Board Thread:Bible Study Forum/@comment-5175866-20160429193720/@comment-5175866-20160520185815

Something I have noticed throughout both First and Second Samuel throughout my reading is two themes: God keeps promises, God punishes sin and avenges.

From the promises extend both mercy and punishment of sin. God continually keeps his promise of how David will have an established throne and be revered for the rest of history. This is probably the greatest example of mercy to David, because as we see later, David recieves a curse from God. After commiting adultery with Bathsheba, God gives him the curse through Nathan that says "the sword will forever be on your house".

This promise plays into how God punishes sin. By forever inflicting the sword on David's household he experiences a great deal of calamity and suffering: the rape of his daughter, Tamar ; the death of  his setep-son Amnon by revenge from Absalom, the isolation and death of Absalom. David would also never be able to build the Temple, because of all the violence and bloodsheed he partook in. Countless times God punished people who sinned against David, avenging. This also shows the incredible mercy that God showed to David, despite a curse that would rest him the rest of his life.

I hope others particapting in our monthly readings will be able to glean similair insight as I have from First and Second Samuel. This isn't very theologically complex, but it is simply examples of some basic principles of God. Remember why these historic accounts were written:to be examples so we would not repeat history. This is why study of history and biblical history is so important. Eclessiates 1:9 is also a good verse for to paraphrase it says "What's been done is what will be done, what has been is what it will be, there's nothing new". History repeats itself, so thats why reading historical accounts are so important.