Even though we've been reading Scripture at a fast pace, we can still appreciate the extremely long wait and adversity David endured before he was finally crowned king by the entire nation of Israel.

Today we enter in and enjoy the unity of the nation, and it's a challenge for us to walk in unity in the body of Christ.

Today's Scripture: 2 Samuel 4-5 + 1 Chronicles 11-12 + Psalm 133

Scripture Read or Referenced:

2 Samuel 4:4

2 Samuel 5:1-5

Luke 2:11

1 Chronicles 12:23-29

Psalm 133:1

John 13:35

Philippians 2:1-11

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Commentaries Most Referenced: Moody Commentary, MacArthur Commentary, Spurgeon's Treasury of David

This is a dwelling place from Entrusted Ministries.

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I'm Stephanie Hickox.

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Today we're reading second Samuel

chapters four and five, one

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Chronicles 11 and 12 in Psalm 133.

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I know we're working through this Bible

reading plan at a break next speed.

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But I hope that even at this pace ... can

rejoice at a promise finally fulfilled.

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I apologize for my error in leaving

second Samuel four out on our May plan.

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We had a couple days more focused

on the Psalms, so let me give a

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quick recap about where we were at.

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In second Samuel.

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was Saul's fourth son that did

not go out to battle with him.

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The other three sons died

with their father that day.

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But then Abner, the commander

of Saul's armies, crowned

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Ishbosheth as the next king.

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David was only reigning over part

of the nation, and Ishbosheth

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was reigning over the rest.

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But after a few years, Ishbrosheth accused

Abner of making a play for the throne.

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Abner was so insulted that he

declared his loyalty to David.

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David welcomed him in, then

one of the leaders in David's

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army deceitfully killed Abner.

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And that brings us to 2nd Samuel four.

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When Ishposheth heard that Abner had

died, he loses all of his courage.

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And the people he's ruling over can tell.

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Then we're introduced to two

captains, Beyona and Recab.

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they're troublemakers and their names

start with B and R, it's reminding me of

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when I was growing up, when my brother

and I used to be in the backseat causing

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trouble and if we were too loud, my dad

would call us B-bop and rock steady.

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After the troublemakers the Ninja Turtles.

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Recap and Biana.

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Make it seem like they're coming

into Ishposheth's house to get

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wheat for their troops, which was a

really normal practice at that time.

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But they end up killing

Ishposheth in his sleep.

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They cut off his head and escape.

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Taking a lesser traveled route bringing

the head of Ishbusheth to David.

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They think he's gonna be

pleased they've defeated

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his competition.

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But David's character is consistent

with what we've seen so far.

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He's not trying to build a platform.

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He's only receiving the one that's

given to him by a sovereign God.

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as he tells the men that they're going

to die for taking a righteous man's life,

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he declares that the Lord has redeemed

his life out of every adversity.

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And I love that David could go through as

many difficult situations as he did, and

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still see God's faithfulness in all of it.

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There's a really heartbreaking

aside and second Samuel four.

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Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a

son who was crippled in his feet.

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And then scripture

explains how that happened.

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He was five years old when the news

about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel

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and his nurse took him up and fled.

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And as she fled in her haste,

he fell and became lame, And

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his name was Mephibosheth.

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. Speaker 64: Can we pause just

a moment and not rush past

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versus like this in scripture?

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Let's put it in context of

what it might mean for us.

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Imagine that you've been employed as

a nanny at the White House for years.

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You take care of the President's grandson

and one day you find out that the

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entire nation has been defeated in war.

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The President has been killed and all

three of his sons have been killed.

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Can you imagine running for your

life in panic, trying to protect

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this little boy in your care?

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And as you do,

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he tragically falls and

is permanently injured.

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It's times like this, I just

think, Lord, have mercy.

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Speaker 63: Have you gone through a season

like that or do you have anyone around you

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where you think, Lord, they

honestly can't take anymore?

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And sometimes it seems we're stuck

in a difficult situation forever,

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but we will see God's kindness to

Mephibosheth later in the story.

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And one day, we'll be

able to say with David

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that the Lord redeemed our

lives out of every adversity.

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Second Samuel five: one through four

tells us, " Then all the tribes of

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Israel came to David at Hebron and said,"

Behold, we are your bone and flesh.

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In times past, when Saul was king over

us, it was you who let out and brought

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in Israel, and the Lord said to you, You

shall be shepherd of my people Israel,

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and you shall be prince over Israel.

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" So all the elders of Israel came

to the king at Hebrew, and King

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David made a covenant with them at

Hebron before the Lord, and they

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anointed David, king over Israel.

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David was 30 years old when he began

to reign, and he reigned 40 years.

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And verse 10 tells us that David

became greater and greater for the

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Lord the God of hosts was with him.

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first part of David's reign was in Hebron,

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at this point, he's able to conquer the

Jebusites that were living in Jerusalem.

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We know that in Joshua's day,

the Benjamites were not able to

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conquer the Jebusites, and Jerusalem

was a really fortified city.

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David uses a watershaft to

enter the city and conquer it.

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reign in Jerusalem for 33 years.

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Speaker 66: This is the first time

we see the name Zion in scripture.

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And it refers to Jerusalem, which is also

called the city of David in this chapter.

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That might be a little confusing

you're hearing that familiar Christmas

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scripture in your head, for onto

you this day in the city of David

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is born a Savior Christ the Lord.

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David was born in Bethlehem just like

Jesus, but he reigned in Jerusalem

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and both of these cities in scripture

are called the city of David.

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that raised a little question

mark for you, I understand why.

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We have another one of those no

David, no moments, because the

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author tells us that David took more

concubines and wives It's possible

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that concubines comes first as a moral

condemnation for what David was doing.

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More sons and daughters

are born to him here.

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He was probably doing this

for political purposes,

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but he's still dishonoring God's word.

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Speaker 63: Second Samuel five

and one Chronicles 11 and 12

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have a lot of overlap, but

Chronicles gives us more details.

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And since we're trying to redeem

Chronicles from its reputation of

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just being an add-on, we'll focus

a little bit more there today.

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believe that when Samuel anointed

David as the future king, he was

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between the ages of 12 to 16.

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And he was 30 years old before

Israel finally rose up in

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unity to declare him king.

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That is a long time to wait on a promise.

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And as I read this next portion,

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from one Chronicles 12, I don't

just want you to hear numbers.

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I want you to think about after

years of running for his life, to

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have this multitude come before

you and confirm God's promise.

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These are the numbers of the divisions

of the armed troops who came to David in

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Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over

to him, according to the word of the Lord.

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The men of Judah, bearing shield

and spear, were 6,800 armed troops.

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Of the Simeonites, mighty

men of valor for war, 7,100.

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Of the Levites, 4,600.

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The Prince Jehoida of the House

of Aaron, and with him, 3,700.

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Zadak, a young man, mighty in valor, and

22 commanders from his own father's house.

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Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen

of Saul, 3,000 of whom the majority

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head to that point kept their

allegiance to the house of Saul.

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the Ephramites, 20,800,

mighty men of valor, famous

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men in their father's houses.

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Of the half tribe of Manassah,

18,000 who were expressly named

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to come and make David King.

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Of Issakar, men who had understanding

of the times to know what Israel ought

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to do, 200 chiefs and all their kinsmen

under their command, of Zebulon, 50,000

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seasoned troops equipped for battle

with all the weapons of war, to help

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David with singleness of purpose, of

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30,000 men armed with shield and spear.

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Of the Danites, 28,600

men equipped for battle.

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Of Asher, 40,000 seasoned

troops ready for battle.

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Of the Reubenites and Gadites and

the half tribe of Minassa, from

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beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men

armed with all the weapons of war.

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All these men of war, a raid in battle

order, came to Hebrew with a whole

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heart to make David King over Israel.

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Likewise, all the rest of Israel were

of a single mind to make David King.

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And the chapter concludes,

for there was joy in Israel.

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It makes me tear up a little bit

that David is finally seeing the

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fulfillment of God's promise to him.

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As the people understand that David

has the tenderness of a shepherd's

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heart, but the strength of a warrior.

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It's so rare throughout history that

people unanimously select a ruler.

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one day, Jesus will come back to rule

on the earth and every knee will bow and

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every tongue confess that he is Lord.

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context makes it possible that

David wrote Psalm 133 at this point.

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It begins, " Behold, how good and pleasant

it is when brothers dwell in unity."

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It's a simple verse, but if you've ever

had conflict with a fellow believer,

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you know how painful it can be.

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And we might pass over that word

behold like it's a filler, it

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means to look at, gaze upon or

observe something, particularly

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something remarkable or impressive.

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It implies intense, focused

attention rather than a quick glance.

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It's something we can see and

something the world can see.

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Speaker 65: the Psalm in its entirety.

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Behold, how good and pleasant it

is when brothers dwell in unity.

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It is like the precious oil on the

head, running down on the beard,

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on the beard of Aaron, running

down on the color of his robes.

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It is like the dew of Herman, which

falls on the mountains of Zion,

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for there the Lord has commanded

the blessing, life forevermore.

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Speaker 63: And as Jesus said,

they will know you are mine by

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the way that you love each other.

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It's something I can't

do in my own strength,

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Let's look to the Lord

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to help us be unified

in bringing him glory.

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Heavenly Father, we come before

you knowing how desperately we

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need your Holy Spirit to fill us.

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As we see how David waited for the

fulfillment of your promises, we

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believe that you brought him

out of every adversity, and we

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know you will be faithful to us.

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And even if we have to lose our

very lives, we can rejoice that

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you have redeemed our souls,

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and that one day we'll

see you face to face.

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Fill us with the patience that

David had, even against those who

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did not act honorably toward him.

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I pray you would help us to love well

in all circumstances, when we're not

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being loved well, and we pray that our

kids would have the humility of David,

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believing in your direction over their

lives, and trusting you in the times

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that feel like rejection or delay.

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May they press in to develop their

character into the men and women

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you are guiding them to become.

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We thank you for the good work that you're

doing in them, and in us, and we long

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to look more and more like you, Jesus.

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It's in your name we pray.

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Amen.