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David And Shimei - Message #296 - November 06, 2005
When people think of the Bible, they think of dry and dusty tales from long ago that have no connection with the real world. Too bad. The Bible is really a colorful book about real people in the midst of struggles, suffering and temptations.
For example, King David took another man's wife, a modern day tale of adultery. Then David tried to cover his tracks by having Bathsheba's husband murdered. Nice guy. David then lost His kingdom. His son, Absalom, forced him out of the capital city, Jerusalem, in humiliation. As David and a small band of followers left the city, a man by the name of Shimei came out throwing dirt and rocks and cursing David. "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow," he cried (2 Samuel 16:7).
You might feel like one of David's companions who responded, "Let me go over now, and cut off his head" (2 Samuel 16:9). But David kept his head. "Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him" (2 Samuel 16:11). David felt the sting of that verbal abuse, but David knew he deserved much worse. David knew the penalty for his actions. "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them" (Galatians 3:11).
So David placed faith in the promised Savior. David therefore knew God's forgiveness. That Savior is Jesus Christ. Christ takes the curse. Through faith we receive forgiveness. The Bible declares Jesus Christ saves "us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). Are you like David? Do you need God's forgiveness?
Contributed by Dr. Dennis J. Prutow
When people think of the Bible, they think of dry and dusty tales from long ago that have no connection with the real world. Too bad. The Bible is really a colorful book about real people in the midst of struggles, suffering and temptations.
For example, King David took another man's wife, a modern day tale of adultery. Then David tried to cover his tracks by having Bathsheba's husband murdered. Nice guy. David then lost His kingdom. His son, Absalom, forced him out of the capital city, Jerusalem, in humiliation. As David and a small band of followers left the city, a man by the name of Shimei came out throwing dirt and rocks and cursing David. "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow," he cried (2 Samuel 16:7).
You might feel like one of David's companions who responded, "Let me go over now, and cut off his head" (2 Samuel 16:9). But David kept his head. "Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him" (2 Samuel 16:11). David felt the sting of that verbal abuse, but David knew he deserved much worse. David knew the penalty for his actions. "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them" (Galatians 3:11).
So David placed faith in the promised Savior. David therefore knew God's forgiveness. That Savior is Jesus Christ. Christ takes the curse. Through faith we receive forgiveness. The Bible declares Jesus Christ saves "us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). Are you like David? Do you need God's forgiveness?
Contributed by Dr. Dennis J. Prutow
