Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 3; 4; 5; Luke 14: 18-35.
Memory Verse: “When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:” 2 Samuel 4:10 (KJV)
People do a lot of things to get rewarded and often times, they look at the reward and not the process. But the process is important in Christiandom. Thus if you acquire your money illegally, your offerings will not be acceptable unless you truly repent of your sins and restitute. Some people are ready to even kill in order to get rewarded. But they forget that what you do unto people, others will do same to you. David is well groomed in this area such that even when he had his enemy right under his authority, he refused to kill him remembering he is annointed of God. ( 1 Samuel 24:1-12). Other people would have killed him. He did not only refuse to kill Saul, but the one who claimed to have killed Saul was ordered to be killed by David for raising his hand up against the anointed of God. 2 Samuel 4:10 (KJV) captures this lesson by David when he said “When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:”
The key lesson is do not avenge yourself but let God avenge you. David said this much to Saul in 1 Samuel 24:12 (KJV), “The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.” Not only that, he did not encourage anyone to avenge for him. Thus, when the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah killed Ishbosheth so that David can be king over Israel, David counted it as sin and he ordered them killed (2 Samuel 4:5-12)!
So do not avenge by yourself and do not encourage others to avenge on your behalf. Rather, leave everything to God almighty who knows all situations and will avenge you. As we see in the passage, God avenged David. God will avenge you and fight your battles for you in Jesus name. The bible is clear on this issue as Apostle Paul spoke to the Romans in Romans 12:19 (KJV), “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” No wonder Lord Jesus says in Luke 6:27-28 (KJV), “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”
Prayer: Father, give me the grace not to avenge myself of my enemies but to love them in the mighty name of Jesus.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero