Monday, October 2, 2006
2 Samuel 18:33 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you -- O Absalom, my son, my son!"
NO DELIGHT
In the game of tennis, there are certain unwritten "rules" related to sportsmanship that are almost as much a part of the match as the written rules themselves. For example, if a player loses a point by a double fault (two bad serves in a row), it is considered impolite in some circles for the crowd to cheer. One isn't to gloat over someone else's mistake!
But that's exactly what we're so used to doing. Especially when someone has wronged us or hurt us, our sinful nature wants nothing better than to see that person really "get what's coming to him." Do we secretly smile when we see the sins of the wicked coming back to haunt them? Do we delight inwardly when our enemies experience sorrow and misery?
King David's son Absalom was very wicked. He had plotted to take the throne from his father by force. Yet when Absalom was caught by his hair in the oak tree and Joab killed him with three javelins, David didn't say, "Good for the oak tree which has destroyed my bitter enemy!" He did not delight in the death of the wicked. In fact, he wished that he had died in place of his son.
God does not delight in the death of the wicked either. It happens, but it is not a happy thing. The LORD would much rather that the wicked come to know of their dear Savior, turn from their evil ways, and live. After all, David could only wish that he had died instead of his evil son. Jesus actually did die in the place of all sinners.
