David - Lesson 3
Overview
David on the Rise
The closing chapter of Saul's story is sobering. In 1 Samuel 31:3-6, Saul, gravely wounded by Philistine archers, falls on his own sword. The account in 2 Samuel 1:1-16 presents an Amalekite who claims credit for the killing—likely a self-serving lie meant to win David's favor by a man scavenging the battlefield. Scripture interprets Scripture, and either way, what matters most is David's response. Far from rejoicing over the death of the man who hunted him, David executes the Amalekite for daring to lift a hand against the Lord's anointed and then composes a lament that praises Saul and Jonathan's strengths 2 Samuel 1:17-27. No bitterness. No gloating. This is what godly leadership looks like.
That response highlights one of the central themes of David's rise: character matters. Scripture consistently emphasizes who a leader is rather than what a leader can produce. The only competence-based qualification given for a pastor in the New Testament is to be "an apt teacher"—everything else concerns character. A culture that exchanges principle for pragmatism—accepting flawed leaders because of what they can deliver—will eventually be undone, because leaders without character gather others without character, and the collapse, like Saul's, is only a matter of time. Parents, grandparents, and members of every congregation should be able to look at their leaders and say, "I want my child to grow up to be like that."
David's rise was not uncontested. Saul's general Abner installed Ish-bosheth as king over the northern tribes, and David faced civil war fresh on the heels of Philistine conflict. In the middle of it, David penned Psalm 27—"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"—a song of unflinching trust. These are words worth praying back to God in our own seasons of pressure. When Abner later defected to David and was murdered by Joab in revenge for a brother's blood 2 Samuel 3:6-30, David again refused vengeance. God was working behind the scenes, even through painful and sinful events, to unite Israel under His shepherd-king.
Joab's rage warns us where vengeance leads, and Scripture answers it directly: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God" Romans 12:17-21, and "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" Luke 6:27-36. The world's most common complaint about Christians is that we look no different from anyone else—yet we are constantly witnessing: in the grocery line, on the neighborhood app, on social media, in our homes. God calls and empowers His people to be different. David would reign for thirty-three years, the same number Christ would walk this earth before the cross, pointing forward to the true Shepherd-King whose throne is established forever. May God form in us that same character, that same unflinching faith, and that same confidence that He is always advancing His purposes.
Transcript
We'll go ahead and pray for you. 7s
Good morning. 8s
Let's pray together please. 9s
We give you thanks for today, for calling us together to this place, for giving us Word and 12s
sacrament and sending us forth into this new week. 20s
Bless we pray. 25s
Our time of study today to your glory and your praise in Jesus' name. 25s
Well, last week we took a look at the first king by the name of Saul, and we took a look at 33s
where Saul's energies were focused. 39s
And we saw that instead of Saul spending time on the Philistines, Saul was spending time 43s
And we saw that David went to Samuel. 54s
We saw the comfort that one receives as he goes to Samuel to receive God's Word. 58s
Then he also went to Jonathan, which was Saul's son and talked with him. 66s
And we see as Saul was pursuing David, filled with this absolute rage here. 73s
We saw faith and folly with regard to David. 81s
And one of the folly examples we can say is when he went to Akish, which is the king of 86s
Gath, which was an enemy amidst all of this time. 93s
So you see in David, faith and you also see folly. 97s
We saw how the Lord saved David using even the enemies of the people, the Philistines. 103s
And we reflected on the tragic life of Saul, the tragic life in his failure to listen 110s
to God and to obey him, his failed failure to repent of his sins, and a fear and an anger 117s
that simply consumed him. 127s
Fear and anger can absolutely consume a person. 130s
And Saul is a perfect, perfect example of that. 135s
So we studied in the first session, David, in the field. 139s
We studied last week, David, on the run. 144s
And now this week, I want to study with you. 147s
Let's go to first Samuel. 153s
Please, chapter 31, for Samuel's in the Old Testament. 155s
Genesis Exodus, Leviticus, numbers, due to rotomy. 159s
Joshua, judges, Ruth. 163s
And then you come to the Samuels. 165s
First Samuel and then second Samuel. 167s
We'll go to the last chapter of first Samuel. 170s
Chapter 31, and we'll pick up in verse 3. 174s
And we read this. 180s
The battle pressed hard upon Saul. 182s
The archers found him and he was badly wounded by them. 186s
Then Saul said to his armor bear, draw your sword and thrust me through with it. 190s
So that these unsurcomed sides may not come and thrust me through and make sport of me. 196s
But his armor bear was unwilling for he was terrified. 204s
So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 209s
When his armor bear saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 213s
So Saul and his three sons, and his armor bear and all his men, 221s
died together on the same day. 225s
Now let's go to second Samuel chapter 1 and we'll pick up in verse 1. 229s
After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Malikites, 239s
David remained two days in Zikla. 244s
On the third day, a man came from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 247s
When he came to David, he fell to the ground and it'll be since. 254s
David said to him, where have you come from? 258s
He said to him, I have escaped from the camp of Israel. 262s
David said to him, how did things go? Tell me. 266s
He answered, the army fled from the battle, but also many of the army fell and died, 270s
and Saul and his son Jonathan also died. 276s
Then David asked the young man who was reporting to him, how do you know that Saul and his son 282s
Jonathan died? 288s
The young man reporting to him said, I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning 290s
on his spear while the chariots and the horsemen drew close to him. 297s
When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me, I answered, here's sir, and he said to 302s
me, who are you? I answered him, I'm an amelocite. 309s
He said to me, come, stand over me, and kill me. 313s
For convulsions have seized me and yet my life still lingers. 318s
So, I stood over him and killed him for I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. 323s
I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought 330s
him here to my Lord. 335s
Well now, first Samuel, 31st chapter, gives us a different picture here, doesn't it? 339s
Then you go to 2nd Samuel, the 1st chapter, and it seems like you get a different picture. 345s
In the one, first Samuel seems to indicate that Saul committed suicide. 351s
Here, when you go to 2nd Samuel, the 1st chapter, it seems to indicate that this young amelocite 357s
was the one that killed Saul. So, what do you do with that here? 364s
Scripture is not inconsistent. Scripture is not going to give us two different things. 373s
So, when looks at that, then, and says, well, perhaps then in the first account, the sword, 379s
there had not pierced totally through the armor, and Saul was still alive. 388s
Or, you can look at that, and you can say the amelocite, perhaps he was there robbing courses, 393s
corpses, and he may have simply lied about the whole thing there, his account, 402s
in 2nd Samuel I, might have lied about the whole thing there, because he thought that he could 409s
get some type of reward from David. So, that's one of those times. He let's scripture 415s
in the interpret scripture, and you say, well, it might be this option, it might be this option. 424s
Well, what's more important? What was the response? What was the response of David? 431s
Let's go to 2nd Samuel chapter 1, verse 14. David said to him, 439s
were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed? 450s
Then David called one of the young men and said, come here and strike him down. 458s
So, he struck him down and he died. David said to him, your blood beyond your head, 463s
for your own mouth has testified against you saying, I have killed the Lord's anointed. 472s
David takes no satisfaction in the death of soul. No satisfaction. David lements over soul and 480s
Jonathan's death. Let's pick up in verse 17. David entoned this lamentation over soul and 498s
this son Jonathan. He ordered that the song of the bow, we taught to the people of Judah. It is 508s
written in the book of Jashar. He said, your galoreo is realized slain upon your high places, 514s
how the mighty of fallen. Tell it not in gas proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, 521s
where the daughters of the Philicines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will 529s
exalt. You mountains of Gilboa let there be no due or rain upon you, nor bountyous fields. 533s
For where the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of soul, anointed with oil, no more. 542s
For the blood of the slain from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back and the 549s
sword of soul returned empty. Soul and Jonathan be levied and lovely. In life and in death they were 555s
not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions. O daughters of Israel weep 565s
over soul who clothe you with crimson in luxury who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 573s
How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle. Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. 582s
I'm distressed for you, my brother Jonathan, greatly beloved were you to me. Your love to me 589s
was wonderful passing the love of women. How the mighty have fallen in the weapons of war 596s
perished. You would think, wouldn't you? You would think that David would just be rejoicing over this. 606s
When you think that Saul is pursuing him, Saul wants David eradicated. When you think of the fact 621s
that Saul threw a spear at his own son, I mean you'd think that David would just be leaping for joy 628s
here and leverage this with the people. But he praises the successes and the good qualities of 639s
soul. There is no bitterness. There is no taking pleasure. He has great compassion and commitment 652s
to the Lord's will for Israel. Amazing response. That's a leader, right? That's a leader. 665s
Because it speaks here of David's character. Now David was far from perfect. And in the weeks 680s
ahead, we're going to see that. But here you have an example of character. 692s
You know, in leaders, whatever organization it is, a parent should be able to say of the leader, 704s
I'd like my child to grow up just like him, just like her. I'd like them to be just like him, 713s
just like her. I'd like them to talk like they talk, to comport themselves like that. Because what we see 726s
in Scripture is we constantly see the call for leaders to be models, models. And it's wonderful, 735s
isn't it? When you can point out, look at that leader and who they are. And so the child, 745s
the grandchild, all of us can look and to say, I want to be more like that, more like that. 755s
Interestingly, we live in a day in which you're hearing more and more of phrase that says, 766s
character doesn't matter. Character doesn't matter. But what matters is pragmatism. 777s
So there's a pragmatic exchange for character. What do I mean by that? 790s
It's people that will look at a leader, whatever organization it is, whatever grouping or size of people it is and say. 799s
I don't like her character. I don't like his character. But I like a lot of the things that she or 812s
can get what I want to get. That's a pragmatic exchange. Instead of looking at the leader with the 839s
primary question of saying, what are the principles of this leader? How does this, what are the 851s
poor guiding principles of that leader? One looks at not the principles but the pragmatism. 861s
What can I get? What can I get out of that leader? And when that is adopted, what happens is a 872s
leader that has a lack in character. A leader that has a lack in character will ultimately 887s
undo themselves. It's just a matter of time. It's just a matter of time. Until the leader 897s
without character brings the ultimate disaster upon themselves, reads solve. It's just a matter of time. 905s
What can happen when there's the emphasis on a leader and acceptance of a leader without a leader with character? 918s
Is you then have the leader without character bringing around himself or herself like minded people, 930s
which is going to have to fit in with the lack of character. Because one without character 940s
does not bring around them people of character. They will bring around them a people with a 948s
lack of character and what happens. But you have the destruction ultimately of the leader without 958s
character and then you have the ring around them in flicking destruction that ultimately lack of 968s
character, whether you're the person at the top of an organization or whether you are in the 979s
one. When you don't have character, you will end the end beyond done. And disaster will fall. 989s
I mean, you look at examples of this and you see it's the same thing over and over. 999s
They've adhered as a leader. Lives out in this case examples of deep character. That's a leader 1012s
in front of the people who says, I'm going to elevate this. I'm not going to use it to my own 1028s
good. Because so often what you find in a leader with no character is you find one who is 1042s
without principles and is pragmatic and you are entering into the relationship from a pragmatic 1059s
view. Guess what's going to happen? When the pragmatism doesn't work for the leader with our 1066s
principles, leader will turn on a dime. Because the guiding principle is self preservation, 1073s
the guiding principle is pragmatism. Why? Because there's no character there. There's no character. 1081s
On it. That's elevated. It's fascinating to see in Holy Scripture when it talks about leaders, 1088s
it always talks first and foremost about who is that person. Who's the person? 1096s
Not what their gifts are, but who they are. And there's long lists of qualities with regard 1107s
to spiritual leaders. You know, the only qualification to be a pastor in Scripture 1118s
in terms of a competence level is to be an apt teacher. To have an ability to teach. That's the 1128s
only qualification in terms of kind of an aptitude or what you can bring. Everything else 1138s
is who the person is to be. Who are they? Who are they? That speaks of character. 1150s
So we live increasingly in a day in which instead of elevating principle and character 1161s
we're tempted to turn to pragmatism and in the end you go down then with the leader 1170s
that you've attached yourself to because in the end that leader will fall. In the end, 1182s
the structure that's put to place will fall. We see that people in an organization, 1191s
whatever size, people in an organization will be exactly who the leader is. Exactly. 1202s
And so when we see in David we see one of character, character breeds character, 1216s
principled leadership breeds principled leadership, lack of character ultimately brings 1228s
destruction. A pragmatic approach of what can I get out of my leader and I'm willing to put 1236s
up with a lack of character will ultimately always be undone. So you look at David and you say 1248s
there's a leader, right? Because he's acting out of principle. Not pragmatism. 1267s
Okay, let's go on. David the rise to power was not uncontested. It was not uncontested. 1277s
There was a surviving son of Saul who was a common deered and appointed to be king of 1286s
the northern tribes of Israel. And the person behind that was Saul's general, a man by the name of 1295s
Abner. So in Psalm 27, David writes this just in his credible song, Psalm 27. 1304s
And at the point here of his writing this, he's on the brink now of a civil war. On the brink of a 1316s
fresh off of a defeat with regard by the by the philistines and he's facing opposition by 1324s
Abner. So he's on the brink of a civil war. He's just come back. The philistines have defeated them. 1332s
And he is facing opposition here by Abner. And yet there's this unclinch, unclinch, unflinching 1339s
faith in the Lord. Look at Psalm 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? 1347s
The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When evil doers assail me to 1357s
devour my flesh, my adversary, and foes they shall stumble and fall. The one army in camp against me, 1364s
heart shall not fear the war rise up against me yet I will be confident. One thing I asked of the 1372s
Lord, that will I seek after, to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold 1380s
the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of 1387s
trouble, he will conceal me under the cover of his tent. He will set me high on a rock. Now my head 1396s
is lifted above my enemies all around me and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with the 1405s
shouts of joy. I will sing and make melody to the Lord. What a glorious song. For there is 1413s
David facing all kinds of difficulties, all kinds of challenges and he is willing to wait patiently 1423s
upon the Lord. The Lord who sustains him and lifts him up. If David was lifted up by God, 1429s
we see in the promises of God that God will do the same thing for us. Here is where one can use, 1440s
another example, where one can use holy scripture and use it as a basis for one's devotional life. 1448s
So one reads through for example, these verses of Psalm 27 and then you translate that into your 1456s
own life and then using the very words of Psalm 27, you translate that into prayer. 1463s
What parent, what grandparent, what aunt and uncle after they have been teaching a child, 1471s
a grandchild, a nephew, etc. etc. Doesn't like to hear the very things spoken back and lived out 1477s
by the child. The delight of God has God hears the speaking back to him of his own words that 1486s
given in Psalm 27 and those words that forming are very prayers. It's a glorious, glorious song 1497s
to use. Well, how does it all work out here with with Abner and Souls sung? Let's go to 1506s
second Samuel chapter 3, please. Second Samuel chapter 3 will pick up in verse 6. 1517s
Second Samuel 3 verse 6. 1528s
Well, there was war between the house of Soul and the house of David. Abner was making himself strong 1537s
in the house of Soul. Now, Soul had a concubine whose name was Ryspa, daughter of Iya. 1543s
An ishball said ishball is Soul's son here who's appointed that King in the North. 1551s
An ishball said to Abner, why have you gone in to my father's concubine? 1558s
The words of ishball made Abner very angry. He said, am I a dog's head for Judah? 1564s
Today I keep showing loyalty to the house of your father's soul to his brothers and to his friends 1570s
and have not given you into the hand of David and yet. You charge me now with a crime concerning 1577s
this woman. So may God do to Abner and so may he add to it. For just what the Lord has sworn to 1583s
David, that will I accomplish for him to transfer the kingdom from the house of Soul and set up 1594s
the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan to Behrshiba. An ishball could not answer 1600s
Abner another word because he feared him. Abner here is insulted and what does Abner do? 1608s
Remember, Abner was behind Soul's son becoming King. What does Abner do? 1618s
But Abner now changes his allegiance over to David. Here's the point. 1624s
God uses this incident. He uses this incident to make it so that David will rule over the North 1633s
and the South. God behind the scenes in this incident. God is at work. 1645s
As we go through difficult times in life, as we go through challenges in life, as we go through 1657s
those times where we can't understand, you know, God where are you and what are you up to? 1661s
We need to return to portions of Scripture like that where we know that God is always at work 1668s
and always bringing about his will. God's will will be done and God will use circumstances 1676s
even like this to make David the one who is over the North and the South. 1684s
Second Samuel chapter 3 verse 22. Just then, the servants of David arrived with Joe Ab from 1693s
a raid bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebrew. For David had 1702s
dismissed him and he had gone away in peace. When Joe Ab and all the army that was with him came, 1710s
it was told Joe Ab. Abner, son of Nure, came to the king and he's dismissed him and he has gone 1719s
away in peace. Then Joe Ab went to the king and said, what have you done? Abner came to you, 1727s
why did you dismiss him so that he got away? You know that Abner, son of Nure, came to deceive you 1734s
and to learn your comings and goings and to learn all that you are doing. 1741s
When Joe Ab came out from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner and they brought him 1750s
back from the sister of Sarah. But David did not know about it. But Abner returned to Hebrew. 1755s
Joe Ab took him aside in the gateway to speak with him privately and very stabbed him in the stomach. 1763s
So he died for shedding the blood of a shell. Joe Ab's brother. That's why Joe Ab so upset. 1769s
That's why he is upset. At all the actions here where David just dismisses Abner and says, 1779s
go now in peace. Joe Ab takes matters into his own hands. It is a heart that is filled with the 1789s
desire for revenge. We've seen in the life of Saul being consumed with anger, 1800s
and rage and vengeance it will lead to one's undoing. We see it here with regard to Joe Ab doing 1808s
that which is not pleasing unto the Lord. Take a look, please at Romans the 12th chapter. Matthew 1819s
Mark Luchon, Acts and then Romans. Romans chapter 12 verse 17. Paul ended the inspiration of the 1826s
spirit right this. Romans 12 verse 17. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. But take thought for 1838s
what is noble in the sight of all. If it's possible so far it depends on you, live peacefully 1848s
with all. Beloved never avenge yourselves but leave room for the wrath of God for it is written 1857s
vengeance is mine. I will repay says the Lord. Know if your enemies are hungry feed them if they're 1864s
thirsty give them something to drink for by doing this you will keep burning coals on their 1871s
dead. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. Let's go to Luch the 6th chapter. 1876s
Matthew Mark and then Luch chapter 6 verse 27. 1888s
Jesus says, but I say to you that listen love your enemies do good to those who hate you. 1906s
Bless those who curse you pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek 1912s
off for the other also and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 1918s
Give to everyone who begs from you and if anyone takes away your goods do not ask for them again 1925s
do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you what credit is that to you 1931s
for even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you what credit is 1941s
that to you for even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive what 1948s
credits that to you even sinners lend the sinners to receive as much again. But love your enemies do 1954s
good and lend expecting nothing in return your reward will be great and you will be children of the 1961s
most high for his kind to the ungrateful and the wicked be merciful just as your father is 1967s
merciful. What he see here continually is God who calls us and empowers us to be a people that are 1977s
profoundly different than the world. What is the criticism of the unchurched towards Christians? 1990s
What is it that one continues to hear over and over again? I don't see any difference 2002s
in the Christian. I'll see any difference in them. That's why Scripture is constantly calling 2013s
us to be a different people and we are always witnessing. When you're in the grocery store after 2022s
long and maybe frustrating day at work and you're trying to keep the steam from coming on 2035s
the ears there you know when you go up to the counter to check out your witnessing to how you 2042s
have that exchange with that person. You're constantly witnessing. When you are on the neighborhood 2051s
app amidst anonymity and you just blurred out your witnessing and when you put your name to it 2061s
you're witnessing. When you're on Facebook and you're giving your opinion on something that you just don't 2079s
like you're witnessing because the people that read that say you know I know that I know that person 2093s
they go living word. Is that what being said at living word? I don't want anything to do with 2103s
that. Is that a Christian? We're constantly in the state of witnessing. Always and our witness 2112s
is rooted in the fact that we're called and empowered to be a people that are different. 2121s
Will we fall short? Absolutely. Does God raise us up with His grace to the blood of Jesus Christ? 2132s
Absolutely. Does God call us to blend into the apparel of the world? No. God calls us 2138s
to be different because in being different we make the witness to the glory of God. David would 2148s
reign over Israel and Judah for 33 years. Interesting with the same number of years before Jesus went to 2161s
cross. Interesting. And we see the shepherd king established forever. David we've seen him in the 2168s
field. David we've seen him on the run. We've seen him on the rise and next week we're going to see him 2181s
on the throne and may God empower us this week to be role models to others to where people say 2187s
I want to talk and I want to act and I want to be like him like her. May God use us and empower 2195s
in us to have an unflinching faith in the Lord. May we be live, may we live with the understanding 2205s
that God is always advancing His purposes and may by the grace of God may we be a different 2215s
people. We will continue. 2222s