Wednesday 05/12/21 

Series: Thru the Bible

Message – The Books of the Kingdom and their Chronicles Pt. 3

PDF of Outline: Harmoney of Israel’s Kingdom Books

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The Books of the Kingdom and their Chronicles Pt. 3

Tonight we are going to attempt to cover a total of 13 lessons which will take us from 1Chron. 16 to 2Chron. 7 & 2Sam. 7 to 1Kings 9. That is a LOT of ground!

David’s song to God

David’s love for God found it’s expression in the things he was gifted at. David was a gifted musician, so He honored God in his music and used it as a tool to evoke worship in others.

David creates another law which we see continued to be observed throughout Israel’s future – that of singing songs of worship and praise to God at the sacrifice of the Burnt Offerings.

David’s heart towards God was big. He thought of God in all his ways…he loved Him. It was this love that caused him to consider the royal house he lived in as compared to the tent which housed the presence of God in Israel.

Though denied the right to build the Lord’s house, David did everything short of it…

• He drew up the plans
• He gathered and stored up the best of resources

David had a heart of gratitude

Lessons:

• Let the things you do – especially the things you are gifted at, honor God and lead others into a heart of honor, respect and worship.
• Like David we need to use our roles of leadership in ways which exalt Him – draw attention away from ourselves to towards our God.
• The things God allows for others and not for you are not to be seen as rejection. God has His plans. He needed David to be a warrior, but men of blood cannot build God’s house. 
• Solomon was a man of peace, but he could not be a man of peace if he father had not been a man or war.
• We are not islands – we work together in the work of the kingdom towards the glory of God. Each person’s work builds upon the work done before him.
• Be grateful!

Mephibosheth…son of my Friend

Mephibosheth was a lame son of David’s friend Jonathan. So he saw to it that the land which belonged to him by inheritance was restored and had men to work the land to give Mephibosheth wealth of his own, but David took him to himself and cared for him all his days.

David sought to honor a man named Hanun, because he was the son of Nahash – a man who had shown kindness to David. David did not forget kindness and always sought to return it.

Lesson:

• One of the reasons why God continued to honor David LONG after his death was because David did the same for others.

Lust…a Murder Motive

David lusted after and sought a one-night-stand with another man’s wife.

There were 7 major players in this event and all of them tell us something about God and ourselves. 

David:

• He called for her
• He had sex with her
• He sent her home
• Upon hearing she was pregnant, he devised a plan to make it look like the child was her husbands
• He faced the man, broke bread with him, got him drunk and sent him home hoping he’d go into his wife
• When it did not work, due to Uriah’s integrity, David used his God given authority as King to place this loyal man in the path of almost certain death

Bathsheba:

It is more than possible that this was Bathsheba’s plan all along.

• Her roof had to be close enough to his to be seen – especially at night
• When he sent for her – she did not resist (which according to the Law made her as responsible as he for the sin)
• She did not expose David, but sought him out when she knew she was pregnant
• She went along with his scheme to make it look like the child was her husband’s.

Uriah:

• This man was loyal to his wife, to Israel, to David his king and to Joab his military commander.
• Even when drunk, he refused to go into the pleasures and comforts of his wife in a time of war. His comrades were at war and he could not take his leisure even if he was beckoned home by the King himself.

Joab:

Joab, the commander of David’s army protested placing Uriah on the front lines, but obeyed.

Nathan the prophet:

• At least 9 months pass before God sends Nathan confronts David in his sin.
• God uses Nathan to reawaken a heart grown cold.
• It works and David repents

The Baby:

• The offspring of this evil union dies as a direct result of this sin.

The verses predicting this tell us VOLUMES about how God saw this and about the real atrocity behind sin.

2 Samuel 12:13b-15,

“And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.  (14)  However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”  

“(15)  Then Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill.”

• The punishment was David & Bathsheba’s the victim was their child.
• David fasted and sought God for the child’s life
• Upon hearing of his death – David accepts the judgment of God and worships Him

God:

What was God’s response to all of this? He was “displeased”.

• This last point is very important. The statement sounds almost a little understated. One would expect a response more like.. “and the wrath of God was kindled against Daivd and he struck him with boils…etc.”, but what we get is “God was displeased”.

Something which I think often gets lost in this story is the heart of God for Uriah.

• It doesn’t look like God cared that much that his man was being used, not honored or loved by his wife or his king but was abused that played the fool.
• God did not warn Uriah or protect him from death.
• This shows the wild nature of God. Once He has delegated authority – He does not take it back, but Himself, lives with the consequences of His decisions.
• After Uriah’s death however, the words God inspired in Nathan’s prophecy to David tells us about God’s heart for His child Uriah. He is represented as a cherished and precious lamb who a rich man stole and killed.
• David himself knew the love one has for sheep so it enraged him – which I believe allowed David to understand how God felt about this and was also played its part in David’s repentance once it was revealed that the rich man with a wicked heart was David, Uriah was the lamb and God was Uriah’s Owner.

Even though his sin was great – David knew God well enough to still hope in His mercy, though he’d abused his God given authority to commit adultery, attempt to cover it up, shed innocent blood and remained unrepentant for nearly a year!

Lessons:

• We are not able to judge the hearts, intentions and actions of another. We rarely even fully grasp our own.
• We are not the ONLY players on the field. God has to act in justice and mercy for EVERYONE involved and that will not always look like justice to us!
• Sometimes we must confront those in leadership over us, but in the end, the decision is theirs.This is a tricky truth to walk in. 
  • For someone in Joab’s position he needed to honor and respect David’s decision and hand the outcome over to God.
  • If however, David had ordered Joab to kill Uriah himself, I believe it would have been proper to respectfully tell David that he would not participate in his sin.
• God being displeased with David seems to fall so limp around our ears – like an exceedingly lame response to so egregious a series of sins. However, this is because we do not understand Who God is nor who we are in His story.
• Pleasing God is one of the reasons for our creation and existence – so His displeasure is a very serious matter. It need not escalate to anger or wrath for it to be important to us. A little displeasure is more than enough!
• The true character of a man is not always seen by their individual actions, as much as by the total sum of them. Nearly a year passed in David’s life (perhaps more) before confronted by Nathan – his heart had made peace with his sin and he obviously felt little to no remorse, but when confronted he quickly repented.
• No heart -regardless of how great and lovingly devoted to God is above temptation, blindness or hardening.
• We do not sin to ourselves
• Those under us often pay the price for our sinning.
• God knows, sees and longs for all human hearts.
• Do not mistake the actions of God or His apparent LACK of action as a defining of His heart towards you or anyone – there is more at play than you know.
• Never stop believing and respectfully expecting in the Mercy of God.

Under the King’s Nose & My son Absalom…my son Absalom

This is that portion of David’s story that reflected upon his parenting.

Amnon was his first born son who became sexually infatuated with his sister Tamar and raped her.

Even in the royal household gender roles were still observed. Amnon pretended to be sick as requested that David send Tamar to prepare food for him and care for him – not a servant, but his sister.

Tamar had a good heart and attempted to reason with Amnon. Her first concern was for propriety, conformity to God’s law and honor (of God, of country, of king and personal honor). She was not refusing Amnon, she simply suggested that he ask David to give her to him in marriage, but he had no patience fo this and so permanently shamed his sister.

Absolom was another son of David who sought to kill Amnon for this crime, and though it took time and an elaborate scheme – he did so. He seems to think he is doing something David would approve of, and when he didn’t it was likely the beginning of Absolom’s hatred for his father.

David seemed suspicious but did nothing.

Absolom discovered his father grieved Amnon’s death and so fled for his life for three years.

David did not pursue him, though he longed for reconciliation with his son Absolom.

Absolom is allowed to return to the kingdom but was not allowed to see David.

Absolom in anger and vengeance works to divide his father’s kingdom and in the end pays with his life.

David lost Absolom as he was fleeing David’s men. David’s men risked everything to recover all that David had lost, yet David grieved. Joab confronted David rather strongly and told him to get up and honor those who fought for him, or that night they would all forsake him.

Lessons:

• Fathers NEED to know, pray for and act on behalf of their children. They are NOT to be silent regarding them.
• Children long for and seek the approval and acceptance of their fathers.
• Many children have lost their way in terms of right standing with God by seeking a right standing with their fathers. In the end, God will hold them both liable for what transpires.
• If one has a good heart, they will seek to honor God and His laws (ways) above their own personal concerns.
• Sometimes it is necessary to confront those in authority – but there are right and wrong way to do this.

National Guilt

If you remember, during Israel’s conquering of the Promised Land under Joshua, the Gibeonites had heard about what Israel had done to Jericho and Ai and were in fear. So they sent a delegation to deceive Joshua and secure a peace between them so that they would not be destroyed. God required that Israel honor their word so the Gibeonites became their servants.

During Saul’s reign he attacked the Gibeonites.

30 years later during the reign of David, there came a 3 year famine which God told David was due to Saul’s sin against the Gibeonites.

David then sought to right the wrong with the Gibeonites and God honored this.

So we can readily see that God does not immediately recompense for sin. 

You might ask…Why did God wait so long before judging this crime? Well, no one knows for certain simply by the text, but if you follow the events leading up to this, God’s mercy was certainly a major contributing factor.

From the moment God lifted His Spirit from Saul to this moment in scripture- Israel has known little but unrest. 

From the time of Saul’s initial relationship with David followed by his deadly pursuit of him, to Saul’s death, to the inauguration of David over Judah and his subsequent reign there for 7 years, then his kingship over all of Israel, the settling of the land through war, the division of his own house and conspiracy and treason of Absalom his son, then most recently Sheba the evil Benjamite…the kingdom of Israel has been under constant difficulties. 

Once the kingdom had been reunited and enjoyed a little peace – God saw fit to pass judgment. Chances are, Israel had been given time to recoup, rest and build up a stockpile of resources so that when the famine came, they would not perish…God is merciful!

That having been said, He is also judge and will not allow evil to go unanswered.

Also there was a concubine of Saul’s who was still alive with Saul’s sons were handed over to the Gibeonites for death and she mourned their passing and worked tirelessly for days warding off animals from devouring their remains. When David heard of this he ordered the bodies of the men as well as Saul and Jonathan to be properly buried in their tribes out of honor for them and this woman.

Finally, in our lesson I drew a parallel between this event and the BLM in America. Whites outnumber blacks  by about 7 to one in this nation. As such, for the most part in this nation… 

1. laws have been largely written by white people
2. jobs and careers are largely created by white people
3. news movies and TV shows are largely written produced and paid for by white people 

and yet, for as long as I can remember (with notable expectations like the Archie Bunker show) in every one of these forums you constantly hear racism condemned & laws created protecting minorities. 

If racism is as alive as they claim, how does that happen? 

If whites make up 76.5% of the American population and blacks only make up 13.4% and racism was truly a real problem of any significant size in America how did we get a black president two administrations in a row?

My point is that even though there were atrocities committed, they have LONG been righted by the actions of white people seeking to protect minorities. Also a little known piece of information I discovered just yesterday is that only 6-7% of the enlisted confederates had slaves. That is a surprisingly small number!

Lessons:

• You and I are incapable of “figuring” things out in reconciling national and international happenings and the specific judgment of God without His telling us.
• God always judges
• God is ALWAYS merciful
• We nearly NEVER have all of the story
• There are many instances in life which present us with difficult choices and responses which may, from the outside, seem contradictory, but which in fact are not. 

A Psalm of Deliverance

Some of David’s greatest songs were birthed out of times of great trouble where God came to his (and or the nations) deliverance.

Lessons:

• During times of trial do not fail to acknowledge God, trust in Him and expect in His mercy and deliverance.
• Remember that Jesus told us that men should always seek God in prayer and never lose heart.

In the Lord’s hands

David unwisely decided to number his military, more than likely to calculate his advantage or lack thereof against his enemies. This is an act of unbelief.

According to Exod. 30:11-16, we learn that if ever a census is taken, each man counted must pay a ransom for himself to the Lord as they are counted or a plague would come upon the land.

To God, a census was connected to HIS Ownership of them and for the atonement of the households in Israel. 

The men of each household stood as the representation for their house. This is true both in this and the second census taken in Israel and so it could be argued that it was this distortion of the purpose for a census, that David’s census incurred guilt. Up to this point in Jewish history, a census was directly connected with the fall and redemption of man – not man’s ability to provide for and save himself.

Also, this is why only men were numbered.

As a result of David’s sin, his conscience began to trouble him and he sought God in repentance and asked that he alone bear the judgement for his sin and not the people.

God told the Prophet Gad to confront David and offer him 3 choices of punishment. The three choices ALL included Israel in the punishment – so David’s reply was,

“Please, let us fall into the LORD’s hands because His mercies are great, but don’t let me fall into human hands.”

After the punishment God required a sacrifice.

David  acted immediately – where he currently was located and so asked to buy the threshing floor of a man named Ornan for David to turn into a place to offer sacrifice. Ornan told David to take it for free, but David replied:

“No, I insist on paying the full price, for I will not take for the LORD what belongs to you or offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

Lessons:

• Again the reasons behind what happens to a nation may well be beyond your knowledge
• Always trust in God
• Do not assume to take ownership of anything for all belongs to God
• You cannot sin to yourself
• Trust in God’s mercy
• What we offer to God needs to have personal value – especially our hearts and lives.

Preparations of a Father & King

David wanted to build the temple for God but could not due to his career requiring much blood shed. This was not a punishment – just a simple necessity.

David knew his time was drawing close so he made ready his affairs.

Lessons:

• First he prepared his son
• Then he prepared those to aid his son
• He made provisions for the construction of the temple
• He set in order the priests, the musicians and the military so all would be in order for his son to take over.
• This is what it looks like for a good man to leave an inheritance for his children’s children. It isn’t simply about money – it is about a ordered and meaningful world to live in. A story that predates them and a dynasty that will continue after they have passed.

Solomon becomes King

This is a great chapter of family and kingdom, but it all boils down to honor, love and caring foresight.

Lessons:

• David charges all of Israel to continue in God’s ways after his passing
• David shows public affirmation of Solomon as his son and successor
• As we learned in the last lesson David prepares for EVERYTHING – so Solomon steps into a Kingdom ready.
• David praises and prays before Israel
• Solomon honors his father

Solomon begins his Reign

Lessons:

• Solomon begins his reign in humility
• Give the choice of anything – Solomon chooses wisdom that he might rule righteously and with integrity
• He began temple construction almost immediately followed by his own household

If My People – Where Solomon got his Prayer & If My people, would seek first MY kingdom

Upon completing the temple construction Solomon prays to God before the temple in the wisdom of his ancestors.

Christians today often pray God’s answer to the prayer not the prayer itself.

Christians today misunderstand the entire event, it’s purpose, scope and meaning.

Lessons:

• The prayer is Old Testament ENTIRELY
• The scope and particulars were taken from Moses’s prayer after Israel rededicated themselves to God in the wilderness. So the prayer is ENTIRELY predicated upon obedience of King AND people.
• They were living in a covenant of works for natural blessings
• We have a better covenant with better and spiritual promises and blessings
• Their enemies were flesh and blood ours is satan and his kingdom
• The land they were evicted from if they sinned was natural, the land we are evicted from is communion and likeness with Christ
• We need to understand the meaning and context of a passage before attempting to apply its meaning and promise to our situation and lives 
• Governing authorities are appointed by God for our spiritual and natural good (in that order)
• What do the scriptures tell as Christians to think, believe and pray for regarding politics and leaders? 1Tim. 2:1-4; 1 Thess. 4:9-12; Rom. 13; Jn. 19:10-11 & Acts 26 & the Lord’s prayer.

These will be important to remember…

Just to be SUPER clear though, let’s make a list of precisely what situations were being prayed about…

• When a man sins against his neighbor
• When Israel as a nation is defeated before an enemy
• When the skies are shut and there is no rain on the land God gave to Israel by promise.
• When any type of national calamity like a – famine, pestilence, blight, mildew, locust, grasshopper, plague, famine, illness OR when their enemy besieges them in the Promised land.
• When they go out to war at God’s direction
• When God hands them over to their enemies and they are deported into another land.

What request was Solomon making about these things:

• To justify the righteous and condemn the wicked
• To forgive sin
• To restore them back to their land if they have been defeated and or deported.
• To be granted victory when they go to war at God’s direction
• And to PHYSICALLY HEAL their land (specifically their farms and homes) from famine, pestilence, blight, mildew, locust, grasshopper, plague, famine, illness

THAT is the list – it had NOTHING to do with politics or the appointment of leaders.

We will pick back up with Solomon man of Wisdom & Folly next week.

Blessings!

 

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