What can we learn from Barzillai about valuing eternal over earthly rewards? Setting the scene • David is returning to Jerusalem after Absalom’s rebellion. • Barzillai the Gileadite, an eighty-year-old wealthy landowner, had supplied David during exile (2 Samuel 17:27-29). • The king gratefully invites him to move to Jerusalem and enjoy royal provision. The king’s generous offer “Come across with me, and I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem.” (2 Samuel 19:33) Earthly perks included: • A permanent seat at the royal table • Comfort, honor, and security in the capital • Association with the most powerful man in Israel Barzillai’s surprising refusal “But Barzillai replied, ‘How many years of my life remain, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?’” (2 Samuel 19:34) He continues (vv. 35-37) to explain he is old, senses are fading, and he wants to die near the family tomb. Instead, he sends the younger Chimham to receive David’s kindness. What Barzillai valued 1. Contentment over comfort • He already possessed what he needed and did not crave more. 2. Legacy over luxury • He ensured the next generation (Chimham) benefited from the king’s favor. 3. Eternity over immediacy • Nearing death, he thought more about meeting the Lord than extending pleasure on earth. Scriptural echoes • Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” • Colossians 3:1-2 – “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” • Hebrews 11:24-26 – Moses “chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin.” • 2 Corinthians 4:18 – “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Lessons for our hearts • Earthly rewards can be honorable, yet they are temporary; eternal rewards are everlasting. • Age or circumstance never disqualify us from influencing the next generation toward godliness. • True greatness lies in serving quietly, not in chasing recognition. • A settled heart finds security in God, not in the world’s palaces. Living it out today • Practice generosity with no expectation of return, trusting God to reward (Luke 6:35). • Cultivate contentment—regularly thank the Lord for current provisions (1 Timothy 6:6-8). • Mentor someone younger in the faith, passing on spiritual riches (2 Timothy 2:2). • Evaluate opportunities: Will this draw my heart closer to Christ or tether it more tightly to earth? • Keep eternity in view—meditate on promises of the life to come (Philippians 3:20-21). Closing thoughts Barzillai’s brief appearance in Scripture shines a bright light on a heart detached from earthly glitter and firmly anchored in eternal hope. His choice invites us to weigh every reward—temporal or timeless—and, like him, to invest where returns never fade. |
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