ESOCS Devotional 7 September
TEXT: 2 Samuel 15: 1-16 KJV
MEMORY VERSE: “And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was afar off.” 2 Samuel 15: 17 KJV
The effect of sin can be far reaching. It may be committed today but the effect continues to linger. It shakes the family foundation as well as that of the individual who committed it. After David sinned with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan warned him that the sword would never depart from his house (2 Samuel 12: 10). Indeed, David suffered and endured domestic problems- deception, adultery, incest, even murder, rebellion. Rebellion came, but David never knew how to deal with it effectively; it was as though his anointing and authority had left him.
Absalom murdered Amnon to avenge the raping of his sister Tamar. His father David banished him (2 Samuel 13:37, 38). After he was permitted to return, he got angry with David’s General, Joab; so set his field on fire (2Samuel 14:30). Later, Absalom used his passion and sabotaged his father’s leadership. He played politics and convinced the people to bring their lawsuits to him. He lobbied for support of his leadership; he plotted to take over the throne from his father. Finally, he raised an army to rebel against their King, his father, David. He and his army drove David and his loyalists away. In the end, Absalom died; another big blow to David. He earlier lost his first son Amnon, and now Absalom. It is true that God forgave David, but He did not cancel the consequences of his sin.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
The effects of our sin have a way of affecting the family. What we do matters a lot to the next generation, because children have a tendency to imitate their parents. When parents do something that is wrong, their children are likely to justify the same action. In fact, they often justify attitudes and actions that are even more destructive, going beyond what their parents deemed permissible. We can learn more about this in the case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham went down to Egypt because of famine. He adopted a deceptive practice (Genesis 12: 11-13). Isaac followed his father’s example and lied about the identity of his wife, Rebekah, when they travelled to Gerar (Genesis 26:7, 9 and 10). Rebekah and her son Jacob schemed to deceive Isaac, so Esau lost the blessing (Genesis 27: 18-19). Decades later, Jacob’s sons deceived him about the welfare of his son Joseph (Genesis 37:31-33). Not until later did Jacob discover the truth of what happened to Joseph (Genesis 45: 26). Therefore, we see how the sin of deception was taken up by one generation after another, deepening and becoming more desperate through the years. Generational iniquities follow the laws of harvest: we reap what we sow, we reap where we sow, we reap more than we sow, and we reap in different season than we sow. Let us be wary of that small sin. That was David’s case.
CHALLENGES
- Are you overlooking any sin? Beware! No sin is small!
PRAYER POINT:
- Pray to God for the newness of spirit to enable you be united with Christ to serve God.
FURTHER READING:Galatians 6:7; Romans 13:14; Daniel 9:16
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ESOCS Devotional 7 September
