The Story of David

(Sermon series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

A TALE OF TWO HOUSES

2 Samuel 7: 1-26

DREAM HOUSE
 2 Samuel 7:1-7 (ESV)
1  Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2  the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3  And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.” 4  But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5  “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6  I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7  In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

YOUR HOUSE
2 Samuel 7:8-11 (ESV)
8  Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9  And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10  And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,
11  from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.

MY HOUSE
 2 Samuel 7:12-17 (ESV)
12  When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13  He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14  I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15  but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
16  And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
17  In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

1 Chronicles 22:6-10 (ESV)
6  Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. 7  David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. 8  But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. 9  Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10  He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’

Jeremiah 23:5-6 (ESV)
5  “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
6  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV)
6  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  7  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Luke 1:31-33 (ESV)
31  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

HONORED HOUSE
2 Samuel 7:18-22 (ESV)
18  Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?
19  And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord GOD!                                                                                                                                                      20  And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord GOD!
21  Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.
22  Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Isaiah 44:6-8 (ESV)
6  Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 7  Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. 8  Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

BLESSED HOUSE
2 Samuel 7:23-26 (ESV)
23  And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods?
24  And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O LORD, became their God. 25  And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26  And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (ESV)
16  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
17  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

2 Corinthians 6:16 (ESV)
16  What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV)
4  As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
5  you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

The Story of David

(Sermon series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

DOING THINGS GOD’S WAY

2 Samuel chapter 6

DETERMINATION TO BRING THE ARK
2 Samuel 6:1-5 (ESV)
1  David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2  And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3  And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart,
4  with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. 5  And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

1 Chronicles 13:1-6 (ESV)
1  David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader.
2  And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. 3  Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” 4  All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 5  So David assembled all Israel from the Nile of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6  And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD who sits enthroned above the cherubim.

TERRIFIED BY THE ARK
 2 Samuel 6:6-11 (ESV)
6  And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.
7  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.
8  And David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. 9  And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” 10  So David was not willing to take the ark of the LORD into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11  And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

Numbers 4:15 (ESV)
15  And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.

Numbers 7:9 (ESV)
9  But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because they were charged with the service of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulder.

REJOICING BEFORE THE ARK
2 Samuel 6:12-15 (ESV)
12  And it was told King David, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. 13  And when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14  And David danced before the LORD with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

1 Chronicles 15:1-3 (ESV)
1  David built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2  Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him forever.
3  And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it.

1 Chronicles 15:11-15 (ESV)
11  Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,
12  and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. 13  Because you did not carry it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.”
14  So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.
15  And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 15:25-28 (ESV)
25  So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing.
26  And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27  David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod.
28  So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.

CELEBRATION BECAUSE OF THE ARK
2 Samuel 6:16-19 (ESV)
16  As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart. 17  And they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18  And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts 19  and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.

Psalm 24:7-10 (ESV)
7  Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! 9  Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah

HUMILITY IN RESPONSE TO  THE ARK
2 Samuel 6:20-23 (ESV)
20  And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21  And David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD—and I will celebrate before the LORD. 22  I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23  And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

Hebrews 12:28-29 (ESV)
28  Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29  for our God is a consuming fire.

The Story of David

(Sermon series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

CORONATION and CONFLICT

2 Samuel chapter 5

DAVID RECEIVES THE CROWN
2 Samuel 5:1-5 (ESV)
1  Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2  In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” 3  So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5  At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

Hebrews 6:11-12 (ESV)
11  And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,
12  so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

1 Chronicles 12:38-40 (ESV)
38  All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king. 39  And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made preparation for them. 40  And also their relatives, from as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

DAVID ESTABLISHES A CAPITAL
2 Samuel 5:6-10 (ESV)
6  And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.”
7  Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8  And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9  And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward.
10  And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

1 Chronicles 11:4-9 (ESV)
4  And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 5  The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 6  David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. 7  And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David.
8  And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city.
9  And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him.

DAVID MAKES A COMPACT
2 Samuel 5:11-13 (ESV)
11  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. 12  And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 13  And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.

Deuteronomy 17:14-20 (ESV)
14  “When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ 15  you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16  Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ 17  And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. 18  “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19  And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20  that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

DAVID LEADS THE CHARGE
2 Samuel 5:17-21 (ESV)
17  When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18  Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.
19  And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”
20  And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. 21  And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

DAVID TAKES CONTROL
2 Samuel 5:22-25 (ESV)
22  And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23  And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24  And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25  And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

James 4:6-7 (ESV)
6  But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The Story of David

(Sermon series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

A CHANGE IN KINGS

1 Samuel 31 – 2 Samuel 2:7

A TOTAL DEFEAT
1 Samuel 31:1-7 (ESV)
1  Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2  And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3  The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4  Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.      5  And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6  Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7  And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.

A TOTAL DISGRACE
1 Samuel 31:8-13 (ESV)
8  The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9  So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.
10  They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11  But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12  all the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.
13  And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

A TOTAL DISRESPECT
2 Samuel 1: 1-10 (ESV)
2 Samuel 1:1-9 (ESV)
¹  After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.
²  And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage.
³  David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”
⁴  And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
⁵  Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
⁶  And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him.
⁷  And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’
⁸  And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
⁹  And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10  So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT
2 Samuel 1:11-17 (ESV)
11  Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.
12  And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13  And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14  David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
15  Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died.
16  And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
17  And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son,

A TOTAL DIFFERENCE
2 Samuel 2:1-7 (ESV)
1  After this David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” 2  So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3  And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. 4  And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” 5  David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. 6  Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. 7  Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

The Story of David

(Sermon series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

DAVID FIGHTS A DIFFERENT BATTLE

1 Samuel chapters 29 & 30

A CERTAIN DISTRUST
1 Samuel 29:1-5 (ESV)
1  Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2  As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3  the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.”
4  But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5  Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE
1 Samuel 29:6-11 (ESV)
6  Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7  So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8  And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9  And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’
10  Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11  So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

A TERRIBLE DISCOVERY
1 Samuel 30:1-6 (ESV)
1  Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire 2  and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. 3  And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4  Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5  David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6  And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

A CHALLENGING DISTANCE
1 Samuel 30:7-10 (ESV)
7  And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8  And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 9  So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10  But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.

A MIRACULOUS DIRECTION
1 Samuel 30:11-15 (ESV)
11  They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12  and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13  And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago.
14  We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15  And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.”

A POWERFUL DELIVERANCE
1 Samuel 30:16-20 (ESV)
16  And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
17  And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. 18  David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19  Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all.
20  David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”

A GENEROUS DISTRIBUTION
1 Samuel 30:21-26 (ESV)
21  Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. 22  Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” 23  But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24  Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” 25  And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day. 26  When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD.”

Psalm 36:5 (ESV)
5  Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

1 John 5:4-5 (ESV)
4  For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
5  Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Story of David

(Sermon series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

THE KING AND THE DARKNESS

1 Samuel 28: 3-25

THE SILENCE OF GOD
 1 Samuel 28:3-6 (ESV)
3  Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land.     4  The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5  When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6  And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (ESV)
9  “When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations.
10  There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer
11  or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12  for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you.
13  You shall be blameless before the LORD your God,
14  for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do this.

Leviticus 20:27 (ESV)
27  “A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.”

THE SIN OF SAUL
1 Samuel 28:7-11 (ESV)
7  Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.” 8  So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9  The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?”
10  But Saul swore to her by the LORD, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
11  Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

Isaiah 8:19 (ESV)
19  And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?

Leviticus 20:6 (ESV)
6  “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.

THE SPIRIT OF SAMUEL
1 Samuel 28:12-14 (ESV)
12  When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13  The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14  He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

THE SPEECH OF THE PROPHET
1 Samuel 28:15-19 (ESV)
15  Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16  And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has turned from you and become your enemy? 17  The LORD has done to you as he spoke by me, for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18  Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day.
19  Moreover, the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The LORD will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

THE SUPPLICATION OF THE WITCH
1 Samuel 28:20-25 (ESV)
20  Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21  And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22  Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”
23  He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24  Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25  and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE DARKNESS
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
8  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

1 John 3:8 (ESV)
8  Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Acts 19:18-20 (ESV)
18  Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.
19  And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20  So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

The Story of David

(Sermon series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

THE DASTARDLY DISTORTION OF DISCOURAGEMENT

1 Samuel 27:1 – 28:2

DAVID THE DISCOURAGED
1 Samuel 27:1 (ESV)
1  Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.”

Psalm 108:1-6 (ESV)
1  My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! 2  Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! 3  I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. 4  For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 5  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! 6  That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

DAVID THE FOREIGNER
1 Samuel 27:2-4 (ESV)
2  So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3  And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow.  4  And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him.

DAVID THE SERVANT
1 Samuel 27:5-7 (ESV)
5  Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6  So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7  And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

DAVID THE BANDIT
1 Samuel 27:8-12 (ESV)
8  Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt.   9  And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish. 10  When Achish asked, “Where have you made a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Kenites.” 11  And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines.
12  And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.”

DAVID THE BODYGUARD
1 Samuel 28:1-2 (ESV)
1  In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.”
2  David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
6  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

The Story of David

(Sermon series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

TWICE SPARED

1 Samuel chapter 26

TREACHERY IN THE STORY
1 Samuel 26:1-4 (ESV)
1  Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” 2  So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3  And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4  David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.

AUDACITY IN THE STORY
1 Samuel 26:5-8 (ESV)
5  Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.
6  Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7  So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him.
8  Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.”

MAJESTY IN THE STORY
1 Samuel 26:9-12 (ESV)
9  But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”
10  And David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11  The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.”
12  So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.

MOCKERY IN THE STORY
1 Samuel 26:13-16 (ESV)
13  Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them.
14  And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15  And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord. 16  This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was at his head.”

ENTREATY IN THE STORY
1 Samuel 26:17-20 (ESV)
17  Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18  And he said, “Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19  Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the LORD who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in the heritage of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20  Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

DISHONESTY IN THE STORY
1 Samuel 26:21-25 (ESV)
21  Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.”
22  And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23  The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
24  Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.”
25  Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

The Lord is My Rock and My Fortress

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:

Psalm 18:1-3 (ESV)
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2  The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3  I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.