Page Two: “Wisdom Versus Rashness” – 5/06/2012
The Old English “ensamples” is our word “examples,” certainly not a good one; but Sheba is in the word of God as an example.
1. Sometimes examples of what not to do.
2. Recorded for you and me to be admonished by.
And what does he exemplify? What lessons can you find in Sheba that will make a practical difference in your life?
First and foremost, refusing God-ordained authority never leads to a good end. Some people, as you know, are not willing to put themselves under any God-ordained authority. Those authorities that are ordained of God are the home, the Church, the government, and business. We are all under authority.
And who is the God-ordained authority that Sheba was accountable to?
Here’s what the Bible says. I’ve got to go back to I Samuel for the answer to that question. I Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”
David was publicly anointed by Samuel, the Prophet of God. He was therefore called to be Israel’s king. He was chosen of God, set apart by God, and clearly placed in his role as Israel’s God-ordained king by the LORD Himself. And on that day, the Spirit of the LORD came upon him. Everyone, everyone everywhere in the kingdom now learns who it was that God had anointed to lead the Jews.
Now, notwithstanding his anointing and his having the Spirit of God upon him, David could and did often sin. He did make some extremely selfish choices. As you know, God calls each one of us to Himself. Yet, our lives are really a tapestry of character. God uses people and experiences to develop in us godly character. That’s what life is.
Yet, everyone, including Sheba, knew that God had called David to be the King of Israel. Even after his own son had just recently attempted to overthrow David, Sheba chooses the foolish route of simply doing whatever he chooses to do, no matter what God or anyone else says.
Now, did you notice how God describes this man before He tells us what he does?
II Samuel 20:1 “And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite:…”
We discover here that Sheba was a Benjamite; one like unto King Saul, who was a Benjamite. Here’s I Samuel 9:1. “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. (2) And he had a son, whose name was Saul …”
No doubt there had always been some who rejected King David’s leadership just because they were Benjamites, connected by blood to King Saul. But, given the fact that God Himself had set David apart for this particular service should have been enough for Sheba to pray for the one in authority and led God work out His will upon him and upon the nation of Israel. But he did not.
Now folks, like Sheba, you may have all the reasons in the world for standing up against those God-ordained authorities in your life. But, it is simply not God’s way. The very purpose, among others purposes for those in authority over you, is your protection. God has set each of us under an umbrella of protection. We are all accountable to those God has placed us under.
First, refusing God-ordained authority never leads to a good end.
Second, every leader has influence. The Bible tells us that Sheba was very influential. Here’s what he does. He stands up, blows a trumpet, and shouts “We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.”
Here is a leader in action. He’s able with just a ram’s horn and a sentence to get no less than eighty per cent of the Jews to abandon King David. And his only reason is this. We have no part in David, meaning we’re not connected to David by blood. No inheritance is due us by virtue of being connected to this king.
In essence, he was refusing God’s authority. And in doing so, he illustrates for us those who know God’s will but refuse to obey Him. Lots of people believe they know better than the LORD. They believe it’s OK to go ahead, oftentimes apart from Divine authority. So they strike out on their own. And as you will see from the words of the LORD here in II Samuel twenty, disobedience so quite often ends on a very sour note.
And have you ever noticed how powerful mob rule is? That’s about what he did that day. He’s very persuasive. Yet, there are often those who follow without considering either God’s ways or the results that must follow.
1. Sometimes examples of what not to do.
2. Recorded for you and me to be admonished by.
And what does he exemplify? What lessons can you find in Sheba that will make a practical difference in your life?
First and foremost, refusing God-ordained authority never leads to a good end. Some people, as you know, are not willing to put themselves under any God-ordained authority. Those authorities that are ordained of God are the home, the Church, the government, and business. We are all under authority.
And who is the God-ordained authority that Sheba was accountable to?
Here’s what the Bible says. I’ve got to go back to I Samuel for the answer to that question. I Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”
David was publicly anointed by Samuel, the Prophet of God. He was therefore called to be Israel’s king. He was chosen of God, set apart by God, and clearly placed in his role as Israel’s God-ordained king by the LORD Himself. And on that day, the Spirit of the LORD came upon him. Everyone, everyone everywhere in the kingdom now learns who it was that God had anointed to lead the Jews.
Now, notwithstanding his anointing and his having the Spirit of God upon him, David could and did often sin. He did make some extremely selfish choices. As you know, God calls each one of us to Himself. Yet, our lives are really a tapestry of character. God uses people and experiences to develop in us godly character. That’s what life is.
Yet, everyone, including Sheba, knew that God had called David to be the King of Israel. Even after his own son had just recently attempted to overthrow David, Sheba chooses the foolish route of simply doing whatever he chooses to do, no matter what God or anyone else says.
Now, did you notice how God describes this man before He tells us what he does?
II Samuel 20:1 “And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite:…”
We discover here that Sheba was a Benjamite; one like unto King Saul, who was a Benjamite. Here’s I Samuel 9:1. “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. (2) And he had a son, whose name was Saul …”
No doubt there had always been some who rejected King David’s leadership just because they were Benjamites, connected by blood to King Saul. But, given the fact that God Himself had set David apart for this particular service should have been enough for Sheba to pray for the one in authority and led God work out His will upon him and upon the nation of Israel. But he did not.
Now folks, like Sheba, you may have all the reasons in the world for standing up against those God-ordained authorities in your life. But, it is simply not God’s way. The very purpose, among others purposes for those in authority over you, is your protection. God has set each of us under an umbrella of protection. We are all accountable to those God has placed us under.
First, refusing God-ordained authority never leads to a good end.
Second, every leader has influence. The Bible tells us that Sheba was very influential. Here’s what he does. He stands up, blows a trumpet, and shouts “We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.”
Here is a leader in action. He’s able with just a ram’s horn and a sentence to get no less than eighty per cent of the Jews to abandon King David. And his only reason is this. We have no part in David, meaning we’re not connected to David by blood. No inheritance is due us by virtue of being connected to this king.
In essence, he was refusing God’s authority. And in doing so, he illustrates for us those who know God’s will but refuse to obey Him. Lots of people believe they know better than the LORD. They believe it’s OK to go ahead, oftentimes apart from Divine authority. So they strike out on their own. And as you will see from the words of the LORD here in II Samuel twenty, disobedience so quite often ends on a very sour note.
And have you ever noticed how powerful mob rule is? That’s about what he did that day. He’s very persuasive. Yet, there are often those who follow without considering either God’s ways or the results that must follow.