The Journey Brought Forth "2 Samuel"

This blog series is focused on God’s word bringing people through their journeys in His intentional way that He has set in front of them thereby bringing them through to His completion.

Exodus chapter twenty through Matthew Chapter four is the section of scripture that most Christians find themselves living in its revolving pattern of realization, but once they receive its revelation, the Third Stage of Life is what their lives are built upon instead of attempting to achieve. 2 Samuel includes battles, betrayal, loss, and victories in God’s anointed king David life. This allows God’s people to learn from his mistakes and realize the potential for their own life’s lessons and the cost of them.

The Book of 2 Samuel begins with the conclusion of how Saul died, and David retaliated against the foreign man who had finished killing Saul after Saul had attempted to commit suicide; once he was mortally wounded in combat, and the foreign man thought he’d done a good work. Saul sought to kill David several times, and David still held Saul in high regards; because he was “God’s anointed.” God sets His people where He desires, and His people must respect His decision of their authority until He removes it. This does not mean His people need to obey them in all things; because David did not even do this. If David had completely obeyed him, Saul would have killed David.

The tribe of Judah anointed David king over them, and the tribe of Benjamin anointed Ishbosheth over the rest of Israel, and soon after a civil war ensued and Judah won; because Judah became stronger and Israel weaker; then, the final thing that took the kingdom away from Ishbosheth is him accusing his army’s leader, Abner, of sleeping with one of his father’s ladies. Abner took the allegiance of the army with him and gave David the controlling power. Joab, David’s army’s leader, did not trust Abner and killed him; because he did not trust Abner and Abner had killed Joab’s brother. Soon after some men went into Ishbosheth’s house and killed him even though David did not approve of the action against one of God’s anointed, and David had the murderers slain. Israel now anoints David king over all of it, and the civil war ends. David had acted wisely the whole time knowing that God would bring to pass what needed to occur for him to be king over all of Israel after Samuel had told him it would happen. This is the same faith and patience God’s people should have today. It is as simple as knowing what God has said He will surely accomplish, and it will be in His perfect timing.

David reigned seven and a half years in Hebron and thirty-two and a half years in Jerusalem. David conquered Jerusalem, the place of peace, and moved the capital there. David asked of the Lord if and how he should go to battle his enemy the Philistines and God had him go with a front attack once and to come from behind them the next time. God knows how it should occur and will allow His people to know when they ask Him.

The next thing David does is to move the Ark of The Covenant to Jerusalem. This was a great time of celebration and expectation until the cart that it was on rocked and the Ark almost fell to the ground. A man named Uzzah caught the Ark before it fell and God immediately slew him. This might seem harsh, but God sets certain people to particular tasks, and when someone takes it upon himself to do something they are not equipped to do He must do what is just to continue being the just God that we serve. David was afraid to bring the Ark into Jerusalem, so he left it in another city for three months then David brought it to Jerusalem. Even David hesitated after God’s wrath was displayed and it is good for God’s people to have a certain godly fear of Him.

When David brought the Ark into Jerusalem, it was a wonderful day of rejoicing with music and dancing. David wore only a linen ephod, an article of clothing which looks like an apron with the back completely open. Michael, David’s wife, and King Saul’s daughter had contempt for David doing this and ridiculed him for it. David told her he would be completely humbled in the sight of God and everyone else for God, and Michael did not have any children because of her rebuking him that day. Earthly positioning cannot determine the actions God’s people take when they are focused on Him and enter His praise and worship.

David now had received rest from God concerning all of His enemies and decided to build a temple to honor God. Nathan, David’s priest and advisor, had a dream that night and God told him not to build the temple but to have his son build it after David’s days were fulfilled. Nathan told David what God had told him in the dream, and David praised God for telling him of his throne being established through God’s blessing. Dreams are powerful things in the Bible and in God’s people’s lives today. This is how David’s kingdom was established, and this is one way God can lead and guide His people today and communicate with them; because a lot of the time it is when they are most able to hear His voice.

David now thought of Saul and Jonathan’s family and found Saul’s grandson through Jonathan whose name was Mephibosheth. David brought him into his own house, fed him every day and restored Saul’s lands to Mephibosheth, and had his servants take care of the lands for him. God will take His people into His house and feed them as He also restores everything they had once possessed.

David heard that the king of Ammon had died, and he sent messengers to tell of his sympathy for the king’s family and their nation, but the people of the land did not trust David and cut the messengers clothes off at waist level and cut off half of their beards. This infuriated David and David told the men to stay away until their beards grew back to protect them from public humiliation. Ammon hired the Syrians, and David defeated both of their armies at the same time. People will not always understand or trust what God’s people do; because they are projecting what is inside themselves onto God’s people; so, don’t be surprised when it happens and know that God has certainly set you up for victory independently from what may seem like insurmountable obstacles.

The next thing David does might be shocking to most people because he is supposed to be a man after God’s own heart. David lusts after a man’s wife and impregnates her as her husband is fighting for the Israelite army. David brings the man home and tries to get him to have sex with her to cover up David's sin, but he would not because he knew it would not be right to do so as the rest of his people were at war. David, in turn, sends a letter by the husband with instructions to place him at the front of the battle so he would be killed. David took the man’s wife for his wife after she had a time of grieving and the son that was a by-product of their affair died. After David had prayed with a repentant heart, God told him the death would occur, and David would experience war for the rest of his days because of what he had done; however, Solomon came through this marriage at a later date and was the next king of Israel and an ancestor of Jesus.

One of David’s sons named Amnon lusted after his half-sister named Tamar and was convinced by one of his wicked friends to rape her. Amnon did rape her then sent her away. She told him it was worse to send her away than the first horrible act of rape. Absalom, Tamar’s brother, kills Amnon because of what he had done. The act of improperly lusting after things, having wicked friends to assist in following through with immoral behavior, and the devastating results are still a part of most people’s journeys today, but it is not necessary to live this way.

David was angry with Absalom for doing this and kept him away for a period of time then allowed him to come back to Jerusalem, but when he returned, he built up his own following and once his following was strong enough they displaced David and some of his men. David had spies set up in Absalom’s camp and acted as cunningly wise as he always did, but still loved Absalom and desired peace with him more than his own place of comfort in his rightful home. After one of the battles, Absalom’s hair was caught on a branch of a tree suspending him in the air, and Joab killed him even after David had given strict instructions not to harm his son. On this world, there are things that happen which are not what people want but are a by-product of their actions. David loved his son, but his son’s actions purchased his own death, and David could not save him.

During the war between Absalom and David, Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem and expected the war to render his father’s kingdom back to him. David had shown great compassion to the man, and in return, he was waiting for the death of the divided family to propel him into a position that no longer existed for him. This is no different than today. God gives compassion and mercy, and some people expect to receive their own way of ruling although they know He is the Ruler and He has set the rules.

There was a man named Ahithophel who was giving counsel to both David and Absalom during the war and felt appreciated and powerful, but one day came, and his counsel was not taken. He went and hung himself directly after this happened. People who find their identity in other’s approval are always on the edge of disappointment and destruction; because true happiness and identity must come from God and be within a person so that when people do not approve; which is certain to occur, there is no lack of focus or purpose in that person’s life.

David wept and mourned the day of Absalom’s death, and Joab his military leader told David if he did not go to lead the people the kingdom would be taken away from him. Even in difficult-times, God’s people must be ready to lead their lives according to His direction and not be distracted by human feelings and emotions; thereby receiving the life He has set in front of them. David returned to his position and kept it because he listened to his wise counselor.

A man named Shimei, who had cursed King David while David was in exile came to him and begged forgiveness and David pardoned him. Mephibosheth told David his servant had lied to David and David pardoned him as well. God knows the war zone His people live in and that things distract them away from Him, but it does not need to be this way, and He makes the way for their pardoning.

Israel did not appreciate David living in Judah and being their king from that location, so a man named Sheba proclaimed a rebellion. David and his men abruptly stopped this rebellion instead of waiting for it to gain momentum as they did with Absalom; which this quick action kept many lives from being lost and shortened the length of the war compared to what happened with Absalom.

Because of Saul slaying the Gibeonites during his reign; which Israel had made a pact with hundreds of years prior, God gave Israel a famine for three years. David was made known of the reason for the famine, and he approached the Gibeonites asking them what they desired for restitution. They required seven men of Saul’s descendants to be hung for Saul’s transgressions. David did so, and God lifted the famine from the land. With transgression comes repercussions that must be dealt with accordingly, and God’s people today can be thankful for Jesus being hung on the cross for their restitution.

David and his men had four more victorious battles which included slaying giants. After these victories, David sung a song of appreciation and respect to God, his men are recognized for their acts, and finally, God moved David to number Israel for an occasion to send a curse upon the land due to Israel's transgressions. The swing of emotions and actions are great in people’s lives including king David’s. One moment there is praise and seemingly great understanding; then, the next thing a person knows is great sin and the repercussions of it once again. Since David numbered Israel because of God’s anger against Israel moving him to do so, it cost the Israelites many more lives.

The Book of 2 Samuel displays king David’s life as king and his trials and errors even though he had been anointed to be a man after God’s own heart. During this Stage of Life God’s people are still finding their way to live in His ways, and often make mistakes which cost them and those around them dearly. His people should realize this is potentially a part of their journey into attaining the amazing life that is set before them to live.