Saturday - II Samuel 12 - Back on Track

It's hard to imagine that David could be forgiven, just like that. Wasn't he a crude, rude, lewd and wicked dude? He had stolen his friend's wife, killed his friend to protect his own skin, and had seemingly gotten away with it. Yet, this chapter is the story of David getting back on track with God… and with his kingly duties.

God sent Nathan the prophet to David with a parable. The parable was a very thinly veiled metaphor revealing David's guilt. Amazingly, II Samuel 12:5 indicates that David's moral discernment had remained intact even if his immoral misbehavior would naturally lead us to imagine otherwise.

Now, Nathan's sermon moved quickly from indirect to direct speech as he pointed his finger in the face of the guilty king (II Samuel 12:7). Thankfully David was just as straightforward in his admission and repentance (II Samuel 12:13). And, while we are pointing out frank statements, let's not miss the best one of all. God forgave David with no uncertainty. Although the damage which he had done was not repaired, his relationship with God and his fellowship with God were both restored.  David could not be rewarded for his faithfulness, but the situation was ultimately redeemed through God’s faithfulness.

Friday - II Samuel 11 - Uh-Oh!

This is the story of David and Bathsheba. David's escapade (a misstep in an otherwise stellar testimony) illustrates James 1:15 with agonizing clarity. "When lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death." You have likely heard the digression described before.  David was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He saw his beautiful neighbor Bathsheba in some stage of indecency.  He looked; he lusted; he yielded to the temptation; he invited her over; she came; he committed adultery with her; he went to great lengths to cover his tracks; many people died because of David's tryst.

Although Uriah (Bathsheba's husband) was one of David's mightiest and most loyal military specialists (II Samuel 23:8 & 39), David ended up killing him. Then, the son who was born from their sinful union was slain by God as part of the David's punishment (II Samuel 12:14). And, several Jewish soldiers died during the cover-up of Uriah's murder (2 Samuel 11:17). Additionally, as you watch David's biography unfold, you will find that death dominated his household in accordance with II Samuel 12:10, where God said, "The sword shall never depart from your house; because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife." In short, "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

Thursday - II Samuel 10 - Fighting the Foes

David was known to be a warrior, so much so, that sometimes even his generosity wasn't trusted.  Here we read that when David sent men to comfort Hanun the king of the Ammonites in the loss of his father, the Ammonites assumed that he had treacherous motives. So, Hanun embarrassed those benevolent emissaries unnecessarily by shaving half of each one's face and by altering their robes to make very inadequate miniskirts for them.

To make a long story short, the Ammonites soon regretted their foolish maltreatment of David's men. Even though the Ammonites hired thousands of Syrians to ward of David's revenge, they were no match for David, Joab, Abishai, Israel and Israel's God. Both of those gentile nations were routed soundly and the Syrians never again agreed to work as mercenaries for the Ammonites.

This scenario is still played out today in the lives of believers. We may set out to show some kindness to a person in their grief, and yet our attempts may easily be interpreted to be inadequate or even hostile. But, if God is on our side, who can stand against us (Romans 8:31)? Even if those who have it in for us go out and garner additional forces to come against us, if we are walking with God, Satan is our ultimate enemy and against him we CAN prevail. Put on the whole armor of God, Christian friend... we are in a war! Gird your loins with truth, wear the breastplate of righteousness, keep your gospel shoes on, use your shield of faith, strap on the helmet of salvation, wield the sword of the Spirit & pray earnestly as you stand in your post (Ephesians 6:14-18). And, in all of this, please fight the enemy (Satan). Don't turn on your own company. Your fellow-saints are not the foe.

Tuesday - II Samuel 9 - Grace for Mephibosheth... and for Me

After David had been king for a while and had settled in securely, he evidently remembered the covenant that he had made with Jonathan. So, he inquired whether there were any surviving relatives or descendants of Saul remaining. Wonderfully, there was one of Saul's grandsons, Mephibosheth (Jonathan's son), who was still alive. We were introduced to him back in II Samuel 4:4. Remember, he was crippled at age 5 on the same day that his father had died in battle.

Now, David desired to "show the kindness of God unto him" (II Samuel 9:3). But, Mephibosheth was doubtlessly somewhat afraid of what David might have had in mind for him (II Samuel 9:6 & 7). He had nothing to fear though. David gave him all that had belonged to his grandfather, King Saul, and he gave him a place at his own royal table. Neither Mephibosheth's family name nor his lameness hindered David from caring for him or from showing him kindness and generosity.

There is a remarkable correlation between Mephibosheth's plight and ours. Before God showered His saving grace upon us we were the offspring of a defeated king, Satan. We were helpless and weak. We were powerless and at God's mercy. And yet, for no reason other than His own good nature and character, and in keeping with a promise that he had made to our ancestor Abraham, God reached down to us and exalted us to sit at His table beside His only begotten Son, Jesus. It is a story of compassion and generosity. It is a story about how God has taken the initiative in bringing us to a place of royal fellowship; a place to which we could never have attained by our own attempts, no matter how noble or diligent.

Monday - II Samuel 8 - David Prospers

So, David fought and won against the peoples that surrounded his own nation. Per this chapter alone, He defeated Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites, Amalekites & Syrians. Additionally, some of the other nations that he didn't fight became friends with and/or vassals of David and contributed to his power, prestige and wealth.  And, within David's court, the leadership was firmly established also. Joab was David's top general, Zadok and Ahimelech were the priests and David's sons (over time) were also given power and position. Among the primary leaders was one named Benaiah? It's unclear to me what exactly his job description was under David's reign, but he was destined for later greatness for sure, especially under Solomon.  Incidentally, Benaiah’s name is found 42 times in the Bible.

The overall point of this chapter is that David's kingdom was established. In the areas of foreign and domestic affairs, he was solidly in control. However, it wasn't David's own efforts or expertise that brought about his success, it was God's providential provisions upon him which were the key (II Samuel 8:6 & 14). Not that everything David did was necessarily pretty. Remember, he was fighting wars! We naturally recoil a little when we read that David cut the tendons in the hind legs of Hadadezer's war horses (II Samuel 8:4). And, it may seem a mite odd to read that David "flipped coins" (so-to-speak) to determine which Moabites would survive and which one's would perish (II Samuel 8:2). Yet, in all of this, it was God's hand of blessing upon him that produced his military and political prosperity. Furthermore, if we could examine his physical, familial, financial or spiritual prosperity, we would find God behind all of that as well. God was his preserver.

Saturday - II Samuel 7 - Building a House

It is perfectly logical that once David had the Ark of God on location in Jerusalem, he then desired to build a temple in which to house it. It was a wholesome intent (I Kings 8:18), but despite the prophet's acquiescent attitude toward the idea, God vetoed it because of the nature of David's calling (I Chronicles 17:4-6). David was a man of war (I Chronicles 22:7-8).  Now, despite God's unwillingness to allow David to construct a temple in His name, He was not displeased with the young king (I Kings 8:18). In fact, He allowed David to collect all the necessary materials in preparation for the building of a temple and then permitted David's son Solomon to erect the edifice.

When David offered to build God a house, God turned things around on David and promised to build him a house instead and to build a house for the whole nation of Israel.  Of course, God truly did not need a temple anyway. All of heaven can’t contain Him.  God seeks after us, invites us, pursues us, persuades us, prepares us, convicts and convinces us… and, when we finally respond with an offer to serve Him, we always end up discovering that He is the giver, not us. God built David a house instead of letting David build Him one. The gospel is truly about what God has done, is doing, can do and will do for us; not the other way around.

Friday - II Samuel 6 - The Ark in Jerusalem

The first time David went to get the Ark of the Covenant, he did it with great fanfare and pomp. He had 30,000 men with him and followed the same method that the Philistines had used the last time the Ark had been transported. He used a cart. And, the cart was guided by 2 men who had lived in the same house where the Ark had been housed before David came to get it.

You know the old saying, familiarity breeds contempt. Evidently the familiarity that one of those men (Uzzah) had, caused him to consider the practicality of things to be a higher priority than the commandments of God. By divine decree, nobody was ever supposed to touch the Ark; under penalty of death. But, when it became unsteady on its cart, Uzzah disregarded God's demands and grabbed hold of the holy box. Immediately, he fell dead.

This incident displeased, frightened and frustrated David. He stopped the transport there right away and left the Ark in the house of Obededom. However, over the next 3 months, God blessed Obededom and his house so much so that it convinced David to try again to fetch the Ark. Somewhere along the line in that intermission, he must have taken the time to obey Deuteronomy 17:18-19; that is to read the Law of Moses. And, in reading it he surely must have encountered Exodus 25:14 and discovered just exactly what the proper method for carrying the Ark was.  Isn't it amazing how much a little Bible reading can make a difference?!

Now, when David came into Jerusalem with the Ark in his caravan, he was so thrilled about it that he removed is royal robes and danced in celebratory worship in plain garments. Now this was a good and wholesome thing... but David's first wife Michal wasn't impressed at all. In fact, she was evidently embarrassed by David's display of humility and his unabashed public exhibition of genuine love for God. So, when he came home from worshipping... intending to bless his family, she met him with criticism and ridicule; even accused him of showing off physically and carnally in front of the women who were watching the parade that day. Her willingness to debase his pure and simple way of demonstrating his faith angered David deeply... so much so that he essentially relegated her to the status of a divorced wife. Since she rejected his God, he rejected her.