The King's Atonement

This story in 2 Samuel 21 may sound strange to our ears. We wonder why it was necessary to kill Saul’s seven descendants for something done years earlier, related to a covenant that was 400 years old. Yet this account is preserved under God’s inspiration to teach us that, beyond the obvious, King David’s actions point to a greater reality—the reign and work of another King, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Big Idea: Sin, however old, has consequences. Only when justice is served and atonement made can it be forgiven—and God has done both for you in Christ.

1. A Supernatural Exposure: “There was a famine in the land…”  (1-2)
2. A Severe Justice: “How can I make atonement?” (3-9)
3. A Satisfying Closure: “After that God was moved.”   (10-14)
4. A Surpassing Message: “God has made a covenant with you—and atoned for your sin in Christ!”