The Humble King (2 Samuel)
July 19, 2020
Two weeks ago, we began to look at the story of God setting up an anointed king over his people Israel. This was not something that God initiated, but something that the people wanted. After years of God leading them in the right way, they wanted a more permanent solution. In 1 Samuel, we saw how God anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel. He looked the part. He was taller than everyone else and the most handsome man in all Israel. But, as we noticed, he made his kingship into what he wanted it to be. He had no concern for the will of God. He was concerned about keeping the people happy and keeping his power in the family. He was a very self-focused leader.
David Laments (1)
1 Samuel left off with the death of Saul and Jonathan, and 2 Samuel picks up with David receiving news of their death. One would expect David to be overjoyed at the idea that his enemy Saul has died. Samuel anointed him to be king in place of Saul in 1 Samuel 16, but David is filled with grief. He loved Saul even though Saul was continually trying to kill him. An Amalekite, of all people, brings David the news that he mercifully killed Saul and brought Saul's crown to David. David has the man put to death for raising his hand against the Lord's anointed. Killing the anointed one is a grave offense to the Lord, and it is something that David avoided. Then he sings a lamentation song over the fall of mighty Saul and Jonathan. This reveals his heart of mercy, compassion, and empathy.
King of Judah (2-5)
After this lamentation, the men of Judah make David king over their land. David tries to get the rest of Israel to join them, but Abner, Saul's captain, sets up Ishbosheth, another son of Saul, to be king. This leads to a civil war that lasts for seven years. Finally, Abner determines that the Lord is with David, and he makes a treaty with David. But Joab, David's captain, kills Abner. This seems to spoil David's plan, but in Chapter 4, The king of Israel is murdered in his bed. The murderers bring the head to David. They think, "Surely David will love us for conquering his enemies for him." But David has them executed as well.
Chapter 5 tells us that all the tribes come to David and finally make him their king. He did not have to take the throne by force. God made him the clear choice in his time. The rest of the Chapter tells us how he conquers Jerusalem and makes it the new capital city of Israel. Then, the Philistines rise against him twice, and God helps him defeat them. This establishes David on his throne.
Seeking God (6-7)
In Chapters 6-7, we see David respond to God's grace by wanting to bless God. He gathers thirty thousand men to bring the ark of God into Jerusalem, but he breaks the commands of Moses. He fails to honor God as holy, and when Uzzah reaches out to touch the ark, God strikes him. After this, David takes a break for a little bit but eventually brings the ark to Jerusalem.
Chapter 7 is significant in the Old Testament. David wants to build a permanent temple in Jerusalem for God instead of the tent of the tabernacle. First of all, God tells him, "Who do you think you are?" He says, "I brought you up from being a little shepherd and made you everything you are, will you build me a house?" God tells David that David desires something external that God did not ask for or think about. Remember, God does not care about how things look on the outside; he cares about the heart. The tabernacle represents God's willingness to dwell with his people wherever they go. So God refuses to let David build a temple, but he will allow David's son to build the temple.
However, David's zeal for the Lord is not overlooked. The fact that he was seeking to honor God in this way finds favor with God. God makes a promise to David that resembles the promises made to Abraham. So we are reminded of God's desire to bless mankind through these promises even though man has been extremely evil. God tells David that he will establish his throne forever. David's line would forever reign by God's power, and God would work with David's descendants to keep them on the right track.
David responds with perfect humility and reverence. God blew him away with such a blessing. He tells God to magnify his own name through this promise.
Blessed to Bless Others (8-9)
In Chapter 8, we see David had more success than ever before. Nations are trying to conquer him, but they can't because God is on his side. Finally, the promised land is being dominated as God has promised in the beginning. It seems like all of Abraham's promises are coming true.
In Chapter 9, David remembers a covenant he made with Jonathan, and he shows kindness to Jonathan's disabled son. He seems to be on top of the world with a heart of gold. Things couldn't possibly get any better.
The Fall (10-12)
In Chapter 10, something odd happens. We meet some resistance to David's success. He tries to offer his condolences to the Ammonites after their king died, but they shame the messengers. This leads to a huge battle, where the Syrians join the Ammonites and are defeated. We are told that Israel was working on conquering all of the cities in Ammon when winter came. The fighting ceases for a time. In the following spring, David decided not to go out to war with his men. He appears to be apathetic or complacent. He would rather hang out on the roof of his house and look at all that God has accomplished through him than continue fighting in God's battles.
While he is on the roof, he sees a beautiful woman named Bathsheba bathing and decides to take her, even though she is the wife of one of his bravest soldiers, Uriah the Hittite. He gets her pregnant and ends up having to kill her husband so that he can marry her. He's the king, and Uriah is a foreigner. Who cares? The last verse in Chapter 11 indicates that God did care.
2 Samuel 11:27 (ESV) --- 27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
What happened to the David who was merciful and compassionate? This version of David seems cold and callous. The man who was so faithful in the trials has changed. All of the blessings of God have made him apathetic and complacent. Maybe a little bit of pride is starting to come into that heart of gold. What will God do now?
Condemnation (12)
In Chapter 12, God brings in his prophet to illustrate God's perspective with a parable. A poor man had a little ewe lamb that he loved, and the rich man took the lamb and killed it. David knew that this was worthy of judgment and that the rich man must pay it back fourfold. He could see those acts were wrong in other people, but he could not see his own sin because he was deceiving himself. David had committed murder and adultery against a righteous man. But after God calls out his sin, David takes full ownership and repents. This is a huge contrast to what we read about with King Saul in 1 Samuel 13 and 15. Saul would make excuses and deny his guilt. David takes full ownership and seeks forgiveness. This is the heart that God loves in David.
But still, shouldn't David die for committing such horrible sins? How could God forgive him and remain a just God?
2 Samuel 12:13--14 (ESV) --- 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.”
God does forgive David, but he also allows him to suffer the consequences of "utterly scorning the Lord." In the following chapters, God uses sons to bring about tremendous sadness and loss. As David would require fourfold punishment, so David lost four sons beginning with the child of Bathsheba.
Punishment: Absalom's Rebellion (13-19)
Chapter 13 starts with a terrible scene as David's firstborn son Amnon rapes David's daughter Tamar. This whole story is given to explain the anger of another son of David, named Absalom, who murders Amnon and runs away.
In Chapter 14, Absalom is allowed to return, but in Chapters 15-16, he conspires against David and takes over Jerusalem.
David's own son seems to take the kingdom away from him, but he recognizes that God has done this in judgment against him. Throughout this whole even, David remains humble, meek, merciful, and compassionate. All that he cares about is the will of God. David seems to be broken, but really he is just submissive. He does not want this to happen, but he knows that his son Absalom is bringing about the punishment that God has promised. In Chapter 18, Absalom leads his army out in battle against David and is killed by Joab. When this happens, David falls apart.
2 Samuel 18:33 (ESV) --- 33 And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Notice those words, "Would that I had died instead of you." David wishes that he could have died for his sin instead of losing his son. He feels utterly responsible for Absalom's death. He is aware of his sin and the cost that he has paid for it. There are always consequences to sin. Not all suffering is the result of sin. Losing children does not mean that God is punishing us. But God uses David's sins of adultery and murder to show the horrible impact they can have on our family and our lives. Even the king was not immune to this pain and suffering.
More Struggle (20-21)
Chapters 20-21 contain another rebellion led by a man named Sheba and a famine as punishment for Saul's sins. Overall, this is turning out to be way more depressing than the first half of the story.
Final Epilogue (22-24)
After this famine is discussed, the story ends for a few chapters. The author switches out of the narrative to share with us some extra information. David has been through a lot of suffering in chapters 13-21. All of this suffering may make us wonder if David still finds favor with God.
David's Song (22)
Chapter 22 helps us see David's heart. But throughout every adversity, God has been there with David, and he has providentially worked to keep David safe. Chapter 22 shows us that David deals with his struggles in life by turning to the Lord. He uses all kinds of imagery to illustrate his distress, and then he uses more imagery to show God delivering him from suffering. David is not angry with God for all of his suffering and trials. He is grateful that God would forgive him for his sins and continue to deliver on his promises. His pain continues, but his success and blessings continue as well. David notices something important in this song that has been the case throughout both of these books.
2 Samuel 22:26--28 (ESV) --- 26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 27 with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 28 You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
God shows mercy to the humble and brings down the proud. This has been the theme throughout this book.
David's Last Words (23:1-7)
The last recorded words of David are documented in Chapter 23, but the story of David will continue in Chapter 24 and 1 Kings. These last words are not words of defeat or bitterness. They are words of affirmation and love because even though his house has been rocked by turmoil, it still stands. After all, God is keeping his everlasting covenant from Chapter 7.
Mighty Men (23:8-39)
Then we have a recounting of the mighty men of Israel and all of the mighty deeds they accomplished in battle. The Lord was with them and working through them to defeat a large number of enemies. The top guy killed eight hundred at one time. David's faith has spread to the men of war so that God can accomplish all that he has set out to achieve through them.
Census (24)
The book ends on what seems like a sour note. Israel sins against the Lord, and God does not tell us what sin it is. But the odd thing about this story is that he incites David to take a census. Then, he brings punishment for the census. We might wonder how God could do such a thing, but there is more work here. First, notice that 1 Chronicles parallels this account and tells us that Satan was behind this much like the story of Job.
1 Chronicles 21:1 (ESV) --- 1 Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.
The result is the loss of 70,000 of God's people, but God spares Jerusalem as David offers a sacrifice to make atonement. Why is this here at the end of 2 Samuel? I think this helps us to see the purpose of David's life. He represents the tender heart that God is looking for in us, and the compassion, mercy, and intercession of Jesus. After he numbers the people, he cries out to God, and he begs for God's mercy on the people's behalf. He finds it.
What Is The Point?
If we were to compare this book with most of the story in the book of Judges, we would find several similarities, but one major difference. Yes, David sinned and fell short of what God had called him to be. He was blessed abundantly by God, and he rebelled against him. But in response to his sin, David repented. He remained faithful. Even when he made mistakes after that, he immediately turns to God and finds forgiveness. When he suffered as a result of his sins, he did not accuse God of wrongdoing. It is interesting how all of the judges, except Samuel, seem completely unaware of their sins. They don't realize that they are leading all of Israel down the path to idolatry. Saul makes excuses for his sins and continuously rebels against God, but not David. He fails like everyone else, but he turns back to the Lord with faith in his promises.
The entire story of David is pointing us to another king who will come. This king will reign on the throne of David forever. He will be gentle, merciful, and compassionate. He will set his heart fully upon God's will, and God will help him conquer the world. David is a type of Jesus, but Jesus will not fall to sin. He will lead them in perfect righteousness and purity.
Application
There are many lessons to learn in this book, but the book's structure tells us two main lessons that we must take away.
1. Warning Against Apathy
Apathy and complacency are the devil's playground. David was blessed so long as he focused on building up God's kingdom, but as soon as he decided to stay home from the battle, sin crept in. The sins of adultery and murder destroyed David's family and hindered his success for the Lord. God tells him that he could have conquered much more if he had kept focused on his assigned work.
2. Confession, Repentance, and Humility
The second application from this story is that God wants his people to have a humble heart. If we fall into sin, he wants to see a heart that is eaten up with guilt and willing to make whatever changes are necessary. If there is punishment for our sins (jail time, firing, divorce, etc.), he wants to see us deal with it in a way that shows humility. David does not cry out, "That's not fair!" He considers himself blessed to be alive, and he submits to the consequences of his actions. How many people today refuse to do that? They commit adultery, yet they see themselves as victims. That is the heart of Saul, not David. Whatever our sins, we must own up to them and accept the consequences.
Conclusion
2 Samuel is a fantastic story that gives us complete insight into the blessing and suffering of David. God provides more detail about this man than any other character in the Bible except Jesus. The majority of this book sheds a bad light on David by pointing out his flaws, but we see throughout Psalms that he was devoted to the Lord. He fell to temptation and abused his power. He was worthy of death, but God is not looking for opportunities to crush those who turn to him with repentant hearts.
Have you been apathetic and complacent? Don't let Satan lure you into sin. Have you been tempted into sin? Don't let Satan convince you to make excuses and harden your heart. God is willing to forgive. He sent his son to pay the debt David owes him. The pure and spotless lamb of God pays our debts as well. We must confess our sins and repent.