Mary Fairchild
1581 Bunting Clover Leaf Map; Israel in the center.
2 SAMUEL 15-17—DO YOU PUT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN FRIENDS, FAMILY, POPULARITY,
APPEARANCE, THINGS, OR INTELLIGENCE? THEY WILL ALL EVENTULLY FAIL YOU, BUT GOD NEVER WILL….
In the midst of heartbreak over Absalom and great personal disappointment David was confident in God (22:5-8, Ps 3).
BE AWARE OF GOD’S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE JUST LIKE DAVID WAS (Ps 63:5-7).
Shimei’s seething bitterness ever since Saul died and David had come to the throne came to the surface. In this time of mistreatment DAVID WAS CAREFUL NOT TO ACT ON IMPULSE (16:110-12)—he saw God’s hand in Shimei’s action. David accepts Shimei’s cursing as the will of God for him, and he reasoned that since God was allowing it, it of necessity had gone through the permissive will of God, and therefore David willingly submitted to it. This was Christlike even as Christ reviled not at those who crucified Him. We are to grow in such maturity that we can respond to our enemies in this same manner.
David wrote several Psalms during this time—Pss. 3, 61, 62, and 63. Whereas Ahithophel’s response to failure was despair. David’s response was “trust in the Lord” and a “realistic view of himself and his weaknesses.” David saw God in all of his problems and submitted to God’s will in whatever the outcome was.
To worship God is to thank God—“in everything give thanks.” Problems don’t form our character, they reveal it. What we are made of comes to the surface during trials and testings and shows us and others what our strengths and weaknesses are.
2 SAMUEL 18-19—Absalom exalted himself and he dies in an “elevated, but helpless position.” Rebellion spreads to bring failure and tragedy and even death….
Our trials reveal our character. This great trial that David and the nation went through revealed the character of many people: David was a man after God’s own heart; Absalom was truly a rebellious son; Ahighophel was a disloyal, proud counselor; Ittai was a loyal friend though he was a foreigner; Hushai was a faithful friend in an enemy court; Shimei was a little man who cursed King David, but later beautifully repented; Joab was a loyal by disobedient general; Barzillai was kind, loyal, and generous friend to King David; Mephibosheth was lied about but denied the testimony.
God chose to give a detailed description of the events of David’s life, which was filled with problems so common to human beings. He was a wise man of victory and success, yet he did experience defeat, failure, and the chastenings of life. Through God’s Spirit, David had the ability to put his inner soul on paper in such a way that we can readily relate them to our situations (Psalms). Although David was a beloved, well-established king on the throne, his own son took his throne away from him. Then, when that son was killed in battle, David grieved and mourned his death. The people went through the process of bringing their king back, they declared their loyalty and support to David and even rebuked each other for having been so negligent.
WORKS CITED
- Revelation and Church History
- Church Age
- Old Testament Study
- KING JAMES BIBLE
- MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY
- A Beka Book High School Bible Series “United Kingdom: Kings of Israel A;” 1995 Pensacola Christian College.