The Fall & Rise of Kings

Intro

If a movie came out at Reading cinemas this week, and it was promoted as the most powerful storyline, with incredible drama and action, I would be keen for it. It would really be dependant on how they presented the story or what scene they used in the ad. What are the characters, do they blow stuff up, how do they affect the story? is there a hero or a villain? is the movie worth watching and should I buy popcorn? if its popcorn worthy then its probably worth watching!

2 Samuel is just like this.. its full of powerful, dramatic, emotional action, an exciting story but not just that, its well crafted and thought through to engage readers of all ages on what God is doing in his creation. Of course being in the OT its important to understand what it means to the original readers but not just that its important to engage you the youth of today, with what it means in your day to day.

Unfortunately we arn’t going to focus deeper on the book of 1 Sam, but your welcome to read it right through, in fact 1 Sam and 2 Sam are a part of one story and belong together. To help us understand that 1 Sam and 2 Sam together I’m going to read Hannah’s prayer in :

The New International Version Chapter 2

Then Hannah prayed and said:s

“My heart rejoicest in the LORD;

in the LORD my horna u is lifted high.

My mouth boastsv over my enemies,w

for I delight in your deliverance.

2 “There is no one holyx likey the LORD;

there is no one besides you;

there is no Rockz like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly

or let your mouth speak such arrogance,a

for the LORD is a God who knows,b

and by him deedsc are weighed.d

4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,e

but those who stumbled are armed with strength.f

5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,

but those who were hungryg are hungry no more.

She who was barrenh has borne seven children,

but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 “The LORD brings death and makes alive;i

he brings down to the grave and raises up.j

7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth;k

he humbles and he exalts.l

8 He raisesm the poorn from the dusto

and lifts the needyp from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes

and has them inherit a throne of honor.q

“For the foundationsr of the earth are the LORD’s;

on them he has set the world.

9 He will guard the feets of his faithful servants,t

but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.u

“It is not by strengthv that one prevails;

10 those who oppose the LORD will be broken.w

The Most High will thunderx from heaven;

the LORD will judgey the ends of the earth.

“He will give strengthz to his king

and exalt the horna of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah,b but the boy ministeredc before the LORD under Eli the priest.

This prayer is a wonderful prayer to God and it tells us several things:

God opposes the proud and exalts the humble, despite human evil God is at work & God will raise up a Messianic King - and so all the way through 1 & 2 Sam we see these recurring themes. The main characters we are introduced to are Saul, David and the Prophet Samuel, and 1 Sam particularly focusses on the rise and fall of Saul and crosses over the rise and fall of David. 2 Sam focusses more on David as King.

God opposes the proud and exalts the humble, despite human evil God is at work & God will raise up a Messianic King - and so all the way through 1 & 2 Sam we see these recurring themes. The main characters we are introduced to are Saul, David and the Prophet Samuel, and 1 Sam particularly focusses on the rise and fall of Saul and crosses over the rise and fall of David. 2 Sam focusses more on David as King.

Then we get to ch28 of 2 Sam, here I thought it was helpful to contrast the 2 characters from verse 3...

The New International Version Chapter 28

3 Now Samuel was dead,b and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.

The New International Version Chapter 28

4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem,f while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.g 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terrorh filled his heart. 6 He inquiredi of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreamsj or Urimk or prophets.l 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium,m so I may go and inquire of her.”

The New International Version Chapter 28

18 Because you did not obeyz the LORD or carry out his fierce wratha against the Amalekites,b the LORD has done this to you today. 19 The LORD will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sonsc will be with me. The LORD will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”

Here in contrast David fights and destroys the Amalekites that Saul should have wiped out ages ago.

The New International Version Chapter 30

David inquiredf of the LORD, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

The New International Version Chapter 30

16 He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and revelingq because of the great amount of plunderr they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. 17 David foughts them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled.t 18 David recoveredu everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. 20 He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, “This is David’s plunder.”

The bottom line… David humbled himself and listened to God and He was with him.

Finally in ch31 you can read about Saul’s death, but not just him but his sons and even his armour -bearer also died.

And this is how ch1 of 2 Sam begins.

The first point for today is:

The War Report and Transition into Kingship

This war report tells us how David responds to Saul’s and Jonathan’s death. This was just read to you today, in the first 16 verses we have to wonder whether David’s action against the Amalekite was justified or not. It sounds like this guy was in it for some some sort of reward, even though he had lied about killing the King.

in the first 16 verses we have to wonder whether David’s action against the Amalekite was justified or not. It sounds like this guy was in it for some some sort of reward, even though he had lied about killing the King.

The New International Version Chapter 1

14 David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?n”

15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!”o So he struck him down, and he died.p 16 For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head.q Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’ ”

Questions have been asked, and David’s innocence of seizing the throne from Saul needs to be seen, David justifies his position and in the transitioning into being the King.

David is basically in a real life version the Game of Thrones, he is the anointed King -in waiting must prepare himself for the struggle for the throne.

when Michael trains at Jui Jitsu, they often play a game called king of the mat. To win the game you work with a partner to complete all the positions that the Trainer yells out. The team that completes all positions in the game on time and is the last team to survive wins King of the mat.

The New International Version Chapter 1

14 David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?n”

15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!”o So he struck him down, and he died.p 16 For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head.q Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’ ”

The the next point...

David Laments for Saul and Jonathan

in the first 16 verses we have to wonder whether David’s action against the Amalekite was justified or not. It sounds like this guy was in it for some some sort of reward, even though he had lied about killing the King.

It tells us how David responds to Saul’s and Jonathan’s death. in the first 16 verses we have to wonder whether David’s action against the Amalekite was justified or not. It sounds like this guy was in it for some some sort of reward, even though he had lied about killing the King.

In Hebrew the lament means a ‘funeral song’

The New International Version Chapter 1

19 “A gazellea lies slain on your heights, Israel.

How the mightyu have fallen!v

20 “Tell it not in Gath,w

proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,x

lest the daughters of the Philistinesy be glad,

lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.z

21 “Mountains of Gilboa,a

may you have neither dewb nor rain,c

may no showers fall on your terraced fields.b d

For there the shield of the mighty was despised,

the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil.e

22 “From the bloodf of the slain,

from the flesh of the mighty,

the bowg of Jonathan did not turn back,

the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.

23 Saul and Jonathan—

in life they were loved and admired,

and in death they were not parted.

They were swifter than eagles,h

they were stronger than lions.i

24 “Daughters of Israel,

weep for Saul,

who clothed you in scarlet and finery,

who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.j

25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle!

Jonathan lies slain on your heights.

26 I grievek for you, Jonathanl my brother;m

you were very dear to me.

Your love for me was wonderful,n

more wonderful than that of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen!

The weapons of war have perished!”o

David grieves over Saul who brought the benefits of Kingship to his people and then shifts over to Jonathan.

Clearly David is grieving more for Jonathan considering, David married his sister, so being brothers is appropriate, and the personal covenant they had between them, forged most likely on the battle field where they fought side by side often forging a bond that sometimes prove closer and stronger than marriage bonds built on less.

Clearly David is grieving more for Jonathan considering, David married his sister, so brother is appropriate, and the personal covenant they had between them

In Australia when the troops fought side by side where they grow strong bonds they have a word they use especially during the first world war - mateship.

Clearly David is grieving more for Jonathan considering, David married his sister, so brother is appropriate, and the personal covenant they had between them

The song probably closely ties in with Hannah’s song in the beginning of 1 Sam where God who has not been mentioned has overseen all the events that led to this point it celebrates the rise of David but also pauses at the tragic fate of Saul and Jonathan.

David and Saul even though anointed by God as Kings they were as human as we are - the temptation to be proud and therefore oppose God’s word is a temptation for them as as for us. we need examine ourselves carefully.

In this passage David is innocent of self promotion, he allows God to have control of what God has control of, God is put in his rightful place. The characters are concerned about being Godly but at the same time they so very human. So its important to be part of what God is doing in redemption, God is doing work in his world and we are all apart of his story.

This means enjoying his creation, listening to your favourite music, playing or competing in your best sport. Enjoy the wonder and complexity of relationships, use the musical abilities he has given us to give glory to God but also for the enjoyment of others, mourning over sickness and death and the sin that cripples our world and people around us. spending time gaming or hanging out with friends, these are all things given by the hand of God. Its what it means to be human. Unlike a creature in the movies like a vampire for instance, they cannot experience what it means to be truly human because they are not. They are monsters apart of a world we have all imagined.

But its important to note and understand the bible because then we will understand who’s the boss. Its not us, its the creator himself. So don’t just find fulfilment in being human but also seek to be godly like David who humbled himself before God and so he exalted him. The exciting bit about this story is that its also a transition to Jesus being King but he will know what is to be 100% human but also 100% God. He will fulfil God’s plan for a Kingdom that will last forever. But this just the beginning stay tuned for more next week!

Let me pray!