Playing Stupid Games

The Kingdom of God, Israel, and the Promised Land

Let's get started with a word of prayer. Lord Jesus, again, as we open up Your Word, send Your Spirit, open our hearts and our minds so that we may rightly understand it. Mark it, inwardly digest so that we may know what it is that we are to believe, confess, and do.

We ask in Jesus' name, Amen. That's not part of my vocabulary, but if you would like me to add it in, we can talk with the church council. We'll vote on it. So we have been working our way through 1 Samuel, and the goal here is to help us understand properly what Scripture talks about when it discusses the doctrine of the Kingdom of God.

This is where it's going to be necessary for me to just kind of interject kind of three main pillars of what is it that constitutes a kingdom. This is going to seem kind of basic, but this is going to help us out here in our right understanding of it.

A kingdom, you must have a king. That's kind of how that works. Monarch is kind of important. You don't have a kingdom if you don't have a monarch. So you have to have a king. And a king is somebody who is a sovereign over a people.

So you need a sovereign, you need citizens. So you need a king and you need a people. But the other important piece of this is you also need land. You'll note that kingdoms are generally geo-located.

That's kind of basic idea here. So in this story that we're looking at, we're looking at the kingdom now of Israel. Last week we saw the anointing of Saul as the king of Israel. So you've got an anointed king, you have a people, and you have a land.

Now when we talk about the Kingdom of God today, we have an issue. We have a kingdom, we have a king, we have a people, we ain't got no land. There's no place you can point to on planet Earth and say, there it is, right there, that's the place, right there, Kingdom of God.

Okay, now this is a little bit different. Let's talk about this. So the church definitely, you can see the kingdom shows up every Sunday. Every Sunday the kingdom shows up, or at least a part of it. Well, this land belongs to the territory of the kingdom.

Does that make sense? When we come to church, we're now outside of the United States, this is an embassy. Technically, we're in sovereign territory of the King of Kings. But if you want to see the kingdom, the kingdom doesn't look like Kongsvinger.

Does that make sense? So in a very real way, this is where the Exodus typology really helps us. Because we, like the children of Israel, we have been set free from slavery to a terrible sovereign, the devil.

We have been baptized and we are not yet into the promised land, but we are journeying towards it. So we're in our wilderness wanderings. But we are those people whom God has chosen for Himself and Christ is our King.

So Christ is our King, we are His people, and we're still journeying towards our promised land. Which, by the way, is not a raise at work. The promised land is the new earth. So a lot of people, they shoot really low on this promised land thing.

They think the promised land refers to getting a raise at work, finding your purpose, or nonsense like this.

No, no, no.

The promised land is the new earth with Jerusalem as the capital. Christ as King sitting on the throne of David forever. World without end. That's kind of the idea. So we're journeying towards that, but we're not there yet.

So because of this, it confuses these concepts in our mind regarding the kingdom. But in these stories that we're now reading, last week Saul is anointed as king and God gave them a king that they were looking for.

He was tall, he was handsome, and loaded. By the world's standards, he fit all the criteria of what we're looking for in somebody who would be our leader. We want somebody who's easy on the eyes, padded in the wallet, head and shoulders above the rest so that everyone says, yep, that's our king.

Now is Jesus that kind of king, by the way? That's right. He had no beauty or form that we should desire Him. So Jesus is a humble king and He's not like this at all. But we're going to note here, we're going to keep moving forward.

Last week we left off with this concept then that Samuel gives very specific prophecies to Saul, Shaul in the Hebrew, gives it to Saul and these prophecies are very specific, very detailed, unlike today's so-called prophecies that we hear from people who call themselves prophets.

And when we ended off, I noted that it's going to say that these things came true. Well, now we're going to read here. So Saul has been anointed, he's been given signs to know that the Lord is with him, he's been given a command from God that once he sees these signs, he's to do whatever comes to his mind for his hands to do.

That's the idea. He's established as king. Now here's the funny thing. God has established him because he's anointed, but the people of Israel have not really yet ratified him as king. That's kind of the interesting thing.

So there's still kind of a ratification process that's not really a formal process, but you're going to see it play out in Scripture. So we're in 1 Samuel 10, starting at verse 9, after Samuel had given him all the signs,.

It says,.

When he had turned back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. All these signs came to pass that day. When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them.

And when all who knew him previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, What has come over the son of Kish? Is Shaul also among the prophets? And a man of the place answered, And who is their father?

Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place. And Saul's uncle said to him, and to his servant, Where did you go? And he said, To seek the donkeys.

And when we saw that they were not to be found, we went to Samuel. And Saul's uncle said, Please tell me what Samuel said to you. And Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.

But about the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him. It's kind of fascinating. So Saul is the anointed king of Israel. His uncle wants to know what happened. Where did you go?

And he says,.

Well, we were looking for the donkeys. He tells him all of the details except for one tiny little detail. Oh, and by the way, I was anointed king of Israel. It's a little weird, don't you think? A little bit weird.

He's not what?

You think that's it? God has made you king of Israel. Would it be bragging to say, The weirdest thing happened to me. The prophet Samuel anointed me king. That's not bragging. That's just kind of... How does this slip one's mind?

Maybe he's trying to figure out a polite way of letting the family understand this. I'm sure that would make Christmas dinners a little bit awkward. Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah.

His uncle's going to find out. And he's going to find out because there's now going to be a means by which everybody gets to know what's going on. And he said to the people of Israel, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought you up out of Israel, out of Egypt.

I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you. But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all of your calamities and your distresses.

And you have said to him, You have set a king over us. Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands. A little bit of a note here. You should hear echoes in Samuel's words.

You should hear echoes that go across the centuries all the way to Jesus' trial when He's on trial before the people of Israel by Pontius Pilate. Who shall I release to you?

Jesus?

The king of the Jews? Or Barabbas? Barabbas in Aramaic means son of the father. Kind of interesting. Give to us Barabbas. But what about your king? Crucify him.

You see,.

Notice there's this theme here of rejecting their king. Rejecting their king. Rejecting God as their king. And that rejection goes all the way to Jesus who is the heir of the throne of David. And when He's on trial and Pilate is saying, shall I release to you Jesus, the king of the Jews?

Or Barabbas? The weird thing is that Pilate kind of gets it right. Even in the inscription that's over Jesus'.

Cross.

Jesus, king of the Jews. And what are the Jews? They took issue with this. They took issue with this. It needs to say He claimed to be king. And what does Pilate say? No, I've written what I've written.

I've said what I've said. And when He wants to let him go, shall I crucify your king? They say, we have no king but Caesar. So you'll notice here that in these texts you begin to, kind of in type and shadow, begin to unpack this idea of man's refusal to receive God.

As king.

And here Samuel is telling these people God gave you what you want and is wicked of you. Absolutely wicked of you. That's kind of the theme. Similar thing. So Pilate gave the crowd what they wanted. They wanted Barabbas released and the king to be crucified.

God gave them what they wanted. So you'll notice here. Today you've rejected your God who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses and you have said to Him, set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, by your thousands.

Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by Lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clan and the clan of the Matrites was taken by Lot. Not mattresses, by the way.

And Saul the son of Kish was taken by Lot but when they sought him he could not be found. So they inquired again of Yahweh. Is there a man still to come? And Yahweh said, behold he's hidden himself among the baggage.

So then they ran and took him from there and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. Samuel said to the people, do you see him whom Yahweh has chosen?

There is none like him among all the people. And the people shouted, long live the king. No, Samuel is doing what God told him to do, the whole way. You know, he's speaking kindly at this point. There's none like him but that's by mere appearances.

So Samuel told the people the rights, the duties of the kingship and he wrote them in a book and laid it before Yahweh. Important to note here,.

This is.

A prophetic book that we do not have access to. It has not survived antiquity. But at the time of the kings of Israel, there was a book written by the prophet Samuel, where God revealed the duties and responsibilities and limits of the king's power and authority.

It's referenced here and we ain't got it. Isn't that interesting? In a similar way, not that pastors are kings, they're the exact opposite of them, God the Holy Spirit has revealed through the apostles the rights, duties, responsibilities of the pastors and who's qualified and who's not qualified.

You kind of get the idea. But pastors are the exact opposite of kings. Kings rule, pastors are slaves, they're servants. They lead from the bottom whereas kings lead from the top.

So.

He wrote them in a book, laid it before Yahweh, Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home. Saul also went to his home at Gibeah and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched, but and this is kind of a fascinating thing here, so this is not a unified Israel at this point, but some worthless fellows.

Here we go again with the worthless guys. Worthless fellows it's a fascinating term that shows up over and again in scripture. People who are fools people who are worthless because they do not fear God.

So some worthless fellows said, how can this man.

Save us?

So they despised him and brought him no present, but he held his peace. Now in the ancient world people like this usually lost their heads. Important to note that.

Saul’s Ratification as King and the Rejection of God’s Kingship

Samuel 11.

1, so Samuel 11 1 is now going to address if you would via a circumstance that will lead to even the worthless fellows of Israel recognizing that God has established Saul as king. So it's kind of like the final ratification, you know that you're fully in power when even the worthless in your kingdom recognize it.

So that would be like a lot of today's over the top liberals finally saying yeah, Trump's president. I'm just saying. Anyway so then Nahash, the Ammonite went up to besiege Jabesh Gilead and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, make a treaty with us and we will serve you so this Ammonite by the name of Nahash, he attacks a town, besieges it it's in Israel and the people there want to make a treaty with him so that they can live but Nahash, the Ammonite said to them on this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes and thus bring disgrace on all of Israel.

Lovely. This fellow is just a diplomat. You got to love the ancient world's version of trash talking. It's just so.

Fun.

Nahash really thinks that he's got the upper hand here. So the elders of Jabesh said to him alright, give us seven days respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. The fact that he let them do this is fascinating because that basically means he doesn't believe that any help is going to help them overcome.

So then if there's no one to save us we will give ourselves up to you. When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul they reported the matter in the ears of the people and all the people wept aloud. Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen and Saul said, what's wrong with the people that they are weeping?

So they told him the news from Jabesh. So clearly people weren't sitting there going, we got to go save them. They're weeping because they don't feel like they have any power to stop this. That's what's going on.

So the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words and his anger was greatly kindled. He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers saying, whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.

So he sends a bunch of steaks out throughout Israel. Everyone's looking at that going, oh, we've got to barbecue that. Anyway, so you're going to note here, this is going to be a little bit of piece of data.

We're going to add this piece of data into our, what kind of fellow is Saul like? Spreadsheet, if you would. Dwayne likes spreadsheets, so this is going to go into the column of not good. When a ruler or a leader has to rule and reign and motivate via threats of violence, that's not good.

That's not good. So this tells us something about the character of Saul.

That.

Somehow he believes the only thing that's going to motivate the people of Israel to come and participate in saving these people is if he threatens to kill their oxen and turn them into steaks if they don't participate.

Yeah, right.

This is the art of the deal. This is heavy handed. But the Lord's going to work with it is the best way I can put it. So then the dread of Yahweh fell on the people and they came out as one man when he mustered them at Bezek.

The people of Israel were 300 ,000 and the men of Judah 30 ,000. Isn't it interesting that the whole people of Israel 300 ,000, a little side note, those of Judah were 10.

Huh.

Jesus.

Comes from the tribe of Judah. It's fascinating that it always holds them out and notes that. They said to the messengers who had come, thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh, tomorrow by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation.

When the messengers.

Came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. There was much rejoicing in the land.

Yay. Therefore,.

The men of Jabesh said, tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you that you may do to us whatever seems good to you. And the next day Saul put the people in three companies and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning, watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day.

And those who survived were scattered so that no two of them were left together. Then the people said to Samuel, who is it that said, shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men so that we may put them to death.

These would be the worthless fellows. And watch what Saul does. An act of kindness. Saul said, no, not a man shall be put to death this day. For today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel. Remember.

This verse.

Because Saul, as he plummets further and further into sin, is going to contradict this way of thinking in regards to his own son. But that's a couple chapters down the road. But on this day he wants mercy for the worthless fellows rather than death.

And the reason is because the Lord has worked salvation in Israel. So then Samuel said to the people, come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom. So all the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal.

So you'll note kind of a two-step process here. God makes Saul king. He has him anointed. Has him revealed. But here it says they made Saul king. Isn't that interesting? Fascinating. And part of the reason why that's so fascinating is that they just didn't say to God, God, we accept who you chose.

No, they had to have their say. They had to ratify what God did. Which tells you who's really in charge here, right? They've rejected God as king. So thank you God for giving us Saul but we reserve the right to decide whether or not we're going to actually make this fellow king over us.

And so now it says they made Saul king. There they sacrificed peace offerings before Yahweh and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

Let me.

Make the mystery murkier. In a couple of chapters you've asked the question, why did God do this knowing what Saul was going to do? It's going to get a little bit murkier because in just a little bit God's going to say that he regretted that he made Saul king.

In the same way that God says he regretted that he made man on the earth in Genesis 6 right before the flood, he's going to say he regretted making Saul king. That is a weird concept. Now God knowing the end from the beginning is not going to be surprised by it.

It's not like God's sitting there going, I had no idea! But as it's playing out in time and space, the whole ordeal really grieves God to his soul. Sin is not something in the abstract to God.

Sin.

Tears him up. Every bit as much as it tears us up. So I don't have an answer to the why. I just thought I'd add some more fog. I know. See, here's the thing. The wonderful thing about being a pastor is I don't have all the answers.

If it's not in the book, I don't know why. I can't give you a why without speculating, and my speculations are worthless. It's clear what God is up to in this sense, that he's given them exactly what they wanted.

Over and again.

We see that that never works out well. When God gives you what you want, that's judgment, just like with the parables.

Jesus begins preaching.

In parables because people are rejecting him and rejecting his word. So he says, fine, I'm going to keep preaching to you, but you're not going to understand a word I say. Have it your way. You don't want to hear my word?

You don't have to. Fascinating.

Samuel’s Covenant Lawsuit and Israel’s History of Deliverance

Chapter 12.

Samuel said to all of Israel, Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. Now behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray. Behold, my sons are with you.

I have walked before you from my youth until this day. Here I am. Testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded?

Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you. They said, You've not defrauded us, or oppressed us, or taken anything from any man's hand.

And he said to them, Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day. Fascinating. And there the word Mashiach is present. His anointed, referring to the anointed king. But it makes me wonder if that's a double entendre there.

Just saying. Sometimes that's how that works. His anointed is witness this day that you have not found anything in my hand. And they said, He is witness. Samuel said to the people, The Lord is witness who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous deeds of Yahweh that he performed for you and for your fathers. Now, what's going to follow next is a pattern that you will see.

If you read your Bible from cover to cover, you're going to see a pattern like this happen multiple times. Not only in the Old Testament, but also in the New. And literally, it is a summary recounting of the works of God in the history of Israel.

Two times of note that this shows up in the New Testament are when Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is being martyred. He gives a summary of the works of God similar to this as his last discourse before he dies.

And the Apostle Paul, when he is on his missionary journeys, we know that when he would go into the synagogues, he would also give a summary similar to this. So you're going to see here that over and again, when you read your Bible, you're going to see these little summaries that take all of the things that God has done up to that point and kind of remind everybody of what he's done.

And that's kind of an important thing. Being familiar with the narratives in these ways are very important. When Jacob went into Egypt, the Egyptians oppressed them. When your fathers cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place, but they forgot Yahweh their God and he sold them in the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor.

Now he's recounting recent history from the book of Judges and into the hands of the Philistines and in the hands of the king of Moab and they fought against them and they cried out to Yahweh and said, we have sinned because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreth, but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies that we may serve you.

And Yahweh sent Jerob Baal and Barak and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side and you lived in safety. Some of these men are actually recounted in the great hall of faith passage in Hebrews 11.

Important to note that. So you're going to see a recurring theme and that's kind of the theme of the book of Judges. Israel sins, God sells them into slavery, God raises up a judge who then works salvation for us.

Wash, rinse, repeat. They sin, they go into slavery, God sends a judge. You kind of see the recurring pattern. You can't miss it. So he's reminding them of that pattern. So when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me no, but a king shall reign over us.

When Yahweh your God was your king and now behold the king whom you have chosen for whom you have asked, behold Yahweh has set a king over you. If you will fear Yahweh and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow Yahweh your God, it will be well.

So notice he's saying you guys sinned in doing this, but God who is merciful, even now it'll all work out well for you if you listen to his voice. But if you will not obey the voice of Yahweh but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then the hand of Yahweh will be against you and your king.

Now therefore stand still, see this great thing that Yahweh will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon Yahweh that he may send thunder and rain and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of Yahweh in asking for yourselves a king.

We've got to get that right. It's wicked and evil that you ask for a king. This is a vital part of kingdom theology. The people of Israel at Jesus' crucifixion rejected.

Their king.

So Samuel called upon the Lord, Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel. That must have been one doozer of a storm. And all the people said to Samuel, pray for your servants to Yahweh your God that we may not die for we have added to all of our sins this evil to ask for ourselves.

A king.

Huh. So is it a good thing or a bad thing when people set up human leaders over themselves rather than God? You see what I'm saying? Kingdom theology here. God is king. So Samuel said to the people, do not be afraid.

You've done all this evil yet. Do not turn aside from following Yahweh. Serve Yahweh with all your heart and do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver you for they are empty. Talking about idols.

For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great namesake because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself. So note here, even though they have rejected God as king, God has not rejected them as his people.

He still recognizes himself as king over them. And that's a mercy to them. Even in the midst of their sin and rebellion. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you.

Yeah, that's right. Have you ever thought to think that maybe it's a sin when you stop praying for people? Interesting. I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear Yahweh, serve him faithfully with all your heart for consider what great things he has done for you.

But if you still do wickedly you shall be swept away both you and your.

King.

So this is a key, key chapter in understanding kingdom. Christ is still king. Hmm. 13. Saul lived for one year and then he became king. And when he had reigned for two years over Israel, Saul chose 3 ,000 men of Israel.

2 ,000 were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel. And 1 ,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba and the Philistines heard of it and Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land saying, let the Hebrews hear.

And all Israel heard it say, said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines and the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

And the Philistines mustered.

To fight with Israel,.

30 ,000 chariots, 6 ,000 horsemen and troops like the sand of the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash to the east of Beth Avon. When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble for the people were hard pressed, the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul was still at Gilgal and all the people followed him trembling. So the hiding in the rocks and the holes and the cisterns, that sounds a lot like even the story of Gideon. This was the state of Israel regarding the Midianites at the time of Gideon and so this sounds like, well the story's turned dark.

Here they've got these 30 ,000 chariots, 6 ,000 horsemen and Philistine troops they've invaded and what are they going to do? So the start of this is not so good. So it says he waited 7 days, the time appointed by Samuel.

So Samuel told Saul don't do anything for 7 days. After 7 days I'm going to show up. We're going to offer a sacrifice, we're going to seek God's forgiveness, we're going to pray and then we're going to deal with the Philistines.

God will deal with them through us, right? That's what's supposed to happen. So he waited 7 days, the time appointed by Saul, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal and the people were scattering from him.

They're looking at their watches going.

He should have been here by now. We're all going to die, we're all going to die.

Where's Samuel? So they're freaking out and some of them are scattering. So Saul said bring the burnt offering here to me and the peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. Full stop for a second.

The book of Isaiah has these words. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and lifted up and the train of his robe filled the temple. You're familiar with this. King Uzziah, what do you know about him?

Scripture tells us that King Uzziah started well. That he was taught by one of the prophets and he followed the word of the Lord and obeyed him. But as God gave him success, he also became prideful. So prideful that King Uzziah took it upon himself to go into the temple in order to perform priestly duties.

Are the kings of Israel in the vocation of performing priestly duties?

No.

No, not at all. Priests do the priest things. Kings do the king things. And the priest opposed Uzziah for the thing that he was doing was wicked and evil. And God acted and while he was in the temple, he became leprous.

And they rushed him out of there and he spent the last days of his life as a leper. As a result of his sin. Does the scripture say Levites only perform priestly duties unless Levites are not available?

Nope. There's no fine print in this case. So the king has overstepped his bounds and is performing duties that are not given to him to do. How do you think he and God are going to be getting along here?

Not so good. So Saul said, bring the burnt offering here to me and peace offering. He offered the burnt offering and as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, no sooner is it done. Behold, Samuel came.

Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. Samuel said, what have you done? Let the buck start being passed.

And when.

What have you done? Saul said, when I saw that the people were scattering from me and that you did not come within the days appointed and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, now the Philistines will come down against me at Gegal and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.

So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering. Is that a confession of sins? That's blaming others. He blamed Samuel. He blamed the people and he made himself look like total innocent victim. I forced myself.

I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to do it, but it needed to be done. So I did the only thing that was reasonable.

I offered the sacrifice, taking no.

Blame.

That's Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Uh-huh.

Have you eaten of the tree of which I told you.

Not to eat? The woman.

That you gave me, God.

The snake.

The snake's left holding the bag, right? Passing the buck. When David was confronted with his sin by the prophet Nathan regarding Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah the Hittite, David also had his major fall, right?

When he was confronted with his sin, did David say, it's all her.

Fault. She.

Seduced me. She was bathing naked right where I could see her from my balcony, so clearly she had the hots for me. The reason why she got pregnant is because she's the one who had it in mind to seduce me.

Not at all. When David sinned, he said, I have sinned against the Lord. And he blames no one but himself. You'll note that Saul blames everyone but himself.

This is.

Self-justification. This is unbelief.

This is a refusal.

To say the truth about yourself which means he's not penitent.