There cannot be too great abhorrence of evil in our own soul, but care must be of not having severity against a transgressor.

2 SAMUEL 1

Forty years before this event, the children of Israel had wanted to have a king over them, like all the nations around them. This really was wrong and a sin. But in grace, God allowed them to have their way. God was willing to let them have a king until the day would come (still hasn't come) when a greater than King David would reign! David is a type of the Lord Jesus as King. Originally, God had set up the priests as the governing group over His people. But, sad to say, they failed. Now God turns to using a king.

Of course we realize that God knew that the kings would fail too. You might wonder why God would choose this method of ruling His people. With a king, all was now going to depend on the obedience and life of one man! If he obeyed the Lord, all the people would be blessed. Do you know what this would be a picture of? Of Christ, when He comes to reign over the whole world! That will be in the millennium.

2 Sam 1:1-16 One of Saul's enemies (the Amalekites) comes and tells David what he thought would be good news. This was natural, for the Amalekites had known that Saul was trying to kill David. But we learn the inmost feelings of the heart of David. He knew that Saul was God's anointed king, and he would not raise a finger against him. So he punishes the man who did.

2 Sam 1:17-27 The saddest lament of one man for another. Again we see the tender heart of David.

#468

Legalism places the commandment above the Commander.

2 SAMUEL 2

2 Sam 2:1-3 David doesn't rush to take the kingdom, but he goes where he is told by the Lord. He doesn't take a step without asking the Lord. (If we were more like this, we would be far happier!)

2 Sam 2:4-32 You may wonder why there is so much detail about these apparently unimportant people. It will be a bit hard, but try to understand that all this is a picture of the time when the Lord Jesus comes to reign over Israel and the world, and gradually takes control.

2 Sam 2:8-32 Here we see Saul's family interfering with David's progress. Abner had no authority from God to try to make Ishbosheth the next king.

2 Sam 2:10-11 David is made king at first (for 7 1/2 years) only by the tribe of Judah. (When the Lord comes to reign, first He is going to deal with Judah, which today is already in the land of Israel. Then, later, He will gather from around the world, the other ten tribes.)

#469

When once we get into a current, we will be carried far beyond our destination.

2 SAMUEL 3

2 Sam 3:1 David only gradually becomes stronger.

2 Sam 3:6-21 Abner had been Saul's army general. He had been all for Saul and his family - verse 6. Abner's pride was deeply wounded by a protest made to him by one of king Saul's sons. He goes over to David's side. In fighting each other, they are forgetting their real enemy, the Philistines.

2 Sam 3:12-21 David realizes that Abner is sincere. It was very humbling for Abner to come to David in this way. Abner goes to some of the tribes of Israel to persuade them to follow David. (Has the Lord Jesus won your heart like David won Abner's?)

2 Sam 3:22-39 We see a contrast in this man. He did not understand the change in the heart of Abner. And Joab is suspicious of Abner, accusing him of treachery to David.

2 Sam 3:27 He does a dreadful thing.

2 Sam 3:28-39 David puts all in its true perspective. We see the tender heart of David. (If we are close to the Lord we learn the correct view of everything. It is better when we get God's thoughts. Then, though everything may go wrong for us, and we suffer unjustly, we can have the assurance that God's way is perfect).

#470

The basis of all human religions is... 1. Contempt for holiness of God (1st five commandments) 2. Lightness about sin (last five commandments).

2 SAMUEL 4

Another good lesson. (An unbeliever understands very little of God's heart of love). These two men thought that they were going to please David by killing Ishbosheth. Little did they understand David's heart. Ishbosheth was Saul's son. Saul had tried many times to kill David. But David had shown before how he felt toward anyone who would try to harm Saul - see chapter 1:16. So these two men should have known better. But unbelief never understands. (We are constantly applying the events in David's life to the believer's life today.)

#471

Ministry presents God to the soul, and places it in His Presence; hiding itself in order to succeed. The clergy places itself between God and the soul.

2 SAMUEL 5

Though the people knew that David was to be the king (end of verse 2) they didn't really want him yet. They had other things that they wanted more. David had never once acted to take the kingdom himself. The people should have acted, so God has to work. He finally removed Saul, Jonathan, Abner and Ishbosheth. So long as these men lived, the people were quite content to let things drift.

(We believers may belong to Christ, but are we acting for His glory? Are we discarding the things which we know are not according to the Word of God? Do we keep on in religious association with people who openly do not obey the Word of God? God has one Person around Whom He wants to gather all believers. That Person is Christ. If our love for Christ is weak and dull, we will let things drift.) The people finally came together to make David king.

2 Sam 5:6-12 All through Joshua's life, and after, Israel had never been able to take Jerusalem the great stronghold. Now, at last, David takes it. Zion is the name of the mountain on the south side of the city of Jerusalem. It is a picture of God's grace. It will yet be the center of God's grace on this earth in the millennium. Isaiah 52:1-8 is a beautiful look into that time. (But our "Zion" is now. - see Hebrews 12:22).

2 Sam 5:17-25 News of David being made king over all Israel, stirs up the enemy. (When we exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, this always stirs up the opposition of Satan).

#472

It is not necessarily an evil doctrine, but the evil will of the flesh in pressing a point of truth at the expense of all truth. The establishing of a party around a particular doctrine.

2 SAMUEL 6, Verses 1-7

David did not have the ark with him in his new capital. He could not have real rest without the Lord's Presence. (Neither can we believers have true heart-rest until we are living close to the conscious presence of the Lord).

2 Sam 6:1-3 But not a word about their asking how this was to be done. They acted by their own thoughts!

2 Sam 6:4-7 Sad results. (We often ask the Lord's help about problems, yet think that we can decide how and where we are going to worship the Lord. What a sad situation exists today among the believers. So many trying to act for the Lord's glory without asking Him the question Peter and John asked the Lord in Luke 22:9, "where wilt thou"? Nowhere do we need more direct guidance from the Lord than in the question of the worship of God). Where did they get the idea of a new cart? From the heathen Philistines we read of in 1 Samuel 6:7. (Where do we get many of the religious customs of today? From a mixture of paganism and Old Testament ritual).

2 Sam 6:6 Did this man do the right thing in steadying the ark? But God tells us the answer. He had said that no one but a priest could touch the ark. So the whole thing was wrong.

#473

Of all the people in the world, the people of God have proved the most ungrateful for what they have received.

2 SAMUEL 6, Verses 8-23

2 Sam 6:8-10 Do we do right in getting angry when the Lord tries to show us that we are acting in disobedience when we are connected with what is contrary to God's Word?

2 Sam 6:11 But what a difference with this man. He was blessed.

2 Sam 6:12-23 Now David acts according to the Word of the Lord. Turn to 1 Chronicles 15:25-29 to see who carried the ark. The result is great rejoicing. (May you find this joy!)

2 Sam 6:20-23 One person despised all this in her heart! She didn't say a word! But God knew, and acted, and she was the loser.

#474

When "indifference" marries "doubt" they usually have a child called "Liberalism".

2 SAMUEL 7

2 Sam 7:1-3 Grand views of David's heart toward God. David valued what God had done for him, so he wants to build a place suitable for the ark to dwell in. (Like speaking about a Person. And so it was, because the Ark represents the Person of Christ).

2 Sam 7:4 God spoke to the prophet Nathan. (What an experience for Nathan to actually hear the Lord's voice!)

2 Sam 7:5-17 Nathan listened to every word! He didn't forget a thing - verse 17.

2 Sam 7:5-11 The Lord reviews all the way He had led David. He also speaks of the future when Israel's trials will be over (verse l0). The Lord appreciated the desire in David's heart.

2 Sam 7:12-17 Instead, God will build David a house. By this it is meant that David would be the beginning of a line of kings. It would be the "house of David". God is always the "Giver".

2 Sam 7:18-29 When David hears all this wonderful future for him, so he says "who am I?" (This is how we feel when we realize something of what the same Lord Jesus has done for us personally. We can learn much from these beautiful words. Everything comes from God!

#475

Heresy is simply a determined adherence to ones own opinions on any subject.

2 SAMUEL 8

2 Sam 8:1-8 David destroys the Philistines and the Moabites. "Houghed" in verse 4 means to cripple. (We need to constantly remind ourselves that these enemies of Israel are pictures of the Christian's spiritual enemies, which are always trying to interfere with our joy in the Lord. If we think of our spiritual enemies as people, we are likely to be deceived by Satan into thinking we are cruel when, for instance, we won't compromise with bad teaching.)

2 Sam 8:9-18 Many of these Gentile nations came to Jerusalem to bless the king and bring him presents. Power, glory and blessing come to David in abundance.

2 Sam 8:15-18 Order and good government are established.

#476

Wisdom builds knowledge into understanding; and Wisdom is our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 SAMUEL 9

Now a sweet story. (What a picture of God's mercy and grace to us as lost sinners, brought into the highest blessings!). Mephibosheth belongs to the family of Saul, the enemy of David. What benefit could Mephibosheth be to David? (Why did God ever pick us up? Only because of what He is. See if you can see other ways in this story in which it is a picture of us.)

2 Sam 9:13 Looking at Mephibosheth sitting among the king's sons, no one would know he was lame on both his feet. (God has seated us around His table. We are fit for His presence because the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all sin - 1 John 1:7) Mephibosheth accepts all the favours, and enjoys them.

#477

Whatever enfeebles attachment to Christ enfeebles power.

2 SAMUEL 10

2 Sam 10:1-3 Now David wishes to show kindness to another man. The exact opposite happened in this case. The man refuses the kindness. (This is just what happens when a person hears the gospel and decides he won't accept it).

2 Sam 10:4 Not only does he not accept David's kindness and suspects David of mischief, but he insults the messengers! (The unbeliever never appreciates the grace of God).

2 Sam 10:6-19 Punishment follows. Notice that several join together, but they cannot stand against David's strength. (No one will be able to stand against the Lord when He comes to punish the unbelievers.)

#478

Knowledge is power and must be used in love, but love must always be controlled by knowledge. Philippians 1:9-11

2 SAMUEL 11

A dark chapter. Sin and shame for David. (Always remember that the types of Christ in the Bible are not perfect human beings. God didn't write the Bible to exalt man, but to exalt Christ).

2 Sam 11:2-4 Notice that David had several opportunities to stop his sinful course, but didn't. It is often that way for believers. The time to refuse Satan's temptation is at the very beginning. Instead of David being active, he is taking his ease. (The old saying is true - "Satan finds many things for idle hands to do"). Sin follows.

2 Sam 11:6-25 Then the worst efforts to cover up the sin. Uriah was a true and faithful servant to David, though he was not a Hebrew. David brings brave Uriah to his grave! What a shameful thing to do!

#479

If we start to drift away from the Lord, it is not done suddenly, and we pass through many "red lights".

2 SAMUEL 12

2 Sam 12:1-4 God saw all, and now He acts. (The Lord may let things go on, but there is a day when all must be settled). The prophet Nathan tells David a touching story, but it has a serious meaning.

2 Sam 12:5-6 David gets angry at hearing the story. (How quick we are to see the faults in others). When David saw Nathan coming to him he should have had a conscience, but he has been hardened by sin.

2 Sam 12:7 Only four words, but they hit hard.

2 Sam 12:7-12 Then the results. God's highly privileged servant would have to receive severe punishment.

2 Sam 12:12 What is done secretly will be seen openly. (We can hide nothing from God).

2 Sam 12:13 He confesses that the sin is against the Lord... all sin is.

2 Sam 12:15-23 When the child lived, David believed that the Lord might mercifully save it. But when it died, he accepts the fact from the Lord. (Also Matthew 18:11 assures us that a child who dies, goes to be with the Lord).

2 Sam 12:24 How gracious the Lord is. He never changes. Sin must be punished to the full. But grace abounds. This very woman becomes the mother of Solomon, the greatest king Israel ever had! (God hates sin, and will not have it in His presence. He has sent His Son, since King David's days, and has punished Him for the sins of every believer. Have you been sheltered by His precious blood? Two very dark chapters. In today's we have read of David's adultery and murder. Tomorrow we will read of fornication and murder committed by David's son).

#480

The building up of good can alone give lasting blessing, not the attacking of evil.

2 SAMUEL 13

2 Sam 13:1-18 What dreadful behavior by David's eldest son! Amnon's love for his half-sister was plain lust which turned immediately to hate when it was indulged in.

2 Sam 13:19-29 Sin is costly. Lies, deceit and murder are the result.

2 Sam 13:30-39 Further confusion. Absalom runs away. But look at chapter 12:10 to see that David had caused all these sorrows in his family because he had despised the Lord.

#481

Unbelief is being content with darkness.

2 SAMUEL 14

Today we see the mercy of David in allowing Absalom to come home. The king has a tender heart toward his son, yet realizes his responsibility to God to punish Absalom for the shedding of the blood of Amnon.

2 Sam 14:1-3 The subtle (tricky) Joab knew the heart of David was anxious to have his guilty son Absalom back again. So he uses this woman who pretends to be a very sad person.

2 Sam 14:4-20 Joab had made up a story for her to tell the king.

2 Sam 14:12-20 The king gives her his word. To act in grace was what David loved. ( Like Mephibosheth in chapter 9). The act was working well. If David could spare someone else's son, would he not spare his own son?

2 Sam 14:13-20 But the king sees the workings of Joab in the whole visit.

2 Sam 14:21-23 The king does not change his mind, but orders Joab to bring Absalom home. Joab really knew nothing of grace himself, but he knew it was in David.

2 Sam 14:24 The guilt of Absalom was still in David's mind, so we see the restriction put on Absalom.

2 Sam 14:25-27 What Absalom looked like. Both Saul and Absalom were very attractive to the eye.

2 Sam 14:28-33 Joab has another scheme worked out to get the king to receive Absalom. We can see plainly that though David was a good king, he was a poor father in many, many ways.

#482

The gospel has two sides to it... the believing side... the behaving side. Our behaviour shows how much we believe.

2 SAMUEL 15, Verses 1-18

After all the gracious way Absalom has been treated, now his treacherous heart is exposed. (After all the kindness and grace of God to man has been shown at the cross in bringing salvation, then after all this, there is yet going to arise on this earth, the man of sin, the antichrist. This will happen after we believers are gone to glory - 2 Thess 2:7-12. Absalom is a clear picture of the antichrist.

The last sentence of yesterday's chapter indicated that Absalom was taking a very low place before his father, but notice the first sentence of our chapter today, "after this" which shows the true heart of Absalom... he exalts himself!

2 Sam 15:1-16 Absalom works out his subtle plans. There are two objects he is after... One is to undermine the king, the other to build himself up. So he uses flattery. Absalom never loved these people as David did.

2 Sam 15:7 This probably should be "four", not "forty".

2 Sam 15:7-9 Notice that Absalom uses the Lord's name while he is lying to his father. His father is thoroughly deceived.

2 Sam 15:10 He has his plan well organized throughout Israel to start a rebellion against his father.

2 Sam 15:11 He even deceives these 200 men.

2 Sam 15:12 Worse - He offers up sacrifices to the Lord while working his deceits!

2 Sam 15:13-18 King David now must gather his few loyal people around him, and leave his capital - Jerusalem.

#483

Coldness of soul turns me to a system or to men.

2 SAMUEL 15, Verses 19-37

A wonderful example of faithfulness to David personally by a man from an enemy country (Philistine). Read these verses slowly and realize that King David had won Ittai's heart so much that nothing would stop him from following David totally, including his little children. (It is one thing to follow the Lord when we have a lot of people with us, but another when everything opposes and only a few are with us as we follow a Man, Who has been rejected).

2 Sam 15:24-29 A century before this, Israel didn't have a man like David as their head. In 1st Samuel 4:3-4 the people and the priests panic when they are attacked, and bring the sacred ark out into the battlefield, and lose it to the enemy. In contrast, here David refuses to use such a sacred object and orders the priests to take the ark back to Jerusalem.

2 Sam 15:30-37 Notice what David does (in verse 31). He pours out his heart to God. He directs the priests to stay with his rebellious son.

#484

Characteristic of man... to create a god which suits him... and then become like it.

2 SAMUEL 16 and 17

2 Sam 16:1-4 David is deceived by the lies of Ziba. Go back to chapter 9 to see who he was. David believes the lie, and gives Ziba all the land which belonged to Mephibosheth. But there is a beautiful sequel to this which we will see shortly.

2 Sam 16:5-14 A contrast with the gifts of verses 1 and 2. David experiences comfort and hatred. Fruit from one - stones and curses from another. In this case, we hear the humbled king holding back his men from shedding blood.

2 Sam 16:15-23 The two advisors have opposite ideas for Absalom. The message is passed on and finally reaches David, who quickly crosses the river Jordan.

2 Sam 17:23 Ahithopel's end.

2 Sam 17:24-26 Absalom pursues David.

2 Sam 17:27-29 David has friends who have tender and generous hearts and send these gifts. What an encouragement all these things must have been to David and all with him!

#485

Abraham Lincoln once said, "I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God."

2 SAMUEL 18

2 Sam 18:1-5 David makes his plans.

2 Sam 18:6-18 The climax arrives. Absalom who was such a tricky, vain and wicked man, dies by hanging on a tree; his head (his intelligence) caught in the branches. We might be wondering why God gives us all these details... What do they mean? In the future there will be the period of time called the "tribulation". It takes place just after all the believers in the Lord Jesus will be caught up suddenly to heaven (maybe today!). Then a man will appear on earth in Israel who will claim to be the "Messiah". (2 Thess. 2:7-10). He will be allowed by God to "steal" the hearts of millions of people by deceiving them into thinking that he is the promised one. Then he will suddenly change and announce he is against God. He is the "Antichrist" (1 John 2:18, 4:3) the Lord Jesus will cast him alive into hell (Rev. 19:20. There he is called the "false prophet"). So now we can better understand that Absalom is a picture of this man.

2 Sam 18:33 Whether David should have felt the way he did, is doubtful. The Lord had brought punishment on Absalom, and probably he should have been thinking God's thoughts more. Nevertheless it shows us David's tenderness.

#486

The great hindrance to solid peace, is a reasoning in our own minds, as to whether we are really as bad as God knows us to be.

2 SAMUEL 19, Verses 1-15

2 Sam 19:1-15 The king's leaders are unhappy at the sorrow which David had for his son Absalom. Joab speaks pretty sharply to David. Possibly David did overdo the sorrow, forgetting that God was directing everything. The types always fail in some way. David fails - but the Lord Jesus never! All will be perfect when the Lord Jesus comes in power.

#487

The world is an immense system built up by Satan around fallen man to keep him insensible to his ruin. Gen. 4:20-22.

2 SAMUEL 19, Verses 16-40

2 Sam 19:16-23 Do you remember what this man did to David when David was fleeing? (16:5). Now David accepts this man on his words. (During the millennium there will be many who pretend obedience but what is really in their hearts will come out, and they will be punished). Try to remember this man when we come to king David's son Solomon. He has something to say about Shimei.

2 Sam 19:24-30 Beautiful contrast. There was no pretending here. Go back to chapter 9, also 16:1-4. But today we learn what really was in Mephibosheth's heart. All the time David was away, notice what Mephibosheth did not do! Also notice the difference between the words of Shimei (v. 20) when he talked to King David... "I have sinned" and the words of the faithful Mephibosheth (V. 30) when he heard that Ziba (V. 26) had deceived him, he said "Let him take all". He was satisfied to have David back, so he didn't care about the property he had lost. (Read Heb. 10:34).

2 Sam 19:31-40 Another lovely character. This man had no interest in earthly glory or rewards. He loved David and supported him in David's time of rejection. (Are we faithful to Christ during the time of His rejection?) David wants to reward Barzillai, but cannot. The type fails again. (But everyone will receive his due reward when the Lord Jesus comes - 1 Cor. 4:5).

2 Sam 19:41-43 The people try to outdo each other in bringing their king back to his beloved capital. (What a glorious day is coming when the Lord Jesus shall return to reign over this earth in righteousness, and we will be with Him - Ezekiel 43:2 and Rev. 5:10).

#488

What Christ died for, Satan has set himself to oppose... and has temporarily succeeded.

2 SAMUEL 20

Another traitor appears - Sheba. You may have remembered that Joab had been replaced as David's army general by Amasa (19:13). But here we see Joab acting firmly and bravely for the king in getting rid of the traitor Sheba, although he acts very deceitfully towards Amasa and murders him. Joab was always too hard a man for David - 2 Samuel 3:27-39, particularly the last verse.

#489

Pride is still Satan's chief tactic with men today. Pride is the greatest of all sins that beset us; of all our enemies, it is that which dies the slowest and hardest.

2 SAMUEL 21

2 Sam 21:1-14 This section proves a very important point... that God is holy, and although something done long ago is forgotten by the people, God remembers it and it must be paid for. "God requireth that which is past" - Ecclesiastes 3:15. To understand this chapter, we must read first Joshua 9:3-21. A promise was made that these people, though they had deceived Joshua, would not be destroyed. But king Saul, many years later, in his pretended zeal for the Lord, kills some of them. Now, many years later, God sends a famine for 3 years. David asks the Lord and is told why. There is a danger in thinking that what is past is past. (We may go on in a Christian fellowship and not enquire how it came about. Just shutting our eyes to it will not do. It must be judged and separated from if we are going to be blessed of the Lord). David inquired of the Lord. (Luke 22:9 is a good question for us all). The balance of this chapter tells us of the feelings, energy and strength of David's people as his own physical strength declines.

#490

Infidelity is based on the false assumption that the human mind is competent to judge the things of God.

2 SAMUEL 22

Psalm 18 is very similar to this chapter. A combination of the history of Israel with David as the type of the Messiah. (This may be hard to understand. If so, just read the chapter). May the Lord be valued by each one of us as He was to King David. Count the number of ways the Lord was valued by him ("My", "my" "my") V.2 and so forth.

Notice the sorrows through which the Person is passed, and then brought out of them as the Deliverer. A story of sorrows and sufferings followed by joy and victory.

#491

Satan is ... "the prince of the power of the air." Eph. 2:2; "the god of this world" 2 Cor. 4:4; "the prince of this world" John 12:31, 14:30 ; "like a roaring lion" 1 Pet. 5:8.

Pergamos... where Satan's throne is. Rev. 2:13.

2 SAMUEL 23

A contrast with yesterday's chapter. A review of David's life. It started out with such hopes, yet never fully succeeds. And no one knew it more than King David himself! We see here a combination of joy and sorrow. Joy when he thought of the coming true King who would sit on his throne...sorrow when he realized how poor a picture he was of this One! And yet in all this, he is a broken and humbled man. (We learn that our failures do not affect our wonderful position in Christ. But our enjoyment of our position is very much affected by our life. We owe all to Christ. As we realize this, we grow in grace).

2 Sam 23:8-39 A brief history of the main points in the life of the mighty men who were with David in his life.

2 Sam 23:14-17 What love for David must have been in the heart of these men to be willing to do this great act. But what grace do we see in David when he pours the water out on the ground! He looked at it as if it was the blood of these men!

2 Sam 23:18-39 More brave men. (The believer today is to go on quietly, humbly for the Lord. To accept shame, loneliness, misunderstanding, loss, even persecution for Him, will bring us into sweet peace and confidence in Him. Then the Spirit will unite us with others - 2 Tim. 2:22) These men knew David. This gave them (and us) strength and courage. Soon we shall reign with Christ. Now is our time to suffer with Him - 2 Tim. 2:12.

#492

When the inclinations of our heart are unjudged, then Satan has the power to deceive.

2 SAMUEL 24

David's sad failure. Instead of being satisfied in knowing that the Lord was his strength, he wants to number the people to see how strong he is! (Exodus 30:12, when the people were numbered, each had to pay money for an atonement for his soul. Here none was paid, so punishment fell from God).

2 Sam 24:3 Joab didn't care so much about pleasing the Lord, but he knew the Lord would be angry at his uncle King David.

2 Sam 24:4-9 The king goes ahead nevertheless.

2 Sam 24:10-14 At first it looked as if God hadn't noticed it, for He let it go for nine months and 20 days! The Lord saw everything and gives David three choices. David chooses to fall into the hand of God rather than into the hands of men. Because of love for David, God did not spare him. But in the middle of the plague, and in the very city from which the orders were originally given, mercy reaches out. The plague is stopped.

2 Sam 24:17 The guilty man speaks to God and is heard.

2 Sam 24:18-25 A Gentile provides the place for an altar to be built, to sacrifice to the Lord. (It will cost you something -to separate from other believers, to worship God in truth). The location was the very spot where the great temple of Solomon was to be built. (This is a picture of a yet greater day to come on this earth - a link between heaven and earth. For near here our blessed Lord Jesus died upon the cross, shedding His precious blood, that we believers might be made fit to enter God's presence).