Old Testament 2 Lesson 6

Acknowledgments
Living Logos was the heart-work of Bro
Dale Starks and Sis Josephine Starks,
missionaries to Singapore in the early
1980s. As the original authors of this
devotionals, the Starks meant for
these self-study materials to help new converts
(and matured saints alike) get a hold of an
understanding of God’s written Word. Since Sis
Stark’s passing in 2013, the couple had graciously
entrusted Tabernacle of Joy with its copyright.
Therefore, with every print run, we would like to
honour their life work and sacrifice in bringing the
gospel to Singapore. This copy is an updated and
revised version. Be blessed as you immerse yourself
in the Word and allow God to transform you into
the likeness of Jesus Christ.
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Lesson
Six
Old Testament 2
Old Testament 2
DAVID BECOMES KING!
In the beginning, when the Philistines rose up to fight against
Israel, David and his men joined forces with the Philistines.
Achish knew that Saul hated David, so he was not concerned
that David might turn against him. Such faith did he have in
David that he made him his personal bodyguard, “the keeper
of mine head” (I Samuel 28:2). However, the princes of the
Philistines had a genuine fear that David and his men would
turn against them, in an effort to gain reconciliation with Saul.
Achish finally hearkened unto these men, and sent David back
to Ziklag (I Samuel, Chapter 29).
David was not prepared for what he saw when he returned!
The Amalekites had invaded the south, including Ziklag, and
took advantage of the absence of David and his men. They
burned the city with fire, and took all the women and children
as captives. David and his men lifted up their voices and wept
until they could weep no more. David’s two wives were among
those who had been taken captive. Added to all of this, the
men blamed David, and began to talk about stoning him (I
Samuel 30:1-5).
...But David encouraged himself in the LORD his God
— I Samuel 30:6
David’s wives were not there to give him words of comfort.
Jonathan was at his father’s side, warring against the
Philistines. How lonely David felt! And then the shepherd boy
remembered his God. The same God that helped him kill the
lion and the bear, the same God that helped him kill Goliath,
and the same God that had given him many victories over
the Philistines would help him again. Perhaps David starting
singing one of his psalms:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil: for thou art with me
— PSalm 23:4
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Discouragement is one of the devil’s chief weapons. If he can get a Christian
to feel sorry for himself - defeated, dejected, and ready to throw up his
hands and quit - then the battle is more than half won for him.
There are times when there are others around us to encourage us. But there
are also times when we must learn to encourage ourselves in the Lord. At
such times, we should think about all of God’s goodness and kindness
towards us, and the victories He has given us in the past, even in the dark
valleys that we are sometimes forced to walk through.
After David encouraged himself in the LORD, he was ready and willing to
fight again, if it was God’s will. God assured him that it was, and that he
would recover everything that had been taken. David and his six hundred
men pursued after the Amalekites until they came to the brook Besor. Here,
they left two hundred men who were so weak that they could go no further.
At the same place they found an Egyptian who was about to perish from
starvation. He had eaten no food nor drunk any water for three days and
nights. David fed the man until he revived, and then began to question him.
David found out that he was a servant to an Amalekite who had been one
of those who had invaded Ziklag. After making David promise to spare his
life, he led them to the Amalekites, who were right in the middle of a big
victory celebration (I Samuel 30:8-16)
And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day:
and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode
upon camels, and fled.
And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David
rescued his two wives.
And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons
nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David
recovered all
— I Samuel 30:17-19
They also took of the wealth that had belonged to the Amalekites, and
after David and his men returned to Ziklag, David sent it as presents to his
friends in various places where he and his men had lived since his exile (I
Samuel 30:26-31).
Meanwhile, the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and Israel was
suffering a grave defeat at Mount Gilboa. Among those who were slain were
Jonathan and his two brothers, Abinadab and Malchishua. Finally, Saul
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himself was wounded by an arrow. He commanded his armour-bearer to
finish killing him, “lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through,
and abuse me.” However, the armour-bearer was afraid to do so. Then, Saul
fell upon his own sword, and died. The armour-bearer, seeing his master was
dead, did likewise (I Samuel 31:1-6).
When the Philistines came and found Saul dead, they cut off his head,
and stripped off his armour, and sent them to be exhibited in the land of
the Philistines. His armour was put in the house of Ashtaroth (a goddess),
and his body was fastened to the wall of Beth-shan, a city of Mannaseh that
Israel had never been able to conquer and possess.
When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines
had done, the valiant men among them rose up and stole the bodies of Saul
and his sons from off the wall of the city, and came to Jabesh, and burnt
them there. Then they buried their bones under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted
for seven days as an act of mourning (I Samuel 31:8-13).
DAVID HEARS OF THE DEATH OF SAUL AND
JONATHAN
On the third day after David and his men had returned to Ziklag, a man
came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent (torn to show grief),
and earth upon his head. He fell down to the earth before David. He told
David that he had escaped from the battle. David asked how the battle went,
and the man replied that Saul and Jonathan were dead.
When David was convinced that the man was telling the truth, he tore his
clothes, and all the others around him did likewise. They mourned and
wept until evening for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of
the LORD that were killed in the battle (II Samuel 1:1-12).
The following is the lamentation that David lamented over the death of
Saul and Jonathan:
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of
the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you,
nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the
shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
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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.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they
were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other
delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast
slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very
pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love
of women.
How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
— II Samuel 1:19-27
DAVID IS MADE KING
After lamenting for Saul and Jonathan, David took his family, and all the
men that were with him, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron in Judah.
The men of Judah came, and there anointed David to be king over the
house of Judah. They also told David how the men of Jabesh-gilead had
buried the bones of Saul and his sons. David sent a message unto these
men, thanking them for their kindness, and promising that they would
be rewarded for this act. He also told them that the men of Judah had
anointed him king in the stead of Saul.
Abner, Saul’s captain, was not ready to submit unto David. He took Ishbosheth,
another one of Saul’s sons, and made him king over all of Israel
- except the tribe of Judah (II Samuel 2:1-11).
One day, Abner and the servants of Ishbosheth came to Gibeon. Joab, the
son of David’s half-sister Zeruiah, and other of David’s servants also came
to Gibeon. Each group sat on one side of a pool, opposite each other. After
awhile, Joab suggested that they have a contest between twelve of his men,
and twelve of David’s men. Abner agreed. All twelve men were armed with
their swords. “And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust
his sword in his fellow’s side: so they fell down together” (II Samuel 2:16). In
other words, all twenty-four men died!
This resulted in a battle between David’s servants, and those under Abner’s
command. Abner and his men were severely beaten, and Abner began to
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flee. Joab’s brother, Asahel, pursued after Abner. He was “as light of foot as
a wild roe.” Abner warned him several times to turn back, but he refused.
Abner did not want to kill him, because he was Joab’s brother. But when
Asahel, who had no armour, continued to pursue Abner, Abner smote him
with his spear, so that he died. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, 379 men
had died, but only nineteen of them were David’s servants (II Samuel 2:17-
31).
A civil war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David for
quite some time, but “David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of
Saul waxed weaker and weaker” (II Samuel 3:1).
Meanwhile, Abner had a quarrel with his king. Ishbosheth accused him
of going in unto one of Saul’s concubines. This so angered Abner that he
vowed he would help bring all Israel under David’s dominion. The king
could not answer, because he feared Abner.
Then Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying:
...Whose is the land?...Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be
with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee
— II Samuel 3:12
David promised that he would make a league with Abner on the condition
that he would not see Abner’s face unless he brought Michal, Saul’s
daughter, with him. After David had fled from Saul’s house, Saul had given
her to another man. Michal was taken away from her husband, despite the
man’s weeping protests. In fact, he followed her until he was told to return
home.
Then Abner spoke to the elders of Israel:
...ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: Now then do it: for the
LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save
my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all
their enemies
— II Samuel 3:17-18
He then spoke to the men of Benjamin the same thing. Then he came to
Hebron with his men to confer with David, and to tell him that the elders
of Israel and the men of Benjamin were ready to submit to his leadership.
David made a feast for Abner and his men, and sent Abner away in peace.
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Joab was not there when all of this took place, because he and his men
had fought and won a battle. When he came in from the battle and found
out that Abner had been there and made a league with David, he was very
angry. Although Abner had killed Asahel in self-defence, Joab was ready to
take revenge upon him for killing his brother. Joab sent messengers after
Abner to bring him secretly to the gate of Hebron. Then he took him aside
in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him under the fifth rib, so
that he died (II Samuel 3:19-27).
When David heard about it, he refused to take any of the blame. He said:
...I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of
Abner the son of Ner: Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s
house; and let there not fall from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or
that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that
lacketh bread
— II Samuel 3:28-29
Then David commanded Joab and all the people to tear their clothes, put
on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David himself followed the
casket to the burial, and wept at the grave, saying:
...Died Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into
fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou...
— II Samuel 3:33-34
David refused to eat the rest of the day until the sun went down. The
people all understood that David had no plans to slay Abner. David told his
servants, “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day
in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king...” (II Samuel 3:
38-39).
When Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner was dead, he felt helpless
and weak. Abner had been the captain of his armies, and had helped set
him up as king of Israel. In fact, “all the Israelites were troubled” (I Samuel
4:1).
Two brothers, Baanah and Rechab, who were Benjamites, were convinced
that David would soon reign over all Israel, so they decided to do something
to win David’s approval. They were captains of raiding bands, and had
access to the king’s house. They came in the heat of the day when the king
was resting, pretending they had come to fetch wheat. Instead, they killed
Ishbosheth, cut off his head, and travelling all night, brought it to David,
expecting his praise.
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And David answered...As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of
all adversity, When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have
brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought
that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own
house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand,
and take you away from the earth?
— II Samuel 4:9-11
Then David commanded his young men to slay them, and their hands and
feet were cut off and hung up over the pool of Hebron. The head of Saul’s
son, Ishbosheth, was buried in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron (II Samuel
4:12). Then, all the tribes of Israel came to Hebron and spoke to David:
...Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king
over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD
said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over
Israel
— II Samuel 5:1-2
Then all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and David made a
league with them before the Lord. David was anointed king over all Israel.
He was thirty years old when he began to reign, a reign that lasted for forty
years. He reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem
he reigned over all Israel thirty-three years (II Samuel 5:3-5).
VOCABULARY
adversary —
enemy
competitor —
league —
reconciliation —
sepulchre —
a person who competes or contends with another
an agreement made by nations or people
the act of being brought together again
a vault or chamber for burial, a tomb
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Old
Lesson
Testament
Six
2
Test
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
What position did Achish give David?
_________________________________________________________.
What fear did the princes of the Philistines have?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
When David returned to the city of Ziklag, what did he find?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
Who encouraged David at that time? ____________________________.
We must learn to _______________________________ ourselves in the
_____________________________________.
How much of David and his men’s family and goods were recovered from
the Amalekites?
_________________________________________________________.
Who was killed in Israel’s battle against the Philistines at Mount Gilboa?
_________________________________________________________.
How did Saul die?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
Was David happy about his death? Explain.
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
In David’s lamentation, how did he express his love for Jonathan?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
David was first anointed king only over the house (tribe) of
_________________________________________________________.
Who was not yet willing to submit unto David?
_________________________________________________________.
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13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Who did he take and make king over the rest of Israel?
_________________________________________________________.
What kind of a contest did Abner and his men have with Joab and his
men?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
What was the result of the contest?
_________________________________________________________.
What quarrel did Abner have with his king (Ishbosheth)?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
What promise did Abner give to David, if he would make a league with
him?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
Was Joab happy about the league? What did he do to Abner?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
How old was David when he began to reign over all Israel?
_________________________________________________________.
What was of special interest to you in this lesson?
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