King David's Sins

David's Sins

2 Samuel 10; 11; 1 Chronicles 19

When we left David last, he had found the grandson of Jonathan, his one time best friend and kept the covenant he had made with him many years earlier.

Today will see that David was still only a human and as we humans do, we allow our own lust to take over our flesh and ignore the Word of God.

We can feed our flesh with worldly things or we can feed our soul with godly things whichever we feed the most will show up in our actions.

Before this takes place let's highlight chapter 10.

After King David had rescued and adopted Mephibosheth he was in a good spirit and upon hearing of the death of Nahash the king of the Ammonites, David tried to show kindness to his son Hanun.

David had already been told by God Himself, that he was a man of war and could not build a Temple for the Jews to worship.

David was trying to change his image to a man of peace but God already knew the enemies of Israel and that they are never seeking peace with Israel.

*****2Sa 10:2  Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father.
And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

When David was persecuted by King Saul, the Ammonite king had sent aid to David and his men and had even invited David into his country for his own protection.

He did this not so much for David but more because of his hatred for King Saul.

But this son of Nahash, was misled by his advisers because of their hate for Israel.

*****2Sa 10:3  And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
2Sa 10:4  Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

There was no law that said every Jew had to grow a beard but if they grew a beard they would come under the Levitical Laws and to tamper with a man's beard was a great insult.

In this day, the priests of false religions that were around Israel, would do many things to their beards in honor of their idols and false gods.

God would not allow the Jews to get caught up in any part of false religion.

Lev 19:27  Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

Lev 21:5  They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

Deu 14:1  Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

Why did God insist on these things?

Deu 14:2  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

When you are saved and some one tells you, you are peculiar, just give God the praise!

God's people are never to look as the world looks. The fads of the world are never to be brought into the church!

As far as those garments, we must realize that the men of that day wore robes. Only the priest wore breeches, so to cut off those robes at the buttocks exposed those parts of a man that should always be concealed.

By those same laws of God, Jewish men were always to dress modestly.

The Jews did not just have the 10 Commandments, there were 613 laws written in those first 5 books of the Bible.

These men felt felt great shame and would not return to Jerusalem.

These men would have been ambassadors from Israel and this act showed a lack of respect for the government of Israel and for King David.

David responded in the way that God had said. David was a man of war!

This young king of Ammon was not prepared to go to war with Israel who had already faced many battles and had much experience in the ways of war.

So, He hired mercenaries from Syria, who also hated the nation of Israel.

*****2Sa 10:6  And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.

That word "stank" meant that this incident was morally offensive to King David!

BUT, Hiring this paid army was not going to stop the revenge of King David and he was not going to send other ambassadors seeking peace.

The mighty men of David's army and King David's head general would be the next thing this young inexperienced ruler would see.

*****2Sa 10:7  And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

When Israel responded with it's best forces that hired army from Syria fled and when they fled, the armies of Ammon also fled.

*****2Sa 10:13  And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
2Sa 10:14  And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

Without firing a shot this day of warfare was over!

But there was also another king of Syria, Hadarezer, who thought to save the face of the Syrian forces that had fled from the army of Israel.

*****2Sa 10:16  And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

When King David knew of this he came himself to lead the armies of Israel against this new threat to Israel.

*****2Sa 10:17  And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

Shobach was also a ruthless commander but no match for King David.

With this defeat the Syrians decided it was just too costly to try to help Ammon and then again, their was peace.

*****2Sa 10:19  And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

We already know that there will never be true peace for Israel until the "Prince of Peace", the Lord Jesus Christ, returns to this world and the government rest on His shoulders!

The Bible still says:

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and "the government shall be upon his shoulder": and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, "The Prince of Peace".
Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government "and peace there shall be no end", upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

But at this time, King David was growing weary of war and was losing interest in his own army and their welfare.

When King David should have been the leader of his nation, he became a lax politician and placed them in the hands of Joab, who was a mighty general but Joab was not an honorable man and King David knew this.

*****2Sa 11:1  And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

We should first realize that sin always has a beginning!

Sin does not just spring into our lives full grown!

The Bible says:

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Being drawn away represents the sin nature of mankind passed down from Adam.

We may first get lax in our prayer life. Or we may get lax in our Bible study. Or we may begin to skip church when we could have made it. Or like David along with all these things we have reached the top of the mountain and allow pride and success to control what we do.

King David's first problem was that for nearly half his years as King of Israel he had become rich and was admired by all of Israel and much of the world. David began to think he was a somebody who had great authority.

2Sa 7:9  And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

King David's second problem was that he was in direct violation of the laws of Moses.

Deu 17:17  Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Deu 17:20  That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

King David's third problem was that he was neglecting his purpose given to him by God.

1Ch 17:7  Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

King David was to be a "type" of Christ, "The Shepherd/King".

BUT, King David had become "idle" in his duties as king and more certainly as a shepherd to Israel.

It would have been much better for King David if he had gone forth with his army, but David had tarried still at Jerusalem.

David later wrote this Psalm:

Psa 101:2  I will behave myself "wisely" in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

At this point in his life King David was not very "wise".

How many of us have been at this same point in our own lives?

Every believer is to walk according to the Word of God!

When we do not follow the Word of God we are not very wise and sin has it's beginning!

And when we do not right before the Lord God, He has these words for us:

Num 32:23  But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and "be sure your sin will find you out".

We can never hide our sin from Our Righteous God!

King David had not been perfect and none of us can be, but from this point forward we will see how this time period in the life of King David affected all his remaining years, which would be nearly 20 years.

One evening just before dark while the armies of Israel were in a foreign land, defending Israel from her enemies, this king decided to go walking upon the roof of his palace.

We have already studied where the Jew would build flat roofs that could be used for many things.

The palace of King David was  much higher than a normal home.

*****2Sa 11:2  And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

Now Bathsheba was not just openly exposing herself to whoever wanted to see her. Most all Jews homes were surrounded by fences high enough for privacy.

That tub would be outside so the sun could warm the water and these tubs were designed for ritual cleansing.

This was probably the same type of vessel that was used by Jesus in Cana when He change the water into wine.

It would have been much better for David to have taken this time to pray rather than ogle his domain!

Satan also took the Lord Jesus upon a high mountain to show off his sinful domain. The higher the view of this world the more we can see of this sinful world!

God gives us a great warning.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

David had begun to love the things of the world and just as the Serpent had deceived Eve, David came in eyesight of the forbidden fruit.

Gen 3:6  And when "the woman saw" that the tree was good for food, and "that it was pleasant to the eyes", and "a tree to be desired" to make one wise, "she took" of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

We can see that what Eve saw, she desired and what she desired, she took of the fruit of sin.

Watch as King David, sees, desires, and then takes of the fruit of sin.

Now it is certain that we will see things in this world that will expose us to temptation, but it is what we do next that brings forth sin!

To see something or someone that is beautiful, is not a sin in itself!

The Hebrew word used for this phrase "very beautiful" did not just mean Bathsheba had a pretty face.
This lady, this wife of Uriah was beautiful in her entire body.

We can see that the first thing David did was to see her.

King David should have stopped at this point and this sin could not have fostered, but he did not.

King David desired and then he took.

*****2Sa 11:3  And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
2Sa 11:4  And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

As we go through these passages we will see that God places the full burden of this sin on David and not Bathsheba.

If we remember the next step that Eve took under the influence of Satan was she had desire and here we see that King David sent and enquired after this woman.

David desired this beautiful creation of God!

It is obvious that he wanted to find that she was unmarried.

We should also remember that King David was the "Judge", the final human authority over all of Israel.

King David was to be an example of the "Truth" to the nation of Israel!

But now in a real sense King David who up to this time was much like Joshua, now becomes much more like Samson!

Once King David found that this woman was married, again he should have stopped with any desire he might have but even with this information King David proceeded did not not give it a second thought.

Again finding out that she was the married wife of Uriah should have also been considered and this sin would have ceased.

Uriah was one of the band of David's mighty men and had probably been with David all the time since the days he had hidden from King Saul.

1Ch 11:10  These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

1Ch 11:41  "Uriah" the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

But knowing all these things King David still sent for Bathsheba.

"And when lust has conceived it bringeth forth sin"

King David "took" this beautiful woman from her own home, more by force than choice.

In those days it was not a good thing to reject the king!

So, King David also "took" this beautiful woman to his bed.

King David was filled with overwhelming lust for this woman and would not be denied at any cost!

David a man after God's own heart had yielded to sin!

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

There had been many places for King David to escape this sin but he had chosen none of them!

We cannot imagine how Bathsheba felt but it was not beyond her power to at least say no!

The phrase "she was purified from her "uncleanness" tells us that Bathsheba was probably a practicing Jew familiar with the 613 laws of Moses.

She knew the laws of clean and unclean and would also have known the penalty for committing adultery.

Lev 15:19  And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.

I do not claim to know anything about women but from what I have learned is that one of the best times to conceive a child is 5-10 days after her blood cycle and Bathsheba was on her seventh day.

And Bathsheba conceived and King David began to scheme to hide his sin.

BUT, the sin of David could not be hidden!

When King David did not repent, the sin of David then progresses to another level!

David later wrote these words:

Psa 36:1  The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Psa 36:2  For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

*****2Sa 11:5  And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
2Sa 11:6  And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
2Sa 11:7  And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

King David had abused his authority with Bathsheba and now David would abuse his authority over the military of Israel.

We can see that Bathsheba would never have told her husband about her affair with King David but when she conceived, then this thing would not go unnoticed by her husband.

The sin of adultery was a serious thing to practicing Jews.

God said; "thou shalt not commit adultery", the 7th commandment.

God takes seriously the marriage vows even when they are ignored by husbands and wives.

Heb 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

King David quickly devised a plan to cover up this sin!

David later wrote these words:

Psa 36:3  The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
Psa 36:4  He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

King David had been treated this way by King Saul but was now treating God the way Saul had treated him.

Joab was a ruthless general of Israel's army but Uriah was a dedicated soldier not only to David but to his nation, Israel.

By bringing Uriah home from the battlefield David hoped he would spend some time with his wife and then the child that would be born could be claimed as his own.

David disguised his actions by demanding that Uriah tell him about Joab which could show a lack of distrust of his general.

David then demanded to know about the moral of the army, though their moral would have been much better had the King been leading his army as he had always done.

David then demanded to know if Uriah thought Israel was winning this war not a question to ask a dedicated soldier.

David then sent Uriah home to be with his own wife.

*****2Sa 11:8  And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
2Sa 11:9  But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

David had committed a terrible sin against this devoted man but Uriah had much more honor than King David.

Uriah refused to be with his wife while his comrades were in a war with the enemies of Israel.

You see, God was not about to allow David an easy way out of this mess he had created because of his lust!

It was one thing to have multiple wives and concubines but to take another man's wife using the authority given by God's own hand could not go unpunished!

And, God is giving us this example of how one sin will always lead to another unless that first sin is repented of!

King David could have stopped at this time and confessed but he refused and continued with yet another scheme to hide his sin.

But, Uriah slept in the place of the palace guards and some of them told David the next morning.

*****2Sa 11:10  And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
2Sa 11:11  And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

King David told Uriah that he could have rested better at home plus he could have spent some time with his wife.

Uriah explains why this would have been wrong for him.

1) Just as the Ark of God has no secure and permanent house, neither would Israel nor Judah until Israel was safe from her enemies.

2) Joab, his general was in a tent, not secure within walls of Jerusalem but in an open field.

3) That army that had provided King David with so many victories were also in open fields and not secure within the walls of Jerusalem.

Uriah confesses that because these things are true, he could not in clear conscience go home and act like Israel was not at war!

We need a multitude of Uriah's as state Senators and Congressmen in our government, who simply will not rest until America is secure, our soldiers are home, and our military is used to keep peace rather than start wars!

Uriah refused to do as the king said.

David has another opportunity to be as honorable as this man, but he continues to scheme and his sin progresses even further.

*****2Sa 11:12  And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
2Sa 11:13  And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

King David knew what normally would happen when men get drunk.

Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Pro 23:33  Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Uriah may have actually gotten drunk, we do not know, but Uriah still would not go to his own home or be with his wife.

And, David would still not repent of his sin and decided that there could be only one answer left.

Uriah must die and that death must be soon before Bathsheba was showing to be pregnant, then all Israel would know.

*****2Sa 11:15  And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

This is what we call premeditated murder and when Joab consented, even though David is king, he is just as guilty, especially being his commanding officer.

No General has to follow this type of order nor any other commanding officer!

We can be certain that Joab was not aware of why King David wanted Uriah murdered because
David was trying to hide the fact of his adultery.

King David had decided that if Uriah would not go home to his wife, then he could not allow Bathsheba to have his child without being married to him.

David remembered this Word of God:

Deu 23:2  A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

David was picking and choosing from the Word of God searching for a way to condone his sin but it was already too late for that.

How low had King David become?

1) Thou shalt not commit adultery.
2) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.
3) Thou shalt not steal.
4) Thou shalt not kill.
5) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

What else had God said?

God said He would show mercy to those that keep His commandments!

Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

What had King David forgotten?

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

It is true that soldiers die in every war!

BUT when the Commander of the Armed Forces, (our President) and his Generals do not do everything they can to keep our military as safe as possible, they have committed murder in the highest degree.

This includes ambassadors or anyone else that represents our government.

We have just witnessed where this war with Ammon was first started because the King of Ammon abused the ambassadors of the government of Israel.

Joab did not have to obey the king in this instance!

He would have been justified by the Word of God!

But, Joab had already murdered Abner and Asahel and Joab obeyed this command of King David without question.

Joab knew he could use this act in his own defence someday to blackmail the king.

Even the general of David's army had little regard for the valiant men of Israel!

And, still today, in many cases, murder is an act that takes place after adultery has been committed.

How does Joab assist in this crime?

*****2Sa 11:16  And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
2Sa 11:17  And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Joab had the city of Rabbah under siege. In other words this city was surrounded and had no access to the outside world. What ever food and water and other needs they had would have to be with them.

When their supplies ran out they would fight or they would die!

This was a normal tactic for walled cities!

Many times the city under siege would send out small groups of soldiers to entice the enemy to come closer where the archers or others could kill the enemy from safety.

Joab was in a position to observe all these things and as any good commander should, he knew where the strongest and the weakest positions were located.

And a valiant soldier name Uriah was murdered in this action.

Joab wasted no time informing the king but he had trained his messenger well.

*****2Sa 11:18  Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
2Sa 11:19  And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
2Sa 11:20  And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
2Sa 11:21  Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou,
Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2Sa 11:22  So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

Joab knew that King David would normally not allow such actions as this that placed his army in harm's way unnecessarily.

King David would use a story from the Bible as his guideline in warfare.

Jdg 9:50  Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
Jdg 9:51  But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
Jdg 9:52  And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
Jdg 9:53  And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.

When a city was under siege it was better to wait them out than to senselessly waste your own army.

When King David said these things the messenger was to respond with "But thy servant Uriah is dead also".

And King David would know what Joab had done.

*****2Sa 11:23  And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
2Sa 11:24  And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2Sa 11:25  Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

King David had become so hard hearted in these actions he showed no remorse for what he had done.

I see this happening with our own government everyday!

There is no remorse for the actions of our government today.

Our government does not show a real concern for the American people!

David was celebrating the actions of the enemies of Israel, for killing the innocent soldiers of Israel, "just to see his agenda move forward"!

I believe this happened, when our own ambassador, was killed in Benghazi.

The agenda of our government moved forward at the expense of good men just trying to do their job but lacking the protection to do it safely!

King David tells Joab that soldiers die everyday and this day was no different than any other day!

They both were wrong.

They both were guilty!

It is not soldiers that start wars.

It is the true soldier that brings peace!

I am here to tell you that every true soldier that dies on the battlefield is a loss to his nation and deserves the remorse of his nation and it's commander in chief.

I do not see this in America today!

When we get tired of war then we must accept that there will be no peace!

Joab was instructed to continue with the siege of Rabbah.

King David still had other plans.

*****2Sa 11:26  And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
2Sa 11:27  And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Bathsheba may have never known this plot to kill her husband.

It was customary for at least 7 days be given to mourning, even though sometimes even more days were needed by some.

Gen 50:10  And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

The period of mourning could vary.

The mourning for Jacob went on for 70 days.
The mourning for Moses went on for 30 days.

David did not have that much time in order to hide his act of adultery and only allowed Bathsheba the seven days!

I believe we can see that Bathsheba may have looked like she was sincere in her mourning but it seems to me she lacked real sorrow for her husband and King David had no sorrow for Uriah.

So, David fetched Bathsheba to the palace and made her his wife.

To King David this episode in his life had finally been put to rest, but this thing that King David had done did not please the Lord!

This was a great turning point in the life of King David.

It is a fact that the world may have even seen this wedding of Bathsheba to King David as a good
thing.

Uriah had truly been one of the mighty men of Israel, valiant in battle, and a true war hero.

But God was not please with any of these things!

Next week we will see that God's judgment of human conduct can be more severe than any judgment of men!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

King David's Loyalty

David's Loyalty

2 Samuel 8; 9; 1 Chronicles 18

Last week we saw how God had extended His covenant to Abraham through David but also how God had made a new covenant with David.

Making a covenant with His people characterized God.

In fact this is just one of the ways that Jehovah God distinguishes Himself from the false gods of all religions!

Jehovah God makes sure covenants and then keeps them all!

Psa 105:8  He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

This promise made to King David only depends on the "faithfulness of God"!

There was nothing David nor his any of his successors could do that could change this promise that God had made!

What is the "Omniscience" of God?

The characteristic of God, that means He knows all things that will actually take place and all things that can possibly take place, whether past, present, or future!

This why God can keep His covenants when we fail in most of our own covenants.

All these things had reminded King David of some things that he had also promised to others aho had crossed his life path.

Let's begin:

In chapter 8 we can see how the kingdom of David and the Nation of Israel grew in riches and renown.

In none of these wars was Israel the aggressor as David reclaimed the land God had given to Israel and taken by these nations.

We also get to see how the government of Israel was set up.

*****2Sa 8:15  And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

Notice David showed no favoritism to any one tribe of Israel, not even to Judah.

Psa 145:9  The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

God is good even to the lost of this dying world.

The Lord Jesus had these words:

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

But God does requires every government to execute judgment and justice according to the 10 commandments.

Not only does God require every government to to execute judgment but this judgment was to be done equally to all.

We already know this judgment was to be based upon the Word of God.

Not only does God require justice but that justice was to be equal justice for all of mankind!

*****2Sa 8:16  And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

King David had one "General of the Army".

Joab was the son of David's sister Zeruiah.

It is said in America, not only do we have too many generals but it was said the other day we had over 1000 Admirals. We could put an Admiral on every ship and not have enough ships for each to have one.

This seems to be a good place to save taxpayer's dollars.

Jehoshaphat was recorder.

A recorder was the chancellor for the king.

In other words he would bring the weighty matters to the king that were important enough to require the kings attention.

A recorder would also draw up papers for the king's guidance and also prepare drafts of the king's wishes to the scribes to be recorded, such as treaties, national archives, and records that needed to be kept for the future.

A recorder would also document the day by day actions in the kingdom, in other words record history as it happened.

*****2Sa 8:17  And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;

Zadok was High Priest and a direct descendant of Eleazer, whose son was Phinehas. God had also made a covenant with Phinehas.

Num 25:11  Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Num 25:12  Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
Num 25:13  And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even "the covenant of an everlasting priesthood"; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

In Zadok the line of Phinehas resumed the dignity of High Priest and held that position through his seed until the fall of Jerusalem.

It would be through Mary the virgin mother of Jesus, a descendant of Nathan, King David's son and also a descendant from the line of Phinehas.

Seraiah was the scribe.

In a sense, this position would be similar to what we call a "Secretary of State".

This man would prepare and issue the decrees of the king.

This person would also have considerable authority under the guidelines set forth by the king who
was to use the Word of God for his own guidelines.

When the Word of God is not in it's place in all governments that government will be corrupt and fail to care for God's creation but they will still fulfill God's purpose!

*****2Sa 8:18  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

The Cherethites were King David's personal body guard and they may not have been Jews but they would also perform executions by order of the king only and also the kings couriers.

These Pelethites were probably known better as the the king's mighty men.

Benaiah was a mighty warrior who David placed over his personal security because he was an honorable man.

2Sa 23:22  These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
2Sa 23:23  He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

So while the nation of Israel was at rest, King David began to remember a covenant that he had made with Jonathan a son of King Saul.

This scripture is a special rewarding "type" in the Bible, of the lost being saved for Jesus sake.

And since the Lord had been so gracious to David, King David was in a position to spread that "grace" to others!

When God blesses us, it is His intent that we use His gifts to bless others!

*****2Sa 9:1  And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for "Jonathan's sake"?

What David already knew:

David knew that King Saul and his three sons had all died in the war with the Philistines.

1Ch 10:2  And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

1Ch 10:6  So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.

What David did not know:

David did not know that a son of Jonathan had survived and escaped the hands of the Philistines even though during that escape his caretaker, while running carrying him, fell causing the child to be lame the remaining days of his life.

2Sa 4:4  And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Why was David so concerned?

God had just made a great covenant with David and his seed and God said He would keep this covenant.

King David remembered a covenant he had made with Jonathan the son of King Saul and wanted to make sure he also kept that covenant.

1Sa 20:14  And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
1Sa 20:15  But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
1Sa 20:16  So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.

How can we expect God to keep His covenants, when we do not keep the ones that we make with each other?

The pure fact is that The Lord God of Creation will keep His covenants regardless of our own actions!

Psa 105:8  He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

So, David knew he needed to make sure his covenant with Jonathan.

*****2Sa 9:2  And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
2Sa 9:3  And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
2Sa 9:4  And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.

In verse one, David said he wanted to show "his kindness" but now we see David wanting to show the "same kindness that God had shown to him".

It is not stated here but Ziba, though he honored King David, he did not care much for Mephibosheth, but Ziba did have knowledge of this grandson of King Saul and son of Jonathan.

Lodebar means "a place of nothing", a place where grass would not even grow and there was no place to pasture animals.

Compare this place to Psalms 23:
Psa 23:1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Amos describes Lodebar in this manner:

Amo 6:13  Ye which rejoice "in a thing of nought" which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

The family of Machir were loyal to King Saul and had taken in Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, when he had no other place to live.

Saul's own servants had ignored this grandson!

Machir would now become loyal to King David after seeing the king's kindness to Mephibosheth.

Mephibosheth had lived for a considerable time in obscurity and we should now get the picture, or a "type" of a lost soul being found by the King of Kings.

And King David said:

*****2Sa 9:4  And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
2Sa 9:5  Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

1) The first picture we should have is the picture of that lost soul in no man's land, poor, and with no means to improve his own conditions. His name was Mephibosheth.

Because of his condition Mephibosheth hated the God of Israel as his name means in the Hebrew, he had "a reproach for God".

Mephibosheth did not feel the need for a Savior because he could not realize such a thing was possible!

Mephibosheth did not possess the means to have much of a future!

Most people living in this world do not even know they need a Savior because they do not realize that they are lost!

They feel that if there is some god, then why are they in such a precarious situation, as did Mephibosheth.

2) The next picture we should see is that King David sent for Mephibosheth, not for his own kindness, but for "Jonathan's sake".

God's children are called and saved, not because we deserve anything from God but only for the sake of God's Son, Jesus.

Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God "for Christ's sake" hath forgiven you.

Jesus Christ is not the cause of God's love but "Jesus Christ is the channel in which God expresses His love for us all"!

We are not asked to understand the love of God, we are only asked to accept that love as being the
same as the love for an "only-begotten-son".

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: "it is the gift of God":

3) The next picture we see is that King David sent someone to fetch Mephibosheth.

This a picture of the Holy Ghost but it is a fact of the purpose of Jesus.

Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost.

Luk 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Today God uses the Holy Spirit to do all the calling. It is the Holy Spirit that brings conviction upon hearing the Word of God!

*****2Sa 9:6  Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

Throughout the Bible we can see how God truly cares for the fatherless orphan. There is no better example in the Bible than Mephibosheth who had lost not only his father and grandfather but also all his uncles in war.

The greater the wars, the more that are left behind like Mephibosheth!

Mephibosheth had no earthly family!

But, God especially cares for the children of those who love Him!

We already know that there are only two kind of people in this world.

1) Those that reject God.

1Sa 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

2) Those that accept God.

1Jn 5:1  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Mephibosheth is an example of that lost soul who had accepted the world in a humanistic way, but now realizes the truth of God.

Mephibosheth cannot understand why the king would look upon such a man as he and he fell on his face and reverenced King David.

Mephibosheth could have never gotten into the palace of the king on his own account!

But, Mephibosheth was allowed to come before King David because it was for "Jonathan's sake"!

To each saved soul, we are only allowed into the throne room of a Holy God but only for Jesus sake!

If we are to move God, it can only be by the sake of Jesus Christ!

No Prayer, no request, and and no answer can ever come from the Living God if not for Christ Jesus sake!

This world can only be redeemed for Christ Jesus sake!

And then listen as God will know your name!

Isa 43:1  But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel,
Fear not: "for I have redeemed thee", "I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine".

And David said.

*****2Sa 9:7  And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

That phrase "Fear not" is used 62 times in the KJV Bible.

How does God respond to request made in Jesus name sake?

Isa 41:13  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, "Fear not"; I will help thee.

And God never changes.

Rev 1:17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not"; I am the first and the last:

Mephibosheth truly had much reason to fear!

In the customs of that day it was customary for the victorious king to slay all the family of the previous king.

But here we see how David acted in "Grace"!

Now David had "not stolen" Saul's land just because he was the new King.

We should remember David was married to Michal the daughter of Saul and was the legal owner of all the things of King Saul. David had every right to this land and these possessions of Saul and he could give them to anyone he wished to.

Num 27:8  And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

This ownership took place at the death of Ishbosheth the last son of King Saul.

Now we see the kindness again for Jonathan's sake!

We can see how Mephibosheth is adopted by King David!

It would have been easy to just restore the things to him that his grandfather Saul had owned and sent him on his way but that is not the way of God.

This is the way of God.

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

To be adopted by Our Father in Heaven even has a much greater meaning!

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

King David showed Mephibosheth that he was serious about fulfilling the promise, the covenant, he made with Jonathan, the true earthly father of Mephibosheth.

BUT, God shows every believer that He is serious about fulfilling His promise to His Son Jesus.

Joh 6:39  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Joh 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

This is a very humbling experience.

*****2Sa 9:8  And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

What is the "Grace of God"?

Grace may be defined as the unmerited and undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Mephibosheth realized that he had done nothing to be receiving such a gift and he reached that point that every sinner must reach.

Do I accept this gift or do I reject it?

What would you do?

No, What Will You Do!

When Mephibosheth was sitting at the Kings table, even his lame legs were out of sight before the King.

He had the appearance of a man made whole!

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be "born again", he cannot see the kingdom of God.

And the king made all the arrangements.

*****2Sa 9:9  Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.
2Sa 9:10  Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

Mephibosheth was now a land owner of a great estate that would require many to care for it. We can see that Ziba who had been over the servants of King Saul now had a great opportunity to restore that land to it's glory and his own family be provided with home, food, and welfare.

Mephibosheth himself had a son named Micha and it would he who would need to be provided for, but Mephibosheth would eat from the King's Table.

*****2Sa 9:11  Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.
2Sa 9:12  And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
2Sa 9:13  So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

Ziba agreed to do as King David commanded but Ziba was never sincere and never intended to be a servant to Mephibosheth. Ziba would never honor Mephibosheth and later accused him of treason.

2Sa 16:3  And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

Based upon this lie, King David gave all the property of Mephibosheth to Ziba.

2Sa 16:4  Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And
Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

Ziba may have deceived both Mephibosheth and King David.

2Sa 19:26  And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.
2Sa 19:27  And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

King David being unsure of either one divided the land of Saul between the two, but Mephibosheth said let him have it all.

It would be far better to remain at the table of the King.

An adopted son or daughter cannot ever be left out of the inheritance!

2Sa 19:30  And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace "unto his own house".

The Apostle Paul gave Timothy these words:

2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of
earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

We must make a choice when we choose the Lord Jesus over this world!

We must also make choices after we are saved!

If we purge ourselves of the things that do not honor Our Savior, then and only then can we be made into something useful for the Lord!

Mephibosheth remained in Jerusalem at the king's table but was still lame and of little use to the king, but the king did not reject him but only because of the covenant he had made with Jonathan!

It is only for "Jesus sake" only that we can stand before Our Holy God!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Once we believe this truth with all our heart, we can never be rejected!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

King David's House

David's House

2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17

In our last lesson we got a picture of David as a type of Christian. He made many mistakes in his life, the worst ones happened when he did not  inquire of the Lord before he made major decisions.

We also saw how our own actions can sometimes, if not all times, cause harm to others of our family and friends.

We also witnessed that the Ark of the Covenant had been retrieved but not returned to the Tabernacle of Moses but to a Tabernacle that David had built in Jerusalem.

God had chosen Jerusalem. The Tabernacle of Moses would remain in Gibeon until we hear of it no more.

Today we will see that David had a great desire to build a permanent home for the Ark of God.

Let's begin:

*****2Sa 7:1  And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2Sa 7:2  That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

King David had by now moved into his new palace built by the skilled craftsmen of Hiram. King David and the city of Jerusalem were growing in riches and properity. David was becoming a powerful king. The Philistines had been silenced for a time by the actions of God and had retreated to their own homes.

King David just did not feel right living in such luxury while the Ark of God was still in a tent.

It was a very honorable thing for David to want some permanent structure to house the things of God but David did not yet understand the plan of God!

As we read this text it should bring great pleasure to find a ruler, who when he could be partaking of the luxuries of his kingdom, has his mind on the Lord.

It should also bring us pleasure to see that King David also sought out God's prophet, Nathan, and sought ways to improve the spiritual condition of Israel.

These are things every national leader should do!

These are things that we as believers should encourage in our own governments.

Up until we meet this Nathan, David's spiritual guidance had been only from Samuel who was now gone on to paradise.

David had a great admiration of this prophet of God and would one day soon even name one of his own sons after him.

And what did this prophet say to David?

*****2Sa 7:3  And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.

We know that David was a man after God's own heart. In other words David sought ways to please his Lord and Master. This is a great example for all of us as we should always seek ways to please the Lord!

The best thing we can ever do is to be obedient to the Word of God and have "faith" in God's promises.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God "must believe that he is", and that he is a rewarder of them "that diligently seek him".

I believe David had this faith and was diligently seeking ways to please Our God.

We should always seek ways to please the Lord and we can only find those ways by studying the Word of God.

There was nothing wrong with what Nathan told King David.

In those days a prophet of God did not have instant access to the Lord but only through visions and other ways God would reveal Himself to them.

Num 12:6  And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

Remember God's prophets would not say things that they did not know were true!

Deu 18:20  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
Deu 18:21  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
Deu 18:22  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Only Moses up until this time could speak to God mouth to mouth.

Num 12:7  My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
Num 12:8  With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

But it would be this Nathan who would get to see one of the greatest visions in the Bible.

*****2Sa 7:4  And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,
2Sa 7:5  Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

The first thing we should notice is that God was listening in on this conversation between King David and the prophet Nathan.

In our day day when we have so much concern about our government keeping track of our every movement and our conversations we seem to forget the Lord God is listening to and even seeing everything we say and do!

We may can hide somethings from our government which is their belief But we can never hide anything from God!

God was well pleased with these thoughts of David:

1Ki 8:18  And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.

But this was not the plan of God and God's plan cannot be altered by man!

God asked David a simple enough question?

"Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?"

We can look back on this now with a clear understanding of why God had to say "no" to David.

There could never be but "One" who could build a house for God to dwell in. [We will see that in the coming verses].

Where will God dwell on this earth?

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? "for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people".

God will only dwell in houses or vessels that He has made!

Mankind simply cannot make a permanent dwelling for God!

There would be a Temple built in Jerusalem but by Solomon the son of David but the true Temple of God could only be built by the Lord Jesus Christ also known as a "son of David".

God simply will not dwell in any temple made by the hands of man!

Act 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

To God, David was just a servant just as Abraham and Moses had been.

BUT, every child of the Living God that accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior can become more than a servant.

Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: "but I have called you friends"; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

There is no limit to what the Father will do for those whom the Son of God calls His "friends" and His children!

This was not said of King David.

The Bible explains to David.

1Ch 17:4  Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:

God gave these reasons.

1Ch 22:7  And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:
1Ch 22:8  But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, "because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight".

When David led Israel into war, he showed no mercy. This is not a character of God!

1Ch 28:3  But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

And then God tells King David some other things.

*****2Sa 7:6  Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
2Sa 7:7  In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

Jesus Christ had these words for us:

Mat 8:20  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; "but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head".

God says that He has never given a command for anyone to build Him a permanent house on this earth!

God also did not reject the idea of David to build a house of God.

God said a house of God can be built but not by David because God had another purpose for David.

God said a house of God could be built by Solomon, the son of David.

But God wants us all to understand that the Lord cannot be confined to any temple.

God will allow His name to dwell in a temple or a building to reveal His presence there but it must be place of sincere worship.

God said any house built in His name would have a specific purpose:

Isa 56:7  Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Notice every house of prayer was to be for all people.

Jesus had these words for the Temple in Jerusalem.

Mat 21:13  And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

How are we to worship the Lord Our God?

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God said, "I have walked with you from the time I saved you".

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee".

God was explaining to David a greater purpose for him.

*****2Sa 7:8  Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
2Sa 7:9  And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

God is still speaking through the prophet Nathan here.

We should notice that God will never discourage any of His children. It was a good thing for King
David to want to build a permanent place for the Ark of God.

But it was impossible for King David to build a permanent place for God.

Only God Himself could do that and that was still in the future with the coming of the Messiah!

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

God explains to David that He has already given him a purpose and he was to use his talents for this purpose.

Not many kings had began there life as a lowly shepherd!

God had been with David as he defended those sheep from a bear and a lion and other predators.

God had been with David as he defeated Goliath.

God had been with David as he had hid from King Saul.

God had protected, preserved, and prospered David and caused him to succeed and be King of Israel.

God had caused the name of King David to bring fear to his enemies and God would continue to do this all the days of David, if David would be obedient in the things that God gave him.

David would build an empire that would include Edom, Moab, and Ammon among some others while improving the defenses of Israel and making Jerusalem a fortress.

If not for David's lust for women and riches, David would have been a truly great man in the world but David is still recognized as Israel's greatest king and has a great name there.

But God has greater plans for Israel that David does not know about!

*****2Sa 7:10  Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
2Sa 7:11  And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

David was living in a brand new palace at this time, so God was not talking about building David another new house.

God was talking about building a dynasty!

The "seed" of David would reign over his house forever.

Luk 1:30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Luk 1:31  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Since Jesus cannot die, the throne of David can never be vacant again.

But there is more.

It was the purpose of David to make Israel secure during his years. God was not talking about Canaan Land.

It was through David that God would continue His covenant with Abraham!

What had God told Abraham?

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

King David would be another step in the fulfillment of this covenant!

Again this covenant would take another step when the Lord Jesus was born!

Mat 1:1  The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

God not only promised to completely fulfill this covenant but He then would make a new covenant that would also be completely fulfilled!

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Another portion of this covenant was fulfilled on May 14, 1948 when Israel once again became a nation in our time.

What is yet to come?

Israel "as a nation" will be converted, forgiven and restored.

Eze 20:33  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
Eze 20:34  And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
Eze 20:35  And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
Eze 20:36  Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 20:37  And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
Eze 20:38  And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Israel will repent and receive the full forgiveness of God.

Zec 12:9  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zec 12:11  In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
Zec 12:12  And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
Zec 12:13  The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
Zec 12:14  All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

When will this take place?

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

There is a new covenant in place today which is the New Covenant of Jesus Christ, the Covenant of the Church.

This covenant is intended for all mankind, regardless of race or culture or language!

Jesus said:

Luk 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

God promised Abraham, He would bless this world and the ultimate blessing is the forgiveness of sin and a restoring of God's creation to Himself!

Paul said:

Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

It still takes "Faith" in these promises of God!

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

And God still promises a rest for the children of Israel!

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

How much of this David understood we do not know, but we do know the Psalms contain much scripture of the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then God tells David about his own family also.

*****2Sa 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:13  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

Every man no matter his standing on this earth, has an appointment with death!

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

David would later be told he would go to be with his dead son:

2Sa 12:23  But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

This the fact of the saved soul!

Upon our appointed death we will go to where the saved are located in Heaven!

All dead children up to the age of knowledge of sin are already in Heaven!

Abortion is a terrible thing and those that take part in such things will come to know the wrath of God BUT that innocent child goes straight to Heaven into the waiting arms of a loving Savior.

Now David is told he will go to sleep with his fathers who are already in Heaven.

From the time of Adam in the lineage down to Joseph all those fathers of David will be in Heaven!

We already know the next King of Israel was Solomon and many of these things will pertain to him.

It would be Solomon who would build the Temple where the Ark would be restored.

Solomon would have a glorious kingdom but only here on earth.

The Queen of Sheba had these words for Solomon.

2Ch 9:5  And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:
2Ch 9:6  Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

Solomon's throne would be established because of the covenant made with King David and the covenant of David would continue through Solomon.

The ultimate fulfillment this prophesy can only be in Christ Jesus!

*****2Sa 7:14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
2Sa 7:15  But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

God declares that there will be a king in the line of David that will have a special relationship with Him:

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
David understood this very well because he wrote this Psalm!

Psa 2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Psa 2:8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psa 2:9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Solomon had much sin, Christ Jesus knew no sin!

Solomon was never beaten, but he did know the chastisement of the Lord.

It was only God, Himself, who would allow Himself to be beaten.
Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

God had given Saul his mercy and made him King of Israel but had removed that mercy when Saul rebelled against the Word of God.

God promises David that this will not happen to Solomon but God makes reference back to His covenant with David.

*****2Sa 7:16  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

1) That word "house" refers to the royal dynasty of the line of David.
The Messiah would come from the line of David.

2) The word "kingdom" refers to a certain people over which this king would rule.
The Messiah would become King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

3) That word "throne" refers to the authority and power of this king.

Jesus said after His resurrection:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

4) That word "forever" means that the rule of this king from the line of David could never be taken away and he would never cease to rule over the house of Israel.

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, "hath prevailed" to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Solomon's throne was a literal, political throne and the Lord will actually sit on a literal and political throne one day.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The Jews are still waiting on the fulfillment of this covenant while the church is waiting on the "Rapture"!

*****2Sa 7:17  According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

God had told all these things to David because in the goodness of his heart David was thinking on
God while everyone else was thinking how great it was to be a Jew in the time of King David.

When we shut out the world that is around us and meditate on the things of God and pray, there is no telling what the Lord will reveal to us!

And King David became very humbled from by all these things that God's man Nathan had said.

*****2Sa 7:18  Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
2Sa 7:19  And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?

David went into the Tabernacle he had made  where the Ark of God was located and sat before it.

To David the Ark was still the symbol of the Lord's presence!

The Lord Jesus tells the Church this.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

God had called Abraham, His friend:

Jas 2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

We can see that David also believed the things that God had told him through Nathan and David had gone to confirm his friend.

Pro 6:3  Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

David knew he was unworthy!

It was only by God's "grace" that had brought David to this point in his life!

Now God would speak of David's family far into the future.

*****2Sa 7:19  And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house "for a great while to come". And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?
2Sa 7:20  And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.

King David wakes up to the realization that it is not what any king can do things for the Lord, It Is
What The Lord Can Do For Each Of Us!

David also realized that only the Almighty God could make such a promise and then have the power to see these things come true.

It is a fact that as the New Covenant Church we have seen the fulfillment of many of these things but just like David we must also realize that God was speaking of things that are yet a great while to come.

And like David we must all realize that we are God's servants!

*****2Sa 7:21  For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.

Why did God reveal these things to David?

Why has God revealed Himself to us?

John wrote:

1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

The Word of God is written for "believers"!

Peter wrote:

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

The Bible is not a book of "cunningly devised fables" but it is a "sure word" of prophecy!

2Pe 1:16  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

The New Testament church is alive and well today only because God used David's family to bring Our Savior into this world!

And there is a future for the nation of Israel only because God gave David his throne forever!

Once we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Our Savior, We Belong To God!

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

When we were purchased with the price of the blood of Jesus we are therefore "servants" to a righteous and Holy God.

This is what King David realized this day!

Wherefore. "For This Reason"

*****2Sa 7:22  Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

We should also realize these things that King David realized!

1) Our God is great.

2) There is none like Our God.

3) Neither is there a God beside Our God.

4) The Word of God is the truth!

Jesus said:

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

There are no excuses for anyone not coming to this same conclusion!

God has used the children of Israel to bring to the world the preserved Word of God.

*****2Sa 7:23  And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
2Sa 7:24  For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.

It is a fact that God chose Israel for the purpose to bring to this world the Word of God.

Why did God choose Israel?

Deu 7:7  The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
Deu 7:8  But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God chose Israel because of love for his human creation.

God chose Israel because Israel was the smallest nation in numbers.

God chose Israel because of the promise He made to Abraham.
Not only Abraham but Adam, and Enoch, and Noah.

God keeps all His promises!

2Co 1:20  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Therefore the Word of God is established forever.

*****2Sa 7:25  And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.
2Sa 7:26  And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
2Sa 7:27  For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, "I will build thee an house": therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

The Word of God is a settled thing, not to be abused or changed at the whim of everyone who wants to rewrite what God has said.

Psa 119:89  LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

God's Word was issued from His throne in Heaven which is the seat of His government.

God's Word cannot be altered here on Earth!

All men who have trusted the Word of God from Adam and all that came before us, have found that what God said is true!

God's Word has endured time as we know it!

Psa 119:160  Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

There is truth in all the Word of God but this truth also extends into the ethical and moral character to a point that it brings conviction and therefore demands accountability!

The truth is always the truth and the truth does not require a believer to remain the truth!.

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

It is God's Word of Truth that brings with it His blessings.

*****2Sa 7:28  And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
2Sa 7:29  Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

As an old prophet of God once wrote:

Hab 3:17  Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Hab 3:18  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

And can still be understood with these words.

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

We should all want God's Will to be done on this Earth and It Will Be!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

King David's Mistake

David's Mistake

2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13-16

In our last lesson David was made king over all of Israel. We saw that God is actually seeking someone to get involved in government. David went from a lowly shepherd to become a great king but only by the hand of God.

Other nations noticed the blessings Israel was seeing and Hiram of Tyre joined David to bring great commerce to Israel. This should sound familiar to those of America.
But great wealth and power will sometimes bring with it pride, lust, mistakes and an ignoring of the truth of God.

God makes this very clear:

Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Let's begin:

*****2Sa 6:1  Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2Sa 6:2  And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

Twice before we have seen David gather his chosen men but both of those times it was to war with the Philistines and both of these times David had done something very important.

David had enquired of the Lord and to do that he had gone to the High Priest.

We must realize that we are to enquire of the Lord in everything.

The things God has written down for us to learn are even more important than the dangers we may see in this world.

It did not require a mighty army to move the Ark of God! It required only for things to be done as He had written down for us to follow in His Holy Word.

We cannot pick and choose what parts of God's Word we are going to follow.

The Bible still says:

2Ti 2:15  "Study" to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We must "study" God's Word and pray for His guidance and then "rightly divide" the Word of God.

To rightly divide is to ask, to whom did God write these commands.

David had been given this same command:

Deu 17:18  And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
Deu 17:19  And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
Deu 17:20  That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

God never changes.

The Ark had been used in error of the Word of God and the Ark could only be returned by following the Word of God.

David made it his mission to restore religion to Israel but religion is not worship and worship of the

Lord can only begin when we are obedient to God's Word.


Obedience is the greatest worship we can offer to the Lord Our God.
Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

How did David go wrong?

*****2Sa 6:3  And "they set the ark of God upon a new cart", and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.
2Sa 6:4  And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

David wanted to honor the God of Israel and his personal God and these were great intentions but

David also had a secret desire to build a special sanctuary for the Lord.

His first step was to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the new capitol city of Jerusalem. David had involved all the key leaders and all the politicians but he had not studied the Word of God nor consulted with the High Priest.

This was another attempt by David to restore Israel in one accord with God, and get this nation focused on the Lord God of Israel, but it must be done properly and in order.

David was seeking to have "One Nation Under God"!

We have forgotten this in America where our founding fathers also strived to have "One Nation Under God"!

All very admirable intentions!

But what had God said concerning the Ark?

There was to be only one mode of transport for the Ark!

Num 7:8  And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Num 7:9  But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was "that they should bear upon their shoulders".

Our relationship with God must be a personal thing!

We should have a clear understanding, we must reverence the Word of God.

God says what He means and God means what He says!

If these things do not hold true, then how could we trust any of the Word of God.

If these things were not done by the Word of God, then God has this warning.

Num 18:3  And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, "that neither they, nor ye also, die".

God will have His work done in His way and will not or cannot bless us if we carry it out based on the wrong principles!

We must seek the Lords directions continually or we will continuously do things in a wrong way and

God will not bless the work we do.

What method did David choose to use.

When the Philistines had had the Ark of God in their own possession and found that God was not going to allow that to happen they came up with a way to get rid of the Ark.

1Sa 6:7  Now therefore "make a new cart, and take two milch kine", on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
1Sa 6:8  And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.

This is the way the Ark had made it to the house of Abinadab. The Philistines were ignorant of the ways of God but David and all of Israel had the Word of God to follow and not the ways of a pagan people.

God still says:

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We absolutely cannot do the things the world does and please God, EVEN IF WE HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS!

Even Abinadab, who was a Levite, should have known better. The Ark had been in his possession for 20 years and his whole household had been blessed.

The Ark was a symbol that God was with Israel and they longed for it's possession but if we must first realize that we need "a personal relationship" with the Lord.

The Lord owns us, we cannot own Him!

One of the sons of Abinadab went before the Ark and Uzzah another son walked by the side of the Ark.

1Ch 13:7  And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.

This day began by bringing a joyous excitement to David and all of Israel.

*****2Sa 6:5  And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

Moses had a phrase that he used every time the Tabernacle was raised and the children of Israel moved forward.

Num 10:35  And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

King David had this same felling this day but this would soon change and that joy would soon turn to sorrow.

King David had not followed the ways of Moses but only the ways of the Philistines.

We can never follow the ways of the world and still please The Lord even with good intentions!

We have clear instructions in our worship of the Lord!

The New Testament Church must realize that these things written in the Old Testament are written for our examples and we must learn from them.

The Bible still contains these words.

1Co 10:6  Now "these things were our examples", to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
1Co 10:11  Now "all these things happened unto them for ensamples": and "they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come".
1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

We must study all the Word of God!

Uzzah would fall this day and we will fall if we follow in his foot steps.

How do we keep from falling?

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

When we are blind to the things of God we will fall!

*****2Sa 6:6  And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
2Sa 6:7  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

Nachon's threshing floor, also called the threshing floor of Chidon in the first Book of Chronicles, was a place not far north-west of Jerusalem.

Now we do not know if Uzzah had just become complacent because the Ark had been in his own house for 20 years.

What he did may have just been an innocent act.

BUT, there was already enough irreverence going on and God was not about to allow these things to continue!

What David had done was wrong!

The Levites who were with him and had allowed this were wrong!

What Uzzah had done was even more wrong!

It is a rare thing for us to witness the anger of the Lord but we must realize we can sometimes be the cause of that anger.

The Bible does still say these words:

Pro 2:11  Discretion shall preserve thee, "understanding shall keep thee":

Pro 3:1  My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 3:2  "For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee".
Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and "lean not" unto thine own understanding.

God took the life of Uzzah for his own error not because of what David had done.

We may not totally understand why but we must also remember God looks into the heart and God could see the true intentions of Uzzah and it is not for us to question what the Lord did but to learn from these things so we do not make the same mistakes!

We sometimes wonder why some godly people are taken from this life in what we see as early but it is God's plan and we must trust that what God does is best for us all!

Rom 8:28  And "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God", to them who are the called according to his purpose.

But David did not understand these things this day!

*****2Sa 6:8  And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

In chapter 5 we saw and witnessed as the Lord had broken forth upon the Philistines and caused their destruction.

In this verse we see the Lord break forth on a Levite, one of the children of Israel, and cause his destruction.

David witnessed both of these things and David had special name for this place, Perezuzzah or the "place where the Lord broke forth".

King David was not only displeased but this brought a new fear of the awesome power of God.

King David realized he was just a man and even with his kingly power and riches, he was no match for the Almighty God!

*****2Sa 6:9  And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?

David woke up to the fact that all of our lives are in the hands of God.

Christ Jesus gave us these words:

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: "but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell".

We should have this same fear of the Lord.

The Bible teaches us.

Heb 12:28  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God "acceptably" [with reverence and godly fear]:
Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

We can sometimes treat God as our daddy and it be ok.

But We Can Never Treat God Like He Is Our Next Door Neighbor and please Him!

We must reverence the Lord at all times!

We can go boldly before the throne of God but when we get there we best humble our selves before Our Mighty God.

That boldness must be tempered with modesty and a religious fear!

We must never forget that we are sinners and that Our God is a consuming fire.

Consuming fires do not go out nor can they be put out, until all the fuel is burned!

So David began to realize his mistake.

*****2Sa 6:10  So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

A Gittite would be some one from the city of Gath-rimmon.

This city had been assigned to the Levites and specifically to the family of Kohath.

It was the family of Kohath who were suppose to carry the Ark of God upon their shoulders.

Num 7:9  But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.

After Uzzah had died at the hands of God, David realized his wrong and placed the Ark with a member of the family of Kohath, who by the laws of Moses could handle the Ark when it was not in the Holy of Holies.

It would take three more months for King David to get things done in the order that God required.

God is a God of order and not the God of confusion!

1Co 14:33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

The house of Obededom was blessed during this time.

*****2Sa 6:11  And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.

A great truth can be learned here.

Whosoever has "the mind of Uzzah" and "thinks that Our Lord is in danger in this world and has a need for human help", will probably die in their actions.

God is never in danger of anything or anyone in this world!

But whosoever receives The Lord, into his own home and his own family, "with all his heart" will receive the blessings of God.

God does not need our help!

God just needs for us to obey His Word!

So 3 full months past by.

*****2Sa 6:12  And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

When we can realize our mistakes we always find that God's anger "may be kindled" from time to time, but His mercy is present at all times!

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound":
Rom 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

King David realized he had to do things God's way so then he called on the High Priest.

1Ch 15:11  And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,
1Ch 15:12  And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
1Ch 15:13  For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, "for that we sought him not after the due order".
And what had to happen first?
1Ch 15:14  So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

Those priest had to be ceremonially cleaned.

We can never do a work for the Lord until we have been washed in the "blood of Jesus" and filled with the Holy Spirit!

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
King David now had the joy of the Lord.

*****2Sa 6:13  And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

6 paces would be about 18 feet outside the home of Obededom.

This entire nation realized that nothing can be done properly without the help of the Lord.

We should all come to this same conclusion!

1Ch 15:26  And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

Before this journey began it was time to offer sacrifices to the Lord.

SO, what sacrifice can we offer to the Lord today to begin and continue on our journey?

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, "which is your reasonable service".
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God will never ask us to do unreasonable things and God will always help those that do the ministry by the Word of God.

*****2Sa 6:14  And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

David was wearing a linen robe and a linen ephod. David was dressed in the robe of a priest, (not the High Priest) These priests would have also worn linen breeches but it is not said that King David was wearing these.

The point is that though David was King of Israel, he did not wear his royal robes as he danced before God.

David danced. David was dancing with a joyful, holy enthusiasm alone and before God.

There were no women taking part in this celebration with King David.

David had been made very saddened by the death of Uzzah but that sadness had now become an overwhelming joy!

Psa 30:11  Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
Psa 30:12  To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

God has one rule for all these things, "Be Sincere"!

Ecc 9:10  Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

And to the Church:

Col 3:23  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Col 3:24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

David may have danced for 10 miles with all his might.

*****2Sa 6:15  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
2Sa 6:16  And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

Michal is named "Saul's daughter" though she was also a wife of King David.

This day she had the mind of her father and not joy with her joyful husband.

Public worship had ceased under King Saul and Michal had her own idols and did not really care for the Lord God of Israel.

1Sa 19:12  So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
1Sa 19:13  And Michal "took an image", and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.

Michal loved the hero of Israel and the exalted King of Israel.

BUT, Michal despised this man David who could yield to a Holy God with such enthusiasm!

After this there was no relations with this wife and Michal remained childless and raised only the children of her sister.

We should also realize that this was the will of God. A man child that was a descendant of Saul and
David would have caused problems.

*****2Sa 6:17  And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

We can see the mention of 3 tabernacles in the Old Testament.

1) The Tabernacle of the Congregation.
After Israel had committed the sin of the golden calf at Mount Sinai a provisional tabernacle was established [out side the camp] and called the "Tabernacle of the Congregation".

Exo 33:7  And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, [which was without the camp].

2) The Tabernacle of Moses.

While on Mount Sinai, The Lord gave Moses the instructions to build a proper tabernacle.
God only used 2 chapters in the Book of Genesis to tell us about our creation but God used 50 chapters in the Bible to tell us about the Tabernacle of Moses.

It should be obvious that worship is very important to The Lord Our God!

Exo 25:22  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

This Tabernacle of Moses was to be set up in the midst of the camp because the Lord said he would always walk in the midst of His people.

Deu 23:14  [For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp], to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

Num 2:17  Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites [in the midst of the camp]: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.

The Lord Jesus tells us this.

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, "there am I in the midst of them".

This tabernacle of Moses was located in Gibeon during the time of David and until Solomon had constructed the 1st Temple.

1Ch 16:39  And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon,
1Ch 16:40  To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;

2Ch 1:3  So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.
2Ch 1:4  But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

3) The Tabernacle of David.

This was a temporary tabernacle built for the Ark of the Covenant because David at this time already had plans to build the 1st Temple.

The wilderness Tabernacle of Moses had been first set up in Shiloh and later moved to the city of Nob.

Both of these cities had been destroyed!

At the time of David this Tabernacle had now been located to Gibeon.

It was David's desire for a permanent housing for the Ark in Jerusalem.

Why? God chose Jerusalem.

1Ki 11:36  And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me "to put my name there".

God had made a covenant with David.

2Sa 7:16  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

God said this covenant could never be broken!

Jer 33:20  Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;
Jer 33:21  Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

Now it is obvious in our time that this tabernacle does not exist but we can be sure God has not forgotten His covenant!

This tabernacle will be restored.

Isa 16:5  And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

The Lord knew this tabernacle would have to be rebuilt.

Amo 9:11  In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

The Lord has chosen Jerusalem for His final battle with Satan.

Zec 3:2  And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

The Lord Jesus will return to sit on the throne of David.

Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Joseph, the step father of the Lord Jesus was a direct descendant of David, through Solomon his son, and next in line of the throne of David until his death which passed to the Lord Jesus who can never die.

Mary, the "virgin" mother of Jesus Christ was a direct descendant of David through Nathan his son, and therefore there can be no doubt of the kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ for ever!

The Tabernacle of Moses represents the Priestly side of our Lord!

The Tabernacle of David represents the Kingly side of our Lord!

Therefore because the Lord Jesus can never die He is King of Kings and the Most High Priest forever!

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Yes it was time to offer praise and worship and it still is.

*****2Sa 6:18  And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.
2Sa 6:19  And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.
2Sa 6:20  Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

We should understand that God will have His work done in His Own Way and He cannot bless us if we carry it out under the wrong principles. We must continually seek the Lord's directions!

King David took full responsibility of God's people that day to show them and us, that these things are only a shadow of the good things to come!

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 14:18  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

After blessing the people David went to his own home to bless his family.

BUT, Satan was not about to allow for a perfect end to a perfect day!

Michal could not even wait until David got inside the house before she began her assault on her husband and her King.

King David had not undressed himself before anyone.

He had only taken off his look of royalty and put on the robes of a priest,(not the High Priest).

Michal had her own idols and I am sure David had reminded her of her false worship.

Michal saw no difference in the way David had treated the Ark of God and had become very angry and enraged with jealousy.

When we treat the things of God, such as the Cross, the Bible, or the Church building as gods we confuse this lost world.

We only have One God and He is not in images or idols!

And David responded.

*****2Sa 6:21  And David said unto Michal, "It was before the LORD", which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: "therefore will I play before the LORD".

Those that are lost simply cannot understand the joy of being a Christian!

Jealousy is regarded in the Bible as worse than wrath and anger!

Pro 27:4  Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

Michal was not about to listen to David's explanation about the Lord.

And David became angry himself and this marriage was over.

Again David did not follow God's guidelines.

Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

We can find the answer to our problems in the Word of God but when we do things our own way the family will suffer.

*****2Sa 6:22  And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
2Sa 6:23  Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
David said if you think my worship of my Lord has lowered the dignity of my kingship, you haven't seen nothing yet!

David had loved Michal but that love ended this day.

God had never planned on the Messiah to be part of any dynasty other than David. Any male child born between David and Michal would have been expected to be the next king of Israel.

God was not about to allow that to happen.

The road to the Messiah could only be through David!

Then Solomon and Nathan.

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

God will have His way in this world!

Questions?

Let's Pray!