Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: 2 Samuel 21 and Psalm 97

2 Samuel 21 starts with an account of the consequences of a broken covenant. Israel had entered a covenant of peace with the Gibeonites (see Joshua 9), but at some stage during his reign (not recorded in Scripture), Saul had started a systematic campaign to “annihilate” them. Israel’s oath of peace had been betrayed, and oaths have spiritual power. For three years a drought came upon the land and when David inquired of the Lord regarding the cause, he discerned that it was a consequence of Saul’s covenant-breaking. David immediately pursued negotiations with the Gibeonites, who demanded a sort of justice which is foreign to us, but which made perfect sense in a world which saw all of human life as family- and community-based. Saul had murdered many of their people, so they demanded that they be allowed to avenge those deaths on Saul’s people. It was the only justice to which they had recourse.

There is much in Scripture which we battle to understand, but there is enough we do understand and which we can put into practice. So, today let us heed the clear truth of those opening verses of 2 Samuel 21 – our promises, oaths and covenants carry great spiritual weight, and breaking them brings spiritual consequences. Honouring our word is critically important. Therefore, even when it is very difficult to do so, we ought to be absolutely committed to doing what we say we will do, and refraining from doing that which we have promised not to do.

Almighty God, my Heavenly Father, You are the God of Truth. You keep all Your promises and never break Your word. Please empower me by the Spirit of Truth to be a person of absolute integrity who always keeps my word. Amen.