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The Secret Prayer, a 12-on-12 Death Match, and David’s Royal Soap Opera
45 Plays2 months ago
In this episode, Dan Sanchez and Pastor Ridley Barron talked about the rich and complex stories surrounding King David as found in the chronological Bible reading plan. Coming off the celebration of Easter, they dove into the overlapping narratives of 1 & 2 Samuel, Chronicles, and Psalms—focusing on why David’s life receives so much attention in scripture. They explored David’s rise to power, the political tensions between tribes, the mysterious story of Jabez, and the spiritual lessons we can learn from David's victories, failures, and prayers. Along the way, they reflected on themes of national identity, God's sovereignty, and what it means to trust God even in chaotic times.
Timestamps:
01:10 – Why the Bible repeats David's story across multiple books
02:55 – The role of national identity in Israel’s history and today
06:44 – Balancing Christian allegiance with national citizenship
08:02 – The prayer of Jabez and what it teaches (and doesn't teach)
12:27 – Why only Judah initially supported David as king
15:01 – David’s rise, Bathsheba, and the consequences of sin
16:32 – The bizarre 12-on-12 duel: what's going on there?
19:42 – David's reaction to Saul's death and what it says about loving your enemies
22:24 – Lessons from David’s hotheadedness and the wisdom of waiting on God
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:01
Dan Sanchez
Welcome back to the Grove Hill Church Podcast. I'm Dan Sanchez, and I'm joined by Pastor Ridley Barron, and we are continuing on in the
Easter and Chronological Bible Reading
00:00:08
Dan Sanchez
Bible. Of course, we just had Easter Sunday, and that was very exciting.
00:00:12
Dan Sanchez
But it's almost like a little little mini break away from the reading since we have to jump back into the big celebration around the resurrection, which is always good. Gosh, it's so easy to forget about the most exciting news of all sometimes, right?
00:00:26
Dan Sanchez
That's why I'm glad it's on the calendar every year.
00:00:26
Ridley Barron
yeah Yeah, no kidding. We kind of get sidetracked with so many other busy essential things, but yeah, it can get your focus off the main thing sometimes.
00:00:34
Dan Sanchez
Yeah.
00:00:38
Dan Sanchez
But if you've been joining us in the reading, we went through a bunch of different books. I mean, went through Chronicles, 2 Samuel, Psalms. There's a lot going on here and a lot of fun little nuggets to dissect.
00:00:52
Dan Sanchez
But I thought I'd jump into the fact that we're reading not just a straight through version here. Like we're reading a chronological Bible and this is where you really start to feel the chronological order because the books start to get smashed together in really interesting ways.
00:01:04
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
David's Role and Chronicles
00:01:08
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:01:09
Dan Sanchez
And it begs the question, like, why did the Bible repeat itself so many times in this particular story? There's lots of stories in the Bible, but for some reason, like a lot of the overlap happens here when it comes to David.
00:01:22
Ridley Barron
yeah
00:01:23
Dan Sanchez
Why is there so many books written on this account and so, and so little about the others?
00:01:29
Ridley Barron
Well, obviously, the the big picture is that David is such a central figure for all of all of history for Israel, not only as its greatest king ever, but the empire probably was its strongest under him.
00:01:45
Ridley Barron
And then, of course, he foreshadows Jesus in so many ways. So he's a real strong connection to the New Testament, the New Covenant, those kinds of things. In a more practical sense, when you're reading the stories in 1 and 2 Samuel that get repeated in Chronicles, most experts believe that Ezra wrote the book of Chronicles as an attempt to remind the people as they were coming back from being taken and into captivity in Babylon.
00:02:11
Ridley Barron
As those people start to come back, it was kind of an attempt to reattach them to their heritage and remind them of where they had come from. And if you read it very carefully, you'll notice that Ezra, if it was him that wrote it, but the author of Chronicles was very careful to mostly just share the positive side of David's story. It didn't share a whole lot about the scandals or even the rebellions against David as much as 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel covers it. It was primarily just to say, this is the guy kind of like the way we read about george washington we don't talk much about scandals for george washington we like to talk about the positive stories and so that's where you get this overlap and and telling of the stories there
00:02:53
Dan Sanchez
So that makes sense.
Historical Figures and Cultural Identity
00:02:53
Dan Sanchez
Like every nation's story or big history usually revolves around a couple of key figures, especially the ones who did the expanding of the thing, right?
00:03:01
Ridley Barron
yeah
00:03:05
Dan Sanchez
And David does a lot of that under Saul and then on behalf himself and sets up what becomes Israel, like this pretty substantial empire.
00:03:12
Ridley Barron
Right.
00:03:14
Dan Sanchez
Because before that, they were kind of like, they were, they were, you know, they took control and then they lost it. They took control and then they lost it. And all the Kings are like, the the Jews over there, they're just small fries.
00:03:21
Ridley Barron
Right.
00:03:24
Dan Sanchez
They're just, it's another little thing going on over there.
00:03:25
Ridley Barron
and yeah
00:03:27
Dan Sanchez
They're not a, they're not an empire. They're not a a kingdom.
00:03:30
Ridley Barron
right
00:03:30
Dan Sanchez
They're not substantial. so this is the first big one where it's like, it's why we remember like the big names, like Genghis Khan, Alexander, the great lots of greats.
00:03:41
Dan Sanchez
Right.
00:03:41
Ridley Barron
Yeah, i'm no kidding.
00:03:43
Dan Sanchez
so this is that, but for Israel,
00:03:47
Ridley Barron
Yeah, for sure. And, you know, you can you can go back through Israel's history and probably on two hands, excuse me, recount the people who are the big heroes, the big picture kind of people, Abraham, Moses, Jacob, David, Samuel.
00:04:02
Ridley Barron
Then you get into some of the prophets like Elijah and Isaiah, those big guys there.
00:04:05
Dan Sanchez
right.
00:04:07
Ridley Barron
not that Not that people like Isaac weren't as important, but in most of the storytelling, they kind of are just bridges to the next big figure. So, yeah, I mean, every every heritage, every culture has its history that it hangs its hat on people we like to talk about.
00:04:25
Dan Sanchez
It makes a big difference. This origin story ties a lot of things together for people and giving them a national identity, but of course an individual identity within that bigger identity.
00:04:33
Ridley Barron
Yeah, yeah.
00:04:34
Dan Sanchez
I've talked to Jews who are non-religious, but there's something about them that's just different because they have this background story. And even if they don't believe in that background story, they still know it.
00:04:46
Dan Sanchez
their parents or grandparents were still raised with it, and it still created a culture in their family that carries forward, right? Which is why, like, you can bring them all back together in a land like Israel after being apart from it for so long, and they still have so much in common.
00:05:00
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:05:00
Dan Sanchez
Even though there's certainly a lot they don't have in common, like they all speak different languages over there. You'd be walking around Israel, they're speaking French, or speaking Russian, they're speaking like all kinds of things.
00:05:08
Ridley Barron
Yeah. Yeah.
00:05:10
Dan Sanchez
but still they have this massive identity. So God gave them, I don't know, use this story and the writings of it to
00:05:13
Ridley Barron
Right.
00:05:15
Ridley Barron
Mm-hmm.
Patriotism vs. Christian Values
00:05:16
Dan Sanchez
tie it all together for them and for us.
00:05:17
Ridley Barron
Well, any healthy nation is going to have to have an identity that it kind of builds itself around. Israel's no exception, but, you know, like here in the United States, one of the reasons we're finding ourselves in a precarious position is because we've gotten away from our history. We've gotten away from the the key figures that he used to kind of be the identifiers of who we were.
00:05:37
Ridley Barron
And even people who know who they are now are more aware of their faults than they are their triumphs. And that that kind of thing kind of just kind of... it kind of scatters people's identities and their devotions to different things.
00:05:52
Ridley Barron
So I think Ezra, obviously under the inspiration of God, brings people back together by saying, hey, let me remind you of where we've come from and what holds us together in common, which was a key thing as they're going through the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple and those kinds of things.
00:06:09
Dan Sanchez
which this is kind of a tangent, but I think is a fun one anyway. what What do you think of, there's there's these national identities going around and we have a national identity as Americans. How much allegiance do you give to a national identity as a Christian?
00:06:23
Dan Sanchez
Do you go with it just because you're there and you should? Is there any ideal within Christianity that has like a, a that gives a lot of value to the idea of citizenship and being a good citizen?
00:06:39
Ridley Barron
I think so. I think the the teachings of the New Testament are very clear that we're supposed to pray for and follow the leadership of our government of figures. You know, there's there's obviously the chance of a need for rebellion when when that government puts us up against the teachings and the practices and the commands of God, you know, so that obviously is always on the table.
00:07:01
Ridley Barron
But I think as Christians, we have to be reminded that we are Christians first and then Americans second, or Christians first and Brazilians second, because that way it keeps our our allegiances to the thing that matters most.
00:07:09
Dan Sanchez
Mm-hmm.
00:07:13
Ridley Barron
And that that's the truth that comes from God. Should we be patriotic? Absolutely. I think patriotism is an important part of who we are. In kind of a strange way to me, it's a great way for me at least to recognize the blessing that God has given me by putting me in the place that he has.
00:07:31
Ridley Barron
You and I didn't get the pleasure of choosing where we were born. We were born there, right? So for whatever reason, God chose to put me here in this place, and I want to be thankful, grateful, and am respectful of all those things. And to me, being proud of your country and your heritage is part of that.
The Prayer of Jabez
00:07:47
Dan Sanchez
In the first couple chapters of First Chronicles, it's kind of a quick read because you're just kind of scanning over the genealogies that's made up out of it.
00:07:55
Ridley Barron
Yes.
00:07:56
Dan Sanchez
But we get that strange little story right in the middle of it, you know, where we have Jabez, which is still kind of like like, I'm sure you've read the book because I feel like everybody's read this book past a certain age here.
00:08:07
Ridley Barron
Yes. Yes.
00:08:09
Dan Sanchez
Yeah. the prayer of Jabez, this random little story. It pops up out of nowhere. Jabez, this guy, is honored by God, prays a prayer, and then things go well for him. And then we continue on.
00:08:18
Ridley Barron
yes
00:08:19
Dan Sanchez
Have you read the book?
00:08:20
Ridley Barron
yeah
00:08:22
Dan Sanchez
What's your take on that story?
00:08:24
Ridley Barron
I think it's a good encouragement. i I'm bothered by the fact that people take it as like some kind of handbook of how to make sure your prayers get answered. that's That's not exactly how this works. If you want your prayers to be answered, the Bible's very, very clear. Obey His commands.
00:08:40
Ridley Barron
I mean, that's simple. But the idea that J-Best prayed some formulaic prayer that we should repeat and that that's going to somehow open our door to blessings that God wouldn't normally give us, I think that's misleading.
00:08:55
Ridley Barron
Dan Sanchez, as a follower of Jesus Christ, has the same access to God as anybody else as long as he is being obedient to the commands that God has given. And it's what's repeated. I mean, we've heard this all the way through the story of God to this point that God keeps saying to him,
00:09:08
Ridley Barron
If you will obey me, if you will follow me, if you will trust me, then you will receive my blessings.
00:09:15
Dan Sanchez
It kind of reminds me of the book called, it's funny, I think this book was popular-ish at about the same time, maybe a little after The Prayer of Jabez, but a totally different book, different genre called The Secret.
00:09:27
Dan Sanchez
Do you remember The Secret?
00:09:28
Ridley Barron
I do remember that.
00:09:29
Dan Sanchez
Like Oprah Winfrey had the guy who wrote that book on and it was all about like, it's essentially like positive thinking type book.
00:09:31
Ridley Barron
yeah
00:09:35
Ridley Barron
yeah
00:09:35
Dan Sanchez
Like if you think you'll be successful, you will be successful.
00:09:38
Ridley Barron
Right, right.
00:09:38
Dan Sanchez
and it's it's It's been repackaged for 10, like 10, decades and decades this idea has been repackaged but i almost feel like christians and most people in general are looking for the formula to success the prayer jibbez kind of reminds me of that it's kind of like hey if you do you know the secret if you pray this one secret prayer yeah it's hidden in the bible yeah it went well for this guy it's there for us we're all kind of looking for that and that's kind of how the prayer jibbez came come up comes off to me a little bit there are some little theological nuggets you can learn from it
00:09:42
Ridley Barron
Right, right.
00:09:50
Ridley Barron
Right, right.
00:09:58
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:10:05
Ridley Barron
yeah Right, I think the practice of of praying with boldness is a great reminder that Jabez gives us that god God really does want what's best for us and he wants to bless us.
00:10:19
Ridley Barron
So there's nothing wrong with going to your father and saying, hey, I need this right now, you know, with confidence that he will answer the prayers. But I think it starts again with this, the the part that we want to leave out conveniently is this command, you've got to trust me and obey me first.
00:10:37
Ridley Barron
Then we'll talk about how I can answer your prayers.
00:10:42
Dan Sanchez
And for those who haven't heard the prayer, I'll just read it real quick cause it's just like a one sentence.
00:10:47
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:10:47
Dan Sanchez
Oh, that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain. Which is a good prayer.
00:11:00
Ridley Barron
It's a great prayer. But to be completely candid,
00:11:02
Dan Sanchez
but
00:11:04
Ridley Barron
all of us had the ability to pray that and know that God was going to answer it the way he did for Jabez, then we would all have large pieces of property and we would all get along and nobody would have any conflict. But obviously that's it.
00:11:15
Dan Sanchez
funny is I remember hearing the enlarge my territory part maybe this came from the book but I always took that as like that I wouldn't have more property but that I would grow in my responsibilities what I'm responsible for that I would have more not necessarily authority but I would actually be helpful to more people than just myself but
00:11:28
Ridley Barron
Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:38
Ridley Barron
I actually heard it more, the the authority part, that God would put more under my authority that I would be able to control if I showed that I was faithful in those things. So...
00:11:48
Dan Sanchez
Which I think is a good thing if you take it that way. But obviously it could be the, I think a lot of people get stuck on the bless me indeed that I would win the lottery and buy the mansion on the hill Lord and one for my mom and my children too.
00:11:55
Ridley Barron
Right.
00:11:59
Ridley Barron
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Nobody's going turn that. Yes. Yes.
00:12:06
Dan Sanchez
Yeah.
00:12:07
Ridley Barron
I mean, God loves me. Why shouldn't I get the promotion at work? God loves me. Why shouldn't i get a bigger paycheck?
00:12:12
Dan Sanchez
yeah
00:12:13
Ridley Barron
You know, those kinds of things.
00:12:16
Dan Sanchez
something else that happened, but this one was in on the side of Samuel, 2 Samuel.
David's Political Landscape
00:12:21
Ridley Barron
Uh-huh.
00:12:22
Dan Sanchez
I noticed that it was interesting reading it as as I so noticed this time around that, you know, David, after Saul falls, he gets anointed as king, but only by Judah.
00:12:34
Dan Sanchez
All the other 11 tribes side with Saul's descendants.
00:12:34
Ridley Barron
Uh-huh.
00:12:37
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:12:38
Dan Sanchez
Why is that? Why does Judah, I mean, he's from the tribe of Judah, but I'm like, is it just because he's that's where he's from or is there something else going on there?
00:12:45
Ridley Barron
I think that that probably, i mean, just like in other human encounters, probably there's a political factor going on here because he is from the tribe of Judah. Judah says, hey, he's one of ours. If he's, you know, if he's elected been or chosen, anointed, whatever term you want to use,
00:13:03
Ridley Barron
then we might receive greater favor. You know, those kinds of things. It's kind of feather in their cap. Those kinds of things. I think the rest of them, the other 11 tribes that chose Saul's descendants, it might have been very well just because that was the thing to do.
00:13:20
Ridley Barron
You know, this this is what you're supposed to do.
00:13:20
Dan Sanchez
Yeah. Yeah.
00:13:22
Ridley Barron
You're supposed to anoint. and And which kind of gives an indication at that point that Israel, neither side is really making a choice based on what God wants.
00:13:30
Dan Sanchez
yeah
00:13:30
Ridley Barron
They're just acting out of human impulse. So it kind of gives an indicator of where the nation of Israel was spiritually at this point.
00:13:38
Dan Sanchez
what ensues is definitely a hot mess of political maneuvering and backstabbing, like literally sometimes, and a whole bunch of different stuff, though.
00:13:42
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:13:48
Dan Sanchez
It's interesting to watch David kind of try to persevere through it all, trying to do the right thing. Yet it's, it's a messy thing.
00:13:54
Ridley Barron
Who
00:13:57
Dan Sanchez
it certainly makes for interesting reading as you, as you go through it and you try to think of the implications of it.
00:13:59
Ridley Barron
does?
00:14:01
Dan Sanchez
actually have been watching
Media Portrayals of David
00:14:02
Dan Sanchez
start. I started watching the show with Amy, I'm trying to remember now it's on Amazon, but it's about House of David, right?
00:14:08
Ridley Barron
House of David? Yeah, yeah.
00:14:11
Dan Sanchez
Which has been really cool to watch, kind of like The Chosen. I'd say it's a little bit more theatrical.
00:14:17
Ridley Barron
Yeah, yeah, they have them.
00:14:19
Dan Sanchez
But it still kind of gives a little bit more backstory to some characters in there. So I'm reading through this, kind of putting people in their places, trying to understand what's going on, and it's just a mess.
00:14:33
Dan Sanchez
But yet God's still... working through it all despite the fact that like nobody's asking for what should happen asking him for what should happen there
00:14:44
Ridley Barron
Right, right. nobody's Nobody's seeking God in this situation. yeah know David comes along, and and if you're reading the story, especially as a person of the he Israel nation, I can't talk all sudden, but if you're reading one of the Israelis and you're reading this story, when David pops onto the picture, it's almost like this gasp of excitement because you're thinking, okay, finally our people get it together. And it does seem that way for a while, and then he pulls the whole stunt with Bathsheba, and God says, okay, you know part of your punishment is that the sword will never leave your house.
00:15:17
Ridley Barron
And sure enough, the the soap opera returns, the drama takes an uptick. We hear about sons killing sons and sons raping stepdaughters and and just all these different things that are going on there.
00:15:31
Ridley Barron
And it just kind of is a reminder, as much as David is a foreshadowing of Jesus, David's family and his life is a reminder of why we so desperately need Jesus. Because even the man who's described it as a man after God's own heart still can't get his act together and be the dad and husband and leader that Israel needs.
Human Behavior in History
00:15:51
Dan Sanchez
One of the stories, I'm trying to find it here.
00:15:56
Dan Sanchez
In 1 Samuel, sorry, it's 2 Samuel. Oh, I might be getting this wrong. But it's it's in this time period where Saul's house and David are kind of battling for the throne.
00:16:09
Dan Sanchez
Abner and Joab essentially stage like 12 12 duel.
00:16:13
Ridley Barron
Yeah. Yeah.
00:16:15
Dan Sanchez
And you're like, you're reading this and you're scratching your head being like, what the heck happened?
00:16:15
Ridley Barron
Yeah. Right.
00:16:20
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:16:20
Dan Sanchez
Essentially, the two generals get together and they're like, hey, let's just have a 12 on 12 fight. You pick your guys, I'll pick my guys, and they'll just fight to the death.
00:16:28
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:16:29
Dan Sanchez
They're like, okay, this sounds good. And then the text says they each grabbed his opponent by the head, thrust their sword, and thrust their sword on the other side.
00:16:37
Ridley Barron
Yeah. 24 guys die.
00:16:37
Dan Sanchez
All 12 of them die at the same time?
00:16:43
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:16:43
Dan Sanchez
Like, don't know.
00:16:45
Ridley Barron
And what's so bizarre.
00:16:45
Dan Sanchez
I guess we just have to leave it as a mystery or someone needs to shoot the chosen version of this battle to see how this goes.
00:16:47
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:16:50
Ridley Barron
Right. yeah
00:16:52
Dan Sanchez
You're like, someone's got to put the practical twist.
00:16:52
Ridley Barron
So.
00:16:53
Dan Sanchez
like, okay, here's how it might've happened to help us understand like how 12, 12 12 battle has everybody die.
00:17:01
Ridley Barron
I think for me, the the confusing factor, nobody's ever explained this to me, is I thought the purpose of these kinds of arrangements were that we won't have to go to a full fledged battle.
00:17:13
Ridley Barron
You'll fight, we'll fight. Whoever loses, we know we give in. But in every one of these stories, even with David and Goliath, once David defeats Goliath, it says they chased him and pursued him and killed him.
00:17:16
Dan Sanchez
Mm-hmm.
00:17:23
Ridley Barron
So it's kind of like, okay, well, then what's the whole purpose of the the original duel? Why not just go ahead and have the battle? Why try to stage these mini battles beforehand? And in this story you're talking about here, same thing happens. 24 guys die and all of a sudden they're chasing each other and killing each other just like a regular battle's going on.
00:17:41
Dan Sanchez
I mean, I imagine it's just because everyone's trying to plot and scheme and trying to get away with doing the thing without paying the price for it.
00:17:48
Ridley Barron
Right. Right.
00:17:49
Dan Sanchez
Right. and But they never intended to uphold their promise. Right. Mike, I can't think of a time in history where they actually like make a gentleman's agreement and do the thing and then they just surrender.
00:17:53
Ridley Barron
Yeah. Yeah. Just saying.
00:18:00
Dan Sanchez
Like I can't think of one.
00:18:01
Ridley Barron
No, no, never once.
00:18:03
Dan Sanchez
This has never worked.
00:18:03
Ridley Barron
lot of people have tried it, but never have I seen happen.
00:18:08
Dan Sanchez
Oh, because eventually even the guy who dies, if you have the leaders go, i mean, like eventually the number two takes over and then they they just leave the army.
00:18:15
Ridley Barron
Yep.
00:18:16
Dan Sanchez
So you're like, yeah, they're not going to go down without kicking and screaming.
00:18:18
Ridley Barron
Yeah. Exactly.
00:18:20
Dan Sanchez
That's for sure.
00:18:21
Ridley Barron
And the other side is going, if we had won, we i mean, lost, we would have given in, I promise.
00:18:25
Dan Sanchez
Yeah. yeah It reminds me of watching my kids. I'm like, because the toddlers will do the same thing. They'll negotiate. And then, of course, when they lose, they don't like it.
00:18:35
Ridley Barron
Yeah, yeah. I love the way kids do that. They make up the rules as they go along. They're doing fine until they start to get behind, and then suddenly they have to change the rules, and maybe that's the way – That's way generals are. They don't never grow up from being a two-year-old.
00:18:51
Dan Sanchez
I find toddlers are probably some of the best way to understand human nature.
00:18:55
Ridley Barron
Oh, yeah
00:18:56
Dan Sanchez
And I always get confused when people are like, but they're so innocent. I'm like, like you don't have kids.
00:19:00
Ridley Barron
o yeah. No, never met a toddler that was innocent.
00:19:04
Dan Sanchez
Yeah.
00:19:05
Ridley Barron
Yeah, and it's true. I think human nature is that we just grow up to be oversized toddlers in adult clothes, you know?
00:19:11
Dan Sanchez
We just get more sophisticated in our deception.
00:19:13
Ridley Barron
Yep, yep.
00:19:14
Dan Sanchez
Right.
00:19:15
Ridley Barron
Way to put it.
00:19:17
Dan Sanchez
one of the stories that came out of this week's reading, I probably should put this up front, but as soon as Saul dies, you know, the, this, one of the Israelis runs up to David's cave and goes and tells him so, and then lies about the
David and Saul: Love Thy Enemy
00:19:30
Dan Sanchez
death and says he kills him.
00:19:30
Ridley Barron
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:19:33
Dan Sanchez
And then, you know, David's like, you've killed the Lord's anointed and then beheads him.
00:19:38
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:19:39
Dan Sanchez
Why does that seem like it's, it's just kind of a funny thing to me that he goes and kills him.
00:19:44
Ridley Barron
Mm-hmm.
00:19:45
Dan Sanchez
Maybe it's, maybe he's got it, got it coming to him because he lied about it and was trying to position himself in the new, new kingdom here. And then David writes like a long, sad eulogy and actually means it for Saul.
00:19:56
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:19:57
Dan Sanchez
You think that's a good picture of like how we should treat our enemies or the people we don't like in our life. Like if if David could really like love Saul that much, or at least respect Saul that much, should we go to our utmost to respect others, even if they're throwing spears at us?
00:20:14
Ridley Barron
I think there's probably a basis for how our behavior should go. i think it's carried a little bit further by David by the fact that he recognizes that God originally anointed Saul to be king. So there must be some kind of special favor that's given to him at that point. And David doesn't need to be the one to try to undo that.
00:20:32
Ridley Barron
But yeah, I think loving your enemies very clearly taught all the way through the New Testament, still very much something that's needed in our world today. Just a willingness to To love outside of behavior.
00:20:46
Ridley Barron
You know, and my love isn't based on what you've done what you haven't done against me, but it's based on the reality that you're someone else made in God's image.
00:20:56
Ridley Barron
I don't know. But what's what's I guess I think the part where it disconnects for me is this love and devotion for Saul who's trying to chase him and kill him. And here's this poor stranger he only known for five minutes who's given report. and he He wastes him in no time. He doesn't give a second thought to it. So there's probably some lessons there where God's saying, you know what, David, I appreciate your respect for my anointed, but this isn't the way I wanted you to behave.
00:21:19
Ridley Barron
You know?
00:21:19
Dan Sanchez
even though the guy lied about it, but David didn't know that.
00:21:21
Ridley Barron
Yeah. Right. Right. But, you know, it it happens a couple of times, if I'm not mistaken, in the story with Saul and Jonathan. And there's another place where somebody...
00:21:32
Ridley Barron
like He goes, to you thought you were bringing good news, but you weren't bringing good news. and So, yeah.
00:21:39
Dan Sanchez
Yep. don't know. The Bible's full of weird little mysteries like that. I mean, David can have a hothead.
00:21:42
Ridley Barron
It is.
00:21:43
Dan Sanchez
He almost kills the
00:21:46
Dan Sanchez
I forget that the guy. We talked about him last week.
00:21:50
Ridley Barron
Nathan and Abigail, are where he almost kills the husband.
00:21:50
Dan Sanchez
The guy who has... Yeah.
00:21:54
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:21:54
Dan Sanchez
Yeah, he almost kills the husband and then she stops him because she's smart and takes control of it.
00:21:57
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:21:59
Ridley Barron
yeah
00:21:59
Dan Sanchez
And then God kills him anyway. So I'm like, David, this should be your MO.
00:22:02
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:22:03
Dan Sanchez
like You should just let God deal with that kind of stuff. But...
00:22:06
Ridley Barron
that's Right. That's why God said vengeance is mine and not yours.
00:22:08
Dan Sanchez
so
00:22:09
Ridley Barron
Let me handle it.
00:22:11
Dan Sanchez
Sometimes God sends merciful messengers like Abigail to stop him from doing silly stuff and sometimes not. and Poor people suffer.
00:22:18
Ridley Barron
You do wonder if that whole story is part of the reason why later on he writes so many Psalms where he says, God, you break the teeth of the wicked. You handle them. You send them down to Sheol.
00:22:27
Dan Sanchez
Hmm.
00:22:28
Ridley Barron
It's like he's
Conclusion and Future Drama
00:22:29
Ridley Barron
learned his lesson. I'm not the one that's supposed to be handling this. God, you've got it fully under control.
00:22:35
Dan Sanchez
Well, that's all I have for this episode. though I'm looking forward to the craziness that's to come because, of course, like you said, the the soap opera gets more intense and we take some interesting turns.
00:22:43
Ridley Barron
Mm-hmm.
00:22:45
Dan Sanchez
So it's going to be exciting weeks as we finish off the story of David.
00:22:50
Ridley Barron
Yeah.
00:22:50
Dan Sanchez
But thank you for joining me this week and I'll see you next week.