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Q2. (2 Samuel 16:5-14)

Why doesn’t David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him?

Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision?

What does it tell us about David’s faith?

a) David believes that perhaps the Lord has told Shime to curse him as

a part of the Lord's judgement. David trusts God's mercy saying "it may

be that the Lord will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing

I am receiving today.

b. I believe this is a spiritual decision.

c. David still believes strongly in the Lord and still puts his faith and devotion

in God. David has never stopped believing in God.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Q2. (2 Samuel 16:5-14) Why doesn't David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him? Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision? What does it tell us about David's faith?

David has shown wisdom and humility in allowing dirt to be thrown on him without a reply or counter. He is almost like our Lord being nailed to the tree, saying forgive him, it is perhaps God's will to humiliate me. By accepting this now he might be rased up again later... this is a good lesson for all of us.

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  • 2 months later...

2a)David is aware Shimei’s reactions are probably anger in grief from lives lost under Saul,he can’t be reasoned with&it may be the Lord has asked Shimei to curse as part of David’s punishment for his sin. David doesn’t want to do anything to offend God,he faithfully trusts in God’s mercy so he takes the taunts with humility,all arrogance gone, he is in repentence.
b)The decision is mainly spiritual accepting taunts in humility as punishment.Politically, he is aware the travelling exiles priority is to escape from Jerusalem with lives of soldiers,and families, ¬ be delayed further responding to taunts.
c)This tells us David here is faithfully seeking to fulfil God’s will,aware his flesh,wealth gets in the way at times clouding decisions,he is repentent &trusting in God’s merciful provision.His love for God is faithfully consistent through all the trials he goes through.

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  • 1 year later...

Why doesn't David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him? David believes that perhaps the Lord has told Shimei to curse him as part of the Lord's judgment.

 

Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision? It is a spiritual decision; David doesn't want to put himself in the place of opposing God

 

What does it tell us about David's faith? Verse 16:12 tells us David says, “It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today." David puts his trust in God's mercy, he takes the assaulting with stones, dirt clods, and curses being thrown at him with humility. He is in repentance; his arrogance is gone.

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  • 3 weeks later...

(2 Samuel 16:5-14) Why doesn't David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him? Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision? What does it tell us about David's faith?

 

David has decided it will not help the situation to confront Shimei, probably both a political and spiritual decision.  To have a confrontation could cause more damage and death.  He wants to leave the punishment in God's hands which shows he trusts in how God will take care of him and Shimei.

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  • 2 years later...

Q2. (2 Samuel 16:5-14) Why doesn’t David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him? Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision? What does it tell us about David’s faith?

David doesn't silence Shimei because he is unsure from whence comes the abuse. Does the buse come from 

Shimei or does it come from the Lord? This is probably a spiritual decision for it does not seem that there is any political advantage to take such a cursing. You David is very faithful and a patient.

 

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  • 3 years later...

1.Why doesn't David silence  Shimei from cursing? Because he believed that what was saying was punishment  fro God

2.Is this political or spiritual decision? Spiritual  decision

3.What diesbit tells about David's faith?

He still a man of faith , who still obeys God's command

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  • 2 years later...

Shimei was probably blaming David for the death of Abner. Joab had killed Abner to avenge his brothers death and for the death of Saul’s sons and grandsons
David allowed him to speak because he felt God may have been in it.
David believes God’s wrath is behind it

Spiritually, 
David has faith in God and it will never fail
 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Q2. (2 Samuel 16:5-14)

Why doesn't David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him?

Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision?

What does it tell us about David's faith?

David has enough on his plate at the present moment.  He seems  in general not one given to heated quick anger as we saw with his action with Abigail's late husband, which he fortunately did not carry out.  We have actually seen him to be cool and level headed most times, not making rash decisions which he would later regret.  His actions with Bathsheba and Uriah really seemed to be totally out of character.  It just shows how much we have to be on our guard.     

WATCH AND PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

David, at the present time, realizes that much of what is going on, has to do with the fact that he had shown disrespect to his Lord, Whom he loved and wanted to serve with all his heart. He trusted Him.  So when any cursed him or turned against him, (as did Shimei) he did not take it personally but as God using those persons to strip him of whatever was to be stripped so that he could again be a vessel in God's hand.  So, yes, I do feel that it is a spiritual decision.  He bowed under what God had told Nathan, that there would be strife forthcoming.  (my wording).  David's faith had not waned. If anything it proved to be stronger than ever.

David entrusted his life into God's Hand.  He knew where he was safe.  God had promised that He would not leave him but be WITH him and David believed this. That was the most important.  If that meant not coming back to the beloved city, so be it.  Most important was that God was with him.

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  • Pastor Ralph changed the title to Q2. Seeking Mercy
  • 10 months later...

David willingly allowed himself to be stoned by an angry ex-Saulite because of the continuing guilt he felt over the murder/adultery and his belief that his punishment for this crime/sin would only end with his death.

Does God do this? Does He punish us until we die for certain sins? Does forgiveness only occur in the heavenly realm, completely bypassing our lives on earth? I find this to be a frightening story. Very much so. I want to believe that forgiveness includes the erasure of the consequences of sin ... no, I can handle the idea that sin has consequences, but cannot deal with the idea that God will choose to punish us until our death. If God does not punish us until our death, than he must remove, at least in part, the consequences of sin.

His decision to be beaten and pummeled by rocks without responding is fatalistic. He has accepted his fate, that God would punish him until his death. POlitically, he would have killed this man -- spiritually, he let Shimei demean and belittle him. Shimei is associated with Saul, however, not Bathsheba/Uriah.  I don't see the fall of the house of Saul as a sin on the part of David. So, David must be allowing Shimei to pummel him because of his sense of life-sin, the idea that he's not worthy of defending but has to allow himself to be demeaned by his enemies.

I am not certain what it says about David. He is humbled. He accepts punishment from lowly people with wrong motives as if it's from God. He submits to the idea that he deserves to be punished forever. Does David do this because he thinks God will eventually relent and deliver him? Perhaps. It's all he can cling to at this point. He does pray that his enemies are punished, after all.

What a horrible story. 

__

I'm back.  In my daily devotions I also read Spurgeon. Today Spurgeon's entry was on this verse, "I will give you the mercies of David," Acts 13.34

Here is the context for that verse in the Message version: 

“When he raised him from the dead, he did it for good—no going back to that rot and decay for him. That’s why Isaiah said, ‘I’ll give to all of you David’s guaranteed blessings.’ So also the psalmist’s prayer: ‘You’ll never let your Holy One see death’s rot and decay.’

I'm not sure, but I think the verse has to do with God's permanent forgiveness, the fact that God (typicaly) does not pull blessings he had once bestowed. I think of Saul's kingship, here, and wonder, though. So David had "guaranteed" blessings? Is this a reference to eternal life or the blessings in this life? From the context, it looks like the mercy extended to David was God's promise that David would not die after the Bathsheba disaster.

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  • 1 month later...

Q2. (2 Samuel 16:5-14)

Why doesn't David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him?

David believes that perhaps the Lord has told Shimei to curse him as part of the Lord's judgment.

Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision?

Spiritual decision, because David takes it with humility. He is in repentance; his arrogance is gone.

What does it tell us about David's faith?

David's trust in God's mercy.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Q2. (2 Samuel 16:5-14) Why doesn't David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him? Here, I think David is now being a resignist and over eagerly accepting cruelty out of guilt. 

Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision? He thinks it's spiritual.

What does it tell us about David's faith? He's willing to endure whatever for God's spirit to stay with him and stay in God's mercy.

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