'And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.
He said: 'Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions. You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain on your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women. How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!' " 2 Samuel 1:17-27 ESV
I've been reading several different portions today and they all minister to me in some way but this one just struck me and reverberated.
One of the concept we spoke about last night at coffee was reproduction. Something that has life reproduces that life. God made living things to be reproductive. This is true of a Church, of a person and of a message. The Gospel of Grace is a reproductive message. It is good seed.
"The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:12 ESV
David's epitaph for Saul and Jonathan is a beautiful one. It is full of grace, honor and finished work perspective. He honors friend and enemy equally. It is God's anointing on Saul that mattered not Saul's actions toward David.
It is this little phrase that especially interests me in verse eighteen '... he said it should be taught to the people of Judah ...' because David's seed was making more seed. He had it in his mind to teach honor, grace and finished work perspective.
God's life is a life that multiplies.
Any number multiplied by zero returns a zero. This is called the 'zero element' or the 'zero property of multiplication'. If we magnify ourselves life what will we get?
David was not magnifying himself. He lived a life that magnified God. David's thought life was fertile soil for God's multiplication. God anointed David and David, unlike Saul, responded to grace and David had life that multiplied.
We are going to make decision after decision as we move through life. Those decisions can function as spiritual birth control. They may purposely hinder reproduction to preserve our self life.
We all want to grow but growth and fruitfulness are linked. Why would God continue to grow something that is not fruitful?
God help us. Show us the difference between what is reproductive and what is not. Help us to make decisions that give room for multiplication. Today will be an extremely productive day if we walk it with you.
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