Frienemies of God

He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute. (2 Samuel 8:2 NASB)

 At the end of Ruth (4:21) we find that Ruth, the Moabitess was David's great great grand mother (third generation).  Then, in 1 Samuel 22:3, David asks the king of Moab to hide his father while Saul pursues him, and he does.  So, you would think that there would be some 'friendliness' between David and Moab.  Until this happens.

In 2 Samuel 8, David's victories are described without a lot of detail, but in summary.  It's possible that these victories were spread out along his reign, but they are all compiled together in a single chapter.  There are several difficult things to translate and understand in the chapter, but one that is fairly easy to translate, but hard to understand is David's treatment of Moab.

In our age of 'atrocities' bringing an outrage and shock, people are probably surprised by David here.  This is not the 'Christian behavior' expected of one with such a close relationship with God, who is thought to be a 'man after God's own heart'.  Was it in God's heart to kill two-thirds of Moab after the battle/war was won?

Some possible understandings here are that this was only the treatment of one city, possibly the capital, and not the entire nation.  But it doesn't say that.  It's possible that David did this elsewhere and it was more customary than it would appear.  But it doesn't say that.  It's possible that Moab was under some sort of curse by God for something they did when Israel was coming into the land of promise.  But this doesn't refer back to any such curse.

One caveat is a reference in Deuteronomy that anyone of Moabite descent cannot enter the temple until after 10 generations, where other nations were at 3 (Deuteronomy 23:1-8).  The explanation given is that 'they did not meet you with food on the way.'  Another note refers to Balaam, and it was the king of Moab who sent for him, and from whom came the sin of 'Peor' which caused such calamity for Israel in the desert.  So Moab wasn't necessarily a 'friend' as such.

But why, if they were supportive of David as he fled Saul, and why, if David was a near descendant of Moab, would David treat them as brutally as he does; more than he is with other nations?  I don't know.  Let's be honest, as I read Scripture, I see very little to support such treatment of this people.  I don't know why.

So, I have a couple of choices: 1) I can say that David was wrong to treat them that way, and it set off the problems with them that follow (and there are several).  2) I can say that there was good reason, but it's not included in the account.  Or 3) I can say that God was 'willing' to permit this even though He didn't necessarily require it.

Of the three, I personally like the second one.  It preserves the character of both David and God.  On the other hand, it seems that if an explanation were missing from the text, it would also have been missing for the 'editor' compiling these accounts.  He is so full of explanation for other difficult things (but not all).

So what's my lesson?  Well, as hard as it is, I have to fall back on my inability to understand my Master.  What I mean by 'fall back' is that rather than require an explanation, I have to instead rest on what I do know already.  In other words, even though I don't know here, even though this sounds harsh, I have to go with what I know of my Master:  He created all things, He sustains all things, He knows my name, and chooses to love me, and not only me.  Therefore, along with all the other stuff I don't know (how He creates stars, how He holds atoms together, how He can see all of the universe and still know where I am, etc.) I will include this, God loves and blesses David, who killed 2/3s of the nation of Moab.

But a God capable of such work is worth my attention, and I should be concerned to be on His good side.  Abraham was considered a 'friend of God', David was considered a 'man after God's own heart', so that's where I want to aspire to be.  This is not Someone I want as an enemy.  Therefore, I will worship Him.  And I will obey Him, and that means that one day, I might just be involved in measuring the enemies of God and leaving only 1/3 alive.  I seriously doubt that, but I'm just going with what I read.  Just the same, are you a 'Friend of God'?

Counting, Reconciling, and Measuring Devotion

In Luke 14:28, Jesus tells those around him that the cost of discipleship should be counted first.  Chambers says that the cost is that cost Jesus counted in 30 years of life, 3 years of ministry, scandal and suffering on the cross.  He then proceeds to explain that this discipleship is open only to those in whom Jesus has done everything.  That is the statement where he looses me. 

When Jesus is speaking of discipleship He leads up to His statement to count the cost with statements that unless someone hate his (list family members here) that they cannot be His disciple, and then that they must take up their cross daily and follow Him.  The problem I have is probably with the archaic wording, but still, I’m not sure how someone who loves Jesus so much that all other relationships would be as hate compared is an implication that Jesus has done everything in them.  Does he mean that Jesus finished everything in them?  I thought that happened in heaven.  Or does Chambers mean that whatever has gotten these to that point of devotion has been done by Jesus.  I think that is what he means, but then my question is, “Does that mean that first I am saved, and then, later on, after I have achieved some level of spiritual maturity, become a disciple?”

I suspect rather that Jesus uses me as a disciple with effects limited to the level of devotion He has led me into.  The reason I say this is because in the context of Jesus’ statement, He already has disciples present, and I don’t think they are at this level He describes, and are probably shocked to hear Him say it.  He says these things in response to all these people wanting to follow but because He is the next big thing, not because they have any real devotion to Him specifically.  He is the flavor of the day, at least until he mentions something about taking up a cross.  That sort of ruins the moment for them.

On the other hand, Jesus does say to count the cost of hating family and carrying crosses before volunteering for discipleship.  Regardless of what the disciples present thought of that statement, Jesus said it.  Sure the disciples had left homes, families, and so on to follow Jesus, and it was not a great money-making enterprise.  Did that qualify them?  Was that level of commitment congruent with what Jesus meant when He said hate your family compared to how much you love me?  If so, it makes this level of devotion a lot easier for me to envision.  In fact, it’s not until Jesus rises from the dead that these guys go off the map devotionally, at least in my estimation. 

Jesus wants all of me.  He wants me to be totally committed to Him.  I confess that I am not there yet.  He is leading me into deeper water with Himself, and I love it and am scared by it.  I want what I think would be great, but also have seen enough to know that what He wants is better.  When we moved out here I had to release all my fears and stress into Him, and commit the care of my family’s financial and health care into His hands before He provided a job.  We had moved anyway.  We came out here with no job and little in the way of provision for the house we had bought, the mortgage we had, and the monthly medical needs we already had.  I would think that the level of devotion we demonstrated qualifies us for this description of discipleship.  Yet, my sinful patterns were still present.  I still struggled with things that nearly wrecked my job, my marriage, and any opportunities I may have with ministry.  My quandary is how I can be devoted enough to move lock, stock, and barrel to another state, and yet fail so miserably in my obsessions and habitual sins.

So here we are again.  We pack the truck on June 25, again, lock, stock, and barrel.  We have no house, no job, and no real tangible prospects.  I am hoping for something I do not yet see at work, yet do not really know if the hope comes from my Master.  My in-laws are looking about for a house for us, but are still in the process.  There are loose ends to this move that should terrify me, but don’t.  Sure I feel some stress, but it is minor.  I am ready to go even without my hope fulfilled at work.  I am ready to go, even to live with my in-laws for a time until another living circumstance can be found.

But I know that my patterns are not yet dead.  I know that the well-worn paths I have developed over so many years, I still have to purposely avoid.  The evil senseless passions are not so deep they are powerless.  I sense the thought flit through my mind at times.  And while they are not strong, every once in a while they make a determined assault and I feel the compulsion surge up within me.  I praise my Master that He has been with me through them, close enough that I reached for Him as I should.  I was reminded that I am loved, protected, but that I am also at His service.  These things have protected my heart and mind, yet even so, not perfectly.  I have dabbled before I was able to shake my mind loose.  I have sat in a trance with the swirling desires in my mind, trying to keep them from my hands, seeking to reach out to my Master within the struggle.  So far I have experienced victory.  But I know that through this adventure the times will come when I am weak, when my hopes and fears collide, when I am challenged by family to make something happen.  What sort of disciple will I be then?

So, I am partially there as a disciple, and my Master has “done” a lot in me, yet not everything He intends (at least I hope not).  I believe that, at the level the disciples who were present when He made the statement of cost, I am a disciple, and that my Master has drawn me into that level of service.  I believe that I have been given a title of Servant to the King, and I am at His service.  I know the next few months will be a test of my devotion, and I believe that my Master has prepared me.  I will show whether I am a Knight of His Realm or a knave.  But I also know that I am loved regardless.  I know that my Master has my back, regardless of who assaults me.  I know that I am at His service before even before service to my family.  That is a lot to know, and knowledge has a level of responsibility which goes with it.  Keep reading.  Let’s see if it’s true or not.

Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": May 7th.

Abandoned or Selfish

As I sit and look on a beautiful sunrise over Lake Benbrook, I am once again struck by Who I call Master. It's natural, I suppose, to think of the artist when confronted with the masterpiece. But does the weight of this knowledge become so enormous that I fail to live as though it's true? Chambers discussion of "abandonment" causes me to wonder if I trust my Master to care for those dear to me enough for me to leave my concern for them on the altar and be completely abandoned to His call and purposes. Or does my concern for them become an excuse I use to delay or ignore His call and purpose? This is especially difficult for me because I am so aware of my selfishness. I have a bad track record of neglect for my family to achieve my own ends, or indulge some desire of mine. So, now to claim that this choice is to become abandoned to God and is not like the others is tough for them to accept, and hard for me to claim. Honestly I don't necessarily trust myself. But where are lines? I just paused my writing to assemble bikes for my family, and fix a neighbor kid's bike. Was that wrong? Was that leaving my devotion to God for devotion to family? I think not. Devotion to my writing or even this blog is not the same as devotion to God. So, you see how easy it is for me to confuse my desires with devotion to God? This is why I don't trust myself. I hope that, within the struggle itself, I discover a pattern of abandonment to God in my attitude and behavior. I hope.

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