Throwing Stones

2 Samuel 16:5-8

Verse 6 He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left.

Just when David thinks he has reached a moments peace after leaving Jerusalem, trouble starts again. The trouble was coming from the last place he expected. This was more like the past coming back to bother him. More than that it is a distorted view of the past that is being thrown at him. This distant relative of King Saul is still blaming David for killing Saul and his sons.

Let’s take a quick review of the time in question. David had been on the run from Saul for a few years and at that point had settled among the Philistines near Gath. David and his men had been willing to go with the men of Gath to fight the Israelites but the men of the Philistine army didn’t trust David and his men from turning on them. So they went back to Ziklak and found their wives, families and possessions taken captive. Having fought to get their wives and families back they were just settling back in with their families when news came about the deaths of Saul and his sons.

This had been some of God’s provision so David and his men wouldn’t be killing their fellow Israelites. Though he hadn’t taken part in the battle against the Israelites when Saul and his sons were killed, Shimei can’t help but believe they had been somehow involved. Shimei may also have been blaming David for Ishbosheth’s death even though David wasn’t the one to actually kill him. Or maybe he was even referring to Uriah or Abner.

Shimei was not only throwing stones at David but at his guards too. This was an act of mockery and slander. This also showed his anger about what had happened to his relatives had been allowed to fester into a deep-seated hate. He didn’t like the fact his relatives were no longer reigning over the nation and he wasn’t afraid to let it be known.

In his accusations of the king he goes as far as saying Absalom’s take-over may be a punishment to the king. It is so easy when we allow hate to grow in our hearts against someone who we see as having wronged us, to start seeing everything bad that happens to them as being a sign of God’s judgement on them. Too often we view the things in their lives as they are getting what they deserve. In this sense we are not much different than Shimei, but instead of stones we throw words.

Making It Personal

Do you have someone in your life who you think deserves the hard things which come into their lives? Is there anyone who you need to repent of thinking such thoughts about? Do you feel the bad things in your life are deserved?

Making It Personal Kids

Do you hope bad things will happen to those who are mean to you? Are you ever mean to others? Who do you need to say you’re sorry to because you have thought bad thoughts about other people?

Closing Prayer

Father, we are sorry for allowing anger to get such a hold in our hearts that we hope bad things for others. Give us a heart of forgiveness towards others so that we don’t think things we shouldn’t about them. In Jesus’ name, amen.