Take away the iniquity of your servant
David is incited to take a census and does. he is then convicted of his sin and goes to God to make it right. In all of this, we see that we have a God of both mercy and justice and one who should be approached with both in mind.
The mighty men
Throughout the book, we have heard of David’s mighty men, we have gotten glimpses of their efforts, but we have not been formally introduced. Here, we see who they are, what they do, and what they are motivated by. This gives us some direction for how we live out our role as God’s hands and […]
He has made with me an everlasting covenant
David’s last words to the kingdom of Israel give us a clear picture of how God sees him and his kingdom. In it, we see that God measures human achievement very differently than we do.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress
In this parallel text to Psalm 18, King David reminds us that his victories and his righteousness before God are more about God than anything else. He is not just a fortress, He is MY fortress, and that makes all of the difference.
How shall I make atonement?
David is forced to clean up a mess that Saul left. In this, we see the wright of sin, the cost of atonement, and the need for a Savior. God is preparing His people for the coming of Jesus and His work of salvation.
The peaceable and faithful
As David tries to reestablish unity, the kingdom is in a bit of chaos. There is a new rebellion, led by a worthless man. There is conflict (and assassinations) among David’s leaders. There is injustice all around. In the midst of it, God is working to produce His peace. No matter where we find ourselves, […]
Do not let the king take it to heart
On the other side of the civil war over who shall be king, David returns to Jerusalem to heal and unify the nation. As he does, he interacts with a number of people who have differing views on what should be next for Israel.
O my son Absalom! O my son Absalom!
David and his men prepare for battle, but the king remains torn. He has an enemy to defeat, but that enemy is his son. In this, we see the divided loves that we have for humanity and God. Our commitment to what is right is clouded by sin and our own confusion. For this reason, […]
The people are hungry and weary
As Absalom schemes to complete the overthrow of his father, we see God’s sovereign hand moving. The narrator breaks into the story to tell us that the reason why Absalom chooses one plan over another is because God ordained him to do so. In this, we see that the events are always under God’s control.
Your evil is on you
This chapter gives us 4 interactions which are not what they first seem to be. As David meets with Ziba, the servant of Jonathan’s son and the angry Benjamite, we see him working through how to respond in situations that are unclear. As Absalom tries to decide if he can trust David’s friend and then […]
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