Gold for the heart - 2 Samuel 4-7

2 Samuel 4

God redeems our souls out of all adversity

1 And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, he lost all courage, and all the Israelites were terrified. 2 Saul’s son had two men that were captains of troops: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (Beeroth was considered part of Benjamin: 3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were foreigners there until this day.) 4 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news of Saul and Jonathan came out of Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up, and ran: and as she hurried to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Matthew 15:31 the multitude was filled with wonder, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came in the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. 6 And they came into the middle of the house bringing wheat; and they struck him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber. They struck him, killed him, beheaded him, and took his head, and got away through the Arabah all night. 8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, your enemy that sought your life; the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

Deuteronomy 24:16 The fathers are not to be put to death for the children, neither the children put to death for the fathers: every man will be put to death for his own sin.

9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite and said to them, As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 10 when someone told me saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him and killed him in Ziklag, who thought that I would give him a reward for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous person in his own house on his bed? Shall I not now require his blood at your hand, and take you away from the earth? 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

Numbers 35:33 You are not to pollute the land where you are: for blood (of the innocent) defiles the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of him that shed it.

Genesis 9:6 Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood be is to be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

2 Samuel 5

1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David to Hebron and spoke saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Also in time past when Saul was king over us, you led the military in Israel: and the LORD said to you, You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be a leader over Israel.

‘Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh means to be made from that person like God made Eve from Adam (Genesis 2:23).

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a contract with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

Psalm 2:6 I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: who spoke to David saying, You cannot come in here. The blind and the lame can repel you: thinking, David cannot come in here. 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, Whoever gets up to the water tunnel, and strikes the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul, he will be chief and captain. Therefore they said, The blind and the lame will not come into the house.

The Jebusites lived in Jerusalem.
They were under God’s sentence of death for their idolatry that led their people to eternal death.
The Israelites were not strong enough in faith to conquer them until David.
‘The lame and the blind that are hated of David’ does not mean that David hated handicapped people.
Yigael Yaden, an Israeli archaeologist discovered clay tablets from the Hittite Empire telling of an act of witchcraft to put a curse on one’s enemies involved parading the lame and the blind. David hated the ritual of parading the lame and the blind to curse one’s enemies.

The LORD God of hosts was with David

9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round it from the citadel and inward.10 And David went on, and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him. 11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, carpenters, and masons: and they built David a house. 12 And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

The title LORD means self-existent.
The word ‘God’ means all powerful.
Hosts means armies.
Therefore the entire phrase means the self-existent, all-powerful, leader of all the armies of heaven.
That is who was with David and is with us.
God exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your lifestyle be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.

Daniel 2:21 he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

13 David took more concubines and wives to himself out of Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron: and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 These are the names of those that were born to him in Jerusalem; Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 also Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphalet.

These verses tell us that David did not wholly follow God’s instructions for kings. But David followed God mightily.

Deuteronomy 17:17 He is not to multiply wives to himself, so that his heart not turn away: not is he to greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, they mobilized all their forces to find and capture him; when David heard of it, he went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 19 And David asked the LORD saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand? And the LORD said to David, Go up: I will definitely deliver the Philistines into your hand.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and do not lean to your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.

God gave David military strategy

20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David struck them there and said, The LORD has burst forth on my enemies like a raging flood. So he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 21 They left their images there, and David and his men burned them. 22 And the Philistines came again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 And when David asked of the LORD, he said, Do not go up; but circle around behind them, and come upon them opposite the balsam trees. 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you will strike, for then the LORD will go out before you, to strike the army of the Philistines. 25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and struck down the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gazer.

God is longsuffering, not willing that any perish (2 Peter 3:9).
When God destroys someone, there is no hope that they will ever turn from their evil.

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance.

2 Samuel 6

The LORD of the armies dwells above the Cherubim

1 Again David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwells above the cherubim. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was on the hill: Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was on the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio was going before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, on lyres, harps, psalteries, tambourines, castanets, and on cymbals. 6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and he died by the ark of God.

God had instructed the ark be carried by purified Levites with the poles of gold on the shoulders of the priests.
God became angry at Uzza for irreverence.
Uzza was not a Levite. Only Levites were to touch the ark.
David learned this later.
We are responsible to know God’s truth.

Isaiah 6:3 And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said to them, You are wrong, not knowing the scriptures, or the power of God.

8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had burst out on Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, How can the ark of the LORD come to me? 10 So David was not willing to move the ark of the LORD to him into the city of David: but David carried it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

God is to be feared and revered. We are not wise if we do not fear One smart enough and powerful enough to make the universe.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all those that do his commandments: his praise endures forever.

His presence blesses

11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household. 12 And it was told king David saying, The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 13 And when those that carried the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

Each offering was a picture of how much God loves us—enough to die for us.

John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was clothed with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the ram’s horn. 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. 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. 18 And as soon as David finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

‘Name’ means person. David blessed the people in the person of the LORD of hosts.

Romans 11:36 of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

19 And he gave all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, to the women as well as men, to each one a cake of bread, and one of dates, and one of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house. 20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, How great was the king of Israel today, who was uncovered today before the eyes of the handmaids of his servants like one of the vain fellows openly uncovers himself! 21 And David said to Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me over your father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: so I danced before the LORD. 22 And I will be still more lightly esteemed than this, and will be humble in my own sight: and of the maidservants that you have spoken of, by them I will be held in honor. 23 Therefore Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no child until the day of her death.

Michal was looking at the outward appearance. God looks at man’s heart.

1Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

2 Samuel 7

God gives rest from all enemies

1 When the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest all around from all his enemies; 2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your way of life be without covetousness; and be content with the things you have: for he has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and low in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

4 And it happened that night, that the word of the LORD came to Nathan saying, 5 Go, tell my servant David, The LORD says this, Will you build me a house for my dwelling? 6 I have not lived in any house since the day I brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent, a tabernacle. 7 In all the places where I have walked with all the children of Israel did I say to any of the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?

God left heaven’s glory and dwelt in a tent to be with His people.

He took David from the lowest job to the highest

8 Now say to my servant David, This is what the LORD of hosts says, I took you from the sheepcote, from following the flock, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9 I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; the children of wickedness will no longer afflict them as before, 11 and as since the time that I commanded judges over my people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that he will make you a house.

He settled his people in a land of their own.
He kept the wicked from afflicting them.
Following the flock is the worst part of shepherding, walking around their waste.
God has taken us all from sin and brought us into glory that we cannot begin to imagine.

1Corinthians 2:9 Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for them that love him.

12 And when your days are fulfilled, and you lie with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, who will come from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the strokes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom will be established before you forever: your throne will be established forever.

God is our Father. He chastises us with the rod of men.
This promise to David is called the Davidic Covenant.
It meant that the eternal King of Kings would come to earth through the descendants of David.

Hebrews 12:6 whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all are partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh that corrected us, and we gave them reverence: will we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

Revelation 21:7 He that overcomes will inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he will be my son.

He is great; there is none like Him

17 According to all these words, and by all this vision, Nathan spoke this to David. 18 Then king David went in, and sat before the LORD and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house that You have brought me to this? 19 And this was a small thing in your sight, O Lord GOD; for you have spoken of your servant’s house concerning the distant future also. And is this the custom of man, O Lord GOD? 20 What more can David say to you? For you, Lord GOD, know your servant. 21 For your word’s sake, and according to your own heart, you have done all these great things, to make them known to your servant. 22 You are great, O LORD God: there is none like you, neither is there any God beside you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

David went into the tabernacle and sat outside the curtain that covered the holy of holies.
David was humbled in awe by the magnitude of God’s promise to him.
Can we understand the greatness of One smart enough and powerful enough to create the universe? The One present everywhere all of the time—The One with a love so great for us that He would die for us?
Jesus proved that He was the Son of God by controlling all the powers of earth, even raising the dead.
He did these things before so many witnesses that His generation could not deny them.

Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

Psalm 96:5 all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

23 And what one nation in the earth is like your people, like Israel, whom God went to redeem as a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great and awesome things for your land, before your people, which you redeemed to from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24 For you have confirmed to yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever: and you, LORD, have become their God.

God bought the Israelites for Himself from Egypt. He bought us for Himself.

1Peter 1:18 you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your empty way of life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot:

25 And now, O LORD God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, establish it forever, and do as you have said. 26 And let your name be magnified forever saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of your servant David be established before you. 27 For you, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord GOD, you are that God, and your words are true, and you have promised this goodness to your servant: 29 Therefore now let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue before you forever: for you, O Lord GOD, have spoken it: and with your blessing, let the house of your servant be blessed forever.

His words are true.
God answered this prayer of David.
Christ is of the house or dynasty of David and Christ will rule forever.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth.
Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he will reign forever and ever.

SUMMARY: 2 Samuel 4-7

The LORD redeems our soul from all adversity
He was with David and gave David military strategy
He dwells above the cherubim
His presence blesses
He gives rest from our enemies
He took David from the lowest job to the highest
He is great
There is none like Him