How does 2 Samuel 21:6 demonstrate the importance of fulfilling oaths and covenants? Setting the Scene • Israel is suffering a three-year famine (2 Samuel 21:1). • David seeks the LORD and learns the famine is “because of Saul and his bloody house, for he put the Gibeonites to death.” • The problem: Saul violated an ancient oath Israel had sworn to spare the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:15). • The solution, according to the Gibeonites, is found in 2 Samuel 21:6. “let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.” Why This Drastic Remedy? • The original covenant with the Gibeonites was made “by oath” (Joshua 9:15). • Saul’s breach turned a national promise into national bloodguilt. • God, who never forgets a covenant, withheld rain until the oath was honored. • Reparation required costly restitution—seven descendants of Saul. Scriptural Principles on Oaths and Covenants • Numbers 30:2—“When a man makes a vow to the LORD…he must not break his word.” • Psalm 15:4—God honors the one “who keeps his oath even when it hurts.” • Ecclesiastes 5:4-5—Better not to vow than to vow and not fulfill it. • Matthew 5:33-37—Jesus reaffirms integrity of speech; let your “Yes” be yes. God’s Heart Revealed in 2 Samuel 21:6 • God ties national blessing to covenant faithfulness; famine lifts only after restitution (21:14). • The verse underscores justice: innocent Gibeonites receive satisfaction; guilty house of Saul bears the consequence. • The public execution “before the LORD” shows covenant violation is ultimately sin against God. Lessons for Today • God expects promises—whether marriage vows, contracts, or casual commitments—to be treated as sacred. • Neglecting our word can invite discipline; faithfulness invites blessing. • Restitution may be painful, yet obedience restores fellowship (1 John 1:9). • Our ultimate security rests on God’s unbreakable covenant in Christ (Hebrews 9:15); His fidelity calls us to mirror that same faithfulness. |
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