Category: Daily Reading

This is such an important chapter, I seemed to have slowed down and am hovering over it. Today I'll be reading the Wiersbe commentary for the chapter.

The Ark was God's Throne in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. Now it has been 75 years since it was in Shiloh during the season of the judges.

Wiersbe gives two reasons he believed David wanted to bring the Ark. He wanted the real King of the nation to have His throne in the capital, a central place for God's sanctuary. He also wanted to build a temple for the Lord. And having the Ark in Jerusalem was step one. Then Wiresbe adds what he calls a political reason, which I think could be labeled something else. The description of the same event in I Chronicles says he gathered all key people from every expanse of the kingdom to come and make the decision and participate. I see how Wiersbe could label that political; as it is nation-building. But it can also simply be see as restoring a fractured people who used to be one. For cultural and spiritual motivations. restoration of the nation as a people.

There's no evidence David sought the Lord in this endeavor or that God asked this of him. This was David's idea and it shows in the results. I'd be wise to remember that--doing something for the Lord, without the Lord in it- might not turn out to be what I think it will. If I'm doing it for Him, without His guidance, maybe there is more to motivation than I think- which may have been David's situation as well.

Evidence of his mixed priorities was:

• Using the oxen-drawn cart. As King he made a covenant to know and uphold God's Word. I think he was even supposed to have a copy of his own that he wrote? So he would have know how the Ark was supposed to be transported. And he had brought 30,000 men and an entourage, so I'm sure he had what he needed; but instead he used the same means the Philistines had used to transport it.
• The men were attending to the Ark and cart while David played music and worshiped. Which is great. But as Saul learned the hard way, the Lord God prefers obedience to sacrifice. And now David had the same mixed priorities, albeit much less obvious and shocking degree. If David was going to do it this way, he should have been completely attending to the Ark.
• Wiersbe frames it this way: "No amount of unity or enthusiasm can compensate for disobedience."Imitating the world, instead of God's Word will never lead to blessing."

And even in the second attempt, David doesn't start off looking so great. When the man was killed for touching the Ark, David freaked out and stashed it at the home of a Levite. It wasn't until he heard that the household was being blessed that he came back to finish what he started. Again, he didn't stay there himself to tend to the sacred piece, he let another man be his canary in the mine shaft. I sound like I'm judging and I don't mean to, because I'm sure if David did it once, I've done the same type of thing many more times, as David was a man after God's own heart. Still a man, so not perfect, but God's anointed leader. It's just so glaring that he brought everyone together for this endeavor and then just freaked and ran away to let another man hold the line.

However, when it came to the actual move, he was more careful offering sacrifice after only 6 steps and bringing the right men for the job. Wiersbe doesn't think they offered sacrifice after ever six steps, and Alex taught us in church. He think's it was a test of God's approval and then they marched on with confidence.

Now when he arrived he was wearing the priestly ephod (over his royal robe, according to Wiersbe), So his wife's complaint was hollow. **I think I was taught somewhere along the way he danced naked. Maybe that's a different scene or maybe someone read the wife's word's and assumed the worst?

Now David was acting as king and priest. We're starting to see the Christ figuring forming in him. He took the chasten of his Father and it made him more Christ-like. That's our hope. The renewing of our mind and heart in Christ Jesus. David giving the cake and wine was a shadow of the priest-king Melchizedek who gave bread and wine to Abraham and who some say WAS Jesus. And it foreshadows the bread and wine that Jesus gives to us.

Michal- ugggh. what can you say about Michal. On one hand, you can see that David should have expected a rough go with Michal. He was the enemy of her father, from their family's perspective. He was a rival to the throne. He tore her away from her (apparently) happy new family to bring her back. But on the other hand. What a shrew. His day of celebrating and she rains on his parade with sarcasm and malice. Tearing him down from his mountain top experience. God was not happy with her. Whatever she thought she gained by verbally assaulting David, she paid for in shame.

Last time I was caught up in the background I remembered from this passage and didn't get very far into the chapter itself.

David decides it's time to bring the Ark to his new capital. He gets his 30,000 chosen men together and whoever else is in the entourage and heads out for Baale-Judah, also known as Kirjath-jearim.

They put the Ark on a new cart and other men were tending to it while David was celebrating.

When the Ark almost fell, Uzzah reached out to steady it and touched it, angering God. God slay him for being so casual with the Glory of God.

This angered and caused David to fear the Lord. He put the whole process on hold and stored the Ark at Obedeome's house and the Obedeome's house was blessed. It seems like David wasn't willing to deal with the Ark again until he saw the blessing. Not a great look for David, but maybe I'm reading too much into it.

And then they moved it the correct way, sacrificing as they went. And David was so happy he was dancing and celebrating wearing only an ephod, not his royal robes...so his first wife, Saul's daughter, despised him.

He offered sacrifices, which he was allowed to do as king. He hands out food treats to all in attendance and finally returns home to his bitter first wife, Michal. She tries to chasten him for unkingly behavior, but David was having none of it. He knew his Lord and he knew his role as early King- this offspring of the corrupt King Saul wasn't going to put David down. And God didn't care for her answer either, as He left her childless her whole life.

The Ark

Oh! this when David decided to move the Ark.

It originally been settled in the Tabernacle at Shiloh and was sometimes taken out in battle. But once, they tried to take it apart from God's guidance and lost the Ark to the Philistines.

When the Philistines learned that they couldn't handle having the GLory of the Lord in their midst, they returned it to Beth-semite and eventually to the priests at Kirjath-jearim, or Baal-Judah.

Now David wants it home with him in Jerusalem.

He assembles 30,000 of his best men.

They place the Ark on a new cart. However, that is NOT how the Ark is supposed to be transported. He was trying to show respect; but not following the Biblical Law, which was very clear on this matter in Numbers.

There is a parallel her between how David handles the Ark and is choice to break the laws concerning the king taking multiple wives and concubines. While the men and oxen are carrying the Arc, David is dancing, and playing music. I'm sure, once again, he thought he had a good reason to do it his way. His way was worshiping the Lord. But as Saul learned, the worship God wants is obedience. If David had had men carrying the Ark, per the Law and David solemnly attending to it (saving the celebrating for when it was where it was supposed to be), then there would have been different results.

How do we know David was more concerned about himself in his rationale than with worshiping God... he got angry when God got angry with him. If it had been all about God, then God getting angry would have mad David want to please him- as he eventually does.

I'm not judging, even though I sound like I am. I just recognize the spirit of the moment. And I think it's common in some denominations of the modern church: Caught up in emotion, mistaken for devotion.

Wiersbe starts off this section review by briefly listing David's life so far-

1. Shepherd buy who had to fight off lions and bears.
2. Volunteers to fight a giant in the name of the Lord.
3. Becomes the bodyguard for the King and makes best friends with the King's son.
4. Then the dark turn to being the enemy of the King- first in his own castle and then on the run for 10 years. 10 years! That is a long, long time to be in that situation.

"It is through faith and patience that God's people inherit His promises."

This is another example of "restore" in this book- David inherits a divided kingdom, but restores it through God.

Davis was from the royal tribe of Judah. And he was a shepherd. That was what these people needed after the long period of the judges. They had completely lost their way- generations back- and needed to be restored to one kingdom under God

The foundation of the Jewish Nation was their covenant with God through the law of Moses. David had to join that covenant and promise to uphold it.

David's Capital: The City of David

Abner and Ish-Bosheth made their capital in Mahanaim, on the other side of the Jordan. (Tribe of Benjamin)

David's capital was in Hebron, in Judea. (Tribe of Judah)

David new part of restoring the tribes was to show that he was the King of everyone. So he chose a new capital that was between the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. It was a city of Jebusites, a group that hadn't been evicted when Joshua settled the Promise Land. It was also a well fortified city with natural defenses on three sides and a good water supply. That shows political and military insight. (And, of course, God's provision).

Jews were not to form alliances that would hurt their testimony of their relationship with the one true living God. Hiram of Tyre was a Phoenicians King who sent the materials, expertise, and men to build David a "house." The Phoenicians needed the food from the Jewish farmers in return for goods from around the world. David also made alliances with other nations via all of his marriages. This brought many children (plus all the concubines and their kids). All of this was against God's plan from Deuteronomy- and some of it resulted in death and heartache.

It's important to remember that David wasn't perfect, even before Bathsheba. He was human and in need of God's grace everyday- just like the rest of us. I'm sure he believed everything he did was in Israel's interest and security.

It seems that the Philistines didn't mind David being King of Judah in Hebron. Wiersbe thinks they still considered him one of their vassals.

But when he became King of all of Israel they changed their minds and considered him and enemy that must be destroyed.

In the two battles that followed (which David carefully followed God's instruction) David won back the territory that Saul had lost.

These victories put everyone on notice that this new King was guided and protected by a different kind of God than their idols, which ended up left behind on the battle field. When Israel followed God's will, instead of doing what was right in their own eyes- the results were profoundly better and to God's glory.

So now, all the tribes if Israel came to David and recognized he had been the one who had brought them victory when Saul was in command.

They called themselves his bone and flesh.

This time, his third anointing, he was anointed in public and made a covenant with them all.

He was 30 years old and reigned 40 years. (33 over all Israel and 7 and 1/2 over Judah.)

Then David took over Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made his capital there. God prospered him there. He had many more concubines and kids.

The Philistines decided to join together and take on David. David inquired of God and God promised victory-even giving him the correct strategy for each battle.

So Ish-bosheth heard about Abner and lost his courage. So, it seems like Ish-bosheth even had courage when Abner betrayed him...but Israel was affected by it as well.

Dear Lord...Saul's son's men (I think) murdered Ish-bosheth, cut off his head and carried it to David allegiance as proof of their to him now?

David pointed out to them that he had slayed the man who brought news of Saul's death, insinuating himself into the story. How much worse was it to murder a man in his bed and desecrate his body for personal gain. Plus, David refers to him as righteous. He may have been a feckless follower of Abner, but he did have a pop-culture claim to the throne.

So David have them dismembered and slaughtered.

II Samuel 4- Wiersbe

So the civil a=war between Abner/Ish-bosheth and David continued with David growing stronger and Abner growing weaker.

David's wives started having babies. (6 babies by six women, I think,)

Abner has sex with Saul's concubine and Saul's son accused him of doing it to claim the throne. Abner did not like that accusation.

Abner decides to covenant with David now and David agrees if he can have his first wife back. This happens (woefully) and then David and Abner come to terms.

But Joab, David's commander murders Abner in the meantime, because of what Abner did to Joab's brother.

David did not take it well. Hebron was a city of refuge and even a blood avenger could slay without a trial there (Ryrie), so even though Joab felt justified, David did not. He severely cursed him and his whole family- even though it was his nephew. David pointed out that Abner was a prince of the first anointed king from God. (Saul's relative.)

II Samuel 3-Wiersbe

Once again, David began the next season of his life by consulting the Lord. What do I do, where do I go? God sent him to Hebron, in Judah, and they anointed him their king (of Judah) (second anointing).

Saul had one remaining son, Ish-bosheth ("man of shame")

Abner, commander of Saul's Army had Ish-bosheth anointed kin of all of Israel. Ish-bosheth was king for 2 years, except over Judah, who followed David.

Under Abner's lead, Israel and David met and had a champion contest where multiple men from each team fought for the victory of the whole side in battle. David's men completely dominated and slaughtered Ish-bosheth's men. Then a battle and pursuit commenced that I didn't total understand. Hoping Weirsbe has some insight and why the people did and said what they did.

Oh, y Ryrie bible says that all 24 of the champion warriors killed each other. All sides lost completely. I don't do so well with chase scenes and battles. 🙂

II Samuel 2- Wiersbe

Abner was also Saul's cousin. So he probably was even more convinced of his right to inherit from Saul's post-reign. Less inclined to bow to David, who he had chased for years.

So Abner decided to fight for Ish-bosheth over David.

Joab was David's commander and David's nephew.

David was King of Judah (Hebron) for 7 and a half years.

Somehow, Ish-bosheth only reigned two years, which coincided with the end of David's 7 and a half year reign. Ryrie and Weirsbe explanation is that it took five years for Abner to round up every tribe but Judah to sign on to the new king.

Once Abner had the other tribes signed on to Ish-bosheth's reign, he declared war on David and called for the champions battle to settle the civil war. Once all 24 killed each other, Joab and Abner organized their battle formations and Joab/David won.

One of David's other nephews pursued Abner. Abner tried to warn him off and then killed him. The other two nephews of David gave chase; but Abner escaped and called a truce.