt? It’s essential to get counsel from God’s Word and seek him in prayer to reset our focus on him. Then God’s Spirit will strengthen our spirit. Why not also ask for help from dedicated Christians? They can encourage us and pray with us. Absalom's Betrayal During this time of David’s weakness, Absalom seizes the opportunity to overthrow his father and reign on his throne. Absalom wins the hearts of the people with his flatteries and then stages a coup to get rid of him. When King David learns Absalom has stolen the hearts of Israel, he perceives an imminent attack on Jerusalem. Therefore, he takes his officials and most of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and leaves the city. David doesn’t do this because he fears military conflict. He’s sparing the city from civil war and the tabernacle from destruction. Also, David doesn’t want to fight his son. Fleeing Jerusalem is an act of love and wisdom, not cowardice. Like David, some mothers and fathers catch themselves in difficult situations. They make some compromises just to keep the relationship. See some interesting parallels between David and Jesus Christ here. Endurance, Action, Prayer, and Support If David and Christ could endure mocking and abuse, then could we also do it? I’m not encouraging mistreatment, but are we willing to suffer to save others? If we can learn from David’s example, what should we do with an unkind, adult son or daughter who shows disrespect and dishonor? Should we teach them a lesson? Should we fight, argue, or scream at them? No. We should endure hardship, be humble, obey God, and trust him (Psalm 4:3-5; Psalm 37:3-8; Psalm 43:5). We should pray and let God handle it. This is easier said than done, and we will need the power of the Holy Spirit to hold our tongue or keep us from acting in revenge. Again, I don't suggest we tolerate physical or mental abuse. If possible, we should report criminal offenses to the police—God established government institutions to punish wrongdoers (Romans 13:4). In other situations that are not abusive but unkind and disrespectful, we should pray and trust God to help us. David receives support when he leaves Jerusalem; the Israelites still love him. We can also praise God for others who stand with us, and we can glory in the LORD for his presence with us in difficult situations. Do we have a personal relationship with God so he might help us in times of distress? We can call on him to save us today. Who gives us strength when the rope of our life is weak and about to break? From where does our help come? Our help comes from the LORD and his servants. note: the sword of the LORD through an angel mentioned above is possibly symbolic of the agent of the plague rather than the method Focus Verse Psalm 43:5 (NIV) “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Discussion What should older adults do if their children (or grandchildren) do not honor and respect them? When is it best to seek a way out versus standing your ground against injustice? Support is vital to a maligned or betrayed person. How might we encourage him or her? 6 Guaranteed Ways to Honor Parents and make them smile, not cry Keep in mind that parents are human. They make mistakes like we do. Be gracious and don’t hold it against them. They will need more care and understanding as they get older. Be attentive to help and volunteer. Parents may not get around and do things as they used to do. Give them the gift of your undivided attention. Just like us, parents get irritated, lonely, and they need people in their lives to talk to and to visit with. Even if some have health concerns, they want to know that they are important and matter to their loved ones. Communicate respect with your behavior and words. Even if they have hurt you, respect their position. Appreciate any moral character they might have or things they have done. Ask for and value their advice. Your parents and grandparents have lived much longer than you have and have learned a thing or two. This might keep you out of trouble or benefit you in some other way. If you don’t have a rapport, pray for them (and you). You can’t save or change them, but God can. Remember, if it has not happened already, you might one day be that parent, so have patience and accept them as they are.
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study: Enter your prayer here: Sample Prayer Please send your comments to me, Rod (the author) Looking Ahead: David flees from Absalom and, after a while, wonders if God has forgotten him. If we have been in similar situations, we can draw courage from our Next Lesson that we are Not Forgotten. Previous Lesson  |  Next Lesson Back to top of page Return to Chronological Bible Studies main page Go to Scriptures main page Go to Topics main page Go to Home page page last re-edited 8-15-24

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