Gtcotr/ws093026
We are continuing our study of the Life of David by reviewing some of the stories written about him in the Bible. There is no plan to follow a chronological order but rather to allow the accounts of David’s life to unfold thematically as we discover truths from the Word about this man who had a heart like God.
David, the type and shadow of Jesus, had recognizable
enemies, as we all do. These enemies can be categorized into three major
groups:
1. Physical Enemies Goliath
& the Philistines
2. Spiritual Enemies King
Saul
3. Mental/Emotional Enemies Absalom
David was unafraid of his physical enemies, like Goliath and the Philistines. He ran towards his physical enemies, engaged them and defeated them.
When it came to David’s spiritual enemies, such as King Saul who occupied the throne for 20 years after David had been anointed King by the prophet Samuel, David kept putting them in the hands of God. David said that God would have to be the One who dealt with Saul … and more than once David refused to take matters into his own hands. (1 Samuel 24&26)
This reminds me of a scripture in the book of Jude which describes how Michael the Archangel of God dealt with Satan.
Jude 1 NKJV
9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with
the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against
him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
Perhaps the most difficult enemies David faced were those who got down into his soul and served to depress him. The two emotional enemies David faced were family related. One was Micah, his first wife, who shamed him for acting like a fool by dancing before the Lord in the street while bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. She told him she was embarrassed by him. Evidence shows how much it hurt David and indications are he shunned her and never slept with her again.
The worst emotional enemy David dealt with he ran away from … it was his son, Absalom. Even after Absalom betrayed David, divided the family, and almost destroyed the Kingdom, David loved and bemoaned his death. No other event in David’s life affected his life like that of losing the respect and the support of his son. David did not leave his throne, and the city God had given him in order to save his own life, rather he left to keep from hurting his son.
Let’s read a passage from 2 Samuel 15, whereby cunning craftiness and subtle flattery, Absalom stole the hearts of the people … just like the serpent did with Eve in the Garden of Eden. Beware of the cunning flattery of those with hidden agendas - this is the work of the devil.
2 Samuel 15 NKJV
6 In this manner Absalom acted toward all
Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the
men of Israel.
·
Not everyone who tells you what you want to hear
cares about you.
·
That is the first ploy of the emotional enemies
of the soul.
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men invited
from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything.
·
Open your eyes … open your ears … question -
what is happening here?
13 ¶ Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The
hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”
·
So, David left Jerusalem …
·
The faithful followed David including Zadok the
priest along with the Ark of the Covenant of God.
25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark
of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will
bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place.
·
David
had no desire to take the presence, the power, or the glory of God away from
the people or even from his son Absalom.
·
Only
God could deliver David from his worst nightmare.
·
David
admitted he didn’t know what would happen this time …
26 “But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in
you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”
·
God
called David a man after His own heart.
· David believed it was best to leave his future in God’s hands.
Chapter 15 of Second Samuel concludes with a sad note and indeed it was a sad day in the life of David.
30 So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount
of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went
barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and
went up, weeping as they went up.
·
David was having quite an emotional day.
·
The enemies of David’s soul were pressing
mightily on him as we see in the continuing account of this day.
·
Weeping, withdrawn, and barefoot – it was best
to not allow this personal problem to affect the kingdom or the people of God.
· Not every day in the life of a servant of God is a happy day. Nonetheless we can still leave our lives in God’s hand.
There are two principles I learned early on in my walk with God that come from this account. Allow me to offer them to you this evening.
1. If
God doesn’t care about it, why should I?
2. If
God does care about it, I should let Him take care of it.
