JOY "David Honors God" March 20, 2013

March 20, 2013

David Honors God

2^nd Samuel 6:1-7:29

I      David Brings the Ark Home   6:1- 23

II     David Learns a Lesson 7:1- 29

During the 2004 Presidential election, our son, Griff, was a freshman in college. One Sunday, in October, we were there, visiting him and decided to go to the church on campus. They had a visiting preacher in the pulpit from Detroit, Michigan------I don’t remember his name, but I do remember his message.

He used this passage of scripture, in chapter 6, when David brought the Ark home, for his text. He compared the Ark of God, which was the representation of God, dwelling among His people, to John Carey and the Democratic Party, being restored to the White House. 

I couldn’t believe what he was saying and I couldn’t believe that he would misuse this beautiful passage of scripture like that! The longer I sat there, the madder I got! When the service was over, I made my way to the door, where he was standing, greeting people (Dale and Griff,  “chickens” about confrontation, went in the other direction.)

He very pleasantly stuck his hand out to shake mine, and I proceeded to let him know, in no uncertain words, that he should have been ashamed of how he had embarrassed the Lord, himself and me, for using God’s Word as a political platform, on those impressionable young people who were sitting there in that congregation. 

To his credit----his feathers might have been ruffled on the inside----but on the outside----He just kept on smiling and thanked me for my concern. And then, the people behind me kind of pushed me out of the way and on down the stairs….

At the time, I felt so justified for my behavior----I thought I was correct and right to stand up for the Lord and to defend him, no mater who I was talking to or where we were.

I’ve since learned----that my heart and my motivation were in the right place, but my actions were not. God doesn’t need for me to defend Him, He defends me! God doesn’t need me, to try to take someone else to task, for their interpretation of scripture, the Holy Spirit is quite capable of taking care of that, for Himself. God doesn’t need me to be angry, if someone else misuses His Word, or His name, He’ll take care of correcting whatever the misuse is. God doesn’t need me to run interference for Him----He knows what the outcome of all things is going to be, because He created the future---and He will use everything------good and bad, ugly and beautiful, right interpretation of His Word and wrong-----to bring about His plan. 

What God does need for us to do though, is to obey Him and to worship Him and to approach Him in the way that He has chosen for us to----which is through the blood of Jesus. And, He wants us to care more about our relationship with Him, than we do our programs and our activities and even, our service for Him-----not that those things aren’t important, they are----but our relationship with the Lord is more important than anything else-------He doesn’t need for us to do anything for Him----He’s God----He has done it all, already, for us------

I heard Dr. John Piper, theologian, author and pastor, speak on Sunday morning----and he said a lot that resonated with me---but I think the most profound thing that he said was that “God is the greatest blessing that we have----He gives us the fullest joy that we can have and He promises to give it to us forever. And that it can’t get any better than that, because there is nothing better. And, that because that’s what God has offered to us, that is what we need to offer the world----nothing else.”  He said that his mission statement for his ministry is “I exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God, for all thing, for all people, through the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

In other words, what I got from that, is that we should have such an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, that we can’t help but love people into the kingdom, not judge them there. 

In this lesson this week, David learned some valuable lessons about who God was and who He wasn’t and what God expected of him and what He didn’t------I never expected that God would teach me the exact same lesson, this week. But that’s how He is-----He knows what we need when we need it and He knows when we will best understand what He needs to teach us. He is our good God.

I   David Brings the Ark Home    6:1-23

God gave very clear instructions about the Ark of the Covenant…and, he didn’t just give specific instructions about how it needed to be made, He also gave explicit instructions about how it should be carried when it was transported from place to place, and where it should be placed, when it was time for the people to worship. 

That’s why it was no wonder that Uzzah was struck dead when he laid his hands on the Ark. The Ark was holy. It was not ever supposed to be touched. By using poles, the men carrying it could transport it without ever touching it, and as they walked in step with each other, on both sides of the Ark, it gave the Ark stability. The men carrying the Ark, not only had to be Levites, they had to be from the sect of Kohath. God’s stipulations could not have been any more clear.

For Uzzah and the other priests, to put the ark on the ox cart, made it more susceptible to the movements of the cart, which made it less stable and much more likely to fall off of the cart, if they went over a bump.  The only way to keep it from falling off would have been to grab it or hold onto it.  The death of Uzzah, is a reminder to us, that God is so holy, that we wouldn’t even be able to begin to approach Him, if He didn’t provide the means for us to do it. 

Moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem was a good thing, not a bad one, and David had the right heart motivation to do it. He wanted to establish, from the outset of his reign, for the Israelites and for any other people groups that they came in contact with---- that God was their God and that He was sovereign in all their affairs and that the people needed a central place to come and worship Him.  And he wanted to ensure God’s blessing on the whole nation. The reason why there was a problem was because there is no mention that David asked God or that he asked one of the priests to ask God----that was the 1^st thing and the second one was---that Uzzah was a priest-----he would have known how the Ark was supposed to be cared for and handled, or he would have at least had access to finding out from the scripture, how they were supposed to do it----- and it looks like he disregarded it. (We can’t do that----we can’t disregard, the truths that the bible teaches, for man-made traditions, no matter how good, or benevolent or merciful they may be.  And, enthusiasm alone, is not enough when we are serving the Lord----our enthusasm has to be accompanied by obedience. (There is a church in Winston-Salem that has declared that they are not going to perform any more heterosexual marriages, until the State recognizes the validity of same-sex marriages-----the truth is, that is not what the scripture teaches-----loving people in spite of their sin, and not turning your back on them, is what the scripture teaches, but this church has perverted that teaching, by the stand they’ve chosen to take----and in the long run, it will only wind up hurting their ministry, and their influence in the community.)

David and Uzzah should have done their homework better. They honestly thought they could carry God, any way they wanted to, in that box-----so God had to show them that He wasn’t in that box and He had to show them that sin is serious and that He will not tolerate it, and that if we love Him and honor Him and worship Him, then we will obey Him. He needed to show them His power, and He needed for us to see that we can’t approach Him, except in the way that He has provided for us to, which is through the blood of Jesus.

The scripture says that David was angry. Most theologians believe that David was angry with himself, for not having talked to God before they ever tried to move the Ark and, angry at himself for the loss of Uzzah’s life, because it could have been avoided.  Scripture also says that that he was struck with fear of the Lord, to the point, that he didn’t move the Ark any further. He let it stay at a house outside the city, with a man named Obed-edom, who was from Gath, and was one of the many Philistine men, who, over time, had pledged their loyalty to David. God’s blessing on the house of Obed-edom for the 3 months that the Ark rested there, assured David that the nearness of the Ark was a blessing----so, David, being the man after God’s own heart, that he was, found out what they needed to do and he made sure that they followed Gods’ directions to the letter----and he and 30,000 Israelite men saw the Ark, safely and honorably to Jerusalem.

The Levites carried the Ark six steps, and then David, most likely with the help of a priest (since only a priest could offer sacrifices---but a person who was ceremonially clean could help the priest do it) offered a sacrifice----David wanted to make sure that they were doing the right thing. Don’t you know those most have been the most tense, breath-holding steps, of the entire journey? 

But as their journey continued, the men’s courage and joy increased, and by the time they got into the city, the whole entourage was dancing and singing and playing instruments and worshiping and offering sacrifices, to their great God. What a day of rejoicing that must have been? 

(I loved the question that we had in our lesson, that asked us to remember a time when we have experienced that kind of all-out, glorious, joy-filled worship that makes our souls sing and our hearts rejoice----there have been many times on random Sunday mornings when I have felt that way----and many times when I’ve been driving down the road and felt it, when I see the beauty of the world that He’s given us, as the seasons change----or when I’ve been traveling, and I unexpectedly meet a Christian brother or sister and know that the Lord has connected us ------but there have been three very specific times that stand out for me------with our youth one summer at camp at Gardner-Webb; singing in the choir at the Franklin-Graham Crusade; and in Rome, at St. Peter’s Basilica on a Palm Sunday morning------those 3 times , I truly think I experienced what heaven is going to be like ----when people from every tribe and every nation will to raise their voices, and lose themselves, in worship to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.)

There was one person who wasn’t worshiping or joining in the celebration though----David’s first wife Michal-----1^st Chronicles 15:29 tells us that she despised her husband in her heart, for his role in the celebration. It seemed like she was judging David for his joy. David had laid aside his royal robes and put on the clothes of the priest---the white garments and ephod that revealed his servant’s heart and his submission to the Lord God. She seemed to be mad because she thought he wasn’t acting like a king ----but he quickly made it clear to her, in no uncertain words, that he would humble himself even further, and make himself look like a fool, if I that’s what God wanted and needed for him to do. He wanted her to understand that, for Him, it was God first---always and forever---and after that, he was king----but he was only king, because God had decided that he was. 

(It’s sad that Michal never had children----but whether it was because David never went near her again, after that, or because it was God’s punishment on her, for her disregard for His rightful worship-----the end result was, that she and David never had a child together, so Samuel’s prophecy to Saul, that his dynasty would end with him, held true-----one of David’s children would inherit the throne, but it would never be one of Saul’s grandchildren.)

( John Wesley, the great Christian theologian, preacher and reformer, was one of the most influential personalities in eighteenth century England. Due in part to his busy ministry, he waited until he was 48 years old to marry. In January 1751, Wesley married Molly Vazeille, a widow that he said that he greatly admired “for her indefatigable industry, exact frugality and uncommon neatness and cleanness both in person, clothes and all things around.” 

But, within a month of the wedding, it became apparent that the marriage was going to be a difficult one. When John was away speaking, Molly only wrote him infrequently. Later, she agreed for a time, to travel with him and to help out with his service to the poor. But she stopped, when she realized that his schedule was too exhausting for her. John encouraged her to continue traveling with him but she refused to.  Frustrated with her husband’s long periods away from home, she became increasingly resentful and angry. 

After a while, she began to express her frustration in hurtful ways. She destroyed some of his writings and she began to criticize him publically. She even accused him of adultery several times. 

After 20 years of this she finally left him for a time---about 3 years. She did come back---but it never got any better, and they eventually separated for good. 

John Wesley experienced hurt and pain and misunderstanding from a wife who didn’t support his God-given calling------and how often do we do the same thing?------it doesn’t matter whether our husbands or our sons, are in full-time Christian service or whether they work in a job, out in the secular world------they all deserve for us to support them and build them up and encourage them to be the spiritual head of our households, who set the example and lead our whole family in the worship of God the Father.)

II    David Learns a Lesson    7:1-29

To the people of Israel (and to the non-Israelites too) David was the highest authority in the land. But in relation to God, David knew that he was just a servant---a servant to God, and to his people. And so, it hurt David---- to his way of thinking, he was living in a palace and God was living in a tent. (Although, He knew that God wasn’t living in the Ark, that it was just the place where  He would come to meet His people---David still felt like the Ark needed to be treated with more honor and respect, than the way people treated him, even if he was the king.) 

Sweet David wanted to give God a helping hand, like I did, when I tried to take that visiting preacher to task, in a church that wasn’t even mine. But, God didn’t need me to fight that battle, and He didn’t need David to build him a house. God told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 12:13, “Don’t burn your sacrifices where I haven’t told you to.” And that’s what He was telling David, hundreds of years later; and that’s what He tells us today----I don’t care how wonderful or lofty or benevolent or tender our plans are or our behavior is----if God hasn’t told us to do something, then we shouldn’t do it. 

God had given the Tabernacle to Israel-----the temple was David’s idea. God explained to David, that the Creator of all things neither required, nor could be confined, in a dwelling made by human hands. God didn’t need a Temple and He didn’t ask for one, but because He loved the Israelites, and wanted to give them, what they needed to feel like they were worshiping Him, the way they should, He did give them a physical Temple some years later, which He allowed Soloman to build.  (David was a man of war---he had to have so much bloodshed on his hands, to be able to destroy Israel’s enemies, and he had so much work to do, to  create unity among the tribes and to establish the kingdom ----that God didn’t give him the job of building the temple. That was Solomon’s job, God called Solomon to be the king to build it, because he ruled in a time of great peace and prosperity for the Israelites. Each man left a legacy----they were just different. We each have different jobs to do in the kingdom, too, and each church has a different job that they’re called to, too------that’s why we’re are called the body-------the church is made up of many people, but we function as a unit, as everyone does the job they are called to—and the Lord Jesus is our head, telling us all what to do)

In His conversation with David, God made it clear, with a gentle rebuke, that He needed to help David------not the other way around---It was kind of like He was saying, “David, son, who do you think I am----I’m big, I’m really, really big-----just wait on Me, trust Me, and see what I can do! I think about the times we told our children, “I’m the parent and you’re the child; let me worry about that for you, you don’t need to…” I think that’s the way God was with David. 

God reminded David that He had been behind all of his successes and that God was going to build him a house that would bring him even greater glory. God made a covenant with David, that scholars call, The Davidic Covenant----the essence of which, was that David would have many sons and those sons would become sons of God and they would rule over Israel. But there would be one very special son, and through Him, all the promises that God had ever made to His children, would be fulfilled, either in His first coming or in His return to earth. And it’s in that Son, that all of David’s hopes and all of Israel’s hopes and all of humanity’s hopes would be fulfilled. 

After pointing out, all that He had done for David and Israel, in the past, God went on to tell David that He hadn’t seen the best of what was in store for them, yet. God promised to appoint a place for His people where they would be planted. It would be a place of their own and they would dwell in peace there, forever, because the wicked, would no longer be present to afflict them. Of course, He was talking about two kingdoms---the one on this earth that would be ruled by David’s descendants here, and the heavenly kingdom that would be ruled by, forever, by David’s greatest descendant, the Lord Jesus.

(The whole time I’ve studied this week, I can’t help but think about how God’s plan for His temple was so much greater than a place that would have been made with wood and marble and gold----because His Temple really, is the heart of every person who believes-----and He has come to dwell there, in our hearts, forever, to never leave us nor forsake us-----the magnitude of the glory of that, is unfathomable to me----I don’t know how David could have even begun to comprehend it, except for the fact that the same Holy Spirit was upon him, who lives in us. )

David accepted his part in God’s plan and didn’t even try to go beyond it. Sometimes God does say no to our plans-----when He does, we need to look around and see where we are, then we need to step in and utilize the opportunities where we are. God was directing David to a greater purpose-----we need to remember when God tells us no, it doesn’t mean that He is rejecting us, it means that He has something better planned for us to do. The truth is---to accept God’s no’s, requires more faith, than carrying out His yes’s.

David’s prayer was beautiful!!!!!! It exemplified the proper response of a believer to God’s will. Instead of complaining about the fact that he wasn’t going to get to build God a Temple----he rejoiced in the promise of God’s future blessing and He acknowledged and praised Him for His greatness. 

He stood in awe of the fact that it was God who had taken him from shepherd boy to king, because that’s what God had chosen to do. David couldn’t earn it, he couldn’t decide it, he couldn’t buy it and he couldn’t have planned it---it was all God. David was able to see his standing and his status as Israel’s king, as the result of God’s sovereign grace, and not, as a recognition of his past, present or potential greatness. Pride and arrogance can distort our thinking----God helped David to understand, that humility, is the starting point for wisdom.  We need to be on guard against our own prideful thoughts about our contribution to the kingdom. It is always God who is carrying us; it is never us, carrying Him. It’s so easy for us to focus on what we have done and can do for God, rather than all He has done and will do for and through us. (Another thing that John Piper said Sunday that stuck with me, is that he didn’t hesitate to ask the pastor of the church where he was preaching, if his vision for the church’s ministry, was his vision alone, or was it a vision that God had given to their whole church. I was impressed by that, because Dr. Piper was holding him accountable for burning his sacrifice only where the Lord had called him and his church to----and he was reminding him that the successes, that they had seen as a church, and will continue to see, really have nothing to do with them, other than being willing bodies--- it has been all God and it will be always, only God-----I thought he asked him a very humbling question----just like God asked David, through Nathan, “are you the one who should build my house?)

God had done great things for David, but they weren’t done for David alone----God had worked through David and in David to bring about the fulfillment of His promises to the nation of Israel and to all of mankind.

The presumptuous, misguided self-confidence that prompted David to think that He needed to build God a house, was replaced by a humble confidence in an Almighty God, who had given him everything he had.

(One of the most famous Southern Baptist musicians of the 20^th century was B.B. McKinney. He served on the music faculty at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, became the first music editor of the Baptist Sunday School Board and the first secretary of the Southern Baptist Convention’s church music department. He started composing Christian in 1915 and throughout his career he was responsible for authoring the words and music to about 180 hymns, the tunes for 185 and the texts for an additional sixteen. 

One Saturday afternoon, during his tenure at Southwestern, McKinney began reflecting on what God had done for him throughout history-----his work as Savior, comforter, and friend. On that afternoon, God’s work in his life seemed immensely satisfying----more than it ever had before. And at the same time, he felt equally dissatisfied with his own life. Motivated by those two conflicting streams of emotion, McKinney was motivated to write one of the best-known hymns of his career, “Satisfied With Jesus”. Published in 1926, it has been included in every Baptist Hymnal that has been published since then. 

Just like in the case of King David prayer, thousands of years ago----when B.B. McKinney took time to ponder the greatness of God’s work in his life---the deepest pools of emotion in his soul began to stir. Both men gave testimony to the presence of two vital ingredients in the life of a mature believer-----a sense of unworthiness before God and love and devotion to the God who loves us anyway. ) 

Satisfied With Jesus

I am satisfied with Jesus, He has done so much for me

He has suffered to redeem me, He has died to set me free

He is with me in my trials, best of friends, of all is He

I can always count on Jesus, can He always count on me

I can hear the voice of Jesus, calling out so pleadingly

Go and win the lost and straying, is He satisfied with me

When my work on earth is ended, and I cross the mystic sea

Oh that I could hear Him saying, I am satisfied with thee.

Chorus:

I am satisfied, I am satisfied I am satisfied with Jesus, but the question comes to me, as I think of Calvary, is my master satisfied with me?

JOY "David Takes a Stand" March 6, 2013

March 6, 2013

David Takes a Stand

2^nd Samuel 1:1-2:32

I         David Leads Mourning for Saul and Jonathan   1:1-27

II        Civil War Begins   2:1-32

One of the most powerful prayers, in the midst of suffering, that I’ve ever read, was uncovered from the horrors of Ravensbruck Concentration camp. Ravensbruck was built for women and children in 1939., by Hitler’s minions.Over 90,000 women and children perished in Ravensbruck, murdered by the Nazis. Corrie Ten Boom, who survived and wrote so many wonderful words, including her book, The Hiding Place, was imprisoned there. This prayer was found in the pocket of a small child, who didn’t make it----- and it says this-----

“O Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all the suffering that they have inflicted upon us: instead remember the fruits that we’ve born because of this suffering--- our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble. When our persecutors come to be judged by you, let all these fruits that we’ve borne, be their forgiveness.”

This prayer reminds me of David’s loyalty to Saul. It didn’t matter what Saul had done to him---how he had tried to destroy his life----David continued to treat him with the respect and honor that he deserved, as the anointed one of God.  The Nazis didn’t deserve that little girl’s prayers either----but she, like David, believed, that it wasn’t her place to judge them----it was God’s place-----and only God knew when and how He would do that.  In the meantime, she prayed for her enemies and so did David. 

What a lesson there is for us to learn in that….. it’s a blessing for us to be able to leave judgment up to God, and to pray for those who mistreat us, or someone, or something that we love….

I     David Leads Mourning for Saul and Jonathan

From the time of his parting with the Philistines, David must have been greatly concerned about what was going on, on the battlefield, between them and the Israelites-----he was probably especially concerned for Jonathan. 

It didn’t take long for him to find out-----because it was only 3 days after his return to Ziklag, after defeating the Amalekites, that David learned that Jonathan and Saul had both been killed. The report came by way of an Amalekite, who claimed to have “escaped from the camp of Israel”. He was probably a mercenary soldier and battlefield scavenger, who had joined Saul’s forces in that last battle at Gilboa. The Amalekite had run 100 miles to reach David in Ziklag. His clothing was torn and dirt was on his head, as a sign of mourning, and he prostrated himself on the ground in front of David, to symbolize that he knew that he was in front of royalty.  

David wasn’t willing to accept the man’s report without some kind of verification and he immediately began to question the Amalekite. for details.  The Amalekite explained how he had come upon Saul, who was mortally wounded, and had killed him, in obedience to Saul’s own command. Most theologians don’t believe his account----even though it looks like David did-----they think he lied about killing Saul in order to ingratiate himself to David----hoping to be rewarded and maybe even be given a place of honor in David’s kingdom.  The Amalekite substantiated his claim, by producing what David recognized, to be Saul’s crown and his armband. 

But the Amalekite made a grave error, in assuming that David regarded Saul as his enemy and as an obstacle in his path to the throne. He thought David would welcome Saul’s death as good news---he thought that David would rejoice at Saul’s death-----but he didn’t know David, or the God, that David served. He didn’t know that personal gain, wasn’t what motivated David.

Saul’s death was a heartbreak for David----he had been God’s anointed king; he had killed many Philistines and other enemies of Israel; he had given David his first shot, at being a soldier, which had led to David’s rise to power and fame; he was David’s father-in-law; and he was the father of David’s best friend and confidante, Jonathan. David believed that the Amalekite had killed God’s anointed king-----it didn’t matter that Saul would have died anyway; it didn’t matter that Saul had made David’s life miserable; it didn’t matter that Saul was suffering or that he wanted to die and needed somebody to put him out of his misery; it didn’t matter that the Philistines would have eventually found him and killed him anyway-----all that mattered was that Saul was the Lord’s anointed one and the Amalekite claimed to have killed him.  

David, in a very calculated move, had the avowed Saul-killer executed---then he tore his clothes, as a public sign of mourning and joined his men in fasting and weeping for Saul and Jonathan and the slain warriors of Israel----They weren’t ashamed to grieve----we should never think that expressing any kind of emotion is a sign of weakness----it isn’t---there’s nothing better that a Christian can do, than express the joy that they have in the Lord, and that joy includes sunshine and laughter and heartache and tears------having joy in the Lord means, that there is nothing, that can separate us from the love that we have, in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38)  

David’s grief was real and it was revealed in his behavior and in the words of the eulogy that he wrote.  His psalm was a special labor of love, which mourned the lives, and deaths, of Jonathan and Saul. There was no negativity in the lament, about Saul-----there was only loyalty and honor, for he, and Jonathan, as fallen heroes. And David not only restrained himself, from speaking ill of the dead, but he remembered both of them, as men, worthy of respect. He began the lament, focused on Saul, and ended it, focused on Jonathan. The eulogy stressed the covenant between Jonathan and David, and it blessed Jonathan’s descendants, and it revealed that the depth of love that they had for each other, went much deeper, than the romantic love, between a man and a woman. 

David wrote it for a much wider audience than he and his 600 men-----he wanted all the sons of Judah, to join him in his grief; and in memorializing Jonathan and Saul, for their goodness and bravery and their courage----he took the opportunity to do it in their deaths, in a way that he was never able to do, while they were alive. His eulogy reflected the forgiveness that had already taken place, in his own heart, toward Saul. 

II    Civil War Begins

David sought God’s guidance and was divinely directed, to go to the city of Hebron, located in the middle of the tribal territory of Judah. It was the largest city in Judah, at the time and it was a walled fortress, so it was secure from attack. And many key trade routes converged at Hebron, which made it difficult for supply lines to be cut off, during wartime.  It was the ideal place for David, to set up his capitol city.

 So he wasted no time, in taking his wives, and leading his men and their families, to settle in and around Hebron. 

And not long, after they got there, the men of Judah anointed David as their king.

It was the men of Judah, who had reported to David, the good deed of the men of Jabesh-Gilead, who had risked their lives to recover the bodies of Saul and his sons, and had given them decent burials. David applauded them for their loyalty and their integrity----- and in an attempt to win their allegiance, he sent them a message----where he promised to reward them, for their loyalty and kindness, stressing that he was their new king and that he desired their support of his kingship-----At the time, he didn’t hear anything from them though. 

David’s control over the land of Israel, was not uncontested----while he was busy, trying to bring the people of the north under his influence, with diplomacy, other factors were at work, resisting him, determined to oppose his kingship-----which prevented David, from just stepping into Saul’s shoes, and moving forward with the task that he’d been given, when Samuel had originally, anointed him 

Besides the dominating presence of the Philistines over Israel’s central regions, Saul’s surviving relatives, had licked their wounds and rallied themselves and the people, and used Saul’s remaining son, to stake their claim over the land and the Israelite people, too. 

The dominant member of Saul’s clan, was his cousin Abner, who was the top military commander during Saul’s lifetime. Apparently, in David’s 5^th year, as king over Judah, Abner made a move to cement his clan’s leadership over all of Israel---the 10 northern tribes and the 2 southern tribe of Judah------he moved Saul’s only surviving son, Ish-Bosheth, to a town, Mahanaim, which was a good distance away from David and the Philistines, and he crowned him king. Scholars don’t know why Ish-bosheth wasn’t killed on the battlefield with his father and his brothers, but they do believe that he was 40 years old when he was crowned king.

They don’t know, but they believe, that the reason why he waited 5 years after his father’s death, to assume the throne, may have been because of the constant danger from the ever-present Philistines.  Abner and Ishbosheth must have needed that time, to build the army up again,  And, apparently, Ish-Bosheth only ruled for 2 years------and then David, was finally made king, over all 12 tribes.

But first, in order to establish Ish-bosheths’s right to rule, Abner had to throw his weight around, by showing some military force. He did that, by leading the Israelite army, to the Pool of Gibeon, located, in Saul’s tribal territory of Benjamin---- which----- was a challenge to David’s army, to come out and fight. The fact that the confrontation took place there, is a pretty good indication, that David’s men were pushing northward, gaining more and more territory and more and more support for David’s kingship over all of Israel. 

Joab, who was David’s nephew, was also his top general------and knowing Abner’s troop movements, he responded immediately, by taking David’s soldiers, still only about 600 men, out to settle the situation and to set the opposing general and the army straight, as to who the real ruler was.  

As the two opposing forces faced each other----it was decided, as was their custom------ that in order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, to select the strongest and bravest among the two groups, and let them fight to the death----whoever was the winner of the contest, was the winner of the battle----

So the war between the House of David and the House of Saul began in a pool that was 37 feet in diameter and 82 feet deep, with everybody else standing around watching them----it reminds me of what it must have looked like when the gladiators and the animals, were pitted against the Christians, in Rome, under Nero, as they entertained the crowds in the Collesium. 

Each side chose 12 men, so that there were 24 champions, in all. The paired opponents grabbed each other by the head and lethally, stabbed each other, very quickly-----and the whole bunch of them fell in a heap, all of them dead, at the same time. With their Champions dead, the two armies turned into a mob----and their vengeful passions flared, and turned that initial conflict, into a fierce battle. But when the day was over, David’s men, had gotten the upper hand, and had forced Abner and his men, to have to retreat. Abner had lost 360 men and Joab had lost 19.

Joab’s younger brother Asahel, wouldn’t let it go-----he doggedly pursued Abner. Abner was just barely able to stay a step ahead of him. He warned Asahel twice to turn back----he knew that the young man would be no match for his seasoned fighting expertise, and his superior weapons, if it came to a hand-to-hand combat.  (It seems like Asahel had imposed the duty to pursue and kill Abner on himself-----and there is no- where in scripture, that I can find, where he was told to do it. And my bible commentary says, that persistence is a good trait, if it’s for a worthy cause----but if the goal is only for personal honor or gain, then persistence may be no more than stubbornness. And Asahel’s stubbornness caused him, not only his life, but disunity, in David’s army for years to come. Before we decide to pursue a goal, we need to make sure that it is worthy of our devotion and our blood sweat and tears.) When Asahel wouldn’t give up----Abner encouraged him to take whatever weapon he could borrow from some other soldier, to make their fight more fair. 

But Asahel wouldn’t and he just kept getting closer and closer till finally, he was within striking distance------Abner didn’t want to kill him, he knew that Joab and the other brother Abishai would see it as a blood feud and would not let it go, until they had made sure that there was an eye for an eye-----so he took the blunt end of his spear to push Asahel back-----but apparently, he struck out with such force, that the spear perforated Asahel’s body, and killed him on the spot!

Joab and Abishai, left their men to wait, and continued to chase Abner, as far as the hill of Ammah, where Local Benjamite militiamen, joined forces with Abner, and took their stand on the top of the hill.  

But Abner, at that point, had already lost so many men, that he wanted to avoid any more bloodshed----so he called for a truce. 

As they were shouting back and forth, Abner urged Joab, to consider the long-term consequences of a civil war, and how such a conflict, would cause brothers to fight and kill each other and how it would allow bitterness, to take root and grow, among God’s people. Abner’s words must have struck Joab in the heart, because he was willing to back away, for a time----- but------ he still blamed Abner for starting the fight, in the first place----- And we will see him take his revenge later on down the road. 

Abner knew that God had decided that David was supposed to be the next king of Israel---so his refusal to submit to God’s plan had already caused the unnecessary death of many Israelites. Unfortunately we have all brought grief on ourselves and on others, by our refusal to listen to God, and to walk in the paths, He’s called us to----and by not submitting willingly to His plan for our lives. 

We have to learn to trust that God knows what is best for us -----and----- we have to believe that we were created for a purpose, and we have to trust, that that as we submit to, and fulfill, that purpose, we will find the peace and joy of our Heavenly Father….

JOY "New King, New Throne, Same Lord" February 27, 2013

    2013-2-27

Introduction II Samuel

New King, New Throne, Same Lord

(Some years ago, a speedboat driver, who had survived a racing accident, described what had happened. He said, that he had been at near top speeds, when his boat veered slightly and hit a wave at a dangerous angle. The combined force of his speed and the size of the angle of the wave sent the boat spinning crazily into the air. He was thrown from his seat and propelled deeply into the water----so deep, in fact, that he had no idea which direction the surface was. He had to remain calm, and wait for the buoyancy of his life vest, to begin pulling him up. Once he discovered which way was up, then he was able swim for the surface. ) 

Sometimes, we can find ourselves surrounded by confusing options, too, so deeply immersed in our problems, that we don’t know which way is up.  When this happens, we just have to stay calm, and wait for God’s gentle tug on our “life vest” to pull us up, so that we can go in the right direction. 

That’s where David was, when 1^st Samuel ends and 2^nd Samuel begins---- deep in an ocean of confusion-----He had been banished to Philistine territory; then he found out, that Saul was dead, and he knew that he was supposed to be the next king; and then, he didn’t know it, but before he could claim the throne ---he had more pain and hardship to go through, so that his growth and maturity and character, could be developed further, and so that his leadership skills could be recognized by the people who would need to follow him. . 

As we begin II Samuel, we’ve almost come to the halfway point, in our study of David’s life. Historians believe, that he lived to be 70 years old and that he reigned for a little over 40 years. So from that, we can surmise, that David was right at 30 years old, when he became king of Judah----and then he was 37, when he became king, over all of Israel. 

This whole study we have been blessed with being able to see the historic David, along with the spiritual David. 

And the last 3 verses of Psalm 78, even though they are brief, sum up all 70 years, of David’s long life. 

“He also chose David, His servant

And took him from the sheepfolds

From the care of ewes with suckling lambs

He brought him, to shepherd Jacob His people

And Israel His inheritance,

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,

And guided them with his skillful hands. Psalm 78:70-72

David’s life was lived out just like the Psalm passage says-----God chose David when he was about 17--- and took him from the sheepfolds, to slay the giant Goliath; then for 13 years while David hid from Saul, in the hills and caves of Judah, God grew his character and his ability to lead and govern, through hardship; and then, at the age of 30, God brought David, to shepherd his people Jacob-----and then, for his final 40 years, David shepherded God’s people, according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with His skillful hands. 

II Samuel, tells the story, of how David set out to establish his throne, with God’s blessing, following King Saul’s death. In this book, we are going to see David, as a person who really lived his life, with all its ups and downs;  and with all its mistakes and failures and all its successes and triumphs-----and we will clearly see, that even though David was a man after God’s own heart, he was still just a man, who had real shortcomings and the same struggle with sin that the rest of us have.  And, we can also see, how his relationship with the Lord, didn’t exclude him, from having to deal with the consequences of his sin, any more than ours does------because he had to deal, with the truly, tragic consequences, of his sin with Bathsheba, (that we’ll talk about later) for the rest of his life. 

In this book, the second half of King David’s life, is unfolded, and we can see how his reign united Israel, and how it testifies to God’s faithfulness to David and to the Children of Israel, even when they were less than faithful and obedient, to Him-----and, it will testify to His faithfulness to us, too.  

II Samuel is a book that’s full of contrasts------the blessing and the curse of power; the sinfulness and the faithfulness, that’s found in the heart of every man, even in the heart of God’s greatest servants; the power, that temptation, lust, and covetousness has, up against even the mightiest of kings; and how even a man of God can fail in major ways, but still receive God’s forgiveness and grace, over and over again. 

The resounding theme of II Samuel, is, that even the greatest world leaders and even the most dedicated prayer warriors, and even the most faithful of believers, have to remember, that the kingdom, and the power and the glory, belong to the Lord Jesus alone.

Israel was divided when David first came to power.  The Children of Israel, found themselves, in the middle, of an all-out civil-war, caught between David’s army and God’s new regime and Saul’s army and the  old one. David had to fight for 7 years to unite Judah and Israel. And we will see how he does it, with integrity and wisdom and submission to the Lord. 

David’s accomplishments were wonderful. Territorially, he expanded the boundaries of Israel, from 6000 to 60,000 square miles.-----He finished what Joshua had started, in the conquest of the Promised Land. And, incredibly, he set up extensive trade routes, which spread throughout the known world. And from that, wealth came into Israel, like the nation had never known before. And, He not only unified the nation, from a governmental standpoint, but more importantly, he unified it, under Jehovah God, creating a national interest, in spiritual things. 

He was not a priest; he was a king… but he destroyed all the idol altars, and lifted up the role of the priesthood, so that Judaism and the worship of Almighty God, could operate, openly and freely in the land..

David was a remarkable man. He was a brilliant organizer, a brilliant manager, a brilliant planner and a brilliant battlefield strategist , who understood and stayed on the leading edge of military defense. He was a man’s man, and a woman’s heartthrob, and a leader of people.

But David was just a flesh and blood human being ----and as wonderful as he was-----he still had 3 major issues, that made him less than perfect----3 issues that dogged his heels every single day of his life---3 issues, that we every one, can identify with-----or can identify with issues like them…

In II Samuel we will see-----

1. How he became so involved with public pursuits; that he lost control of his family, and had to pay the price.
2. How he indulged his passionate nature in extravagant ways----whatever he did, he did with all his heart----which sometimes was a good thing and sometimes it revealed a lack of self-control.
3. How he became a victim of self-sufficiency and pride---he began to believe his own track record, and people died because of it. 

(A preacher once warned his congregation about falling into the trap of these 3 issues----he said, that along with the kind of temperament, winsomeness and charisma, that it takes to be a good mentor and a dicipler of people and raiser of children and a strong spiritual leader, there also comes, a set of easy faults, to fall into. To make them easy to remember, he used 4 words that began with the letter, “S”: silver, sloth, sex and self.  And almost, without exception, we can say, that when a believer stumbles, one of these 4 “S” words, is what has tripped us up. )

And David was no exception----he stumbled over them just like we all do.  But God is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to purify us, from all unrighteousness.

God never took His hand off David:

From the time that the teenage shepherd boy, was anointed to be Israel’s future king, until the day he was officially crowned King David, over all of Israel----God had been training David for His specific purpose. 

Like an athlete, training for a marathon, David found that the preparation was hard and demanding, and challenging and lengthy----but he also found that the proving ground was well worth, all the blood, sweat and tears. 

As a shepherd, David learned to trust God for his safety, and he developed the compassion that he needed to shepherd his nation Israel.

As a young warrior, David was willing to fight to the death, for the God of Israel, and his bravery made him a national hero.

As the favorite musician to the volatile and unpredictable King Saul, David learned, how to be wise about who to trust, and who to be wary of, and he learned how to respond with mercy, to someone who mistreats you. 

As a fugitive, for nearly 10 years, David experienced God’s protection and His deliverance and through his mistakes, disappointments and fear, David learned to trust God’s perfect and patient timing. 

As the leader of hundreds of distressed, indebted and discontented men, David grew to be a man of wise discernment and shrewd politics.

And finally, after he led his men to victory in a civil-war, that united his nation, in a way that it not been, since the days of Joshua-----he stepped up to the throne----and was the ruler over Israel’s glory days, when they were respected by every nation they encountered. The kingdom that David ruled over for 40 years, was a forerunner of the kingdom that Jesus will one day rule, over for all eternity.

In the study of II Samuel, we are going to see how King David handled the pressures of success. Often he did well, and sometimes, he did terrible, but through it all----God sustained him and loved him and forgave him and guided him and David continued to grow, “as a man after God’s own heart.” It took patience and discipline and time.

In the age we live in, of fast food drive thru’s, automatic banking and twitter-----we can easily grow impatient and long for quick success, as we struggle to become people “after God’s own heart”. But God isn’t in the business of turning out “instant” disciples. 

To train obedient, trusting, followers, takes time------ but time, and knowing its outcome, is God’s specialty. 

Paul says in Philippians 1:6,  that, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion, to the day of Christ Jesus.” 

So, it’s my prayer, as we continue on, in our study of David’s life, that we will learn, like David did, how to be, not a man, “but women after God’s own heart”, and how to face the consequences of our sin, with God’s grace to guide us and to give us strength and peace; and how to trust God more simply, and how to obey Him better, and how to know Him more intimately and with deeper understanding, as we walk through our own days, on this earth.

(Arturio Toscanini , the great conductor was sitting at his podium before a concert one evening. As the orchestra warmed up just minutes before the performance, a bassoon player approached him, in a fearful panic. “Maestro, I am very sorry but my instrument has suffered an accident, and the E-flat will not sound. I am afraid that I will not be able to play tonight.  

Upon hearing the news, Toscanini went silent and closed his eyes. The bassoon player cowered in fear of his fury. The great conductor put his head in his hands and continued in silence, adding to the poor bassoon player’s agony. 

At last Toscanini looked up and said quietly, “Do not worry. E-flat does not appear in your music tonight.” Toscanini had played trough the entire concert in his mind, reviewing every note that the bassoon player would have to play. With his intimate knowledge of the music, the conductor was able to reassure the bassoon player that everything would be all right. )

David didn’t need to worry about the future and neither do we. We don’t ever have to wonder, if we have what it takes to succeed, with what God wants us to do.  God knows the future----he designed it. He has looked ahead to the part that we have to play, in the concert He is orchestrating, and He has good news for us-----“For I know the plans I have for you, ‘declares the Lord, ‘ plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” God has given us everything we need to succeed in His will----we just have to put one foot in front of the other and move forward, with our focus on Him, and He will do the rest.