2 Samuel 4-6
Retrievers
of the Lonely Ark
0 MIN READ
Psalm 46:1-7 Confidence in Chaos
God is Our Refuge and Strength
1God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Application
There is always reason to trust God, regardless of the trouble around us.
Prayer
God, You are my refuge, strength, and help in the midst of trouble, therefore, I will not fear but trust You to protect and prosper me according to Your will. Amen.
Proverbs 12:24-28 Diligence Rules
while the slothful will be put to forced labor. 25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad. 26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray. 27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
but the diligent man will get precious wealth. 28 In the path of righteousness is life,
and in its pathway there is no death.
Application
Tie in each task to the will of God, and then diligently do it until it's done; don't get sidetracked by the ways of the unrighteous.
Prayer
Lord, help me righteously discern and do Your will each day, until it is done. Amen.
2Samuel 4-6 Retrievers of the Lonely Ark
David gets the Kingship, Jerusalem, and Ark, but loses the girl. He seems to demonstrate better leadership in the public sphere and less so at home. Nevertheless, God uses him to shepherd and bless His people.
2 Samuel 4 Reward of Wickedness
The Murder of Ishbosheth
1 When Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (for Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3 the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day). 4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. 5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The LORD has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.”David Kills the Murderers
9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.Application
The right objective done the wrong way is still wrong. Developing an accurate and fluent knowledge of God's word, and cultivating a sensitivity to His Spirit, will keep us on the road to blessing.
Prayer
God, keep me from the folly of trying to do Your will my way. Amen.
2 Samuel 5 Doing the Will of God
David Anointed King over Israel
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.David Conquers Jerusalem
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. 11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house.David's Family Grows
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. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.David Defeats the Philistines
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. 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.Application
Experiencing God's will requires knowing it, seeking it, waiting for it, and doing it. Sometimes it's difficult, but totally worth it.
Prayer
Please guide me God, to doing the things for which You put me on this planet; keep me from doing the good at the expense of the best and acting independently of You. Amen.
2 Samuel 6 Retrievers of the Lonely Ark
David Fetches the Ark
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.Uzzah and 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. 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.The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
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.Michal's Contempt for David
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. 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.Application
Our worship must be in spirit and truth, wholeheartedly responding to revelation with obedience rather than mere ritual, caring more about what God thinks than what others may think.
Prayer
God, You are worthy of every speck of praise I can give You, for Your redemption and blessing of me. I want to express my love to You with all my heart and soul; show me how I can live to be totally pleasing in Your sight, regardless of what others may say or do. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God is working out a plan to accomplish His purposes, using frail humans who obey His revelation. He blesses their dependent, wholehearted obedience, and curses those who have a different value system, who don't know and do His will. He raises up leaders who seek Him first, to shepherd His people. There is no substitute for obedience, including good intentions and enthusiastic singing. The last half of Psalm 81 is vital to understand: God wants to totally satisfy us with His blessings, giving us the best the earth has to offer, yet, God lets us choose to eschew His plan and forfeit His blessings.
Us in a nutshell: We lose when we don't seek and do God's will. It's a simple concept that some folks just can't keep in their craniums. Their dumb desires do them in. We can enjoy the finest fruit of following God, when we have obedience as a priority. We enjoy domestic bliss by following God's instructions for relationships, and endure blight by not doing things God's way. We lie in the bed of our making in all areas of life.
Where to go for more
Will of God
Resources for preparing, repairing and building marriage relationships.
Feast or Famine
Seven relationship principles
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