A Picture of God’s Grace

December 18, 2023 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Book of 2 Samuel Chapter 9

David’s Compassion

What is compassion?

A suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration.

One of the great pictures of compassion in the New Testament is the work of the Lord Jesus with the wild man of Gadara.

Mar 5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Why did Jesus die for us all?

Mat 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Compassion is the key to being a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Compassion and kindness must be the traits of all God’s people!

What is one of the two greatest commandments from our Lord and Savior?

Joh_13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh_13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Joh_15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh_15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

The world we live in today has left out love and swapped it for hatred, especially in America!

The Lord provides our needs as He sees them and if we are to be like the Lord Jesus Christ, then we need to show compassion to those that we see who have a need, especially when we have no need of items that could help them.

One of the greatest lessons on compassion in the Old Testament can be seen in our lesson today.

*2Sa 9:1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

We should understand that King David did not know that there were children of Jonathan that remained. He therefore thought he could show his kindness to the next of his kindred.

We should understand that any kindred of King Saul would probably be hidden for fear that David would search them out to kill them.

This is what a new king would do in most cases during the Age of kings, but David was a man after God’s own heart and he would not have done this, especially for the promise he had made to Jonathan.

David was doing his best to fulfill the promise he had made to Jonathan.

1Sa 20:14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
1Sa 20:15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
1Sa 20:16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

Jonathan knew in his heart that David would be the next true king of Israel.

It was the custom of that day for the new king to murder all his predecessor’s family and Jonathan wanted David to promise that he would not do this.

This was done to stop any claim the throne by the family of the previous ruler.

We would think that things like this no longer happen in our modern world, but we need only look at what is happening to Donald Trump to know that these things still happen today!

The Democratic party has gone after all the family of Donald Trump in order to keep him from becoming president and are trying to ruin the reputation of Donald and all his family to keep them out of politics in the future.

This cannot be denied!

We can see that not much has changed in politics and world leaders throughout the Ages.

Ecc 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Ecc 1:10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

We see just about every day the results of new leaders disposing of the old leader in many cruel ways including assassination and use of prison and other ways.

King David did not do these things after becoming King of Israel.

David found one man Ziba who had been one of Saul’s servants.

*2Sa 9:2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
2Sa 9:3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
2Sa 9:4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
2Sa 9:5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

I am not going to try to describe this event as Preacher Sam does.

The story of Mephibosheth and King David is a splendid example of the Grace of God.

David treated Mephibosheth and his son Micha with the greatest kindness, which was Grace.

He remained in Jerusalem and ate at the King’s table.

Every child of God will one day go home and eat at the table of the Lord Jesus Christ because of Grace.

We know GRACE as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”.

Ziba had taken over the lands of Saul and was considered to be a rich man himself at this time.

There will be different versions of stories between Mephibosheth and Ziba as time passes.

Mephibosheth was five years old when the Philistines came to the home of King Saul to kill any remaining in the family of Saul, when one of the servants escaped with him and he fell, hitting his head, and that fall caused him to lose the control of his feet making him a cripple for life.

2Sa 4:4 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame and his name was Mephibosheth.

Ziba had been a servant in the house of Saul, but was now a free man and he was determined to remain a free man.

King David did not allow this to happen.

Later, what David asked him to do was to become a servant to Mephibosheth.

2Sa 16:1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba “the servant of Mephibosheth” met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

It was this same Ziba who brought nourishment to King David as he left Jerusalem to keep from killing Absolom.

During this time that David left his home because of Absolom, Mephibosheth backslide into his old ways and remained at the house of David.

Mephibosheth is also called Merib-Baal and he had a son.

1Ch 8:34 And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Meribbaal begat Micah.

These things came a little latter when turmoil entered into David’s life because of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah.

So, King David sent for Mephibosheth.

*2Sa 9:6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
2Sa 9:7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

This is a picture of the Grace that will be shown to every believer by our Heavenly Father for His Son Jesus’s sake.

When Mephibosheth came into the royal court he fell upon his face before King David thinking he was about to lose his life.

David gave Mephibosheth assurance that he had no evil intentions toward him, because David wanted to show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake.

This is exactly what Jehovah our Heavenly Father wants to do for us as He gives us assurance that He will show us a great kindness for Jesus’s sake.

David then issued a royal decree in the name of Mephibosheth.

David gave him back all of his father’s lands, the same land that Ziba had cared for and improved on all those years since the death of Saul.

David could have easily claimed all the possessions of King Saul for himself but he had not.

Saul’s private estate did pass into David’s possession when David came to the throne but David had ignored that piece of land.

This is the Lord speaking to David.

2Sa 12:8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

David had always shown respect for King Saul and all his family.

It was a great privilege to eat at the table of the king and Mephibosheth had this promise all his remaining days.

So, Mephibosheth bowed before King David.

*2Sa 9:8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

In the Israel of that day, a dead dog was considered to be the vilest and most contemptable object possible.

2Sa 3:8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?

2Sa 16:9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

1Sa 24:14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

We need to watch what we call people, as it could have a different meaning to them, than our intent.

When Mephibosheth said these things to express great gratitude saying that by rank King David was exalted much more than he was.

King David knew what Mephibosheth was saying.

We need to do the same without calling names, recognizing that the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted much above us at all times.

*2Sa 9:9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

Mephibosheth was actually Saul’s grandson, but words of relationships are used in a very different way in the Hebrew.

Ziba was already managing the lands of King Saul, but more for his own rather that for Mephibosheth.

The King now ordered him to manage those same things that belonged to Saul for Mephibosheth and though he was obedient in these things it did not sit well with him.

Ziba had been a slave in the house of King Saul, so he was still better off, but he certainly did not want to become a slave to Mephibosheth.

Under Jewish Law, Ziba was now a fee man and later King David made these things right.

Ziba was also ordered by King David to bring all his own family to serve as slaves and to till the land for Mephibosheth.

*2Sa 9:10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
2Sa 9:11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.

Ziba knew there was not much he could do about what was happening to him and his family.

It was a great honor that David was showing to Mephibosheth and a great picture of Grace for him, but not much honor given to the slave who had been freed at the death of King Saul and his family.

God included this story in the Bible also for us to study.

We might also note that Ziba had employed ten slaves himself.

Many of the slaves of that day were actually fellow Hebrews who had met with hard times and had to indenture themselves in order to pay off some debt but Jehovah had specific laws concerning these things.

There is much more to these stories we will see later.

At least Mephibosheth would not be around much because he was the guest of the King, but he had a son name Micha in one place and Micah in another place. They are one and the same person.

And this son had sons.

*2Sa 9:12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
2Sa 9:13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.

King David showed the “Grace” of God to Mephibosheth all the days of his life, but does appear that Mephibosheth did turn on King David at the time of Absolom’s rebellion.

We will substitute the name Micah for Micha in other places.

1Ch 8:34 And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Meribbaal begat Micah.
1Ch 8:35 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz.

We should be able to see that Ziba who had been a free man after the day of Saul’s death, had no real responsibility to be a slave to Mephibosheth nor his family.

The Scriptures have not told us whether Ziba was a Jew but it does appear that he was a true Israelite.

Lev 25:44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.
Lev 25:45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.
Lev 25:46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.

So far all I have able to search says Ziba was an Israelite and subject to the Laws of Moses.

Exo 21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

It appears that the true reading of the Scriptures that Ziba became a free man and any other slaves of King Saul.

It also appears that Ziba had stayed on to take care of Saul’s possessions after his death which in fact he felt obligated to do until the new king, David decided what he was going to do with that property.

To the above modes of of a slave to obtain liberty, the rabbinical priesthood added, as a fourth, the death of the master without leaving a son, there being no power of claiming the slave, on the part of any heir except a son, that slave would be free.

All the sons of King Saul were dead.

When a slave was set free the Master had an obligation to that slave.

Deu 15:13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
Deu 15:14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

We should understand that Zida would have nothing if he just ran off so, he stayed to protect these things.

We could call this God’s Grace toward Ziba.

Later, we will see King David separate half the lands of King Saul to Ziba, we can believe that David had become more familiar with the Laws of Moses and made this thing right with Ziba.

2Sa 19:29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
2Sa 19:30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.

All these details will come out because of the coup that Absolom, King David’s own son and some rebellious elders, and politicians, and even some in religion had caused.

King David had only left Jerusalem because he did not want to war with his son Absolom and because he knew he was being chastised of God for his own sins, but God did not want him to leave Jerusalem.

God was not through with David at this time and God would not allow Absolom to become king.

We also see that God does not allow His Grace to go unrewarded to all parties.

God is still no respecter of persons!

These things show us that we can really get down after we recognize that we have sinned against God even when he has forgiven us!

Amen

Unwise Choices

December 4, 2023 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Book of 1 Chronicles Chapters 13-16

David’s Unwise Choice

We should understand that we as Christians are still human and we are going to make mistakes and they will be sinful mistakes.

God gives us His Word to guide us in this life and to help keep our mistakes to a minimum.

God also gives us the means of forgiveness but chastisement for our mistakes is also just as sure.

David, as the King of Israel, was to rule according to the Word of God!

Just like every other ruler in this world!

We will never make the right decisions in life without seeking the presence of God!

This is the greatest necessity we have in order to have a happy and joyous and a safe life.

Without God’s presence we will never grow spiritually, without seeking the presence of God through prayer and obedience!

In order for Israel to be a strong nation, they needed to move the Ark of God to a place specifically made under Jehovah’s specifications.

David had already built a place named the Tabernacle of David to house the Ark when it would be returned.

What were Davids plans?

*1Ch 13:1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.
1Ch 13:2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
1Ch 13:3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: “for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul”.
1Ch 13:4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

We can immediately see why King Saul failed and Israel failed under his government!

Saul never prayed to Jehovah concerning his leadership of Israel!

Now we will also see some mistakes King David will make, after making a commitment to the Lord.

1) David made the decision to move the Ark to Jerusalem so he and the people could seek the presence of God.
2) David built his palace in Jerusalem to centralize the government of Israel in the same place where all of Israel could seek the presence of God and His guidance.
3) David made a commitment to seek God in prayer before taking Israel into any war.

You see, as a nation we must strive for economic security.
We must also strive for national security against any foreign military and terrorists who would attack us.
We must also strive for the personal security of our homes against any of those who would cause us harm, including our own government.

Our nation should be seeking the economic wealth of all its people along with these other things!

Not some socialist agenda!
Not some communist agenda!

These are things that are written in our own constitution and much of it is being ignored today!

We should consult God in every decision we make that concerns any of these things, and add to this, we must pray to God to maintain our relationship with Him.,

1Th_5:17 Pray without ceasing.

Just as soon as David was made King of all of Israel, he began to address these matters.

We need a new government today that will stand firm on the constitution.

The best government would first stand firm on the Word of God.

No one in Washington can call anyone a liar especially Donald Trump, because no one in Washington is concerned for the Constitution of the United States of America which they all took an oath to defend.

They should remove all who will not do this!

They are all liars!

Especially those who make up a certain political party and all those who call themselves progressive!

I said it once and I will say it again, there is no such person as a progressive Christian!

And today we can see that there is no such person as a Christian who follows the Democrat Agenda.

For Israel to have the Ark of God and the place of God in the same place as the government in Jerusalem, would be a natural thing.

Our own government seeks to be as far away from God as they possibly can!

Such foolish people but they recognize the gods of this world and seek to pacify them!

Only through Jesus Christ can we seek the presence of God!

King David had brought all the elders of Israel and the Priests of God to Jerusalem to discuss these things and these things were decided.

It had been sixty years since the Ark of God was last in His place.

David knew that God had selected Jerusalem to be the place of His presence and all the people agreed!

*1Ch 13:5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.
1Ch 13:6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.

In all the days of Saul, he had never tried to return the Ark of God.

David sent out a summons to all of Israel to join with him as he transported the Ark of God to Jerusalem.

This Baalah to Kirjathjearrim which is Judah, and much of that land that is in dispute today is claimed by the Palestinians which has never been true.

Remember, it is Judah which is Judea that Rome renamed to Palestinia just to get back at the Jews because of hatred.

Rome hated the Jews and Rome in the Bible shows the same hatred we see in the world today.

It was a good thing that David was seeking, but David did not consult with the Bible nor with the Priest nor the Levites on how to move the Ark of God.

He decided to move the Ark just as the Philistines had moved it.

Once all of Israel was united and David was anointed King of all of Israel, it seemed to David that it in the interest of all of Israel that the Ark of God be restored to a house of worship.

As we go over these Scriptures, we can see that the Ark of God can also be seen as a type of Jesus Christ.

Before the Ark came to the home of Obed-Edom, the Ark was located at the home of Abinadab that was in Gibeah.

Let us look at both of these things today.

We must clearly understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to seek to be in the presence of God!

Since I prayed for the Lord Jesus to come into my heart and save me, I also understand how important it is for me to be in the presence of God.

I need to feel Him and to know that He is listening to me, though I can do this at home or any other place, there is no greater feeling than being in the company of the many others who feel the same way at my church, my place of worship.

You see upon the Ark is the “Mercy Seat”.

The Ark was the place where Israel was to meet with the Lord God of Israel!

By the way He is also the Lord God of all creation, all the things we see and all the things we do not see!

There was no other furniture, lamps, altar, or anything else including the priesthood that meant more than the Ark which was the place Israel was to meet with God.

It is the “Mercy Seat” where we can meet with God today!

The “Mercy Seat” at the Church is the altar where I can reach out to my Savior!

This why it is so important to be in the house of God at the appointed times of worship!

When the Ark was taken because of the sins of Eli and his two sons, that punishment included the Ark of God being taken by the Philistines and the destruction of the Tabernacle located at Shiloh.

It seems at this time another Tabernacle had been built at Gibeah but was without the Holy of Holies.

This was an important event because it was at the Mercy Seat where God met with the High Priest of Israel to remove the sin of Israel.

As far as Israel was concerned, when the Ark was not in their possession, then God was not with Israel and they carried there sin year to year.

They could offer up their sacrifices at Gibeah but the High priest could not take the blood of that sacrifice and sprinkle upon the Mercy Seat because it was not there.

One of the first things David wanted to accomplish as King of Israel, was to bring the Ark back to Israel so all of Israel could meet with God.

We should remember that David was one of the few Jews that it is said he had the power of the Holy Spirit with him at all times.

1Sa_16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

“The Spirit of the Lord came mightily on David from that day forward.”

David could still meet with the Lord but the people had no place to do so.

We should understand that it was not going to take thirty thousand people to bring the Ark back to His place, but David assembled this large group to give honor to the Lord.

David did not do anything that might cause friction with the unified Israel so, David consulted with the leaders of Israel before he set out to bring the Ark back home.

But David did make a terrible mistake.

*1Ch 13:7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.

All the things of God must be important to all the Church, but God has an order that must be followed!

We must understand that God has certain ways for us do spiritual things, and they must be done according to His Word.

How was the Ark to be moved from place to place?

Num 3:29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
Num 3:30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
Num 3:31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

Num 7:9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.

Num 4:15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

It was a good thing that David wanted to the Ark back into the hands of the people but God insists we do all things according to His Word.

The Ark was a sign of the covenant God had made with His people.

The Ark was the place of the “Mercy Seat” where their sins could be forgiven.

The Ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the sons of Kohath, the priests assigned to all the furniture of the Tabernacle.

It was not to be carried in any wagon that it would appear as some unholy cargo.

It was good that David used a new cart that was not desecrated by common uses, but it was still against Levitical law.

This is the same way that the Philistines had tried to move the Ark and it had cost them dearly, with many deaths and much destruction in their cities and especially in their places of worship.

The Bible is our means of knowing what God expects of us!

Today we have the completed Bible and it is to be our guide in all things of this life.

Israel had the Laws of Moses and it was enough to give them directions in their lives and in their government of Israel and all things in their worship of Jehovah.

It is the same for our Bible today!

*1Ch 13:8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

This possession was guided by the two sons of Abinadab Uzzah and Ahio with Ahioh walking in the front and Uzzah walking on the side near the rear of the cart and they began to travel to Jerusalem.

It was a joyous occasion for all of Israel but especially for King David.

There was the singing of songs.

There was the playing of many musical instruments.

God says to make a joyful noise before the Lord!

All these things seemed to be such wonderful things but David was disobeying by failing to transport the Ark as commanded by the Lord.

Obedience is the key to our relationship with the Lord!

*1Ch 13:9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
1Ch 13:10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

We know that David was transporting the Ark but not according to the Levitical laws.

We do not really know why David chose to move the Ark the same way the Philistines chose, but it seems that it was the plan of David.

It could have been done to please the people but it was still against the Word of God.

It seemed to be so small a matter, but it was a grave error on the part of King David and it turned into a serious offence.

Many thought, “why would God do such a thing”?

We must clearly understand we cannot worship the Lord according to the way we think, but we must worship the Lord according to His clear instructions in the Word He has given to us.

God gives clear instructions about how to worship Him and it must be done in spirit and truth!

We can never just throw the Word of God away and come together to worship according to our own ways, yet this is exactly what is going on in what is called the progressive movement we see today.

Most threshing floors were a place with a rock floor so the harvest could be gathered and it is very possible that the oxen hooves did slip and cause a jolt to the cart.

The Ark was never to be touched by the hands there were rings and poles to be used to carry the Ark.

Exo 25:13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exo_25:14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
Exo_25:15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.
Exo_37:5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.

Any way of bearing the Ark other than this manner was rejecting the Word of God and we must remember the Ark was in typology a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The holiness of God must be respected!

The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah and God killed him immediately.

Any act of irreverence towards the Ark was punished by death.

What would the world think if God did this today for irreverence?

We should remember and David and Uzzah should have remembered what happened at Beth-shemesh.

1Sa 6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
1Sa 6:20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

Things that are serious to God will bring a terrible anger and a severe punishment.

The two things most important to God today are Israel and the Church!

God was disappointed in David and David was disappointed in God.

Have you ever tried with all you might to do something good for God and then find out that He was not pleased at all with you.

This is the way King David felt.

We must remember we have to do all these things in accordance with the Word of God!

David had to find out just what was the right way to retrieve the Ark of God without any more tragedies because of disobedience!

*1Ch 15:11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,
1Ch 15:12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
1Ch 15:13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

God has a due order by which we must abide!

It seems that David is laying part of the blame for the tragedy of Uzzah upon these two who are sharing the High Priesthood and we know that they disagree with many things concerning David.

David told them that they sanctify themselves in a recommitment to the Lord.

We must be committed to the Lord to have a personal relationship with Him!

They were to set themselves apart for Jehovah by living holy and pure lives.

Much of the Church has forgotten about sanctification.

Sanctification was essential in approaching the Ark because the Ark is the symbol of God’s Holy Presence.

This is why the Ark is a type of Christ.

We must be sanctified if we are to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

The sanctification of these two Priests included a ritual washing with water.

This was a ceremonial cleansing declaring that they had been cleansed from sin.

In the Church we know that we can only be forgiven when we are washed in the blood of Jesus and washed by the Word of God!

1Jn_1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Heb_10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

We cannot approach God until we have been Born Again!

We cannot approach God until we too have made our own Spiritual preparations!

*1Ch 15:14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.
1Ch 15:15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.

We will never have a good relationship with the Lord, until we have dedicated our lives to Him.

We must walk away from our old lives and walk in the newness of life through the Lord Jesus Christ!

We can only do this when are obedient to all the Word of God.

We cannot pick and choose the parts we will obey and the parts we will not obey as is what is going on in many churches today.

We know that poles had to be inserted into the rings of the Ark and the Priest bear the Ark upon their shoulders.

We must clearly understand that violating the Holiness of God will lead to eternal death.

Safety has never been in the Ark of the Lord!

Safety comes from the Lord of the Ark!

Our own safety does not come from the Church!

Our safety comes from the Lord of the Church, the Head of the Body of Christ!

We should remember the Lord Jesus said His burden is light.

Jer 7:3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
Jer 7:4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.

In the New Testament we find these words.

Mat 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Mat 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Israel was mistaken when Eli allowed his two wicked sons to take the Ark into battle.

Seven months later when the Philistines returned the Ark to Israel and the men of Bethshemesh looked into the Ark over Fifty thousand men lost their lives.

When the “Mercy Seat” is removed from the Ark, only death by the broken Law remains.

Then we see the useless death of Uzzah because the order of God was not followed.

We must see that the Holiness of God must be observed and this is not happening today in many places of worship.

*1Ch 15:26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

We see that God wanted the Ark to be back with the Israelites and in His place in the Holy of Holies so He helped these Levites.

We do need the help of Heaven in our worship services.

In fact if the Holy Spirit does not show up there will not be a true worship service.

If our Preachers do not preach the message that God gives them, we will never understand how to live day by day in this wicked world.

Act_9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Notice the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit both are necessary in our worship services for the Church to be edified!

When do things right, then there will also be joy when the Lord joins with us in the House of God, and souls will be saved!

*1Ch 15:27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.
1Ch 15:28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

When we are in the presence of God, we must worship Him. This is what we live for.

The Lord is to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth!

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

So many have forgotten these things today!

We must come to the Lord in Spirit: focusing our hearts and our minds upon Him giving Him our full attention, praising Him, and thanking Him for all that He is and all that He has already done for us and the things He has promised to do for us as we grow in Christ and wait for His return.

We must also worship Him in truth!

This is to worship Him exactly like He says to worship Him!

We can only approach God through and by the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this we must be sincere, God will not be mocked!

1Ch 16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
1Ch 16:30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
1Ch 16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.
1Ch 16:32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
1Ch 16:33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.

It is a fact that this lost world will not like our rejoicing over the truth of God!

*1Ch 15:29 And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

One of David’s wives, actually his first wife who was King Saul’s daughter reacted against David because of the way he worshipped the Lord.

She was an unbeliever and also an idolater and while she watched these things from a window, she had seen David full of the Spirit of God and just having himself a time and she did not think a King should be doing such things.

We can see Michal as a type of the many who despise devotion to the Almighty God.

Michal saw Jehovah only as one of the gods among many gods.

David showed enthusiasm in His worship and which is something that is lacking in many a Church today.

2Sa 6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
2Sa 6:21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
2Sa 6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
2Sa 6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

David lost any affection he might have had for Michal that day.

We know that in the family, if a wife or husband is saved and the other is still lost it can cause friction in the home.

How does God see these things?

1Co 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Though David had many wives Michal remained under his support but there was no further relationship with the king in all of her days.

God expects us to do the best we can in our relationships with each other, but it may not ever lead to salvation for the unbelieving spouse.

*1Ch 16:37 So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required:
1Ch 16:38 And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:
1Ch 16:39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon,
1Ch 16:40 To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;

Though many may disagree, this is where we see spiritual worship begin to take the place of ceremonial worship.

We are to worship God in Spirit and in Truth because this is the way God likes it.

Joh_4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh_4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Nothing is gained from ceremonial worship, which is ritual worship!

It appears that David had only built the Holy place and the Holy of Holies and had not built the Tabernacle that was still located in Gibeah.

David appointed Asaph and his brethren to minister before the Lord at all times somewhat like what takes place in Heaven continuously.

Rev_4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

It was Asaph and the singers with musical instruments who were to do this in Jerusalem.

It was Zadok the High Priest who was chosen to lead the worship in Gibeon and who had remained faithful to David and we know that all the house of Eli were pronouced unworthy of which Abiathar was of that family.

Abiathar did remain as High Priest until King Solomon removed him.

It would be Zadok who would lead the worship at Gibeon, the place where the Tabernacle had been reestablished.

Not too far in the future did Abiathar choose David’s son Absalom over David.

What does the Lord say?

Act_15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Act 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

What these things mean is, that when the Lord Jesus returns to set set up His Millennial Kingdom to rule for one thousand years, then at this time all the remaining Israelites will worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth and not in some ceremonial fashion as was done at that Old Tabernacle.

It will be a new day for all of Israel.

There will be no ceremonial or ritual worship during those one thousand years!

Amen

King David’s Patience

November 27, 2023 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

David’s Patience

2 Samuel Chapter 5

If we remember, we first met David when we studied the First Book of Samuel.

We should all remember when David defeated that Philistine named Goliath who was a giant of a man but he was weak man because he defied Jehovah and the people of God.

If we know one thing for sure, it is the fact that after we met the Lord Jesus Christ and began a personal relationship with Him, our lives began to have real meaning.

We know that one of the traits of David was his patience, waiting on God and we need to have that same patience.

As we studied in the Book of Mark, the Bible is a book about our Savior, but is also the Book of Promises and God will always keep His promises.

Knowing this, then we need to have patience when waiting on the truth of God to manifest itself in our lives.

Godly patience can be described as, that calm and unruffled temper with which a godly man bears the evils in this life.

God is also the God of patience and the Word of God contains the promises of God that will comfort us in those days when our patience is lacking.

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

To the world David was nothing but a lowly shepherd up until the time when he killed Goliath.

He was only about seventeen, too young to be in the army of Israel when this took place and David accomplished this thing because of his faith in Jehovah God.

David was no match for Goliath in his own power.

We do not have the power to stand against the giants that come before us today unless we have the power of God living within us!

At the end of the Book of First Samuel, King Saul and three of his sons had died at the hand of the Philistines and David was made King of Judah and Abner the general to King Saul had convinced the remainder of Israel to choose Ishbosheth the only remaining son of Saul to be King.

We know that this went against the Word of God because Jehovah had chosen David to be King of all of Israel.

The name Ishbosheth has the meaning of “a man of shame” and he was the youngest of King Saul’s sons.

Ishbosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, but it was Abner who handled all the affairs of the state and all negotiations with King David of Judah.

Abner was brother to the father of King Saul, who was Kish.

They went to war on several occasions as Abner sought revenge upon David, when it was the Philistines who had taken the life of Saul and his family.

We know that David had no part in that war but had gone back home, which was another one of our lessons.

He considered David a traitor to King Saul.

When Abner died, Ishbosheth had no support for his Kingship and because he was such a feeble man, some of the men of Israel murdered him in his sleep.

Abner’s death came when he tried to turn on Ishbosheth and tried to be friends with King David but he was killed by Joab and Abishai in revenge for Abner killing Asahel who was King David’s nephew the son of David’s sister Zeruiah.

Our lesson begins today as King David of Judah becomes King of all the tribes Israel.

We should understand that David has been the most famous of the kings of Israel throughout their history.

Israel still flies the flag that is called the “Star of David”.

A new weapon they have used in the war with Hamas is called the “sling of David”.

Israel is still waiting on the King in the line of David to sit upon the throne of Israel just as Christians are also waiting on the return of the Messiah who will return as King of kings and Lord of lords after He has removed the Church.

*2Sa 5:1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
2Sa 5:2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
2Sa 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.
2Sa 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
2Sa 5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

After seven and a half years of war and skirmishes King David was finally able to unify the nation of Israel.

It had been twenty years since a teenager named David, whose father was Jesse, had been anointed by Samuel, to be God’s choice as King of all Israel.

This is a lesson on patience because David had to wait on Jehovah to do these things that he could not do himself.

This is a great lesson for us all!

David had faith.
David certainly had courage as we saw as he faced Goliath.
David was a warrior, which showed his ability to lead.
David was God’s chosen man to lead Israel.

But David was not a complete man of God without patience!

We should not look past the fact that before these things David was a shepherd, which showed that he was a responsible man.

1) These tribes of Israel found out that their strength as a nation came from their unity.

This is the truth of our own nation but we have allowed foolish sin and corruption and immorality, to divide our nation and the world now sees us as a weak nation.

Just like David and just like Israel, our true strength comes from God and we had better get back to obedience and patience.

We see it was these tribes of Israel that approached King David stating that they were all one family, the descendants of Abraham and Sarah.

2) They knew that King David was a proven military leader. He had been the leading military strategist in King Saul’s army. He had led his own small army to victory on every occasion because he had the help of God.

3) They acknowledged that David was God’s choice to be ruler and judge of all of Israel.

They looked more on his military experience, but God looked more upon him as a shepherd to lead His people who acted more like sheep, just as we do here in America today.

Even much of the Church would rather be sheep than the saints of God!

David was to be first a shepherd, and then, a prince over the people of God.

If we are paying attention, we can easily see King David as a type of Christ.

The Lord Jesus may see us as sheep but He sees us as the sheep of His pasture and not the goats of this world!

The one thing we had better understand as a nation is, that we will suffer and fail if we fight against the Divine purposes of the Lord, as would David if he went against the Lord.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We must be in harmony with God’s purpose as an individual, as the Church, and as a nation!

Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This is the only way we can conquer our enemies and it is by the power of the Lord Jesus and this through the power of the Gospel.

Our nation has become corrupt, wicked, and divided and these things will ruin any nation and cause their downfall.

The people of Israel were not created for the king but King David was created for the people.

The Lord Jesus Christ was not created at all, He just is, but He came for the people.

All religions are just the opposite, the people are created for all false religions, because they are all man-made religions.

The Church is a creation of God and the Messiah is sent for the people of God!

We know that shepherds, lead, provide, and protect their sheep, and this is the same way that Jesus Christ leads the people of God.

What does a good shepherd do?

1) He guides the sheep to his pasture and away from dangerous places.
2) He seeks and saves all those who are lost.
3) He protects the sheep, willing to sacrifice his own life for the sheep to be saved.
4) He restores those sheep that go astray and returns them to the sheepfold.

The Lord Jesus Christ is proven the Ruler over God’s people.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign over all of Israel.

The Lord Jesus Christ was thirty years old when He began His ministry.

We must never forget that our Savior is also the Sovereign Lord and Majesty of the universe, all His creation!

It was King David that made Jerusalem the capitol city of all of Israel.

Psa_122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

We had better pay close attention to what this verse says today as the world and much of America are turning their backs on Israel.

Some of the so-called churches are saying things they do not understand if they go against the Word of God.

Gen_12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

David became a mighty king and part of the reason was because he moved his capitol city from Hebron to Jerusalem and in his heart he loved Jehovah.

By choosing Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, Jerusalem became the city of peace between all the tribes of Israel.

Jerusalem will again one day be the City of Peace and not the city of turmoil that it is today!

Solomon, the son of David chose Jerusalem to be the place for the Temple that was to be a House of Prayer for all of Israel.

He did this because his father David insisted that the city of Jerusalem would be the place to house the House of God, the House of Prayer.

Jerusalem also became known as the city of David.

*2Sa 5:10 And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
2Sa 5:11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
2Sa 5:12 And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

David was not a perfect man and he made many mistakes in his life, but he never forgot where his strength came from.

It can be the same for every Christian if we never forget that our strength comes only from the Lord Jesus Christ!

David called Him Jehovah, we call Him the Lord Jesus, they are one and the same.

Once we give our life to the Lord we will grow and mature in Him!

The phrase the “Son of David” is mentioned twenty-six times in the Bible.

Sometimes it was spoken of Solomon the son of King David, but many times it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Son of David is proclaimed from Heaven as King of those who love Him and He will rule by treating everyone according to justice and reason.

Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

We are to grow more and more, to be like the Lord Jesus Christ.

1) Living righteous and holy lives.
2) Showing love and compassion to all people.
3) Forgiving others as we have been forgiven.
4) Helping others when they have a need.
5) Walking humbly before all others, acknowledging them, and building them up.
6) Most of all being obedient to all the Word of God, rightly divided.

We do this by growing in Christ!

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

As David grew in the LORD, the Philistines became aware that if they had any chance to defeat David, then they had better get started before he became too powerful.

This is the same thought the false priests and elders in the time of Jesus.

They decided they had better get rid of Him before He had too many followers to overcome them.

The world has the same thought today as the hatred for the true Church continues to grow because we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

If were possible, though it is not, for the world to get rid of the Jews, the world would immediately turn to attempt to get rid of the Church and they will continue until they find this out. God loves His people!

*2Sa 5:17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
2Sa 5:18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
2Sa 5:19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

The Philistines, the Palestinians of today, had not bothered David up until this time, because Judah and Israel were fighting with each other almost constantly, but as soon as David was made king over all the tribes of Israel, they decided to attack him before he could get his armies organized.

They feared David’s growing power!

David was not only a man after God’s own heart, but also a shrewd politician and a mighty general and we will see for many years David would always consult with God before he jeopardized the lives of the armies of Israel.

Only Israel does this today!

George Washington did this same thing and some few others, but I dare say it is only the mothers and fathers and the Church who pray for our militaries today.

The Philistines invaded Israel to try to stop Israel from growing into a dominant nation and they had gathered their entire military forces to do this.

It was the wrong time for these wicked people to attack God’s people!

The Philistines marched their armies within a mile of Jerusalem.

Rephaim, at one time meaning the valley of the giants was the same place that Og the king of Bashan belonged.

There were a few remaining of these giants in the days of David.

The Philistines had an old quarrel with David and they came to make all of Israel their slaves, at least this way their intent.

Jos 15:8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward:

It was a place of very fertile land:

Isa 17:5 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.

We see that David enquired of the Lord something we should all do before we make major decisions and probably before every decision we make.

This is an example for us all and especially for every national leader!

I am sure the leaders of Israel have done the same thing many times today before they went after Hamas.

We can also see they did not rush into this war; they made the proper preparations.

It amazes me that the world sees the so-called Palestinians as innocent victims when few of them are.

They have to go to a place where they can learn the truth and see the truth and come to know the Lord Jesus in a personal way to ever change.

I saw one in the news reports the other day and i was impressed with him as he reminded me of Mary Magdalene amazed that God could forgive him of the things he had done. A sinner just as we all are.

Most of the Palestinians no matter where they are located remain partners with Hamas, a terrorist’s group who may be more wicked and evil than all the rest in the likes of ISIS!

This week I saw where they had roasted a baby in an oven in that raid into Israel and maybe more than one and beheaded several.

The abortionists cannot say much about this because they are just as guilty of atrocities like this.

The Lord told David to go up against the Philistines and He would give David victory over those wicked people.

*2Sa 5:20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
2Sa 5:21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
2Sa 5:22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
2Sa 5:23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
2Sa 5:24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
2Sa 5:25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

Baalperazim would be known as the place where, not David, but “the Lord led Israel to a great victory” over these Philistines.

Many times in the Old Testament we have seen where the Lord just took over the battles that came against Israel.

The world had better be really careful today because the Lord could take over the battle, the war Israels faces with Hamas because much of the world has sided with terrorist. Far too much of the world has sided with them!

Israel is still God’s people.

This world one day will wake up to the fact that there is a God and He is the God of Israel and the God of the Church.

In retreating from this first battle the Philistines left behind the idols that they worshipped as gods.

Some say that it was only after these idols were paraded through the streets of Jerusalem before these idols were burnt but either way, they were burnt till there was nothing left but ashes.

The Philistines later regrouped and came after Israel repeatedly again David prayed to the Lord.

This time the Lord gave David a strategy to pursue in defeating the Philistines.

One thing we should notice in these battles is the God is never on the side of the Philistines.

God will never be on the side of the Palestinians!

The Palestinians had better figure out the God is never on their side unless they accept His Son Jesus.

God told David not to attack these Philistines head-on on but to flank them and to circle around behind and attack them in front of mulberry trees.

David would catch his enemy by surprise and this time they would not be able to retreat.

Many passivist would frown on this tactic today saying it was a war crime because Israel could slaughter the Philistines.

In verse twenty-four we see that phrase “hearest the sound of going”.

This “going” would be “the sound” of a massive army all marching in step, when there was not one!

In other words, these Philistines would hear this sound like a massive army coming at them, and they would retreat and run right into Davids army waiting upon them and they would have nowhere to run and they would be slaughtered.

David and his army pursued the few stragglers that tried to get away for over twenty miles until they all had been slaughtered them all.

Israel had desired a king to lead them into battles and they had gotten Jehovah back.

King David proved to Israel that it was far better to allow the Lord to lead them in all their battles rather than any king.

A great lesson for us all today, especially as we see where this world is headed.

A world that is on the side of the enemies of God, when God cannot be defeated!

Even with all these things we read that happened, still the most important thing we read is, that it is prayer that is most important!

The greatest power we have today is prayer and we must not wait till troubles come before we ask God for help!

We need to be in daily contact with our Holy but All-Powerful God, who is always on our side!

God promises us He will deliver us no matter how terrifying our trials.

He promised to make us conquerors.

Rom_8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

And one of the most important prayers in the Bible for Israel and for the Church.

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

God has His rules and we just need to obey them all!

Amen

King David’s Death

May 18, 2014 / Bobby Mayfield / 3 Comments

David’s Death

Text: 1 Kings 1; 2; 1 Chronicles 23-29

Death!

Death is a reality!

Death is the enemy that cannot be put off!

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

We all have an appointment with death. We do not evolve, we just grow old and die, just as our world is growing older and will also die!

But the Word of God teaches us something different than the world does.

The Word of God teaches us of the physical death of the body but not of the soul.

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Death then is the end of our physical life through the separation of the soul and the body.

Jas 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead”, so faith without works is dead also.

We know that the life of our body is in the blood but life in our soul is in the hands of the God who made us!

Physical death results from sin and “No One” is exempted from it!

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, “and death by sin”; and “so death passed upon all men”, for that all have sinned:

For the unbeliever death means eternal torment.

Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

For the believer death means going home to be with Our Lord.

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

The believer is looking forward to a far better life than the one here on Earth.

Php 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

After a long and fruitful life, David was nearing his death and would die, but David already knew even in his day that death was not a defeat but actually a victory for he was truly a man after God’s own heart.

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

The most important thing we can know as Christians is that when we die, we will meet the Lord.

While living, we need to live for the Lord.

We can never be ready to die until we have lived for the Lord!

God has exposed to the world the life of David from a teenager throughout his years as King of Israel.

God has allowed us to see the sin in David’s life and some say how could those things happen to some one who said he loved the Lord.

But before we judge David, we need to take a hard look at our own selves.

The Bible still says:

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Before the story of David ends, God will show us how a man of God makes preparation for his own death having no fear of that death.

David teaches us some valuable lessons just before his death.

Because we do not know the time of our death, it is important to make preparations for our death as soon as possible so we can live fully prepared to die.

This begins with salvation.

*****1Ki 1:28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.
1Ki 1:29 And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
1Ki 1:30 Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

King David had already informed his sons and the elders of Israel that Solomon would be the next King of Israel but as he lie on his death bed he was informed that Adonijah, another son had decided himself that he should be king.

Not only that but Joab, the General of David’s army and Abiathar who shared the duties of High Priest with Zadok had taken the side of Adonijah.

Notice David was not in a panic this time as he had been with Absalom.

David knew he was redeemed.

David knew that the Lord had saved him out of all the distresses in his life and He would again.

David set things in order before he died!

David had already made all the preparations for the Temple.

David had already prepared Solomon.

David had already made obligations to the Lord.

And while he was still alive, David had to make sure these things were set in place.

We will all certainly grow old and feeble in our later years but as long as we have breath, we have an opportunity to serve the Lord in some way.

Even at the very end we can still pray, which is our greatest weapon against the evil of this world.

Besides all these things, David was still King of Israel!

David called Bathsheba and certain men he knew he could trust to him.

*****1Ki 1:31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
1Ki 1:32 And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

The way to stop Adonijah was to take action now and not allow this rebellion to grow. David had failed in this with Absalom.

By making Solomon king before his death, David knew that Solomon would rule at the bidding of his father.

In this we can see that Solomon would begin as a “type” of Christ Jesus, who will rule on this Earth at the bidding of His Own Father in Heaven.

We must also consider that all these problems would have been avoided had King David been the husband of “one” wife and not had so many sons from his many wives.

But even on his death bed King David knew exactly what to do.

*****1Ki 1:33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
1Ki 1:34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

Mules were used by all the princes and Solomon would have had his own mule but there was one mule which was the state mule set aside only for the King.

There were three things that brought on the death penalty in Israel besides some of the Laws of Moses.

1) To sit on the Kings throne without permission would bring the penalty of death.
2) To handle the King’s scepter without permission would bring the penalty of death.
3) To ride on the King’s mule without permission would certainly bring the penalty of death.

All subjects, including the King’s own family were forbidden to ride on this state mule.

With Solomon riding the mule of the King for all to see, it was a public declaration that it was Solomon who had been chosen to be the next King of Israel.

This Gihon was a fountain near Jerusalem and also a very public place where many people gathered throughout the day.

From the birth of Solomon up to this time, Solomon had been educated by the prophet Nathan.

Both King Saul and King David had been anointed by the Prophet Samuel and it would be the Prophet Nathan who would anoint Solomon as the new King of Israel.

Since David had not yet died, Solomon would rule as regent to his father David.

This means he would sit on the throne as judge, ride the state mule, use the King’s scepter but his father David would still make all the governmental decisions.

When that trumpet was sounded most of Jerusalem would have heard the sound and they understood it’s significance.

The trumpet was used to signal many things in these days.

There was the call to religious service, the call to fast, the call to the different feasts, the call to war, and there was the sound of the trumpet that came only every 50 years, when slaves would be set free.

Every slave would know this sound for sure!

The people of Jerusalem knew the different sounds of the trumpet.

We should take note.

When the Trump of God sounds, at the time of the Rapture, all God’s saints will recognize that sound!

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

After this it was Solomon who sat on the throne in stead of his father David as regent.

*****1Ki 1:35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
1Ki 1:36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.

Benaiah was the son of the chief priest, Jehoiada but he had chosen to serve King David and was the commander of David’s personal body guard and one of the “Mighty Men”.

Benaiah said. “Amen”—Thus saith the Lord!

And the people agreed and said “God save King Solomon”.

King David knew his time was short and it was time to prepare Solomon to be on his own.

*****1Ki 2:1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
1Ki 2:2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

It seems that the rulers of today only concern themselves with their own time.

We will see that King David thought just as much about the future of Israel as he did in his own time!

From David’s teenage days, he had been the anointed son, he had the hero of Israel, and he had made the transition from a shepherd to a King but even with all these things and the riches he had obtained, David still knew he would die the death of man.

David understood “Creation” as it was written in the Word of God.

David was not an “evolutionist’!

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

And we know that Solomon never forgot this time with his father because he also wrote these words for us.

Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Solomon also was a “Creationist.”

It is a fact, we will all reach this point in our lives and it is best to remember it is God who created us!

Our bodies of flesh will die but the spirit that God has given us will go back to Him!

It is during this life time given to us by the Lord that we need to make the decisions concerning our spirit.

Those that have not made salvation a priority while they lived, will hear these words from the Lord, when their spirit returns to the God who made them.

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, “I never knew you”: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Unless the “Rapture” comes, we will all go by the way of all the Earth!

The Apostles gave a similar message to the Corinthian church and to all believers:

1Co 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Men of wisdom, which is given to us of God if we ask, will not be as children who are unstable and weak and not carried and tossed about with every wind of doctrine.

The Jews had a saying that goes like this: “In a place where there are no men, show thyself to be a man”! “when there are no wise men to teach you, then teach your self to be wise”!

They had the true understanding that all wisdom comes from the Lord!

This is the same message David gave to Solomon.

*****1Ki 2:3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

Solomon was God ‘s choice to succeed his father David but Solomon could never lead this nation without God.

David also gave these words to Solomon.

1Ch 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

For Solomon to succeed as King of Israel, he would have to be strong in the Word of God.

Satan knows our weaknesses and he will exploit them if we do not remain strong in the Lord.

We must know certain things:

1) A knowledge of God will include the fact that God exists. There is no beginning with God until we first believe that He exists.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

2) We must then be in constant fellowship with our Lord.

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

3) We must have full confidence in the Lord.

Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

4) We must then be engaged in active service with Him!

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

And David also gave Solomon a warning: “He will cast thee off forever”.

There is also a warning to the Church.

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

A consuming fire burns until all fuel has been burnt up.

If Solomon would obey his own father then he would not have a problem with obeying the things of God.

*****1Ki 2:4 That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

David understood the things of the Messiah because guided by the Holy Spirit, he gave us these words.

Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Psa 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Psa 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
Psa 89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
Psa 89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

Psa 89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
Psa 89:37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

It was important for Solomon to understand all these things.

God had revealed to David, His desire to be behind the man that who sat on the throne of Israel.

Solomon could succeed if he allowed God to rule his heart as his father David had!

*****1Ch 29:23 Then Solomon sat on “the throne of the LORD” as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.

We should be able to see here that Solomon was sitting on the Lord’s Throne!

The office of King of Israel never belonged to any human king but has always belonged to the Lord.

God has placed many men on His throne for many years until the day He returns to sit on His own throne.

But God also makes this promise to every believer.

Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

These things come in two parts.

Solomon had to submit to the Lord and Israel had to submit to Solomon for these things to work.

*****1Ch 29:24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, “submitted” themselves unto Solomon the king.

What is submission?

Submitting meant that these men would make no decisions in the government of Israel but would only follow the wishes of King Solomon.

They swore allegiance to Solomon!

This is what every believer does when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Our Savior.

We must submit to the King, King Jesus!

*****1Ch 29:25 And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

The reign of King Solomon began. King Solomon would set the standard for all kings to come both in Israel and throughout the world.

Until the time of Solomon, Israel had lived the simple life and had little contact with other nations unless threatened or attacked.

Solomon would bring Israel in contact with the world especially through Pharaoh and Hiram.

Israel would become the center of commercialism.

Israel would become rich and take part in the luxuries of this world.

Silver and gold would become as common as the rocky landscape.

Agriculture, commerce, architecture, arts and sciences, would become part of the national life.

And with all these things, worship of the One True God would take a back seat.

Peace would come but by national alliances, and by corruption and by inter-marriages that go against the Word of God.

Solomon did not know the life of the Shepherd nor the life of the Servant, and though wiser than any man that did not know God, Solomon would place himself above God.

Solomon was magnified because the Lord magnified him.

Solomon was regal and had majesty because it came from the Lord.

Solomon was illustrious because the Lord made him that way.

As the reign of Solomon began the life of King David ended.

*****1Ch 29:26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

We do know a whole lot about Jesse the father of David.

In the life of David, his Heavenly Father took priority!

Jesse was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz and Ruth of the Book of Ruth.

Jesse’s entire wealth seems to have consisted of a flock of sheep and some goats.

What is the greatest thing written of Jesse in the Bible?

Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the “stem of Jesse”, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isa 11:10 And in that day there shall be “a root of Jesse”, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

This rod was not King David.

This root was not King Solomon.

This was written of Jesus.

Mat 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
Mat 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

This ensign of the people was the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself.

*****1Ch 29:27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

If we just use the numbers mentioned in this verse we see the number 7.

7) Seven is the number of completeness and perfection (both physical and spiritual). It derives much of its meaning from being tied directly to God’s creation of all things.

3) The number 3 pictures completeness, though to a lesser degree than 7. The meaning of this number derives from the fact that it is the first of four spiritually perfect numerals (the others being 7, 10 and 12).

30) The number 30 can symbolize dedication to a particular task or calling.

The number thirty can also represent the sacrificial blood of Jesus. He was betrayed by Judas for 30 silver coins.

In 30 A.D. Jesus suffered and shed His precious blood as God’s sacrificial Lamb for the world’s sins.

40) The number 40 generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or probation.

The number forty can also represent a generation of man.

Jesus, just days before his crucifixion, prophesied the total destruction of Jerusalem.

Forty years after his crucifixion in 30 A.D., the mighty Roman Empire destroyed the city and burned its beloved Temple to the ground.

The Bible says:

Ecc 5:15 As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

And the Bible says this:

Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

In Ecclesiastes that One man died and had nothing for his labor.

In Revelation the other man died and was blessed.

The choices we make while we are yet alive determine whether we are blessed or go to death empty.

King David died blessed!

*****1Ch 29:28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

David had lived enjoying good health, having lived as long as living was desirable.

David had lived till he saw everything that he lived for accomplished, except maybe the Temple and he knew that the building of the Temple, was in the hands of his son Solomon.

David had lived the life of a shepherd but he had also lived the life of a king with great riches.

David had lived full of honor.

Up till his time ended his warrior skills and his ability to organize was known throughout the world.

David lived knowing he had passed something special on to his son.

David died knowing that the best was yet to come!

This is the death of the believer!

*****1Ch 29:29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
1Ch 29:30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

We may live life one moment and one day at a time but our life is broken down in “times”!

There is the time we were born.

There is the time until we could walk.

There is the time until we can leave home to be one out own.

There is the time when we can support ourselves.

The time we have a family.

The time we enjoy life or not enjoy life.

The time we grow old.

And there will be the time we die.

Our lives are broken down in “times”.

These “times” had went over David, more good than bad, and he had reached that time to die and many good men had written down the things that David had accomplished in his “times”.

Each of us have our own “times”.

If David had only been King Of Israel, he would have still been remembered but David was also a song writer and he also made many musical instruments.

If David had just done one of these things he would have been remembered here on this Earth.

We have spent may days seeing the things David did wrong but praise the Lord, God will never remember us for any of those things and nor was David in the eyes of God.

What will we be remembered for?

I want the world to know I was “forgiven”!

The world may remember us for many things.

But God will only remember the good things!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

David’s Preparation

May 11, 2014 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

David’s Preparation

1 Chronicles 22

History tells us that much of what we have been learning from the life of King David happened in his first 33 years as king. The majority of what we will learn today took place in the last 7 years of David as King and the last 7 years of his life.

A good thing to notice in the life of David, is that when sin knocked him down David got back up every time and served the Lord.

We can see that the heart of David was truly after God’s own heart!

Even with all his mistakes, David is recognized as a man who served his own generation by the will of God.

Act 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
Act 13:37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

The Bible says, King David served his own generation by the will of God.

David had much sin in his life and God has not hidden that sin from us.

But we can also see in this verse that, Jesus, the Messiah, son of David had no sin and the Lord Jesus served our generation, the generation of the Church, by the will of God!

What was the purpose of a Temple?

We know that the Ark of the Covenant was a symbol of the presence of God to the Jewish people.

And just as the Ark, the Temple was constructed to enshrine, the symbol of God’s presence.

As the Ark represented the presence of the Lord, the Temple would house the Ark of God!

Every true House of God must represent the presence of the Living God!

Let’s begin.

*****1Ch 22:1 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.

David had the command of God that he should not build the Temple of the Lord, but there was no command that he could not make preparation for it to be built.

Last week we saw that David had purchased the land for the Temple and it appears that God had chosen the location of the Temple that was to be built by Solomon.

What do we know of the reasons David chose this place.

1) 2Sa 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

The Angel of the Lord, stood at this place prepared to destroy Jerusalem but God ended His wrath here at this place.

2) 2Sa 24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

God had sent the Prophet Gad who told David where to build this altar at this place.

3) 1Ch 21:26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

The Lord answered by fire from Heaven upon this altar at this place.

Now I don’t know about any of you, but if I had in my mind to build a temple for the Lord, it would have been really hard not to have chosen this place.

Another thing to keep in mind is that of all the spots in Jerusalem, this spot belonged to a Gentile and it was purchased by the man of God.

We will also see that the majority of the labor force to build this Temple was a Gentile work force.

These are not just mere coincidences!

The Blood had flowed was from 70,000 of God’s people.

The Bible teaches us:

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Even before the Temple was built this place was already a “Type” of Christ!

And even before this Temple was built God had decided it was to be built by Gentiles.

*****1Ch 22:2 And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

Strangers are those people who are not Jews.

Every one who is not a Jew is a Gentile.

This also sounds like slavery but we should not ever forget that God has a reason for everything He does and we are still to learn form all His Written Word.

Everything these workers were in need of was provided for them!

We know the Temple was to be “Type” of Christ, just as the Tabernacle had been.

But the Tabernacle was built by the Jews and was a temporary place.

These hewn stones, prepared by Gentile labor must then be a “Type” of God’s people.

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

When we were saved, we were purchased as slaves who were in bondage to Satan and are now bound in Christ by His own blood.

But really no longer slaves but chosen for the work of the Lord!

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Once not even a people, belonging to no nation but now the people of God.

1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

And a people prepared in abundance while there will only be a remnant of the Jews saved.

Throughout the Old Testament this place would be called the House of God, or the House of the Lord and we know this house was built by men and it was destroyed more than once.

In the New Testament we find, God Himself builds a new house and this house can never be destroyed!

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

*****1Ch 22:3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;
1Ch 22:4 Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

It would take a lot of iron and brass and many cedar trees to build the Temple of God.

Iron expresses destructive power, political power and even slavery.

Brass expresses power, strength, hardness, and durability.

Cedar can express pride and loftiness.

We find all these things still in the Temple when the Messiah came.

David spent may years gathering the materials to build the Temple.

Most all of this material came from the spoils of wars but it was never the reason for war.

When the world abuses the people of God, the world will usually pay in carnal things!

The Egyptians had the Jews in bondage many years but when God led them out of Egypt by the hands of Moses, they brought out much spoil of the Egyptians.

*****1Ch 22:5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

Solomon would have been at least less than 30 years old at this time but probably over 20 years old.

A son was not considered a man until the age of 30.

David had set an unreachable goal that this Temple should be an outward appearance of God’s magnificence and greatness.

There is nothing on this Earth that we can compare to the greatness of Our God and David certainly knew this but David was determined that the Temple must be “beyond being great” to represent the “Glory of God”.

This Temple would be a great task and Solomon may have been overwhelmed by it, if David had not made most all the preparations.

It is said that David spent the last 7 years of his life making preparations for the Temple that Solomon would build.

*****1Ch 22:6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.

Throughout David’s lifetime he had been a great organizer but the world had not seen the organization of religious service that David had planned. David passed all this knowledge on to his son Solomon.

Solomon became wise at an early age partly because his earthly father took a lot of time preparing him for the task at hand.

We have read a lot of bad things about King David but David spent some time with his sons giving them direction.

Some learned just the bad things of David!

It was God who had named Solomon and it was God who had chosen Solomon to be the next King of Israel.

*****1Ch 22:7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:
1Ch 22:8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

Every House of God must send the message of peace between man and God!

Though David had a great desire to build this house of God it would have been inappropriate for this Temple to be built by a “man-of-war” such as King David.

It was not God’s purpose for David to build this Temple.

David’s purpose had been to bring the nation of Israel to this point of security and after may mistakes, Israel was reunited and in possession of most all the land that God had given to them.

Solomon did not have that same great desire to build this Temple but he did have a great desire to be obedient to the wishes of his father!

That is what God teaches us in His Word!

Not everyone can be a Church Planter but we can and should honor the wishes of Our Father in Heaven and do everything we can help build the House of God.

In the words of Jesus:

Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

*****1Ch 22:9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
1Ch 22:10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

The name Solomon has the meaning of: peaceable, and perfect, and one who will recompense.

Verse 10 says his throne will be establish over Israel forever.

Solomon was a good King but we would be wrong not to believe these things were more about the Messiah, Jesus Christ than they were about Solomon.

These things could only be fulfilled in Jesus:

Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

Psa 89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
Psa 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
Psa 89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

God told David that his son would be named Solomon and this shows us that God knows every one who will be born into this world, their names and their character before they are even born.

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

But this does not mean that God has selected who will and who will not be saved!

God gave us the freedom to choose!

*****1Ch 22:11 Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.

David reminded Solomon that God is “faithful”!

Our part in God’s “faithfulness” is to trust the Lord and be obedient.

In fact, near the end of Solomon’s years after all of his own mistakes, Solomon gave us these words:

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: “for this is the whole duty of man”.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

If we would just have that godly fear of Our Lord and obey His Words and His calling, we would find a whole lot more peace and joy in our lives!

*****1Ch 22:12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.
1Ch 22:13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

We should all pray for our children and included in that prayer should be to ask the Lord to give them wisdom and understanding.

David even asked the Lord to help Solomon to rule Israel.

And none of us are above the law of God!

The Bible is specific:

Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

It is the wise thing to do to keep the commandments of the Lord!

This wisdom can be summed up in 2 verses:

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

We can prosper in this life when we love the Lord!

We can have joy in this life when we love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves!

King David spent the last years of his life preparing the materials for the building of the Temple and preparing his son Solomon to build the Temple.

*****1Ch 22:14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

No matter what David had gone through since the time he had retrieved the Ark, he had kept to his goal to build a Temple for the Lord.

It was David’s goal to establish worship in the nation of Israel and that worship to be in the name of Jehovah God.

David had not amassed kingly riches as most kings do but had committed all his riches, and all the spoils of war to the Lord.

One talent of Gold would equal 91.15 troy lbs. or 12 times that for troy ounces. 1094 troy ounces.

One talent of Gold at todays value would be near $ 875,200.00.

King David had accumulated 100,000 talents of Gold near $ 875,200,000,000.00 at todays value.

Nearly 900 billion dollars.

Add to that 1,000,000 talents of silver worth today $ 14,000,000,000.00

14 Billion dollars.

With an untold weight of iron and brass we can see that King David had dedicated more than a Trillion dollars at todays currency rate to the building of the Temple.

King David had cedar cut and stored ready for construction.

King David had greater marble stones cut and stored for construction.

And King David had crews working on these materials long before Solomon became King of Israel.

*****1Ch 22:15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.
1Ch 22:16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.

Many of these men working on the materials for the Temple were indeed experts in their field.

It takes all kinds of people to build God’s House!

King David made made all the arrangements.

King David had assembled most all the work force.

King David had God’s plans for the Temple.

King David had prepared a great wealth to build this Temple.

King David encouraged his son Solomon to get started.

We can see in all these things David was a “type” of the Heavenly Father.

It is Our Father in Heaven, who made all the arrangements, Who assembles the work force, Who made all the plans before He created any of these things.

It is Our Father in Heaven, Who has all the riches, and Who prepared His Son Jesus to build His House!

*****1Ch 22:17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

King David wanted his entire family involved in the building of God’s House.

We should have this same goal.

We need to encourage our entire family to get involved in the work of God that goes on at the House of God.

Why?

*****1Ch 22:18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words for us:

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

We must realize that God will not allow us to fail when we are in His will!

David not only ruled Israel but all the surrounding nations were at peace with Israel.

Israel could rest from war.

Israel had been given a good land that always blossoms when they are on it.

It was time for all of David’s family to concentrate on the things of the Lord.

It is Our Father who rules all His creation.

It is Our Father who makes His creation to blossom.

It is Our Father who would have all His creation, “whosoever will”, become His family.

It is Our Father who will give us rest, not only here on Earth, but true rest in Heaven one sweet day!

*****1Ch 22:19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

It was time for all of Israel to seek the Lord.

God had taken away all the distractions that hindered the work of the Lord.

Everything about the Temple was to be stately and magnificent, being a “type” of Christ.

The entire Old Testament was written to lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Christ came.

Christ died for our sins.

Christ rose from that death and lives evermore.

We need to set our heart and souls to seek the Lord and get busy about the Master’s Work.

God has removed the obstacles and hindrances of our old life and made us new creatures.

It is still time to build God’s House!

A new House of God is built “every time a soul is saved” and these are permanent houses, indestructible!

When the Lord Jesus ascended into Heaven, there were 2 angels standing with the Apostles and as messengers they had this message.

Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, “why stand ye gazing up into heaven”? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Why are we still standing around gazing up to Heaven waiting on the Rapture and Christ’s return.?

We need to be busy at the work Christ Jesus has given us to do!

King David had prepared the best this world had to offer to build the House of the Lord, and we fail the Lord when we do not give Him our very best!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

David’s Transgression

May 4, 2014 / Bobby Mayfield / 2 Comments

David’s Transgression

2 Samuel 23; 24

Chapter 22 gave us a record of King David’s “Song of Praise”. King David gave the Lord much praise for delivering him out of the hand of all his enemies going back as far as Saul.

When the Lord Jesus died on the cross it was so we could be “delivered” from all our sin but even after this God will continue to “deliver” us all the days of our lives from the actions of Satan!

Chapter 23 contains some of the last words of David and we should look at some of them.

*****2Sa 23:1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2Sa 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

It is believed that David wrote 73 of the Psalms, in the Book of Psalms, but in these few verses, we have the last Psalm that David wrote.

We should immediately notice in verse 2, that David’s psalms were inspired by the Holy Spirit. This confirms what is written in the New Testament.

2Ti 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God”, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

This verse also gives us the goal of every true teacher and preacher. “His Word was in my tongue”.

I know I am not much of a teacher but “if His Word is in my tongue” then at least I know I am speaking the truth and if I can just get myself “out of His way” then He can use me even when though I lack in so many of the abilities of a good speaker.

It takes godly leadership to be a true servant of the Lord and that begins with God’s written Word!

God gave David a heart of integrity and God will do the same for every believer.

*****2Sa 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

David never ceased to marvel how the Lord could take a lowly shepherd and make him a King.

But David never realized that the Messiah, that was promised from his own seed, would not come as King of Israel but He would first come as the Lamb of God and the True Shepherd of all people.

But David also knew that every King and every Ruler was to be “just” and rule in the fear of God!

*****2Sa 23:4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

This verse describes to us something that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished but no man on the Earth has.

This was the goal of David and it should be the goal of every “Born Again” believer!

Jesus said:

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

We must hold up “the pure light of a consistent life” against the evils of this world or we will appear to be just another sinner and God’s Word will not be effective in us!

This does not mean that God will train to just be put on display before this evil world!

God just expects us to do the best we can to be like His Son Jesus and act more like John the Baptist.

Joh 1:8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
Joh 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

We have no light in ourselves, our light must come from the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****2Sa 23:5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

The house of David had suffered much because of David’s own sin. In fact “the sword would truly never depart from the house of David” and went all the way to the Cross!

But God knows all things and He still made an everlasting covenant with David while he was still alive.

That is the exact same thing God does with each of us when He saves us!

God knows that we will fail from time to time. When we do, then we must ask for forgiveness and for reasons I cannot explain nor understand, God will immediately forgive us of our sin.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Why? Because God has made us an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure!

Just as God promised David, He makes that same promise to every believer!

Act 13:34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, “I will give you the sure mercies of David”.

Notice that word “sure”, these are the promises God gives to us when He saves us!

David would not live long enough to see the covenant fulfilled and the Messiah come but he knew these things would happen.

David knew this to be true as did all the prophets but most of them looked to the Second Coming and missed that Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, the Lamb of God!

Jer 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

King Jesus will still execute judgment and justice on this Earth!

But there is still more.

*****2Sa 23:6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
2Sa 23:7 But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

That same Savior, Jesus Christ, will also execute judgment on His enemies.

Sons of Belial, are men and women who are truly worthless! They are reckless and full of lawlessness!

To clearly understand we must know that they are the followers of Satan.

The followers of Satan are all those that reject the Word of God.

To reject the Word of God makes you then, “ungodly”!

Jesus described them this way:

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

They ignore the Word of God!

They are like thorns that are so prickly and sharp that they cannot be handled by human hands but there is “One” who can handle them.

Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Isa 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

The remaining verses in Chapter 23 tell us about David’s “Mighty Men”. We can see why the army of Absalom never had a chance against these mighty men of the army of David.

So we will move on to Chapter 24.

*****Chapter 24:1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

In last weeks lesson we saw how David had given praise to the Lord for being his “Rock” and his “Deliverer”.

We also know from a study of the Old Testament that the size of the Army of Israel has never been important when battling her enemies.

What history has told us about King David is that, after his kingdom was reunited and Israel had survived the 3 years of famine and hardships, that David spent his remaining years, near 7 years, gathering the things for the Temple.

It is very possible King David began to let his own pride again interfere with good judgment.

When this happens the “Tempter” will show up.

***1Ch 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

We can see that the Lord lifted that “hedge of protect” from around David one more time.

God allowed Satan to tempt David in order to accomplish His purpose!

Satan opposed God’s people throughout the Bible and He still does in our day!

Satan tempted Eve.

Satan attacked Job on two occasions.

And Satan accused Joshua the High Priest in the Book of Zechariah.

There was nothing wrong with taking a national census if it was done by the Word of God.

A true census would count every citizen from the age of 20 and above and a “half shekel” would be gathered and this money would be given to the work of God.

This later became known as the Temple Tax.

But we will see as we go forward that this was not David’s intention.

*****2Sa 24:2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.
2Sa 24:3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?
2Sa 24:4 Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

We can see that King David began to count his strength by the size of his army and not the power of God.

When things get to going real good we always seem to forget the Lord who provides all our needs!

We can also see that Joab, through all his evil deeds has regained control of David’s Army.

Besides the Mighty Men of David, the remaining army was probably more loyal to Joab.

Even Joab knew enough to know that what King David was doing was wrong, because he had witnessed Israel win many battles not having the greater numbers.

King David even wrote a song about such things as this:

Psa 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

We need the help of God to restrain us from the power of sin!

But we cannot twist the Word of God around to allow us to think we have the freedom to sin!

*****2Sa 24:5 And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer:
2Sa 24:6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,
2Sa 24:7 And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.
2Sa 24:8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
2Sa 24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

Joab may have actually counted all of Israel but King David was only interested in how large his army could be.

King David wanted the world around him to know that he could place over a million man army on the battlefield if he needed to.

If we think about it, we could say that David was at this time, acting like the leader of North Korea, or Putin of Russia, but God is never impressed with these things and to Him it is a great sin to rely on our own strengths and not on the Lord.

The Bible still says:

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ “which strengtheneth me”.

The opposite of this is that we can do nothing without The Lord Jesus Christ!

Just as soon as David realized what he had done, he knew he had sinned and he repented of his sin.

*****2Sa 24:10 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

David had begun to trust in his own strength.

David wanted the world to know that it Israel’s army that was so strong and not Israel’s God!

David had collected a “half shekel” from each person, “by force” to start a building fund for the Temple that Solomon would build but God will only accept “free will offerings” for these things.

The Tabernacle had been built with a free will offering and the spoils of Egypt:

Exo 35:5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,

God loves a cheerful giver and is best pleased with a free-will offering!

Our gifts are our acknowledgement that we have received all things from the Lord and are “willing” to dedicate ourselves to Him!

Jesus Christ became poor for our sakes to make us rich in eternal things!

We must be willing to give of the things that He provides while we are yet living in this world!

David realized he had done foolishly and that this sin was even greater than what he had done with Bathsheba and Uriah.

And God again sent the prophet.

*****2Sa 24:11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
2Sa 24:12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
2Sa 24:13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

King David had been relying on his own understanding so God gave David the option of choosing from these three judgments.

God had already made certain things known to His people when they allowed pride to rule their lives.

Lev 26:19 And “I will break the pride of your power”; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:
Lev 26:20 And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
Lev 26:21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.

1) If David thought he was in charge, then he could choose 7 years of famine. Maybe he and his government could possibly make it rain. Or maybe they had saved up enough as Joseph had in Egypt to feed all his people.

2) If David thought so much of his army then, he could choose to flee before all the enemies of Israel for three months. Maybe by their own strength, without God they could survive.

3) If David thought his government was so great and so advanced, maybe the nation could survive 3 days of a fast moving plague or virus throughout all the land.

These things were not new, they were what God had said He would do!

Lev 26:16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
Lev 26:17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

What choice would you make?

What is the truth?

Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

We should always keep these words in our mind when we are under temptation to sin.

Satan may tell us differently but it is God who runs this world!

What did David do?

David did what we all should do.

David begged for mercy!

*****2Sa 24:14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
2Sa 24:15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.

It is always the wise thing to do to fall into the hands of God.

Because, No one loves us as God loves us!

In a war, David may could have protected himself.

In a famine, David’s riches might have sustained him.

In the pestilence, Davis was just as exposed as all of Israel!

It was the just and right thing to do to be in as much danger as his people.

This was another test before God executed judgment and the Lord sent the pestilence and in 3 days this rapid moving disease killed 70,000 men.

These 70,000 would have been from those that were counted, not women and children!

And where did this take place?

*****2Sa 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.
2Sa 24:17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.
2Sa 24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

Repentance is a change of mind and a change in direction and a change of purpose of life.

God has never had to change His mind.

God has never had to change His purpose.

But because God is merciful, He may change His direction and this is why our prayers can be effective!

David was allowed to see this angel of God’s judgment poised to enter into Jerusalem and God changed His direction!

For David, he needed a change in his mind, a change in his purpose, and also a change in his direction and as sinners it is the same for all of us, as it was for all of Israel.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It is important for us to know this location where this angel was seen.

Wheat was reaped by the sickle and bound into sheaves and taken to the threshingfloor to be separated from the chaff.

It was only then that the clean grain could be ground into flour, something usable while the chaff was burned.

Jehovah God has fed his people with the finest of wheat and the finest of that wheat is Jesus Christ, the bread of life.

In verse 23 we will see that Araunah was the deposed King of the Jebusites, the former rulers of Jerusalem.

This is the place David offered sacrifices and the place where Solomon later built the Temple.

And just as important, this is the very place on Mount Moriah where Abraham had been asked to offer up Isaac.

*****2Sa 24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.
2Sa 24:20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.
2Sa 24:21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

David had built his palace on the lower part of the city and this not a fit place for winnowing the wheat.

King David could have just taken this property.

Or, King David could have certainly just borrowed this property.

But, King David insisted on buying this property because David now understood “the high cost of sin” and he knew he could not offer the Lord “something that had cost him nothing”.

What is a sacrifice?

The sacrifice did not originate with man but is, God appointed!

What was the first sacrifice?

God killed an animal, a lamb, to provide clothes for Adam and Eve.

But the sacrifice must be according to God’s will, as Abel offered and not as that of Cain.

The Bible teaches us that there is a difference in clean and unclean things.

And every sacrifice in the Old Testament pointed toward the Lord Jesus Christ.

We cannot take from another, to offer to the Lord, for ourselves!

*****2Sa 24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.
2Sa 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

This verse tells us that Araunah, the Ornan of the Book of Chronicles, had been the King of the Jebusites.

The “threshing floor of Ornan” was bought for 50 shekels of silver but after this sacrifice was made and the hand of God was stayed, David went back and purchased the entire property.

1Ch 21:24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
1Ch 21:25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.

King David bought the entire piece of land of the Temple mount through a legal transaction and it still belongs to Israel today and not to the Muslim world.

And it was David who built an altar where Mohammed later laid claim to the Dome of the Rock.

*****2Sa 24:25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

What were King David’s greatest sins?

1) The sin of Bathsheba and the death of Uriah.

Out of that Solomon was born.

2) The sin of numbering the people of Israel in the wrong way.

Out of that the Temple was born.

BUT, What God did for David cannot be used as an excuse for sin!

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

We should remember King David paid a heavy price for his sin with the things that happened in his family and there would be some other things even before Solomon was made king.

But we can still see the truth of the Word of God!

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound”:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, “even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord”.

We are saved by the merciful, Grace of God!

If not for “Grace”—God’s Riches At Christ Expence–There would be no “Salvation”.

It’s all about “Grace”!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

David’s Return

April 20, 2014 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

David’s Return

2 Samuel 19-21

When we ended the last lesson, the rebellion of Absalom had been put down and Absalom had been killed by Joab.

We should ask our selves, “What are the qualities of a good national leader”?

1) A good leader must be able to communicate!

A leader should be able to speak well, but this means “more about personal strengths and character” than of being a great speaker.

2) A good leader must possess courage, patience, and tenacity, which is the ability to keep things together.

He should be able to stand up and “stand alone if need be” and not succumb to pressure that goes against his character and the truth.

3) A good leader must be able to change course. This world changes, as do the things around us, a good leader will see these things and choose the path that is the safest and wisest to meet his goals.

4) A good leader will possess humility and presence. He will not place himself above his own people and certainly not above God.

5) A good leader will be responsible. He will be the first to accept the blame when things do not go according to his plans.

6) A good leader will analyze his own strengths and weakness and surround himself with people to help with these things.

7) A good leader will use the Word of God as his guide.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

And with all these things, a good leader must “Be Real”!

Each of us should analyze our own selves to see if we possess any to these things.

We should also analyze our own national leaders to see if they do.

But today let’s see how King David uses these traits.

We must realize that God’s people will suffer many afflictions, but God will deliver those that love Him out of them all!

*****2Sa 19:1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

The army of Absalom had been unable to stand against the elite army of King David.

King David was a great tactician and he chose the right place to war with Absalom. The army of Absalom had moved quickly which shows us that they were on horses and on chariots.

King David chose a place where his mighty men had the advantage as warriors in hand to hand combat.

King David had 3 generals who had much experience and they had a real purpose to defend the true King of Israel but they could fight on 3 fronts.

20,000 Israelites did die in this battle this day and the rebellion was put down but King David could only think of one thing.

David had lost another son.

There is nothing wrong with a father grieving for the loss of a son. We all expect to go to the grave before any of our children do.

BUT, there is much wrong in any national leader, who do not to have his priorities in order!

Absalom was seeking to kill his own father and maybe the rest of his family.

Many loyal men had given their lives in order to stop this from happening.

And Joab was told of King David’s mourning the death of his son.

*****2Sa 19:2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

As a father David would have given in to his son.

But as King, he had to defend Israel from all her enemies and that included rebellions from within even from within his own family.

Even those that had brought victory to this king, joined in mourning for the death of Absalom, feeling ashamed of what had happened.

The joy of victory in Israel had been robbed by King David’s actions!

It was not like David to be so insensitive to the sacrifices of his men, but on this day he turn a military victory into an emotional defeat and it showed on all his men and they, as in shame returned to Jerusalem, while a confused nation was observing what was happening.

*****2Sa 19:3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

Absalom was not only a murderer but he was also a liar, a traitor and a rebel. As a father it may have been alright to grieve for his son and maybe even over look his son’s mistakes, but as a ruler of God’s people it was time to lead this nation back to unity!

David the father ignored the fact that he was David the King, the chosen one of God!

The victorious army of David came back to Jerusalem as a defeated army and “themselves the traitors” when it was they who had saved the nation.

King David had allowed his own personal failures again to interfere with good judgment!

And David himself came back to Jerusalem as a defeated man.

*****2Sa 19:4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

What is our lesson in these things?

When God disciplines his saints it can be very painful!

God had been forgiven David and his life had been spared.

David’s remaining family had also been spared but David still had to live in the reality of his own sin!

Sin will take you farther than you want to go.
Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay.
Sin will cost you more than you want to pay.
There is no victory in Sin!

King David was finding the Word of God to be very true!

Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

King David needed a jolt back into reality.

*****2Sa 19:5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
2Sa 19:6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
2Sa 19:7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

At the very time when Israel needed a true leader to unify the nation, King David was still useless to his nation because of his own guilt.

David knew he was to blame for all these things and he had now lost two sons!

We will pay a terrible price for sin!

David was God’s chosen man in his day and God expects better from those with that special calling!

Many others in Israel had lost their own sons in this war within David’s family and they were understandably disappointed in their king!

It was right for Joab to remind the King of these things!

It was wrong for Joab to be so harsh in the way he did it but his method was effective.

What is our lesson here?

2Co 2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
2Co 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, “lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow”.

When our sin causes us to grow cold and unconcerned, it is the Word of God that must be used to restore us!

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

A two-edged sword has no blunt side it cuts both ways. God’s Word will “cut the conscience” and “wound the heart” but only then can true healing come about!

Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

There is another thing to consider. Even in this thing David was a type of Christ!

David wished that he might have died for his son who was ungodly but “this is exactly what the Lord Jesus did for each one of us”!

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time “Christ died for the ungodly”.

Not one of us was worthy of the death of Jesus Christ!

Yet without the blood of that death we would still be in our sin!

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, “and washed us from our sins in his own blood”,

After this King David returned to his people to begin the healing process of God’s people.

*****2Sa 19:8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

These were people who had remained loyal to their king. These were not all military people.

Some of these were the fathers and mothers and the families, the everyday innocent people, who get caught up in the tragedies of politics and war.

These people had fled their homes out of fear and had lived in tents during the time of this civil war in their own nation.

It was at the gate of the city where justice was administered by the king and David had returned to his rightful place, though at this time David was still in Mahanaim his temporary capitol.

The remaining tribes had lost faith in their king.

*****2Sa 19:9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

These people began to remember the good times.

It was King David who had gain victory over all the enemies of Israel.

It was King David who had who had delivered Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.

And it was many of these same people who had come under the spell that crooked politician, Absalom.

The tribes of Israel had again divided, with 1o tribes (Israel) and the other two (Judah).

Absalom had died in the battle at the hands of Joab.

Absalom had not been appointed of God and therefore there should have been no true allegiance to him.

But no one had spoken of restoring King David to his throne.

King David had to reunite this nation as only he could do!

It was Judah who was David’s own tribe and it was Judah that had accepted Absalom. Therefore it was Judah where King David would begin to heal his nation.

David sent the High Priests, Zadok and Abiathar, to be his ambassadors to Judah.

Amasa had been the general of Absalom’s army but Amasa was also the son of David’s sister, Abigail.

It is probable that David now knew that it was Joab who had murdered Absalom, directly ignoring the orders of his Commander-in-Chief.

So, David offers Amasa the top position in his own army and replaces Joab.

This was probably a shock to Judah, but in this action it showed that David would pardon all those that had followed after Absalom.

David had also reached a point where he finally understood that Israel needed a true leader more than they needed a Warrior King. It was no longer a time when Kings should go to war!

David needed a general that would be obedient to his commander and Joab had proved that he would not always be obedient.

With these things Judah asked their king to return to Jerusalem and his throne.

*****2Sa 19:14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
2Sa 19:15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

While all the other tribes were still debating what to do, the tribe of Judah went to receive their king.

Gilgal was another place that had a great history to Israel.

It was at Gilgal that Joshua had made his first camp when Israel had first claimed the land that God had given to them.

And it was at Gilgal is the place that Samuel had chosen to renew the kingdom.

1Sa 11:14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

This was a time of re-dedication of the king to all of Israel!

God gave King David many opportunities to show his re-dedication as he returned to Jerusalem.

Shemei, the cursing man, ask for and was granted forgiveness and Shemei represented the house of Joseph.

Ziba returned to honor the king. Ziba represents the house of Benjamin.

Mephibosheth who had made a personal vow, not to shave, nor to change his clothes until the king returned, came to receive the king.

The king not knowing the truth of Mephibosheth and Ziba forgave then both and divided the lands of King Saul between them!

King David still remained true to his covenant with Jonathan!

And then their was a close friend.

*****2Sa 19:34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
2Sa 19:35 I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

King David felt deeply indebted to this man who had supported him throughout this entire ordeal.

In a real sense, Barzillai was someone who David could never repay for what he had done!

Barzillai was also someone who David felt an eternal obligation!

Barzillai’s family would always find a ready acceptance in Israel’s royal court!

And David gave these words to his son Solomon:

1Ki 2:7 But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

Let’s listen to what the Lord Jesus says to His disciples:

Luk 22:28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
Luk 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luk 22:30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And what else did Jesus say?

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

No matter what the rest of the world is doing, and no matter what the cost, we need to be like Barzillai and stick close by Our King, King Jesus!

*****2Sa 19:36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
2Sa 19:37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

Barzillai wanted to be shown “no favor” from the King!

Barzillai’s joy “came from serving” and seeing that his king had remained safe!

Barzillai should remind us of every servant of the Lord “who has served all his days and has now grown old gracefully to live out his remaining days”.

Barzillai “had no interest in the things of the world” nor “the life of royalty”.

Barzillai had the servant’s heart!

Barzillai knew he would have no pleasure in a royal court of the King but would enjoy his last days doing the things he most enjoyed.

When death came Barzillai wanted to be by his closest friends and buried near those that had gone on before him!

At 80 years old Barzillai had seen all the days of King Saul and all the days of King David but Barzillai had chosen David.

By life’s end we will have seen many kings and rulers but the wise will have chosen King Jesus, and remained faithful to Him!

It was Chimham who had stood by his own father and as this son, it would be he who would receive his father’s reward here on this Earth!

*****2Sa 19:38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

Several hundred years later Jeremiah wrote of Chimham.

Jer 41:17 And they departed, and dwelt in “the habitation of Chimham”, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,

King David was born in Bethlehem and it seems that Chimham was placed as the overseer of David’s personal family inheritance in Bethlehem.

This later “habitation” was probably an inn according to the Hebrew word used.

There many today that suppose that it was in the stable of this inn where the Lord Jesus was born but the Bible does not say nor does it deny this thing.

Luk 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

But David’s return as King did not make everyone happy!

There is always the trouble maker!

*****2Sa 19:41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?
2Sa 19:42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? or hath he given us any gift?
2Sa 19:43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
2Sa 20:1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

There may have been some peace in David’s family for a time but the sword was still hanging over David’s head!

King David knew that he needed the tribe of Judah in order to remain King of Israel but because Judah came alone to welcome David back into Israel it brought on extreme jealousy and David’s troubles were not yet over.

The invitation for the return of the King had first come from those ten tribes but Judah had taken the lead as usual and again this caused a rivalry between the tribes.

What does God say?

Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

God also has this message for us all:

Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

In all these things, we never read that anyone had taken the time to reach out to the Lord and when this happens Satan will always take advantage of the situation!

Sheba was a worthless man who had no interest in peace and wicked men think they are safe when they can conceal their unworthiness from the eyes of the world.

To Sheba, David had never been a king and certainly did not deserve royalty. To Sheba, David was just the son of Jesse a very poor man.

It sometimes seems that every bad man will get an opportunity to stir up strife!

That is because there are always ears open to criticism and this plays into Satan’s hand!

Satan will find a way to get his message heard so the ten tribes of Israel departed to their own homes.

King David proceeded to Jerusalem to set things straight.

David had chosen Amasa, who was soundly defeated by David’s army to stop this rebellion of Sheba but Amasa showed his incompetence by not being able to assemble an army in the time allowed by his Commander-in-Chief.

And David sent Abishai with Joab’s men to capture and to stop Sheba before a new revolt could take place and Israel back in civil war.

Amasa was not able to raise an army, so he tried to join with Abishai but when Joab saw him, he killed him for wearing his own uniform.

Amasa had lost his own sword and was defenseless and Joab murders another human being for no real reason.

When someone is pierced between the fifth rib, “it is a death blow”, because it penetrates the lungs and on into the heart and the victim will drown in his own blood. It is a painful, and a struggling slow death that cannot be reversed by any medical means.

This is the same blow that was delivered to Jesus on the cross but The Lord Jesus had already given up the ghost.

Joh 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

Every soldier is taught the blows that bring this kind of death!

Sheba escaped and had took refuge in the city of Abel.

At this time Abel was a strong city and was referred to as “the mother of Israel”.

It seems that at this time this city was governed by a truly wise woman.

Those that say God does not treat women as equal to men do not know the Word of God!

God does expect a man to take the leadership role in the family and this includes the Church!

*****2Sa 20:16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
2Sa 20:17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
2Sa 20:18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
2Sa 20:19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

The city of Abel was about to be destroyed because this city was harboring the enemy of the King.

Why is is that evil men who know they are wrong always use innocent people as a barrier between them and justice.?

This is the favorite tactic of Muslim extremist, yet the Muslim world will not put a stop to it.

It is within the power of the Muslim world to end this terror in the world we live in, but they are not as wise as this woman of Abel.

No city, and no place is safe with the traitors of peace within it’s walls!

And no place is safe that harbors and exalts sin!

God says wisdom comes from the Word of God!

And wisdom comes not only from knowledge but also from perception of right and wrong!

It was not necessary for this city to suffer for the guilt of this one man!

Most all the world is not as wise as this woman!

Take Caiaphas in the day of Jesus Christ, who knew the Word of God and condemned an innocent man knowing his own nation would suffer.

Today, the guilty are cared for and protected while the innocent suffer for them!

We can see that we just do not have our priorities in the right order.

No doubt it is always better to seek peace before the armies are dispatched for destruction!

We should ask ourselves, is it worth the cost in lives and other things, to protect the guilty or should we be more willing protect the innocent?

Joab would not have stopped until he had destroyed this city to rid Israel of this traitor Sheba.

20,000 Israelites had already died, there was no need for more death and Joab answered.

*****2Sa 20:20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
2Sa 20:21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

This wise woman simply told Joab, that the people of the city had not been given the opportunity to decide amongst themselves if they would fight for the life of Sheba and she wanted that opportunity.

A great lesson for the lost can be realized here.

Every person is a city within themselves. Satan is the “traitor”, the enemy of God. If we love the “traitor” above our own soul we will certainly perish with the “traitor”!

And if we will willingly part from our sin, God will withdraw His “judgments”!

The Lord Jesus has these words:

Mat 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

It is always best to take off the head of Sheba, than for our city to be destroyed!

Wicked men always think they are safe when they think they can hide their own evil from the eyes of the world but God is never fooled by such men!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

David’s Grief

April 13, 2014 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

David’s Grief

2 Samuel Chapter 15-18

God told King David that the sword would never depart from the house of David.

Today we will see that the division in the family of David would spread to divide the entire nation of Israel.

How can we best describe Absalom?

Let’s let God describe Absalom for us.

Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Absalom had been allowed back into Israel after 2 years by his father but it took 3 more years for King David to allow Absalom to be in his presence and to have some official duties.

There was still no forgiveness and also no punishment for the death of Amnon.

So Absalom set out to destroy his own father.

*****2Sa 15:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

King David’s government had become lax. King David was still the final authority of Israel but his own sin had made him an unworthy judge and he was still ignoring the commandments of God in judging his own family.

King David was losing the respect of the people of Israel.

Many of these things sound so familiar with what we see in America today.

Absalom used this weakness of his father to undermine the throne and seek the heart of the people.

Absalom was determined to be the next King of Israel no matter the cost!

While the King was rarely seen in public, Absalom made a great public showing of his royalty everywhere he went showing that he would soon be king.

Absalom had no more love for his father and he cared not for the things of God.

Absalom was a spoiled rich kid who had now rebelled against his own father.

Absalom had become these very things that God hates the most!

*****2Sa 15:2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.

Absalom became as a politician running for office!

Absalom is the first recorded politician in the Bible.

Absalom would say things that he knew would tickle the ears of those who heard him.

Public business was transacted early in the morning. It would be normal for the King or at least his representative to be at the gate of the city early in the morning to hear any petition that required an answer from the king.

King David had been lax in this duty and many things were left undecided.

Absalom would point out to all who listened, that they could see that there was no one available from the king but that could be different if he were king of Israel.

There would be no vote to see who would be the next king, but Absalom sought public opinion even if he had to lie.

*****2Sa 15:3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
2Sa 15:4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!

Absalom pointed out that his father was a failure as King of Israel, thinking only of his own self and not justice for the people.

At that time some of these things were true but it is unrealistic to believe that the king could take the time to hear every problem and we already know that King David could still discern between good and evil.

But where King David was a hero, “Absalom was a celebrity” and even today people are swayed by the things that celebrities say even though they have no real knowledge of the truth!

Samuel had warned Israel of the men like Absalom that would come.

1Sa 8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
1Sa 8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

Absalom would say but “if I were king, things would be different”.

How many of us have heard all these things?

This is the favorite tactic of the politician even in our day?

*****2Sa 15:5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
2Sa 15:6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

The kiss.

Absalom greeted everyone like they were old friends.

Absalom would find out where they came from and showed concern for their problems.

Absalom would agree with them on their complaints.

Absalom would tell them that surely things should be settled in their favor.

This was gross flattery of the most despicable kind!

Why had all these things happened?

Because King David had placed himself above the Word of God!

What do we see in the world today?

The entire world is rejecting the Word of God!

Who will be the “next one” to come on the scene according to the Word of God?

The Bible says.

Dan 11:21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

How can we best describe Absalom as he appeared to Israel?

Psa 55:21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

Absalom was in this sense a “type” of the Anti-Christ!

We can place Absalom in many “types” in the Bible “but we should not think of him as an abused son for he was not”!

The Bible says.

Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Absalom did not greet Israel with a holy kiss.

And we need to beware of the politician who greet everyone with a kiss!

Absalom “stole” the hearts of many in Israel.

And again Absalom deceives his father.

*****2Sa 15:7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

Hebron was a city that was the home of much of the history of Israel. Once called Mamre, Hebron had been the home of Abraham and Isaac.

Joshua had reclaimed Hebron from the giants and Hebron became the center of the tribe of Judah.

In many cases the other tribes of Israel had followed Judah throughout Israel’s history from the time of Moses.

David had first reigned as king in Hebron.

Absalom needed Hebron and Judah on his side if he were to be king!

It had taken only 4 years for the flatteries of Absalom to divide Israel into two warring sides.

And Absalom set his plan in place.

*****2Sa 15:12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Athithophel was King David’s counsellor because he could quickly discern a good idea from a bad idea and he could separate truth from falsehood but as we will see his loyalties were questionable.

In truth Ahithophel can be considered a “type” of Judas who would sell his services for money.

Only then did King David hear of this conspiracy.

*****2Sa 15:13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
2Sa 15:14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

King David was a man of great personal bravery so why did he flee from Jerusalem?

1) David knew it was because of his own sin that these things were happening.

God had told him that “He would raise up evil out of his own house”.

God’s Word was being fulfilled right before David’s eyes.

2) David had beautified the city of Jerusalem, which he loved very much and he would not see war destroy these things.
King David was not about to bring war to the streets of Jerusalem.

3) David could not bear to shed the blood of the people of Israel. David had grown to love these people!

4) David loved Absalom and David would concede the throne to Absalom before he would be a cause of his death.

We should notice one thing in particular!

Bad leaders, full of immorality, and seeking their own personal agenda, make their governments contemplable to the people!

We need to elect just and pure and godly men into the offices of power, no other traits are as important as these!

Israel was divided by all these things that were happening.

And we know that America is as divided today, almost as much as when we had our own Civil War.

What is important?

It was God who had made David, King of Israel!

And God does as God does!

God had not caused all these things to happen!

These things happened because we live in a sin filled world influenced by Satan.

God just did not stop these things from happening, which He could have but God expects us to come to Him with our problems!

It was David’s sin that had caused these things just as it was Adam’s sin that had caused the curse on this world we live in!

Fleeing from Jerusalem seemed to be the most logical thing to do to allow King David to better prepare for what had happened so quickly.

We are not promised tomorrow!

In order for things to go well with us, then we need that true relationship with God on a daily basis.

When Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray, He teaches us 4 very special things.

1) We must place God’s interest before our own personal needs!

2) We must keep our personal needs in the right proportion to our spiritual needs! (Which ever we feed the most)

3) Our relationship with God requires our prayers at least daily!

4) We must trust God for our present needs, not worrying about tomorrow!

We do not read where King David took time to pray on this day.

David fled for his life because he knew he would not fight Absalom.

*****2Sa 15:15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.
2Sa 15:16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
2Sa 15:17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
2Sa 15:18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

King David had all his personal body guard who would not leave him and 600 Philistines.

These men would give their lives to protect King David but they were also willing to be obedient to him without question.

David took his entire household except for 10 concubines.

In these times a concubine was considered a lower class of wife and not just some plaything!

But the children from the concubine could not claim any part of the inheritance of their father.

The Church is the “Bride of Christ” but the Church is not the “Concubine of Christ”!

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

What does God say about the marriage?

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and “they shall be one flesh”.

The Church is “one with Christ” and not some plaything nor a concubine!

These 10 women were to keep the palace household goods and furniture in order.

This not the job of the Church.

The Church is to make disciples and keep salvation the main thing!

*****2Sa 15:19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.

Ittai was Philistine who had with him 600 men.

He had no side in this battle and had dedicated himself and his men to the King of Israel.

But, Ittai regarded King David as his master and himself as David’s slave.

In “type” Ittai is the “Gentile” who is a slave to Our Master, The Lord Jesus Christ, and we will soon see that he has equal rank among Joab and Abishai the Generals of David’s armies.

We are all one in Christ Jesus!

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

God teaches us that when we show ourselves friendly we can have friends who are closer than a brother.

Ittai was such a friend to King David.

Ittai was exiled from the Philistines and could not go back home.

If Ittai stayed with King David and David failed, he would no longer be welcomed in Israel under Absalom.

Ittai had a lot to lose but he stayed with God’s chosen.

And Ittai said.

*****2Sa 15:21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

Jesus Christ gave us these words:

Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

At this time in his life Ittai was the type of friend that King David needed.

This the type of person that Jesus wants us all to be today!

Our job is to serve those that God chooses for His own purpose!

There are just too many today that try to make Our Lord Jesus Christ a stepping stone to help them get to Heaven.

To them Our Lord is only a convenience to serve their own purpose.

This not what the Lord wants!

The citizens of Heaven will be people who have accepted the Lord Jesus not only as Master, but also as the Only King, and the Creator of this world and of Heaven.

It is the Church who is a stranger and an exile in this world and it is Jesus Christ that we must follow!

If Jesus could fail, then the Church would fail!

We must follow Jesus even if it means our own death!

*****2Sa 15:23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
2Sa 15:24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
2Sa 15:25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:
2Sa 15:26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
2Sa 15:27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
2Sa 15:28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
2Sa 15:29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

At this time Zadok and Abiather shared the priestly duties and they thought it would be best if the they and the Ark of God went with King David.

David knew that the Ark belonged to the people of God and not just to the ruler of Israel.

The things of God cannot be treated like some good luck charm!

It is God Himself who will defend His Own things!

King David realized that in the time of Eli, the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel, and one of the reasons was that the Ark of God had been taken to the battlefield as some idol or as some good luck charm.

King David knew that the Covenant of God could not be broken no matter who sat on the throne in Israel.

King David also knew, that if he was to return to the throne in Jerusalem it would be by the hand of God.

What is Faith?

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

So, David continues his escape.

*****2Sa 15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
2Sa 15:31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
2Sa 15:32 And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:

King David traveled by the way of the Mount of Olives.

King David wept as he ascended up the Mount of Olives and 1000 years later, Jesus Christ wept as He descended from the Mount of Olives.

Luk 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Luk 19:42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

Jerusalem was in a turmoil the day King David left and was still in a turmoil the day the Lord had come and Jerusalem will remain in a turmoil until The Lord Jesus, The Son of David returns to sit again on the throne in Jerusalem!

The Bible still says.

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Ahithophel was the father of Bathsheba and he had not liked any of the things that had happened to his daughter nor to Uriah.

Remember Ahithophel was quick to discern such things as these, which had made him a wise counselor.

Ahithophel had deserted his king but King David went to the Mighty Counselor who had promised to always be with him.

As King David finally worshipped the Lord, he prayed that God would change the council of Ahithophel into foolishness.

So immediately God answered David’s prayer and God sent King David’s friend Hushai.

Hushai went back to Jerusalem to counteract the influence of Ahithophel.

If Absalom had listened to Ahithophel, he may have destroyed his father but by listening to Hushai, King David had time to gather his army and Absalom’s conspiracy was ended.

As King David had gone on a little farther there came Ziba to take advantage of David.

*****2Sa 15:37 So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
2Sa 16:1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2Sa 16:2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.
2Sa 16:3 And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
2Sa 16:4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

Without much explanation it seems that Ziba had taken this opportunity to make himself more loyal then Mephibosheth.

What Ziba was saying was that Mephibosheth had remained in Jerusalem in the hope that there would be enough supporters to make him king instead of Absalom. He was as the only remaining descendant of King Saul.

We can see that there was friction between Mephibosheth and Ziba and Ziba was trying to take advantage of this situation.

But David continued and someone else showed up but not with good tidings.

*****2Sa 16:5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
2Sa 16:6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
2Sa 16:7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
2Sa 16:8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

Shimei was a direct descendant of Benjamin through his father Gera and he took this opportunity to blaspheme and curse King David as he cast stones at him.

It seems he had a real hatred for King David but at this time he was nothing more than a nuisance and David allowed him his folly.

Bahurim was a town, very near the Jordan River and David stopped to refresh himself and those with him.

As David took some time to refresh himself near Bahurim, Absalom and his army enter into Jerusalem.

*****2Sa 16:14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
2Sa 16:15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

Absalom came into Jerusalem without seeing a trace of his enemy, his own father, but also not realizing that even on his departure his father had outwitted him and had set up a spy network to keep him informed of Absalom’s intentions.

We are always to submit to God’s Will!

But we are not to live as hermits!

We are to stay informed of our surroundings and pray for God’s intervention!

In the case of King David we can see that God answers part of his prayer immediately.

But before this takes place God’s Word will always hold true!

What had God said?

2Sa 12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
2Sa 12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

God’s Word cannot fail!

*****2Sa 16:20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
2Sa 16:21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
2Sa 16:22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
2Sa 16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

We can see that the Lord had known the heart of Ahithophel all along and knew just how wicked he truly was!

When Absalom violates his father’s concubines it shows all of Jerusalem that he has despised his father’s throne.

This was not an endorsement from God for Absalom to do evil!

This is just what evil things will happen when God lifts that hedge of protection.

What will happen immediately after the Church is raptured out of this world?

2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

When the Holy Ghost filled Church is raptured out of this world there will be no force on this earth to hold back the evil.

It is God’s people who are holding back much of the evil in this world.

It is the Church that supports the moral laws and is to hate all lawlessness.

The Holy Spirit will operate much like He did in the Old Testament and evil will run rampant throughout this world.

And verse 23 states that the opinions of Ahithophel were accepted as if he were a prophet of God, which he was not!

But this evil councilor had a plan that could have destroyed King David if God had allowed it to take place.

*****2Sa 17:1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
2Sa 17:2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:
2Sa 17:3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.
2Sa 17:4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
2Sa 17:5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.

Hushai was David’s friend and it was Hushai who counteracted the influence of Ahithophel.

God will put the right people in place to see that His will is done!

King David’s army would have been over whelmed by such a large force at this time.

David needed time to gather his army and this time was obtained by the advice of Hushai to Absalom.

*****2Sa 17:7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.
2Sa 17:8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
2Sa 17:9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.

Hushai told Absalom that there was very little chance that he would even find King David and could not kill him and if there was a slaughter of the people that were with David they would stand as martyrs and turn the nation against him.

This made sense to Absalom and to all those back stabbing elders of Israel.

Absalom followed Hushai’s advice.

And, Ahithophel went to his own home and hanged himself.

Hushai sent word to King David to cross the River Jordan.

David went to Mahanaim. This is the same city that Ishbosheth, King Saul’s son had made his capitol but they were now King David’s friends.

It is here that King David gathered his army to put down Absalom and retake Jerusalem.

A war between the families of Israel began.

It would not last very long but the cost of lives would be great.

And King David pleaded with his generals to save the life of Absalom.

*****2Sa 18:5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
2Sa 18:6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
2Sa 18:7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
2Sa 18:8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

King David had no doubt that his army would be victorious as told his generals to save the life of Absalom.

King David was a warrior king and he had chosen this place very well but sadly 20,000 men would have to die.

When we choose the wrong side it can sometimes be the cause of our death!

It is in this place chosen by King David where this war would be settled quickly.

This fight would be to the death because it was more hazardous to run away than it was to fight.

This was the right place to end this civil war and “in type” a battle somewhat like the coming battles of Armageddon.

But Joab was not about to allow Absalom to live if he got the opportunity to kill him.

Remember Absalom had burnt the fields of Joab and Joab was not one who would forget and it did not matter who they were.

*****2Sa 18:14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them
through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
2Sa 18:15 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
2Sa 18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
There were many real reasons for Absalom to die for the things he had done!

But there was no reason for Joab not to honor the commands of his Commander in Chief and his King.

Joab had his own personal agenda and took his own personal vengeance.

But this thing was deeply offensive to King David!

What lesson can we learn?

It never pays to take counsel against the Lord’s anointed!

Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

God has a saying that holds true for may men like Absalom.

Pro 6:14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
Pro 6:15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; “suddenly shall he be broken without remedy”.

Frowardness means Absalom rejoiced to do evil.

Absalom devised ways to go against his father the King.

Absalom did not even consider what he did to be evil, but it was.

Absalom sowed discord in his nation of Israel and it cost the lives of 20,000 men. A great loss to his nation.

And just as God’s Word says Absalom’s calamity came suddenly and he was broken and died “because there was no remedy that could cure him”.

And King David mourned for his son.

*****2Sa 18:32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my
lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
2Sa 18:33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

King David gave no thought to the 20,000 Israelites who had died.

King David gave no thought to the guilt of his son in doing all these things.

King David gave no thought to a great victory over evil.

King David could only think of his son, who was dead.

What is our lesson here?

Eze 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

God is a God of love and delights only in happiness but God is also a “Righteous Judge” who must no doubt punish sin and punish it severely!

God does not punish anyone just to inflict pain and God gets no pleasure in anyone that dies the death of the lost, the “second death”!

We all have a appointment with death but that “second death” is a choice we make ourselves!

This is the very reason the Lord has so much patience.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”.

There is no reason for anyone to die without knowing the Lord Jesus Christ!

BUT, all those that die the death of Absalom will also die the second death!

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the “second death”.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Is your name written down in the Book of Life?

Thank You Lord Jesus for being so patient.

Questions?

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David’s Family

April 6, 2014 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

David’s Family

2 Samuel 13; 14

Last week we began to see the results of what happens when we go against the Word of God. King David had committed grievous sin and for a long time refused to repent and even tried to hide his sin from the world.

God is not pleased when we do not repent immediately after committing any sin.

A sin is anything we do that goes against the Word of God.

In fact, sin is also anything we go ahead and do that our conscience tells us we should not do!

Already David had to witnessed the death of a son, but when God removes that “hedge of protection” from around his children, things just do not go very well in this world we live in.

If we are truly saved we cannot loose our salvation!

David did still get to see that child when he got to Heaven, and we will also get to see our own loved ones, who have gone on before us, but life in this world will still loose some it’s joy because of our sin, and the longer we go unrepentant the more sorrow we will have!

War was over with Ammon, but warfare within the life of David and his family was just beginning!

When that evil thing called “temptation” raises it’s ugly head, we need to immediately flee to some other place, at least in our minds.

Sin never has a happy ending!

If we “could count the cost” of that sin before hand, we would find that a few moments of pleasure is never worth the price we will pay in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones!

Righteousness means doing things the right way.

The right way is God’s way and God’s way, is truly the way of life!

*****2Sa 13:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

It can truly be said that God does not hide anything from us in His Word!

It would have been easy to have left these things out of the Bible that God gave us.

I have said before, the Bible was written for believers.

We would never understand God’s “Mercy” and God’s “Grace” without seeing these truths of the Old Testament!

Absalom was King David’s 3rd born son but Absalom was born of Maacah who was the royal princess and daughter of Talami the King of Geshur.

Absalom was also born in Hebron and Hebron was the main city of Judah and the first capitol of King David.

Judah was the backbone of Israel and had been the leader of the tribes of Israel from the days of Moses.

All these things will have more meaning as we study these scriptures.

We should also keep in mind as long as Satan only knew that the Messiah would come from a descendant of Abraham, he had few options but with the covenant with David, Satan knew the Messiah would at sometime come from this family and he began his ruthless attack on David and his family.

David had been under the protecting hand of God up until this thing with Bathsheba and Uriah’s death, but God had lifted that hedge of protection and Satan began his attack, with his goal to stop the coming Messiah.

What had God told the Serpent (Satan)?

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; “it shall bruise thy head”, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

But Absalom had a beautiful sister, the “fairest” in all the land!

King David’s first born son was Amnon and all things being normal, most of Israel would assume that Amnon would be the next king of Israel but Absalom also had this on his mind because he was born of royalty.

Amnon was a wicked young man!

Another thing we should consider, is that David had many wives and “polygamy” does not allow for a true family relationship!

God has never authorized “polygamy”!

*****2Sa 13:2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

Tamar was a virgin and unmarried daughters of royalty were kept secluded from the company of men unless in the presence of many witnesses.

The few times that Amnon had seen Tamar, Amnon had developed a deep passion for her but he knew he could never have her.

It is said that a man never sees the worst in himself until he sees it in his own son!

King David had not set a very good example for his sons in this thing with Bathsheba and Uriah.

In a real sense, Tamar was Amnon’s sister and he should have turned that lust into love and her protection but Satan always has his own little helpers.

Sometimes our so-called friends are truly our greatest enemy!

*****2Sa 13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
2Sa 13:4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.
2Sa 13:5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
2Sa 13:6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

Amnon, as the first born son of the king, could have gotten pretty much anything he desired but he turned all that desire toward Tamar and was obsessed with his own sister.

Amnon was repeating this part of his father’s sin and he makes his own father a part of that sin, by using him to send Tamar to him!

King David gives in to his son believing the things he had said.

King David was setting aside his own rules in bad judgement.

*****2Sa 13:8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes “in his sight”, and did bake the cakes.

Does God really hate some of the things we do?

The Bible says:

Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18 “An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations”, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

There are some hearts that are so bad that they are ever inventing some evil thing and Amnon had such a heart.

While Tamar made those cakes, Amnon’s passion raged, “as he was watching the movements of his sister” and was making his evil plan to take her.

*****2Sa 13:9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.
2Sa 13:10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
2Sa 13:11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

There are many beautiful women in this world. This gives them no reason to brag of that fact, but they must also realize they should always be on guard for their own safety.

There are also many evil Amnon’s in this world and this will always be true!

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

That phrase “Come lie with me” came only after he had thrown his arms around her to stop her from escaping him.

And she responded.

*****2Sa 13:12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; “for no such thing ought to be done in Israel”: do not thou “this folly”.

Tamar at least knew something of God’s commandments. Incest was strictly forbidden in the law of God!

Lev 18:9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

Lev 20:17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

There are men in our world who are just like Amnon and void of understanding such things as this.

That word folly means that Tamar knew this was a crime of wickedness.

Tamar was telling Amnon what was written in the Bible, as she quoted from the Book of Genesis.

Gen 34:7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; “which thing ought not to be done”.

Amnon rejected the Word if God.

*****2Sa 13:13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.
2Sa 13:14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

Tamar asked for consideration because her reputation would be tarnished and her character ruined all her days and she was very young.

Amnon ignored this plea.

Tamar asked Amnon to consider his own reputation because as the legitimate heir to the thrown of Israel, it was foolish to throw it all away for a few moments of pleasure.

Amnon ignored this truth.

Tamar ask Amnon to stop what he was doing and talk to his earthly father the King, he might even allow this thing.

Amnon ignored all these things and continued by forcibly raping his sister, who was unwilling.

Then Amnon’s passion turned into hatred.

*****2Sa 13:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.
2Sa 13:16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.
2Sa 13:17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
2Sa 13:18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
2Sa 13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

After Amnon’s passion was filled, the things that would follow this act of wickedness began to sink in and Amnon’s love turned to hate.

Amnon had really never had love for his sister!

Lust is not love in any form or fashion!

Lust is a sinful longing, “that inward sin” which causes us to fall away from God.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Lusts are simply the objects of desire!

Mar 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

What is love?

Love is the unselfish, loyal, and a real concern for the wellbeing of another.

Love is the more excellent way!

1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you “a more excellent way”.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; “but the greatest of these is charity”.

Amnon had had no love for Tamar and was no longer filled with passion at the sight of his sister!

What Amnon had done had been in secret but unlike his father with Bathsheba, Amnon hated Tamar so much he openly exposed Tamar, and tried to show that it was she who had been the aggressor and who was at fault.

To keep this thing a secret would have been much better for her!

I’m sure Tamar shuddered when Amnon told his servants to get “this thing” out of my house and “out of my sight”.

But Tamar had an older brother.

*****2Sa 13:20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

Absalom knew that his father King David had sent Tamar to the house of Amnon and with this knowledge of his sister, Absalom began to plot his on revenge but not just for this one reason.

Absalom convinced his sister to keep this thing a secret and not tell her father, the king.

It was her father who had sent her to Amnon. so Tamar listened to her brother.

Amnon would not allow this thing to be kept a secret.

*****2Sa 13:21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

Just as this secret thing could not be hidden, we can also be sure that the secret thing of Bathsheba and Uriah was no longer hidden!

What did King David do?

He got mad!

King David got angry at Amnon but did nothing about it and no one else did.

It was King David’s duty as a father to see that this evil doer was punished but he did nothing.

It was King David’s duty as King and judge of Israel to see that this evil doer be punished but he did nothing.

It is doubtful that Amnon’s servant would have testified against him and there had been no eye witnesses to this crime.

This began a war between David’s children.

This was the main reason that virgins and unmarried women were not to be left alone in the presence of men, David’s own rule.

But David had sent his daughter to Amnon and held sole responsibility to punish his son, yet he did nothing.

Here again the judge could not properly judge because of his own sin!

Why, we might ask?

King David had a guilty conscience and the memory of his own sin shut him down!

The Law said:

Deu 22:28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;
Deu 22:29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

This what Tamar was trying to explain to Amnon.

But the Law also said this:

Lev 18:9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

Absalom also did not confront his brother Amnon, but plotted his own revenge.

*****2Sa 13:22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
2Sa 13:23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
2Sa 13:24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.
2Sa 13:25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.

A sheep-shearing feast was a grand occasion in Israel.

Absalom probably knew the his father David would not attend but he ask him any way.

If the king accepted this invitation it would expected of Absalom to provided not only for the king but all that would come with him which would be his servants and his personal body guards among many others, so the king refused to go but blessed Absalom for his offer.

Absalom was really trying to hide his true intentions, which he accomplished.

This is the main trait of Satan!

*****2Sa 13:26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
2Sa 13:27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

King David may have had a few suspicions but he did allow Amnon to attend along with all his other sons.

Again using bad judgement!

Now Absalom’s plan went into action but he would not dirty his own hands and used the hands of his loyal servants.

Again we see another thing the child had learned from the parent!

*****2Sa 13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
2Sa 13:29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

At this time the remaining sons of David fled because they feared for their own lives thinking Absalom was assuring himself to be the next king of Israel.

The mules were used because King David had chosen the mule to symbolize royalty in his kingdom.

1Ki 1:33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son “to ride upon mine own mule”, and bring him down to Gihon:

*****2Sa 13:30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.
2Sa 13:31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
2Sa 13:32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: “for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar”.
2Sa 13:33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

King David realized that again he had been used by his own children to do evil things.

Just as Amnon had used his father to get access to Tamar, Absalom had used his father to get access to Amnon.

This act of vengeance could have been stopped had King David taken control of this thing of his daughter from the beginning!

Jonadab knew all along that King David’s other sons had not been the target of Absalom but had hid this thing from the King for these two years.

Remember this was supposedly Amnon’s good friend, but in actuality, he was only someone who was jealous of all of David’s sons and also a very evil young man.

Satan hates all our young people and does everything he can to destroy them!

And Absalom fled to his grandfather.

*****2Sa 13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.
2Sa 13:35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.
2Sa 13:36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
2Sa 13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
2Sa 13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

Talmai was Absalom’s grandfather and ruler of a city state named Geshur.

Absalom had ran, fearing now for his own life but he would only be safe in Geshur because David had signed an agreement with this king for safety and it was sealed by the marriage of King David to Maacah this kings daughter.

This was not a good reason to get married but even Solomon would use this same means of peace over and over again.

Absalom stayed with his grandfather for 3 years but King David longed to see his son yet still lacked forgiveness.

*****2Sa 13:39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

We can see that the death of one son, Amnon, had faded by this time and the son that was alive Absalom, was sorely missed.

No doubt King David blamed himself for all these things and he had not yet forgiven himself though God had.

But there was another political enemy of David, who was watching closely these failures of King David.

*****2Sa 14:1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.
2Sa 14:2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:
2Sa 14:3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.
2Sa 14:4 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.
2Sa 14:5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.
2Sa 14:6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.
2Sa 14:7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.
2Sa 14:8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.
2Sa 14:9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.
2Sa 14:10 And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
2Sa 14:11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
2Sa 14:12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
2Sa 14:13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.
2Sa 14:14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.
2Sa 14:15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.
2Sa 14:16 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.
2Sa 14:17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.
2Sa 14:18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.
2Sa 14:19 And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:
2Sa 14:20 To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

King David had listened intently to Nathan as he had told a story and discerned it to be from God.

Joab had hired, what could be called an actor, wise in her words, to tell another story to King David.

Nathan had brought conviction to David and that conviction had led to repentance.

This actor, this imitator, would only lead to the promotion to Joab’s scheme of self-interest.

What was her argument?

1) Those that grant mercy should begin with those of their own home.

2) We all are appointed a day to die, if Absalom were to die before he was reconciled by his father, it would his father who would suffer the most and go to his own grave in grief for his own inaction of forgiveness.

3) David was not being an example of the God, he said he worshipped and trusted in.

The results.

*****2Sa 14:21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
2Sa 14:22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.
2Sa 14:23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
2Sa 14:24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.

King David brought Absalom back home to his own house but there was no reconciliation nor forgiveness.

Joab was disappointed in his King and Absalom became very irritated and would plot to over throw his own father.

What is the theme we should observe here?

The judge, who is also a great sinner, is unworthy to deal with other offenders!

These are the type of men who sit to judge in most of our judicial systems today and ignore the Word of God.

It is only by the Word of God that men can be judged honestly and justly!

When a guilty offender, is lawyered by an eloquent speaker, and is set free, this is in itself a great sin not only to the public but also to God!

God cautions the Church of such things.

1Co 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, “go to law before the unjust”, and not before the saints?

But to most of Israel, Absalom had succeeded where his father the King had failed.

*****2Sa 14:25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
2Sa 14:26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year’s end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king’s weight.

Not only had Tamar been the fairest of all the women in Israel until marred by Amnon, Absalom was considered the fairest of all the men of Israel.

Absalom had a great physique but he had already proved he had no soul!

Absalom had a high spirit and courtly manners to go along with his good looks but lacked in truth.

Absalom make a great happening out of his haircut only once each year.

The “kings weight” would have been the heaviest of the shekel weights.

This hair would weigh somewhere between 6 and 12 pounds depending on what measurements are used.

My own calculations say near 7 and one half pounds and would have been very heavy on him for sure!

And it had now been 5 years since King David had seen his son.

*****2Sa 14:28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face.
2Sa 14:29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.
2Sa 14:30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
2Sa 14:31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?
2Sa 14:32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.
2Sa 14:33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

Absalom was not afraid to resort to destruction to have his own way but Absalom also thought that Joab was on his side.

Absalom regarded himself innocent of any wrongdoing and we can also see that Absalom is now convinced that his father was weak and unable to properly rule Israel.

King David had not realized the bitterness Absalom had toward him and again he was used by his own son, to push forward his evil agenda.

King David reinstated Absalom, giving the appearance to all of Israel that he would be chosen to be the next king.

King David again overlooks Absalom’s guiltiness, therefore condoning the murder of Amnon, his own son!

In all these things, King David opens the door for Absalom to be the next king and Absalom takes full advantage of all these things and despises his own father.

And this was the beginning of rebellion and civil war in Israel, by David’s own family!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

David’s Repentance

March 30, 2014 / Bobby Mayfield / 1 Comment

David’s Repentance

2 Samuel 12; 1 Chronicles 20

When we last left King David, he had committed grievous sin, not only against the Lord, but also against a loyal man he had known for many years and we should not forget also against his own nation Israel.

All our actions will most every time affect the safety and livelihood of those around us.

What had God told Adam?

Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof “thou shalt surely die”.

Some will say that Adam did not die but the truth is that such a change took place not only in his physical condition but also in his mind and heart.

Adam truly began to die this day of his sin!

He began to die because he was no longer innocent.
He began to die because his hope of a pure life died.
He began to die because his peace died.

God has said to us:

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

King David would be restored by the “Grace” of God “BUT” King David could not escape the punishment of God.

The Prophet Nathan returned again to King David with another message from Jehovah God.

*****2Sa 12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

Thanks to a ruthless, self-serving general in King David’s army and a wife who was silent for many reasons, it appeared that King David would get away with adultery and murder without it being common knowledge but God was not deceived by King David’s actions.

Num 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: “and be sure your sin will find you out”.

After David repented to God of his sin, he wrote these words:

Psa 52:7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

When we trust in the things of this world we will fail!

Nathan began to remind his king a of “The One” who had much greater authority than he had.

It would not be easy for Nathan to stand before this King and confront him with this thing that through murder and deceit had been kept so secretly for nearly 9 months.

It was easy for David to understand a rich man, poor man story, because David had been both poor and had become rich so Nathan continued.

*****2Sa 12:2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
2Sa 12:3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

If we believe another song that David wrote then we must believe that King David had spent this 9 month period under heavy conviction but he still could not bring himself to repentance.

Psa 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
Psa 32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

Uriah had only one wife Bathsheba and not many animals are much cuter than a baby lamb!

David on the other hand had many wives and even more concubines who he could have had at any time he chose.

As David listened to Nathan, he was living in this example of this rich man.

And Nathan continued.

*****2Sa 12:4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

Who was this traveler?

1) This traveler was Pride!

David had exalted himself above the Word of God.

When we think we know better than God, we have made our own selves gods!

When we reject the Word of God, we are saying that we know more than God does.

2) This traveler was also Temptation!

Who is the Tempter?

Satan!

Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

When Satan understood that the Messiah would come from the line of David, he did everything he could to stop that from happening.

Satan knows the Word of God!

Listen as Satan quotes scripture but he also takes scripture out of context as much of this world does.

Mat 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: “for it is written”, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

In this instance King David was also a “type” of Christ but we will see David’s failure, where the Lord Jesus Christ succeeded and had no sin.

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

This also would not be the last time that Satan would tempt King David.

1Ch 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Satan will never quit bringing his temptations but when we yield to his temptations it just makes it easier for him to return with more stuff to hinder our relationship with God!

God says:

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, “to stand”.

God also says:

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Satan can be a frightening thing but the child of God, filled with the Holy Spirit “is his master” and Satan must flee if we resist him!

We resist him by getting closer to the Lord!

Snuggle up to Jesus and Satan has no power at all!

Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

King David had failed in his temptation.

King David had been under conviction for almost 9 months.

This story(not a parable) that Nathan was saying made King David very angry.

Anger still came before repentance as David was still hiding his secret sin.

*****2Sa 12:5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
2Sa 12:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

We should notice that even under conviction for his own sin, King David was more ready to judge another man’s sin and this judgment was much greater than God’s Word.

Exo 22:1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

It was the adulterers who was to die.

Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

Fourfold would have been 16 animals.

And David adds, “because he had no pity”, it was King David who had had no pity on his fellow man!

David had forgotten the truth in the Word of God:

Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

King David’s pronouncement of a fourfold restoration would soon came back on his own house.

1) In our lesson today we will see that this child born to Bathsheba will die.
2) Tamar, the virgin daughter of David will be raped by her half-brother Amnon.
3) Absalom would then murder Amnon out of revenge for his sister.
4) Absalom later would be killed by Joab, when he was already captured alive as he rebelled against his father King David.

David had been greatly blessed by God and was a man after God’s own heart, but even the godliest men, especially those placed in a position to influence God’s people, will be chastened because of the willful sin of disobedience.

And Nathan said.

*****2Sa 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
2Sa 12:8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

King David had put much effort into hiding this sin from all of Israel but he had not been able to hide it from God!

King David was now brought face to face with his sin. It was in his hands to confess and repent that sin to restore his fellowship with the Lord.

All sin can be forgiven but one and that is the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ as our One and Only Savior!

By God’s “Grace” He forgive our sin but we will always suffer the consequences of that sin!

The purpose God had for King David would continue because of God’s covenant with him but David would now struggle his remaining years.

King David could not now reach his full potential in his service for the Lord!

What did Job say?

Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Nathan’s word from God was, “If you have a need come to Me”.

God tells us this:

Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, “because ye ask not”.

If we have a specific need we must go to the Lord “and not ever” go against the Lord!

Wherefore means “Why, for what reason”.

Why had David failed?

*****2Sa 12:9 “Wherefore” hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Amnon.

King David had placed himself above the Word of God!
King David had committed adultery with another man’s wife.
King David had committed murder even if that weapon of murder was not in his own hands.
King David had stolen the life and the future of a national hero but more so he had stolen this life from Jehovah God.

BUT, the thing that was the worst was that King David had despised the Word of God by forsaking the commandments of God!

It did not matter that is was an Ammonite who had actually slain Uriah, God knew King David was the cause of Uriah’s death!

Where ever there is a “wherefore” you will always find a “therefore”!

“Therefore” means for this reason and answers the “wherefore”.

*****2Sa 12:10 Now “therefore” the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

1) There is no sin beyond the mercy of God to the believer!

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound”:

2) God has the “Mercy” and “Grace” to forgive our sin but we will still suffer from the results of that sin.

When God chastises it is not vengeance!

God does not take vengeance on those that love Him and repent of their sin!

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

King David had broken the purity of a family relationship, one that God honors the most, “the marriage of one man to one woman”.

All God’s Word is true but this one standard of the family, “the husband/wife relationship”, is very dear to Our God.

God said:

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

And God still says:

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

God had told King David that he could not build the Temple because he was a man of war.

For the rest of King David’s life he would war not only with the enemies of Israel but also within his own house!

And the Lord describes some of these things and King David finally repents of his sin.

*****2Sa 12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
2Sa 12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
2Sa 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

What did we learn from the Book of Job?

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

What will happen to King David?

God will remove that hedge of protection from around King David!

God said He would permit these things to be done because of David’s unrepented sin!

And had David remained “faithful” none of these things would have happened that are mentioned here!

King David had judged his own sin to be four times worse because he had had no pity on Uriah!

David had tried to hide his sin.

All these things that God has mentioned through Nathan the Prophet, would in the open for all of Israel and all the world to see!

David finally repents of his sin, God forgives him, and because of His covenant, this sin will not be the cause of David’s death.

But there are always other things that happen around us when we sin!

And all sin is ultimately against the Lord!

Our testimony is usually first affected.

David had given a great occasion to the enemies of God, to blaspheme Him!

Jesus tells us this:

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

David had allowed his light to grow dim before the enemies of God!

If you call yourself a Christian, there will always be some one observing you to see how you live.

The way we live our Christian lives is our greatest witnessing tool in this world!

This child from this adulterous relationship would also die.

We will soon see that God took this child to Heaven.

It is not punishment for this child to go straight to glory and miss out on life in this sin filled world!

*****2Sa 12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
2Sa 12:15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

It is not said that God brought on this sickness, it is only said that this baby was very sick.

This could have been from the stress that Bathsheba had gone through in this sinful relationship!

What do we know for sure?

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

And Nathan went back to his own home and when Solomon was born, we will see that this Nathan would be in charge of his education.

*****2Sa 12:16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

We can pray anywhere but there is just something special about that altar in the House of God!

King David went to the Tabernacle of David and did what was needed!

This is exactly what we all should do for those that are sick!

Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

It was a merciful God that had forgiven King David and David sought for God’s mercy on this child.

In the end this child got a complete healing because of God’s mercy and the Lord did raise him on up to Heaven.

*****2Sa 12:17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
2Sa 12:18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
2Sa 12:19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
2Sa 12:20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

This baby was 7 days old when the Lord took it on to Heaven. David’s servants were afraid to tell their king that the baby had died but some how we just know these things by the actions of others.

To their surprise David rose from his mourning.

Not only that but cleansed himself and went to the Tabernacle of David.

There in that place, King David submitted himself to the Lord. King David had been forgiven of his sin but he still knew his chastisement was still ahead.

The prophets tell us this Tabernacle of David will be raised again in the end times for this same reason. That that those that repent and humble them selves before the Lord can cleanse themselves and present themselves before the Lord.

Act 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Act 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

When King David returned to his palace his servants had not understood these things and David would explain to them the truth of the “Gospel”!

What is the truth of the “Gospel”?

Salvation is real!

Heaven is a real place!

Our real home is in Heaven and we can get there!

*****2Sa 12:21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
2Sa 12:22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
2Sa 12:23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

To the Hebrews, when death occurred when life was just beginning, it was considered a curse.

King David had realized the truth of the Word of God and this would show in the Psalms he wrote after these all things had come to pass.

God had allowed the death of this child but God did not cause the death of this child!

This son of David, died before he could discern right from wrong and even at this time “was safe in Jesus Christ”!

This child was already together with all others who died in true “faith”!

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

These all would have been located in what is called Abraham’s Bosom.

Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

All the Saints of the Old Testament and those up to the time of the Lord’s resurrection were located in Abraham’s Bosom because they had Abraham’s “Faith” awaiting the coming Savior.

The Lord Jesus cleared out Abraham’s Bosom when He rose from the dead!

We could think that King David could not know these things but we would have to ignore at least 50 of the Psalms of the Old Testament.

King David knew that one day at his own death, “he could go to that child but that child could not return to him”.

It is in these things that we can have peace while still living, for those that go on before us in Jesus Christ.

2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

David then comforted his new wife with all these things that he knew.

*****2Sa 12:24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
2Sa 12:25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

King David had been told by the Lord, he would have a son who would be a man of peace and his name would be Solomon.

1Ch 22:8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
1Ch 22:9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.

Nathan the prophet would be in charge of Solomon’s education and Nathan called Solomon by a new name, Jedidiah.

Jedidiah means “beloved by Jehovah”! Jedid also means “akin to David”.

During all this time, at least two years, Joab had kept Rabbah the Capitol city of Ammon under siege and the food and water was running out and the city was ready to fall.

*****2Sa 12:26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
2Sa 12:27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
2Sa 12:28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.
2Sa 12:29 And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

King David knew that Joab would take advantage of every situation now, because of Uriah, but King David still was a man of war and he finally took his rightful place with his military and claimed the victory.

*****2Sa 12:30 And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
2Sa 12:31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

Though this may sound like genocide it was not!

David placed this nation under a forced hard labor.

Instead of using the instruments of war, they would use the saw, and the axe.

Instead of the manufacture of war instruments, they would labor at the kilns making brick for building materials.

Instead of war machines they would use harrows and ploughs and use farm machines.

Ammon is now called Jordan and up until this day Jordan has never been a great military power in this region.

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

LESSONS IN GOD'S WORD

Taking time to read the Bible

King David

A Picture of God’s Grace

Unwise Choices

King David’s Patience

King David’s Death

David’s Preparation

David’s Transgression

David’s Return

David’s Grief

David’s Family

David’s Repentance

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