WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DAVID?
David: Kingly Living, Just Hearts
(2 Samuel, ESV)
Pursue God's Heart for Justice
So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. (2 Samuel 8:15 ESV)
he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ (Acts 13:22 ESV)
Distance Yourself from Evil
- Avoid Guilt By AssociationSo all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will to put to death Abner (2 Samuel 3:37)
- Flee Opportunities for TemptationBrothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
- Trust in God's JusticeAnd I was gentle today, though anointed king … The LORD repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!” (2 Samuel 3:39)
Destroy Evil: Personally & In Community And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron. (2 Sam 4:10-12)
See God's Purpose Rightly And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. (2 Samuel 5:12)
“Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? (2 Samuel 7:18)
Seek God's Guidance: Specific Prayers Get Specific Answers And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” (2 Samuel 5:19)
Honor and Celebrate God And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. (2 Samuel 6:5)
Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (2 Samuel 7:22 ESV)
And your name will be magnified forever (2 Samuel 7:26)
Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever. (2 Samuel 22:51)
Trust in God's Discipline I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. (2 Samuel 7:14-15 ESV)
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 John 2:16 ESV)
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)
Pursue God's Heart for Justice
Jonathan and David
Saul Tries to Kill David (1 Samuel 19:1-7 ESV) [1] And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. [2] And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. [3] And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” [4] And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. [5] For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” [6] And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” [7] And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.
Jonathan Warns David (1 Samuel 20) [1] Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” [2] And he said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so.” [3] But David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.” [4] Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” [5] David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. [6] If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.’ [7] If he says, ‘Good!’ it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him. [8] Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?” [9] And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?” [10] Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?” [11] And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.
[12] And Jonathan said to David, “The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? [13] But should it please my father to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father. [14] If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the LORD, that I may not die; [15] and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” [16] And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies.” [17] And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul….[23] And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever.”
[24] So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. [25] The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty. [26] Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.” [27] But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” [28] Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. [29] He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king's table.”
[30] Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? [31] For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”
[32] Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” [33] But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. [34] And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him. [35] In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little boy. [36] And he said to his boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. [37] And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” [38] And Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!” So Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. [39] But the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. [40] And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.” [41] And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. [42] Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
- (John 15:12-15 ESV)“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command you. [15] No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:17-27 ESV) [17] And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son … [22] “From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. [23] “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions. [24] “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. [25] “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! “Jonathan lies slain on your high places. [26] I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women. [27] “How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”
David
Israel’s second & greatest king!
Meaning of name: beloved
Humble Beginnings: Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” (1 Samuel 16:11)
God’s Empowerment: But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, [35] I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. [36] Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” (1 Samuel 17:34-36)
David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him. (2 Sam 5:10)
David’s Dangerous Direction: And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. (2 Samuel 5:13 ESV)
- you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose…[17] And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.” (Deuteronomy 17:15-17 ESV)
David and Bathsheba: In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. [2] It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. [3] And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” [4] So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. [5] And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” (2 Samuel 11:1-5)
Nathan Rebukes David “[12:1] And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. [2] The rich man had very many flocks and herds, [3] but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. [4] Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” [5] Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, [6] and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” [7] Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.”(2 Samuel 12:1-7)