Those who Remain Complicit

Scripture: When David arrived home in Jerusalem, the king took the ten concubines he had left to watch the palace and placed them in seclusion, under guard. He provided for their needs but didn’t visit them. They were virtual prisoners until they died, widows as long as they lived. 2 Samuel 20:3

Observation: The issue of the 10 concubines is MUCH more complex than is understood by a simple reading, and required research. The Law lays out three possible courses of action related to these women:

1) Since they had sex outside of marriage, they should be put to death.

2) If they explicitly had cried out for help but no one came to their aid, they could be spared from death.

3) If spared, there was an option to divorce them. Since they had sex with David's son, David could never be with them again, and if divorced they could never be with another man.

Overall, David keeping them alive and caring for them was the most merciful action available under the Law. It acknowledged them as victims of Absalom, but also did not make them destitute as divorced women outside of any care by anyone.

However, there is a component of this that certainly seems to be part of David's long-term challenges. By opting for mercy, David is declaring that the women were raped in public, cried out for help, and ... absolutely no one in all of Jerusalem attempted to aid any of them. There seems to be a parallel here with the story of Judges and the Levite's concubine that is also raped and killed. Israel now has kings to enforce laws and uphold faith in the Lord, and still the people don't care. They support the evil acts of a usurper, refusing to stand against evil and sin perpetrated right in front of their eyes. Surely the citizens would say they are not the ones who committed such acts, but ... they remained complicit. Perhaps David's decision to confine the concubines and provide for them for the rest of their lives was actually a visual reminder - to the people or maybe just to himself - that Israel was still not aligned with God's laws.

Application: I have no idea if anything I just wrote is correct. However, if it is, it presents a major challenge. I have often thought about how to love those who sin. I seek to preach 'Christ crucified' and declare the love of Jesus, without engaging in legalistic debate. Yet ... if I fail to speak out, does that make me complicit in the violation of God's law? Is it enough to 'not support' such ideals and attitudes and actions, or must I 'actively resist'?

Prayer: Lord, I will say to you today what I suspect millions and millions of your believers have been saying for thousands of year. I do not know how to proceed, and I do not understand how to act within the context of our society. My only hope therefore is to turn to you for wisdom and direction, in every individual and unique circumstance and interaction. I know your perfect love and judgment will prevail. May I simply do and say whatever you would have me do and say, at all times. Amen.