2 Samuel 5:1-10 | God Establishes

Good morning! We got any dad’s in the house with us this morning! Yeah! So I wanted to take a moment here to honor father’s and I thought it’d be fun to do something a little different.

You all remember those “real men of genius beer commercials from the early 2000s”.... REAL MEN OF GENIUS! You remember… how could we forget those beauties! Each commercial starts out with that jingle... Real men of Genius and then a movie trailer voice speaks those famous words… today we salute you… and then launch into a bit honoring some dude for his ingenuity or whatever.

So I wrote one of those for Dad’s this morning.

Imagine you just heard the jingle… Real Dad’s of Crossroads.....

This one goes out to you oh Patriarch of Patriarchs! You who know that a hammer is not just a tool, but a magical device that can fix anything – if it don’t fit… you just need a bigger hammer! To the dad who bravely tackles assembling IKEA furniture, without ever consulting the instructions, because who needs Swedish hieroglyphics when you've got sheer determination and an ice cold beverage!?

To the man who taught us the fine art of grilling – cooking with the BTUs of a thermonuclear disaster, that backyard gourmet who can turn a simple hamburger into a charred masterpiece, all while imparting the secret wisdom of "it's not burnt, it's well-done."

Here's to the dad jokes that make us groan, yet somehow, we find ourselves repeating them. "Why don't skeletons fight each other? They don't have the guts." Classic, Dad. Classic.

To the hero who always seems to have exactly what we need in his garage, toolbox, or bottomless pockets – a tool, a tissue, a pack of gum from 1995, and always some sound advice: that’ll feel better when it quits hurtin’.

To the guardian of the thermostat, the keeper of the remote control, and the only person who knows how to set the clock on the microwave.

You’re not just a dad, you’re a DIY doctor, a sports coach, a financial advisor, and occasionally, a taxi driver. You’ve turned “I’ll call my Dad” it our family’s life moto and the most common answer to tackling our problems. I’ll call my dad!

In those quiet moments, when no one's looking, you’re the rock, the provider, and the protector God has set over our families. Just as the Good Book says, you, show us all more of who Jesus is as you shepherd and lead us, watching over his flock, ensuring safety and provision.

So, here's to you, Dads. For all the laughs, the lessons, and the love. Your dedication is biblical, your strength unwavering, and your love, a picture of Christ. Cheers to the men who embody the true essence of fatherhood. Dad’s we love you! Keep up the good work!

Real Dad’s of Crossroads!....

There you have it! With a touch of humor but also sincerity, dads, we love and appreciate you for tirelessly providing for your families and working to build a better future for us all!

Now speaking of dads, I want you to picture with me a hypothetical Father, let’s call him Wade.

Wade's a dedicated dad from a small Midwestern town. Wade's the kind of guy who thinks “work-life balance” means carrying two coffee mugs into work at once. He’s known for his incredible work ethic and determination, working at the local factory to provide for his family.

Wade believes that the world's ways of climbing the corporate ladder, accumulating wealth, and seeking recognition will bring him the security and happiness he longs for his family. So, he takes on extra shifts, working weekends and holidays, hoping to fatten up the savings account. He even dabbles in get-rich-quick schemes— he’s gonna ride some crypto currency to the moon, as they say!

And at first, it looks like Wade is on the fast track to success. He buys a new truck that makes all his neighbors jealous and renovates his house, adds a shiny new deck where he can grill his famous burgers, a pool that his kids are super pumped about. Wade thinks he is nailing this fatherhood thing.

But here's the kicker—despite all the extra shifts and investments, Wade starts feeling the heat. Stress mounts, and he barely sees his family anymore. Those promising investments? They tank faster than a lead balloon. And then the factory cuts back his hours, leaving Wade with less income and more stress.

Wade's health starts to take a hit. The man who once prided himself on being Superman now feels more like Clark Kent without the phone booth to change in. The world's ways promised Wade success and stability, but they delivered more chaos than a toddler on a sugar high. Wade realizes that he has built his life on a shaky foundation, one that is crumbling beneath him.

This is a bit dramatic, I’ll admit, but it’s a plausible story and a powerful reminder that the world's ways often promise success but fail to deliver lasting stability. As fathers and as families, we seek to build a firm foundation for our loved ones and in our passage today, we will see how to do just that.vIn 2 Samuel 5:1-13, we learn how David is established by God, not through the world's methods, but by trusting in God's promises and following His ways of justice and righteousness.

I’ll invite you to open your Bible’s and we’ll read together the culmination of the first 4 chapters of 2 Samuel which ends with David being firmly established by God as King over Israel.

2 Samuel 5:1–13 (NIV)

1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 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.’ ” 3 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. 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. 6 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.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David. 8 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.” 9 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. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. 11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 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. 13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.

Alright, that’s the passage provided by the Revised Common Lectionary. If you recall, we’ve been following the RCL and the liturgical Church calendar all year. It’s a well-chosen passage, and on the surface appears pretty neat and tidy. However, when approaching Scripture, it’s always beneficial to read not only the passage but also what comes before and after in order to fully grasp its context. And this morning, there's quite a context to delve into!

As I said, the passage we just read is pretty neat and tidy. If you were with us last week, you might recall Wes discussing the deaths of King Saul and his heir, Jonathan—David's close friend. And then we read this morning that God and the nation of Israel appointed David as King. And if we’re not careful, we might draw the conclusion that David’s road to Kingship was eezy peezy — smooth sailing. Which. It was not. Quite the opposite actually.

In chapters 2 through 4 of 2 Samuel we get a soap opera drama written not by the folks of Hollywood but by believers in God directed by His Holy Spirit. And what they recount is a script fit for the big screen. It’s got political intrigue and assassinations! Heads roll.... literally. It’s got sex and scandal, vengeance, car chases and explosions. I’m kidding. There aren’t any explosions, but there are explosive plot twist around every corner.

In these four chapters, we meet four key characters: David, Abner (Saul’s army general), Ish-Bosheth (Saul’s son and Israel’s puppet king), and Joab (David’s army commander). We get a glimpse at their character as they navigate the chaos following the deaths of King Saul and Jonathan.

It's no surprise that when a significant political leader dies, their passing creates a massive power vacuum. Which triggers a chaotic and sometimes deadly scramble among contenders eager to seize power.

Well, if you dive into these chapters, you'll see three of the characters attempting to use worldly means to grasp power, stabilize the nation of Israel, and secure a future for themselves and their families.

Abner stands out as a highly ambitious and cunning man. As Saul’s army commander, he commands immense respect nationwide. In 2 Samuel 2, you’ll discover that Abner orchestrates the installment of Ish-Bosheth as the next king of Israel. The story reveals Abner’s motive: Ish-Bosheth is depicted as a weak-willed king, so it seems that Abner installs him as a mere puppet.

Abner uses manipulation and political maneuvering to try and establish himself, his family and restore order to Israel and Ish-Bosheth is shown to be nothing more than a puppet in his hands. Ish-Bosheth isn’t a man of conviction but rather is content to ride the coat tails of everyone else to keep his seat, saying and doing whatever the crowds and people in power like and avoiding what they don’t to preserve himself.

Eventually, Abner realizes that Ish-Bosheth’s weak-willed leadership is going to end in disaster, so Abner shrewdly, switches sides and manipulates or orchestrates a treaty with King David, promising to bring the 11 tribes of Israel over to David and Judah’s side thereby uniting the Kingdom of Israel as 12 tribes and one nation under God with liberty and justice for all!

David accepts his offer, because after all, God promised and anointed David as King over the whole nation not just the tribe of Judah.

But then Joab (Again, David’s Army General) hears of Abner’s treaty and as it turns out Abner killed Joab’s brother earlier in a civil war battle and so Joab doesn’t care what King David has said, in order to restore stability to his family and protect and provide for them, he decides Abner must tie. So he talks Abner into a private meeting where Joab takes vengeance into his own hands and he murders Abner!

And while that’s happening we then learn that 2 other random leaders of pirate bands in Israel, sneak into Ish-Bosheth’s house (Israel’s puppet King) and they cut off his head then deliver this failed King’s head to David.

As I said, lots of drama going on here. Now why does the author include all of these details. Because, he wants us to see how David responds to these situations!

When pitted against the ways of the world which are filled with political maneuvering, power grabs, murder, vengeance, and assassinations, how would God’s newly chosen King respond?

Would he trust in the ways of the world and seek to try to establish himself, using his own strength and political prowess or would he follow God and his ways entrusting God to establish Him and his family?

So how does David respond to all this? Well, he aces the test!

When Saul and Jonathan die in battle, David weeps over their deaths and writes a lament to honor them across the nation of Israel!

This is a big deal Church. Saul tried to kill David on multiple occasions. Saul was an enemy of David, but he was also the Lord’s anointed King. And David respected God’s choice, never taking his future into his own hands but always trusting the Lord’s timing and His ways and when offered the opportunity to choose vengeance David instead choose mercy forgiveness.

He did the same thing with Abner. David could have been threatened by Abner as Joab was. David could’ve had Abner killed when he called the meeting to make an alliance and unite the nation of Israel. But again David choose mercy and the good of the nation as a whole rather than personal vengeance.

Joab, however, took matters into his own hands and murdered Abner. Which was convenient for David. Right the death of the rival general is a shrewd turn of events politically for David, but how does David respond to Joab’s murder of Abner? Well, he curses publically Joab and rather than celebrate his Abner’s death David commands the nation of Israel to enter into mourning and to honoring Abner as an Israelite commander war hero. David distances himself from Joab’s reckless actions, once again proving himself to be a man of integrity, justice, righteousness, mercy and forgiveness!

And what of Ish-Bosheth’s assassins? Right, those guys who chopped off Israel’s King’s head in his bedroom? Well, David, had them executed for killing the Lord’s anointed and their political maneuvering using worldly means and murder to try and advance themselves and gain favor with David.

All these stories and details serve to shows us the kind of character David had. He truly was a man after God’s own Heart. When given opportunities to seize power, recognition and wealth by human means, David chooses to let God establish Him and follow God’s ways instead!

And we’re told that through all of this in 2 Samuel 3:36 that

2 Samuel 3:36 (NIV)

36 All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king [David] did pleased them.

Now, I know that took some time, but we’ve got to understand the context to understand the significance of our passage this morning.

And the context then gives a whole lot more weight to what the people of Israel say in v. 1 and 2 of chapter 5. When all of Israel, that has just come through a civil war, they all come together, probably standing next to brothers, sisters, family members of those who’ve they’ve slain in battle, they all come together because of God’s grace which has been worked out through David’s commitment to God’s ways and his leadership, they all come together and say, we will serve you as our King and I want you notice the 2 reasons they why they say they’ll give David their loyalty; they cite David’s past leadership under Saul and the Lord’s promise!

The fact that God had promised to establish David and the fact that David’s past had shown him to be a man who would trust and follow God and his promises rather than use earthly means to try and grasp power for himself! These are cited as the reason the people unite around David. He’s a man who trust God and as such, God blesses and establishes Him.

Which is why we’re told about David taking Jerusalem. This serves as evidence of God’s establishment and blessing. Then with Jerusalem is probably the most strategic and fortified city in the promise land and to date no other leader had successfully taken it. But David on God, did!

The author wants us to know that God establishes David because David trusted God’s promise and followed God’s ways! He says as much in 2 Samuel 5:10

2 Samuel 5:10 (NIV)

10 And he [David] became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.

That’s what happened and what I believe it tells us about David, but why should we care and what does it mean for us today?

For starters, the Bible doesn’t just tell us what happened, it tells us what always happens.

Here we see the reality that Nature abhor’s a vacuum! In the absence of strong leadership, chaos reigns and cultivates an environment of testing, where our true character will shine through. Abner, Joab, and Ish-Bosheth showed that they were men who trusted more in their might and cunning to build a life for themselves rather than God, whereas David shows us a great example of someone who was established by God not because of His own strength but rather because of His trust in God’s promises and God’s strength and timing.

So I think one point of application for us is to simply ask the question of our selves, what comes out of our lives and character when life squeezes us? Do we default to worldly ways and worldly might or do we remain steadfast in our faith in Jesus and in His ways! Do we try to force things on our own or do we rest in God and trust Him to make a way?

Along with this, we can see in this text what makes a good leader. Abner was a bad leader because he cared mostly about himself and showed that he’d flip flop on issues to advance his own agenda. Ish-bosheth was a bad lead because he was weak and lived with little convictions. When pressed, he caved on his convictions to protect his position. Joab was a bad leader because he didn’t respect God’s authority represented through David’s Kingship and often did things in the name of the greater good that were not just or righteous! Joab justified personal vengeance by claiming to be serving the greater good and David’s Kingship!

If David’s road to Kingship shows us anything, it’s what to look for in a leader. We should be looking for someone who upholds the righteousness and justice of God as well as the mercy of God!

Not sure if you’re aware of the Presidential election coming up or not but there’s stuff in here that should inform our votes. Sadly, I’m not sure either of the front runners have hearts after God. Both appear to be more in the line of Abner, Joab and Iso-bosheth’s camps. But that is a topic for another sermon,however, I would encourage all of you to be praying for the election and the next president!

More than that, here’s what I really want you to see, please stop bemoaning the state of our country or the future of our world as if some president is going to redeem and fix what’s broken! The hope of our country and this world does not rest on a president or a political party!

I’ve lived enough life now under 8 presidents to know, the president may change, but most things at least in everyday life stay the same! My hope, our hope, the hope of our towns and country, the hope of this world does not rest upon a political leader!

Now hear me, I’m not saying it doesn’t matter. We’ve seen here this morning that it does. Israel suffered under Saul’s reign and in the aftermath of the vacuum created by his death! People died, and hardship ensued! And under David’s reign there was greater human thriving, which I want you to know is God’s desire! He desires good and godly leadership to restrain evil and promote His goodness, His justice and mercy and righteousness so that humanity can thrive and live well, but even with the best leaders, we as a people we are still lost and hopeless apart from Jesus Christ!

You see, as positive and triumphant as the beginning of 2 Samuel 5 is, it concludes on a somewhat of negative note.

David was anointed as God’s chosen King and there were a lot of things to commend about him as a man. He was merciful to his enemies. He was forgiving and a man of grace. He sought to uphold God’s justice and righteousness and wasn’t afraid to bring judgement down on upon the wicked and those who would flippantly disregard God’s authority and designs. The unity and political prosperity God grace brought to bear upon Israel through David’s leadership is something our hearts long for and rightly so, but even as good as David was, we get a glimpse here into reality, that even the best of men fail and we would be unwise to entrust our hopes to them fully!

Look at 2 Samuel 5:11-13

2 Samuel 5:11–13 (NIV)

11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 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. 13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.

If you were a Jew, this would have stood out to you! The Author has just spent the last 5ish chapters in 2 Samuel building up David and making a case for Him as the man who would unite Israel and bring about God’s flourishing to the people. He’s a man whom God established because David chose to follow God in His ways of justice and righteousness rather than the worlds! But here we see a crack in the otherwise blemish less facade of Davids character. For all of David’s good qualities, he had an area of worldly weakness. David loved the ladies.

Now this practice of taking wives and concubines, it was not an uncommon practice in this day. In fact, in the world’s eyes it would’ve been weird for a King not do so this. Taking Wives and Concubines was how King’s made alliances and treaties. It was how the King ensured a large family line to secure his families’ royal legacy and cement the future monarchy! Right for a monarchy to continue you need children and lots of them! All of this was the way of things with Kings! But remember Israel was meant to be distinct and different, holy. How Israel and it’s King lived was meant to show the world and new and better way. The way of God and His good designs!

And in Deuteronomy 17:17 God explicit commands His Kings, not to take many wives among other things.

Deuteronomy 17:15–17 (NIV)

15 be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

And as we’ll see over the next 2 weeks, as good as David was, He still wasn’t Jesus!

And here’s the deal. Pray for godly leaders! Cast votes for godly leaders! Run for office if you are a godly person, but please, please know that the unity and human flourishing we all desire will never come to us via purely political means or apart from faith in Jesus Christ!

Do you want God to establish this country and bless our nation? Do you want God to establish and bless our State? Do you want God to establish and bless our schools and towns? Do you want God to establish and bless your families?

Of course we do! Well then don’t put your hope in politics or any other way of the world! Put your hope in Jesus! Follow Him as King! Commit to be a godly man or woman and live for a Kingdom beyond this world, the Kingdom of heaven!

Church, this world will not change through a ballot box! No, God promises that this world will only change through the family and His Church that is commited and surrendered to King Jesus! Which means, you and I, we need to stop whining about our world and all that ails it and we need to start being the men and women God calls us to be in our homes first by living out our faith in Jesus empowered by His Spirit! And if we would follow Jesus as King in our homes and personal lives well then you better believe He would establish us and begin to transform communities!

Is our politics broken in this country. Sure. But that’s not our problem. Do you know what our problem really is? It’s weak and godless leadership in the home. It’s no leadership in the home and in the family at all! Gospel transformation does not start in the ballot box, it starts with your heart and my heart and it starts in our homes and in our families and then it spreads out from there!

And father’s, this starts with you! You are called and commissioned by the God of heaven to provide for and protect your family by leading them to Jesus and leading them like Jesus! Don’t believe you can do that through the ways of the world! You get before King Jesus, You let him set the agenda for you and your family, and then you follow Him come what may! Don’t be weak like Ish-bosheth and let people push you around. Be a man of godly conviction, be kind in your conviction, but be a man of godly conviction nevertheless! Don’t be like Abner who was manipulative and proud. Don’t be like Joab who was driven by personal vengeance and ambition to justify sin. Don’t even be like David who allowed a selfish pursuit of pleasure to derail his life.

No, be like Jesus. Follow Jesus! You be the chief among servants, not even loving your own life, but laying down your wants, your desires, your very own lives for the good of your families in Jesus Christ! Fathers you do that, then we might actually having some folks worth voting for on our ballots!

Church if we want God to establish us for eternity, the only person who can is Jesus, so follow Him and His ways. Trust his timing. Turn from the ways of the world and let’s see what our God can do!

Amen? And Amen!

Pray