INTRODUCTION

Without a just and righteous cause for anger, it does not have a godly basis. Although Jesus was giving this admonition directly to the Jews concerning their kingdom, the principle remains just as accurate and applicable today. Many of the modern versions remove the phrase “without a cause” claiming that the so-called best manuscripts fail to include it. In following this faulty “scholarship,” they corrupt the verse and create a contradiction between Matthew 5:22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
See All... and Ephesians 4:26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
See All.... Young David was no doubt angry as he heard the blasphemy from the lips of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:22-25 [22] And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. [23] And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. [24] And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. [25] And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
See All...). He was not going to let these words go without an appropriate response. When he asked about fighting the Philistine, others became angry and accused him of ungodly motives (1 Samuel 17:26-28 [26] And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? [27] And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. [28] And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
See All...), but he retorted, “Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): The people of Jabesh-gilead asked king Nahash of Ammon to make a treaty with them to avoid his attack. Nahash’s response was extremely cruel and aroused the anger of king Saul who took care of the situation. Read 1 Samuel 11:1-11 [1] Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. [2] And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. [3] And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee. [4] Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. [5] And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. [6] And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. [7] And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. [8] And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. [9] And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. [10] Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. [11] And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
  See All....
• (For everyone): What was the cause of David’s anger? Was it a righteous or an unrighteous cause? How does this justify David’s anger or condemn it?
• Do you become angry when there exists no righteous cause for anger? What does this suggest about the condition of your heart?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to show you whether or not you have a cause for anger.
• Ask the Lord to keep you from any unrighteous anger.

HYMN

O TO BE LIKE THEE!

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