David certainly began well.
After Saul's death he asked the Lord if he should go up to Judah, his
ancestral home. Upon receiving a
favorable response, he asked a second question, which particular city. Hebron was the response, not his personal
home. David began not by presumption and
doing what he wanted but by asking God where He wanted him to be. While David praised the men of Jabesh-gilead
who had cared for Saul in death and began to reign over Judah there was a rival
king set up by the commander of Saul's army, Abner, Saul's other son,
Ish-bosheth. Abner was a man loyal to
his leader, Saul. David had only one
tribe recognizing him as their king at the time, Ish-bosheth was king over the rest
of the nation. This, we are told, was
not to last but two years.
It would have been impossible for John to have done anything
but expose sin, no matter who the sinner no matter the consequences. He called the leaders of the Jews hypocrites
and a brood of vipers, and Herod was Jewish by birth so he was not immune to
being convicted of sin. He was married
to his brother's ex-wife and it was sinful for him to have taken her under the
circumstances. It was sin under the Law
and John spoke truth not only to power but to all who would take the Name of
the Lord. Herod knew what John said was
true, that John was a righteous and holy man while he was living a lie. His wife, however, had no such sensibilities,
she knew what she wanted, to be married to the man in charge. The barrier to her enjoying the position was
this meddlesome man, John. She contrived
a way to get rid of him through her husband's rash vow. There is a hint of the Esther story in this
episode isn't there? John loses his head
because Herod first lost his own in merriment and then wasn't man enough to say
no.
Paul and Barnabas quarrel and eventually separate because of
John Mark. Barnabas was always the one
who was ready to reconcile and restore. He
was the one who stood for Paul and with Paul when everyone else didn't believe Paul's
conversion was genuine. Now, however, he
wants to restore John Mark and Paul is not willing to let bygones be bygones as
this young man betrayed him at Pamphylia and Paul would not abide one whose
courage had failed. It is hard to sort
this out and determine who is right, I tend towards Barnabas because it too is
my heart to reconcile and restore but that often is a mistake. At any rate, the kingdom advanced now on two
fronts, one led by Barnabas and one led by Paul. Sometimes that is simply the way it works out
best for the kingdom but it requires grace to separate well.
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