Teaching Conclusions From Stories

Synopsis     2Sam 14:13-20     12/27/2018 

King David talked with the woman from Tekoa. After a little while, he realized that Joab had sent her. And he recognized that her story was designed to teach him something. In fact, Joab intended to remind David of mercy. And by this, he made clear a just way of reconciliation between David and Absalom.  

David Drew A Conclusion 

Joab had a purpose. He sent the woman of Tekoa to help King David. He intended to help the king see his situation more objectively. So, the woman of Tekoa didn’t mention Absalom. Instead, she and Joab made a up a fictional case of a widow and two sons. And then she presented it to David as though she was a desperate widow.  

So, David listened to the woman’s story. He apprehended it clearly. But he didn’t invest himself emotionally in the situation. And because of this, he recognized that granting mercy to the widow was rationally appropriate. Of course, it was only after David had dispassionately come to this conclusion that he could begin to see that Absalom’s case also justified mercy.   

Teaching Conclusions From Stories 

Wisdom is about process. It’s about recognizing the causes of things. And it’s about identifying the circumstances when I can anticipate causes to produce predictable outcomes.  

What’s more, Wisdom Literature is born from the historical books of scripture.  It draws conclusions from the experiences of the people of God as they lived out their lives. As they gained experience with God and with one another, they began to recognize the patterns of behavior and character that produce predictable outcomes.  

And then they wrote these observations and conclusions down in seven books. These include Job, Proverbs, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Wisdom, Sirach, and the Song of Songs. And these have become the touchstones of the character and behavior that produces the good, and the right, and the beautiful.  

And God gave these to you, and to me, as free gifts. A heritage of faith granted by God and manifest in the lives of our father and mothers in faith.  

“All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Tim 3:16-17