Grifters abound in the world. Sadly, we can find them in churches too. They look for opportunities to make gain for themselves out of situations, whether good or bad. Their outward acts may initially tick all the boxes, but their actions ultimately show they are interested in personal gain, not the cause of Christ.
The first scene of 2 Samuel introduces us to David’s learning of King Saul’s death through the arrival of a grifter, bearing Saul’s kingly baubles. We quickly discover that the man is less concerned with the situation than with his own advancement, and meets judgement for it. On the other hand, David’s response shows the attitude we ought to show in Christ’s church: mourning for times when Christ’s cause is harmed, and godly fear of King Jesus who has saved us and leads us.
2 Samuel begins with the assumed knowledge of 1 Samuel, and especially the death of King Saul and Jonathan in a climactic battle against the Philistines. This opening passage relays the way in which David learned of the death of Saul, the death of his dear friend, and the great loss which God’s People had suffered at the hands of their unbelieving foes.
Two days after returning to Ziklag, a man came to David’s camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head, a traditional sign of mourning (vv.1-2). This man came and bowed before David, showing him all the appropriate signs of respect.
David asked three questions. First, where have you come from? Answer, the Israelite camp (v.3). Second, how did it go? Answer, the Israelite army fled, and King Saul and Jonathan are dead (v.4). Third question, how do you know?
The answer, based on the account found at the end of 1 Samuel, was a lie. The man claimed that he happened to be at the battle site, as one does, and saw that Saul was left by himself while Philistine chariots were racing towards him to take him prisoner (v.6). Saul called to him, asking who he was: “an Amalekite who was living in the land” he claimed (v.7).
Saul then asked, according to the man’s tale, for this man to administer the coup de grace to avoid capture and torture by the Philistines, which the man claims to have obliged (vv.8-9). After that, he took the king’s crown and armlet as evidence he was dead, and brought it to its new rightful owner (v.10).
Your new faithful servant now sits here, awaiting orders from the new king.
David’s response to this news was perhaps unexpected to the Amalekite. Instead of rejoicing that the man who had, for many years, made his life one of misery and mayhem, was finally gone, “David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him” (v.11).
This was not just a nod to ritual. “They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword” (v.12). David, and his men, understood that God’s People had suffered a terrible defeat, and that even though God was at work in it, God’s name was slandered among the nations as a result.
At some point, David then turned to the Amalekite and asked about his origins. The man responded he was an Amalekite, the son of a sojourner (v.13). Long enough to know the rules of Israel.
David then asked how, given he had lived in the land, he could kill God’s anointed king (v.14). David then called for one of his men to put the Amalekite to death for murder of the king, based on his own testimony (vv.15-16).
Ironically, the Amalekite rightly faced judgement for his sin, but that of lying, not murder as he effectively claimed. But this death reminds us that even hidden sins, like lies (because David had no way of knowing otherwise), are known by God and come under his judgement. We should not think that we have gotten away with it if nobody else sees. God knows and judges the secrets of the hearts of men.
Secondly, we should note the mourning which David and his men expressed as they heard the news of the defeat. While it did mean good news for David’s promotion prospects, it was at the expense of God’s name and God’s People.
Do we show the same sadness when parts of the visible church do things which slander Christ’s good name, or think ourselves better? Do we show sadness when God’s People suffer setback and harm by the unbelieving world, or just focus on our own little holy huddle? This passage encourages us to mourn such things.
Finally, this passage reminds us to treat our God and King, Jesus, with reverent fear. Christ is Lord of our lives, and King of the Church. We should not approve of anything which treats Christ as anything less than that.
