There is a difference between being thankful and total dependence upon someone. We can be thankful for a gift, or we can be thankful that we did not need to take that test. Being total dependent would be, “I know I can not function without this person.” We should be ever so thankful to God for who he is and what he has done for us but we also need to realize that we need God for everything. Without Jesus we are lost. A baby is dependent upon its mother for food and life, we need to have that kind of dependence on a dependable Savior.

David’s Song

And David spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him. It is interesting that we see this song right now. Obviously there are many psalms that David wrote throughout his entire life but this one made it here following his battle as an older man. When we read this song of David there are many similarities in some of the other songs in the book of Psalm. 

We see that David was giving total security to God by calling him his fortress and rock and shield. The other thing we see is that David had confidence that God was listening to his complaints, worries, cries. We see in this song that God is also a just God and works for those who are pure and blameless. David continues by giving praise to God by saying, “You are the only God and there is none like you.” Then he closes the song with making it personal. God you allowed none of my enemies to overcome me. You have were always there and will always be. David says, “For this I will praise you.” 

Why do we praise God?

We praise God because we should have our total dependence on Him and no one else. It is great how the Bible is true and shows even the flaws of humans. David messed up and struggled. He sinned and repented. We even see that he did not always go to God with certain circumstances. How true of a reflection is that of us as the Christian. We see one chapter of praise to God because of who God is. God is our fortress and security. He holds in control what man can do to his servant. God acts on the behalf of his children. He does not sit in heaven just watching but is actively involved in our life. He works for those who have been redeemed. He gives light and direction to our steps and decisions. Why do we Praise God, because he is God! 

I know I have always said, “I am thankful for what Jesus has done for me on the cross.” But if we are thankful do we show it with total dependence to our creator? In fire and trials am I dependent of who God is? Through good and glorious days am I dependent on God? For this I will Praise You God is because you are God and you show yourself all the time. God you are wholly good and give good gifts to your children. Psalm 150 talks about why we praise God and Psalm 148 talks about who will praise God.

Do you ever get sad when you hear about the death of someone that you may have not liked? Now what if it was one of your family members that did something mean to you and they passed away? What if it was your son, if you had one?

In this chapter we read that David’s son Absalom dies.

The Death of a Son

Absalom went out to make war with his father. Absalom had his men and David had his. The battle was going on and the fight took place all over the place and ended up in the forest of Ephraim. It says in verse 8 that many men died in the forest. David’s men defeated Absalom’s men. The tragedy that was meant to be. Absalom had a lot of hair. That is one thing that he was known for was his bountiful hair that he had. It weighed a lot and he had to cut it every year because it became too heavy. He was riding in battle in the forest while his hair got caught in a tree. It was so tangled that he could not get out of it. 

Word came to Joab that Absalom was stuck in a tree but was alive. Joab took the initiative to go ahead and kill him. David heard that his son was dead and said, “I would have died in his place.” He mourned for his son. Remember that Absalom killed David’s other son Amnon. He fled from Jerusalem for about 5 years and came back. David did the sign of, “I forgive you,” by kissing him but really did not. Absalom became bitter with his dad and rallied the people so he could be king. Absalom forced his dad to leave his palace and live in the wilderness. He then came to kill his dad so he could be king and establish his kingdom. This was not God’s plan; his plan was that Solomon would become king after David. God was not done with David yet. Now when we think about all the harsh and mean things Absalom did, David should have been relieved that his son would not be chasing him any longer but we see David mourning and crying for his son. Maybe it was the wave of realizing he never forgave his son, it could have been the fact that he failed as a father somewhere down the road. Either way, that was his flesh and blood and he knew he was gone. 

The Death of a Son 2

Jesus died on the cross for us and we read in the Gospels that even Jesus cried out to God a couple of times. 1 was for us to be forgiven and another was, “Why have you forsaken me.” Instead of God crying our for his son we see God not being able to have anything with Jesus as he took on all of our sins. Jesus who knew no sin, became sin and took on our sin so we could have everlasting life. As Jesus died, he rose again as he conquered death, he conquered sin. Jesus sits at the right hand of God, not forsaken but everlasting in glory and honor. Thank you God the Son as you were abandoned by your followers. As you were beaten and whipped for us. Thank you for taking my sin, thank you for shedding your blood. You chose to die so we might have life and life more abundantly. My sin is atoned for.

Have you ever had one of those moments when you think nothing could possibly make your day worse than it already is? Then guess what, you receive news or something happens that makes your day go bad to worse. Yeah those days do happen, but we need to realize that God is the one who is in control of all things even when things do not seem that good, God has a plan.

In this chapter we read that God is looking out for David.

The bad friend

Ahithopel was one of David’s counselors. He would advise the king in certain matters. This man deserted David when the pressure of Absalom came. In 2nd Samuel 15:31 we read that Ahithopel is on the side of Absalom. In this chapter we read that Ahithopel is giving Absalom advice about destroying David and making all out war with him and his followers. Not only did he want to destroy David he wanted him humiliated. In chapter 16 we see that Ahithopel told Absalom to do something that would be very disgraceful to the king. He told him to do it so everyone would know that Absalom was there to stay. God has other plans though. It is sad to see someone that was so close to the king all of sudden work for the enemy. 

God’s Plan

There was a man that was still loyal to David yet stayed in the palace. His name was Hushai, who was like a spy for king David. He also gave counsel to Absalom and instead he mentioned how David would be ready for him because he is skilled in war. What Hushai was doing was making it so David could have more time to retreat. 

He then made sure the word God to David that Absalom was coming with troops and to be ready. The result of Absalom taking the counsel from Hushai then Ahithopel so Ahithopel committed suicide. 

The wilderness again

It is interesting that David is back in the wilderness. This was the place he first started as he ran from Saul and not wanting to touch the Lord’s anointed and now he is running for his life from his son. In the wilderness we saw him being hastled by the remaining family members of Saul, have to worry about food and shelter. We see God providing. Someone brought food and the things David needed. God was in control and God was allowing certain things to take place but David would soon be in the palace again. Jesus himself went through the wilderness where he was tempted, just like David went through the wilderness and faced opposition. 

What kind of wilderness are you facing? Do you have trials and frustrations? David’s 2nd wilderness experience was because of his sin but God still was with him. We may have gotten ourselves in a pit or in a situation which we regret, but God is faithful to us. May you find peace in your loneliness because you are not alone. God is with you and we have confidence that even Jesus faced the hardships and more in this life. He knows what pain and suffering is. He knows what it means to be ditched, he knows what it feels like to not be liked. Jesus went through all of that for us. May we cling to him in our time and know their is a light which is him.

We hear about conspiracy’s every now and then. I remember talking to a Jr. High boy about something and he said, “That was a conspiracy.” Usually the term is used for some kind of cover up or manipulation of truth. In this chapter we will see that David’s son Absalom will try to take over the throne from his own father.

Fleeing…

We are reading the words that were spoken by the prophet Nathan to David after he was confronted about the issue with Bathsheba (2nd Samuel 12). Absalom fled from Jerusalem because he killed his brother Amnon. Absalom was in the land of Geshur for several years and then he returned to Jerusalem were he was not really forgiven but also was not punished for what he did.

We start seeing Absalom’s true intentions for returning to the Jerusalem as he started winning the hearts of the people. He would stand by the gate as people came in and out of the city and be willing to lead the people. He would also be warm and welcoming as he hugged and kissed the people. As more and more people started to follow him, he lied to the king so he could go to Hebron. Remember Hebron was the chief city of Judah were David once ruled before Jerusalem. Word came to David about Absalom’s claim to be king and David flees with his faithful advisors and family.

David leaves the city so that the city would not be destroyed when Absalom comes to claim the throne. It is interesting that we do not see David making a stand against his son. We do not see David seeking the Lord too. It may be because he feels still guilty of his past sins and knows that this is part of the punishment but we do not know. It could be because this was his son, still. 

When is it Time to Flee and When is it Time to Stand?

Many scholars will attribute Psalm 3 during this time in David’s life. As it says in verse 1 and 2, “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God.”  David was in distress. We can cause ourselves to become distressed by our own sin. We can dig a pit that it becomes hard to get out of. The walls are high, it is dark and lonely. The only thing we can do is cry out to God for help. I wish I could say, David should have stayed and fought because Absalom is not the intended king, but what I do know is that God had a greater plan.

In verse 3 through 4 of Psalm 3 it says, “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from His holy hill.” God did not forsake David. David has been remembered throughout history. We can still cry out to God for help. We will not be forgotten. Hebrews 13:5 says, “God will never leave us nor forsake us.” God will not abandon us like people will. David’s throne will be restored but it is through God. We need to know that we are restored through God. It is through Jesus that I can have confidence for tomorrow and how God views me. It is through Jesus that I am found righteous. May you cry out to Jesus, as he is salvation. Jesus will restore you when you call out to him. He will be the one who forgives and covers you. There is a time to flee into the comfort of the Savior and there is a time to stand up. May we follow the guidance of God and not man.

Have you ever been put in your place? Maybe you were acting weird or inappropriately and someone confronted you with it? That usually is not a fun thing but what matters is if you learned from what that person confronted you with.

David did something he should not have done. He slept with another man’s wife. He then had that man killed because Bathsheba, the other woman, was pregnant. Nathan the prophet came and confronted David about this issue and David realized his sin. 

Consequences-

God told Nathan that because of David’s sin, the sword will not depart from his hand. This was meaning he killed a man unjustly and now the sword will come back. This statement will become true in a few chapters has his sons rival for the thrown. God also told David that the child will die from him and Bathsheba but God was not going to kill David because of his sin. He was going to be gracious to him. 

David Fasts-

We read in verses 15 through 23 how David was during the sickness of his child. While the child was sick David would not eat let alone sleep. When the child passed away we see that David went into the tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. He then ate and began life. When David was asked why did he act the way he did because during the culture, when someone died, they would mourn and fast. Daivd’s response was so true, what am I going to do, bring him back to life. No, instead, I will one day go to him. We will one day be reunited with our loved ones, who beloved in Jesus Christ. 

God is Still Gracious

Even though David did mess up and even though there will be trouble down the road. God was gracious to him, by letting him and Bathsheba have a son whom they named Solomon and they called Jedidiah which means beloved of the Lord. Even after having Solomon, God still allowed Israel to conquer their enemies. God did not abandon David. 

I think about even our life today. We do not deserve anything or any part of it yet we still get the chance to live. My wife and I are expecting a baby and the other day we went to our appointment and were able to hear the heart beat. I just thought, Lord, I do not deserve this. I so don’t deserve this. That was God showing his grace and he did in the greatest way by sending his son to die on the cross for us. We do not deserve this kind of grace. We are wretched sinners and Jesus is the only way for our salvation. To know the father we need to know the son.

David has been doing what he was supposed to be doing as king. He has been uniting the people and being their leader. He has been seeking after God’s guidance and provision. He is being diligent and faithful. In the last chapter we read abut David being completely satisfied and grateful to God for everything he has done. David was a shepherd boy who is now king. Everything that has happened shows God’s hand in it. 

In this chapter we read about David fighting the Philistines and the Moabites. 

David is Victorious

In this section we get to see a written account of all of David’s military advances for the kingdom of Israel. He defeated the Philistines, after the time of David there will be no reference to them until the time of Hezekiah (2nd Kings 18:8). He defeated the Moabites. The Moabites were east of the Israelites. He defeated the king of Zobah. He was in Syria. In this account of the battle with the king of Zobah we see how massive they were with chariots and men. David received wealth from other nations as a form of a treaty too. He received gold and silver and bronze, all which he dedicated to the Lord.

When Things are Going Good

When things are going good it is easy to become comfortable. It is not bad to become comfortable but it becomes bad when we start compromising in different areas of life. When we start becoming lazy, when we start forsaking God’s commands. This is bad when comfortability comes. Right now we see David is doing good and as the kingdom is growing and acquiring more and more space and the people are growing, the kingdom is doing well economically, it would be easy for him to become comfortable and say, “Look what I have done.” The cool thing is that he has not done that yet and we need to take note to always trust the Lord and thank him for his blessings on us.

It is easy to think in this life that we are owed something. Someone or something is indebted to us. The truth is, we are not, we do not even deserve this life but yet God who loves us gave it to us. Look at Psalm 37:5; Psalm 55:22; Proverbs 3:5-6; 16:3; 1st Peter 5:7; and Romans 8:38-39. God is active in our well being and His love for us is great. We sometimes forget about it and turn to other things to make us happy. May our success be in the Lord and may we learn from our failures to grow in the Lord.

We are following the life of David and we see now that God has allowed David to take over all of Israel. We read in this chapter that David was king over Judah in Hebron for about 7 years. Hebron was the capitol of Israel up to this chapter. When all the tribes came and acknowledged that David was king then he took the army and gathered around Jerusalem and took it as the new capitol of Israel. Jerusalem is called the “City of David.” 

Jerusalem was a wise move for David because the city was centrally located throughout all of Israel as well as the city already had defensive walls and it was built around valleys with steep sides. The city would have seemed unbeatable but David took some men and went up a water shaft that is by Gihon springs. This made it so David could go within the walls of this great city of Zion. 

Realization-

David realized that God was with him. In verse 12 we see that David knew that the Lord was the one who was allowing everything. He could have been getting a big head about everything but we see that he knew that God was the one who was working everything out.

God is working out our lives as well. God holds everything in his hands. When we think life is not making sense or that chaos is running everywhere, God is all knowing and holds everything in the balance of his hands. Do you trust the Lord? I know sometimes it seems hard to when the fog of life is so thick to see that God has a plan in all things. I sometimes wonder, “God I have had it so easy and good, when the trial hits, how will I be?” God is the anchor that we need in the stormy waters. God is the solid rock we go to in the midst of storms. When life is good God is in control and when life is bad, God is still in control.

War Remains

Even though David now has united the country and made a decisive move with the capitol, war is still going on with the enemy. The Philistines line up for battle and we see a very important move David does, he inquires of the Lord. The one thing we should notice between David and Saul was that David wanted to know God’s will, Saul wanted God’s will to go around his plans. David asked, “Should we go to war?” God answers two different ways for two different requests. 

We have the safety of the Lord and he is our stronghold but remember there is war going on (Ephesians 5:10-20). We need to always inquire of the Lord in what to do, to stay away from sin and temptation. We need to seek the Lord when the enemy is lined up against us. We need to be able to stand firm in our faith. 

Have you ever had someone that rubbed you the wrong way? Have you ever had someone that did something to you and it always bugged you every time you saw them? Bitterness and revenge can be a deadly combination. We can search throughout history and even look to where bitterness and jealousy started with Cain and Able in Genesis 4. I know I have been mad at people for something they have done and it is easy to hold a grudge against them? Do you have any grudges? Are there people that you avoid like they have the plague? 

In this chapter of 2nd Samuel we see that David has been crowned king but only for the tribe of Judah. The rest of the land is following after the son of Saul, Ish-Bosheth. There has been battling between David and Ish-Bosheth but David was growing stronger and stronger (2nd Samuel 3:1). We see not only a battle between the true king and the one standing in the way but we see the generals from both sides having a dilemma.  

 A Turn of Events

Abner was the general of the army of Saul and was the general of the army for Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth. He killed Joab’s brother, Asahel, in battle (2nd Samuel 2:18-23). Joab was grieved about this and wanted Abner to pay for what he has done. Abner realized that David was the true king and that God anointed David to be king. Ish-Bosheth was not the true king so he left. Abner wanted to join the side of David and he was gathering the other tribes to follow David. Joab heard about this and became angry. He not only became angry but then planned on how he could get revenge for his brother. He called Abner to meet him in a private place where he killed him. 

Things were actually going well, the general of the enemy was now tuning in and wanting to support David. The people were being gathered together under one king. The war within was going to stop but there was not true peace. Joab had something that was eating at him and that was Abner. It was to the point he could not stand seeing him. Bitterness destroys the one who is bitter. Jesus touched a little bit about bitterness and about how to treat our enemies. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus tells us to Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you.  Jesus said some pretty profound statements and as our motto would be to pay people back for the wrong they have done, Jesus says pray for them and to love them. 

This reminds me of hearing the story of Corrie Ten Boom when faced with one of her oppressors after he gave his life to the Lord and he put out his hand for her to shake it. She was faced with the choice of letting all her anger and hatred towards this man that was responsible for the killing of many and her family. She remembered Jesus and how he forgave her and she took this man’s hand. Remember you and I were once enemies of God, and Jesus died for us even though we had forsaken Him. Jesus showed the perfect example of praying and loving your enemies as he laid down his life for the world. So what is eating you? Go before the Lord and ask him to reveal to you who you may have a grudge against, then go to that person and forgive them and pray for them.

Have you ever mourned over the death of someone? How about the death of an enemy? We now are in a new book, 2nd Samuel. This book starts the reign of the new king or should have been king over Israel, David. We left 1st Samuel with the news that Saul and his sons were killed in battle and now we pick up the story with David hearing the news.

Bad News with a Lie

On the 3rd day a man came to David and told him how King Saul had died. He said he found him on his spear but he was the one that finished the duty. This man who came to David probably had some other ulterior motive. He was trying to say he was the one that killed King Saul, David’s enemy. He was hoping this was going to bring favor to David. The response of David hearing the words that Saul and his best friend Jonathan were killed brought David and his men to their knees as they mourned for them. 

It is interesting that David is mourning over Saul the man that had pursued them for so long, who had tried to kill him many times, but David mourned over his death. We need to just ponder this for a second. David seriously respected this man who was God’s anointed. He cared when he died and he cried for the loss. It is easy for us to mourn over the loss of a life that we cared about or that we loved but what about our enemies? David truly had a heart after God because he cared for this man who was lost. Do we mourn over those that are without God? Do we mourn over those that wrong us and they die? 

The Song of the Mourner

We see the true heart of David in verses 19 through 27. He cared for them and would miss them and he even leaves with good words towards both men. He says, “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.” We notice that David never bad mouthed Saul ever. David felt guilty about cutting the edge of his coat let alone say anything negative about him. The reason was because Saul was God’s anointed. He respected God which lead to him respecting Saul. 

How do you view your Christian leaders? Do you pray for them? Do you easily complain about them? May we learn to have the attitude of David in this life towards our leaders. I know I have been convicted of how I need to be for my leaders. I know just like me, are not perfect and more than anything need to in prayer for them, just like we would want the prayer.