DAILY GUIDE DEVOTIONAL:YOU WILL REAP WHAT YOU SOW

Text:1Kings 2:26-46

The text this morning got me asking  how justifiable  the sentences pronounced on these men were:  Abiathar,  Joab and Shimei, were people who had some dealings with King David.  David asked his son Solomon to ensure that Joab and Shimei, did not go unpunished.  Now Abiathar is included.  

Joab was David's nephew.  He helped him establish his kingdom.  He fought along side him through thick and thin. He even did his dirty job of killing Uriah for him. He defeated  Absalom  who committed treason  against David. His crime: he murdered two men in cold blood  just to eliminate  any threats to his position as the captain of the army and he defected to Adonijah against King David. 

Shimei  cursed  the king on the day calamity  befell him and he was  running away from Jerusalem.  He also went immediately  to plead for forgiveness after the king was restored.  And the king assured  him of pardon. 

Abiathar lost his father  Ahimelech  and other 80 priests  at Nob because  of the help Ahimelech offered David when he was running away from Saul.  Since that time as a boy,  he remained with David serving him faithfully until the issue of Adonijah came up.  

Solomon  ensured that  every  desire of his father was fulfilled

 it is clear that our walk with God requires that we remain blameless to the end.  A little  leaven will leaven the whole lump. Ecclesistes 10:1 dead  flies putrefy the perfumers ointment and cause  it to give off a foul odor,  so does a little  folly to one respected  for wisdom and honor.  

The ministry we have received as born again believers is more glorious than what these men had,  hence,  more is expected of us.  We cannot afford to allow our garments be soiled by a little  sin.  God who did not spare the angels who disobeyed will not overlook our own disobedience. 

If hand join  to hand,  no sinner will go unpunished.  The curse upon Eli and his family  in 1 Samuel 3 was fulfilled in the life of Abiathar and the descendants  never continued as priests. We must remain loyal to the end unless we lose our reward.  If we have divided  loyalties  God cannot be fooled. 

 Nevertheless,  old testament  dealings Is not our pattern.  Our pattern remains Jesus  and his teaching.  We forgive  and forget. That means we do not harbour any vengeful  sentiments. We should not use worldly wisdom and diplomacy to take revenge against people  to whom we have already promised forgiveness.  God forgave us and took away our sin  as far as the east is from the west so far he has taken our transgressions  from us.  that also is what he requires  of us.  Vengeance belongs to  God and God alone.