THE LIGHT THAT WILL NEVER BE EXTINGUISHED

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was armed with a new sword , said he would kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, saying, "Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished."

In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod.

In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot — twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David's brother, killed him.

These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

2 Samuel 21:15-22

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Sometimes things seem to come full circle in life.

Take our passage today for example. David gained his early reputation in Israel and high standing in Saul’s military by bravely defeating the Philistine giant warrior, Goliath. And in Chapter 21 of 2nd Samuel, we see him back at battle with the Philistines. Scripture tells us that in the course of that battle, David “became exhausted” and vulnerable.

We read where one particular Philistine and descendant of Rapha, Ishbi-Benob, said he would kill David with one of his weapons…either a “bronze spearhead” which “weighed three hundred shekels” or his “new sword”. This time around with the Philistines, David now looked as if he might be defeated.

Enter David’s servant and army leader, Abishai, who “came to David's rescue” and “struck the Philistine down”, killing him. There was little doubt in the mind of David’s men that he could have very easily died at the hand of his Philistine attacker had not Abishai saved him. And so they went to their king and said, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished." And so it was. David did not go back out to battle but his men did, fighting the Philistines on three other occasions, each time defeating another descendant of Rapha.

As I looked at this passage, I was taken as to how David’s men had gotten it all wrong. For they thought that David their king was the lamp of Israel…and in believing that they felt that the light of their nation would be extinguished leaving them in darkness and without hope. They failed to understand that David’s light only was shining because God had lit it. For David was only their king because God ordained it to be so.

How often do we make the same mistake as the Israelites? How often do we place our hope in all the wrong things…seeing the light of our life in things that are not everlasting and in doing so, sensing that our light has gone out when we lose that person or thing?

I think a great example of this problem is in our life relationships. For too often, we see a spouse, a parents, a child…any person very dear to us…as the light of our life. And when that person passes away, because we all know this life on earth is not going to last forever, we fall into darkness in our life because our light has been extinguished. Many never do make it out of that darkness and instead live on in despair and sorrow…all because they have failed to see the true source of light…the Light from the Father.

In the New Testament, we can see another example of where men failed to understand the true source of light in life. Consider this passage:

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

Matthew 16:21-23

Jesus knew His purpose and His destiny…that He would die as a sin sacrifice for all mankind and then be raised up to life to sit upon the right hand of His Father’s throne. But as He tried to explain this purpose to His followers, we see where at least one, Peter, was unable to accept it…feeling that it could never happen to His Lord. And so we witness Jesus harshly correcting Peter, connecting Peter’s attitude and words to the work of Satan…for Peter was not thinking in the way of God but the way of the world…just as David’s men had done.

Had Peter been thinking about the things of God, he would have realized that Jesus’ death would in no way cause the light to leave the world. Rather, it further allowed His light to shine on all men as He paved the way to the Father for Jews and Gentiles, becoming The Way and The Truth and The Life…the ONLY One through which anyone can come to the Father (John 14:6).

And as much as the elders, chief priests and the teachers of the law wanted to snuff out the life of Jesus, they failed to realize that He was the Light…the true Light that was the source of light for everyone who came and who still come into the world (John 1:9)...a Light that overcame and still overcomes the darkness.

Friends, this Lenten season and beyond, let us reflect and look to Jesus, the Light of the world…the Light that will never be extinguished…the One who will usher all those who truly believe and trust in Him as Savior to eternal light when this worldly life is through.

Thanks be to God for His Light that ever continues to light our way through His Son, Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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