God’s Glory in God’s Word Lesson 13 – 2nd

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psa 119:10-11)

Major events of chapters 1-10  The people of Judah anoint king  But Abner – commander of ’s army – makes Saul’s son Ishbosheth king over Israel  There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. (2Sa 3:1)  Abner and Ishboseth have a falling out over accusations against Abner concerning Saul’s concubine  Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, "Am I a dog's head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the LORD has sworn to him, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from to ." (2Sa 3:8-10)  He meets with David and makes a covenant with him on the condition that Abner return Michael – Saul’s daughter – to David.  But Joab is suspicious of Abner and kills him.  Ishbosheth is murdered by two of his men, and when it is reported to David, he has the men beheaded.  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. (2Sa 5:4)  David captures Jerusalem  God makes a covenant with David (Chapter 7)  “The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went” – 2 Samuel 8:14 – David defeats the Philistines, the Moabites, the king of Zobah, the Syrians, the Edomites, and – eventually – the Ammonites.

But all is far from perfect…

Uzzah (Chapter 6) And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. (2Sa 6:3-4)

Consider instructions regarding the building of the ark: You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. (Exo 25:13-15) And consider how the ark is normally carried: At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, "As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. (Jos 3:2-3)

And finally, consider warnings against the touching of holy objects: And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry. (Num 4:15)

It should not have surprised David that this happened: And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. And David was angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah, to this day. (2Sa 6:6-8)

David and Bathsheba (Chapters 11-12)

Throughout 2 nd Samuel, we see a pattern of David seeking God’s counsel in making decisions: After this David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up." David said, "To which shall I go up?" And he said, "To Hebron." (2Sa 2:1)

And David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?" And the LORD said to David, "Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand." (2Sa 5:19)

And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, "You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. (2Sa 5:23)

But trouble comes, God is intentionally excluded from counsel: And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" (2Sa 11:3)

Key Issues in Chapter 11  David remained at Jerusalem during “the time when kings go out to battle”  Uriah’s loyalty to his fellow soldiers prevented him from going to his wife  Joab isn’t told why David wants Uriah dead – but he does use that knowledge to his advantage in covering up his military blunder.  And Joab is right. David is so distracted by the news that Uriah is dead that he dismisses the blunder by saying “Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another.”  While man may be distracted from right judgment, the Lord never is: “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord”. 1 Sam 11:27

Key Issues in Chapter 12  David’s initial response to the story – the man who has done this deserves to die  But theft did not warrant death under the law – so while the rich man’s crime was heinous, it did not deserve death.  What does deserve death? Adultery and murder.  The consequences of David’s actions – in addition to the loss of key soldiers due to his murder of Uriah: o The death of his son o The sword never departed from his house o The taking of David’s wives – and the humiliating way in which it is done.  God’s reason for raising up evil against David? “Because you have despised me.” 2 Sam 2:10 –

Consider the contrast from Jesus: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (Joh 14:15)

Consider the contrast from John: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. (1Jn 5:2-4)

Next Week: 2 Samuel 13-24