2 Samuel 10.
IN the ninth chapter we found a man who received kindness, the kindness of God. The present chapter shows us one who refused it and the result of the refusal. The Epistle to the Romans, in chapter 2 verses 4-6, contains a question which perhaps applies to you who are reading this paper. It is this: “Despisest thou the riches of God’s goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Who will render to every man according to his deeds.”
In both chapters it is “kindness” that is shown, but the advice given Hanun, and on which he acted, was poor advice indeed. He should have made a friend of the great king of Israel, but he made him his enemy by insulting his messengers and sending them away. This is like what many are doing today to those who would tell them of the great salvation God has provided. Revelation 20:1212And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12) has no word of comfort for them; it speaks of those who appear before the great white throne as being “judged out of those things which are written in the books according to their works.” Now is the day of mercy; then is the day of judgment without mercy. When the door of mercy is shut, it will not be reopened to those who would say “Lord, Lord, open to us” (Matt. 25:11,1211Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (Matthew 25:11‑12)).
Hanun and his people got a great force to come to their help, twenty-thousand from Beth-rehob and Zoba; a thousand from Maacah, and twelve thousand from Ish-tob, but it was all useless and vain trust in a power that could not deliver from the one who had been rejected, and his kindness treated with contempt. They call for help from the more distant land beyond the Euphrates, but this army too was hopelessly defeated; and the survivors made peace with. Israel and served them. These however were not the Ammonites, of whom Hanun was the king; they made no peace, remaining as a nation the bitter enemies of God’s people to be judged later, as the prophetic books of the Bible tell us. Individuals among them turned to God and joined His people, however.
“See that ye refuse, not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who re fused him that spake on earth (God speaking through Moses), much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven.” Heb. 12:2525See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: (Hebrews 12:25).
ML 01/02/1927