Unfailing Kindness to His Anointed

Unfailing kindness to his anointed

2 Sam 21-22
Key Verse 22:51

1. In what respect, under David’s reign, does three years of famine unexpected? As David sought God’s face, what was God’s answer for the reason for bringing famine upon Israel [1b]? Who were Gibeonites [Josh 9:3-27] and what relationship did they have with Israel? What did Saul do or intend to do to them [5]? In what perspective, could such killing be justified? Why was Saul’s killing of these people so serious sin against God that God brought famine upon Israel [Exo 12:48; 22:21;23:9, 12; ref. Lev 26:14,15, 20]?

2. What restitution did Gibeonites ask [6; NAS; ref. Num 25:4]? In so doing, what might be God’s will and purpose in demanding atonement of Saul’s sin [14:b]? Discuss about how God deals with sins of his chosen people in respect to God’s justice, God’s purpose for his people.

3. Whom did David choose to be given to Gibeonites and who was excluded [7-8]? For Gibeonites, who is the God that brought famine upon Israel? In whose terms and in what way was the execution carried out? Why did God mandate the ‘expiation of sin’ even by the blood of his children [9]? How did Rizpah seek God’s justice on them? How did David make final resolution of this [11-14a]? What might the implication of this passage for us?

4. Who were the four mighty fighters of Philistine? Who killed each of them? What might be the significance of these men for David’s kingdom?

5. Read 22:1-51 and divide into the following groups of verses and find theme of each group. A. v2-4; b 5-20; c. 21-31; d. 32-46; e. 47-51.

6. Read vv 2-4. What does David declare about God? What does each of these mean? What is the relationship of these verses to the rest of the song? Read vv5-7. What were the situations in which he called out for God’s help? What did he come to know about God’s answer to his call [7]? How did he come to know that [8-16]? How did God display his power? Why [7]? Read 17-20. How did God rescue David? Why [21-25]? Through such experience what convictions did David come to have [26-28]?

7. Read vv 29-46. In what setting did David experience God and his help? What is the conclusion of this paragraph [29-32]? Read v 33-37. How did God strengthen him in a specific ways? What was the purpose of doing such things [38-41]? How did God side with David in his fight against enemies [42-43]? Why did God deliver David from his own people [44]? What was the final effect of God’s work on David to the lives of the strangers and foreigners? [44b-46]? Compare the God in v 4-20 with the God in vv 29-46.

8. Who is the God of vv 47-51? Compare this with v 2-3 and find similarity and difference. In appreciation of all of these works of God, what did David determine to do [50]? At the same time, what did he come to know about God’s plan in his life [51]? How did God fulfill the Hannah’s prophecy [51; 1 Sam 2:10; John 16:33; Luke 1:69]? In your view who is this God? In view of God’s undeterred commitment in blessing David and his descendants, what does it mean that one favors David and his descendants?

9. Compare v21-28 with 23:3 and find what it means that David was blameless before God [1 Sam 24:4-7; 26:8-10; 2 Sam 1:14]. How could this David be a figure of coming messiah [Heb 4:15]? Why could he not reflect the exact nature of the messiah?