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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (31-10-1976 Standtown Baptist Church)
By the end of King Saul’s life, and at the start of David’s reign as king, we see the positive side of David’s character again. This transition is marked in Bible terms by the end of 1 Samuel and the start of 2 Samuel. We are going to look at episodes from David’s life during this period that demonstrate his warm-heartedness, patience and wisdom.
God had rejected Saul as king
because of his impatience and plain disobedience. Samuel ceased to visit him. And
Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death (1 Samuel 15:35).
The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul (1 Samuel 16:14). When Saul
enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not (1 Samuel 28:6). Saul was
completely finished. He was on a downward path from which there was no return.
He desperately tried to foil God’s plans by murdering his successor, David.
The Philistine threat could not be turned aside. He was deserted by the Lord and
his servants, he went to the witch of Endor, though earlier he had banished
spiritism and witchcraft from the land.
The spirit of dead Samuel was
called on by the witch, and assured him his cause was lost. By that time
tomorrow his army would be defeated, and he and his sons would be dead. These
words were perfectly fulfilled. The Philistines completely routed Saul’s army
on Mount Gilboa. Jonathon and his two brothers were slain on the battlefield.
Saul was wounded by arrows from the Philistine archers. Saul’s armour-bearer
refused to kill him, so Saul had to commit suicide by falling on his own sword.
The Philistines cut off his head. His body was fastened to the wall of Bethshan.
But the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, whom Saul had rescued earlier, took down
Saul’s body and those of his sons, and cremated them, burying the ashes to
save them from further abuse.
The news of the death of Saul
and Jonathon deeply moved David. He killed the man who boasted that he had
killed Saul and who had brought to David Saul’s crown and bracelet, because he
had touched the Lord’s anointed. David sent messengers to thank the people of
Jabesh-gilead for showing respect to the body of Saul, and promising to return
the kindness (2 Samuel 2:5f).
Above all, David poured out his
grief in a lament that has come to be known as the “Song of the Bow” because
of its reference to the bow (2 Samuel 1:19-27). At first it was taught to
children of Judah. Since then, it has passed into the literature of the world as
an unrivalled model of a funeral dirge. It expresses the deep sense of David’s
loss and grief and love for the departed.
We are not surprised at the
praise of Jonathon. Jonathon had been such a good friend, and he had great
courage and ability as a soldier. But it is remarkable that David’s praise
coupled Saul and Jonathon. Saul and Jonathon were lovely and pleasant in
their life, and in their death they were not divided. They were swifter than
eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over
Saul…. How are the mighty fallen (2 Samuel 1:23,24).
This displays a great triumph of
respect and generous heartedness, after all David had suffered. Even though Saul
was the man who had been so bitterly jealous of him, had thrown his javelin at
him, and hunted him like a wild animal, David forgets all that he had suffered,
and refuses to think of anything other than what was brave and noble in his
liege lord. In all this, David shows great magnanimity. No thought of self or
his own interests. He had learned the secret of escaping from himself in
devotion and care for another.
When we learn to live our life looking out for another, and especially in the interests of Christ our Master, then we discover freedom from the constant obtrusion and tyranny of self. And how very close was David to the life, teaching and example of his greater son, Jesus Christ. In the moment when his worst enemy was out of the way and his life was safe at long last, and the way to the throne was open, he could only think of Saul’s good points and achievements. This song tells us much about Saul – and even more about David. We are reminded again of David’s physical beauty, strength, dignity, military success, personal attractiveness and generosity.
After the death of King Saul there was a tragic period of
national disunity. Judah in the south was ruled by King David, living in Hebron,
for seven and a half years, while the rest of Israel was ruled from Mahanaim by
Ishbosheth, the son of Saul. Ishbosheth was really a puppet king in the hands of
Abner. David knew that ultimately the whole country would be his, but he made no
attempt to seize the land. He patiently waited for God’s time.
The second chapter of 2 Samuel
records how David began his reign. He was back to his old ways, enquiring of the
Lord, and asking God’s direction regarding what city of Judah he should live
in. He had learnt from his mistakes of the past, and was anxious for clear
direction for the future. He wanted to be sure he was doing the right thing.
Waiting on God in patience and seeking His will for the future marked David’s
reign in Hebron. He just waited for events to take their course until the whole
kingdom was in his possession. He waited for God to give him the kingdom he had
been promised, therefore he refused to take one step without Divine leading.
Without any pushing from David,
this is exactly what happened. Ishbosheth was murdered and so all the tribes of
Israel came to Hebron. They remembered David’s former services as leader, and
said, We are thy bone and thy flesh (2 Samuel 5:1), and made him their
king. David knew it was God’s will that he should be their shepherd and
captain. David, at 30, had begun his 7-year reign of Judah, and then he ruled
over Judah and Israel for 33 years, dying at 70, at the end of a 40-year reign.
He was rewarded for patiently
waiting God’s time, and for not seizing the whole country when human wisdom
might have led him to take immediate control. David waited for God to level the
difficulties, remove the obstacles and prepare the way.
This is one of the most
difficult aspects of the Christian life – being patient and waiting for
God’s time. We are called, we are aware of God’s purpose for our life, but
so often we are reluctant to wait for His timing. C.f. Moses’ life – he was
40 before he came into the lime-light, and then he fled to Midian and lived in
obscurity for another 40 years till actually called to lead Israel out of Egypt
(Acts 7:23,30). Consider also Christ’s own ministry – it lasted only 3
years, but it took 30 years preparation in obscurity.
David’s is an example of submission to God’s will. Self-will leads to ruin and sin. Submission leads to joy, peace and success. If we are sure God has promised us anything, and if He does not seem to have opened the way, our strength is to sit still and wait. He will gradually shape events. In His time, we will have all He has promised. What is time enough for God should be time enough for us. We must learn to apply quiet waiting on God, not only for really big decisions of life, but also small matters of everyday life. And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him (2 Samuel 5:25).
The nation was reunited under David’s kingship. One of
the first acts of the new king was to secure a suitable capital for the kingdom.
He needed a city accessible to the whole country, suitable to be the heart and
brain of the national life. It needed to be well fortified, of great beauty, in
a neutral position (not in the southern tribe of Judah, or in the rest of Israel
which had till recently been so sharply divided). It also had to be hallowed by
sacred associations. There was only one candidate – Jerusalem, which had once
been ruled over by the priest Melchizedek, but was now in the hands of the
Jebusites.
The Jebusites were confident in their security. They had
held the fortress for so long and were felt secure in its impregnable walls.
They were so sure of themselves that they said blind and crippled citizens could
defeat David. David was not daunted. He was passive when waiting for a divine
gift, but very active and energetic when he heard the divine summons. David led
the army in person, and took the city. According to Josephus, David’s soldiers
got into the city by way of a subterranean watershaft, then opened the gate to
the entire army. So what was later to be called “Zion” and “City of
David” was now in David’s possession. Later on the Temple was built there.
Jerusalem was to hold as special place in the affections
of the Jews. There was no city like it. The joy of the whole earth (Psalm
48:2). The mountains were a symbol of God’s surrounding presence. When Daniel
was in exile in Babylon, he opened his windows toward Jerusalem as he prayed
three times a day (Daniel 6:10). There were joyful yearly pilgrimages to the
sacred feasts, and pilgrims longed to stand within the gates of the city.
Jerusalem meant much to Christ. As He thought of the coming desolation, He wept
over the city (Luke 19:41).
In light of all that followed, David’s choice of city
was a masterpiece of policy and statesmanship. This first success laid the
foundations of David’s greatness. Government of the king in departments of
law, justice, finance and army were localized at the capital. It was the heart
of a great empire. After Chronicles’ account of the capture of Jerusalem, it
says, So David waxed greater and greater for the Lord of hosts was with him (1
Chronicles 11:9).
Wisdom in everyday affairs of life even ran to choosing a
capital and organizing his government. And the conditions of true success?
“The Lord, the God of Hosts was with him”. David perceived that the Lord
had established him king over Israel, and
that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake (2
Samuel 5:12). He was not puffed up into self-importance, but devoutly saw who
had set him in his lofty place. He recognised his gifts were not for himself but
as a trust to be used for national good.
These are thoughts that we all need to hold on to and live our lives by. If we recognise that we have been set where we are by God, and that our gifts are from him to be used to further His kingdom, we will be being true to our calling. We will be one of God’s crowned kings, however obscure our lot and small our duty.
The qualities that we see here in David are New Testament virtues also – warm-heartedness, patience and wisdom. These gifts are ours too if we are living for God and striving for the good of His people.
