A Time to Love – Part 1

All quotations are taken from the New King James Bible

The pages of scripture reveal God’s affinity for numbers. In fact, He even seems to have His favourites - specific numbers that keep popping up throughout the pages of the Bible. Theologians have long considered these numbers to be representative of broader spiritual implications. For instance, the number seven is often associated with completeness and perfection, as with the seven days of creation. It is also intriguing to see a corresponding balance between specific numbers in the Old and New Testaments. For instance, there are twelve sons of Israel and twelve disciples of the Lord; the children of Israel spent forty years in the wilderness, while the Lord spent forty days there; seventy elders were appointed by Moses, while Christ selected seventy disciples to spread the good news.

Such an amazing mathematical counterbalance is even present in the story of the Apostle Peter. On the night of Christ’s betrayal, Peter denied the Lord three times, then later in ‘a question-and-answer session’ with the Master, he willingly confessed his love for Christ the same three times, figuratively wiping the slate clean.

Many of the lists appearing in the Bible also present fascinating studies. Perhaps the most sobering of these is found in Proverbs chapter 6 verses 16 to 19, where seven specific items document things that God hates. When reading this passage, one might wonder if there is a corresponding passage that provides a counterbalance - a list of seven things that God loves.

In fact, such a list does exist and is found in the Lord’s most famous sermon - the Sermon on the Mount, Matt. 5. 3-11. There, in the Beatitudes, we find a list of specific things that God loves. It is interesting to note, as well, that although Christ described nine Beatitudes, the first seven speak to a person’s spiritual character, while the last two describe what such a person can expect for his troubles -persecution.

The chart, below, lists in order:

• seven things God hates, Prov. 6. 16-19.
• seven things He loves, Matt. 5. 3-11.

Comparing these two lists we find an ordered symmetry among the seven corresponding items. There is an ascent from the first to the seventh items in both lists, which begins with an attitude of heart and ends with a legacy that marks one’s life and a distinct contrast between each of the corresponding pairs (i.e., 1 with 1; 2 with 2, etc.).

These articles explore the contrast between these corresponding items, and then, to give it a human face, we will briefly reflect on the lives of two very different kings of Israel. The one, David, was Israel’s most remarkable monarch; while the other, Saul, was neither a man of God nor a leader of His people. The testaments of both men will be traced through the characteristics itemized in the two lists - David through those spiritual attributes that God loves, and Saul through what He hates.

One’s spiritual condition at ground zero - the poor in spirit/ the haughty spirit

The beginning or ‘ground zero’ of any spiritual journey involves a personal assessment of one’s standing with God. As such, this odyssey starts in one of two ways. Either:

• A realization that one has fallen short of meeting God’s standards, then reaching out to Him in humility for salvation. The poor in spirit. Or,
• Going it alone - determining that God’s standards of acceptance are not relevant and/or appropriate or deciding that one already measures up without any help from anybody. The haughty spirit.

It is for this reason that the Lord Jesus launches the Beatitudes by describing the very heart of one blessed by God - the person who is poor in spirit - one who realizes that salvation is only possible through Christ. In contrast with this attitude of heart is the individual characterized by their haughty eyes. This, of course, is a visible manifestation of the spiritual pride that comes so naturally to the human heart and represents a spirit of open rebellion against God. Rather than looking to God as the One who can satisfy the hunger of the soul, this person looks to themselves as being fully capable of meeting any such need.

King Saul was a man who seemed to get off to a good start as Israel’s first monarch. His humility was even recognized by the prophet Samuel who challenged Saul with these words, ‘When you were little in your own eyes’, 1 Sam. 15. 17. Once modest and self-effacing, power and prestige soon taught Saul that it seemed more personally fulfilling to do things his own way. What quickly followed was a dark obsession with holding on to his kingdom at all costs.

King David, on the other hand, was one who knew his limitations and his need to rely on the power and grace of God for success. David made an indelible first impression when he faced off with Goliath. In fact, the main reason he went into battle against the Philistine giant was because he was offended for the Lord, ‘But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied’, 1 Sam. 17. 45. His life of humility and dependence upon God is beautifully described in the Psalms, ‘My heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me’, Ps. 131. 1.

Responding to God’s expectations - those who mourn / those who lie

The second beatitude is, at a glance, perhaps the most perplexing. How does God expect a mourner to be blessed [happy]? But here the Lord is referring to those whose spiritual eyes have been opened to the fact that their sin and rebelliousness have grieved the very heart of their heavenly Father - the same God who sent His beloved Son to die for them.

Conversely, others would deny that their relationship with God lacks anything, if they even acknowledge His presence. God regards such a self-deceptive attitude as a blatant lie - a lie that lays bare a proud heart that is in open rebellion to God. ‘For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse’, Rom. 1. 20.

Achieving an acceptable standing with God can only be attained by His grace through Christ, ‘not of yourselves: it is the gift of God … lest anyone should boast’, Eph. 2. 8, 9.

David had one of the softest hearts in scripture. In his life and psalms, we find many examples of a man whose spirit sought earnestly to know God better and love Him more. We see in David one who was quick to mourn whenever he let the Lord down.

A striking contrast between the hearts of David and Saul is evident when comparing their responses to their greatest mistakes. When Samuel confronted Saul for not destroying the Amalekites as he was ordered to, Saul, with no hint of remorse, passed the buck, ‘I feared the people, and obeyed their voice’, 1 Sam. 15. 24. David, on the other hand, when confronted by the prophet, Nathan, after his sin with Bathsheba, accepted responsibility and was immediately remorseful, 2 Sam. 12. 13. David’s repentant heart was the sole way of restoring his relationship with a forgiving God.

What proceeds from the heart - meekness / shedders of innocent blood

Gentleness and self-control characterize those that are meek. Wiersbe described spiritual meekness as ‘power under control’.¹ We have many examples of this in scripture:

• Abraham, when he let Lot choose the best land.
• Joseph, when he refused to seek revenge on his brothers.
• Moses, who is described as the meekest man on the face of the earth, Num. 12. 3.
• The Lord, of course, is the ultimate example of one who was meek, even describing Himself as gentle and lowly in heart, Matt. 11. 29.

It might seem unusual that in comparing the two lists, meekness stands in contrast with those who shed innocent blood. But if a spirit of meekness gives one an opportunity to grow through trials, what of those who do not react to adversity in this manner? When a person deals with confrontation or having his dignity affronted, he will respond in one of two ways. He will either lash out, even to the point of shedding blood, or respond in a spirit of meekness, controlled power.

David was taught a lesson in meekness by Abigail, the wife of a scoundrel whom David set out to kill when his pride was offended. Abigail intercepted this mission of vengeance and made David realize the rashness of his plans. Later, David commended Abigail for her actions, realizing that he had failed to take into consideration the many innocent people who would have died as a result of his aggressive response to her husband’s behaviour: ‘blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand’, 1 Sam. 25. 33 KJV!

When Saul’s dignity was assaulted, however, he reacted completely without restraint. The most shocking example of this happened when he discovered that the priest, Ahimelech, had provided David with food and Goliath’s sword when David was fleeing from him. Enraged, Saul ordered Ahimelech’s murder as well as that of eighty-four other priests to avenge this perceived slight, 1 Sam. 22.

These two incidents provide a stark contrast between the two monarchs. Saul was filled with insecurities and pride, continually lashing out at those closest to him, while David was secure in the knowledge that he was walking with God and was dependent on Him not only for guidance and protection, but for justice as well. It was David, in fact, who first penned the words, ‘the meek shall inherit the earth’, Ps. 37. 11.