2 Samuel 8:1-8 - With the Lord's help, victory is assured

In our journey with God, victory is promised. But we need to know that while victory is promised, there are responsibilities expected of us. We need to fulfill our part so that we can make God’s promises a personal reality. This is what we can see from David’s aggression against the enemies of Israel. God had promised to make him a great name and to grant Israel rest as a nation. But to ensure that, David and Israel need to partner with God and do their part. They need to take action to possess the promises and make it a reality. In much the same way, many promises God had made to us can be found in the Bible. But we must first identify those promises and then actively do what we need in collaboration with God to make them a personal reality.

In 2 Samuel 8:1-8, we see David playing his part to defeat and subdue three major enemies of Israel, namely the  Philistines, Moabites, and the Arameans or Syrians. Verse 1 describes how David defeated the Philistines and even took control of the chief city. In so doing the immediate resurgence of the Philistines was curtailed. How do we apply this spiritually speaking? There is a necessity to identify the vulnerable areas in our life and then with the help of God, seek to put them under control.

Verse 2 tells us what he did to the Moabites. After capturing them David had them laid on the ground and measured them. Two third of them were killed and one third was spared as a benevolent act. The Moabites were quite a menace to Israel in the days of their journey into the promised land. Remember Balak? He was one of the leaders of Moab who engaged Balaam to bring a curse on Israel. Thankfully, God foiled Balaam’s attempts. However, Balaam’s prophecy in Numbers 24:7 said that “A scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab….” David is the scepter that God had raised to crush the Moabites. Those he spared became Israel’s servants and continued to pay tribute to him.

Verses 3-8 describe how David dealt with the Syrians.  He defeated Hadadezer and captured 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot-soldiers. He also ordered that the horses he had taken from them be hamstrung leaving enough for 100 chariots. What he did had severely weakened the Syrians. When those from Damascus attempted to come to the rescue of Hadadezer, David also defeated them. He killed 22,000 Arameans. He subjugated the Arameans and stationed his garrison among them. The Arameans became David’s servants and brought tribute to him. He also seized the gold shields that Hadadezer’s men used and took them to Jerusalem. David also took a large quantity of bronze from the Arameans. The key to David’s success is found in this phrase in verse 6 that says, “And the Lord helped David wherever he went.” Victory is assured when we have the Lord’s help. Be sure to have the Lord alongside us in our spiritual battles. With God, a hundred battles, a hundred victories!

2 Samuel 7:25-29 – Approaching God delightfully

There are many things we can learn from how David approached God. Firstly we learn that he approached God with confidence. It also reveals how he found the confidence. When we approach God with the certainty that David had shown us here, we will surely delight the Lord. Several things are evident in the way David approached God. He came humbly to Him but resolutely, trusting in the integrity of God’s Word. He also came with a grateful heart because He felt deeply for God. Then he offered praise to God generously before petitioning frankly and boldly. These were the elements that had kept him fervently approaching God.  

Like David, we too must first realize that all the blessings we have come from God. He is the source of all that we have and will ever have. All that we experience come from Him, the one who initiates every blessing we receive in life. We can have nothing apart from Him. David’s assurance that God was the source was through Nathan who gave him the sure promises of God. Today we also have the sure word of the Scripture to tell us the promises of God. In the Bible, God’s promises can be discovered. We need to be attentive whenever we read the Bible so that we can pick up the sure promises God is making to us.   

Secondly, David came humbly and resolutely believing in the integrity of God’s promises. He showed that he believed in what he was told. He saw himself as His servant. So he determinedly requested for God’s promises, conveyed to him through Nathan, to be confirmed. When we approach God, we must also come humbly and with a strong resolve. It is hard to please God if we vacillatingly and half-heartedly approach Him. So remember to come to God confidently, humbly, and determinedly.   

Thirdly, David approached God with a well-placed heart. In verse 27, David told God saying “…Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.” Interestingly, the King James Version translates this phrase this way. It says, “…thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.” David did not just pray mindlessly, he prayed with his heart. He thought through all the promises made to him, then he approached God with a whole heart. He prayed with deep feelings for God. When we pray, we must not just pray with our minds, we must pray with our hearts.    

Fourthly, David offered praise generously. In verse 26, he prayed that God’s name be magnified forever. God alone deserves to be magnified. We must extol him and glorify His name like David did. Praise is befitting God. We must worship Him for Who He is but be mindful to praise and thank Him for all that He has done for us. And finally, David honestly and boldly petitioned God to fulfill all that He had promised to make him an everlasting house with an everlasting name. So each time we approach God, remember these key elements that can keep us fervently coming before Him. Approaching God does need not be a struggle but a delightful experience. Just enjoy it.   

2 Samuel 7:18-29 – Every blessing is a God-granted privilege

God had made His extensive plan for David known to him through Nathan the prophet. Touched by what he had heard, David responded by going to the LORD personally. In other words, David went into the tent where he had pitched for the Ark of God. And there he sat before the LORD  and poured out his heart to Him. David did the right thing by responding personally to God. He could have relayed what he wanted to say to God through Nathan since the message came through him. But he did not. Instead, he respectfully went before the LORD  and personally expressed his heart to Him. Like David, we must always respond personally to God. Notwithstanding whom God uses to speak to us, we must always personally and committedly respond to Him.

Notice the attitude David adopted to come before God. He came humbly before the Lord. He knew that it was because of the graciousness of God that he was the recipient of all the victorious experiences. He dared not consider himself so great and God should want to bless him. If he had adopted that attitude, he would have become susceptible to pride. The Bible has made it amply clear that God will resist the proud but will give grace to the humble.  

David responded to God in a lengthy but honest prayer. He presented himself humbly before God. He recognized that in himself there was nothing to commend him to God. He was sure that had God not initiated and showed His kindness to him and his family, they would not experience the blessings they had enjoyed. Like David, when God chooses to use us, it is not because we have anything that merits His attention. But that He is a gracious God. And every kind gesture towards us is an act of His grace.

David also knew that God in Himself has the capacity to bring honor to Himself.  God could get all the tribute He wanted without the help of any man. But He chose to give David the privilege of being the instrument to bring Him praise. It was for God’s own sake that He blessed David and through it to reveal His own greatness.

In verse 22, we see that David recognized the greatness of God hence he could not help but explode in adoration and praise to Him. David also acknowledged that Israel became God’s favored nation by His own gracious design. It was He who had chosen them and shown favor to them, granting them all the victorious experiences since their deliverance from Egypt. God did everything for His own sake.

There one’s lesson we need to learn from 2 Samuel 7:18-24. That is: we exist for God’s pleasure. He blesses us with all good things in life for His own pleasure. Though He could have derived all the pleasures He wants by Himself, yet He graciously allows us to share in His pleasure. So like David, we must declare God’s praise. And like the  elders in Revelation 4:11, let us declare, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

2 Samuel 7:12-17 - The house God is building

In the preceding verses, the LORD told Nathan to remind David of two things. Firstly, God was the one who had made David’s name great. Secondly, God was the One who had given him and his people victory over their enemies, just as in the days of the judges to ensure that they would experience rest all around. Then God promised to raise the Davidic dynasty. When we come to 2 Samuel 7:12-17, we see God’s promises outlined for David’s descendants. This tells us that all the plans God has for us always have continuity. God will follow through with His promise. He always ensures that His promised blessings will follow us and our posterity. But He does require faithfulness from every generation.  

In verses 12-17, God detailed six things that He would do for the descendants of David. Firstly, He would establish the kingdom for one of David’s direct descendants. Secondly, this king would be used to build a house for God’s name. Thirdly, God would establish his throne forever. Fourthly, he would have a unique father-son relationship with God Himself. Fifthly, God promised to correct his wrong with the rod of divine judgment. Sixthly, God’s covenant faithfulness would not depart from him or from the line of David. God would ensure that David’s house and throne would endure forever.

While these promises were fulfilled immediately with Solomon who succeeded David on the throne, they also point us to a king beyond him. We all know that the promises indirectly point to Jesus, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. The promises see their fulfillment in Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus, our King, hailed from the line of David and had a unique relationship with God the Father. He is God’s only begotten Son by eternal generation. In God’s kingdom program, Jesus took the rod of God’s divine judgment but not for His own sins, for He has none. He took the divine judgment for us. According to Isaiah 53:5, “He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging, we are healed.”  Jesus took the judgment for our sins. In Him, God’s eternal Kingdom is established here on earth. The house that bears God’s great name is the church. This spiritual house is not built with literal stones, but with the living stones of committed men and women. Jesus Christ is the foundation stone. Every one of us is God’s building material of this house. When we play our part well, we will highlight His excellent name. So we must be committed to doing our part to bring Him the glory that He deserves!      

2 Samuel 7:8-11 – Achievements are God’s granted privileges

Nathan’s affirmation of David’s desire to build God a permanent place was premature. So God acted swiftly by coming to the prophet with a message for David.  While God acknowledged David’s good intention, he, however, would not be the one to build God that permanent place. Along with the news for David that he would not be the one to build God the permanent house, Nathan was to remind David of all that God had done and would do for him.

Nathan was to begin by reminding David of the privilege God had granted him. He was only a shepherd running after sheep when God picked him up and made him the ruler of His people. And the great success he experienced could only come because God was with him in all his assignments. This accounts for why he was able to deal with the enemies all around him. Nathan was to outline God’s three promises to David. Firstly, God would make him a great name. Secondly, God would give David and his people rest from the enemies just like what he did for them in the days of the judges. And thirdly, God would establish David’s house and raise his dynasty.

These verses remind us that no one can achieve greatness without God. Like what He did for David, God can also help us to achieve. He can lift us up from obscurity, deal with our weaknesses, then promote us to a place of prominence. The success we desire, and will ever attain, must begin with God. They are all God granted privileges. When we have that perspective, we will not allow pride to make us think that we have achieved by our own design. Our ability to overcome every opposing force in life can only be accomplished with God’s help. Without God's assistance, we will be languishing in defeat and amount to nothing. But when we allow God to work through us, then and only then can we experience an impactful and lasting ministry. All praise and honor be to God!

2 Samuel 7:4-7 – The heart of the matter

David’s desire to build a permanent place to house the Ark of God was an honorable aspiration. So he consulted Nathan who agreed with him at first. Why shouldn’t the prophet agree? For it was certainly a great ambition to desire to build God a permanent place. But what David wanted to do was not what God needed. At least not at that moment. We all need to know that in serving God what we want to do for Him may not necessarily be what He wants us to do, at that moment. Hence, it is critical for us to seek God in prayer to ascertain the direction we should take. So here in these four verses, we see God acting swiftly. Verse 4 reveals that on the very same night God gave Nathan a message for David.

The prophet was told to tell David three things. Firstly, there was no pressing need to build God a permanent place. For since His instruction to Moses to build the Tabernacle, God had been dwelling in a tent throughout their sojourning. And the tent David had pitched for Him was sufficient for the moment. Secondly, the rhetorical question that God asked in verse 5 suggests that David was not the right man to build God the permanent place. God knew how he was wired. David was a man of war and had far too much blood on his hand to be fit for the job of building God a house. Thirdly in verse 7, God’s desire, for now, was not for a permanent house. So at no time did he require anyone to build Him such a place. David’s role, like what God expects of all of His appointed leaders, was to shepherd His people rightly. We won’t be too far off to say God’s desire for leaders He had raised was to cultivate the hearts of the people so that they will love and obey Him.  

   

Lessons to pick up from these verses. Firstly, a well-aligned heart matters to God more than the service we render. While a beautiful well-structured physical building may seem like a great honor to God, it is our aligned hearts that He desires. It is said that the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. When our hearts are in the right place, our service to God will be well rendered no matter where we serve Him. If our hearts are not rightly ordered, even a well-structured life would mean nothing to God. Outward structures at best is a neutral thing. It can both inspire or discourage worship. It’s the heart of the worshipper that matters. True worship begins with the human heart. Therefore, all leaders’ primary role is to build people with an aligned heart for a life of obedience to God. Secondly, we learn that in serving God, be sure to identify our gifting and what we are wired to do. We must not try to do what we are not made for. A peg that is square can never fit into a hole that is round. We cannot be effective where we are not gifted. Our primary calling is always where we are gifted. We may function for a while in where we are needed but our effectiveness in ministry is to function in where we are gifted. Therefore, we must know our priority in life and service. Seek to know what’s important to God, and begin where we ought to begin. 

2 Samuel 7:1-3 - On gratitude and wise counsel

David had finally settled and had subdued his enemies from all sides. His family, house, and kingdom were all well established and stable. As far as we know, God had granted him a great life all around. Verse 1 says that the LORD had given him rest from his enemies from every side. Being more settled, he had time to ruminate all the blessings God had showered upon him. Remember, even his house was built for him by Hiram, king of Tyre, who not only provided the building materials but also the workers to build it. David was grateful for all that he had. But when he thought of the Ark of God, he felt incongruous that it should be housed in the temporary tent he had pitched while he was living in luxury. Feeling grateful to God, he wanted to reciprocate by building a more permanent place to house the Ark. David had a high gratitude quotient, a truly noble desire. How we respond to goodness showered upon us by others, especially by God, reveals our gratitude quotient. The feeling of gratitude is only one part of the equation, but actually reciprocating kindness is quite another. Gratitude not expressed is like wrapping up a gift for someone you deeply appreciate but fail to present the gift to that person. We must be sure to respond to God’s goodness with acts of gratitude appropriately expressed in deeds.  

Proverbs 11:14 reminds us that “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in the abundance of counselors there is victory.” It is important that we surround ourselves with godly people who can provide guidance and wise counsel. Thankfully, David had Nathan, a prophet whom God had placed alongside him to provide sound counsel. David consulted him about building a permanent house for God. Nathan could read David’s intention, so he told him that what he intended to do was a good thing. But we will understand from the verses that follow that it was not God’s intention for David to build Him a permanent place. While the counsel of Nathan to David was good and well-intentioned, it was not exactly what God had in mind for David to do. Logically speaking, Nathan's counsel was not wrong. Showing gratitude in response to God’s goodness is always a good thing. But building a permanent house for him was not what God wanted David to do.

There is a lesson here for us who are called to help people. We must be sure to know the mind of God in providing counsel. What we say to help people must always be in line with God’s purpose and plan for the counselee. To be a godly counselor, we need to know the mind of God. And the more we know His Word, the more we will know His mind. We want to provide sound counsel in line with His Word because a wrong counsel will not only cause inconveniences but also the loss of precious time. However, here is something to take heart. The way God redirected Nathan’s counsel to David, tells us that God will help us to correct any sincere, godly counsel that may not be in line with His will. Like Nathan, when we stay receptive to Him, He will redirect any inexact counsel we give. God came to Nathan in a dream and help him to realign his counsel to David. As people helpers, we must stay open to God and rely on Him as we seek to provide godly, sincere, and apt counsel.

2 Samuel 6:20-23 – Be an asset to our spouse in the ministry

David's quality as the head of the state was second to none. As a  worship leader and a worshipper he had also shown excellent quality. But we cannot say the same about his home life, not at least from what we see in 2 Samuel 6:20-23. Passages telling us that he had many wives and concubines hinted that troubles would come from this front. If we suspect that this would be where the fault-line in his life would be, we won’t be too far off.   

David’s love for the LORD made him a passionate worshipper. When the Ark of God returned to the city, he was so overtaken with an exhilaration that he expressed his unrestraint joy before the LORD and his people energetically. He also offered both a burnt offering and a peace offering to the LORD. In the burnt offering, he was aligning his relationship with God and consecrating himself to Him. In the peace offering he was renewing his relationship with his people in a fellowship meal. He did it to galvanize the people and to motivate them to commit themselves to advance the cause of the kingdom together with him. There was a great celebration where he showed great generosity and when it was over, everyone returned to their home with gladness.  

The same cannot be said of David’s home for when he returned, Michal his wife upbraided him. She said to him, “How the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!” David had earlier disrobed himself and dressed only in a linen ephod, danced joyfully before the LORD. Michal felt that what he did was a flagrant undignified display that was unbecoming of a king. She failed to see the reason for David’s unrestraint expression of joy and worship. He was expressing his worship to the One who made him who he was. And he would gladly do anything to express his love for Him.  

So in verse 21 he retorted Michal giving her the reason for his exhilaration. “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the Lord.” David was essentially saying that what he did was for the LORD who had chosen and made him king over all of Israel. And he would gladly humble himself before Him and his people. He was confident that the people whom Michal deemed would view him in less honorable light, would actually view him as more distinguished and treasured. And he was right. What was said of Michal in verse 23 was tragic. She became barren and childless till the day she died. This is a warning to all of us never to despise the way others worship God, less we inherit a barren life.

The home is one institution that will strengthen a person’s ministry. When we have an understanding spouse, we will find effectiveness in serving the Lord. When we have a spouse who cannot stand with us in the ministry, we will find it hard to be effective in our service to the LORD. So for every married man or woman, please be sure to support our spouse in serving the LORD. When we do so we become an asset to our spouse and not a liability in his or her service to the Lord. To the singles, when you get married be sure to be supportive of each other’s ministry. This is one area to bring fulfilment to the ministry of each other. This can be better achieved when you are equally yoked, so choose your spouse carefully.         

2 Samuel 6:17-19 – Relationship with God and each other must be aligned

The Ark of God was brought into the city, but David did not bring it into his own house. Instead, he had a tent pitched and placed it there. What happened to the tabernacle built in Moses' time, where the Ark was always placed in the Holy of holies? It is a long history but according to 2 Chronicles 1:3, that tabernacle was now located in Gibeon. So David had a tent pitched to house the Ark. We know later David had planned to build a more permanent place for God. This tent was a temporary one so that he could at least begin to do what he knew was needed to align their relationship with God and with each other.

With the Ark placed in the tent he had pitched, David made two offerings before the LORD – the burnt and peace offering. The burnt offering was offered to atone for their sins and to express their devotion to God. The peace offering was consecrated to share a fellowship meal of peace with the people. It was aligning their commitment to each other before God for the future of the community. David knew how needful it was not only to align his relationship with God but also their commitment to God and to each other as a nation.  Then as the leader, David blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. In verse 19 David also generously “…distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one.” Then all the people departed to each his home gladly.

Here we see two important aspects of living and serving God as a community of believers. Firstly, there must be individual consecration to the LORD. Secondly there must be a personal commitment to the community we are a part of. God has called us together as a people and our first allegiance is to Him. There must also be commitment made to each other. With these two elements in place, we will be aligned with a common purpose to advance the Kingdom's cause. In our walk with God we need to make sure that each of us is rightly related to God. Then as Paul said in Philippians 2:4, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Like David, the leader must set the pace. As the pace is set, the members will be inspired to follow likewise. Remember we are God’s chosen people, called to advance His works together. Let us march on as one for the Lord!

2 Samuel 6:12-16 – Dare to offer God unreserved worship

The house of Obed-edom was richly blessed not by choice but by design. Divine providence would have it that what happened to Uzzah caused David to abandon his plan to bring the Ark of God into his city. In so doing, he had unwittingly benefitted the house of Obed-edom. And God used the blessing He bestowed on that house to stir David’s heart to complete what he had originally intended to do. All these took place to show us that all our blessings in life come at the initiatives of God. He engineered means to woo and stir our hearts to make us yearn to draw us to Him to enjoy the blessing of His presence. If God does not take the initiative to draw us to Himself, we by ourselves will not be stirred to seek Him. This is truly God’s prevenient grace at work.

David’s desire for God’s presence was the initiative of God. He was stirred by what the Lord had done in the house of Obed-edom. So he once again set out to bring the Ark back to the city. Verse 13 hinted at what 1 Chronicles 15 describes in detail what David did to bring the Ark of God into the city. It would not be stretching our imagination too far to say that David had realized how wrong he was previously when he allowed the Ark of God to be carried on a cart. Now he righted the wrong and have the Ark brought to the City of David by the Levites bearing it on their shoulders.

Besides that, David also sacrificed an ox and fatling when the bearers of the Ark had taken six paces. Dressed in a linen ephod, his joy could not be contained and so he danced exuberantly before the Lord all night. In saying that he was dressed in a linen ephod, was by way of saying that he had stepped into the priestly anointing. With great rejoicing and trumpet sound, David now as king and priest led the house of Israel into worship before the presence of God, represented by the Ark. In Psalm 16, David assures us that in the presence of God, there is joy and at His right hand, there is pleasure forevermore. If we want to experience true joy and great pleasure, we must take the time to draw near to God. These can only be found in the presence of God.

How God dealt with David was essentially His patience in display. He shows us through this incidence that  He will not be angry with His people forever. The painful experiences of life are meant to awaken our hearts to His love. When rightly discerned, those moments are the calls of God to repent, change, and to boldly return to Him. David did it and found the restoration of joy in God.

Like David, our joy in the Lord can be contagious. But do bear in mind that what we do is not always acceptable to everyone, even people who are close to us. This was seen in how Michal, his wife, despised him for what he was doing. She saw David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. But like David, we must not be inhibited by the feeling of others. Yes, not even by the people we love. Worship is an intensely personal thing. And true worship is a personal feeling openly expressed. True worship cannot be hidden. It is something that we are not afraid to express openly. We must not let anyone impede our worship and we must also not impede others from worshipping God. Worship of our faithful and loving God must always be encouraged. Let everyone worship God unreservedly. He is worthy of it all!

2 Samuel 6:6-11 – Seeing from God’s perspective

In the book of Numbers, the instruction of God through Moses regarding the transportation of the Ark was made clear. It was not to be ferried on a cart. Numbers 7:9 said that Moses did not assign the Kohathites any cart because their duty was to bear the Ark on their shoulders. The specific warning was also given for them not to touch the Ark or be stricken dead.  Being Levites, Ahio and Uzzah should know how the Ark of God ought to be transported. Whether by reason of carelessness or convenience, their non-conformity to God’s specific instruction was already wrong in the first place. Hence, no matter how good their intentions were, they had violated God’s instruction and had to accept the consequence.

In these verses, Uzzah did not act according to God’s instruction. He should have been better acquainted with his responsibility and not used a cart to transport the Ark of God. He committed two errors: firstly by transporting the Ark with a cart and secondly for being irreverent by touching it. All these could have been avoided. What happened to him tells us that as people involved in God’s work, we need to act obediently. Like Paul said to Timothy, we should be diligent to study and be well acquainted with His Word so that we will know how to act according to His instruction.

One puzzling question that we have would be this: how could David, a man after God’s own heart, be angry with God for dealing with Uzzah for his wrong? Very likely he was thinking that Uzzah had done the right thing to prevent the Ark from falling, so why should he be punished for it. But he failed to see that God requires everyman to be responsible when assigned to a task. Uzzah should have known better what to do. To go about an assignment inaccurately, no matter how well the intention, is still inappropriate. David had no right to be angry with God. Because unlike God he did not have the total perspective. As a finite being, David could only evaluate the situation from his limited perspective. But God is infinitely different. He knows everything, He knows the end from the beginning and no creature has the right to question the all-knowing God’s intention. Like Abraham, we all need to know that God, the judge of all the earth, can do no wrong. He is far too loving to be cruel and far too deep to explain Himself. David’s perspective of the whole situation at best was only at the human level. Isn’t this common among us? We often look at a situation and react without seeing its wider and deeper implication. We need to learn never to jump into conclusion without thinking through more deeply, especially with what God is doing.

David’s reaction to the whole situation was one of fear. Instead of drawing near to God and seek to see things from God’s perspective, he withdrew and decided not to move forward with his plan. Though it would be right for him to have the Ark located at where he was, he was too fearful to do what he knew was right. Could this be a guilt-ridden reaction? Probably so. Then he had the Ark moved to the house of Obed-edom. God’s blessings began to flow into the household of Obed-edom. It was God’s gentle way of showing David how much he would miss His presence.

These verses show us firstly that our actions must be in alignment with God’s instruction. An action that may seem right in human reasoning, may not be totally right in God’s reckoning. Always prefer God’s Word over human reasoning. When what we want to do is not in alignment with God’s instruction, it cannot be totally right. There is such a thing as an action that is almost right and one that is totally right. Every subjective truth we subscribe to must always rest on the objective truth of God’s Word. We must not just do what seems to be right but what is completely right. Secondly, we must learn to reflect deeper when we face a painful experience. God knows best, we may not see the reason why a certain thing should happen to us, but God knows the “why’s” perfectly. Hence, we trust Him absolutely, regardless.           

   

2 Samuel 6:1-5 – Good intention is not enough

The  Ark of God mentioned in these verses refers to the Ark of the Covenant, the holy furnishing that God had instructed Moses to make. It was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And inside the Ark were the golden jar of manna, the rod of Aaron that had budded, and the two stone tablets of the law or covenant. The cover of the Ark was a plate with two cherubim with raised wings facing each other, all made with pure gold. The area between the cherubim was also known as the mercy seat, the place where God promised to speak to Moses. This Ark was a symbol of God’s presence among His people as they journeyed through the wilderness into the promised land. Once a year on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of holies and sprinkle the blood of a sacrificial animal on the mercy seat to make atonement on behalf of the people of Israel. In the early chapters of 1 Samuel, we saw how the Ark was abused and not treated with the reverence that it deserved. So, God allowed it to be captured by the Philistines. The last we learned where this piece of holy furnishing was located was in the house of Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim, which was situated on the route between Jerusalem and Joppa. Baale-judah mentioned in 2 Samuel 6:2 was probably another name for Kirjath-jearim.

It is interesting how the Ark is referred to in verse 2. It is described as “the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim.” Through this matchless God whose great Name, the LORD of hosts, Israel had experienced many miraculous deliverances. They were indeed privileged to have His presence among them, always ready to bless them. David desired to bring the Ark nearer, so in 1 Chronicles 13:1-3, it is said that he consulted with the captains and leaders to bring it to Jerusalem. So in 2 Samuel, we learn that 30,000 chosen men of Israel together with David assembled to bring the Ark back. The occasion was accompanied by music and great rejoicing. The last time the Ark was thought of was during the time of Saul. Here we see a resurgence of interest in the Ark because David prized the presence of the LORD. Like him, we too must realize how needful it is for us to have the presence of the Lord with us. We must make time to recover the lost discipline of practicing the presence of the Lord.   

In these verses, we are told how they transported the Ark. It was the wrong way to transport it. In God’s earlier instruction, it was the Kohathites who were assigned to bear the Ark on their shoulders. They should not ferry it on a cart like the pagan who would use that way to ferry their gods. Regardless of whether the cart was new or old, it was not God’s appointed way to transport the Ark. Their intention to bring the Ark from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem was good. But is intention alone enough? Accompanying the Ark were Ahio and Uzzah, the two sons of Abinadab. The former was in front probably to drive the cart while the latter was behind, to ensure that the Ark would not topple off. Because the house of Abinadab was located on a hill, we sense that this was a calamity in the making. How could David and the people tasked with bringing back the Ark overlooked so serious a business and not make sure it would be rightly transported? Herein is a lesson for us. We cannot afford to take the thing of God for granted especially dealing with coming into His presence. It behooves us to tread gingerly before the Lord. Good intention is not enough. It must be accompanied by the right action. We must always give God our very best. We must come prepared for He deserves only the best that we can bring - our attitude and all.   

2 Samuel 5:22-25 – Progressing with God

Despite the defeat, the Philistines refused to back away, and instead came back at David in the Valley of Rephaim again. Notwithstanding having tasted victory over them in the earlier battle, David did not presumptuously just go and fight them. Instead, he consulted God and checked if he should go and fight the Philistines again. David would not take things for granted. He could have presumed on his earlier victory and took matters into his own hand. But he would rather have the mind of God in this upcoming battle. The earlier victory did not make him swell up with conceit and stop depending on God for all future battles. David was keenly aware that the battle he had won was really the Lord’s. God fighting with him was the telling difference between winning and losing. There is a lesson here. One swallow does not make a summer. We cannot deploy the same strategy for every battle. In the same way, we need fresh strategies for our daily walk with God. We need to seek the Lord afresh each day of our life for our daily sustenance. We cannot depend on yesterday’s guidance for today’s journey.

This account also shows us that the Lord has a different strategy for different occasions. Affirming that David should fight the Philistines again, but God gave him a different strategy. He told David specifically that he should not directly confront the Philistines but instead to go from behind. The Lord even defined that they should come against them just opposite the balsam trees. The strategy given to David was decidedly different and more specific than the first time. Now there was going to be the element of surprise. We can just imagine the Philistines expecting David to come out from the front as before but was taken by surprise that the attack came from behind them. A stable and victorious life in God requires us to deploy different disciplines. We need to cultivate a variety of spiritual disciplines. While it is needful to be diligent in our devotion, we also need to make time for prayer. Sometimes we intercede fervently, other times we just spent the time connecting with God in contemplative prayers. It is important that we meditate on God’s Word, but it is equally critical that we diligently study it. Yes, building a steady life requires us to be rooted in God. And we do so by cultivating multiple godly and spiritual disciplines to avail ourselves to God’s ever-transforming grace.   

It is true that timing is important in God’s movement in our lives. While we expect God to speak, we can expect Him to give us precise steps and moments we must act. We see this lesson taught here again. God told David and his people that they should only move when they hear the rustling of the balsam leaves. It was only at that critical moment that they should act. How many times we have heard “the rustling of the balsam leaves” but fail to act? It is one thing to hear from God and quite another to act. If we are to be successful, knowing what God wants and acting upon His revelation is equally important. So in this second battle with the Philistines since becoming king of all Israel, we see David obeying God and acting precisely as directed. And with God he experienced a thorough victory, defeating the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

There are some imperatives if we desire to have a victorious and progressive journey with God. We must build a life of daily dependence on the Lord. We also need to cultivate and adopt a variety of godly disciplines to allow God to bring us into wholeness in Him. Most of all, we need to act in tandem with His will and in His time.  

2 Samuel 5:17-21 – Breakthrough in life can be experienced

Hiram chose to have a peaceful relationship with David while the Philistines chose the path of hostility. When they heard that David had become king of all of Israel, they went up in search of him. Remember there was a time prior to this, Achish, the king of Gath, one of the five cities of the Philistines had accepted David. He even wanted David and his men to go up with him against Saul’s army. Therefore, we can understand why the Philistines had more reason and urgency to want David’s life since he had become king of Israel.

When David heard of what the Philistines wanted to do to him, he went down to the stronghold. This was most likely referring to the cave of Adullam, where he had spent considerable time there dodging Saul. The reason David chose this place was obvious. Having lived there before he would be more familiar with the in’s and out’s of the cave. Hence, he had the advantage over the Philistines. Meanwhile, the Philistines were spread out around the area of Rephaim in search of him.

As David’s normal custom was, verse 19 tells us that he inquired of the Lord, asking, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” The Lord's response was in the affirmative. He was to go up against them for the Lord would certainly give them into his hand. So, at the place which David later named Baal-perizim, the Philistines were defeated and had to leave their idols behind. Baal-perizim meant “master of the breakthrough”. Indeed God is the master of breakthroughs. It was a befitting name for He had defeated the Philistines. With the Lord’s help, they were able to break through into the camp of the Philistines like a mighty flood. Praise God, He is the “Master of breakthroughs”!

The mention of the idol that the Philistines left behind, tells us that the war was more between David’s God and those weak gods of the Philistines. It is a reminder to us that our battle in life is essentially a spiritual one. The forces of darkness are always plotting our downfall. Wisely, like David, we must learn to seek God and move in tandem with Him in His sure-win strategy. Beloved, our breakthroughs in life can only be experienced when we fight alongside God, the Lord of breakthroughs.  

What Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 must be remembered as we seek to gain control of our lives. Remember that “…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Let us put on the Lord Jesus and make no provision for the flesh to have its fling with us. With God, we can win all the time. Praise His glorious name!

2 Samuel 5:11-16 – Handling life discerningly

In these verses we are introduced to Hiram, the king of Tyre. He extended his friendship to David by showing kind gestures. He not only provided David with building material but also the services of his carpenters and masons to build his house. Hiram adopted a good principle in life. It is always better to have a friend rather than an enemy. He seemed to know that. So He chose to be an ally of David and Israel as opposed to the Philistines who preferred to go to war with them.

Verse 12 tells us something about David’s discerning perspective when he saw the house. He recognized the hand of the Lord behind all that he had. He knew that he would not be where he was if not for God. Two things became clear to him. Firstly, that God was establishing him as king over Israel. Secondly, God made his kingdom great for the sake of Israel. This verse also assures us that God keeps promises that He has made and that He will always fulfill what He has promised. Here in this verse, we see the fulfillment of God’s promise not only to David but also to Israel. God indeed keeps covenants and is worthy of all honor and praise.

Verse 12 also shows us that David was a deeply discerning person. In life, it is easy for one to look at all of one’s achievements and think that everything he or she has attained comes about because of his or her own capability and ingenuity. But David was not such a person. He could see the hand of God behind all that he had and appreciated Him as the One who had made it possible. Like him. we need to recognize that all that we are and all that we can potentially become, come from God. If not for Him, we can neither attain nor achieve anything. To think that by ourselves we can achieve something great will put us at risk with pride. Remember that pride always comes before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction.    

If there was anything that could eventually weaken David’s life it was the fact that he had one wife and one concubine too many. While more wives and concubines and children might have added to his social status and standing, they became his Achilles heel. It was a lifestyle of danger that he was slowly but surely being acclimatized. We need to know that a great man has weaknesses too. He had failed to heed the warning of God concerning a king acquiring wives. Deuteronomy 17:17 says specifically that, “And he (the king) shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away.…” No indulgent man can see the danger when he is thick in his indulgences. Yet, no one can deny that a person’s heart could be turned away from God through careless indulgence. While verses 13-15 serve to talk about David’s expanding harem, it is not something to be emulated. If anything, let us see it as God's call to avoid careless indulgence. Let us take heed lest our hearts be turned away from God because we choose to gratify our carnal nature.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

   

2 Samuel 5:6-10 – Don’t dwell on the negative

David had finally become king and united Israel under his rulership. He then set out to acquire Jerusalem to make it the capital of Israel. The reason is obvious. Hebron, where he had been dwelling and ruling from, was too far south to be strategic. Moving further up north and a more central place would be more strategic and easier to manage the whole nation. So he set out to take the city of Jerusalem, located at the border of Judah and the northern tribes.

Jerusalem, possessed by the Jebusites, was previously known as Jebus. Joshua, during the period of the conquest, had conquered the Jebusites. Judges 1:8 tells us that the people of Israel had captured Jerusalem. Although the city was captured, the people of Israel did not possess it but instead set it on fire and left it uninhabited. The neglected city was re-taken by the Jebusites again. Its location on the steep hill made it difficult to penetrate. That was why the Jebusites were so arrogant. They had the gall to defy David saying, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” They had under-estimated David who challenged his men to take that city via the water shaft. The Jebusites did not anticipate that David’s men would reach them via the water shaft. But David’s men managed to reach the city, overran, captured, and fortified it. It was renamed the city of David. And the king’s fame grew greater. How could David not prosper with God on his side? So verse 10 makes it clear the reason for his success i.e. because of the LORD, the God of hosts who was with him.  

David was not only patient but was also strategic and inspirational. He knew that to be effective, he needed a more central place to operate from. Jerusalem would not only be central but also well-fortified. Despite the negative comments and insults, the Jebusites hurled at him, he did not let them restrict him. Instead, he used it to positively challenge the people and made them even bolder. So they took the city. Unwittingly, we are people who are often susceptible to negative comments and are often thwarted by them. This is where we need to take a lesson from David. Two things seemed obvious in David’s life. Firstly, he relied on his God. And secondly, he resiliently explored solutions despite the limitations. Don’t dwell on what we can’t do. Learn to assert our minds and explore ways that we can do. Best of all, look to Jesus and our limitations will go strangely dim. Take heart. God is on our side!     

2 Samuel 5:1-5 – Divine timing is everything

David was anointed to be king by Samuel in Bethlehem when he was still a youth. Like every plan of God, the calling is one but the preparation for the role is another. So in the years leading up to the moment, he was first made king in Judah, and finally, over all of Israel, David went through a period of preparation. He co-operated with God and was not found to be in a hurry. Any lesser man would have taken matters into his own hand and asserted his right to seize the throne. But not David. He trusted God and patiently waited for the words released by Samuel to take its course in God’s time and schedule. We all can be sure that when God places a call on our lives, He also knows when we are ready to assume the role.  

Every event that David went through was part of God’s preparation and providential move to get him ready for the throne. Abner had paved the way and with Ish-bosheth’s death, the last hurdle was removed by God. So the people of Israel came to Hebron to coronate him king of united Israel. Firstly, they recognized that David was no stranger, he was, in fact, a part of them. He was a kinsman, their very own “bone and flesh.” Secondly, they acknowledged that even when Saul was king, it was David who galvanized all of Israel. Thirdly, they knew that it was God’s ordained plan for David to be their shepherd i.e. their ruler. For a fuller picture of how great support he had, this passage of 2 Samuel 5:1-5 must be seen together with 1 Chronicles 1:1-3 and 12:23-40. They give us the number of people who came to him from Israel. Practically all the tribes of Israel were represented. They all came to Hebron to anoint David as their king. The author of the book of 1 Chronicles added that they all came with a whole heart and singular purpose. And for three days they celebrated with Joy. David was 30 years of age when he became king. He ruled over Israel for some 40 years. Seven and a half years he was king over Judah and for 33 years he ruled over united Israel.

One key lesson we see from David’s life is about timing. When we are in God’s program, we will realize that He has a schedule for every experience, positive or negative, to get us to where we finally should be. And we will also realize that He is always on time and on schedule. God alone knows the perfect time for every stage we ought to be in. He knows when we should start or when we should end and how long we should be there. It will never be too early, too late, or too long, despite human engineering or manipulation. While waiting to reach where we should be, God expects patience but a whole lot of faith in Him. When the moment arrives, we will realize that it is worth all the waiting. And while waiting, do it with a good and God-pleasing attitude!    

2 Samuel 4:9-12 – Don’t act cowardly, arrogantly or manipulatively

It must have been an arduous journey for Rechab and Baanah. They traveled by the way of Arabah in the night bringing the head of Ish-bosheth which they had beheaded after murdering him. Of course, they had hoped that what they brought to David would delight the king and they would be readily accepted. Perhaps they had anticipated a handsome reward or be given a position in David’s band of men. Little did they realize that David would return their sedition by sentencing them to death. They had received their just desert for their treachery.  

Rechab and Baanah apparently did not know the kind of person David was. He had the highest respect for Saul and his office. He himself had several opportunities to finish off Saul but refused to touch the Lord’s anointed. Even when the Amalekite came to him in Ziklag with what considered the good news of Saul’s death, David put him to death. He obviously had made a false move by claiming to be the one who had ended Saul’s misery by putting him to death. Rechab and Baanah had killed a defenseless and innocent man in his own house and on his own bed. What was even more unacceptable to David was that the person they had killed was their king. How crazy for them to think that David would reward their high treason.

After ordering that they be put to death, David also instructed that their hands and feet be cut off and be hanged by the pool of Hebron. This was a public example for all to warn them against entertaining any treasonous scheme. He then had the head of Ish-bosheth buried in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

Though not clearly described, the chapter shows us subtly how cowardly they were. They murdered a man in his sleep. Secondly, they were also arrogant at the same time. How do we know? They presumptuously presented what they had done as if they were God’s instrument to help remove David’s obstacle to the throne. Thirdly, they were manipulative. On learning of Abner’s death, they tried to position themselves by killing Ish-bosheth to gain David’s favor. The actions of Rechab and Baanah warn us to be careful with people who have no qualms exploiting the weakness of others to profit themselves. Like it or not, the church also has such people operating covertly to profit themselves. It behooves us to be people of integrity. Let’s not act cowardly, arrogantly, or manipulatively. Be sure our sin will find us out!

2 Samuel 4:1-8 – Don’t be a turncoat

Abner was the reason why Israel could stay together for so long. He was the power behind the throne. Once the news of his death and burial at Hebron reached Ish-bosheth, all the courage he once had left him. Verse 1 also says that even all of Israel was in dismay. Abner’s burial in Hebron was a smart move by David. It was a signal to the people that Abner had already deflected and was assimilated into Judah. Meanwhile, Ish-bosheth had two key persons in the company. They were the captains of his raiding band. Their names were Baanah and Rechab and they were the sons of Rimmon, a Benjamite from Beeroth. These were all from the same tribe as Saul and should have remained loyal to Ish-bosheth but apparently, they were not.

In verse 4 we are introduced to one other surviving member of Saul’s clan. His name was Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan. This verse describes how he was crippled. When news of the death of Saul and Jonathan reached Israel, the nurse sought to carry him to a place of safety. While fleeing, she accidentally dropped him and caused him to sustain his condition. He became crippled since then. Later in 2 Samuel 9, we will see how David treated Mephibosheth to honor the pledge he had made to Jonathan, his father.

Meanwhile in verses 5-8, we return to the two disloyal captains of Ish-bosheth’s raiding band. They came to Ish-bosheth’s house with the pretext to get some wheat while the latter was resting in his bedroom. There they stabbed him in the stomach, put him to death, and cut off his head. Taking the head, they escaped and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron. Their one motive was clear. Wanting to join David, they reckoned they should be able to have David’s approval with what they had brought to him. So they came before David and said, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” They had committed treason and had failed to realize that their acts were duplicitous and downright disloyal. If they sought David’s approval, they had made the wrong move. No one, especially this new king would trust such disloyalty.  

Could Rachab and Baanah deflect to David without killing Ish-bosheth? Certainly! Perhaps it would be more acceptable to David. But these chose to profit themselves at the expense of Ish-bosheth’s life. They had proven their utter disloyalty. How could David trust people like these? Betrayal hurts deeper than physical wounds because it cuts deeper into one’s heart. One sad fact about betrayal is this: it often comes from people you trust and consider your friends and seldom from your enemy. It is needful to surround ourselves with trustworthy friends. Remember Proverbs 27:6 that says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”  It is more important that each one of us be a true and trustworthy friend. We will bring more honor to God. So, be trustworthy!