By
Bishop Elijah H. Hankerson III, BA, MA, DD
LESSON NOTES:
I.
THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE ENTIRE BIBLE. If you understand that the
Bible is written to show us how humanity was created for God, fell into sin,
was reconciled through Christ (who was the product of a family) and God will
restore everything through His sacrifice on the Cross; then you have the
message of the entire Bible.
2
Corinthians 5:17-21 17Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us
to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the
world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead,
be ye reconciled to God. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
II.
THE AUTHOR OF SAMUEL. No one knows who the author
is. Ancient scholars have attributed it to Samuel. However, he obviously would
not have recorded his death. So we do not know. But, it is accepted as the Word
of God.
2
Timothy 3:16 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
I.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF SAMUEL? This was originally one
book. It was not divided until about 200 years before Christ. The purpose of
the book was to validate David’s kingship.
A.
THE SYSTEM OF JUDGES HAD FAILED TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT
LEADERSHIP.
Judges 21:25 25In those days Israel had no
king; everyone did as they saw fit.
Judges 17:6 6In those days Israel had no
king; everyone did as they saw fit.
B. EVEN DURING THE TIME OF
DAVID THERE WERE MANY WHO FELT HIS KINGSHIP WAS INVALID.
2 Samuel 16:5-8 New
International Version (NIV)
5 As King
David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out
from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. 6 He
pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops
and the special guard were on David’s right and left. 7 As he
cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! 8 The
Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in
whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of
your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”
II.
WHAT DOES THE NAME SAMUEL MEAN? It means God has heard.
This is from the desperate cry of Samuel’s mother to have a child. This
validates the ministry of Samuel. Because it is through Samuel that David will
be anointed king.
1 Samuel 1:12-20 New
International Version (NIV)
12 As she
kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was
praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli
thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going
to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
15 “Not so,
my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been
drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do
not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my
great anguish and grief.”
17 Eli
answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked
of him.”
18 She
said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate
something, and her face was no longer downcast.
19 Early
the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to
their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord
remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant
and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the
Lord for him.”
1 Samuel 1:24-28 New
International Version (NIV)
24 After he
was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a
three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to
the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been
sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him,
“Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here
beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the
Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to
the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he
worshiped the Lord there.
A.
THIS IS A SET UP FOR SAMUEL’S SPIRITUALITY. Because he is the one that
hears from God, it validates David’s kingdom and thus the coming Messiah.
1 Samuel 3 New
International Version (NIV)
3 The boy
Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord
was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One
night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying
down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out,
and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then
the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel
answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am;
you called me.”
But Eli
said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Again
the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I
am; you called me.”
“My
son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
7 Now
Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been
revealed to him.
8 A third
time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said,
“Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli
realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel,
“Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is
listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord
came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then
Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
11 And the
Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make
the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I
will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning
to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever
because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to
restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt
of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
15 Samuel
lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He
was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said,
“Samuel, my son.”
Samuel
answered, “Here I am.”
17 “What
was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with
you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So
Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the
Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
19 The Lord
was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the
ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that
Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued
to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
I.
THE ENDING OF THE FAILED ADMINISTRATION OF JUDGES.
A.
ELI WAS SOMEWHAT OF A JUDGE. He was high priest and
judge. But his leader ship was a failure even though it lasted 40 years.
1 Samuel 2:12 12Eli's
sons were scoundrels; they had
no regard for the LORD.
1 Samuel 3:13 13For I told him that I would judge his family
forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them
1 Samuel 2:22 22Now Eli, who was very old, heard about
everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women
who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
1 Samuel 4:19-22 19His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was
pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of
God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she
went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains. 20As she
was dying, the women attending her said, "Don't despair; you have given
birth to a son." But she did not respond or pay any attention. 21She named
the boy Ichabod, saying,
"The Glory has departed from Israel"-because of the capture of the
ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22She said,
"The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."
B. SAMUEL WAS SOMEWHAT OF A
JUDGE. But
the people were really tired of Mystic, spiritual leader ship. They wanted
stability.
1 Samuel 8:1-9 New
International Version (NIV)
8 When
Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. 2 The
name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they
served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They
turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4 So all
the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They
said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a
king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
6 But when
they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to
the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people
are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me
as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up
out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are
doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let
them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
II.
THE FAILURE OF THE SAUL
ADMINISTRATION. Many people loved Saul and
his leadership. However, this book makes an argument that he was not fit to be
king. It really paints Saul in a negative light. This is so that anyone else,
who would try to question the validity of the kingly line, through the tribe of
Judah, would think twice.
A.
IT SHOWS HOW HE REALLY DID NOT WANT TO BE KING IN THE
FIRST PLACE.
1 Samuel 10:20-22 20When Samuel had all Israel come forward by
tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21Then he brought forward the
tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri's clan was taken. Finally Saul son
of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22So
they inquired further of the LORD, "Has the man come here yet?" And
the LORD said, "Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies."
B. IT
SHOWS HOW HE HAD THE PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF A KING; HOWEVER, THESE ARE NOT
QUALIFICATIONS THAT THE LORD LOOKS FOR.
1 Samuel 10:23 23They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among
the people he was a head taller than any of the others.
1 Samuel 16:7-13 7But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider
his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look
at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the
LORD looks at the heart." 8Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in
front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one
either." 9Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has
the LORD chosen this one." 10Jesse had seven of his sons pass before
Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." 11So
he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is
still the youngest," Jesse answered. "He is tending the sheep."
Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives."
12So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had
a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, "Rise and
anoint him; this is the one." 13So Samuel took the horn of oil and
anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit
of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
C. IT SHOWS HOW HE WAS
DISOBEDIENT TO GOD.
1 Samuel 13:8-14 New
International Version (NIV)
8 He
waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal,
and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt
offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering.
10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and
Saul went out to greet him.
11 “What
have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul
replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at
the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I
thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have
not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
13 “You
have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the
Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over
Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the
Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his
people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
1 Samuel 15:13-23 New
International Version (NIV)
13 When
Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the
Lord’s instructions.”
14 But Samuel
said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of
cattle that I hear?”
15 Saul
answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best
of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally
destroyed the rest.”
16 “Enough!”
Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”
“Tell
me,” Saul replied.
17 Samuel
said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the
head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And
he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked
people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why
did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the
eyes of the Lord?”
20 “But I
did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I
completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The
soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted
to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
22 But
Samuel replied:
“Does
the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices?
As
much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey
is better than sacrifice,
and
to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23
For
rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and
arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because
you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he
has rejected you as king.”
D. IT SHOWS HOW HE WAS
PRACTICALLY DEMON POSSESSED.
1 Samuel 16:14-15 14Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from
Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15Saul's attendants said
to him, "See, an evil spirit from God is
tormenting you.
1 Samuel 19:9 9But an evil
spirit from the LORD came on
Saul as he was sitting in his
house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre,
1 Samuel 16:21-23 21David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul
liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22Then Saul sent
word to Jesse, saying, "Allow David to remain in my service, for I am
pleased with him." 23Whenever the spirit
from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play.
Then relief would come to Saul;
he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
E. IT SHOWS HOW HE WAS
INSECURE.
1 Samuel 18:6-9 New
International Version (NIV)
6 When the
men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came
out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing,
with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. 7 As they danced,
they sang:
“Saul
has slain his thousands,
and
David his tens of thousands.”
8 Saul was
very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with
tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he
get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye
on David.
F. IT SHOWS HOW HE WAS
REJECTED.
1 Samuel 15:24-31 New
International Version (NIV)
24 Then
Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your
instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them. 25 Now
I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the
Lord.”
26 But
Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of
the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”
27 As
Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel
said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has
given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. 29 He who
is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human
being, that he should change his mind.”
30 Saul
replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and
before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So
Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
1. THE MAN
REPENTED; WHY WASN'T HE FORGIVEN LIKE DAVID WAS? It was
God’s choice. Nothing he could do to change it.
Romans 9:13-15 13Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but
Esau I hated." 14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15For
he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I have compassion."
III.
DAVID THE KING AFTER GOD’S HEART. David had many flaws, but
the book pictures him as God’s choice of King. This is the background of the
ancestry and lineage of the King of Kings: JESUS THE CHRIST. Samuel lists
David’s qualifications.
A.
HE WAS ANOINTED.
1 Samuel 16:12-13 New
International Version (NIV)
12 So he
sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine
appearance and handsome features.
Then the
Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So
Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers,
and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel
then went to Ramah.
B. HE WAS SELECTED BY GOD.
1 Samuel 13:14 14But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD
has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his
people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."
Acts 13:22 22After removing Saul, he made David their king.
God testified concerning him: 'I
have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will
do everything I want him to do.'
C. HE WAS FEARLESS.
1 Samuel 17:8-11 New
International Version (NIV)
8 Goliath
stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for
battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a
man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill
me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will
become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said,
“This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each
other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the
Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
1 Samuel 17:33-37 New
International Version (NIV)
33 Saul
replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you
are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
34 But
David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a
lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I
went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned
on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your
servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine
will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The
Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will
rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul
said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
D. HE WAS THE KING’S SON IN
LAW.
1 Samuel 18:17-29 New
International Version (NIV)
17 Saul
said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in
marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul
said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do
that!”
18 But
David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that
I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So when the time came
for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to
Adriel of Meholah.
20 Now
Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about
it, he was pleased. 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so
that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be
against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to
become my son-in-law.”
22 Then
Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king
likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’”
23 They
repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small
matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
24 When
Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say
to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred
Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have
David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
26 When the
attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s
son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David took his
men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back
their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David
might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in
marriage. 28 When Saul realized that the Lord
was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul
became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
E. HE HONORED THE KING.
1 Samuel 26:17-21 New
International Version (NIV)
17 Saul
recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
David
replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18 And he added, “Why is my
lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19 Now
let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you
against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it,
may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in
the Lord’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now
do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The
king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the
mountains.”
21 Then
Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my
life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like
a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
F. HE WAS AFFIRMED BY THE
KING’S SON.
1 Samuel 18:1-4 1After David had finished talking with Saul,
Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2From
that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his
family. 3And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as
himself. 4Jonathan took off the
robe he was wearing and gave it to David,
along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
2 Samuel 1:26 26I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me
was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.
1 Samuel 23:16 16And Saul's son Jonathan went to David
at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.
1 Samuel 20:41-42 41After the boy had gone, David got up from the
south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his
face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together-but David
wept the most. 42Jonathan said
to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in
the name of the LORD, saying, 'The LORD is witness between you and me, and
between your descendants and my descendants forever.'" Then David left, and Jonathan went back to
the town.
1 Samuel 20:16-17 16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of
David, saying, "May the LORD call David's enemies to account." 17And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him
as he loved himself.
1 Samuel 20:4 4Jonathan
said to David, "Whatever
you want me to do, I'll do for you."
G.HE WAS AN AFFECTIVE LEADER.
1. HE COULD LEAD MEN.
1 Samuel 22:2 2All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their
commander. About four hundred men were with him.
2 Samuel 23:8-17 8These are the names of David's mighty warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear
against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. 9Next to him was
Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was
with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle.
Then the Israelites retreated, 10but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the
Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought
about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to
strip the dead. 11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the
Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils,
Israel's troops fled from them. 12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of
the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought
about a great victory. 13During harvest time, three of the thirty chief
warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines
was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14At that time David was in the
stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15David longed for
water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the
well near the gate of Bethlehem!" 16So the three mighty warriors broke
through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of
Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he
poured it out before the LORD. 17"Far be it from me, LORD, to do
this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?" And David would not
drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.
2.
HE CENTRALIZED LEADERSHIP.
1 Chronicles 11:4-9 4David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem
(that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there 5said to David, "You will
not get in here." Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion-which
is the City of David. 6David had said, "Whoever leads the attack on the
Jebusites will become commander-in-chief." Joab son of Zeruiah went up
first, and so he received the command. 7David then took up residence in the
fortress, and so it was called the City of David. 8He built up the city around
it, from the terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of
the city. 9And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty
was with him.
3.
HE GOT THE ARK TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE.
2 Samuel 6:1-17 New
International Version (NIV)
6 David
again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. 2 He
and all his men went to Baalaha in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God,
which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned
between the cherubim on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new
cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah
and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4 with the
ark of God on it,and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5 David and
all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with
castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.
6 When
they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of
the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord’s anger
burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him
down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
8 Then
David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to
this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
9 David
was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever
come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to
be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom
the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of
Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire
household.
12 Now King
David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything
he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God
from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13 When
those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed
a bull and a fattened calf. 14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was
dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all
Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of
trumpets.
16 As the
ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched
from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord,
she despised him in her heart.
17 They
brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David
had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship
offerings before the Lord.
H. HE WAS AFFIRMED BY THE
TRIBE OF JUDAH.
2 Samuel 2:4 4Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there
they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. When David
was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul,
I. HE WAS AFFIRMED BY ALL
ISRAEL.
2 Samuel 5:1-5 New
International Version (NIV).
5 All the
tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and
blood. 2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one
who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will
shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”
3 When all
the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant
with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
4 David
was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In
Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he
reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
1. EVEN HIS MISTAKE WAS
AFFIRMED. David
had no business taking another man’s wife. However, with the second child David
and Bathsheba had (Solomon) God made a covenant that this child would be a
great king and that another King was coming from David that would reign forever.
2 Samuel 12:24-25 King
James Version (KJV)
24 And
David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and
she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.
25 And he
sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah,
because of the Lord.
2 Samuel 7:11-16 New
International Version (NIV)
11 and have
done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also
give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘The
Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When
your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your
offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his
kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I
will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his
father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod
wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my
love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I
removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure
forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”
4.
THOUGHTS ON SOME PERSONAL ISSUES WITH DAVID. David’s daughter Tamar
was raped by her half-brother Amnon. Tamar’s brother Absalom was bitter about
this and eventually kills his half-brother and turns on his father (read 2
Samuel 2). Could it be that David was successful as a king, but a failure as a
father; because of the rejection of his own father? Whether that’s true or not;
David was NOT a perfect example. The ONLY PERFECT example we have in Scripture
is the LORD JESUS CHRIST!
VIII.
PRAYER FOR SALVATION. As we close, if you have not received this
Jesus pray this simple prayer:
"Father, I know that I have sinned
against You. Please forgive me. Wash me clean. I promise to trust in Jesus,
Your Son. I believe that He died for me—He took my sin upon Himself when He
died on the cross. I believe that He was raised from the dead. I surrender my
life to Jesus today.
"Thank You, Father, for Your gift of
forgiveness and eternal life. Please help me to live for you. In Jesus' name,
Amen."
No comments:
Post a Comment