Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 333

“Take ten pieces for yourself;
the LORD, the God of Israel, says:
‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp
and will give you ten of the tribes.
One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant,
and of Jerusalem,
the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’”
Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.

Members of Alcoholics Anonymous often remind one another, "Man proposes, but God disposes." 

We have our ideas, expectations, and preferences for the way things should go. We can plan, plot, and connive for those things to happen, but God has a hand in the game and the best conman at the table will have little chance against him. 

The Lord had spoken to David through the Prophet Nathan, assuring him that a "Son of David" would rule Israel forever: 

Your house and your kingdom are firm forever before me; your throne shall be firmly established forever. 2 Samuel 7:16

This promise, coming from such a wonderful God, must arouse many hopes in the mind of David, Solomon, and the people they rule. Everyone will have an opinion about what the words mean and how they will be fulfilled. Not many could imagine the Kingdom being torn apart by Solomon's and Rehoboam's corrupt incompetence, and Jeroboam's rebellion. They remembered Absalom's abortive rebellion against his father, King David, and his ignominious defeat.  They told themselves it can't happen again. They knew the situation was bad but didn't think it was that bad. 

Many supposed that God's promises guaranteed certain outcomes. Jerusalem would never fall; the Temple would never be destroyed; David's kingdom would remain whole and intact forever, despite its persistent corruption and flagrant violations of the Covenant. 

They miscalculated. God's promise to David is unconditional and that means it comes with a serious warning, 

If he does wrong, I will reprove him with a human rod and with human punishments. (2 Samuel 7:14)

Because God's covenant is forever, his promise must include punishment. Our holy God cannot abide sin, sacrilege, or blasphemy among his holy people. 

The Divine Author of Hebrews insisted upon God's persistent discipline which must lead us to holiness: 

My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord

or lose heart when reproved by him;

for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;

he scourges every son he acknowledges.”

Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline?

If you are without discipline, in which all have shared, you are not sons but bastards. (Hebrews 12:5-8) 

Punishment, like God's blessings, comes in many forms. We might even confuse the two; thinking a blessing is a punishment; or a punishment, a blessing. But in every case we must believe the Lord is with us; he knows where we are and what we're suffering; and his grace is sufficient on every occasion. With that confidence, we endure hardship with gratitude and favor with humility.