Destined for the Throne Just As God

2nd SAMUEL – LECTURE 1 Destined For The Throne … Just As God Kay Arthur

Are things difficult? Does God seem to have lost control or is He dragging His holy heels? Are things not turning out the way that you want them to turn out? Do you see a dark future and no hope? O Beloved, Beloved, have you read the Book? Do you know that if you are a child of God you are destined for the throne. So what do you do now until that time comes, when you will see God face to face, when you will rule and reign on the face of this earth with the Lord Jesus Christ. What do you do now? You keep God’s perspective. And as you go through these difficult situations what you need to remember is this. You need to remember that it’s not about you, it’s about God. If you will remember that and if you’ll keep that before you, that it’s not about you but it’s about God, then precious one in keeping that divine perspective you will hear His, well done, as you see Him face to face. Remember you are destined for the throne. That’s what we want to talk about today as we look at the book of 2nd Samuel. I want to tell you a story about something that’s happened since I saw you last. I got a phone call from one of our Precept leaders. I found out that her daughter, Kaitlyn, 16 years old, who was suppose to be coming to our teen conference in December was in an automobile accident. She was an outstanding teenager. She loved the Lord and she obeyed the word of God. She drove the speed limit. She always obeyed, because she believed Romans about obeying those in authority. So she wanted to be obedient to God. So she was a careful driver. Yet that day she was in a rush. She was late and she was going to her music lesson. When she pulled out from the side road of her house, they live out in the country, onto the main road she never saw that ten-wheeler truck coming towards her. She literally drove right in front of him. The family never knew that it happened although it happened just a mile from the house. Somehow when they left the house they went, they were shielded from that accident, because the car was turned upside down and it took them so long to get her out of there and then they had to fly in a plane to airlift her to the hospital. As I talked to Kaitlyn’s mother, this is what she said. Kay, if I had not learned the word of God, if I had not learned to study it for myself, Precept upon Precept, I could never ever handle this. And she said, but because we have made the word of God our priority, because my husband and I came here, because we were taught by you, because we determined that we would go home and we would teach our children. We are able to handle this because we know that it’s not the end. She had a divine perspective. And I was able to talk to her as they faced, do we take her off the support system, what do we do? Her brain had swollen so much and they and cut her skull open and everything but nothing brought relief to Kaitlyn. She said what do I do? I said, honey, know this, that if you take her off the life support system she will breath and continue to live if it’s God will. It it’s not Gods will, she will die. But either way, it’s God’s will because it’s God who gives breath to our lives. I just got an e-mail last night forwarded from Philip Minekie. He is a German student that leads Precept and is part of our student leadership team. He was telling about going to the hospital about being there with Kaithlyn and her parents. He is in seminary training in the same city. He says, we stood around her bed and we sang. He says we were praying and all of a sudden on one accord, we broke into song singing, Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, when I’ve been there ten thousand years. They sang that. Then Kaitlyn’s daddy began to pray. This is what he prayed. God, you remember the day at 13, when Kaitlyn brought the heart I gave her and the key that was attached to it, to me. She said, here Daddy, I’m giving you the key to my heart and I want you to hold it for me until God sends the man I am to give my heart to. And as he prayed he said this, God if I am to hand the key and the heart to you for her heavenly husband that is what I am willing to do. At the funeral services, after the message was given. Kaitlyn’s mom and Dad came up, took that chain with the heart and key on it and put it over the cross. They kept their divine perspective. They know and understand that we are destined for the throne. We are going to look at 2nd Samuel and we are going to look at awesome, awesome book. And when we look at this book, we are going to see, if you’ll look up here for just a minute, that 2nd Samuel is like the crescendo to the divine opus of the king. In other words, in this opus in this musical drama of the king, this 2nd Samuel is when the cymbals clash because when the cymbals clash you know that something momentous has happened and that is what 2nd Samuel is all about. It’s about the crescendo of the opus of the king. The king David, David and the One who is going to follow, the Son of David. Go to Genesis 49. All of this is showing you how we have come to this crescendo of the crowning of David as David becomes king over all Israel. But where it begins (Genesis 49:8) “Judah, your brothers shall praise you, Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Now what is happening here? Jacob is blessing his twelve sons, the twelve sons that will be the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel, the nation of Israel. So he is giving these prophetic blessings. So he says, (49:8-12) “Judah, your brothers shall praise you, Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s son shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the pray, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, and as a lion, who dares rouse him up? (Now listen) The scepter shall not depart from (whom?) Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, (Now Shiloh when it is untranslated and it means this, “to whom it (what?) belongs.” In other words the scepter, the right to rule, the kingship, is not going to depart from Judah.) And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. He ties his foal the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; he washes his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are dull (darker) from wine, and his teeth white from milk.” As we know this, we know eventually, this points to beyond the crescendo of 2nd Samuel all the way to the coming of the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ who will someday rule this earth in righteousness and you and I will rule and reign with him. So as we look at this what I want you to see is that we are about to see the beginning of the fulfillment when the scepter is handed to Judah. When the scepter, the rulership, the kingship is handed to Judah. Now listen, it shouldn’t be handed to Judah. It should be handed to Reuben, because Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn. But listen he says, (49:3-4) “Reuben, you are my firstborn; My might and the beginning of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. (But listen.) Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch. He laid with one of his fathers wives. He was uncontrolled. Now listen to me very carefully. He was uncontrolled and he missed the throne. He thought it’s all about me and he forgot that life is not all about me, it’s all about God. We have got to keep a divine perspective. Garcell in his commentary on 2nd Samuel, has nothing to do with this, but it relates to this. In his commentary on 2nd Samuel it says this, “There is a clear rule of law which connects a leaders conduct, with his fate and the fate of his house”. Well, we’re studying 2nd Samuel now. We’re looking at the second king coming to power, David. And as we look at the second king that is coming to power, we’re going to look as we progress through the Old Testament at a lot of other kings. And you are going to see that the leaders fate, the kings fate is connected to his conduct and it effects also the fate of his house even as it did Saul. I am going to say it over and over and over again in this lesson so that you and I don’t forget it. We’re destined for the throne but in the meantime, in between time, we need to keep a divine perspective. And we need to remember that life is not about us, it’s about God. It’s about God’s will, God’s way, God’s time, His will, His way, His time. And as Kaitlyn’s parents stood there looking at their daughter, taking her off the life support system, as they went through all of that they kept that perspective. And they made it because they knew that life was not about them, life was about God and whatever God wanted. Then they would submit to the will of God. And this is where beloved you will find peace and this is where you will find perseverance and this is where you will find a contentment on the journey to the throne. Go to 1 Chronicles 5. I want to show you something. I want to weave something for us before we get to 2nd Samuel, because you have studied 2nd Samuel, the first five chapters in your homework. I want you to see that Reuben was to have the preeminence, Reuben was to have the birthright but it went to Judah. So it says (1 Chronicles 5:1-2) Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of (whom?) Joseph the son of Israel; (and who were his sons? Manasseh and Ephraim) so that he (Joseph) is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. (Now listen) though Judah prevailed over his brothers and from him came (what?) the leader, (the Nagid, the prince, the chief) yet the birthright belonged to Joseph. So what you see is hey there is a birthright order here, but God has over ridden the birthright order. So the birthright order, who is going to rule, from where is going to come the chief, from where is going to come the one that the scepter will not depart out of his hands, from where is going to come Shiloh? From Judah. So what you and I need to understand is that although Saul was made the first king over Israel, he would not be the one from whom the scepter would not depart. Because Saul was from (what tribe?) Benjamin. David was from the tribe of Judah. So in Gods time, David is going to be the means of fulfilling this prophecy, the journey on the way of fulfilling this prophecy of the scepter not departing from Judah. The rulers staff not from between his feet because it is going to stay (where?) with the tribe of Judah. So David, out of the tribe of Judah must come one who rules, David is the one who is going to rule. He is going to come to the throne in Gods time, as will the Son of David. I want to take a moment because I want you to catch the importance of this crescendo in this opus of the king. I want you to see that all of this is leading to the one who is the Son of David who is Sheilo. Go to Romans 1:1-4 (So you can see the awesome significance of what we are studying.) Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God which He (God) promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His son, who was born of a descendant of (whom?) David according to the flesh. He was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh. Who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our (what?) Lord, So do you see how important David is in scriptures, because Jesus is from the root of David, in other words from the house of Judah, from the family of David. Matthew 1:1 (It is the genealogy of Jesus Christ which is so important.) The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: So here is Jesus and He is referred to as the son of David. Now Jesus comes the first time. He comes the first time to die. He is coming the second time to do what? To rule and reign as King of kings. It’s all a fulfillment of this prophecy that was given when Jacob blessed Judah and then when David mounts the throne of all Israel as its legitimate king. (Matthew 12:18-21) “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; (It is talking about Jesus.) MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL IS WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES. HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; (Now listen carefully, this is Jesus . He is headed for the throne. First He is headed for the cross, then He is headed for the throne.) He is NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY. AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.” This is Jesus when you look at Him, what is He going to be? He is going to be King. Yet, what do you see about this King? This is what you and I need to see. There is a gentleness to this son of David. What is pictured here is a ministry that is so gentle and compassionate that the weak are not trampled on and crushed until justice, the full righteousness of God triumphs. So what I want you to see is, as we are destined for the throne. This One who is the son of David, who is our Messiah is One who is gentle, is One who is compassionate, is not One who takes just this little smoldering wick and blows you out because you are just a smoldering wick. Or takes this bruise reed and just breaks it because it’s a bruise reed. But on His way to the throne there is a gentleness. There is a righteousness until God fully reigns and rules. Matthew 19. All this you are going to see in David. (Matthew 19:28) And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when I, Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. He is talking to His disciples. And He says you are going to sit on twelve thrones. So you and I are destined for the throne also. Go to Revelation 5. Now for some of you this is review but review is good. It brings it back to our remembrance and it helps us to keep a divine perspective. The 24 elders are praying. (Revelation 5:9-10) And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You (speaking of Jesus) to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” The final climax when He sits as King of kings and Lord of lords, the opus of the king will be complete. We will rule and we will reign with Him. Let’s go to 2nd Samuel and look at the crescendo of the king. And what we can learn, not just from history but about life so that we can keep a divine perspective as we ascend to the throne. For Beloved you and I, remember you and I as children of God are destined for the throne. If we can keep that in mind it will give us a new perspective on the way we are going to live. In 2nd Samuel 1 finally the time has come. David has proven himself a man after Gods own heart, after God’s own purposes. If you’re a man after God’s own heart then it’s about God and not about you. And he has proven that it is about God and not about him. 2 Samuel 1:1 Now it came about after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David remained two days in Ziklag, (Now if you look at Ziklag on a map, it is way to the south, it is in the area of the Philistines.) (1:2) On the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and dust on his head. Now the camp of Saul is clear to the north. He was at Mount Gilboa, so he was clear to the north. It took this young man three days to get there, it was a long journey. He comes to tell David the news. News that David does not know. He tells them this (1:4) …”The people have fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.” We know that he is going to mourn over Jonathan. We know at the end when he gives this beautiful, beautiful song of the bow. He says that his love for Jonathan was greater than the love for women. It did not say it was a substitute for the love of women. I just wanted you to know that, because some people come along and say they had a homosexual relationship. No, he’s just saying in this (1:26-27) “I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was more wonderful than the love of women. How have the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!” He has the grief over the death of Jonathan. But listen, this is a man destined for the throne. This is a man who is going to be the king of Israel. What is this man like? Well, he’s been pursued by Saul, hasn’t he? Saul has desired to take his life. Saul has lied to him, deceived him and has been just horribly mean and David has spent all those years running, fleeing, and hiding from Saul. So much so, that now he is living not in the area of his countrymen but he is living in the area of the Philistines. When this news comes, what would be a typical reaction? Yea! Yea! He’s dead! I can be king! Wouldn’t that be a normal reaction. Weep for Jonathan but not for Saul. Yet, what does he do? He weeps for Saul and for Jonathan. He has a heart that is a heart after God’s. It is so sad, when you look at Saul because here was a man who was raised up, if we went back to 1st Samuel, here was a man that was raised up for the purpose of what? He was raised up for purpose of delivering the children of Israel from the Philistines. That’s what they wanted a king for to deliver us from their enemies. Saul has been conquered by (what?) the Philistines. He has been put to death. He did not achieve his purpose. Why did Saul not achieve his purpose? Go back to 1 Samuel 13, we have the account of Saul. Saul does things his way. Listen, he does things his way. Saul does not keep a divine perceptive. When you look at Saul, what is it about? It’s all about Saul, isn’t it? It’s not all about God. So Saul has disobeyed God. Saul has gone in and offered a burnt offering and he’s not suppose to. He didn’t wait for Samuel. (1 Samuel 13:13) Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. You see what happened to him, he got weary of waiting. You and I are destined for the throne. Saul was on the throne. We are destined for the throne but I want you to know that it is a long journey that way. And you and I need to keep a divine perspective. You and I need to remember on that journey it’s not about us, it’s about God. And we are to reflect what God is like on that journey. We are to wait on God. We are to know that God has His will and God has His way and God has His time. We are to follow that. (13:14) “But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” In Gods omissions and in God’s plan, he knew the scepter had to come from Judah. He knew, so Saul never would have been. It says in another place, that He would have honored him, if he had honored Him, and his rulership would have continued and yet God knew that. From the very beginning we knew that it had to be a king that comes from the tribe of Judah. From the tribe of Judah and from that king eventually would come, Nagid, the chief, the prince, the ruler, the Messiah. There are several things that I want you to see. Why is David chosen? Well He sought after a man after God’s own heart. Now what is a man after God’s own heart? A man after God’s own heart, is a man that has his focus on God’s interest not his. It is one who has God’s interest on his heart. That’s a man after God’s own heart. And what you see is, the one who rules God’s people rightly must be ruled by God. As we study through 2nd Samuel keep that statement in mind and watch David, watch his triumphs, watch his defeats. Remember this the one who rules God’s people rightly must be ruled by God. You will see at the end that David makes some mistakes because he is not ruled by God. 2nd Samuel 1 - I don’t have time to go into all the details of this but you remember the Amalekite that comes and brings the news and says that he is the one that put Saul to death is lying. He is an enterprising man. He is a schemer. He has figured that if he can bring this news, He thinks that David is going to click his heel and give him, so to speak in today’s language, a high five for what he did. (1:14) David said to him, were you not afraid to touch the Lord’s anointed? And he has the Amalekite put to death. David is zealous for God’s reputation and the reputation of God’s people. What happened to Saul was a shame and what that man said he did to Saul, although he did not do it, he is held accountable for it and he is put to death. 2nd Samuel 2 – Well David inquires of the Lord and goes to Hebron where he is anointed king. (2:1) Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” Now listen, look at this man. He has just come to power. He has waited all these years and the time has finally come so does he take charge, does he say okay I am the king now, Saul is dead. God told me this, I am the one that is to rule, call a council and do this? No, he is going to get God’s perspective on how he comes to that throne. And he is going to do it God’s way and not his way, because it is all about God and it’s not all about David. As you read the text you see for Israel’s sake there is something beyond the person, to the position that he holds and the benefit of the people that he is going to rule over. So he says, God shall I to go up to a city? God says, yes. What city do I go? Go to Hebron. (2Sam.2:4) When he goes to Hebron what is he anointed? He is anointed king over (what?) over Judah, not over all of Israel, but he is king over Judah. The crescendo. Here is the fulfillment of this prophecy that has coming to past in Genesis, that the scepter will not depart from Judah, because for the first time the scepter is in the hand of Judah. Not of all of Israel but of the tribe of Judah. Then what do you find (2:11) The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. Look at the wisdom of this man. Look at the relationship of this man when you go through the Psalms and you see a Psalm of David, a Psalm of David and a Psalm of David you know that here is a man who knows his God. Here is a man who has an intimate relationship with God. Here is a man that pours out his heart to God. Here is a man that gets council from God. Now this next seven years and six months is not easy because it is a time, as we will read on a time of great blood shed. At the same time that he mounts the throne, so to speak as the king of Judah in Hebron, Ish-bosheth who is another name for Eshbaal. (2 Sam.2:8-9) Ish-bosheth, Saul’s one remaining son is man king over Israel by Abner. Who is Abner? Abner is Saul’s cousin. So listen, if there wasn’t a son there who could be a contender for the throne? Abner could be a contender for the throne. So what you see in chapter two, you see Abner and his boys from Israel and Joab and his boys from Judah, squaring off and having a battle. And in the process of all this Asahel pursues Abner and tells him turn back Asahel, turn back so that I don’t kill you. Asahel doesn’t listen and what does Abner do? He puts Joab’s brother Asahel to death. There are three of them, they are the sons of David’s sister. 2nd Samuel 3 – What do you see? You see war between the house of Saul and David. Remember this is the seven years and six months that David is ruling in Hebron over the tribe of Judah. In this chapter you see Abner, and you get a sense of the fact that Ish-bosheth is just a puppet under Abner. Then you see the conflict because Ish-bosheth, says why have you gone into my father’s concubine? Because you see when a king dies all his concubines and wives went to his successor. Abner doesn’t say if he slept with her or not but Abner takes one of Saul’s concubines and (2Sam.3:7-10) Ish-bosheth accuses him of sleeping with her. Abner gets angry and what does Abner do? He turns around and he threatens Ish-bosheth and he goes over to David. What you find, in chapter three, is a very sad thing happening. You find Joab getting revenge for his brother. Now it is not a justified revenge but he gets revenge. Joab gets Abner and puts him to death. Listen here is a king, he’s ruling over Judah. Here is Abner who has said he’s coming over to his side and he is going to support David. He’s had it with Ish-bosheth. Here is David, what does this do? Actually this helps solidify and strengthen David’s kingdom. If you stop and you look at it, even though Abner said he was coming over. Just the fact that Abner had at one time aligned with Ish-bosheth and had slept with Saul’s concubine, and all that. It still in a sense is an act that solidified David’s right to the throne. Yet how does David act? Does he condone this? No, he does not condone this. He keeps a divine perspective in this. And see in life as you and I go along, and we see the things that are happening and the conflicts between other people and the rights and the wrongs, we have to keep a divine perspective. We have to remember that this is about God and it’s not about us. So David acts rather than reacts. See he could have just said okay Joab you’ve had it and put Joab to death. But instead what does he say? (2Sam.3:28-29) First he says, I had no part in this. I am not guilty of Abner’s blood but Joab is. And he goes back and he pulls out the authority of the kinsman redeemer, the blood avenger. He pulls out that authority and then he calls on God and he says, God, You deal with him. And he pronounces a curse, he separates himself from Joab and calls upon God to act as a judge. Now listen, in our way to the throne, we always have to remember that we are not the judge, God is. We know what’s right. We know what’s wrong. But we are not the one that executes vengeance because (Romans 12:9) vengeance is the Lord’s. He says, I will repay. 1 King 2:5-6 and you will see David’s saying, before he dies, to his son, Solomon, remember what Joab did and take care of it. That is what Solomon does and Joab dies. But we will see that when we study it. So what you see in David in all of this, chapters 1, 2 and 3, you see his justice but you also see his compassion. Because what does he do? He weeps over Abner’s death and Abner remember at first was on Saul’s side. So he weeps over Abner’s death. You see this Christ likeness. You see this gentleness, this compassion and yet you see this justice. Listen, justice and compassion are essential in your life and my life as we prepare for the throne. Justice and compassion are essential to the representative of God. 2nd Samuel 4 – What do we have? We have Ish-bosheth being murdered. Now as far as David knows, (2 Sam. 4:4) the Bible tells us here that there is a son of Jonathan that is still alive by the name of Mephibosheth. That verse is just plopped in there. We will see the beauty of it next week. But as far as David knows all of his contenders are removed and David has the throne. There is no opposition left anymore. Yet what does David do? When those two men come to him to say, hey we have delivered. We have delivered Ish-bosheth, the throne is now yours, what does David do? He does not reward the guilty, why? Because David has, a divine perspective. If God says He’s going to put him on the throne, God will put him on the throne. God will do it in His time and God will do it in His way. David has to keep a divine perspective. So what does he do to these two men who think that they are going to get a reward? (2 Sam. 4:12) Once again, like he did with the Amalekite, he puts them to death because they killed an innocent man in his house. 2nd Samuel 5 – Here we go. Watch. Hear it? The opus has gotten louder and louder and now here it is in chapter five. David now is king over all of Israel. All Israel is behind David. Where is he anointed king? Hebron. Then what does he do? This is so significant. It says (5:5) At Hebron he rained over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. How did Jerusalem get into the picture? This was Jebus. This was the city of the Jebusites. This was the city that David went and captured. And it says (5:6) Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, … (5:7) Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David. By the way, this is the day that (1 Chronicles 11:6) Joab becomes the chief of his men, the ruler of his men, the head of his army and you get that out of Chronicles, not here. But you get it out of Chronicles because he’s the first one to take the city, to go in and David says that one will rule. But watch what it says (5:7) … David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David. (5:9) So David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. Now listen, this is the first mention of Zion in the Bible. And if you and I were to run some references, and you might want to write them down. If you were to go to Psalm 48:1-8 You have God talking about, Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, His holy mountain. … Is Mount Zion in the far north, The city of the great King. In Psalm 2:6-10 he says, (v.6) “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” So God’s King is installed on Zion. Zion, Jerusalem, the city of David. This is going to become the resting place of the house of the Lord. This is going to become the city of the great King. In John 12:15 “FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.” 1st Peter 2:6 For this is contained in Scripture: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” Where is this established? This is Jerusalem. This is the proclamation of David coming to his throne, but also David coming to the city that God has chosen where His name will be forever, the city of Zion, the city of the King. In chapter five when the Philistines come against David, even though he has obtained to the throne of all Israel what does he do? In 2nd Samuel 5:19 & 23, you see him doing what? Consulting God. I had the privilege of talking in person, to the President of the United States of America. And when I talked to him, many of you were praying about that invitation to the White House. And when I talked to him, I used these two verses with the President of the U.S. of America. I said I believe that God has chosen you as it says in this chapter, that God has chosen David to be king over all of Israel. I believe God chose you to be the President of the U.S. of America. And as David inquired of the Lord about going into battle and then as David inquired of the Lord as to how he should go to battle, I have heard you are a man who inquires of God. And I want you to know that we will be praying for you. As we ascend to the throne and even when a man sets on the throne, his highest duty is to keep a divine perspective. And to keep a divine perspective, you have to inquire of God. You have to remember that once you mount that throne that it’s not about you, it’s about God, because, as we saw in Samuel, (1 Sam.2:3-8) God is the One that raises up. God is the One that puts down. God is the One that makes kings. God is the One that destroys kings. The other thing that I wanted you to see, was the other thing that David remembered, was in 2nd Samuel 5:20. He says through God’s counsel, David defeated the Philistines. But this is what he knew, (5:20) … “The LORD has broken through my enemies… the victory rest not on the earthly throne but the victory rest on the divine throne. Listen carefully, Jesus, the Son of David, is coming. He’s coming to sit on His glorious throne. You and I need to get ready. We need to learn lessons from David’s life. That what God promises, God will perform. He will do it in His way. He will do it in His time. You and I are simply to keep a divine perspective and wait patiently on Him. Act, don’t react to your emotions and your circumstances and know this, that God will act in His time. Your peace, your endurance, your perseverance will come about when you remember it’s all God. It’s all God. In 1997, the world focused on the deaths of Princess Diane and Mother Teresa. There was another man that died. That the world didn’t in a sense, really even acknowledge. He was a German. He was a Jew. His name was Victor Frakal and he was a great doctor. He was a renowned psychiatrist. That man during World War II was sent to Aushwiths . In Aushwiths, he lost his mother, father, brother and wife. Although he had this brilliant mind, although he was a great doctor, he was made to do just menial labor. He was stripped of his identity and they sought to break that man. All of his notes which represented his life’s work, were destroyed by the Germans. Yet Frakal emerged from Aushwiths believing this, let me read it to you. Everything can be taken from man but one thing. The last of human freedoms (I’m speaking just humanly.) to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances. You and I have the freedom and no man can take it away, to choose how we are going to react, how we are going to respond in that circumstance. Watch David’s life. Watch the choices that he makes. He’s been a mighty hero, hasn’t he? A mighty hero. And even as he came to the throne, he waited on God. He did it God’s way. He waited on God’s timing. He did not grab that power and become power hungry. He didn’t play Saul, he played as God would have him play the role of the king in this mighty opus. The one by whom, the Son of God would be referred to as the Son of (what?) David. He waited on God. You and I need to know this, that in all of life precious one, we have a choice. We have a choice and that choice is to think that it’s all about me and let that control us or to remember, No, it’s all about God. To keep that divine perspective because we are destined for the throne and we are headed for the throne. When Kaithlyn died, she saw God sitting on His throne, high and lifted up. She was home. She had run well. She had fought the good fight of death and God had chosen to take her home. And her family, they kept that divine perspective. And that divine perspective reflected to those watching in God’s kingdom and outside of God’s kingdom. The grace, the sufficiency, the strength, the power of the King. O Beloved, you’re destined for the throne, keep that perspective and remember that you are His representative. You are to be a man, a woman of His own heart and that means that it’s God’s purpose that is on your heart, not yours. Let’s pray.

O Father, thank you. Thank you for your word. Thank you that it is a sure word. Thank you that just as you spoke in Genesis, so it came to pass, so it has come to pass and so it will come to pass. O Father, I thank you for these precious one that are studying to show themselves approved unto you. Workmen that needith not be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. And I pray Father that they would be faithful. And that we would keep each other faithful by our example and by our words of exaltation and encouragement. I pray Father that we would remember, we would not forget, that someday the King is coming and His reward is with Him to give to everyone of us according to our deeds. In Jesus name, we thank you. Amen.