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Date: Tue, 5 Sep 1995 10:54:06 +0200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: The Scriptures opened, 47
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP
Contents
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1. Deuteronomy 21:22,23 - The hanged
2. 2 Samuel 7 - The prophecy of Nathan, part 2
1. Deuteronomy 21:22,23 - The hanged
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Reading: Deut.21:10 - 25:19
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death,
and he be to be put to death,
and thou hang him on a tree:
His body shall not remain all night upon the tree,
but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day;
(for he that is hanged [is] accursed of God;)
that thy land be not defiled,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance.
Deuteronomy 21:22,23
At the end of this 21st chapter, we meet some examples of evildoers.
These are examples for the people, that they may be frightened to
commit the same sins. In our text, it is about a man, who has not done
a sin of the lighter sort (though all sins are abominable before God),
but a sin worthy of death. When one has committed such a great sin, he
will first be put to death, and then he will be hanged on a tree. He
will not be hanged on a tree, while still alive, as happened to
Absalom through God's providence. The sinner in our text will first be
killed, either by stoning him, or in any other wise. And then, his
corpse will be hanged on a tree. David, who knew the law, has also
applied it when it was necessary. When Rechab and Baanah had killed
Ishbosheth, and had reported it to David, he commanded to slay them,
to cut off their hands and feet, and to hang them up over the pool in
Hebron. He said: "How much more, when wicked men have slain a
righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore
now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off
their hands and their feet, and hanged [them] up over the pool in
Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried [it] in the
sepulchre of Abner in Hebron." (2 Samuel 4:11,12)
When such a sinner was hanging there, between heaven and earth,
He might not remain all night upon the tree. "His body shall not
remain all night upon the tree", said God. He had to be buried that
same day. For, it was already terrible enough, that one hung there. To
keep the people from becoming accustomed to cruelty, the body had to
be removed, and buried the same day. When they would let hang the
body, God says, that the land would be defiled. The reason is, that
"he that is hanged is accursed of God". Such a hanged has committed a
great sin, worthy of death. To show that he is accursed of God, he was
hanged. When the people passed by, and they saw one hanging, they knew
that he was accursed of God, because of his sins.
Centuries later, we see Another hanging on the wood. Since the
hanged is accursed of God, we know that also this Hanged is under
God's curse. It is Jesus, who was hanged, not because of His Own sins,
for He had none. But He was hanged for the sins of the people, who
were given Him. He bore their sins, and also God's curse due to their
sins. As a visible sign, that He bore our sins, He was hanged. "Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:
for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"
(Galatians 3:13) By our transgressing the law, we heaped curse on
curse, and we daily increased, and still increase our debt to God. But
Christ, the Messiah, bore the curse of those that are engraved in Him
by faith. If there is any, who is bearing his own curse, let him or
her then look to Jesus, hanging on the cross. When your burden of sins
becomes too heavy for you, it is really time to look upon Jesus,
hanging on the tree. When you have already laboured for so many years,
to lay off that burden, by fulfilling the law, and you have never
succeeded, yea, when your guilt daily increases - when these things
are so, it is time to look upon Jesus, Who is able to set you in
freedom. He has already done it so often. When one came to Him in
faith, He said: "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee".
(Matthew 9:2) It is so with all those people, who are given by the
Father to Jesus, that they will come to Jesus, and He will accept
them. They will come to Jesus, when they feel the need of Him. When
they see their great heap of sins, daily increasing, and when they
hear that there is grace in Jesus, they will come to Him. "All that
the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I
will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)
2. 2 Samuel 7 - The prophecy of Nathan, part 2
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Outline of the chapter:
1-2 David has settled down, and wishes to build a house for the
LORD.
3 The prophet Nathan praises this.
4-7 But God immediately forbids David's plans, through Nathan.
8-17 God repeats the great benefits which He has bestowed on David in
the past, and gives a promise of a still greater future. His son
Solomon will build the house of the LORD, and the Messiah would
arise from his seed.
18-22David is very surprised at this, he rejoiced in it, and he
heartily thanks the Lord.
Continuation of last week's part.
10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will
plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move
no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them
any more, as beforetime.
God says, through the mouth of Nathan the prophet: "Moreover, I will
appoint a place for my people Israel". Above what He has done already,
He will "moreover" add benefits thereunto. First, He will appoint a
place for His people Israel. This means, that He has given, and will
give, Canaan to them for a place to dwell in. He will "plant" them.
Like a plant, when you plant it in the ground to give it a fixed
place, so also God planted the children of Israel in Canaan. This is
"a place of their own", so that they will move no more, as they have
done before. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, all of them have never had any
fixed place. They were strangers, and moved through the lands,
dwelling in tents. Afterwards, Jacob and his sons moved to Egypt,
where, after having lived there sometime in rest, "the children of
wickedness" afflicted them. The Egyptians oppressed them, and made
slaves of the people of Israel. They now shall not afflict them
anymore, as beforetime.
A question may arise. God has promised them that the children of
wickedness shall not afflict them anymore. But when we read the other
histories in the Scripture, we see, that after David's time, they were
oppressed often by all sorts of surrounding enemies. How is this
possible? God said that they would dwell at rest, but it appears that
they have never done so for a long time. How is this possible? The
answer is easy. God promises them all these good things, on condition
that they will obey Him. This can be seen in the fourteenth verse,
which will be explained there. If they then obeyed God's voice, He
would give them a fixed place, prosperity and peace.
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges over my people
Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.
After the people Israel was led out of Egypt, the land of slavery,
they dwelled in Canaan. But they always forgot their Lord. Then the
Lord caused enemies to invade the land, that they oppressed the
people. He did so, that they might experience what is the difference
between serving God and serving enemies. After a shorter or longer
time, the people began to cry to the LORD for deliverance. Then God
"commanded judges over the people Israel", to drive off the enemies,
and to govern the people. In the time of the judges, we repeatedly see
the following order (Judges 2:11-18):
- And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD.
- And served Baalim.
- And provoked the LORD to anger.
- And he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled
them.
- So that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
- The LORD raised up judges.
- The judges delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled
them.
The people, in their wretchedness, always forsook the LORD. But God,
in His goodness, always delivered them out of the hands of their
enemies. Wretched people, and a merciful LORD. Ever seen a greater
difference? And God kept delivering them, even unto the time of David.
That is why God says to David: I "have caused thee to rest from all
thine enemies." David dwelt at rest now, together with the entire
nation of Israel.
Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
David had said that he wished to build a house for God, but in this
text, we see the matters turned. Not David will do something for God,
but the LORD will do something for David. "The LORD telleth thee that
he will make thee an house." Not a house of wood or stone, or even
gold and silver, but a much better house: a house consisting of his
sons, sitting upon his throne forever. A wooden house may perish, but
the kingdom of David will remain always, through the grace of God.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed
out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
David receives the promise, that after his death, one of his sons will
reign. God will establish his kingdom. We see that it is God, who sets
up kings. "I will set up thy seed". Though kings may be chosen by
people, or may inherit the throne of their fathers, it is yet God, Who
sets them up. It is also in God's power to establish a kingdom, or to
break it off.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the
throne of his kingdom for ever.
Not David will build a temple for God, but his son will do it. But in
this verse is promised something greater. The kingdom of David will be
an eternal kingdom. "I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for
ever". The son of David will sit upon the throne, and his kingdom will
endure forever. Not that the son will live forever, for we know, that
also David's son, Solomon, once died. But the kingdom will endure
forever. Here is a promise given of the Messiah, the son of David, the
King of Israel. The kingdom of David's Son, of the Messiah, will
endure forever. That means that also now that kingdom stands. When
anyone doubts, and asks where that kingdom is, the answer is ready.
Whether you see it, or not, the kingdom is there. The kingdom of the
Messiah, when it is eternal, and it is not seen by many, that means
that the kingdom is not of this earth. God promised that David's
kingdom would be forever. When we see it not, it yet is there. It is
then a spiritual kingdom. The Messiah reigns now, and all the enemies
will once, now or later on, experience His power.
"He shall build an house for My Name", says God. Solomon built
the temple, but also the Messiah will build God's temple. Solomon's
temple was visible, and is destroyed. Yet, the house of God will stand
forever. It consists now of all born-again children, who serve the
LORD in truth. Solomon built a temple of wood, stone, gold and silver,
but Jesus Christ, David's Son, builds the temple, consisting of living
stones. These living stones are all the children of God. They are hewn
to make them fit for the temple. They are made holy, so that they can
be used in God's building. They form the new temple. The old temple,
made of stone, is destroyed, but a better temple came in its stead.
Nobody, who once has seen this new temple, longs back to the old one.
14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit
iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the
stripes of the children of men:
God will be for that king as a father, and he will be God's son. The
king, who follows up David, will be as dear as a son to God. If he
does something wrong, he will not be punished heavily, but "I will
chasten him with" a soft rod, namely with "the rod of men, and with
the stripes of the children of men". As a father spares his son, so
will God spare the new king.
We know that Solomon was God's son, namely through adoption. The
Messiah was also God's Son; not through adoption, but through birth.
Solomon was God's adopted son, but Jesus Christ was God's natural Son.
Solomon committed iniquity, and was therefore chastened with the rod
of men. But Jesus was free of any sin. He was not punished for His own
sin, but God laid the sins of all those that were given Him, on Him.
15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took [it]
from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
When to son of David commits iniquity, he will be chastened, but God's
mercy shall not wholly depart away from him. He may loose the feeling
of God's mercy, but he will not totally be deprived of it. This in
contrast with Saul, who was put away. He lost his kingdom because of
his sins.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever
before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Here we read again unambiguously of the eternal kingdom of David's
son. That kingdom is not visible now, and therefore, to let it be
eternal, it must necessarily be a spiritual kingdom. The kingdom of
our Lord and Saviour, King Jesus, shall be established for ever. His
throne stands for ever and always. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre." (Psalms 45:6)
Unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a
sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." (Hebrews 1:8)
17 According to all these words, and according to all this
vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
God gave Nathan all these words to speak, and Nathan, being a true
prophet, added nothing from himself unto it, but he delivered the
message faithfully to the king David. So do all God's prophets. They
have nothing of themselves to say. They trust not in themselves, but
they speak only God's words. "For I have not shunned to declare unto
you all the counsel of God." (Acts 20:27)
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Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
Listowner of chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl
"A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"
Institute Practical Bible-education
Web: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html
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