As I said,
Introduction and Book Overview
we're going to look specifically at the first 11 verses in this chapter, but I think it would be helpful to give us a basic overview of the book of 2 Samuel as a whole. Chapter 1 really does go with what we had in Chapter 31 in 1 Samuel, on the heels of the Philistine defeat over Israel, and the death of Saul, and David's interaction with the Amalekite Ula'idam, and then David's lamentation for Saul and Jonathan, it really does go with what has preceded. Now we take off specifically with reference to the career of David, so it's good just to have sort of an outline of what's going on in 2 Samuel. Chapters 1 to 4 deal with the commencement of David's reign at Hebron.
Chapters 5 to 9 are the consolidation of David's reign over all Israel. Chapters 10 to 20 are the consequences of David's sin, and then chapters 21 to 24, the close of David's reign. So that's the broad outline of the book as a whole. In this particular chapter, what we essentially have is a tale of two kingdoms.
We see God established David specifically in Judah, and then we see this usurpation, or this upheaval, or this uprising, rather, specifically initiated by Abner. Ish-bosheth is essentially a puppet king. The real enemy or the real criminal in this particular account is Abner, so we'll look at it that way. Dale Ralph Davis says concerning this, we look at a passage like this, and it seems just like another ancient Near Eastern political power play.
I mean, if you look back in history, that's essentially what goes on. Nation rises up against nation, there's battles, there's victory, and then that happens again sometime later. But he says what we actually see in chapter 2 is a kingdom established under divine guidance in verses 1 to 4 opposed by another kingdom inaugurated by human ambition in verses 8 to 11. So we'll look specifically tonight at verses 1 to 7 under the consideration the anointing of David in Hebron, and then secondly the opposition by Abner in Israel in verses 8 to 11.
And we'll make several observations as we close tonight concerning the kingdom as we find it here, but it's certainly typical of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. David, of course, is a type of Christ. The kingdom of God in the Old Testament is typical of the the kingdom of God overseen by our Lord Jesus. So there are a whole host of lessons in this particular chapter.
The Anointing of David in Hebron
But note in the first place, we'll look at the anointing of David and Hebron. First of all, the return to Hebron in verses one to four.
David Seeks Direction from God
Notice that David seeks direction from God. David seeks direction from God. Verse one. It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?
Now, the present situation in Israel was such that the nation was in a really bad state. I mean, the Philistines had defeated Saul. Philistines, no doubt, were all over the nation. David and his men had come back from slaughtering the Amalekites.
So they're still sort of getting their bearings. It's just not the most serene or peaceful time in Israel's history. As well, when we consider this particular request for direction from the Lord, we need to remember past revelation given to David. David is conscious of the fact that he was anointed as king way back in 1 Samuel 16.
When David has dealings with Jonathan in 1 Samuel chapter 23, Jonathan assures David that David is going to be the king in Israel. In fact, Jonathan says, even my father knows this. And later on in chapter 26, Saul admits as much concerning David with reference to the throne. As well, with reference to the current expectation, David knows that now that Saul is gone, he is going to achieve the throne, and yet he stops to ask direction from the Lord.
He wants to inquire of God. He doesn't want to just run on sin. Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said to him, Go up.
David said, Where shall I go up? and he said to Hebron. So this is of God. Van Hoy says that this meant that David's decision to move from Ziklag to Hebron was not in the first instance a pragmatic, that means a practical political calculation, but rather an act of obedience to an instruction he had received from the Lord." In other words, we see the divine sanction of God upon David, so that when we get to Abner, we see that he is in rebellion, not simply against David, but he's in rebellion against the living God. What Abner does in this chapter is absolutely treacherous and diabolical.
He rejects the rule of God Most High over God's own people. John Calvin says concerning this, he says, even though David clearly knew that God had constituted him king and that Saul had trespassed, even though the time was right for him to enjoy the crown, nevertheless he asked God to tell him what he should do. Why? Because although he was on the way, he still knew that he could err seriously if God did not guide him.
He says, let us learn through all of life to go to the Lord, especially when we are facing important decisions. If the Lord God Almighty moves David in this particular way and David is such a man before the Lord that he asks counsel or he seeks God or he inquires of the Lord, certainly we ought to follow suit. I mean, David was indeed a man after God's own heart. Now, certainly in this instance, it was no doubt or most likely through Abiathar, the high priest who had the ephod that contained the Urim and the Thummim, so that when David inquired of God through that particular priest, the answer came to him.
Certainly the new covenant application for us is that we are in our scriptures, that we are reading our Bibles. I'm going to lean on Calvin through our time in 2 Samuel. Calvin didn't comment. He didn't do commentaries on 1 and 2 Samuel.
You'll notice I never quoted Calvin when we're going through 1 Samuel. Well, in 2 Samuel, there's a series of sermons by Calvin published by Banner of Truth, and they're very hearty and very practical and full of, you know, just helpful stuff. If you are interested in some devotional reading, Calvin's sermons are are up to the task. And what he says concerning this whole idea of inquiring of the Lord through the word of God is absolutely essential.
David, king of Israel, in the midst of a very busy life, You know, sometimes we as God's people say, you know, I'm too busy to read the Bible, or I'm too busy to pray, or I'm too busy to go to church. David is conquering people. David just went and slaughtered Amalekites. David just saw the death of Saul and his sons.
David certainly had fish to fry, as we might say, and yet it did not deter him or keep him from inquiring of the Lord. Joshua was another man who was full of, you know, busy days and hardship and difficulties, and yet God said, you need to seek Me daily, and then your way will be prosperous, and then you will be strong. And that's simply the case for us as God's people. We need to be inquiring of the Lord, not in some mystical, strange way.
When I say inquiring of the Lord, I don't mean shimmy up to the top of Mount Shem and chant. I mean open your Bible and ask God what he would have for you today. Go to the scriptures, study the word, get it in your heart, hide it in your heart that you might not sin against him. That's what I mean when I say inquiring of the Lord.
Hebron: God's Providential Provision
Now notice God responds specifically by telling him Hebron. Now, this is a most blessed answer, by the way, because Hebron was a great location for David to set up shop in terms of political advantage. We can't underestimate the goodness and the kindness of God. David asks for direction.
God gives him the specifics. The specifics happen to be probably the best place that David and his men could hold up at this particular time. Now eventually they'll conquer the city of Jerusalem and that will be the political and the religious capital of the nation. But at this particular time, Hebron was the place to be.
It was a strategic location. It was an important city in Judah. It was located about 19 miles southwest of Jerusalem in the Judean hill country, and at 3,000 feet above sea level, was the highest town in Palestine. Now, we take for granted modern military armament and battlements and all that sort of thing, but high ground was very much coveted in this particular situation.
You had a military advantage. It was a stronghold. It was a good place to be. As well, Hebron had a rich covenantal history.
Abraham and Sarah were buried there. Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah, all buried there. This was a place rich in Israelite history. As well, if you remember, after David finishes dealing out retribution upon the Amalekites for what they did to Ziklag, remember that David captured their booty.
He took the spoils, he gave to his men, And then he sent these gifts around the cities of Judah. Guess which one of the cities in Judah received some gifts from David? Hebron. It was the perfect place for God to move David at this particular time.
It enabled David, his wives, his family, and all of his men who were with him, every man with his household, they were able to dwell in the cities of Hebron. The Book of Chronicles tells us that David, while he was in Ziklag, his armies increased. David's notoriety was starting to spread throughout the land and people were coming. to join alongside of him. The rest of this chapter, when civil war ensues, David and his men clean up.
Abner can't withstand David and his armies, probably because David and his armies were far stronger than what was left of Israel by the destruction from the Philistines. So David is poised in a good place here, specifically in Hebron. Now
The Anointing Confirmed by Judah
notice what happens in verse 4a. Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Israel." Now, we might ask the question, didn't Samuel do this back in 1 Samuel 16? I mean, Samuel was the kingmaker. He was the one that anointed Saul, and then he anointed David.
Did they not remember this? Did they not reflect upon this? Rather, it was probably an affirmation or a confirmation or a public recognition of what had transpired in 1 Samuel 16. Because remember what happens in 1 Samuel 16.
David is anointed, the Spirit comes upon him, and then he has nothing but trial and difficulty. He has success against Goliath in chapter 17, but on the heels of that, he's running for his life from Saul. It was not his time to take the throne. So here there's peace, at least with reference to Hebron.
David comes, they anoint him king over the house of Judah. Calvin explains this. He says, so when the people anointed David, they were not employing that what Samuel did was ineffective or that it was not powerful enough to accomplish anything. Rather, it is as though they were replying, amen.
I like that. It was as if they were replying, Amen. Which, by the way, the Amen was used in the public worship of God in the early church. It was not uncommon for persons to Amen during preaching or especially after praying.
The public Amen is a biblical thing. And in this instance, I like the way Calvin sort of applies it to this anointing of David. He says, and they ratified what had been done. We should understand, therefore, that David is not elected king here by the desire of men, but that he received approbation because God authorized it, and thus men agree with it.
So that's what's happening. David is in Hebron. David is now taking the throne over Judah. Remember, if you look at a map, Israel, there's north and there's south.
Judah is to the south. At this time, it is a divided kingdom, as the civil war in this chapter makes evident. Under David, it will become a united kingdom. Under Solomon, it will remain a united kingdom.
And then after Solomon, the kingdom is separate again to the north and to the south, and that's basically the flow of the biblical narrative from here on out. Now notice as well, with reference to the anointing of David and Hebron,
David's First Act: Kindness to Jabesh Gilead
what's David's first act when he officially assumes the throne? Does he go chop heads off? That's not necessarily unbiblical. When Solomon takes the throne, one of the first orders of business is to secure the throne.
And the way that one secured the throne in those days was to kill all rivals to that throne. So it's not necessarily a wrong thing to go chopping off heads, but that's not what David does. His first act of business is kindness. His first act of official business is kindness to Jabesh Gilead.
Notice verse 4a, and they told David, saying, the men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul. Remember, we saw that at the end of chapter 31 in 1 Samuel. After Saul had been killed in battle, the Philistines took his headless body along with the bodies of his sons and nailed them to the wall at Bathshan. The Jabesh-Gileadites traveled about a 20-mile round trip to take the bodies off of the fence.
They ended up burning the bodies and then burying the bones. Now, we're not going to get into the whole discussion as to why they burned the bodies. Probably they were, you know, diseased or whatnot. But Jabesh-Gilead treated Saul's remains and his sons' remains with respect and dignity and kindness.
Remember the reason why. Saul's first exploit when he became king was to protect Jabesh Gilead from Nahash the Ammonite. Nahash the Ammonite was the butcher who wanted to collect Jabesh Gilead's eyes. He wanted their eyes.
Of course, they didn't want to give up their eyes and I don't blame them at all. And so Saul went and he was killing Ammonites until the heat of the day. So Jabesh Gilead never forgot that Saul had done them a solid. So the Jabesh Gileadites took the bodies, buried the bodies, showed respect.
David is now told this, and David then responds. He expresses his thankfulness. In verse 5, David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh, Gilead, and said to them, you are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your Lord, to Saul, and have buried him. Remember, David is legit.
He expresses remorse over the death of Saul and his sons. We went into the reasons why last week. We don't need to rehearse that. But David continues to express that he was, in fact, sincere with this remorse shed over, or with these tears shed over Saul.
Notice as well, he makes a promise to the men of Jabesh Gilead, verse 6. And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness because you have done this thing. So David is really happy with the Jabesh Gileadites.
Now, one of the things I've noticed as I've been studying, you know, sort of the literature on David, there's a couple of different ways people look at David. There are some who look at David and never see anything wrong whatsoever. I mean, obviously, the sin with Bathsheba. They have to concede that what David did there was wrong.
But for the most part, everything else, David just did exemplary business. Now, we haven't treated it just so. I think his exercise of killing that Amalekite without any due process, there's some things we ought to be concerned about or at least question. But on the other hand, there's people that view David as just this conniving, you know, finagling, political machine.
And I don't think that's accurate. David was legitimately a gracious, godly king. But being a gracious, godly king does not do away with the necessity of exercising some political wisdom. David is the king over Israel.
In order to properly administer a kingdom or administrate a kingdom, I would imagine you need to have something on the ball. I would imagine you need to have some sort of wisdom. And notice in verse 7, David shows some of that wisdom. We might call it some political savvy here.
He's genuinely thankful for the Jabesh Gileadites. He expresses that thankfulness. He makes the promise that He will indeed show kindness. I will repay you this kindness.
Now, notice in verse 7, He extends, as it were, an invitation. Now, therefore, let your hands be strengthened and be valiant, for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them. So he is, in a sense, saying or telling them, I'm the king now, and it would be good if I had your loyalty. He's genuinely thankful, but he's also genuinely wise.
He's ascended the throne in Judah. He knows he doesn't have all of Israel at this particular time, so he appeals to the Jabesh Gileadites. One man said that the first recorded act of the new king of Judah was to offer friendship and comfort to a group of Israelites, with the implication that David may be a Judean, but his heart belongs to all Israel. He's in it not only for Judah, but he's in it for the Jabesh Gileadites.
He's in it for the good of Israel. When we read the Psalms, for instance, we learn that God gave David as a shepherd to his people Israel. I believe, and I'm firmly convinced, that David typifies what Jesus most certainly possessed completely and perfectly. David had a shepherd's heart for the nation of Israel.
Did he always function perfectly? No. He was a sinner like you and me. Did he always function the way that Jesus did?
No. He was a sinner in need of Jesus' redemption. But nevertheless, he was the real deal. He was a good man.
He was a godly man that sought to orchestrate and administrate this kingdom in a way that would bring glory to God and good to the people of Israel. So that's David's anointing in Judah. Now
The Opposition by Abner in Israel
notice, secondly, the opposition by Abner in Israel. Now remember, Israel is not with David. Abner is sort of the big cheese, if you will. He's the big kahuna.
He's orchestrating things there in Israel.
Abner's Rebellion Against God's King
Who is Abner? He was the son of Nirn, thus a cousin to Saul, 1 Samuel 14, 50. And as we are told here, he is the commander of Saul's army. Note specifically his plan in verse 8.
He took Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim." Now, Ish-bosheth was the fourth son, as we surmise, of Saul. He was one that did not get killed in the battle at Gilboa. In 1 Chronicles 8.33 and in 1 Chronicles 9.39, his name is given as Esh-bosheth. Baal.
Now the word Baal we associate with the Canaanite deity, but Baal just generally defined means something like Lord or Master. So for an Israelite, Saul for instance, to name his son Esh-Baal didn't mean that he was devoted to Baal. Now Saul definitely had his problems, but he didn't name Esh-Basheth Esh-Baal in the sense that I want you to worship the pagan deity. The word generally speaking, means lord or master.
Now it came to be associated strictly with the pagan god, Baal. And as a result, scribes would at times change Baal to Bosheth. And Bosheth means shame. So Ish-Bosheth means man of shame.
I don't know that that's a whole lot better, but that's what we have with reference to this particular man. Abner was the commander-in-chief and he is clearly the real power. His surviving son, Ish-bosheth, is a puppet king. The text, the stress, at least in chapter 2 here, is all upon Abner and his particular desires.
So he makes Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, king. Notice in verse 9, he made him king over Gilead, over the Asherites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David." So you see what's going on.
David is king over Judah. David is in the city of Hebron. He has control over the tribes of Judah. Ish-bosheth and Naabner have secured control over the tribes in Israel.
And that's probably how we're supposed to understand this discrepancy in numbers. Notice that it says Ish-bosheth reigned for two years in Israel. David reigned for seven years and six months in Judah. Whence the other years?
There's a disparity there, isn't there? I mean, I'm not a mathematician, but I see a difference between two and seven and a half. Most likely, there's one of two ways we can understand this. Ish-bosheth reigned for two years prior to, or two years prior to this event that takes place in chapter two, And then the rest of the years are made up after that.
I don't think that's it. My personal understanding is that he had already been at it for five years. It took them that long. to consolidate power in the tribes of Israel. So in other words, he has the power.
All these tribes are ultimately under his sway, all except for, of course, the house of Judah, who followed David. And that took five years. So that's the five years. Then he reigns two years, and that coincides with David's seven years and six months that he reigned.
Judah. So if you've ever read that and you thought, what happened to five years there? It's at least two explanations. Sometimes these texts are a little bit difficult to understand, but that seems to make good sense to me.
So that's essentially what we have in this particular section. I didn't want to bite off the rest of the chapter because there's a lot there, and I don't want to just sort of glean over it. But as I said, there are several lessons that I think we should learn at this point. They're typical of what we find in the kingdom of Jesus Christ that we find ourselves in, and so it's good for us to spend just a little time here.
The Inauguration of the Kingdom
In the first place, we ought to appreciate something of the inauguration of the kingdom. The word inauguration means, of course, the beginning of it, the putting into place. We speak of the inauguration of the new covenant, tracing it to, you know, the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is my blood, the new covenant, which is shed for the remission of sins for many.
So, the inauguration of the kingdom that we see in this particular instance. We see the plan of God come to fruition. We see the plan of God come to fulfillment. God had determined to raise up a shepherd for Israel.
Now, there was a lot of opposition to that, there was a lot of difficulty along the way, but God accomplishes His purpose. We need to appreciate that when God speaks and when God determines and when God purposes something to take place, it most certainly will come to pass. The opposition of Saul notwithstanding, which was great, God stopped it or God thwarted it. It's not completely eradicated as we find with Abner and Ish-bosheth, but nevertheless God dealt with the opposition against the kingdom in such a way that David would ascend the throne in Judah.
As well, with reference to the inauguration of the kingdom, something we should appreciate in this chapter is the apparent insignificance of the kingdom at its inauguration. One tribe, one not-so-big tribe, Judah, You think that God's shepherd, David, is on the scene. Every bit of power and authority has been given to him. He ought to have an extensive run of the land, but that's not the case.
And does this not parallel Jesus' kingdom? Jesus taught the parable of the mustard seed. It starts off tiny and imperceptible, such that at times you don't even perceive the growth of the kingdom, but you can rest assured that that tiny seed will mature into a huge tree and the birds of the air will find their rest in that particular tree. So what appears to be small, what appears to be, at least as far as the eye is concerned, insignificant.
David ruling over a small tribe in Israel in this particular time frame doesn't seem a lot. It doesn't seem like the sort of thing that the God of heaven and earth would orchestrate. It's precisely the sorts of things the God of heaven and earth would orchestrate. Remember the vision in Daniel chapter 2.
There's this great image that's composed of several different metals and all of these things. It's just this formidable beast of an image. And there's one small stone that fouls that image. Well, what's the interpretation given us by Daniel with reference to this particular thing?
Daniel chapter 2 specifically verses 35 and 44. Daniel chapter 2 verse, let me just find my text, 35 specifically concerning the stone. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found.
And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. What's Daniel talking about? He's talking about something that David understood back in his days in Hebron that will come to pass in the reign and the rule of David's greater son. This tiny stone fells this massive image and what happens to this tiny stone, it becomes a great mountain and it fills the whole earth.
And just in case we aren't tracking with that particular interpretation, We're not picking up with what Daniel puts down. He clarifies it and explains it vividly in Daniel 2.44. And in the days of these kings, he's talking about world empires. He's talking about the various contenders on the world stage.
Babylon, Medo-Persian, Greece, Rome. In the days of these kings, specifically Rome, listen to what Daniel says the God of heaven is going to do. And in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
You see, when you saw Jesus walking around in Israel in the first century, and he was attended by, you know, at times, simply twelve men, you might have been, you know, tempted to say, well, that doesn't look that impressive. That doesn't look like it's going to be anything special. That doesn't look like it's going to overtake the kingdoms of this world. But that is precisely what it does.
That is precisely what happens. Remember, in John 18, Pilate says, are you a king? And Jesus said, you have said rightly, for this cause I was born. I love that statement.
The book of John doesn't give us a A birth narrative. Matthew and Luke specifically give us the birth narrative concerning Jesus. There is a reference in John 1.14 with reference to the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us and we be held as glory as of the only begotten Son. full of grace and truth. But the only reference to the actual birth of Christ in John 18, it's not a reference that has to do with some little baby in a manger that's at a position of disadvantage.
He says, for this cause I was born, to rule, to reign, to govern. Isn't this what the prophet Isaiah said? The government will be upon his shoulder. I think the tendency and the temptation for the people of God is to judge based on what we see.
We walk by sight and we don't walk by faith when we're told just the opposite. We're to walk by faith. We're to walk like Abraham, who, contrary to hope, in hope believed. If you were David's men at this particular time, you might be inclined to say, you know, Hebron's nice, but wow, we sure thought it was going to be a lot more glorious than this.
Just hang on and stick with David and see what the Lord God Most High is going to do. Davis says, it is a small beginning but it is the kingdom of God in 2 Samuel 2. Concrete, visible, earthy. The kingdom of God has for the moment tucked itself away in the hills of Judah.
The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.
The Kindness of the Kingdom
Notice in the second place the kindness of the kingdom. I specifically underscored this so that we as kingdom citizens don't forget this lesson. David assumes the position as king, and the first act of business is to be kind to people. is to return thanks to J. Bash Gilead, to promise J.
Bash Gilead that David will protect them and care for them and watch over them. Brethren, as representatives of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, now we're not kings and we're not Jesus, but as citizens must imbibe his ethic. And if the kingdom extends, more often than not, it extends not through our you know, great argumentation, though that's necessary. It doesn't extend from our obnoxiousness in the way that we seek to persuade man.
It extends via our kindness. when we emulate and when we imitate our beloved Lord. When we, yes, at times like Jesus are, you know, willing to let zeal for the house of Yahweh consume us and drive out money changers and overturn tables. All that is true and we need to have that sort of an ethic of our Lord. But that's one time or twice in the gospel narratives.
Jesus ministered for 30 years and in the space of however it long took for him, you know, to drive out those money changers from the temple and however long it took for him to really throw down with the religious leaders. I mean, when we get to Matthew 23, Jesus would be voted out of modern society. I mean, he's just offensive. He calls people bags of snakes, and he calls them hypocrites, and he calls them blind guides.
You know, certainly he would not do well in a university setting today. He would invade your safe space, and he would make you very uncomfortable. But nevertheless, that's not the constant refrain in Jesus' ministry. That wasn't the overarching tenor of the way that he conducted himself.
It was with kindness. It was with compassion. It was with gentleness. It was with friendliness.
I mean, when he needed a child to use for an illustration in Matthew 18, the child, you don't get the feeling that it winced, or it cowered, or it was afraid to come to him. Children are very good judges of character, brethren, and when a child willingly runs and sits in the lap of our Lord Jesus Christ, I think that evidence is something about our Lord Jesus. I've also observed that dogs seem to be a pretty good judge of character. I bet Jesus did fine with dogs as well.
Children and dogs, I bet he did great with, because he was gentle, he was kind, he was compassionate. That was what was the overarching tenor of his ministry. And as kingdom citizens, there are times, brethren, when we need to stand fast and stand firm against heretics. Paul the Apostle withstood Peter the Apostle to his face.
There's a place for that. Jude tells us we are to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. We are to be bold in our witness and in our testimony. But brethren, we are to be gentle.
We are to be meek. We are to be lowly. We are to be humble. We are to be kind.
If somebody does nice things for us, we ought to say thank you. We ought to seek to do nice things for others. There ought to be that kindness that characterizes the kingdom of David and of David's greater son. We find ourselves as participants in that kingdom.
We must imbibe that particular ethic.
The Opposition to the Kingdom
Notice in the third place, the opposition to the kingdom. You see, it's not the case that David just gets this respite now. You know, David, you've had a tough life. You've run from Saul.
You've slaughtered Amalekites. You had some, you know, really close encounters with the Philistines. God says, you know, I'm just going to let you go sit and chill for 10 years and enjoy the fruits of your labor. It's constant battle for David, isn't it?
Have you noticed that? As soon as the Spirit comes upon him in 1 Samuel 16, David's life is one trial after another. Do you want to be a David? Because if you do, you're going to be a busy camper, because he had nothing but issues.
I mean, as soon as we learn we've got security in Hebron, we've got Happy Jabesh Gileadites and now we've got Abner. Abner and Ish-bosheth wanting to just deal with David. I mean don't make any, you know, don't miss this. Abner comes to initiate essentially a civil war.
And that's just reprehensible. Don't miss how bad Abner is in this particular section. He knew the intention of God. This is what makes it all the worse.
In 2 Samuel chapter 3, Abner reveals that he knew Yahweh's intention to make David the king. And yet his self-ambition, and his self-promotion, and his desire to be the head cheese of the big kahuna, or whatever you want to call it, drove him to actually engage in a civil war among the very people of God. We're not talking about Hittites and Hivites. We're talking about the covenant nation of Israel.
He rejected the living God. This is how Kyle and Dalich speak of it. The promotion of Ish-bosheth as king was not only a continuation of the hostility of Saul towards David, but also an open act of rebellion against Jehovah. who had rejected Saul and chosen David prince over Israel, and who had given such distinct proofs of this election in the eyes of the whole nation, that even Saul had been convinced of the appointment of David to be his successor upon the throne. This wasn't a secret.
People knew that David was supposed to be king. Abner says that he knew that David was supposed to be the king. I mean, in chapter 3, Abner's got a little problem with Ish-bosheth. That's a tongue twister.
So what does he do? He goes and tries to join up with David. And this guy's a wretch. Calvin says, it is also true that Abner was a rebel guilty of mutiny and that Saul's kingdom, which he wished to maintain, was a bastard.
For God had undoubtedly chosen David to succeed Saul. You see, the opposition to the kingdom. You know, do not be alarmed that the Abner's of our day are still trying to resist the advance of the kingdom of God. Right?
We shouldn't be surprised or shaken or blown away. Why is it that the people of God suffer in this world? Because this world is filled with Abner's. This world is filled with Ish-bosheth's.
This world is filled with opposition to the kingdom of our God and his Christ. If you haven't learned this, you don't read the Bible. Psalm 2. Why do the nations rage and the people plot of vain things?
Against who? Against Yahweh and His Christ. They're raising their fists. And that's an amazing thing.
The kings of the earth take their stand together. I mean, kings of the earth in our day. Imagine, you know, political leaders. Do they like each other?
I love those instances where they're caught on an open mic saying something about the person. I can't stand dealing with this guy. Oh, really? You know, you look like you're supposed to be nice and happy.
They take their stand together against Yahweh and against his Christ. If you've ever read the Gospel of Luke, you see this played out. Remember, Jesus is delivered up to Pilate. Pilate reckons, or Pilate realizes, that Jesus comes from Herod's jurisdiction.
So Jesus is sent to Herod. Now, Herod and Pilate, as Luke tells us, were formally not on the best of terms. But when it comes to their opposition against Jesus, they're buds. They're close associates.
They're friends. They're companions, you see. There is opposition against the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and we must not be shocked. No, we mustn't say, well, there you go.
We pray against it, and we ask God for help to deal with it. But there are abners in this world, brethren.
The Trials of the Kingdom
As well, fourthly, the trials associated with the kingdom. We've touched on this just a little bit, but there is a tendency to think that all is well now that Saul is gone. All is well now that David's enemy is gone. No, there's always going to be another enemy.
We can have that tendency in our own Christian life. All is well now, because I'm a Christian. And unfortunately, there's foolish, knuckle-headed preachers that tell Christians that. You're a Christian.
Everything's going to be great. You're a Christian. Everything's going to be happy, hunky-dory. You're just going to skate through life.
You know that's not the case. Hebrews 11 doesn't tell you that everything's going to be hunky-dory. Paul doesn't tell you that in 2 Timothy 3. Acts 14.22, Paul doesn't say we must through many rose petals enter the kingdom of heaven.
No, we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus is talking to his disciples, his apostles in the upper room discourse, he said in this world you're going to have nothing but joy and happiness and pleasure. No, in this world you will have tribulation. You see, we come to a passage like this and we want to wipe our brow with David and say, well, now he gets to relax.
No more trials for a time. God, just let him have some rest. And I think there is that tendency to carry that over into our Christian lives. Haven't we learned better?
Didn't the Ziklag experience teach us better? David comes out of a very close call with the Philistines, travels 60 miles back to Ziklag. You think he's going to have some R&R there? No, he's going to find Ziklag burned to the ground. and his wives, his children, and his men's wives and children gone.
You see, brethren, the Christian life is difficult. Just because you're a kingdom participant doesn't mean you're going to soar through life on beds of flowery ease. There's a hymn that refers to it that way, 481. Now, I'm not saying it's not pleasant, it's not joyful, it's not happy.
Certainly, there is a peace that abides and a joy that abides in the midst of the trial and difficulty. But if you get into this Christian life thinking you're never going to have problems, You haven't read the fine print. And it's not fine, it's all over. Page after page of scripture tells you.
The Practice of Kingdom Citizens
And then finally, the practice of kingdom citizens today. In the first place, we ought to exercise constant dependence on direction from God. Let us dare to be a David and inquire of the Lord. Here's Calvin again.
Let us learn from this passage that all our life we are to have God as our guide and his word as the unquestionable standard of right and wrong. Don't you love that? the unquestionable standard of right and wrong. If this book says it, I don't question it. I don't disobey it.
I submit. This is the commands of the king of heaven and earth. We are not here to debate We're not here to ask Him to take out those parts that we don't particularly like. We agree we like, you know, seven of the Ten Commandments, Lord, but, you know, those other three we just don't want to deal with.
No. We submit to the Word of the Living God. He goes on to say, so to know God's guidance, let us be aware that we must diligently read and have our ears wide open from morning until evening to the exposition of holy scripture. Unless God gives us his scripture, we will still be confused as experience teaches us.
You know what Calvin's practice was in Geneva? Every morning there was preaching. On the way to work, you stop at church and you get a sermon. Every morning.
Every single morning. The man was relentless. I think I've told you before, he was in Geneva, he was preaching on Deuteronomy. And he got to whatever chapter, I don't remember the chapter, and then he had to flee Geneva.
And then after a couple years he was gone, he came back. First order of business was to pick right back up where he left off in Deuteronomy. That makes me happy. That is amazing.
Because that gives honor to the word of God. You don't bypass. You don't say, well, you know, we try. No, you go through it.
You soldier through. You preach. You teach. You expound.
Because God knows that's what his people need. So the constant dependence on direction from God. Secondly, in terms of practice of kingdom citizens today, the confident expectation in the victory of the kingdom of God. Now, we have a certain advantage at this point, don't we?
We know what's going to happen. We better know what's going to happen. But in this instance, if you were a soldier of David sitting in Hebron, you might have thought, this isn't as grand as I thought it was going to be. The Christians today must have a confident expectation or rather a confident expectation in the victory of the kingdom of God.
The Bible tells us the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Jesus was not kidding when he said, go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teach them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the earth." Brethren, what part of God did we miss? We need to be about this with a confident expectation of the victory of God's kingdom on earth. As well, we need to thirdly engage in continual kindness necessary in representing the kingdom of God.
You don't be that guy that's so obnoxious that people don't want to be in the kingdom if you're there. I mean, if you're in the kingdom, I don't want to be in it. It was Roy Rogers. He said, if dogs aren't in heaven, I don't want to go to heaven.
That's a pretty unfortunate thing to say for anybody. But let it not be said. If you're a member of the kingdom of heaven, I don't want to be there, because you look miserable, and you're just a sourpuss, and you're just a nasty specimen to be around. Let's not repel men from the kingdom.
Men have enough trouble in their own native depravity as being sons of Adam. Let's not help them to hell by our sour attitudes. Let's exhibit something of the kindness of the kingdom on an ongoing basis. And then finally, we need to understand or we need to imbibe a conscious rejection of self-ambition and self-promotion practiced by the opposers of the kingdom of God.
There's a little Abner in us. There's a little bit of Abner in us. Self-promotion and self-ambition. Now, we may not go to the extent and the lengths that Abner did.
We may not actually instigate a civil war. But God abominates those who sow discord among brethren, too. Proverbs 6, 16 to 19, the Lord abominates these six things. Yahweh hates.
Yea, seven are an abomination to Him. Do you ever ponder the reality that the last one is those who sow discord among the brethren? Now certainly Abner sowed discord among his brethren because he instituted civil war. But our harsh words, or our gossip, or our slander, our sharing information about persons to other persons whose business it isn't, that's a form of sowing discord among brethren.
And brethren, we're not supposed to do that. We need to recognize that in our hearts there is a bit of Abner. I love the way Davis put it. He said, Abner is not far from any of us.
We share an Abner nature that harbors sin, stupidity, perversity, and twistedness. Let Abner preach to you. Let him tell you that it is possible to know the truth but not embrace the truth, to quote the truth but not submit to the truth, to hold the truth and yet assault the truth. And so Abner joins all the other antichrists who strut around and say, I will be king.
Brethren, we need to guard against that attitude that does indeed sow discord among the brethren. If we do not have something good and righteous and holy to say, it may be best to keep our mouths shut.
Closing Prayer
Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank You for this, Your Word, and we thank You for the typical significance of David's kingdom to the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, ultimately God's kingdom. We thank You, Lord, for including us. We thank You, Lord, for the promise of victory.
We thank You that You will indeed subdue all men under Your feet, and we thank You that You have subdued us by grace so that we are friends and not enemies. We ask that you would go with us now, help us to reflect upon these lessons, and help us to function as faithful kingdom citizens in this world. And we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.