Weekly Message:
King Saul’s great failure and King David’s lesson (1Samuel15-31)
By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music
8/5-8/20/2021
Introduction
My friends, have you served the
Lord faithfully, yet, neither be noticed nor be honored? Like King David served
his master King Saul faithfully, instead of being accepted, he ran for his
life, for his master intended to kill him after he won the battle of
Philistines for Israel. In our life journey, so often, we will meet such person
like King Saul, no matter how hard we served, he’s never satisfied. But God’s
election and anointing one is sure and firm. The Lord delivered King David from
King Saul’s hands when he escaped and hid in a cave, the most darkest hour, no
way to turn, no place to go, no one can be there with him in the cave, yet, the
cave is the turning point. The Lord delivered King Saul into David’s hand. God
so often, used those who opposed us to shape and mold our characters into His
perfect will, and prepare us to be useful vessel for the kingdom of God. We
shall learn from King David’s heart, put God first, be faithful and patiently
handle each task. The Lord is strong tower against the foes. We may face the
darkest hour, it seems no one can help, no way to turn, no place to go. But if
we keep faith in the Lord, and be steadfast, in due time, God’s deliverance
will come and God’s purpose will be fulfilled.
Let us discover God’s deliverance, compare and contrast between King Saul’s
great failure and the victory of King David.
} Saul’s partial
obedience results in disqualify him as king’s position.
When
the Lord commanded him to attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything
that belongs to them. Don’t spare them; put to death men and women, children and
infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.(1Samuel15:3). Saul attacked the
Amalekites all the way and took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his
people he totally destroyed with the sword. However, Saul and the army spared
Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs everything
that was good. They were unwilling to
destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally
destroyed.(1Samuel15:7-9)
Samuel was the one the Lord sent to anoint Saul
as king over Israel, however because Saul disobeyed the commands of the Lord. Partial obedience results in disqualify him as
king. The word of Lord came to Samuel: “I
am grieved, that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and
has no carried out my instructions.”
Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. Then Samuel
told Saul,
“Although
you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you
king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission saying ‘Go and completely
destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have
wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey
the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the
Lord?” (15:17-19)
Saul debated
and said,
But I
did obey the Lord. I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely
destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took
sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in
order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” (15:20-21)
Samuel
replied,
Does the Lord delight in
burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to
heed is better than the fat of rams. For
rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of
idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Lord,
he has rejected you as king. (15:22-3)
The
Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of
our neighbors-to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not
lie or change his mind; for he is not a man that he should change his mind.”
(15:28-29)
Samuel pointed
out the important of the obedience to the voice of the Lord rather than
sacrifice. Samuel put Agag to death
before the Lord at Gilgal. Then Samuel left for Ramanh, but Saul went up to his
home in Gibeah of Saul. Until the day Samuel died, he didn’t go to see Saul
again, through Samuel mourned for him, and the Lord was grieved that he had
made Saul king over Israel.
} God’s election
and selection based on man’s heart not outward appearance.
The Lord comforted Samuel who
mourned for Saul and instructed him to fill his horn with oil and be on his
way, for the Lord sent him to Jesse of Bethlehim and had chosen one of his sons
to be king. Samuel was afraid of Saul and questioned about, “How can I go? When
Saul hears of it, he will kill me.”(16:2). The Lord was completely aware of
Saul’s natural reaction, but God intended to use Saul to mold and shape David’s
life between the sheep and throne and prepared David to be the king of Israel.
Saul was all part of His plan. Samuel didn’t know God’s plan, but he acted in
obedient and did what the Lord told him to go. When he arrived at Bethlehem,
the elders of the town trembled. Samuel said to them, “I have come to sacrifice
to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me,” then he
consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. (16:5).
} God’s election
was not according to Samuel’s perspective
Samuel saw Eliab, the first born of
Jesse, and thought “Surely, the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord. But
the Lord said to Samuel,
“Do not consider his appearance or his height for I have rejected
him.
The Lord does not look at the things man
looks at.
Man
looks at the outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart.”(16:7)
Then Jesse called
his second son, Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said,
“The Lord has not chosen this one either.”
Then, Jesse had his third son Shammah
pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the
Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but
Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not
chosen these”. Jesse had forgotten
the youngest son David who tended the sheep, it took Samuel to remind him, “Are these all the sons you have?” Then,
Jesse answered, “there is still the youngest,
but he is tending the sheep.”(16:11). Samuel said, “Send for him, we will not sit down until he arrives.” So he sent
and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome
features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him: he is the one.” (16:12).
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his
brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.
Samuel then went to Ramah. This private
anointing was the first of three anointing for David. His second came as king
of Judah (2 Sam.2:4) and his third as king over all Israel (2Sam.5:3).
} A shepherd boy
David’s music led him to serve the king Saul
Since the
Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord
tormented him. Saul’s attendants recommended him a son of Jesse of Bethlehem,
David who played the harp. “He is a brave man, and a warrior. He speaks well
and is a fine –looking man. And the Lord is with him.”(16:18). David came to
Saul and entered his service. And Saul liked him very much, for whenever the
evil spirit tormented Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then, relief
would come to Saul; he would feel better. And the evil spirit would leave him.(16:23).
The Spirit of Lord was with David and
David was a man after God’s own heart. The music he played eased Saul and it
refreshed and soothed his feeling from evil spirit that tormented him.
} David’s faith
and belief - The battle belong to God
God prepared for His servant is the eyes have
not seen and the ears have not heard. After40 days’ battle between Israelites
and Philistine, in the 41 days, God used David as king and warrior to fight
Philistine, even his father Jesse didn’t know David would be the one defeated
Philistine. Jesse worried about his three sons in the Valley of Elah, fighting
against the Philistines, so he sent David to see how his brothers are? David obeyed his father’s instruction and
went to see his brothers, while he was greeting his brothers, he heard the
Philistine defy the armies of the living God, so he asked Saul let him to fight
him. In human’s eyesight, there is no
way for David to gain the battle, for Philistine Goliath whose height was six
cubits, David just a little shepherd boy. Saul rejected once and said, “You are not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth while he has been a
warrior from his youth.”(1Sam.17:33).
David’s oldest brother Eliab also burned
with anger against David, “Why have you
come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I
know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have down in
order to see the battle.” (17:28). David gained no family supported and no
master agreed on him at this time. But David responded to Saul his master,
“Your
servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a
lamb from the flock…I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him.
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised
Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the
living God. The Lord who delivered me
from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from
the hand of this Philistine.” (17:34-37).
Saul allowed
him and said, “May the Lord be with you.” (17:37). The spirit of Lord with
David, he took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones
from the brook and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had. And his sling
was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. The Goliath said to him, “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?
And the Philistine cursed David by his gods…comes to me, and I will give your
flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” (17:43). But
David responded to Goliath,
“You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to
you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you
have taunted. This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will
strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies
of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild
beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God is Israel.
And that all this assembly may know
that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear, for the battle is the Lord’s
and He will give you into our hands.” (17:45-47)
Indeed, it is
not by sword or spear that the Lord saves. David took a stone; he slung it and
struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone, he slung it and struck the
Philistine of the forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. When the Philistines saw that their hero was
dead, they turned and ran. Then the men of Israel ad Judah surged forward with
a shout and pursued the Philistines. David took the Philistine’s head and
brought it to Jerusalem, and he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.
} Saul burned in
angry, envy, jealousy about David and
wanted to kill him
When David defeated the Philistines, and won the battle for Israel, all
the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing
and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. As they sang, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his
tens of thousands.” (18:7). this refrain galled him. “They have credited
David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “But me with only thousands. What
more can he get but the kingdom? And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye
on David. The next day an evil spirit
from God came forcefully upon Saul. While David was playing the harp, Saul has
a spear in his hand and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the
wall” But David escaped from his presence twice. (18:10-11).
} David
protected by Samuel, Jonathan, Ahimelech, Achish, and his family and four
hundred men followed him to the cave of Adullam.
David didn’t understand why Saul
wanted to kill him? Since he served Saul faithfully and kept loyalty to him. David
ran for his life and fled and escaped to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that
Saul had done to him and stayed in Naioth, Ramah. Saul heard that, and sent
massagers to take David three times, Samuel protected David and David fled from
Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father that
he is trying to take my life?” (20:1). Jonathan said to David, “whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”
And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.’
And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved
him as he loved himself. (20:16-17). David
fled and escaped to Nob and protected by Ahimelech. And fled to Gath protected
by Achish, then, he escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his
father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who
were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became
their leader, about four hundred men were with him. David went to Mizpah in
Moab and said to the king of Moab, “
would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what
God will do for me?” so he left them with the king of Moab. The prophet Gad
said to David, “Do not stay in the
stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the
forest of Hereth. (22:1-5)
} Saul’s madness
killed 85 priests and destroyed the town Nob because they helped David to
escape from Saul.
Saul heard that David and his men
had been discovered. Doeg the Edomite told Saul, “I saw the son of Jesse come
to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him; he
also gave him provisions and the sowrd of Goliath the Philistine.” Saul ordered Doeg the Edomite to kill
Ahimelech the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They
knew he was fleeing, yet, they didn’t tell Saul. So Doeg the Edomite did what
Saul ordered him to do. That day Doeg the Edomite killed eighty –five men who
wore the linen ephod. He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests,
with its men and women, its children and infants and its cattle, donkeys and
sheep. (22:17-19).
} The Lord’s deliverance
came to David at En Gedi, David spares Saul in the cave.
Day after day, Saul searched for David
but God did not give David into his hands. After Saul returned from pursuing
the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the Desert of En Gedi. So Saul took
three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and hi
men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheep pens along the way;
a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
The men said, “This is the day the Lord
spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you
to deal with as you wish.’ Then
David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David
was conscience –stricken for having cut off a corner of his rove. He said to
his men, “ The Lord forbid that I should
do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lift my hand against him;
for he is the anointed of the Lord.” With these words David rebuked his men
and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
(24:1-7) Then, David went out of the cave and called out to Saul “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind
him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. David
honored Saul as king of Israel, though Saul was his enemy. David described
himself as perfectly harmless to King Saul and he said,
“Why do you listen when men say,’ David is
bent on harming you?’ This day you have seen
with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some
urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord’s
anointed.’ See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut
off the corner of your robe but didn’t kill you. Now understand and
recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged
you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord Judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the
wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying
goes, ‘Form evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead
dog? A flea? May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider
my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me form your
hand.(24:8-15)
Saul wept
aloud and felt sorry for the way he treated David, but his remorse was
temporary. He said,
“Is that
your voice, David my son? You are more righteous than I, you have treated me
well, but I have treated you badly. You have just told me of the good you did
to me; the Lord delivered me into your
hands, but you didn’t kill me. When a man find his enemy, does he let him
get away unharmed? May the Lord reward
you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be
king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. Now
swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my
name from my father’s family. (24:21)
So David gave
his oath to Saul then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the
stronghold.
} The death of
Saul after he consulted the medium in Endor
King Saul’s fear and jealousy about
King David, resulted in killed 85 priests, and destroyed the town Nob. He
intended to kill King David, but the Lord didn’t deliver King David into his
hand. After Samuel was dead, King Saul was lost Samuel and all the spiritual
priests counsel. King Saul faced
Philistines army, with fear, he inquired of the Lord for counsel, but the Lord
didn’t answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. To the end, he asked for a
medium in Endor to bring up the spirit of Samuel who was dead for counsel.
(1Samuel28:5-8). Miraculously, God permitted the actual spirit of Samuel to
speak and announce Saul’s imminent death. Samuel said,
“Why do
you consult me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and become your
enemy? The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the
kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors –to David.
Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the
Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will hand over both
Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with
me. The Lord also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines.” (1Samuel28:19).
The Philistines
fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on
Mount Gilboa. The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons Jonathan,
Abinadab and Malkishua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the
archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. Saul said to his
armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised
fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer was
terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.” When
the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with
him. So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died
together that same day. (31:1-5).
} King Saul’s
great failure
1). Saul’s
partial obedience results in disqualify him as king’s position. Saul did not obey the Lord’s
instruction; he did pounce on the plunder and did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of
idolatry
2). The Lord
forsook King Saul and Spirit of God departed from him. It was awful to kill
eighty-five priests, prophets and destroyed the town Nob. Saul’s fear and
jealousy about King David, and pursued to kill him, but the Lord didn’t deliver
King David into his hand. After Samuel was dead, King Saul was lost Samuel and
all the spiritual priests counsel. King Saul faced Philistines army, with fear,
he inquired of the Lord for counsel, but the Lord didn’t answer him by dreams
or Urim or prophets. To the end, he asked for a medium in Endor to bring up the
spirit of Samuel who was dead for counsel. (1Samuel28:5-8). The Lord forsook
King Saul because he disobeyed His commands and killed all the prophets and
priests. To the end, Saul took his own sword and fell on it. (1Samuel31:4). In
another word, he committed suicide. Man’s flesh and implosive behavior is not
only can destroy his own life, but also destroy a nation.
3). King
Saul’s great failure as king was his disobedience, which eventually
disqualified him from holding the office. Had Saul been obedient to God,
perhaps his life would have ended in great glory rather than in dark, tragic
defeat. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John
14:15).
} Spirit of Lord
is with King David, He pursued and destroyed the Amalekites
King David defeated the Amalekites after he
consoled the priest Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech. David inquired of the Lord;
shall he pursue this raiding party? Will he overtake them? The Lord answered,
“Pursue them”. David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day,
and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels
and fled. David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his
two wives. He brought everything back. (30:7,17,18)
} King David’s
strength
King David is a man who has faith in God,
fears God, and trusts in God. As Samuel described about him, “He is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change
his mind; for he is not a man that he should change his mind.” (15:28). In
all the consequences and life straitening scenario, King David’s heart was
steadfast to trust in the name of Lord God Almighty. He gained a good
reputation “a man heart after God’s own heart”. He leaned on God rather than
men’s strength. The Spirit of Lord with him, the Lord vindicated him. The
priest, prophets protected him, families, friends and followers with him even
he was in the cave, in the darkest hour, no way to turn. He wrote psalms and the music became the song
of salvation, the song of deliverance and the song of strength. When he had
fled from Saul into the cave he wrote Psalm 57,
“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God Most High, to God, who
fulfills his purpose for me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those
who hotly pursue me; God sends his love and his faithfulness. I am in the midst of lions I lie among
ravenous beasts- men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are
sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. Let your glory be overall
the earth. They spread a net for my feet –I was bowed down in distress. They
dug a pit in my path-but they have fallen into it themselves. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is
steadfast; I will sing and make music, Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and
lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will
praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to
the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the
earth. (Psalm57:1-10)
When he ran for life and pretended to be
insane before Abimelech, who drove him away and he left. In Psalm 43 he wrote,
I will extol the Lord at all times; his
praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the
afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name
together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are
radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him’ he saved him out of all
his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he
delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who
takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack
nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack
no good thing. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are
attentive to their cry; the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to
cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their
troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are
crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord
delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will
be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be
condemned. The Lord redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes
refuge in him. (psalm34:1-22)
King David’s
psalms became a great legacy to all generations. It comforts and strengthens
each group who are in weary, or in distress, or in fear, or in debt, or in
loneliness, or in quit or in discontented. King David was not only King of
Israel in the past; he is also a spiritual leader and worship warrior in all
generation.
} Biblical principles
1) To obey is
better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For
rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of
idolatry
2) The Lord does
not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance; but
the Lord looks at the heart.
3)
The battle
belongs to the Lord.
4) Keep trusting
in the Lord no matter who mistreated you and in all consequences.
5) Fear the Lord,
for those who fear him lack nothing and those who seek the Lord lack no good
thing.
6) Evil will slay
the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
7) Forgive one another
so that you may be forgiven by heavenly father. Never take your own revenge,
but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I
will repay. Says the Lord.” (Rom.12:19).
8) Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
will be called sons of God.(Matt.5:9)
} Life application
of 1 Samuel 15-31
1).The battle
belongs to the Lord, trust in God, and do what He instructs us to do. God has
the plan in mind for us. He knew all things ahead of us. When we do not see the
way, in the darkest hour, and lack the security, trust in the Lord, even in the
cave, the darkest hour, God turn the cave into the deliverance. He will make all things beautiful in His
time.
2). Keep
making music with your heart to the Lord, praise Him and exalt God, each song
will be the song of salvation, song of deliverance and strength. A spiritual
warrior so often, is a worship warrior.
3). The Lord’s
election is based on man’s heart; don’t pay attention to outward appearance.
4). Once we
are faithful serve the Lord, the Lord will fight the battle for us.
5). God so
often, used those who opposed us to shape and mold our characters into His
perfect will, and prepare us to be useful vessel for the kingdom of God. We
shall learn from King David’s heart, put God first, be faithful and patiently
handle each task. The Lord is strong tower against the foes. We may face the
darkest hour, it seems no one can help, no way to turn, no place to go. But if
we keep faith in the Lord, and be steadfast, in due time, God’s deliverance
will come and God’s purpose will be fulfilled.
6). The
righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their
troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are
crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord
delivers him from them all.
7). Fear
the Lord, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and
hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
8). It’s
important to forgive those who mistreated us, and not to fight in the flesh. If
possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, but leave room
for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”
says the Lord…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
(Roman12:18-21)
9).When a
man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord; he makes even his enemies to be at peace
with him. (Proverbs 16:7).
10). Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called
sons of God.(Matt.5:9)
Bibliography,
Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and
Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd Chicago: The
University of Chicago press, 2000.
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