The Crown – Season 2, Episode 1 - David - from Fugitive to King

Today we will start a new series of sermons based on the reign of king David – the second king of Israel. I’ll be using the book of 2 Samuel as my guide. So, let’s open our Bibles to 2 Samuel 1:1

2 Samuel 1:1 (NIV) — 1 After the death of Saul,

The book opens with this transition statement begging the reader to envision what will happen next. If you have been following the story we know that David has been the heir apparent for some time now having been anointed by the prophet Samuel years ago. Saul himself knows that David is slated to be the next king and this is the reason why Saul has been pursuing David. David knows it, Saul knew it, and the reader knows it also. But even though we know what is going to happen we don’t know how it is going to happen. Transfers of power don’t always go smoothly especially in the context of the ancient near east. We most note these things as we ponder what will happen after Saul dies:

Normally we would expect the son to become the next King. That is not the case here. David is not the son of Saul.

Ideally if the crown is not passed from father to son, we would like the new king to have the blessing of the former king and the former king’s family. That is not the case here. Saul has been trying to kill David and Saul has a son who has his eyes set on the crown. We will see in 2 Samuel 2 that Saul’s son Ish-bosheth becomes the king but only of the northern tribes. David does indeed become king but only of the southern tribes. The northern area is often referred to as Israel while the southern area is referred to as Judah.

David will eventually be anointed as king over the reunited nation of Israel but only after Saul has been dead for 7.5 years and only after a time of civil war between the north and the south. All that turmoil is recorded in 2 Samuel 2-4. There’s a good summary statement in 2 Samuel 5:4–5:

2 Samuel 5:4–5 (NIV) — 4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

In summary, it doesn’t go exactly smoothly after Saul dies. I notice that’s often the case. Even when God has a clear plan, as he had with David, the process normally doesn’t go smoothly. There are so many variables in life. There are so often people in our lives who are working against God’s plan and slow things down and make the process more painful. Give God time to work out his plans for you. Be patient.

Let’s take a closer look at how David reacts to the death of king Saul. David is in the city of Ziklag when Saul is killed on Mount Gilboa. There were no news outlets to let David know what had happened but one day a man arrives and has news for David:

2 Samuel 1:1–16 (NIV) — 1 After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor. 3“Where have you come from?” David asked him. He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.” 4 “What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.” “The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” the young man said, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, ‘What can I do?’ 8 “He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ “ ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered. 9 “Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’ 10“So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,” he answered. 14 David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. 16 For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”

I find it remarkable that David continues to show utmost respect for Saul and the utmost disdain for this foreigner who took it upon himself to kill Saul, or at least claim to kill Saul.

The rest of the chapter is a song of lament that David writes not only for himself but for the people of Judah. I can understand his lament for Jonathan, but when you read the song he wrote it’s not just a lament for Jonathan – it is a lament for Saul.

2 Samuel 1:23–24 (NIV) — 23 Saul and Jonathan— in life they were loved and admired, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 “Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.

I might have wept for Jonathan but certainly not for Saul. My reaction may have been more like the scene in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy’s house falls on and kills the wicked witch. Remember that? What happened? The munchkins all break out in celebratory song – Ding Dong the witch is dead!

Some may have expected David and his men to rejoice at the death of Saul. After all, he has been forced to run for protection and has for months been living as an exile among the Philistines. His hopes of returning to his family are not good, much less his dreams of fulfilling his God-given mission of becoming king over Israel. It could be argued that Saul has ruined his life. Why not rejoice? It might have been a dramatic scene, even a celebration of God’s confirmation, had David and his men broken forth in songs of praise and thanksgiving.

But instead of rejoicing, David and his men show signs of catastrophic grief, and they are unanimous in their mourning and sorrow (1:11–12). All of this proves for the reader that David has remained loyal to Israel and God’s people. He was forced to flee from Saul’s wrath and live among the Philistines, but he never lost his love and faithfulness for Israel.

Arnold, B. T. (2003). 1 & 2 Samuel (p. 411). Zondervan.

David remarkably has not been made bitter by his enemies.

Saul made life difficult for David, but he didn’t destroy him. If David had allowed Saul’s hate to determine his life, he would have been destroyed. He maybe wouldn’t have been killed, but he certainly would have been damned – reduced, cramped, and constricted by vengeance.

Eugene Peterson, Leap Over a Wall

What a picture of the gospel this is:

Matthew 5:43–48 (NIV) — 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Are we letting our enemies control us? Are you allowing bitterness and vengeance toward someone to turn you into a person you know you shouldn’t be?

Romans 12:14 (NIV) — 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

David was by no means perfect but here he demonstrates a respect for God’s choices even when undoubtedly he disagreed with how things were playing out. David continues to speak highly of Saul. He is able to see what he has brought to the nation in spite of his animosity toward David. It may do us well to think of those people who make life difficult for us and consider how we respond to them.

Love for enemies is an obligation for disciples.

Moving to chapter, look at 2 Samuel 2:1 (NIV)

In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered.

David inquired of the Lord. What a beautiful thought and one of the qualities of David that sets him apart from Saul. I don’t know if Saul ever “inquired of the Lord.” He often went on his instincts. He often acted on what was convenient. He often was swayed by the opinions of others. Isn’t that how we make decisions - what feels right; what is easy; what everyone else is telling us. But not David. He inquired of the Lord.

The expression “David inquired of the LORD” (2:1) tells it all.

It is David’s faithful and persistent dependence on the will of God that makes him suitable as Israel’s king. We want to be faithful too, but God’s will can seem all too elusive. Wherever we encounter the phrase “inquire of the LORD” (2:1) in the history of David’s rise, we as twenty-first-century readers must address the question: How does one inquire of God today?

Without denying the possibility of audible voices or dramatic writing in the sky, we must admit that God’s primary means of communicating today is through Scripture. Any spectacular revelation that contradicts Scripture is wrong. Through Scripture, we believe God still communicates and teaches us, just as he communicated and instructed in Old Testament days.

Arnold, B. T. (2003). 1 & 2 Samuel (p. 425). Zondervan.

How do you make decisions? Do you inquire of the Lord in major decisions of your life? Is your motivation to live in obedience to God?

Perhaps you have heard it said (or have said yourself): If only I could have the same kind of experience with God as Moses (or David, or X-biblical saint), then surely I would be as faithful as they were. In reality, we have the advantage over these biblical saints because of where we stand in relation to God’s redemptive acts in history and because we have in our possession the entire Bible

Though we may occasionally be in need of clarification and may not always feel we understand God’s direction in our lives, we should devote ourselves to living up to the light we have received while praying and waiting for further clarification.

Arnold, B. T. (2003). 1 & 2 Samuel (p. 425). Zondervan.

Let me offer these thoughts on inquiring of the Lord:

Go to the Word and be obedient. Be familiar with the Word. For instance, in this case of what to do with our enemies, the Bible says love our enemies. It’s not easy, but the command is clear.

Pray for the Spirit to give you clarification. This is certainly more mystical but I believe that’s one function of the Spirit. (John 14:26 (NIV) — But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Seek the advice of Godly people. (Proverbs 19:20 (NLT) — 20 Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.)

David seeks God’s guidance and obeys. He goes to Hebron.

So the story of King David begins. There will be good times and there will be hard times. There will be times of glorious obedience and there will be times of shameful sin. Sometimes we will say, “Be like David!” Other times we will say, “Be anything but like David.” But the one thing we can say about this broken man – he lived his life in the presence of God or at least he was always open to the presence of God.

Eugene Peterson wrote, “Every event in his life was a confrontation with God.”

Are you living in awareness of the presence of God? Are you patiently seeking his will? Are you obedient to his call? Are you sensitive to his correction? Are you interpreting everything that happens in your life as an encounter with God?

It was David who wrote the beautiful Psalm 23. As I read this to you notice how David expresses his awareness of God’s presence in every aspect of his life.

Psalm 23:1–6 (NKJV) — 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

David is not a man after God’s own heart because of his military success or his stirring poetry. Not because he was morally perfect or an inspiring leader. But because he lived in the presences of God. And today I want you to know that God is present in your life. Present in your victories and present in your defeats. Present in your joy and present in your sorrow. Present on the mountain top and present in the valleys. Always present and always calling us to follow him – follow him all the way home.