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2 Samuel 10:1-5 – Evil Advice

We too are ambassadors of the king. Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 5: ‘Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us’. Paul is speaking there as an apostle. Today, a verse like that applies primarily to ministers. But there’s also a sense in which it applies to every believer. We’re all ambassadors for Christ. God the Father has given the Lord Jesus Christ authority over all the nations of the earth, and Jesus sends his people to the nations, commanding them to obey his rule. Jesus Christ rules the four corners of the world, and so he sends his people to the four corners of the world, to proclaim that rule. We go as his ambassadors. When we share the gospel, we’re not bringing our own message. People sometimes tell us ‘that’s just your opinion’. But it’s not just our opinion. It’s a message from the king. Since it’s not our message, we don’t have the right to change it, any more than David’s ambassadors had a right to change his message. But we must be prepared for the fact that not everyone will accept the message. Some people will react angrily, and sometimes they’ll take their anger out on us.

Hanun’s princes convince him that David’s motives in sending the ambassadors are false. They say to him: David doesn’t really want to show you comfort and honour your father. He’s actually just here because he wants to spy out the city and overthrow it. People will question our motives as well. They’ll say: you Christians are just trying to turn my spouse or my child against me; or: all your church is really interested in is people’s money; or: all you Christians want to do is control peoples lives. They’ll also question the motives of our king. Satan and his demons are just like these princes in v3. And you know, with most people in the world, Satan doesn’t have to convince them that God doesn’t exist, because that’s pretty hard to do. God tells us that deep down, everyone knows he exists. All Satan needs to do is convince them that God doesn’t care. Tragically, Hanun listens to those voices questioning the motives of God’s king, and so he rejects his love, and humiliates his messengers.

Question

  1. Why does Hanun reject David’s message?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that Satan’s scheming will be defeated.
  2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
  3. Pray for family matters.