2 SAMUEL 8

 

OPENS WITH KING DAVID'S MANY WARS

 

Verse 1 tells us David subdues the PHILISTINES.

 

"After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines."

 

The Philistines had troubled Israel for centuries, and often dominated Israel. Under the reign of David, he both attacked and subdued these troublesome enemies.

 

REDPATH says it well, "David didn't avoid fighting the Philistines because Israel had lost to them so many times before. "The thing that fascinates me about this complete victory is the utter contempt with which David treated the great power of his adversaries."

 

David took Metheg Ammah...

 

Did you know, this is ANOTHER name for the famous Philistine city of Gath (compare 1 Chronicles 18:1). When David became king the Philistines were taking territory from God's people. Under his leadership, God's people began to take territory from the enemy.

 

Verse 2 tells us the MOABITES put under tribute.

 

"Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David's servants, and brought tribute."

 

David's war against Moab, and his harsh treatment of their army seems out of place considering that David's great-grandmother was a Moabite (Ruth) and that he entrusted his mother and father into the care of the Moabites (1 Samuel 22:3-4). Many Bible Hebrew scholars believe it may be that the Moabites killed or mistreated David's parents.

 

Brought tribute...

 

God did not want Israel to destroy every neighbor nation. Generally, God wanted Israel to be so blessed and strong that other nations were "taxed" by Israel, in recognition of their strength and dominance.

 

Verses 3-8 tells us David conquers a SYRIAN alliance.

 

"David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates. David took from him one thousand chariots, seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots. When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought tribute. The LORD preserved David wherever he went. And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. Also from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze."

 

The king of Zobah (a Syrian kingdom) ran into David on his way to capture territory to the Euphrates. David's dominance extended all the way to the Euphrates River.

 

MEYER tells us, "The border of Israel was carried to the line of the Euphrates, so that promise made by God to Abraham was fulfilled: 'Unto thy seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.' "

 

REDPATH adds, "Then there was Syria, the great heathen nation to the north, divided into two groups with capitals at Zobah and Damascus. They united together for protection but found themselves helpless against the might of David."

 

David hamstrung all the chariot horses...

 

This was military necessity instead of mere animal cruelty. David could not care for so many horses while on military campaign and he could not give them back to the enemy.

 

That David kept such a small number shows remarkable self-control and trust in God. David obeyed the principle of Deuteronomy 17:15-16 and absolutely refused to trust in horses as military weapons. His trust was in God instead (Psalm 20:7 and 33:16-17).

 

David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer...

 

David took what was the glory of the enemy and transformed it into trophies of the power and goodness of God. Those shields of gold were now in the temple, testifying to God's work in and through David.

 

AND THE BIBLE TELLS US OVER AND OVER AGAIN...God loves to take people and things that are "trophies" for the Devil and make them trophies to His power and grace, AMEN!

 

Verses 9-14 tells us THE GLORY of David's kingdom.

 

"When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, then Toi sent Joram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. King David also dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued; from Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah. And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt. He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went."

 

Neighboring nations saw the hand of God on David and brought him honor and gifts. They knew that a strong, godly leader of Israel was good for the WHOLE community of nations, not just good for Israel itself.

 

Not every pagan nation surrounding Israel was hostile to Israel or their God, and David did not treat them as if they were hostile. We make a mistake if we treat every unbeliever as an openly hostile enemy of the Lord.

 

When David received this acclaim from the nations he dedicated it all to the LORD. He knew that the praise and glory belonged to God, not himself. David could handle success as well as apparent failure.

 

From Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, from Amalek...

 

By citing these subdued nations we learn that David's victories were complete. God used David to lead Israel to victory over enemies in every direction.

 

AND DID YOU KNOW...Israel possessed more of the land God promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21) under David's reign than at any other time.

 

David was able to accomplish so much against God's enemies because he, unlike Saul, was not consumed with fighting against the people of God

 

The LORD preserved David wherever he went...

 

This is the summary of this whole chapter. EVERY victory and EVERY enemy subdued was a testimony to the Lord's preserving power in the life and reign of David.

 

Verse 15 tells us A general description of David's government.

 

"So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people."

 

This chapter of victory, blessing, and prosperity describes the national life of Israel during the reign of David. This is one reason why he is generally regarded as the greatest king or ruler Israel ever had.

 

This is how God wanted to reign in the life of Saul, but Saul resisted the Lord and rejected His Spirit. Because David allowed God to subdue Him, the nations were subdued before David.

 

David administered judgment and justice to all his people...

 

This shows that David was a great king to his own people, not only against neighboring nations. He fulfilled what is the fundamental duty of government - to administer judgment and justice, as confirmed in Romans 13:1-7.

 

Verses 16-18 tells us KEY PEOPLE in David's government.

 

"Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers."

 

No great ruler succeeds by himself. Only the smallest organizations can be governed well without a gifted and committed team. Part of David's success as a ruler was in his ability to assemble, train, empower, and maintain such a team.

 

DID YOU NOTICE, we never find such a list regarding the organization of King Saul's government. This is because David's government had much more form and structure than Saul's.

 

There is a limit to what we can be and what we can do for the LORD without order and organization. It is NOT that order and organization are requirements for progress in the Christian life; they are progress in the Christian life, becoming more like the LORD.

 

Nothing is accomplished in God's kingdom without order and organization. While it may seem so to us, it is only an illusion - behind the scenes God is moving with utmost order and organization though sometimes we cannot see it.

 

The Cherethites and Pelethites...

 

DID YOU KNOW...These were hired soldiers from Crete. "By employing foreign guards to ensure the safety of the king David would minimize the possibility of becoming the victim of inter-tribal rivalries; these men from Crete could give whole-hearted allegiance to him."

 

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2 SAMUEL 9

 

OPENS WITH...DAVID'S KINDNESS TO MEPHIBOSHETH

 

Verse 1 tells us David's kind question.

 

"Now David said, "Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

 

REMEMBER In 1 Samuel 7 David asked, "What can I do for God?" and he proposed to build a temple for the Lord. Now David asks another question we should each ask: "What can I do for others?"

 

David's question showed a great love because Saul made himself an enemy of David. It was customary in those days for the king of a new dynasty to completely massacre anyone connected with the prior dynasty. David goes against the principle of revenge and against the principle of self-preservation and asks what he can do for the family of his enemy.

 

David did this because he remembered his relationship and covenant with Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:14-15). His actions were not only based on feelings, but also on the promise of a covenant.

 

Verses 2-4 tells us Ziba, a former servant of Saul, tells David about Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan.

 

"And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "At your service!" Then the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet." So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar."

 

David could only learn that there was a descendant of Saul still living and could only learn where he was through this servant named Ziba. This means that Mephibosheth was in hiding.

 

The kindness of God...

This phrase is KEY to understanding David's motivation in this chapter. David wanted to show someone else the same kindness God showed to him.

 

We first learned of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 4:4. It tells us that this son of Jonathan was made lame in his feet from an accident when they heard that his father Jonathan and his grandfather Saul died in battle.

 

We should remember why Mephibosheth's nurse gathered the boy and fled in haste at the news of Saul and Jonathan's death. She rightly feared that the leader of a new royal dynasty would execute every potential heir of the former dynasty (2 Samuel 4:4).

 

A son of Jonathan...

 

This means that according to the prior dynasty of Saul, Mephibosheth had the right to the throne. He was a son of the first-born son of the king, and other potential heirs were dead. In a political sense David could see Mephibosheth as a rival or a threat.

 

Later in 2 Samuel 16:5-8 we see a man named Shimei who was a partisan for the house of Saul against David. There were at least a few in Israel who felt that the house of Saul should still reign over the nation and that David should NOT be king. Mephibosheth might draw upon these partisans and develop a rival following.

 

Ishbosheth was Mephibosheth's uncle, and he waged a bloody war against David for the throne of Israel. There was at least an outside chance that Mephibosheth might do the same.

 

He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel...

 

This speaks of Mephibosheth's low station in life. He does NOT even have his own house. Instead, he lives in the house of another man.

 

Machir the son of Ammiel later showed he was intensely loyal to David. When David's son Absalom led a rebellion against David, Machir supported and helped David at great danger to himself (2 Samuel 17:27).

 

Verses 5-6 tells us Mephibosheth makes a HUMBLE appearance before David.

 

"Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Here is your servant!"

 

Mephibosheth must have been terrified when messengers from David knocked at his door and demanded that he come with them to see the king. In the back of his mind he anticipated the day when David would do as other kings did and massacre every potential rival to his throne.

 

The knock on the door also meant that Mephibosheth was no longer hidden from David. He felt secure as long as he believed the new king did NOT know about him.

 

According to the custom of the times, Mephibosheth had a lot to fear from David. Yet his fear of David was not founded in fact, only on assumption.

 

Up to this point Mephibosheth and David never had a relationship and it was because Mephibosheth wanted it that way. He avoided David out of unfounded fears.

 

Verses 7-8 tells us David REMOVES the fears of Mephibosheth.

 

"So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually." Then he bowed himself, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?"

 

David made a covenant with Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20, promising to show kindness to the descendents of Jonathan. David gladly makes good on his promise, though Jonathan is long dead.

 

David simply promised Mephibosheth would receive what was his. Mephibosheth knew about these lands all along but he was afraid to take possession of them because it would expose him before the king. David went against ALL custom in showing such kindness to an heir of the former dynasty.

 

This goes far beyond giving Mephibosheth what was rightly his. He gave Mephibosheth the honor of a close relationship with the king.

 

AND WE KNOW...A similar promise is given to the followers of Jesus. Jesus told the disciples that they would eat and drink at His table in heaven promised us in Luke 22:30.

 

Mephibosheth did NOT feel worthy of such generosity. He considered himself a dead dog, meaning a worthless and insignificant person.

 

All the years of hiding from the king and living in fear and poverty made Mephibosheth think of himself as worthless.

 

Verses 9-12 tells us David's instructions to Ziba.

 

"And the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given to your master's son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do." "As for Mephibosheth," said the king, "he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons." Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth."

 

In addition to the land, David gave Mephibosheth servants to work the land. The food from the land was for Mephibosheth's family, because he would eat at David's table.

 

Mephibosheth was happy to know that David did NOT want to kill him. To have a promise like this was almost unbelievable.

 

Verse 13 tells us David fulfills his promise to Mephibosheth.

 

"So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet."

 

NO LONGER hiding in fear of the king, this descendant of Saul now lived openly among the people of God.

 

NO LONGER in poverty and estranged from the king, now he had great privilege before the king.

 

Mephibosheth's weakness did NOT vanish. His life was far better, but he was still lame.

 

AND THINK ABOUT THIS...David's grace to Mephibosheth is a wonderful picture of God's grace to us. We are Mephibosheth.

 

HOW?

 

1. We are hiding, poor, weak, lame, and fearful before our King comes to us

2. We are separated from our King because of our wicked ancestors

3. We are separated from our King because of our deliberate actions

4. We separated ourselves from the King because we didn't know him or His love for us

5. Our King sought us out before we sought Him

6. The King's kindness is extended to us for the sake of another

7. The King's kindness is based on covenant

8. We must receive the King's kindness in humility

9. The King returns to us what we lost in hiding from Him

10. The King returns to us more than what we lost in hiding from Him

11. We have the privilege of provision at the King's table

12. We are received as sons at the King's table, with access to the King and fellowship with Him

13. We receive servants from the King

14. The King's honor does NOT immediately take away all our weakness and lameness, but it gives us a favor and standing that OVERCOMES its sting and CHANGES the way we think about ourselves.

 

AND THINK ABOUT THIS...David's grace to Mephibosheth is also a pattern for us in serving and ministering to others. We are David.

 

HOW?

 

1. We should seek out our enemies and seek to bless them

2. We should look for the poor, weak, lame, and hidden to bless them

3. We should bless others when they don't deserve it, and bless them more than they deserve

4. We should bless others for the sake of someone else

5. We must show the kindness of God to others

 

THESE TWO CHAPTERS SHOW US DAVID'S HEART, AND HOW HE WAS A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART AND HOW DESPITE WHAT WEAPONS AND ENEMIES MIGHT EXIST OR BE FORMED AGAINST DAVID...GOD TOOK CARE OF DAVID AND ALL OF HIS ENEMIES.