2 Samuel 6:21-23 – Living Before God
How does David respond to Michal? Do you notice how his answer in v21 starts and ends? It starts and ends with the phrase ‘before the LORD’. In other words – I’m not doing it for you – I’m doing it for God. What matters to me isn’t your verdict, but God’s. What other people think of us isn’t completely unimportant. For example, Paul tells Timothy that an elder must be well thought of by outsiders. But while these things aren’t unimportant, what God thinks of us is far, far more important than what others think. As individuals – and as churches – we need to be asking not – what will people think of me? But – what has God commanded?
David had an awareness that he was living before the LORD. We are always living in the presence of God, but so often that fades into the background, and all we can see are the people around us, particularly those who are hostile. We need God in his grace to pull back the curtain and remind us that we are living first and foremost, not before the watching world, not before the court of public opinion, not before the verdict of other churches, but before the LORD. What Michal, what the world, what our unbelieving family members think of us, doesn’t matter.
David has confidence that as he lives before God, then he will be honoured by God’s people. It’s not that he’s trying to please people. But as God’s king serves him, conscious that he’s living in the presence of the LORD, he knows that God’s people will honour him. But Michal is dishonoured by God. The chapter ends with the solemn record of v23: ‘And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death’. There’s a contrast, not just with David, but with Obed-edom back up in v11. There we’re told that Obed-edom and his household were blessed because of the presence of the ark. But here, because Michal doesn’t value the presence of the ark, she’s cursed. She doesn’t honour God’s king. She doesn’t value God’s worship. And this is the result. Obed-edom and his household experienced blessing because of God’s ark and God’s presence. Michal experiences a curse because she doesn’t value God’s ark and his presence.
Question
- Whose opinion should matter most?
Prayer Points
- Pray for the preaching and hearing of God’s Word tomorrow.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.