An unintended consequence of showing mercy

[theophilus]

Our actions always have unintended consequences that we couldn’t possibly have foreseen. King David discovered that after he showed mercy to someone whom most people would have considered his enemy.

Because King Saul failed to obey God’s command God chose David to be his successor. When Saul learned of this he tried to kill David but Saul’s son Jonathan supported David because he recognized that he had been chosen by God. David promised Jonathan that when he became king he would repay him for the kindness he had shown.

Both Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle with the Philistines and as a result David became king of Israel. A king who started a new dynasty would often kill all the relatives of the previous king because they were potential threats to his rule. The Israelites probably thought that David would follow this practice but instead he looked for a way to keep his promise to Jonathan.

And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.”
2 Samuel 9:1-4 ESV

It is likely that Machir thought he was risking his life by providing a place of refuge for Mephibosheth. The fact that he was willing to do this shows a high degree of loyalty to Saul and he probably considered David a usurper who had no right to rule Israel.

When David learned where Mephibosheth was he had him brought to Jerusalem.

Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.”
2 Samuel 9:5-7 ESV

David kept his promise to Jonathan and his decision to do so had an effect of what would happen to him in the future.

David’s son Absalom rebelled and David was forced to flee from Jerusalem. At least one of Saul’s supporters was happy to see this happen.

When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”
2 Samuel 16:5-8 ESV

Since Machir had been loyal to Saul it would seem likely that he would feel the same way Shimei did, but that turned out not to be the case.

When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
2 Samuel 17:27-29 ESV

Machir had gone from being an enemy of David to someone who was willing to help him even when it was dangerous to do so. The obvious reason for this was David’s treatment of Mephibosheth. David’s loyalty to one friend resulted in his making a new friend who was able to help him in a time of need.

We can’t foresee every result that our actions will have but God can. If we are careful to obey him we can be sure the the final outcome of what we do will be good and may even help us in ways we could never have foreseen.

Originally Posted by theophilus

A king who started a new dynasty would often kill all the relatives of the previous king because they were potential threats to his rule.
We can’t foresee every result that our actions will have but God can. If we are careful to obey him we can be sure the the final outcome of what we do will be good and may even help us in ways we could never have foreseen.

And you're okay with obeying a god who allows his appointed kings to kill all the relatives of the previously god appointed king because they may be a threat?
Imagine the looks on the relative's faces after years of obedience to god when the new king comes to chop their heads off.
They know god's okay with ths but somewhere in the back of their mind, they're thinking, "Something ain't kosher here"

[ciel_perdu]

And you're okay with obeying a god who allows his appointed kings to kill all the relatives of the previously god appointed king because they may be a threat?

Speak for myself, and not the OP...yes. IF it really is God asking one to do something like this, then it doesn't matter one iota whether I thin it's OK or not.
After all, God is God.

We also have to have some humility in just accepting that God knows what is ultimately best, and that we don't have all the answers. I think we humans assume that we know what love and justice is, and we attribute our opinions of these things onto God (thus making God a God of our opinions), or alternatively, we condemn God for being a 'bad' God, because he does thing like the above poster mentioned. In either case, we assume more than we know, rather than letting God show us what real love and justice is, we opt for our own opinions.

I do think there is a gradual change in the way God has dealt with humans, from the OT where it was very much about how God is a God of justice, and that he calls the shots, he gives life, he takes life, etc. But as we move into the NT, and Jesus' message of love, we see the other side of God, a side that was there in the OT, but is now emphasized more.

I think we have free will, and God won't force his will onto us. I think sometimes God has to work with what he gets, and perhaps that also meant working with people that were very much violent, like for example in the OT.

James 1:17
New Living Translation (NLT)

17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.[a] He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.[b]

Footnotes:
a.James 1:17 Greek from above, from the Father of lights.
b.James 1:17 Some manuscripts read He never changes, as a shifting shadow does.

I do not think God changes, only human concepts of God. The negative concepts are those which tend to predominate at certain times and in certain cutures and do not neccessariy reflect what God is actually like.

I have experienced God who is infinitely loving and completely to be trusted. I am OK with who he has revealed himself to me to be. As for man's inhumanity to man, that is our choice, not, I think, God's.

I am convinced through spiritual revelation that all "sides" of God are Love and that he has made recionciliation of Man's double nature through the Holy Spirit.

Originally Posted by Mary Baker

I do not think God changes, only human concepts of God. The negative concepts are those which tend to predominate at certain times and in certain cutures and do not neccessariy reflect what God is actually like.

I have experienced God who is infinitely loving and completely to be trusted. I am OK with who he has revealed himself to me to be. As for man's inhumanity to man, that is our choice, not, I think, God's.

I am convinced through spiritual revelation that all "sides" of God are Love and that he has made recionciliation of Man's double nature through the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 3:3-6

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Originally Posted by ciel_perdu

Speak for myself, and not the OP...yes. IF it really is God asking one to do something like this, then it doesn't matter one iota whether I thin it's OK or not.

That's right, "if."
How many millions of people have been killed because the murderers claimed that god said it was ok.
God commands "Thou shall not kill"...but apparently it's ok when god commands to kill another.
Perhaps there are subclauses to all of god's commandments.
Don't commit adultery unless god says it ok
Don't lie unless god says it's ok
Don't desire the possessions of others unless god says it's ok

After all, God is God.

And murder is murder...unlesss god say it isn't.

We also have to have some humility in just accepting that God knows what is ultimately best, and that we don't have all the answers.

Don't speak for me, if you choose to not think for yourself and thus simply accept that killing another is the best for them,
then you are free to do so, but don't assume other's must be as irresponsible and mentally lazy as you.
Aka that's not humility, that's irresponsibility and mental laziness.
"i don't have to think for myself, god does that for me. I don't require the free will to think and choose formyself, i will simply allow god to make all my decisions for me."

I think we humans assume that we know what love and justice is,

I don't assume, i know via simple reasoning that killing another is not loving them.

and we attribute our opinions of these things onto God (thus making God a God of our opinions), or alternatively,

Well some religious people do, they go around killing others and claim god said it was ok to do it, 'even though god said, "do not kill".

we condemn God for being a 'bad' God, because he does thing like the above poster mentioned.

No no no, the individual who kills, claiming god said it was ok, it is they who are guilty of a crime against humanity, not god.

In either case, we assume more than we know, rather than letting God show us what real love and justice is, we opt for our own opinions.

I am of the opinion that those who relinquish their god given ability to think for themselves actually know less, not more.
And yes, i will choose my opinion that killing is not an expression of love over any god in a book you care to quote and interpret to your own liking..

I do think there is a gradual change in the way God has dealt with humans, from the OT where it was very much about how God is a God of justice, and that he calls the shots, he gives life, he takes life, etc.

Notice how twice you said "love and justice" in reference to god, but when describing the attributes of god in the OT, you only say "justice".
Perhaps because the god of the OT showed no or extrememly little love.
And if god was calling the shots, then i am to reason free will was not allowed/given in those days.
Plus it is written that god never changes, but here you are claiming god does.
Making God a God of your opinions much?

But as we move into the NT, and Jesus' message of love, we see the other side of God, a side that was there in the OT, but is now emphasized more.

Stating that only in the NT you see the other side of god ,love,
proves that love was never seen from god in the OT.
If memory serves me correct, god only showed up in the NT a couple of times compared to the mass murdering and controling of people's lives, the behind the scenes manipulations that he did in the OT.
Which goes a long way to showing why there were no mass murderings, etc in the NT.
God simply kept out of it.

I think we have free will, and God won't force his will onto us.

You just said god called the shots in the OT.

I think sometimes God has to work with what he gets,

Making God a God of your opinions much?

and perhaps that also meant working with people that were very much violent, like for example in the OT.

Oh how cute, when god gives the commanment to kill others, it's the people who are violent, not god.
And when the violent person is brought before trial they will say, "Oh it was god who said it was ok to kill"
No one taking responsibility for themselves.

[blackraven]

Deleted...

Listen to the Holy Spirit!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[psychoslice]

Listen to "Alternat Carpark".

~looks up @ psychoslice~
No Robert, listen to your own heart and mind.