You can turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 5. 2 Samuel chapter 5. 2 Samuel 5, we'll begin reading in verse 1. Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, Indeed, we are your bone and your flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in. And the Lord said to you, You shall shepherd My people Israel and be ruler over Israel.

Therefore, all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and king David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, You shall not come in here, but the blind and the lame will repel you, thinking David cannot come in here.

Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. Now David said on that day, whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites, the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Therefore, they say, the blind and the lame shall not come into the house. Then David dwelt in the stronghold and called it the City of David.

And David built all around from the Melo and inward. So David went on and became great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him. Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons, and they built David a house. So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. Also more sons and daughters were born to David. Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem. Shammuah, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibar, Elishua, Nephag, Japhia, Elishama, Eliadah, and Eliphilat.

Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. So David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines?

Will you deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said to David, Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand. So David went to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breakthrough of water.

Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away. Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. Therefore David inquired of the Lord and he said, You shall not go up.

Circle around behind them and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines. And David did so, as the Lord commanded him, and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.

Amen.

Introduction

Well, we've come to the second major part in the book of 2 Samuel. Basically, in chapters 1 to 4, which we already considered, we see David's reign at Hebron. There he was anointed in chapter 2 as the king over the southern tribe of Judah alone. In chapters 5 to 9, we see the consolidation of David's reign over all Israel.

That's the section we're in tonight. I just read that. David is now not only the king over Judah, but over the entirety of the tribes of Israel. And in chapters 10 to 20, we will see the consequence of David's sin and then the close of David's reign in chapters 21 to 24.

Now, as we look at chapter 5, we need to remember that it's not strictly chronological. It is not strictly chronological. It's not the case that each and everything in order. goes according to the order in time. And a couple of illustrations of this.

If you notice in the first place, the invasion by the Philistines in verses 17 to 25 probably takes place prior to the conquest of Jerusalem. Because if you notice in verse 17, the Philistines search for David, David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. He wouldn't have done that if he was already in the stronghold at Zion. So probably the invasion by the Philistines spoken of in verses 17 to 25 happened right after the anointing of David prior to the conquest of Jerusalem.

As well, the building of David's house, verse 11. It's a palace. It's the king's palace. This would have occurred later in David's life.

And then, of course, the multiplication of concubines and wives from Jerusalem and sons and daughters indicated in verses 13 to 16 would have happened later as well. So, essentially what we have in chapter 5 of 2 Samuel is what Dale Ralph Davis calls a kingdom collage. It's a collection of glimpses of David's kingdom when he consolidates power over both the house of Israel and the house of Judah. So we'll look at the three aspects or three observations tonight.

Anointing of David Over All Israel

First, the anointing of David over all Israel in verses 1 to 5. Secondly, the conquest of Jerusalem in verses 6 to 16. And then the protection of Israel by David in verses 17 to 25. Many of the things that we'll look at tonight as we conclude the study, we'll see the typical significance of this in terms of Christ's kingdom.

David is functioning not as Jesus does ultimately, but certainly David is functioning as a type of how Jesus would indeed conduct His rule over His kingdom, but note first the anointing of David over all Israel, verses 1 to 5.

The Tribes' Appeal to David

The tribes addressed David in verses 1 to 2. Notice, then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, Indeed, we are your bone and your flesh. So at this point, remember that Abner is now dead and Ish-bosheth is dead as well. So the northern tribes are without a king, Ish-bosheth, and they are without the power behind the king, Abner.

And so now they come to David and they want to engage in him being king over them. We might ask the question why they didn't do that before. They knew, as we read on in this particular section, that David was destined to be the king over all of Israel. Nevertheless, at the death of Abner and Ish-posheth, they now come to David in this particular instance.

Notice they appeal to the ethnic relationship. Indeed, we are your bone and your flesh. This is in accordance with Deuteronomy 17.15. When God gave instructions for the king in Israel in Deuteronomy 17, He said specifically, you may not set a foreigner over you who is not a brother.

So the fact is that David and these tribes in Israel are kin. They are ethnically related. Notice as well they appeal to the fact that David has established proven leadership. Verse 2, also in time past when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in and the Lord said to you.

So they had seen David's proven leadership. So this was a win-win for these northern tribes because Ish-bosheth was simply a puppet king. Abner was the power behind him. Both of these men are dead.

They know that David is a proven leader so they come to him at Hebron and they essentially say, we want you to rule over us. We want you to be our king. We are ethnically related to you in terms of blood as well. We know your proven leadership and we also know the fact that you are God's promised king.

The Lord said at the end of verse 2, you shall shepherd my people Israel and be ruler over Israel. Now there were various promises made concerning Davidic kingship. Begins all the way in chapter 13 of 1 Samuel when God tells Saul he's going to take the kingdom from him. We see in chapter 16 in 1 Samuel that David is anointed as king.

We see in 1 Samuel 18 and again in chapter 24 and 26 that Saul is conscious of the reality that David is the one whom God has determined will be on the throne over all Israel. As well, Jonathan knows this in chapter 23 in 1 Samuel. Also, Abner knows this according to 2 Samuel chapter 3. So everybody knows this.

The tribes now appeal to David on this particular, and note the particular language that's used here in verse 2. You shall shepherd my people Israel and be ruler over Israel. There's a great lesson concerning leadership in this particular chapter, both in terms of ecclesiology, church leadership, but as well in terms of political leadership. David was to shepherd the people of Israel.

Now a shepherd cares for the flock. A shepherd tends to the flock. A shepherd makes sure that the flock is fed. The shepherd as well protects the flock from any sort of enemy invasion.

Drop down for just a moment to verse 12, notice it says, so David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. So David is exalted, David is put into this position of authority, not for David's fulfillment, not so David can add a missing piece to his already complete life, but it is for the sake of the people of Israel. Rulers are not in their places of authority for their own well-being. Rulers are not over a people for their own pride, or for their own vanity, or for their own prestige, or for their own money.

Rather, rulers are over people for the good of those people. Now, this may seem an elementary truth, but when we look at the current political climate and when we look at the ecclesiastical climate, this isn't always the case. What we find are political leaders and at times church leaders that are more about what they can get out of their position of authority. They're more in tune with the money they'll make, or the prestige that they'll receive, or the benefits that will accrue to their accounts, rather than them being servants to the people under them.

Whether it be political, whether it be church, the purpose of rulers are for the good of people. So, we ought to consider when we look to appointing leaders, are these persons out for the benefit of those over whom they rule? Or are they only in it for themselves? If they are only in it for themselves, then it would be very wise of us not to select them as leaders.

David was to shepherd the people of Israel. David was to be the ruler over Israel in a manner that was consistent with God's plan. As well, what they say at the end of verse 2 indicates the consistency with Deuteronomy 17, 15. Again, we'll refer to that passage a few more times tonight because it's absolutely crucial.

If you're not familiar with Deuteronomy 17, it is the place where God gives instruction concerning the future king in Israel. And one of the things that the Lord says specifically in verse 15, you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses. It is to be the one whom the Lord your God chooses. And that was indeed the case with Saul.

Now it is indeed the case with David. Now

The Third Anointing

notice in verses 3 to 5, the elders anoint David. This is the third time that David was anointed. He was anointed in 1 Samuel 16 by Samuel the kingmaker. He's anointed in 2 Samuel 2 verse 4 when he becomes king over Judah.

And now he's anointed a third time. And Calvin has a good explanation. They are not here saying what happened previous is of no concern. Basically, they are affirming or confirming or ratifying these other anointings that had already occurred.

So they anoint David, and now notice that David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. This was a holy proceeding. They covenant together, David as the ruler over the people, and certainly the people would covenant fealty or submission to David in his rule. And all of this is done before Yahweh.

It is a solemn ratification for David's ascent to the throne. And then it gives us some time frames concerning David and his age. He was 30 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 40 years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned 33 years over all Israel and Judah.

So that would put him about 38 at this point, when he becomes the king over Judah. So he's a relatively young man with great authority at this particular time.

The Conquest of Jerusalem

Now notice, secondly, the conquest of Jerusalem, verses 6 to 16. Now this is very important. Jerusalem becomes the political capital of Israel here in chapter 5. In chapter 6, the Ark of the Covenant is brought to Jerusalem, and now it will become the religious capital of Israel as well.

If you look at a map, you can see that this is a very strategic place. It's about dead set in the middle between the northern and the southern tribes. This makes a great deal of sense. As well, there's a lot of natural fortifications around the city that makes it somewhat impregnable to enemy forces.

That's why the Jebusites were able to hold on to the property for so long. So there's several things we ought to consider in verses 6 to 16.

Promise to Abraham and God's Faithfulness

In the first place, we ought to remember the promise made to Abraham. The promise made to Abraham. If you turn back for just a moment to Genesis chapter 15. We see in this particular chapter, 2 Samuel 5, God's faithfulness over time and in spite of great opposition.

David becomes king according to the promise of God in spite of much opposition. David was opposed greatly on his ascent to the throne and yet the word of God is faithful and what God had determined, God brings to pass. When God promised to Abraham that Abraham's descendants would possess the land, it took some time. You see, God's Word is faithful even though it takes some time.

So 2 Samuel 5 tells us the Word of God is sure in spite of chronological distance and in spite of violent opposition. We need to be assured and we need to be encouraged that when God promises something, it comes to pass. Notice in Genesis 15, very specifically verses 18 to 21, you remember the scene. This is a covenant ratification ceremony where God the Lord gives Abraham great encouragement.

Notice, very specifically, chapter 15, verse 8, after God has promised to Abraham that all these good things are going to come to him. Verse 8, he said, this is Abraham, Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it? How shall I know that I will receive the blessings that you have promised? How shall I know that we will receive the land that you have said?

And that's when this covenant ratification ceremony comes to pass. The Lord God tells Abram to bring him all of these animals, to cut the animals into two pieces and to put them on either side of each other. This was a covenant ratification ceremony and the significance is seen in this. The two parties in this ceremony would walk between the two animals, you know, half the deer here or half the bull rather here and half the bull over here.

You all get that. You cut the animal in half, you put one on this side and one on the other side. So you've got a path of animal parts on either side. And the two parties involved in the covenant walk between those animals.

And the significance of this particular ceremony is to say that if I renege on my obligations in terms of this covenant, then may what happened to these animals happen to me. Okay? May I be cut in two, may I be disemboweled, may I be pulled apart if I breach the covenant that I have sworn to uphold. Now the beauty and the significance of the Genesis 15 passage is that Abram's asleep and only Yahweh passes between these animals.

What's the significance there? God the Lord will keep covenant. God the Lord swears fidelity to this covenant. God the Lord is saying that if I fail to make good on this promise, then may what happened to these animals happen to me.

Now, if you trace this out through redemptive history, it is intriguing that according to Galatians 3.13, Jesus became a curse. You see, the party that Jesus represents, in terms of the covenant of grace, does fail. So, this covenant ceremony is enacted, and Jesus suffers that fate. Jesus is cut in half, as it were.

Jesus is sacrificed. Jesus has become the curse. because of us having breached the covenant. But that's a bit of a different, you know, train of thought. Anyways, this is what God does with Abram.

He gives him this covenant to ratify to him or evidence to him that indeed he is going to receive the promise made. Now notice in verse 18, on the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying, to your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the Canites, the Canazites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. Those Jebusites come up very often. They come up again several times in Exodus.

In Deuteronomy 7, the Jebusites were one of the cities that were told, God told the nation of Israel to go in and utterly dispossess them and destroy them. Jebus or Jerusalem where the Jebusites inhabited was chief or prime geography. Now up to this point, the time of David, Israel was unable to break the back of the Jebusites occupation of Jerusalem. We see that in the book of Judges.

They went in, but they couldn't dispossess the city of the Jebusites. So there's a statement in chapter 1, verse 8, and then again in verse 21, that the Jebusites inhabited there alongside of the Israelites. It's not until this particular time David is crowned king over all Israel. They go to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and David and his men conquer the city.

Now,

Jebusite Defiance and David's Victory

note specifically Jebusite defiance in verse 6. It says, they spoke to David saying, you shall not come in here, but the blind and the lame will repel you. Now, 6 and 7 and 8 are difficult verses. The grammar The language, there's some things in there that's beyond my pay scale.

When the guys I read say this is tough grammar in Hebrew, then I believe that they're right. But I think the main point is pretty easy to surmise. The Jebusites are jeering or taunting David. As I said, the city is equipped, the city of Jerusalem is such that it's sort of a natural fortress.

The fact that the Jebusites had been there so long, they believe and they suppose that there's no way that David and his men are going to dispossess them from the city. When they say, you shall not come in here but the blind and the lame will repel you, the idea is probably Because our city is so strong and because you and your men are so inept, our blind men and our lame men would be able to keep you away. It'd be sort of like a childhood taunt, a 15-year-old boy telling his schoolmate, my grandmother could take you. You know, if the one boy is threatening the other, don't mess with me, my grandmother could take you.

It's probably in that vein that the Jebusites are taunting David. It's probably along that line. They're jeering David and his men, essentially saying the blind and the lame will repel you, thinking David cannot come in here. Now notice verse 7.

Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David. This is the first time in the Bible that Zion is mentioned. We'll notice what Zion signifies in just a moment, but this is the first time. You read through the Psalter, you read through the Prophets, you read through the Scripture, you see many, many references to Zion.

Well, this is the first time in Scripture. Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David. Now, note specifically the method involved. Now, David said on that day, whoever climbs up by the way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites.

Now, scholars suppose and they surmise that what's going on is that there was a pretty intricate water system below the city. I think we've explained this before, that cities in the ancient Near Eastern world would have water tunneled in. And that was such that if the city was under siege, they would be able to have water. Their water supply would be outside the city gate, they would have pipes that would bring the water into the city, so that in battle they would not be without water.

And so what David is referring to probably means that somebody would go through the water pipes into the city. Now, 1 Chronicles tells us that this was indeed Joab that did this. Or it might be the case that they just sat there and cut the string to the bucket every time the Jebusites wanted to bring water into the city. That'd be another way to take care of business with the Jebusites, you take their water supply, but most likely they came up through that water tunnel system.

The next clause, the lame and the blind who are hated by David's soul, difficult, he shall be chief and captain, that comes, notice it's supplied in the New King James, that's from 1 Chronicles 11.6, and then this proverb arises, therefore they say, the blind and the lame shall not come into the house. Difficult passage, but the bottom line is, is that David and his warriors defeat the Jebusites. They seize the city. Zion slash Jerusalem slash the city of David now belongs to David.

You remember when I was preaching in Matthew 21, I referred to this passage. Remember Jesus heals the blind and the lame in the temple. And it might have been the case that there was this tradition based on 2 Samuel 5 that the lame and the blind were not allowed into the temple. Okay, that's tough.

The lame and the blind. I've made one sort of group of people there. All that to say, David and his men defeat the Jebusites, they seize the city, and then notice the establishment of the city of David in verses 9 and 10. Then David dwelt in the stronghold and called it the city of David, and David built all around from the Melo and inward.

The Melo might have been some sort of fortress, something like that, some sort of fortification for the city. And then note verse 10, so David went on and became great. You see, David is ascending. David is being exalted.

The fame of David is spreading. He is becoming great. But it's very crucial that we get the last part of verse 10. And the Lord God of hosts was with him.

It's not that David was a great guy, it's that David served a great God. It's not that David was an accomplished warrior, it's that God, the divine warrior, was with David. It's that God was with him. That's what's underscored and that's what's important.

That's how David can be the shepherd over his people Israel. That's how David can be exalted for the sake of his people Israel. This is the mark of David's success. It's not that he was a great guy, but that he served a great God.

And that great God was with him. And as I said, this was politically advantageous to get the city of Jerusalem and there is as well theological significance. Vannoy comments, from a political standpoint, Zion was ideally situated for a new seat of government. It was centrally located, positioned on the border between Judah, David's tribe, and Benjamin, Saul's tribe.

It couldn't have been a better place to set up the capital. He goes on to say, and it belonged to neither. In addition, because the site was surrounded on three sides by deep valleys and was strongly fortified, it provided Israel with a nearly impregnable national capital. So politically, this was advantageous.

David assumes authority or kingship over the entirety of Israel and he occupies Jerusalem. In terms of the theological significance, this, as I said, is the first mention of Zion. Now, Davis makes this observation. Verse 7 contains the first mention of Zion in the Bible.

Originally it referred to this conquered Jebusite town, this city of David on the southeast, Hill Ophel. But it also came to designate the Temple Mount, right? When we talk about Zion, often in the Bible, it refers to the Temple. Zion also comes to mean the city of Jerusalem, the entirety of the city of Jerusalem.

Zion also means the people of God. in Isaiah 49, Isaiah 51. And significantly, Zion is the center of Yahweh's kingdom in the age to come. You see, in Isaiah 2, for instance, it says that the nations will come to Zion to be taught the law of the Lord. That's pointing forward to the new covenant.

That's why it's not uncommon for Pastor Porter or myself or New Testament authors or Reformed authors to say that the church is the Zion of God. This is the dwelling place of God. Now this is beautiful. Davis goes on to say, the day will come when Yahweh of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem.

But that rain first became visible in Jerusalem on a mere 11 acres of real estate. Isn't that beautiful? Isn't that glorious? Doesn't that indicate something of the nature of God's kingdom?

Doesn't this jive with what Jesus teaches in Matthew 13, the parable of the mustard seed? How does the kingdom of God begin? Is it this massive conglomeration that the Lord drops upon the earth? No, it starts off on an 11-acre parcel in this obscure place in Israel, way back when.

And it grows, and it grows, and it grows. This is consistent with our Lord's teaching. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. It starts off small.

Its growth is imperceptible. There's a lot of opposition, both internally and externally, just like what we've been seeing in the rise of David to power. There's been a lot of strife internally. There's been a lot of opposition to David from within.

There's a lot of strife from without. The Philistines, there's external opposition. But what happens? The Lord is faithful.

He has established that his kingdom will take place and that it will progress, that it will advance, that it will grow, and one day it will be like a great big tree that the birds of the air can find their nest in. This is to encourage the people of God in the New Covenant as we look back on what the Lord did in this small place, in small things, with very small beginnings, and yet He takes David and He brings him to a place where there is great reign and authority under His rule. And as we consider under this head, I think

Positive and Negative Aspects of David's Reign

verses 11 to 16 indicate something of the nature of David's reign. And it's both positive and negative. It's both positive and negative. In the first place, it's positive.

Verses 11 and 12. Hiram, king of Tyre, builds David a palace. The Lord God gave David favor with a pagan. And insofar as David doesn't compromise his religion with this pagan, David can receive these things from this pagan.

This is a blessed thing. The Lord God Most High has distinguished David such, not only in his own kingdom, but among the kingdoms of other men. And then notice, we've already alluded to it, we've seen it in verse 12. So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

It's a beautiful statement. The Lord God did all this. He establishes David as king, the Lord God exalts his king, and the purpose for this is for the sake of his people. God does this.

He raises up David. God protects David. God puts David into this place so that David will be the shepherd king over God's people. This is the Lord's heart for His people.

Certainly the Lord God is omnipotent and He's sovereign and He rules over all, but the Lord God decrees and uses means. And in this instance, he uses David as a righteous king to rule over this particular kingdom to provide that protection and that shepherding to the people of Israel. It is a blessed statement with reference to the positive nature of David's kingdom. But verses 11 to 13 or a bit of, I'm sorry, 13 to 16 are a negative commentary on the nature of David's kingdom. he multiplies concubines, he multiplies wives, he multiplies sons and daughters.

It's not wrong to multiply sons and daughters with the life of your youth. It's wrong to multiply concubines, it is wrong to multiply wives. Notice the first four mentioned in verse 14, Shemua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon. 1 Chronicles 3 identifies the mother of these four as Bathsheba. Now, we know what's going to happen in the Bathsheba narrative that comes up in the chapter.

You see, this is a bit of a foreshadowing, and it does give us this sort of tinge of negativity on David's rule. David was the shepherd king over Israel. His greatness was growing. The Lord God was with him.

But we need to understand, as upright and as holy and as righteous as David was, he was not a perfect king. And in this, as he points forward to his greater son, we ought to appreciate the reality that our Lord Jesus didn't multiply concubines. He didn't multiply wives. He didn't go into Bathsheba.

He didn't murder Uriah. He didn't engage in that sort of wickedness and lawlessness. The Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect shepherd king over God's Israel. So what we see in this particular instance is a bit of a negative report or at least a negative foreshadowing on the nature of David's reign.

Van Noy says concerning the subsequent narrative, it describes the heartache that came to David in the aftermath of his marriage to Bathsheba in connection with the behavior of his sons Ammon, Absalom, and Adonijah. See, after the Bathsheba incident, things were never the same with David and his house. That was not a good move on his part. Adultery and murder are never good things.

There were consequences as a result of his action. The Lord God atoned for his sin, the Lord God forgave his sin, but the Lord God said, the sword will never depart from your house. There were earthly temporal consequences to David's rule as a result of his sin with Bathsheba and his sin in murdering Uriah. As well, Deuteronomy 17, you've heard me refer to that many times this evening.

What is stipulated in Deuteronomy 17 for the king of Israel? He is not to multiply wives. It doesn't matter that all the kings are doing it. can hear these kings saying, but God, all the kings are doing it. Sort of like the 15-year-old boy, all the kids are doing it.

Well, if all the kids were jumping off a cliff, would you jump off the cliff? Sure, you heard that. I don't think my dad was the only one who ever said that. If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do that?

No, no. You see, just because the pagan kings multiplied wives, oftentimes for political alliances, this does not justify the Israelite king to multiply wives. Just because David does it, doesn't mean it's right. See, we can't point to this and say, well, David had a multitude of wives, therefore it's legit.

No, David is judged. David is wrong in this particular instance. Here's what Calvin says. Here one sees how his virtues were mixed with his vices which should certainly be condemned and above all that this taking many wives is a corruption of marriage which God has chosen to consecrate in his name.

So you see, we can't just pass by this and say, well, you know, Solomon, Bathsheba, that incident, that's just the way things go. The narrator, as he constructs this kingdom collage, gives us the positive. Hiram built him a palace. David's greatness excelled.

The Lord God was with him. And then he multiplied concubines and wives. He doesn't give us a long ethical treatment. Notice he doesn't give us a long commentary.

David shouldn't have done that. He shouldn't have Bathsheba. Shouldn't have killed. The reader expects you to make that connection and to understand that as great and as heroic as David was, there is one great heroic man that we are to worship, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.

The heroes of Israel always fail and falter, so that we will appreciate the true hero of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ. Take the best of men in the Bible. They'll always let you down. Take the best of them.

I love Samson. He wasn't without blemish. Japheth was a godly judge. He was not without blemish.

Gideon. When we look at Gideon, he not only needed God to confirm him once, but twice with the fleas. Come on, Gideon. Gideon had a cowardice about him.

He needed constant affirmation from the Lord God, but he's a hero. He's a champion. He is one that we can certainly look unto, but he faltered. The Lord Christ never faltered.

The Lord Christ never did what was wicked in the sight of His Father. And all of these narratives ought to cause us to appreciate the champion of Israel, our Lord Jesus. And that's not to take away from David. He was a great man, a champion of a man, a heroic man, but he wasn't a perfect man.

There was one perfect man and that is our Lord Jesus Christ and all of the Bible testifies concerning Him.

God's Protection of Israel Through David

Now notice thirdly and finally the protection of Israel by David in verses 17 to 25. It's actually by God through David, but notice the Philistines hear what's going on, right? They've heard that David is consolidating power. What does this mean?

This means a unified Israel is going to be a lot more difficult for Philistine incursions. And so the Philistines figure, we ought to nip this in the bud. Let's get to David as soon as we can and let's take him out so that the tribes do not consolidate, so that there is not a unification process, so that we can continue to make forays into the land and take their stuff. We quite like the arrangement that we have. go in and conquer Israel and take their stuff, take their cities and whatnot.

Kyle and Dalich say, the Philistines evidently resolved, as soon as the tidings reached them of the union of all the tribes under the sovereignty of David, that they should at once resist the growing power of Israel and smite David before he had consolidated his government. Now notice, how are the Philistines defeated? It is by God. Certainly David is the instrument, but it is by God.

And it's by God under two ways.

God's Guidance in Battle

First is guidance. His guidance. Don't you love what David does when he hears of this Philistine threat? What does he do?

I'm sure he talked to his advisors, I'm sure he talks to his military captains and leaders, but he first inquires of Yahweh. Verse 19 and verse 23. This is what a godly man does. He seeks the Lord.

Lord, what should I do? Verse 19, So David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand? Verse 23, In the second attack, Therefore David inquired of the Lord, and he said, You shall not go up.

So you see, the point is, is that David seeks this guidance from God. But the larger point is, is that God gives him this guidance. In the first instance, go up. In the second instance, don't go up.

There's a better strategy in the second instance, in the Valley of Repentance. Remember, this is what distinguished David from Saul. David inquired of the Lord every step of the way. Saul got to the point where he inquired of a medium.

He called upon the witch at Endor because God would not speak to Saul. God would not give Saul any guidance, any direction whatsoever, so Saul invoked a witch in order to get guidance concerning a battle with the Philistines. The marked difference or contrast between David and Saul is still seen all the way into 2 Samuel chapter 5 when David inquires of the Lord God Most High. As well, this fulfills what Abner had said in 2 Samuel chapter 3.

Remember in 2 Samuel 3 when Abner turns against Ish-bosheth, and Abner wants to get the people of Israel to submit to David. Notice what he says in 3.18, Now then do it, for the Lord has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies. So the Lord God provides guidance. But as well,

God's Power: Leveler and Warrior

in the specific battles in verses 20 to 25, we see the Lord God's power. Look at the first battle in Baal-perazim, which literally means Master of Breakthroughs or Lord of Breakthroughs. The word Baal, before it became identified with the pagan deity, simply means Master or Lord. That's like Ish-bosheth.

His name is Esh-Baal. but because of the association with the pagan deity, it's changed to Ish-Boshev. But Ish, Baal, just means a man who is a master, a man of a lord. So, in and of itself, Baal is not a bad thing, other than the fact that it's identified with this pagan deity. So David went to Baal-Parazim and David defeated them there and he said, ìThe Lord has broken through my enemies before me.î Notice that, David and his troops win the battle, but David ascribes the victory to God.

And the victory is such that it's overwhelming power that is inflicted. The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breakthrough of water. What does water do? It has the tendency to level things.

Davis says this is probably the description in view. It is the awesome power of God in leveling the enemies of Yahweh. It's truly a glorious picture. Now, the Philistines weren't the brightest bulbs in the chandelier, so they then regroup and go to the Valley of Refame.

But before we get to the Valley of Refame, notice in verse 21, they left their images there and David and his men carried them away. Remember, Israel would take the Ark of the Covenant into battle with them. And in 1 Samuel, the Philistines took the Ark of the Covenant. And remember, the Philistines thought that this was an indicator that Dagon was more powerful than Yahweh.

So they take the Ark of the Covenant and they put it in Dagon's temple. And what happens when they go in there in the morning? They see that Dagon has fallen over. And they have to pick Dagon up, as we observe there.

If you have to pick your god up, You've got the wrong God. The whole point is God picking us up, not us picking God up. Dagon was broken. They go back in the next day, he's fallen over and broken again.

See, they thought that the capture of the Ark signified that Dagon was superior to Yahweh. Now, when this Ark was transported deeper into Philistine territory, what happened? People got hemorrhoids, people got tumors, people got sick, people started to die. And they said, we need to get this Ark of the Covenant out of Philistia.

So they send it back to Israel. So they think that the capture of the Ark indicates that Yahweh is subject to Dagon. It was just the means by which Yahweh is in enemy territory, bringing tumors and horrific things upon Philistines. They send it back.

Now, in this instance, the Philistines seem to have mimicked Israel. They bring their images or they bring their idols into combat, thinking that they will be helped and aided by this. Well, when David, under God, breaks through his enemies, like overwhelming breakthrough of water, they left their images and David and his men carried them away. The parallel in 1 Chronicles 14, 12 tells us they burned them.

So, in this, it demonstrates the superiority, genuinely, of Yahweh over these pagan deities. So, the Philistines regroup. They go to the Valley of Rephaim. David inquires of the Lord, and he said, you shall not go up. at Baal-perazim, go up, here, don't go up.

Better strategy. Circle around behind them, come up upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. Now note this language, for then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.

Davis notes the verb used there. It's a very common verb. that the Lord will go out. That's the verb. But it's also commonly used in battle situations.

And it's often used of Yahweh as the warrior going out to battle against the enemies of Israel. So if we look at Yahweh at Baal-perazim, we've got the leveler. Right? We look at Yahweh in the Valley of Rephaim, we've got the warrior.

We've got the leveler warrior who fights for Israel to decimate his enemies. Now here Davis, he says, note what vigorous images the text gives us of Yahweh's power. I think this is most important because I think at times Christians in the church are embarrassed about God. We don't like these displays because it somehow makes us feel uncomfortable that our Lord would destroy people.

And it makes us feel uneasy when pagans say, how in the world could you worship a God who destroys people? And so we concoct all of these arguments, and we concoct all of these defenses, and we try as we may to try and get God off the hook from looking like a leveling warrior, rather than saying, that's our God. He levels our enemies. He is the warrior who goes out.

He fights against them and he smashes them. We ought to rally behind this God and worship Him because of that very reason. Davis says, note what vigorous images the text gives us of Yahweh's power, the leveler and the warrior. Contemporary Christians must not tone these down, for the text means to impress us with the fact that we do not have a namby-pamby godlet who is housebroken in line with our canon of conceivability.

No, Yahweh's people have a God who is a smasher and a fighter, a God mighty in battle, Psalm 24, 8, who can therefore defend His sheep and restrain and conquer all His and our enemies. Instead of being embarrassed, we ought to suggest, if you, like the Philistines, continue in your rebellion against our God, He will smash you as the divine warrior of Israel. In other words, repent, bow down, and kiss the sun. lest he be angry and you perish in his way when his wrath is kindled but a little." Isn't that David's instruction to the kings and the judges surrounding Israel vis-à-vis Psalm 2? He says to kiss the sun, lest he be angry and you perish in the way.

When was the last time we heard a gospel presentation like that? All we ever hear is, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. How about repent because the Lord Most High will crush you because of your sin and rebellion. Oh, well, that will scare people and that will make them uneasy and that doesn't make everybody feel good and nice.

But it's the truth. And if the Lord God has said anything, He has said He'll bless the preaching of His truth.

Application

Well, brethren, that's exposition. Quickly, some thoughts before we close. First, the fitness of David as king. The fitness of David as king.

In the first place, he was over Israel for Israel, not for his own well-being. Verse 12, I've already indicated that. Davis says this, Yahweh did not anchor David's throne so he could act like a king, but so that he could function as a servant toward his people. David's kingship was not for David's aggrandizement, but for Israel's welfare.

Kingship was not an end in itself, but a means to an end. The benefit of God's people. David is over Israel for Israel. Consider that David brought peace in the midst of internal strife.

This consolidation of the tribes was a beautiful thing. It was a glorious thing. You have one nation that's at odds with each other with two separate kings. And now David is able to consolidate this by the grace of God.

David brought external peace through the destruction of the Philistines. Isn't that what you want in a leader? One who has a good domestic policy and one who has a good foreign policy? David fits the bill, brethren.

Domestically, he brought unity to Israel. And foreignly, he brought destruction to the Philistines. That is precisely what we would want in a leader. He functioned as a true shepherd over God's people.

He brought stability and protection to the people of God. And as well, he sought the Lord. That is most valuable and most precious when the Philistines assault, or when the Philistines converge, David inquires. David goes to the Lord for instruction.

In the second place, we ought to appreciate the faithfulness of God in this passage. I've mentioned the promise made to Abraham. That was a long time ago, okay, from this particular vantage point. It was many, many, many years prior, or previous, that God said to Abraham, your descendants are going to take the Jebusites.

But God's faithful. Right? Chronological distance does not nullify the promise of God. Think of the children of Israel in bondage.

Think of the fact that they were promised that they would be a free people. Well, it didn't happen overnight. So I think at times, if we don't get what we want tomorrow, we get really upset. I think Dr.

Renahan touched on this, this whole idea of planning for the generations. We ought to live like Jesus is going to come back tonight. or realize that Jesus could come back tonight, but we ought to live like he may not. Luther said, what would you do if you knew Jesus was going to come tomorrow? I'd plant a tree today.

What Jesus does tomorrow doesn't change my conduct today. I'm still supposed to be faithful. But this whole idea of if I don't get what I want right when I ask it, God must not love me, or he must be mean, or he must be mad. Brethren, we need to be invested over the long haul in all of this.

Calvin says this concerning I'm sorry, the next aspect. He fulfilled the promise made to David. Violent opposition does not nullify the promise of God. Calvin said this should serve as an example and instruction to us on kind of the delay and the opposition, so that if God delays fulfilling his promises to us, we will not lose courage, but will persevere to the end.

I mean, even for David, there were a lot of years involved, wasn't there? You know, we read through the narrative and it can take us, you know, a half hour to read, well, I don't know if it was a half hour, probably wouldn't be more than an hour to read through 1 and 2 Samuel. But it took place a lot more time than an hour, right? When 1 Samuel 16 happens till 2 Samuel 5, many years have transpired.

David was anointed by Samuel in 1 Samuel 16, and David is now anointed and officially serving as king in 2 Samuel 5. That is a period of a lot of years. But we need to take heart. Calvin says, this should serve as an example and instruction to us, so that if God delays fulfilling His promises to us, we will not lose courage, but will persevere to the end.

For God knew when it was the right time to do what He had determined, and He never prolongs it any more than is useful for us. We need to learn. That's why God doesn't give us things like that. David needed to be formed.

David needed to learn. David needed to go through things. Israel as a whole needed to go through things before they come to this particular place. Brethren, that's one of the other reasons why we ought to be reading our Bibles, because we see in this the life experience of God's people. that they persevered, that they endured, that they pressed on by hope, that they didn't just ask on a Monday and get everything they wanted on a Tuesday.

And if that's the case with the King of Israel, it's probably going to be the case with us, such that if we ask on a Monday, we may not get it on Tuesday, and we might need to persevere, and we might need to be a hope-filled people. God was with David in his reign and was the reason for David's greatness, and God fought for Israel as leveler and warrior against the Philistines. And then finally, the typical significance of David's kingdom, the internal strife. I mean, I think we can jump from 2 Samuel to the church.

Sometimes the biggest problems aren't outside the church, they're inside the church. Right? Internal strife, division, lack of peace, lack of unity, bickering, and fighting, and whining, and complaining, and grumbling, and not doing what God says to do. God gives us many commands in the New Testament in terms of one another.

Next time you read through the New Testament, you have your notepad and a piece of paper, write down every verse that has one another. in the New Testament epistles. You'll be shocked at how many one-anothers there are in the New Testament. What do those mean? It means my conduct toward one another.

I need to love one another. I need to be hospitable to one another. I need to give preference to one another. There's a whole host of one-anothers because God says that the church ought to function peaceably and righteously and with unity.

So you see it's not just Israel in this particular time frame that suffers internal strife, it is the Israel of God today that if she is not prayerful and watchful and careful will suffer internal strife. And at times that's more of a decaying agent than the external. At least we know what to deal with, with the Baal worshipers. At least we know what to deal with, with the pagans.

At least we know how to face that threat. What is most difficult is when we've got to deal with people who profess faith in Jesus Christ that carry on like knuckleheads. It is internal strife, more often than not, that is far more difficult to weather in the church. But as well, we see the external opposition.

Should we be shocked at the way the church is under attack today? No, look at Israel of old. I mean, Philistines are making incursions into Israelite territory to kill people and take things and take cities. I mean, brethren, it's been that way from the beginning.

God imposed antithesis from Genesis 3. The Lord says, I will put enmity between you and her seed. God imposed this antithesis. We ought not to be shocked that the world hates the church, and they will manifest it in a whole host of ways.

As well, we ought to appreciate in terms of the typical significance, the gradual growth of the kingdom. There's ebbs and flows. It goes forward, it goes backwards, it goes forward, it goes backwards. Sometimes it goes backwards, it goes backwards, it goes backwards, it goes backwards.

But by God's grace, it does go forward. And that is much like the church today. And finally, the shepherd king who rules over the kingdom we've already seen. David was nevertheless tinged with an imperfection. but the Lord Jesus Christ, David's greater Son, rules most perfectly and according to His sovereign purposes.

Well, let us pray.

Closing Prayer

Our Father, we thank You for Your Word and for the lessons that we learned from a passage like 2 Samuel 5. We thank You for Your faithfulness and for the fact that what you promised to Abraham and what you promised to David, you brought forth. In spite of time, in spite of opposition, you nevertheless execute your word. And in this we greatly rejoice, Lord God.

We thank you that we are a part of your kingdom. We thank you that we are a part of your church. We pray for the continual preaching of the gospel, the growth of the church, your protection over her, And we pray that you would just be pleased to do a great work in our generation of saving sinners and strengthening saints and bringing glory to the Lord God Almighty. And we pray these things through Christ Jesus.

Amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 15:8; 15:18-21
• Deuteronomy 7; 17:15
• Judges 1:8; 1:21
• 1 Samuel 13; 16; 18; 23; 24; 26
• 2 Samuel 2:4; 3; 3:18; 5; 5:1-5; 5:2; 5:3-5; 5:6-16; 5:7; 5:9-10; 5:10; 5:11-12; 5:13-16; 5:14; 5:17-25; 5:19; 5:20-25; 5:21; 5:23
• 1 Chronicles 3; 11:6; 14:12
• Psalm 2; 24:8
• Isaiah 2; 49; 51
• Matthew 13; 21
• Galatians 3:13