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2 Samuel 23:13-17 – Praying through the Bible #106 – A Prayer of Loyal Equality
“Grant stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was drunk, and now we stand by each other.” Grant is Ulysses S. Grant. And the speaker is William T. Sherman. This statement is believed to have been said when there was a political push to promote Sherman over Grant as Commander of the Union Army. While “war is hell” is Sherman’s most noted quote, this other statement shows an unavoidable positive of war. While Virgil said, “love begets love,” we can also add, “War begets loyalty.” It is inevitable.
In the final pages 2 Samuel, there is listed the exploits of David’s warriors, profiles in courage. “The Thirty” is the name of his special forces, his top solders, the best of the best (2 Samuel 23.13,23). In the middle of war, David says something ill-advised, an exasperation of the body, but not thought through by the mind. The Philistines have stationed a garrison in Bethlehem, David’s home town. In war, “home” is a very powerful metaphor. David is extremely thirsty and says, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem” (23.15). Water, that particular water, was a comfort of home in the middle of estrangement. In World War II, Coca Cola sent Coke to soldiers to remind them of home. David spoke. Someone loyal heard.
Forsaking self, three of The Thirty travel 12 miles from the cave of Adullam to the guarded well in Bethlehem: “So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David” (23.16). The water represented their loyalty, friendship, and devotion. While the three surprised David with their act, he surprises them with his. David refuses to drink it. He pours it out to Yahweh, and then prays, “LORD, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” (23.17). To David, the water represents the lives of his friends and something more. It represents that which belongs only to God – ultimate loyalty. While unbiblical to drink blood, offering blood in sacrifice was commanded. The ultimate sacrifice was when Jesus forsook his life for His friends; and when the solider pierced His side with a spear, out came blood and water (John 19.34). It was crazy for David’s friends to do this, so David would not drink it. And by not drinking the water, he stood by his friends as their loyal equal, all unequal to God.
Christians are at war, with and against Hell. We must stand beside each during dark times. Our loyalty is to one another, even willing to die for one another and “The Cause.” But our loyalty, love, lives, deaths, our service and our shed blood, is really love and loyalty to Another. Love begets loyalty. Let us stand together. And in doing so, we bow together in loyalty to God.
Prayer Challenge: Pray to be loyal to one another. Base this on our loyalty to God. Let us never expect from others what only rightfully belongs to God.
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