David the Flawed Priestly King

God Made David Successful

1 Samuel 18:14–15 ESV

14 And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him.

David’s Success Led to Pride

1 Chronicles 20:1 ESV

1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army and ravaged the country of the Ammonites and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. And Joab struck down Rabbah and overthrew it.

This is when King David slept with his best friend Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, had Uriah murdered, and then tried to cover it up.

This is a bad season for David.

1 Chronicles 20:2–8 ESV

2 And David took the crown of their king from his head. He found that it weighed a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone. And it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 3 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and axes. And thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. 4 And after this there arose war with the Philistines at Gezer. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Sippai, who was one of the descendants of the giants, and the Philistines were subdued. 5 And there was again war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair struck down Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 6 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 7 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down. 8 These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

David has success after success during this dark season of His life.

1 Chronicles 21:1 ESV

1 Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.

Okay, the Devil has a foothold!

2 Samuel 24:1 ESV

1 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

These two verses seem to indicate that Satan was tempting David and God was allowing it to happen because Israel and David had fallen into pride.

David’s Pride Led to His Humbling

1 Chronicles 21:7–8 ESV

7 But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. 8 And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

David’s Humbling Leads Us To Jesus

1 Chronicles 21:17 ESV

17 And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O Lord my God, be against me and against my father’s house. But do not let the plague be on your people.”

It was David’s sin that required him to step in between the people and God.

It was our sin that required Jesus to step in between us and God.