Hung on a Tree

Hung on a Tree
Words of Faith 3-28-25
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2025
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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2 Samuel 21:1-10
[1] During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death." [2] The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to [spare] them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) [3] David asked the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? How shall I make amends so that you will bless the Lord's inheritance?" [4] The Gibeonites answered him, "We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death." "What do you want me to do for you?" David asked. [5] They answered the king, "As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, [6] let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and exposed before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul--the Lord's chosen one." So the king said, "I will give them to you." [7] The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. [8] But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah's daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. [9] He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed and exposed them on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning. [10] Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night.

The last four chapters of 2 Samuel form an Epilogue to David's rise to kingship. Here, we find a series of stories and battles from David's reign. The events described are not presented in chronological order, but they tell of David's exploits at various times during his reign. There are six sections. The first is a drought, and the last is a plague. The second and fifth speak about David's mighty heroes. The middle two sections are Psalms of David.
This first epilogue story appears at first glance to deal with a human sacrifice. A more careful reading reveals an ancient principle of covenant and justice—an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, life for life.
Israel was afflicted by a severe three-year drought. When David inquired of the Lord as to its cause, the Lord revealed that it came as punishment for Saul's violation of the covenant made with the Gibeonites back in Joshua's time. In an action not recorded in the biblical account, Saul had slain some Gibeonites during his tenure and broken that covenant.
When David learned that the famine had come on Israel as punishment for that covenant violation, he asked the Gibeonite leaders what he should do for them. They declined any silver or gold and did not want to take vengeance into their own hands. Instead, they asked that seven male descendants of Saul be given over to them so that they could practice the age-old tradition of eye for eye, tooth for tooth, and life for life.
David recognized that the demand was proper, but he also had to balance it against his pledge to Jonathan that he would forever preserve his seed. So David spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, but singled out others of Saul's offspring for execution.
Seven sons and grandsons of Saul were publicly executed by the Gibeonites at the beginning of the barley harvest, early in the spring. As their bodies hung suspended from their places of exposure, Rizpah, the mother of the first two, refused to take them down and bury them. In great grief, she lamented for them on a rocky ledge until the coming of the drought-breaking rains.
Rizpah likely viewed the Gibeonites' vengeance as being simultaneously the vengeance of God against the land for Saul's sake. The fact that the bodies remained where they were until it rained suggests that God's curse had been on the land and now rested on the executed sons of Saul, for "anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse."
We cannot help but see the foreshadowing of Jesus, the Son of David. The curse upon Israel was because of covenant breaking. The substitution that was made for the sins of Saul was that of his "sons," or male descendants. The curse was put upon these seven to create justice with the Gibeonites. Of course, that substitutionary atonement was inadequate.
Jesus came as a sinless sacrifice. He was not atoning for his own sin. He took the curse that had been upon all humanity since the Garden of Eden and carried it upon himself. He was hung on the tree, but only until sundown because His atonement was immediate and complete.
The completeness of Jesus' sinless life and sacrifice for our sin is a point of absolute awe. Have you lately pondered the simple truth that Jesus chose to die for your sins? Have you lately grasped the immense nature of His sacrifice?

Father God, I am in awe of Your plan for my redemption. I am amazed by the justice You perfectly conceive of and the provision that You completely give. May I walk in awe today because of what You have done. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2025
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2025 Jeffrey D. Hoy.