SING A SONG OF PRAISE UNTO THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“And he said, ‘The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; In Him will I trust; He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; Thou savest me from violence.  I will call on The Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from mine enemies.”  2 Samuel 22:2-4 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  This entire chapter is the song of praise which David spoke or sang unto The Lord after He delivered him from the hand of his enemies, out of the hand of Saul.  The words are almost identical to the words of Psalm 18, and most of the Bible scholars believe that these words were written in his old age.  This was David’s public expression before the congregation of Israel of his gratitude for his deliverance from his enemies.  It was written and sung, to give praise, honor and glory to The Lord God.

 

APPLICATION

We have all been in at least one bad situation which The Lord God delivered us out of, or through.  We may not be able to compose a song of praise to The Lord, and we may not be able to sing the words of a song of praise in the proper key.  However, the Bible teaches us that we should “make a joyful noise” unto The Lord. (Psalm 66:1, Psalm 81:1, Psalm 95:1-2, Psalm 98:4, and Psalm 100:1)  We can read out loud the words of this psalm of praise, or some other psalm of praise, to give God glory.  As believers we should not have to be told to praise The Lord, we should do that spontaneously and frequently every day.

 

BATTLE WEARY AND RESCUED

PROCLAMATION

“Moreover the Philistines had yet war with Israel; And David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines; And David waxed faint.  And Ishbi-Benob, which was of the sons of the giant … thought to have slain David.  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah … smote the Philistine, and killed him.  Then the men of David swore unto him, saying, ‘Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle ...’ ”  2 Samuel 21:15-17 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  This was near the end of King David’s reign.  He was old and weak, but he did not flee from battle.  His spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak.  David needed help and The Lord God sent someone to help him in his time of need.  David had killed Goliath, (1 Samuel 17:45-51) but he had four sons and one of them, Ishbi-Benob, was about to kill David.  The Lord God sent Abishai to deliver David from his enemy and rescued him from Goliath’s son. (2 Samuel 21:15-17)  From that point on David’s men would not let him go with them into battle.  There were a series of battles to follow, each led be a giant, each of whom was killed by a different on of David’s men. (2 Samuel 21:17-22)

 

APPLICATION

We all have our enemies, some of whom are bigger, stronger, and more powerful than we are.  However, The Lord God is bigger, stronger, and more powerful than all of our enemies, and He will protect us from them and fight our battles. (2 Chronicles 32:8 and Psalm 59:9)  He is our help when we are in need, (Psalm 121:2) and He is our strength when we are weary and weak. (2 Corinthians 12:9)  Thanks be to The Lord God who has given us the victory over all of our enemies in this world through Jesus, The Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)

NOT EVERYONE IS WILLING TO FORGIVE

PROCLAMATION

“And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew a trumpet, and said, ‘We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel.’ ”  2 Samuel 20:1 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  As David was trying to convince the people to accept him again as king, not everyone who came to meet him was supportive of him.  There was a troublemaker in the crowd named Sheba who would lead a second rebellion against King David.  When Sheba openly opposed David, the men of Israel followed him and deserted David, but this time the men of Judah stayed loyal to him. (2 Samuel 20:2)  It is not stated whether or not Sheba was a part of the first rebellion against David led by Absalom.  It is also not stated why David felt that Sheba was more of a problem than Absalom or why Sheba was so influential. (2 Samuel 20:6)  However, after he left, David sent his men to pursue after Sheba and they returned with his head. (2 Samuel 20:22)  It is not stated whether of not David forgave the ten concubines he left to care for the palace who slept with Absalom, but he put them under house arrest and never again slept with any of them. (2 Samuel 20:3) 

 

APPLICATION

In every crowd there is always a troublemaker present.  Someone who undermines our position, opposes our plan, and wants to lead our followers in a different direction.  It is not always clear exactly why our haters hate us so.  Some people feel that we have done them wrong and they will not forgive or forget it.  Some people don’t like what we have said, or what we have done, or what we stand for, or for being who we are.  There is nothing that we can do to make some people like us, and we really should not try to.  We just need to be ourselves and to follow The Word of God and accept the fact that we will have some haters.  Jesus, The Christ, said that we would be hated (Matthew 10:22) but that we should remember that the world hated Him before hating us. (John 15:18)  So, we should rejoice and be glad because we will be blessed when people insult us, persecute us, or lie on us because of our beliefs, and we should know that we will receive a heavenly reward because of it. (Matthew 5:11-12) 

COMING BACK HOME IS NOT ALWAYS EASY

PROCLAMATION

“And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, ‘Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, “Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house?” seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.’ ”  2 Samuel 19:11 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  David had defeated all of the neighboring enemies of Israel under King Saul, and he defeated them again as the King of Israel after the death of Saul, but he fled the country to escape from his son Absalom.  Now that Absalom had died while leading Israel’s army against him, David was ready to return to Israel and to his throne.  First, he had to get over the death of his son and had to be reminded of who he was. (2 Samuel 18:33-19:8)  Then, he had to win over the hearts of the people.  The people of Israel had anointed Absalom as their king, and they had rebelled against David.  He had defeated the Israelite army, but now he had to deal with the people who had turned on him.  He had to remind some of them that they were his blood relatives (2 Samuel 19:11-14) and he had to forgive some of them for how they had treated him. (2 Samuel 19:19-23)  David honored those who had helped him (2 Samuel 19:31-39) and he had to settle the differences between the men who went with him and those who were against him. (2 Samuel 19:40-43)

 

APPLICATION

Many years ago, I was taught that the way we leave home determines whether or not we can ever come back home.  I also learned that it is possible to be accepted back into the house but that does not mean that we are accepted back into their heart.  Sometimes we can return home only to find out that things are not the same as they were before we left.  People can forgive, but they do not forget.  However, thanks be to God that our Heavenly Father is not like that.  Once we are saved and accepted into the body of Christ as a child of God, we are always accepted. (John 10:28-29)  We may backslide and turn our back on Him and break our fellowship with Him, but we never break our familial relationship.  Once we confess and believe, we are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)  Once saved, always saved.  When we mess up, we can pray and ask to be forgiven for our sins, and The Lord God forgives us, (Acts 8:22) and we are fully restored into the family and the fellowship. (1 John 1:6-7)

GET ALL THE INFO BEFORE DELIVERING A MESSAGE

PROCLAMATION

“And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, ‘All is well.’  And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, ‘Bless be The Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.  And the king said, ‘Is the young man Absalom safe?’  And Ahimaaz answered, ‘… I know not …’  And the king said unto him, ‘Turn aside, and stand here.  And he turned aside, and stood still.”  2 Samuel 18:28-30 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  In the battle with his son Absalom and the army of Israel, King David instructed each of his three commanders to be gentle with his son.  David’s men routed the Israelite army.  They were not prepared to fight in the forest.  As he fled, Absalom’s long hair got caught in the branches of a large oak tree and his mule kept going leaving him hanging in the tree.  Absalom was proud of his very long hair (2 Samuel 14:25-26) and that vanity played a part in his demise.  Joab’s soldiers found him there and, remembering King David’s words, they would not harm him.  When Joab arrived, after confronting the first soldier to find him, Joab thrusted three spears into his body and then ten of his armor-bearers attacked Absalom and killed him.  Ahimaaz the son of Zadok asked to carry the news of the victory to the king but Joab initially told him no and sent the Cushite runner instead. (2 Samuel 18:19-21)  A little while later Ahimaaz asked again if he could run to the king with the news even though there was no need for him to do so. (2 Samuel 18:22-23)  This time he was allowed to go, and he outran the Cushite and got to the king first, but he could not give a full report.  It was the Cushite who arrived later that told the king his son was dead.

 

APPLICATION

Sometimes in our haste, we go off “half-cocked” without all of the information that we need in order to present the whole story.  The first report of “breaking news” is not always the most accurate and it is usually lacking in specific details.  All too often we give out misinformation because we do not have, or intentionally do not present, all of the facts.  Sometimes we accept what we have heard as the truth and share that with others without bothering to verify the information for ourselves.   We are to also read and study The Bible and verify that which heard is in fact the truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)  Without personally reading and studying The Bible we are relying on the words of others whose message may be missing significant information. 

WHEN WE RECEIVE CONFLICTING ADVICE PRAY

PROCLAMATION

“And Hushai said unto Absalom, ‘The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.  For,’ said Hushai, ‘thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men … and thy father is a man of war …’ ”  2 Samuel 17:7-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After King David fled from Jerusalem and Absalom had occupied the city, Absalom first sought the advice of Ahithophel, who had been David’s advisor.  He advised Absalom to take two thousand men and attack David now while he is weary. (2 Samuel 17:1-3) Then he sought the advice of Hushai, who had been David’s friend.  He advised Absalom to gather all the men of Israel and then lead the attack on David from a position of superior numbers because David and his men were mighty men of war. (2 Samuel 17:4-13)  Absalom liked the plan proposed by Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:4) until he heard the plan offered by Hushai. (2 Samuel 17:14)  From a military perspective, the advice of Hushai was better than the advice from Ahithophel, but it was also better for David because it gave him more time to prepare for the battle.  David was warned of Absalom’s plan and he left the field and crossed over the Jordan river. (2 Samuel 17:15-22) 

 

APPLICATION

We should be very careful regarding who we listen to or seek advice from.  Almost everyone has an opinion, and advice is readily available everywhere from multiple sources.  However, when the well-respected experts disagree on a matter and offer us different advice, we need to give the matter prayerful consideration.  The “good advice” which we receive may very well benefit someone else.  More importantly, good advice is only “good” if we ask the right question.  That is why we need to take everything to The Lord in prayer. (Ephesians 6:18)

CURSED FOR HIS PRIOR SINS

PROCLAMATION

“And when King David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came forth, and cursed still as he came.  And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.  And thus said Shimei when he cursed, ‘Come out, come out, thou blood man, and thou man of Belial;  The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and The Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a blood man.’ ”  2 Samuel 16:5-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  Because his son Absalom had become popular with the people, and had amassed himself a large army, and had declared himself to be king, David and his loyal followers and his family fled Jerusalem.  He went up to the top of the Mount of Olives. (2 Samuel 15:30)  On the other side of the summit he approached the town of Bahurim.  It was here that the man from Saul’s clan came out, cursed him, and threw rocks at him. (2 Samuel 16:5-8)  One of Davis’s men wanted to kill him for cursing the king, but David stopped him.  Even though he had not killed Saul, or his sons, or any members of his household as Shimei accused him of doing, he was a murderer.  David considered Shimei’s cursing to be part of God’s punishment for his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah and he humbly accepted it. (2 Samuel 16:9-13)  Meanwhile Absalom and his men came into Jerusalem and those who had remained there became loyal to him. (2 Samuel 16:15-19)  Then on the advice of Ahithophel, David’s former council, Absalom slept with David’s concubines. (2 Samuel 16:20-23)

 

APPLICATION

As believers in Jesus, The Christ, we do not lose our salvation because we sinned after being saved.  We may lose the joy of our salvation and The Lord God may permit us to suffer as part of our punishment for our sins.  Some of the troubles that we endure and the storms of life that we go through may be things that we brought upon ourselves.  “For whom The Lord loveth He chastened …” (Hebrews 12:6)  The Lord God forgives us of our sin once we confess and repent.  However, the devil continues to bring our past sins to our remembrance in order to make us feel unworthy and to doubt with our relationship with The Lord.

PLANNED EVIL REBELLION

PROCLAMATION

“And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.  And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”  2 Samuel 15:5-6 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After King David told Joab to bring Absalom from Geshur back to Jerusalem, Absalom stayed in his own house and did not come face to face with the king. (2 Samuel 14:23-24)  Absalom was in Jerusalem for two years before King David sent for him. (2 Samuel 14:28-33)  Then Absalom began to plot to take over the throne beginning by standing outside of the gates to the city and greeting all who came to see the king. (2 Samuel 15:1-4)  He greeted them, kissed them, told them what he would do if he were the judge, and he won the hearts of the people. (2 Samuel 15:4-6)  Later he went to Hebron after sending his men ahead of him to proclaim him king of Hebron. (2 Samuel 15:7-10)  Absalom offered religious sacrifices with invited guests to help his conspiracy gain strength.  He even sent for King David’s adviser, Ahithophel, to be with him to give his position more credibility. (2 Samuel 15:12)  He gained so much popularity with the people that King David and his followers had to flee from Jerusalem for their safety. (2 Samuel 15:13-14)

 

APPLICATION

Not all sins are impulsive acts or random acts of bad judgement.  Some sins are carefully planned and well thought out in advance.  People will often engage others to help the pull off their evil schemes.  Some of the people who are with us one day, can be persuaded to help work against or undermine us.  There is at least one Judas in every crowd, and often there are several of them.  As the song says, “Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend; Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within …” (The Undisputed Truth)  Sometimes, unbeknownst to us, people will use us in their evil schemes to help them deceive others.  Not all business propositions, money making plans, or religious organizations are actually what they are presented to be.  We need to pray for God’s help before we decide who to let into our homes or into our inner circle of friends. (2 John 1:10)  People don’t take advantage of us by accident, it is done intentionally.  We need to pray for God’s protection.

SOMETIMES WE CAN SEE THROUGH PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“Then the king answered and said unto the woman, ‘Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask of thee.’ … And the king said, ‘Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this?’  And the woman answered and said, ‘… thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid …’ ”  2 Samuel 14:18-19 (KJV) 

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After he had his brother Amnon killed for raping his sister, Absalom fled and went to Geshur, because his mother was the daughter of the king of Geshur, and he stayed there for three years. (2 Samuel 13:37-38)  Then Joab, who was the captain of the army under King David, perceived that David’s heart was soft for Absalom (2 Samuel 14:1) and sent for a wise woman from Tekoah.  Joab told her to pretend that she was in mourning and told her what to say to King David. (2 Samuel 14:2-3)  The woman did as Joab had told her to do.  She faked the whole story in order to make a point to the king.  Near the end of her discourse she told David that she was referring to him and that he had judged and convicted himself by not bringing back his banished son. (2 Samuel 14:13-17)  It was then that David saw through her and knew that Joab was involved in this with her, and he confronted her about his involvement. (2 Samuel 14:18-19)  Then David sent Joab to get Absalom and bring him to Jerusalem, but he was to go and stay in his own house which he did for two years before coming face to face with David. (2 Samuel 14:21-33) 

 

APPLICATION

Some people are very good at lying, and are such good actors, that they can put on an academy award winning performance and really deceive people.  However, if we listen to and observe most people, their spoken words and their behavior will allow themselves to be read like an open book.  The ability to discern the motives of people is a gift from God which all of us have not been blessed to receive. (1 Corinthians 12:10)  There is an old saying, “If you give a person enough rope, they will hang themselves.” (Author Unknown)  We need to learn to listen to people but not necessarily believe everything that they say.  We also need to pray to God for discernment so that we can distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve The Lord God and those who do not, so that we do not fall victim to those who seek to deceive us.

DAVID'S SON AMNON IS KILLED FOR RAPING HIS SISTER

PROCLAMATION

“Now Absalom had commended his servants, saying, ‘Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, ‘Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not; have not I commanded you?  Be courageous, and be valiant.’  And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded …”  2 Samuel 13:28-29 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  David’s son Amnon became obsessed with his beautiful half-sister, Tamar. (2 Samuel 13:1-2)  With the help of his advisor, Amnon developed a plan, pretending to be sick, to have King David send Tamar to care for him and feed him. (2 Samuel 13:3-7)  Tamar went to his house and prepared a meal for him.  When she took the food to his bedroom, he grabbed her, and he raped her, and then he sent her away from him. (2 Samuel 13:8-14)  When Absalom found out what had happened to his sister, he hated Amnon, but he kept quiet about it. (2 Samuel 13:20-22)  Two years later he devised a plan to kill Amnon for disgracing his sister.  Absalom held a feast at sheep-shearing time and invited the king and all of his sons to the feast.  Absalom commanded his servants to wait until Amnon was “merry with wine” and then kill him. (2 Samuel 13:23-29)  David was told that Amnon was dead and that Absalom had killed him because he had raped his sister Tamar. (2 Samuel 13:32) After this Absalom fled to Geshur and stayed there for three years. (2 Samuel 13:37-39)

 

APPLICATION

The Bible teaches us to flee fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18) and that no one is to have sexual relations with any close relative. (Leviticus 18:6-18)  Forced sexual relations with an unmarried relative just make a bad situation worse, and the passage of time does not erase the sin.  While we are taught not to hold a grudge against one another, (James 5:9) however, some people can hold a grudge for a long time.  Just because time passes by and no rage is shown towards us does not mean that we got away with a sin without getting caught.  Man may not catch us, but we will have to pay for our sin.  Those who live after the flesh will die because of the flesh. (Romans 8:5 and 8:13)  The Lord God sees all (Psalm 33:13) and one day we will have to give an account for our actions. (Luke 16:2 and Revelation 20:12-13)

THE SIN AND THE PUNISHMENT

PROCLAMATION

“Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of The Lord, to do evil in His sight?  Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house …”  2 Samuel 12:9-10 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After King David had slept with Bath-Sheba and after he had her husband Uriah killed, The Lord God sent Nathan to David with a message. (2 Samuel 12:1-4)  Nathan told David a parable.  After he heard the parable, David was angry with the man in the parable.  He said that man must pay four times over for doing such a thing and he must die.  Nathan told David that he was that man. (2 Samuel 12:5-7)  By his actions David had shown no regard for the law of God, the Ten Commandments.  The sixth commandment is: “Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)  The seventh commandment is: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)  Nathan told David that someone from his own household would openly sleep with his wives, and that the child of David’s union with Bath-Sheba would die. (2 Samuel 12:7-14)  After Nathan left, the child born to David and Bath-Sheba became ill and died. (2 Samuel 12:15-19)  While the child was ill, David fasted and wept, but when he died David resumed normal activities. (2 Samuel 12:21-23)  Bath-Sheba would later bear David a second son, Solomon whom God loved. (2 Samuel 12:24)  David would soon have to flee his palace for fear of his son Absalom. (2 Samuel 15:13-14)  Afterwards, Absalom would sleep with David’s concubines during the day in the sight of all Israel. (2 Samuel 16:22)

 

APPLICATION

There will be a price to pay for willful disregard and disobedience of God’s Word.  It does not matter who we do wrong to or with, all sin is a sin against The Lord God. (Psalm 51:4)  As a believer we will not lose our salvation because of a sin, but we interrupt the fellowship and lose our joy. (Psalm 51:12)  We need to acknowledge our sins (Psalm 51:3) and ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness. (Psalm 51:1-2)  Only The Lord God can clean us up after we sin, (Psalm 51:7) and only He can create within us a clean heart and a righteous spirit. (Psalm 51:10)

OUR LUSTFUL SINFUL HUMAN NATURE

PROCLAMATION

“And it came to pass … 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.  And David sent and enquired after the woman.  And one said, ‘Is not this Bath-Sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’  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.”  2 Samuel 11:2-4 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

It was springtime and time to go to war, but this time King David did not go with the Israelite army, he chose to remain in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:1)  While walking around on the rooftop patio of his palace, David saw a beautiful woman bathing, probably on the roof of her home.  After he found out who she was, David sent for her, and she came to him, and he slept with her.  David let his lustful human nature take control and he sinned.  Actually, David had compounded the first sin, lust, with a second sin, adultery, and then later with another sin, murder.  David had her husband killed so that the sin which he had committed with Uriah’s wife, and her subsequent pregnancy, would not be discovered. (2 Samuel 11:14-17)  After a period of mourning for Uriah, Bath-Sheba became David’s wife and she bore him a son.  His actions displeased The Lord God and David would have to pay for his sins. (2 Samuel 11:27)

 

APPLICATION

David was a man after God’s own heart, (1 Samuel 13:14) but he was human, he was a man, and like all men he was a sinner. (Romans 3:23)  Here he let his lust for Bathsheba get the best of him.  David was not where he was supposed to be, he was idle, he had a wandering eye, he did not suppress his sinful thoughts, he acted on them.  We all have weakness for one sin or another, and a sin is a sin.  We are more likely to fall into temptation when we are not where we are supposed to be.  There is an old saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”  We all occasionally have sinful thoughts (Proverbs 23:7 and Matthew 5:28) and at times we act on those thoughts and thereby committing another sin.  That is why we need to pray and ask to be forgiven for our sinful thoughts, words, and actions.  We also need to ask The Lord God to create within us a clean heart and mind, (Psalm 51:10) and for Him to guide and direct us. (Proverbs 3:6)

MISUNDERSTOOD AND HUMILIATED

PROCLAMATION

“And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.  Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun 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 the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, ‘Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father ..hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?’  Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved of the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.”  2 Samuel 10:1-4 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  When Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, died, his son Hanun succeeded him.  King David heard that Nahash had died he wanted to show kindness to his son Hanun because Nahash had been kind to him. (2 Samuel 8:12)   So David sent a delegation to Hanun to express his sympathy regarding his father’s death. (2 Samuel 10:1-2)  But King Hanun listened to the commanders of his army and treated King David’s envoy as if they were spies.  He humiliated them, cut off half of their beards, and then sent them away naked from the waist down.  Then he formed an allegiance with the Syrians, with the Maakahites, and with the Tobites to prepare for war because he felt that he had offended David. (2 Samuel 10:6)  When David heard of this, he sent Joab and the entire army against Hanun.  They killed thousands of them and the rest fled. (2 Samuel 10:7-19)

 

APPLICATION

Our good intentions and our efforts to be kind to someone can be misunderstood.  Sometimes something as simple as a smile, or a kind word, or a random act of kindness can be completely misunderstood.  Even when we clearly state our intentions, our words may not be accepted or believed.  That may be caused by the person’s own suspicions, lack of trust, or paranoia.  The misunderstanding may also be the result of some misinformation or bad advice from others.  Their personal opinions are not a problem for us unless they choose to take actions against us because of them.  Then we need to pray and ask The Lord God for protection, guidance, and directions.  If we are left to our own devices, we will probably make an emotional response and commit a sin. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

DAVID SHOWS KINDNESS TO THE GRANDSON OF SAUL

PROCLAMATION

“… And David said, ‘Mephibosheth.’ … ‘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.’ ”  2 Samuel 9:6-7 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After expanding the borders of Israel, David asked if there was anyone left from the house of Saul that he could show kindness to for Jonathan’s sake. (2 Samuel 9:1)  Ziba, the head servant from the house of Saul, said that Jonathan had a son who was lame in both feet and living in Lo-Debar. (2 Samuel 9:2-5)  King David sent for Mephibosheth and he was brought to him.  David told him not to be afraid, he only wanted to show him kindness for his father’s sake.  David gave him all of the land which had belonged to his grandfather Saul, and he told Ziba to take his sons and servants and farm the land, and then bring the crops to him. (2 Samuel 9:6-12)  From that time on, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and ate at the king’s table. (2 Samuel 9:13)

 

APPLICATION

All of our blessings are not due to our own behavior.  Mephibosheth was blessed because of his father Jonathan, the son of Saul.  Some of the blessings that we receive today are because of our family; they are the results of the prayers of our parents and our grandparents.  Children are not aware of all of the things that their parents do for them, and they are definitely unaware of their parents’ prayers for them.  Regardless of their present behavior, we need to continue to pray for our children.  There is power in prayer, and prayer changes things.  “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)

DAVID ENLARGES THE TERRITORY OF ISRAEL

PROCLAMATION

“And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them; and David took Metheg-Ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.”  2 Samuel 8:1 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  In the course of time after The Lord God made His covenant with David, he went out and subdued the Philistines and took back control of Metheg-Ammah. (2 Samuel 8:1)  Then David defeated the Moabites, killing two thirds of them and making slaves of the rest of them.  David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, and captured a thousand of his chariots and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. (2 Samuel 8:2-4)  When the Arameans came to help the king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them and put the rest of them in garrisons and used them as slaves. (2 Samuel 8:5-8)  Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer and he sent his son Joram to greet and congratulate David and brought him articles of gold, silver, and bronze.  All of these gifts and the plunder from his victories was dedicated to The Lord. (2 Samuel 8:9-12)  David also defeated the eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and he put garrisons throughout Edom and made them his slaves. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. (2 Samuel 8:13-14)  The remainder of the chapter listed the names and titles of the officials who served with King David. (2 Samuel 8:15-18)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God was with King David and he expanded the borders of Israel to the northeast (into Syria), the southeast (into Moab), and the south (into Philistine).  The Mediterranean Sea was the western border.  The Lord God can enlarge our territory today and expand our sphere of influence.  If we are doing His will and pursuing kingdom building efforts, He can increase the effectiveness of our soul winning activities and increase the reach of our efforts to spread His Holy Word.  The Bible says the harvest, the world of lost souls, is truly great, but the laborers are few. (Matthew 9:37 and Luke 10:2)  If we are willing to work for Him, He can use us.  Each of us has a God-given gift, talent, or ability, the question is: are we using it to glorify God?

 

GOD MAKES A PROMISE TO DAVID

PROCLAMATION

“… I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own … rest from all thine enemies.  Also The Lord telleth thee that He will make thee an house … I will set up thy seed after thee … I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build an house for My name …”  2 Samuel 7:10-13 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After the king was settled in his palace, The Lord gave him rest from all of his enemies.  David said to Nathan the prophet that he was living in a house of cedar while the ark of God is in a tent. (2 Samuel 7:1-2)  Nathan told David to do whatever he wanted to do because The Lord God was with him.  However, The Lord appeared to Nathan that night and corrected him saying that while He appreciated David’s desire to build Him a house, He would not let him do so.  That honor would go to David’s son.  However, The Lord said that He would build a house for David. (2 Samuel 7:3-16)  The remainder of the chapter is David’s prayer to The Lord in response to what Nathan had told him. (2 Samuel 7:17-29)

 

APPLICATION

There is an old saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” (Henry G. Bohn)  It is not what we intend to do, but what we actually do that counts.  However, in this text, The Lord God gives King David credit and also a reward for his desire to build a house for the ark of God. (2 Samuel 7:11)  The Lord knows our thoughts, intentions, and motives. (Hebrews 4:12)  He knows our hearts. (Luke 16:15)  For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)  So, we need to ask The Lord God to create within us a clean and righteous heart. (Psalm 51:10)

 

THE ARK OF GOD IS BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM

PROCLAMATION

“… So David went and brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with gladness … And David danced before The Lord with all his might … and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of The Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.”  2 Samuel 6:12-15 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  King David gathered together thirty thousand young men and went to the house of Abinadab in Gibeah to get the ark of God and bring it to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 6:1-3)  They placed the ark on a new cart and the sons of Abinadab, Uzzah and Ahio, went along with them to guide the cart.  Along the way, one of the oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out and touched the ark.  The anger of The Lord was kindled against Uzzah and He struck him down and he died right there. (2 Samuel 6:3-7)  David was both angry with and afraid of The Lord God and was not willing to take the ark to Jerusalem.  Instead he took the ark to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.  The ark remained there for three months and The Lord blessed him and his entire household. (2 Samuel 6:8-11)  When David was told how The Lord had blessed the household of Obed-Edom, David went and got the ark and brought it to Jerusalem.  The Israelites rejoiced, shouted, and sounded the trumpets as the ark entered the city.  David was leaping and dancing before The Lord.  They placed the ark in the midst of the tabernacle, then David sacrificed the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, blessed the crowd, fed them, and then they went home.  When David got home his wife Michal, the daughter of Saul, told him that she saw him dancing around shamelessly and she was displeased.  David responded to her that in the future he would become even more undignified and he would humiliate himself before The Lord God. (2 Samuel 6:19-23)

 

APPLICATION

When we get seriously into praising The Lord, it is not important what the people think.  Our focus should be on praising The Lord and not on entertaining the people.  Our praise should be sincere and individualized, and not a copy of someone else’s dance or praise.  We should not be quiet to avoid embarrassing our family or friends; if we lose friends, then so be it.  Christ said that if His followers are quiet and don’t praise Him, then the rocks will cry out. (Luke 19:40)  No rock will have to speak for me; I will praise The Lord. 

DAVID BECOMES KING OVER ALL OF ISRAEL

PROCLAMATION

“So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and King David made a league with them in Hebron before The Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel.”  2 Samuel 5:3 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After the death of King Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, all of the tribes of Israel came to Hebron and the elders anointed David king over all of Israel. (2 Samuel 5:1-3)  Soon after he became king over Israel, David led his men and the Israelite army to attack the Jebusites who controlled Jerusalem.  They thought that their fortress was impenetrable but David captured the city, took up residence there, built it up and the area around it, and called it the city of David. (2 Samuel 5:6-9)  As time passed, David became more and more powerful because The Lord God Almighty was with him. (2 Samuel 5:10)   

 

APPLICATION

David was a young man when The Lord chose him and had the prophet Samuel anoint him in front of his brothers. (1 Samuel 16:11-13)  Quite some time had passed before he was anointed king over Judah. (2 Samuel 2:4)  Even more time passed before he was anointed king over all of Israel. (2 Samuel 5:3)  Whatever The Lord God has in store for us will be ours, but we will only receive it when He is ready to give it to us, and when we are ready to receive it.  We need to be patient and wait upon The Lord.  Good things will come to them that wait upon The Lord. (Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37:9, and Isaiah 40:31)  So, “… wait, I say upon The Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)  If God is for us, then no man can stand against us, block us, or stop us. (Romans 8:31)

THE KING OF ISRAEL IS MURDERED

PROCLAMATION

“For when they came into the house, he lay on his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.”  2 Samuel 4:7 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After the death of Abner, commander of Saul’s army, Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul and now king of Israel, lost his courage and became alarmed as did all of Israel. (2 Samuel 4:1)  The nurse who cared for Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, who was lame in both feet, was also alarmed and picked him up and fled, but in her haste she dropped him injuring his legs even more. (2 Samuel 4:4)  Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, were the leaders of raiding bands in Saul’s army and they set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth.  They found him in bed taking a noonday nap and they killed him and cut off his head and slipped away. (2 Samuel 4:5-7)  They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David saying here is the head of your enemy.  David told them what he did to the man who thought that he was bring him good news regarding the killing of Saul.  Then David told them that their reward for killing an innocent man in his own bed would be that their lives would be required of them.  David gave the order to kill them and cut of their hands and feet, and hang them by the pool in Hebron.  The head of Ish-Bosheth they took and buried in the tomb with Abner. (2 Samuel 4:8-12)

 

APPLICATION

Subordinates and coworkers may turn against you, or leave you for what they perceive to be a better opportunity.  To some people the grass always appears greener on the other side or in another yard.  This may not be true, but perception is nine tenths of reality and when they leave you will be left high and dry.  The best that we can do is to water our grass regularly.  Make sure that their responsibilities are clear to them.  Create a positive encouraging environment for people.  Give out frequent compliments, gifts, rewards, bonuses, and incentives for good work.  People tend to stay where they feel appreciated.  This also applies to our personal relationships.

 

ABNER LEAVES THE HOUSE OF SAUL TO HELP DAVID

PROCLAMATION

“So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as The Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do so to him;  To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul to set up the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan even to Beer-Sheba.”  2 Samuel 3:9-10 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After David was made king over the southern kingdom and Ish-Bosheth was made king over the northern kingdom, there was a long and bitter war between the house of David and the house of Saul. (2 Samuel 3:1)  During this time David had six sons, one by each of his six wives. (2 Samuel 3:2-5)  Meanwhile, Ish-Bosheth and Abner, commander of Saul’s army, fell out because Abner slept with one of Saul’s concubines. (2 Samuel 3:6-11)  Abner then sent messengers to David saying that he would him to become king over all of Israel.  David’s reply was that was fine but he must bring to him Michal the daughter of Saul who was betrothed to him for the price of one hundred Philistine foreskins. (2 Samuel 3:12-16)  Abner spoke with the elders of Israel and also the Benjamites regarding making David king over all of Israel.  Then Abner went to David and told him all that he had done on his behalf.  Then Abner left David in peace to go and make arrangements for the covenant to make David king of Israel. (2 Samuel 3:17-21)  Joab, commander of David’s army, was upset when he returned from a raid and learned that Abner had met with David and that he had sent him away in peace.  Then without telling David, Joab sent for Abner.  When Abner was brought to him, he took him to an inner chamber, as if to speak to him in private, and there he killed him to avenge the death his brother Asahel. (2 Samuel 3:22-27)  When David learned of this, he cursed Joab and his family.  David then had a public lament for Abner and wept for him. (2 Samuel 3:28-39)

 

APPLICATION

We need to be very careful how we treat and speak to our friends and supporters.  A loyal supporter can be pushed to the point that they will turn on you and then work against you.  We should treat people as we would like to be treated. (Matthew 7:12)  We should also speak to people in the same way which we would like to be spoken to. (Colossians 4:6 and Proverbs 15:1)  Our words are powerful, and they can be helpful, but our tongue can also cut people like a sword. (Proverbs 12:18)  We should think before we speak. 

DAVID ANOINTED KING OVER JUDAH

PROCLAMATION

“And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah …”  2 Samuel 2:4 (KJV) 

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  In the course of time after the death of Saul, David inquired of The Lord, asking should he go to one of the towns in Judah and The Lord told him to go to Hebron. (2 Samuel 2:1)  Then David and his men with their families went to Hebron and they settled there.  The men of Judah heard that David was in Hebron and they came up to Hebron and anointed David king of Judah. (2 Samuel 2:2-4)  When King David heard that the men of Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul, he sent messengers to them, blessing them for what they had done for Saul.  He said because of their kindness towards Saul that he would show kindness towards them. (2 Samuel 2:4-7)  Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner and commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth, the fourth and last son of Saul, and made him king over Israel and the northern tribes.  The tribe of Judah and the southern kingdom, however, remained loyal to David. (2 Samuel 2:8-11)  There was tension between the northern and southern kingdoms, and soon there was war between them. (2 Samuel 2:12-32)

 

APPLICATION

David was a young man when The Lord had chosen him and the prophet Samuel had anointed him in front of his brothers. (1 Samuel 16:11-13)  Quite some time had passed before he was anointed king over Judah. (2 Samuel 2:4)  We need to recognize that we will receive whatever it is that The Lord God has in store for us, but it will be done on His timeframe.  We need to be patient and wait upon The Lord.  Good things will come to them that wait upon The Lord. (Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37:9, and Isaiah 40:31)  So, “… wait, I say upon The Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)

DAVID LAMENTS SAUL AND JONATHAN

PROCLAMATION

“And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son; Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow …”  2 Samuel 1:17-18 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  Two days after David had returned to Ziklag from the slaughter of the Amalekites, a man arrived with torn dirty clothes saying that he had escaped from the Israelite camp.  David inquired of him how the battle went and the man told him that the Philistines had defeated the Israelites.  Many of them had fled and many died, including Saul and his sons. (2 Samuel 1:1-4)  Then David asked him how he knew that Saul and Jonathan were dead.  The man said he happened to be on Mount Gilboa and saw Saul who was wounded and leaning on his spear.  He said that Saul asked him to kill him and so he did.  Then he said that he took the crown off of Saul’s head and the band off of his arm and brought them and presented them to David. (2 Samuel 1:5-10)  David and all of his men tore their clothes and wept for Saul and his son and the army of The Lord.  David asked the man where he was from and he said that he was an Amalekite.  Then David told one of his men to kill him because he had testified that he had killed one of The Lord’s anointed. (2 Samuel 1:11-16)  David lamented the death of Saul and Jonathan and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught the lament of the bow.  The remainder of the chapter is the psalm of lament which David composed for Saul and Jonathan. (2 Samuel 1:19-27)

 

APPLICATION

Sometimes people brag about their wrong doings, and maybe even exaggerate them, and they expect to be appreciated if not rewarded for their efforts, like the Amalekite mentioned above.  Everybody is not to be believed.  In the end, people get what they deserved, not necessarily what they wanted.  It is also important to note that David did not dishonor or harm the anointed man of God, even when he was wrong.  We need to learn to respect the people that God puts in charge even when we disagree with them.  We should not harm the person or the reputation of the anointed of God. (1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15)  We should pray for them.

 

THE DEATH OF KING SAUL

PROCLAMATION

“Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, ‘Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me.’  But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid.  Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.”  1 Samuel 31:4 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After David and his men had been sent home, the Philistines fought against the Israelites.  Losing the battle, the Israelites turned and fled with the Philistines in hot pursuit.  Three of Saul’s sons were killed and Saul himself was critically wounded by an archer.  Saul told his armor bearer to kill him but he was terrified and would not do it.  So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it and died.  Seeing that Saul was dead, his armor bearer then took his own sword and fell upon it and died.  Saul and his sons and all of his men died on the same day as the prophet Samuel had predicted. (1 Samuel 31:1-6)  When the Israelites saw that their army was defeated, they abandoned their towns and fled.  The Philistines came and occupied them.  When the Philistines found the bodies of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa, the cut off Saul’s head and stripped him of his armor.  They put his armor in the temple of Ashtoreths and hung his headless body and the bodies of his sons on the wall of Beth Shan. (1 Samuel 31:7-10)  When the men of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, they went at night and took their bodies off of the wall.  They took the bodies to Jabesh and burned them, and then buried their bones. (1 Samuel 31:11-13)

 

APPLICATION

There are those among us who are more concerned with how they die than they are with how they live.  They want to die with dignity, even though they did not live with dignity.  They want to be respected, even though they do not respect others.  The Bible says, “… for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) 

 

SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE

PROCLAMATION

“Then said David, ‘Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which The Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.  For who will harken unto you in this matter?  But as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff; they shall part alike.’ ”  1 Samuel 30:23-24 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After being sent home from the battle with Israel, David and his men returned to Ziklag to find that the town had been raided and burned.  Additionally, all of their women and children had been taken captive by the Amalekites. (1 Samuel 30:1-3)  The men wept and then became very distressed with David.  Then David inquired of The Lord if should he pursue the Amalekites and The Lord told him to pursue them. (1 Samuel 30:4-8)  David found a sick Egyptian slave whom the Amalekites had left behind to die.  They fed him and nourished him back to health and he led them to the Amalekites.  Then David attacked and defeated them, except for four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled. (1 Samuel 30:9-17)  David recovered everything that the Amalekites had taken and he brought everything back.  Some of his men did not want to share the plunder with the two hundred men who had been left behind.  However, David insisted that all of them share alike. (1 Samuel 30:20-25)  David also sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, and additionally he sent some to all of the towns where he and his men had stayed when they roamed about. (1 Samuel 30:26-31)

 

APPLICATION

Those who fought and those who stayed behind to guard the possessions will share equally in the spoils of victory.  Everybody on the team will share in the rewards of championship, those who played in the game and those on the bench and the practice squad.  Everybody on the team gets the same championship ring.  The Good Lord blessed the team with the victory and it is a team victory.  Everybody on the team played a part in the preparation for the game, even if they did not play in the game itself.  The victory belongs to all, so share and share alike.