David’s Reign Extends Over All Israel

Transcript

GRS 2-77
7/15/2007
David’s Reign Extends Over All Israel
2 Samuel 5-6
Gil Rugh

We are going to Second Samuel Chapter 5. Second Samuel Chapter 5, David was anointed king by Samuel a number of years ago back in First Samuel Chapter 14. In Second Samuel Chapter 2 verse 4 following the death of Saul he was installed as king over one tribe, Judah which is the tribe by which David is a part. The men of Judah came and they anointed David king over the house of Judah and David is headquartered in Hebron at this time.

Now in Chapter 5 we finally come to the full realization of what God had promised to David and to the nation and that is that David would be king over all Israel. So Chapter 5 talks about David installed and ruling over Israel. It opens up then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold we are your bone and your flesh.” In other words David is part of them and he is one of them. They are all Israelites, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and they recognize, verse 2, “Previously when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out and in. And the Lord said to you will be shepherd, you will shepherd my people Israel, you will be a ruler over Israel.”

They give three reasons really why David should be their king. Number one, we are blood relatives, number two you have been our military leader back in First Samuel 18 verse 13. Under Saul David was appointed and anointed the one to lead the armies of Israel out and then thirdly and it’s interesting how broad this recognition was throughout Israel over these years. It seemed to be common knowledge that David had been appointed, anointed by God to be the king of Israel, but in a sense you get the idea that all Israel was just waiting for it to happen. And now they come and acknowledge in verse 2, the Lord said to you, you will shepherd my people Israel, you will be ruler over Israel. You might be interested to note this is the first use in the Bible of the metaphor of a shepherd and a flock to denote the ruler of God’s people and God’s people being the sheep and the ruler of those sheep being the shepherd becomes a technical term for the rulers of Israel.

Major portion like Ezekiel Chapter 34 rebukes the shepherds of Israel for not caring for the sheep, but caring for themselves and in talking about the rulers of Israel and particular the kings of Israel. In verse 3 we are told that all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron and King David made a covenant with them before the Lord at Hebron and they anointed David king over Israel. Now you get the idea from what you read here that just representatives, the elders, the leaders from the various tribes came to Hebron. But this is quite an assembly.

Turn over to First Chronicles Chapter 12 and this is a parallel portion explaining the same things. So after Samuel you come through Kings, you come to First Chronicles Chapter 12 and you note verse 23. And what he is doing in Chronicles is talking about those who join David at Ziklag. Remember when he was in Philistine territory he starts out Chapter 12 by that and then as David comes to Hebron and then is established at Hebron in verse 23. Now these are the numbers of the divisions equipped for war. Now note this, who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom over to him according to the word of the Lord and then they are set out here when you add up the numbers from the various tribes, there are 350,000, so Samuel refers to the fact the elders who would have been the leaders of the various tribes come, but the armies of Israel come as well because otherwise David’s ability to assume authority as king will depend on the support of the armies of Israel. So there are 350,000 of Israel’s soldiers here, if you will, gathered at Hebron as part of this tremendous time of anointing David as king over all the tribes. You might want to leave a bullet or a marker in First Chronicles we may come back here from time to time, if we have time, since it fills in some of the details that may not be included in our account in Second Samuel Chapter 5.

Come back to Second Samuel 5 verses 4 and 5 then break down David’s reign rather. David was 30 years old when he became king and he reigned for 40 years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months and in Jerusalem he reigned 33 years, so 40 years six months the total of realm that are 40 years David is king that includes the seven years in Hebron where he is really only king over a portion, Judah. Then 33 years over the whole nation. He is 30 years old when he assumes that full position or when he is appointed king and he reigned until he is 70.

Now we begin the last 33 years and the key time of David’s reign where the account of David’s reign begins we have the armies of Israel, what do we do now? David is going to lose his capital, his center, his headquarters from Hebron to Jerusalem. So verses 6 to 10 talk about David conquering Jerusalem. Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land and they said to David you shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away, thinking David cannot enter here. They thought that their fortress was so impregnable; it was such impossibility that David could conquer their city. They said it would take blind people and crippled people to defend this city against you. There’s no chance of you entering the city.

Now and you are aware of where Jerusalem is from current events. In Israel it’s a central place but all of this time since the days of Joshua, the Jebusites maintain control of Jerusalem, might want to jump back to Joshua Chapter 15. If you don’t want to just wait a minute and I will read it to you. Joshua 15 and verse 63, now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out. So the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day as the writer of Joshua sets it out. But now 400-500 years we are going to come and David is going to conquer the city of the Jebusites, the city Zion and it will become the city of David.

So verse 7 nevertheless David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David, it takes his name. David said on that day whatever strike the Jebusites led him reach the lame and the blind. In other words, whoever is going to get into the city, he can take on the lame and the blind that are defending. He is picking on their mockery and what happens is from what is stated here they will conquer the city through the water tunnel.

Turn over to First Chronicles Chapter 11 from Second Samuel to First Chronicles Chapter 11 and you will get there faster than me because you left the marker and I didn’t. Verse 6 David said whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be a chief and commander. Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief and that explains to you how Joab comes to be the leading man and the head of the armies of Israel now that David is installed as king.

You might be interested in 1867 they discovered a tunnel about 230 feet in length which was ran from spring to Mount Zion, top of Mount Zion and provided water for the old city here and was evidently through this water tunnel in light of verse 8 of Second Samuel 5 that David’s men were able evidently to gain access to the city without anybody expecting it and so through this water tunnel that was for the intention of providing a constant supply of water from the spring outside the city. So that they couldn’t be, a siege couldn’t bring them to submission because they didn’t have water and David’s men are able to gain access to the city, the conquered the city. And so you have the beginning of the Davidic reign in Jerusalem and that city will some day be the capital of the world when Christ comes to rule and to reign.

Verse 10 tells us the secret of David’s success. David became greater and greater for the Lord God of hosts was with him. The king of Tyre provides building materials, carpenters, stone masons and David builds his palace, his house in Jerusalem. Verse 12 David realized the Lord had established him as king over Israel, that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. It was God who put David on the throne and God was acting on the basis of his grace toward the nation Israel.

Now you read verse 12 David realized the Lord had established him as king over Israel, that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people. It’s somewhat of a letdown to read verse 13. Meanwhile David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he came from Hebron. So now he has more kids, he is multiplying wives.

Come back to Deuteronomy 17 some of you asked about this because David started to do this at Hebron. Now he adds to his collection of wives and concubines, now that he is established at Jerusalem, he is building a splendid house for himself, a palace if you will and now he is following the pattern of the kings of the nations. And this is contrary to what God has instructed that says back in Deuteronomy 17 verse 14 when you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you possess it, live in it then you said I want a king like all the nations are around me.

Verse 15 you shall set a king over you the one that God chooses and so on. Then he says here’s what that king should not do. Verse 17 he shall not multiply wives for himself or else in his heart he will turn away and shouldn’t increase silver and gold. He shouldn’t use the nation to enrich himself, David will become a rich man and he becomes a man with many wives, and yet nothing is said about it. There’s no rebuke of David about this. One verse talks about the Lord had established David. The next verse talked about now that he is king and established and in a position to build a splendid house for himself, he multiplies his wives.

At no time during David’s life is David ever rebuked or called to account or disciplined of the Lord for this activity. It will be a disaster for his Solomon; his multiple wives will lead away from the Lord as God said they would. I am sure David would be brokenhearted to know that when his son follows his example he will turn away from the Lord that David loved so greatly. In the reminder of what we have been talking about in our studies. Well we need to be careful about the thinking we can decide what are major things with God and which are minor things. I might think that David would be rebuked here, brought under the discipline of the Lord, so you get the idea it’s not a big thing. Well just because doesn’t do anything about here, it doesn’t mean it’s not a significant matter. Sometimes we can’t tell why doesn’t God deal with this, why does he deal with this and not with this? This is going to come out even more clearly as we move along.

Verses 13-16 you get the additional children that David is having and some of those names as far as I know haven’t been reused much. So you maybe looking, I saw in the paper the people even are hiring people to find names that would not be so much used, but I will do it for you for free. Here are some names you might to select from. All right I can do that because we are not having any more kids.

Verse 17 when David was at war with Saul he wasn’t that much of a threat to the Philistines, in fact the Philistines were glad to have David because as David and Saul’s conflict is being to their benefit. It kept Israel someone divided, but now that David is solidified as the sole king over Israel, the Philistines are threatened and so they come up to try dethrone David or subjugate him for the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel. All the Philistines went up to seek out David and so David go to the stronghold, the Philistines come up to Rephaim that’s about three miles south of Jerusalem and they are a great host. You see David’s character again. David’s first response he inquired of the Lord saying shall I go up against the Philistines and you read this kind of thing when you think you would have read of David asking of the Lord should I get more wise, you know read that. Would be it all right in Deuteronomy 17, 17 if I do multiply wives interesting, but here you do see part of David’s Godly character even though we don’t have an answer to his action with his wives. He does in fact, he will go to war. Here is a man who is a fierce warrior; he has led the armies of Israel when Saul was king. This is not a new position for David, but he still wants to be sure it’s God position for him to go out. The Lord tells him go out, I will give the Philistines into your hands.

He defeats the Philistines verse 21 they abandon their idols, so David and his men carried them away. You think well why did they carry them away? And what are they going to do with them? Well we will turn back there, but First Chronicles Chapter 14 verse 12 tells us they gathered them up and took them and burned them. So there again you get insight. The account in Samuel just says they gathered them up and carried them away, it doesn’t tell you what they did with them.

When you go to the account in First Chronicles Chapter 14 verse 12 you are told that they gathered them up, took them away to burn them and so they followed the instruction of Deuteronomy Chapter 7 verse 5 and verse 25 that these kinds of images and idols were to be destroyed.

Verse 22 the Philistines have been defeated, but they regroup and come back once again and once again verse 23 they are in the valley of Rephaim. Verse 23 David inquired of the Lord. Now the instruction law is a little bit you don’t go up and take them on, head-on like you did the last time. Rather you come around behind them in front of the balsam trees. It shall be when you hear the son of marching in the top of the balsam trees then you shall act promptly for you know the Lord has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines. The Lord will indicate with the sound that he creates in the trees that he has moved out to defeat the Philistines. So now David come out to follow and you see here the credit for the victory goes to the Lord. The armies of Israel will accomplish it because the Lord going out before him that brings victory. So David did just as the Lord commanded him.

Verse 25 as we have been talking about, that’s the secret of success, that’s the person who honors the Lord, he does just as the Lord commanded him and there is blessing, and there is victory.

Come to Chapter 6, David is ready to move the ark, the ark, the will note where it is and so on as we along and he is going to bring it up to Jerusalem to Kiriath Jearim where it has been for some time. The ark is not a large entity and I am not good at measurements, but it’s a little over three feet, almost four feet wide, long, it’s two and half feet width length and two and a quarter feet high, saying also it’s a box, it’s a chest. And think of the ark as this big, huge thing sometimes seen in pictures of movies. It’s a rather small chest, it had a lid of pure gold called the mercy seat, and there are two cherubs facing each other with their wings spread covering the mercy seat. Contained in the ark called the ark of covenant it contains the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai, it contains Aaron’s rod which butted and it contains a sample of the manor. The mercy because it’s there that the Lord meets with Israel and bestows his mercy on them.

We are told in verse 1 David gathered all the chosen men of Israel, 30,000. He arose and went with all the people who were with him and you have a corbelled Judah here, you have in the margin Kiriath Jearim where the ark has been. To bring up from there the ark which is called by the name, it bore the name of God because this is the place where God’s presence in Israel is manifested. This is where God, if you will meets with the nation. Its manifestation represents his presence in the nation. God had explicitly and the details are in Exodus 25, go back and read.

There it tells you how the ark is to be constructed, it’s dimensions. How the cherubim are to be placed on the ark, the solid gold lid. It also specifies very clearly that there are to be rings on each corner of this chest. There are to be poles placed through the rings that are permanently left there and the only way the ark is allowed to be moved is when the Levites, designated priests carry that ark with these poles. And only the Levites are permitted number Chapter 3 verse 31, Chapter 4 verse 15, Chapter 7 verse 9 in addition to what is revealed in Exodus 25 indicate that the Levites are to carry it with these poles.

So here’s what happens, David is ready to move the ark and you have got thousands of people here for this time a great event. They place the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab were leading the new cart. They brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. Meanwhile David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, with lyres, harps tambourines cast in that symbol, I mean all the musical instruments are playing, the people are celebrating, the king is there, I mean they are honoring, they are trying to honor the Lord. Men you know one more significant event that the ark which is the place where the Lord meets with us as his nation. But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God, took hold of it for the ox and nearly upset it. The anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, God struck him down for his irreverence, and he died there by the ark of God. David became because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah.

Verse 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day. How can the ark of the Lord come to me he said and David wouldn’t move the ark of the Lord any further to Jerusalem. So it’s taken aside to the house of Obed-Edom and there it remains for three months.

Now you know in First Samuel 6, if you have been here for our study of First Samuel remember when the Philistines captured the ark of the Lord that was on the day when the sons of Eli died and Eli gets the word and he falls over backwards off the bench and breaks his neck and his dies, great tragedy in Israel then the Lord brings plagues on the Philistines for having the ark. So they decide to return it and they put it on a new cart and sent it back to Israel. Why could the Philistines put the ark on a new cart sends back and you know what the oxen would right to Israel? Well remember the Philistines weren’t Jews, I mean they shouldn’t have the ark and they had no way to transport the ark because the ark could only officially before the Lord be carried by the Philistines. So the fact the Philistines did it, nothing happened. They were already under plague for having it because it didn’t belong there, but now it’s in Israel and the Jews are especially accountable to God for their handling of it. So it’s on the ark -- on the cart, begins to fall over.

Why didn’t it begin to fall over when the Philistine sent it back and got these oxen going along and this cart could tilt and the ark, but it doesn’t, but here all of a sudden an accident. The oxen evidently move in such a way, the cart becomes unstable and you are going to have the ark. What a disaster for the ark to fall off of the cart and get broken! What do you do? I mean you understand the ark is almost 500 years older – around 500 years old by now. I mean this is a serious antique object that’s not in significance, but I mean this is not something made yesterday. So its significance in Israel, I mean what would you have done if you were Uzzah, you would step back and let it crash to the ground. Seems that here is a man willing to do, it has to be done, he puts his hand to stabilize the ark. Thank goodness for men like Uzzah. No God strikes him dead on the spot. David is really upset, he is upset that God would strike Uzzah dead for such an action and he is afraid because of that, I mean is this a big thing, which I have been talking about, some people think you just major on the majors in scripture, is this a big thing? What would you have done if you were done walking along the ark? And the carts starts to tilt, the ark is going to fall on the ground. Let the ark of the Lord that’s been the center of his presence in Israel for 500 years just crash to the ground and break, would you think it would have been the right thing to do to put your hand up and keep it from falling? Maybe the really you have a breast here we got the holiness of the Lord, I don’t know what will happen if I bring this into Jerusalem, what will be the problem, we are not going any further. Park the ark in the house of Obed-Edom and it’s there for three months and God blesses Obed-Edom and all of his house. You know one thing being established here of the holiness of God is a dangerous thing, I mean this is just not a box, this is of special significance because God has given it the significance, must be handled this way and not to - verse 7, is an act of irreverence, it’s not treating God as holy. You can’t touch it Uzzah and when you do it’s an act of irreverence, it is not treating God as holy. They say now we are in a box, what do we do? What would you have done? What I have done? Well you know what even the Levites weren’t permitted to touch the ark or look into it.

Come back to numbers Chapter 4, now we tell you a bad theology always catches up to you. Disobedience has a way of multiplying, you don’t do one thing what the word of God says you must do. Now you find yourself in a box, what do I do? Now they haven’t done what God said they should do, carry the ark only by the poles. Now we have got it on a cart and it’s falling over. Since we didn’t do what the word of the God said in the first place. Now what do we do? We let the ark fall on the ground or do we catch it. We are in a lose situation, right? Because we are in a situation we didn’t belong in, they should have never been here in the first place because the ark should never have been on a cart – good intentions don’t count.

Numbers Chapter 4 verse 15 when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects talking moving the furnishings of the tabernacle and so on, and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the campus is set out. After that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them, so that they will not touch the holy objects and die, that’s why you got poles, don’t pick up the ark and it is small enough we could just get one or two men to pick it up, know you are not allowed to touch it, that’s why the poles are there, that’s why you don’t take the poles out. There are always there for it to be moved.

You can read it in Exodus 25, you don’t take the poles out, you run them, you put them through the rings and they stay there. There never be a reason to touch this even the priests who are the only ones allowed to move it aren’t allowed to touch it nor are they allowed to look into it.

So look down in verse 19, but do this that they may live and not die when the approach the most holy objects. Aaron and his son shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load. They shall not go in to see the holy objects for a moment or they will die. These are serious matters I think. Well look we pick up a few verses, couple of statements in numbers, but how major is all this – I mean you just get a statement in Exodus 25 they put poles there and it’s to be carried by the poles, but really isn’t the real thing as long as we get the sense, the principle here of what’s important, show respect to the ark. Could that be the principle? As long as you honor the principle, the details won’t be that important. Tell that Uzzah it’s not enough to honor the principle show respect, they showed respect, they didn’t put it on any old cart, they put it on a new cart that hadn’t been used. They are praising the Lord and on none of that undoes the fact -- they haven’t done what God says – good intentions don’t matter.

Come back to Second Samuel Chapter 6 verse 8, David is angry. Verse 9 David was afraid, verse 11 it’s put in the house Obed-Edom. Now we are not going to take the time, but if you go back to First Chronicles Chapter 15 verses 18-24 you find out a little bit about Obed-Edom and you find out he was a Levite of the family of Korah and he was one of those instructed to be responsible for the ark. So that is fitting his house as being blessed. God brings blessings verse 12 and following to the house of Obed-Edom and now word will come to David. David is told of the blessings of God in the house of Obed-Edom and so they decide to bring the ark to Jerusalem when David hears of those blessings. You know what happened David knows why Uzzah had to die.

We will go back to First Chronicles 15, I don’t want to just tell you about it you will see it here we get details filled in First Chronicles 15. So if you want the full details you can read these, but in First Chronicles 15 verse 11 then following David called for Zadok, Abiathar the priests and for the Levites and names them and so on.

Verse 12 he said to them you are the heads of the father’s household of the Levites, consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. Note this verse 13 because you did not carry it at the first the Lord our God made an outburst on us for we did not seek him according to the ordinance.

Verse 15 the sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord. David is a man of the word, he realizes you know what we come up with our own idea, God didn’t bless what we chose to do, it brought his judgment. Now you the priest consecrate yourselves, we have to transport the ark like God said it has to be transported, you will carry it with the poles. The reason God struck Uzzah is we weren’t doing what God said and he bore the judgment for that.

Verses 14-16 David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, he was wearing a linen ephod and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouting sound of the trumpet. It happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David and Michal the daughter of Saul, remember that’s the wife of David, Saul’s daughter that he married that was given to another man then David got back saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord. She despised him in her heart. They brought the ark of the Lord in, set it in its place in the tent which David had pitched for it. David offered burnt offering, piece offerings before the Lord. When they had finished offering the burnt offering, the piece offering he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of host. He gave the people gifts as part of the celebration of this memorable event. Now David returns to his house and his wife is waiting for him, one of his numerous wives. David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and she said how the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself in the eyes of his servant’s maids says one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself though you didn’t look like a king at all, you didn’t have on your kingly robes, you are there in this linen ephod which was the garment of a priest, David is not a priest, but he is joined here with those who are priests and they prefigure the one who will be the king priest, the priest after the order of Melchizedek who will sit on the throne of David – Christ in the ultimate. But Michal doesn’t think he is covered up enough. She doesn’t think it was dignified. I don’t think that David carried himself with the respect he is carrying on out there in this worship and so she rebukes him. David said to Michal it was before the Lord who chose me above your father, above all his house to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel therefore I will celebrate before the Lord. I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be distinguished. It doesn’t matter what people think I was worshipping the Lord, my concern is what the Lord thought. See the humility of David in this, Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. Think Michal here may show that her character is somewhat like that of her father, she doesn’t understand the passion of worship of the living God that David has. And we all know this, there’s a separation between Michal and David, no children come out of that relationship and this is part of God’s plan, there will be no mixed seed of David and Saul’s line to confuse the line of king. There’s no potential that person could say well now we have the descendant of Saul and the descendant of David, that would be the best king – the line of Saul is done and there will be no king from Saul’s line and Michal will have no children. Something of David’s Godly character because you read this and say well maybe she was right, maybe David should have acted a little more dignified. Scriptures clear David is right.

Come over to First Chronicles Chapter 16, First Chronicles Chapter 16 David composed a wonderful psalm in honor of this occasion then you see something of his heart here. Chapter 16 in First Chronicles they brought in the ark of God and placed it inside the temple which David had pitched for it. They offer the sacrifices, reiterate some of what we saw in Second Samuel Chapter 6.

Then we are told in verse 7 on that day David first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord and here’s the psalm that is composed O give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; speak of all his wonders. Here’s what is being declared and what is being sung. Glory in his holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord in his strength; seek his face continually. Remember his wonderful deeds which he has done, his marvels, and the judgments from his mouth. O seed of Israel, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen one. He is the Lord our God’ his judgments are in all the earth. Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations, it’ a long psalm all the way down through verse 36. Portions of this psalm are contained in our book of the psalms. You read psalm 105 and then you have references where portions of this psalm were included in the book of psalms, tremendous psalm; I encourage you to read all the way down concludes in verse 36. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said amen. So here on this tremendous occasion this song is proclaimed that it’s been written for this occasion then come into his house Michal’s has missed everything.

I mean you read through this psalm verses 24 tell of his glory among the nations, his wonderful among all the peoples for great is the Lord greatly to be praised, he is to be feared above all Gods for all the Gods of the people are idols, they are nothing. But the Lord made the heaven’s splendor and majesty before him, strength and joy are in his place and on we go. And all Michal can think is you didn’t have enough dignity. I mean one of the slave girl is going to think when they see the king jumping around out there and singing and praising – you need to have more dignity, you know her view of the king was what her father was, not what her husband is. And so she really will have no significant place now in David’s life and reign.

Well let me make a number of observations here quickly first the Lord’s word is always accomplished. Back in Chapter 5 of Second Samuel verse 2 remember we could go back and if you have been here it’s been repeated back to the time when Samuel anointed David. God’s word is always accomplished even though it took years for it come to come about, now David is anointed king, God’s word never fails to accomplish his purposes. Remember Peter wrote in his second letter even though people say where is the coming of the Lord, you know it’s been millenniums and you have been saying the Lord is coming, and he hasn’t come. Lord is not slow about his promises, he is not slack, his word will come true.

Number two success is a result of the work of God in our lives. Down in verse 10 David became greater and greater for the Lord God of host was with him. We don’t want to create our own success, the only true success is the success that God brings -- relates to what we were talking about and some events that go on. We think that by our methods we do that which will be pleasing. To God the true success is measured by obedience and then God brings the success that honors him, not always easily seen in the things of the world.

A good point, a good thing to keep in mind, arrival at God’s appointed destination doesn’t mean an end of conflict, but then finally David is king, he can relax and enjoy it. What happens? Verse 17 -- the Philistines come to attack, what happens in verse 22, the Philistines come again to attack, but David is finally king after years of difficulty and trial, and hardship and waiting. He is finally king over all Israel, but that doesn’t mean the problems are over. So ought to think O well finally that’s behind me -- yes but it doesn’t mean now everything will necessarily be easy.

First response should always be to seek the Lord, that is an outstanding part of David’s character. Verse 19 David inquired of the Lord, verse 23 inquired of the Lord. Now with that next point verse 25 David did what the Lord commanded, I mean not to inquire of the Lord and then not do what he says. We do what the Lord says that’s why we come to his word. A point we emphasize through this we must keep it in mind good intentions and not a substitute for obedience. Don’t try to sort out is this a big thing that I need to do or something I can ignore, you can never ignore what God says because you don’t know whether it will be a big thing or a little thing. You don’t know what God will do with your disobedience. Is it a big thing to move the ark with poles or put it on a new cart and perhaps the new cart seems more fitting, you place it above the crowd, you place it where it can be seen, you give it a dignity, you don’t improve on what God says, you just do what God says.

Good intentions are the substitute for obedience and the holiness of God is dangerous. So we think we just come before God, our worship could be casual, indifferent just whatever we feel because God should be pleased with that, God is not pleased. We are not doing him a favor by worshipping him. He is giving us a privilege and a great responsibility, the holiness of God is dangerous.

Verse 7, Uzzah is struck down for irreverence, disobedience brings wrath. Next point the holiness of God brings blessing verse 12, has told King David the Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God. Now David is going to be obedient and he will experience that same blessing, and that’s David’s example, verse 22 a willingness to be humble, I will be more lightly esteemed in this, I will be humble in my own eyes, you know the focus has been going is the Lord God of Israel, but it’s not me. Read that psalm we read portions of that were written for this occasion. It’s not all about David; it’s all about God and his wonder, and his majesty, his person. His good to David blends into the crowd here. He is one of the worshippers, it’s not focused on David, he is the king of Israel, it’s focused on the God of Israel, that how we come. We come to worship God, it’s not all about us, it’s about God, not about thinking what would people like if they come to our church.

We come as the people of God to worship God, desirous of what? What would God want from us? How can we most please him? How can we most honor him? That’s why we are concerned to give forth his word in his purity. We speak these things in the sight of God. We desire to be approved by him and if the unbeliever comes in then they might see and behold the worship of the living God by those we were in awe of him, who respect his holiness, who treat him with reverence as they call him father and enjoy intimacy with him as their God. Let’s pray to God.

Thank you Lord for you who are the greatness of your grace. Lord we see the fulfillment of so many of your promises to David. The passages we have looked at we realize your word will always be honored. It will always come true. Thank you that David was a man willing to wait upon you. Thank you for his faithfulness, thank you for his willingness to learn. Lord it’s easy for us to become casual in our worship of you. It’s easy for us to begin to think that our good intentions are improvements; our ideas will be pleasing to you. Yeah Lord we bow and recognize you have not called us to be creative and come with better ideas, you called us to obedience, you have called us to honor you by being faithful to your word, and that’s what we desire would be true of us. Thank you for your patience, thank you for your faithfulness even when we are unfaithful. Bless us and the weak before us, bless the ministry that will take place in lives each day, bless our testimony for you. In that we do we pray in Christ’s name, amen.