Resisting God

7 And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! 
2 Samuel 16:7 

Generally, when we hear a sermon about David he is described as being a man after God’s own heart. But in today’s Old Testament reading, we read a very different description of David; a “worthless man” (2 Sam 16:7). Just for context, in today’s passage we read of David’s retreat out of Jerusalem, away from his son Absalom who is seeking to kill him. And during this retreat we read of a very interesting story of a broken David, who allows stones to be hurled at him from a Benjaminite, Shimei, while passing through Bahurim. It is a very short story, but it is very peculiar and rich in significance. Shimei, apparently, believed that his defiant actions against the king were divinely ordained.

While stoning David, he declares that this is by the hand of God and is punishment on him for the blood of Saul, his relative. He is upset about David and everything that he believes that David has done to the family of Saul and may wrongfully believe that David had ordered the death of Saul’s sons, Abner and Ish-bosheth. Perhaps, he may also hold David responsible for the death of Saul’s seven sons at the hands of the Gibeonites (2 Sam 21). There might exist a grudge because David took back Michal, Saul’s daughter, as his wife. In fact, it was in Bahurim, the place where Shimei is cursing and stoning David, that Paltiel, Michal’s second husband, was sent back home and not allowed to follow.

And while we may feel for Shimei and the sorrow he must have because of the deaths of many of his relatives, Shimei is in the wrong. He is opposing David, the true king of Israel, and wrongly judges this act as God’s avenging act on David for Saul’s house. Interestingly, we see a juxtaposition of God’s ordination of curses, in Shimei’s stoning of David, and His prevention of curses, David not willing to behead Shimei. Shimei is wrong for his treatment and judgment of David and although David does pardon him (2 Sam 19:23), David does not forget his offense (1 Kings 2:8-9) and Shimei will ultimately die because of it (1 Kings 2:36-46).

Of more significance, Shimei’s opposition and rejection of David as king was truly an opposition and rejection of God’s anointed one; which would be a direct opposition of God. And we must not be too quick to think that we would never perform such a flagrant act of defiance against God. For as disciples of Christ, we often disregard his commands and his rule over our lives. In a sense, when we ignore the commands of our Lord and Savior, we are acting similar to Shimei in opposing and rejecting Him. Let us continue to walk in sanctification, by the help of the Spirit, to present ourselves as pleasing and faithful servants to our King. Never opposing God, but faithfully submitting to His will and obediently obeying His commands.

Grace and Peace,
Alex Galvez

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