The sin of Deception

 2 Samuel 16:1 - 4

Absalom’s conspiracy looks as if it has worked, his father the King is on the run with his faithful servants and the mighty men and his family and a small army.  As they leave and a little beyond the summit the servant of Mephibosheth met them with the following.  We will continue the account in verses 1-4, “When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” And the king said, “And where is your master's son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

Ziba lies when ask this question; “And where is your master's son?”  But why did he lie?  

Before answering the question, it might be wise to look at chapter 9:9-10, “Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.”  If people would only read the Scriptures, they would not make statements like it has never been this dark before.  Long before President Bill Clinton and the media came up with a kind word for a ball face lie, you recall they called it spin, and the media called him the king of spin.  Yes, long before that you can go back to the Garden of Eden and find Adam lying to the All-Knowing God.

Lies work for a while, all sin is a pleasure for a while, but God has said, “Be sure your sins will find you out,” one wonders how long will Ziba’s sin profit him, and what will be his judgment?  Ziba, President Bill Clinton, and you and I will find our sins will find us out, and unless confessed with a broken and contrite heart we will face eternal judgment.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice