A New King in Town
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week we saw that Ish-Bosheth died—well he was murdered by two of his own men.
Abner was killed by Joab to revenge
the death of his brother, Asahel.
We were told that there was one left in the house Saul, his name was Mephibosheth. We are also told that he was disabled—lame.
We also learned last week that Abner was working on a deal to hand the northern kingdom over to David to serve as king of them as well.
So with all of the drama of the last couple of chapters, the question is who is going to lead the northern kingdom? And that is where we pick up our story. So if you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to 2 Samuel chapter 5 and we’ll begin reading with verse 1.
David Becomes King
David Becomes King
All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.
The tribes of Israel continue to pursue the arrangement that Abner was working on.
So they come and begin by acknowledging that they are all related—they are all sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’ ”
They are buttering him up:
—When Saul was king, David led may of the military campaigns.
—They acknowledge that the Lord said, “You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.”
When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
David makes a covenant with the leaders of the tribes of Israel.
And they anointed him king over ALL of Israel.
So David’s rule hang on three points:
His relationship with the people—they were kin.
His proven ability as a leader—led the military conquests of king Saul.
And his divine election—God chose him to be king over all Israel.
These are the same three hangers that Jesus’ kingship hangs on.
His relationship to us.
2. His proven ability.
3. His divine appointment.
Now we are given some time markers.
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.
At this point we are given a couple of time markers.
—First, David was 30 years old when he become king of all Israel. This was the “ideal” age to assume power in the ancient world.
—The second time marker is that David ruled over Israel for 40 years.
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
And a couple of more time markers.
—David reigned over Judah for 7 years and 6 months, he did this from Hebron.
—He reigned over all of Israel for 33 years—and most of that time he reigned from Jerusalem.
If David is going to rule in Jerusalem, he is going to have to conquer Jerusalem, because it is under the rule o the Jebusites. And it had been under their control since the time of Joshua.
Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
It would make it the perfect place to establish the capitol of Israel, because it had been “neutral” to this point. But noting that it had been under the control of the Jebusites meant that it was well protected. Look at verse 6.
David Conquers Jerusalem
David Conquers Jerusalem
The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.”
David marched on the city.
But the city wasn’t concerned.
In fact, they taunted David a bit— “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” This speaks to the fortification that Jerusalem had.
The inhabitants believed their fortification would keep David out.
But look at verse 7.
Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.
Zion is the other name—the original name—for Jerusalem.
Now, we have a “Paul Harvey” moment—we’re going to get the rest of the story.
On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”
David told his troops, that anyone who can conquer the Jebusites would have to go through the water tunnel.
In fact, that is the reason that the lame and blind could never conquer the city.
David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces inward.
David moves into the fortified city.
He called it the City of David.
And he made improvements.
Verse 10 gives us an important detail:
And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
First we are told that David become more and more powerful.
Then we’re give the reason for his success—because the Lord God Almighty was with him! So it was God that made him more powerful.
To show the kind of power that David had we’re given a short story.
David’s Kingship Proven
David’s Kingship Proven
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.
Hiram the king of Tyre sent messengers to David.
They brought with them cedar logs, carpenters and stonemasons.
And they built a palace for David.
Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
The action of king Hiram proved to David that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel.
And God exalted David’s kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
David’s Family Grows!
David’s Family Grows!
Now we’re told how David grew his family while in Jerusalem.
After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.
More concubines.
More wives.
And more children: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
Philistine Conflict Continues
Philistine Conflict Continues
With a new king in place, Israel’s arch enemy decides to try their luck again and challenge the new king! In the last part of chapter 5 we are given the record of two different battles. Let’s begin with the first one.
When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.
The Philistines heard that David was no longer simple the king over Judah—but now all of Israel. This made him a significant threat!
So they went out in full force to try to capture David.
But David heard about it, and we’re told he went to the “stronghold.” This could have been the Cave of Adullam, or it could be referring to Jerusalem as the stronghold. I think David left Jerusalem, and went to the familiar protection that he knew well—the Cave of Adullam.
Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;
We need to understand a little bit about geography, because the valley that the Philistines spread out across—the Valley of Rephaim—it means the valley of giants—is only about 3 miles southwest of Jerusalem.
so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”
David often inquired of the Lord.
This time he asks if he should go to fight the Philistines.
But more importantly, if he should go fight will he win?
God answers him! And the answer is positive on both accounts! David should go fight, and God will deliver them into his hands!
So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
So David went to Baal Perazim.
There he defeated the Philistines.
David credits Yahweh for the victory.
So he called the place Baal Perazim—literally, God of Breakthroughs.
The defeat was so complete that the Philistines abandoned their idols as they fled—and David’s men carried them off.
Now on to the second battle.
Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;
So here we go again. The Philistines are back in the Valley of Giants—the Valley of Rephaim.
so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
Once again, David asks the Lord if he should go out to battle.
The Lord says he should go out to fight—but not in the usual way.
The Lord says go around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.
The Lord says as soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, he is supposed to move quickly.
Because the sound that they hear will be the sound of the Lord going ahead of them to strike down the Philistine army.
So David did as the Lord commanded.
And he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
So What
So What
Part of the book of Samuel, is to show the similarities between King David and King Jesus. We looked at it in the early this morning.
So David’s rule hang on three points:
His relationship with the people—they were kin.
His proven ability as a leader—led the military conquests of king Saul.
And his divine election—God chose him to be king over all Israel.
These are the same three hangers that Jesus’ kingship hangs on.
His relationship to us. John 1:14.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
2. His proven ability. John 1:1-4
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
3. His divine appointment. John 3:16-17.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
This passage refers to David as a shepherd of God’s people.
In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’ ”
Jesus is refer to himself as the “good Shepherd” in John 10:14-15 .
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
This reminds us that Jesus can be trusted. He cares so much about His sheep that He would lay down His life—and in fact already has laid it down for us.
Philippians 2 8 reminds us of this very fact when we read:
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
That is exactly how much Jesus cares for us. Being a Christian is not about all the rules and regulations that are so often a part of formal religion. The reality is being a follower of Jesus Christ is to have a relationship with Jesus—who gave His life so that you and I can have a relationship with Him, both now in this world, and forever in eternity.
Jesus has proven His amazing relation to us. He proved His amazing resume. And He was divinely appointed to be our Savior.
But what makes Jesus the most amazing to me is that was willing to lay down his life for us! And actually did!
That’s why we can trust the reality of our memory verse for this week:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.