2 Samuel 5
Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 5
Chronology of David before he became King of Israel:
From a low profile shepherd boy to a national hero after his victory over Goliath. Then to become an army officer for Saul and fought battles for Saul. From an elevated status he became the most wanted fugitive. From having everything, he lost everything including his wife who was given to another man. Having to flee from Saul, he had no safe haven to be in and defected to the Philistines. Having to live a double life (acting like an enemy to Saul and Israel) until the death of Saul and his sons. Having to mourn the lost for Saul and especially Jonathan his good friend, he was still rejected as king of Israel.
Being accepted by the tribe of Judah, he was made king of Judah and not of Israel. Having to wait more than 7 years without being crowned king of Israel, until the assassination of Ish-Bosheth did the people of Israel accepted him as king.
One can say that David’s ascension to the throne was arduous and God’s promise almost did not come to fruition. It seems there were many insurmountable mountains that have impeded David’s ascension path. However, in this chapter, David finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. God has established David’s kingdom and have blessed him and helped him to defeat the enemies around him.
David’s life can be a reflection of our spiritual life. Although David can be considered faithful and a man after God’s heart, at times he did falter and in such, demonstrated that he is like us. The Bible says that Elijah is like us common man, but big things can happen if we put our faith and trust in God.
At the beginning, when David was a young man, he was full of faith in God as God gave him the strength to overcome the lion and the bear. With such faith and experience in trusting in God, David courageously defeated Goliath and rose in ranks in Saul’s army.
However, Saul out of his jealousy, decided to kill David and hunted him down. It was the lowest point in David’s life and in the process he made foolish decisions that caused the lives of many innocent people and even lied to escape death.
It was only after he quietened his heart and put his trust and prayer to God for deliverance, did God help him avoid capture by Saul and kept him alive till the death of Saul. God blessed David whenever he put his trust in Him and inquire of God.
As Christians we can be likened to David. At some point in time our faith is like so strong being reinforced by miracles and deliverances from God. However, when things are against us, or we face persecutions, our faith suddenly become weak and some of us may make foolish decisions like David or transgressed the commands of God in the process.
It is always easy to have strong faith in God when times are good, but when times are bad or things are not in the way we want them to be, do we falter in our faith? Do we become weak in faith and want to stay clear from church brethren or God? Do we want to bury our head in the ground?
One thing that kept David alive was that he knew how to cling onto the Lord God. Despite being weak in faith and despite transgressing God’s commandments, David knew how to seek God in prayers and supplications and knew how to repent before God. God listens to those who are meek and those with a contrite heart and this is clearly seen in the story of David. God will deliver us and give us rest. We have to believe in this as it is His promise to us who are heavy laden.
As a concluding verses,
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Yes all things will work out well for us, if we persevere to trust in God and continue to draw closer to Him in our prayers and worship. He is there at the door, listening to us, and when the time is fulfilled, He will deliver us and pour His blessings on us like how He did on David. Can we endure awhile more? May our Lord Jesus, the Prince of Peace, grant us peace. Shalom Shalom!
2 Comments
InHisTime
Thanks biblereader for your sharing.Yes it was such a long long time and many unfortunate events occurred before David’s ascencion to the throne.Reminds me of Deacon Shee’s sermon on the decades of preparation that God had in store for Moses and Joseph before His will for them was fulfilled.God prepared Moses for a good 80 years before he was to lead the Israelites out of Eygpt.Could I even wait for 8 years or even 8 months to see God’s will for me accomplished? Faith is a marathon and I pray that all of us will have the stamina to last till the end.
PS
2 Sam 2:10 Ishbosheth , Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.
2 Sam 2:11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
What happened during the window period of 5.5 years (ie 7.5 – 2 = 5.5 years)?
2 Sam 3:1 might be the clue: Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger add stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
2 Sam 5:10 David went on and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
David grew stronger and he did not lose sight of God. 2 Sam 5 :13 And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.
Shepherd Boy David grew into King David. Sadly Satan crept slowly into the life of David and his people. David did not detect it.
2 Sam 5:13 David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem,…
2 Sam 5:21 And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.
The King’s watchman lost his vigilance.
The counsel with God might have slowly began to focus on wining wars after wars (2 Sam 5:20, 23-24)
Acts 20:28 “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He had purchased with His own blood.
In David’s time, God sent His army to go out before him to fight his enemy.
Now, God not only sends His Holy Spirit to watch over His church, God also abides in the hearts of His flock to strengthen them.
Why does God do so much more for us now?
Bec He is guarding His body which He purchased with His blood.
He is guarding His bride.
Individually and collectively, we are to grow and be ready to be His bride. On judgement day, He’ll change His bride into His body.