II SAMUEL 4 Lesson # 4
THE ROLE OF AN AMATEUR PROVIDENCE
I. Introduction:
Q Have you ever been tempted to help out God?
An = Let them mole this over or discuss it and then focus it for them with a new term: “AMATEUR PROVIDENCE”. Explain that the term comes from Oswald Chambers.
“Are we playing the spiritual amateur providence in other lives? Are we so noisy in our instruction of others that God cannot get anywhere near them? We have to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us in regard to His Son….” My Utmost For His Highest, p. 214 (August 1).
Q So what is an “amateur providence”?
An = It is when someone thinks they are God’s tool and can be the person that provides all guidance, knowledge and help we need. They act like they are God’s pipeline when they really are not. They may believe they are insightful and have good motives. They may have some motives they are not aware of. In either case, it does not help the cause of God.
Q Has anyone ever played the role of amateur providence with you? Did you appreciate it?
Q Have you ever gotten into this role and has it backfired on you? Would you share an example?
Note: Such a thing is going on in II Samuel 4. See if you can spot it as we read.
II. The Murder of Ish-bosheth. II Samuel 4:1-7.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 4:1-4
Q What was the reaction to Abner’s death?
An = Ish-bosheth lost courage (literally in Hebrew, “his hands hung loose”, a very graphic description of despair) and all Israel was disturbed.
Q What is being described in 4:2-3?
An = Two men are being described. They are carefully described as Benjamites, that is of the same tribe as Saul and Ish-bosheth himself.
Q What is the purpose of 4:4?
An = Do not answer this just tell them we will look at this verse later.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 4:5-7.
Q What did these guys do?
An = They murdered, in cold blood, Ish-bosheth. Notice in 4:2 this two murderers were not only from Ish-bosheth’s own tribe but also captains in Ish-bosheth army. They were traitors as well as cowards.
Q Did they give Ish-bosheth the honor of defending himself?
An = No, in a cowardly way they killed him in his sleep.
Q Why did they dishonor the man by cutting off his head and taking it with them as they traveled all night (remember the two narratives of traveling all night long in chapter 2:29, 32?)
An = They hoped to get take with them proof that he was dead.
Show them the Arabah on a map: Jordan Rift: Galilee to the gulf of Aquaba.
Note: Many scholars think the best way to translate the first phrase of 4:6 is to follow the LXX, the Greek Old Testament translation, as follows: “And the portress of the house had been gathering wheat and had nodded and fallen asleep”. The Hebrew is unclear and which reading is best is not known, the import of the text though is not affected either way you translate it.
Note: Maybe now we can see the reason for 4:4. With Ish-bosheth’s death there is really not anyone to carry on the Saul dynasty. Mephibosheth is too young and a cripple besides. Look back to II Samuel 3:2-5. David already has numerous sons. His line has a visible future. However, this verse has another reason that we will look into at a later time as we progress through II Samuel.
III. The Interview of the Murderers With David: II Samuel 4:8-12.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 4:8.
Q How did Rechab and Baanah understand David’s view of Ish-bosheth?
An = 1) They presented Ish-bosheth as first of all a descendent of Saul: “the son of Saul” and “against Saul and his offspring”.
2) They present Ish-bosheth as having personal hostility against David: “your enemy”, “who tried to take your life”.
Q In the last phrase of their speech, how did they characterize their action against the defenseless Ish-bosheth?
An = The scholar Gordon, (p. 223) remarks that “their language has a familiar sanctimoniousness about it…” Everyone claims to be the hand of God.
Q What would we call these two murderers who claim to be the instruments of God?
An = We could call them “Amateur Providences”. They are crass examples of such a species and the Old Testament and Church History is full of such “crass” people. Oswald Chambers says that though we may not be guilty of murder we too can fall into this trap:
“One of our severest lessons comes from the stubborn refusal to see that we must not interfere in other people’s lives. It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God’s order for others. … If there is stagnation spiritually, never allow it to go on, but get into God’s presence and find out the reason for it. Possibly you will find it is because you have been interfering in the life of another; proposing things you had no right to propose, or advising when you had no right to advise.” My Utmost For His Highest, p. 320 (November 15).
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 4:9-12.
Q How did David react to their action?
An = Not too well. Imagine the surprise of Rechab and Baanah! They not only got no reward, but that were killed and then mutilated and hung in shame. Notice, David sees the Lord as His redeemer from distress not these “crass” amateur providences. In legal fashion David builds a case against them from their own presented evidence and condemns them.
This is the fate of all who act in the name of God and do wicked and cruel things but wrap it all up in pretentious religious language. Matthew Henry, in 1700, commented on the action of Rechab and Baanah quite well: “But what a confusion was this to the two murderers! What a horrid disappointment! And such those will meet with who think to serve the interests of the Son of David by any immoral practices, by war and persecution, fraud and rapine, who, under colour of religion, murder princes, break solemn contracts, lay countries waste, hate their brethren, and cast them out, and say, let the Lord be glorified, kill them, and think they do God good service.” New One Volume Edition, Commentary on the Whole Bible, p. 331.
Q Why did Rechab and Baanah misread David’s heart and attitude towards the decedents of Saul?
An = They did not understand what a godly man is supposed to be. They were not present when David did not take vengeance on Saul when he had the chance himself, in I Samuel 24 and 26. They did not understand a man who obeyed God and “loved his enemies”. Leviticus 19:17-18 and Matthew 6:12, 14-15.
Note: A lot of people use religion to cloak their own selfish and greedy motives. Only a few actually obey God in the tough ways of forgiving their enemies.
Note: The world will never understand you if you start truly getting close to God. The Amalekite in chapter 1 (a foreigner) and Rechab and Baanah in chapter 4 (members of the believing community) had no understanding of the power of God to break our hatred towards those who have harmed us. Non-believers and believers alike will be clueless until they have obeyed in their own lives.