Joel McReynolds

Faithfully Sharing Biblical Truth

Reflections on Reading: The Book of 2 Samuel

The book of 2nd Samuel focuses on David as king. Following his battle with the Amalekites, David receives a message of the death of Saul. The messenger claims to have been the one to kill Saul, so David has him executed. After the people of Judah crowned him as king, he blessed the men of Jabesh-gilead for their bravery and kindness to Saul. While Judah made him king, Abner led the rest of Israel to make Saul’s son Ish-bosheth king of Israel. Following a time of civil war, Abner switches sides to follow David, bring David’s wife Michal back to him. A short time later, the elders of Israel anointed David as king over all Israel. He was king of Judah for 7½ years and king of all Israel for 33 years. David began to defeat Israel’s enemies, bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the capital. His wife Michal, daughter of Saul, criticized him for dancing before the Ark and her womb was closed by the LORD. David’s desire was to build a temple for God, but God promised that He would build David’s house and that His love would never leave from the house of David as it had with Saul. Someone from David’s family would always be on the throne. As David was leading the army and defeating Israel’s enemies, he also extended kindness to Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son. Yet no man is perfect. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged to have her husband killed in battle. When confronted with his sin by the prophet Nathan, David repented, but the rest of his life he had to deal with the consequences of his sin. The baby conceived in sin died. One of his sons raped his sister and was murdered by his brother. His son Absalom led a revolt and seized the kingdom, driving David out of Israel, but Absalom was defeated and died. Rebellions and enemies continued to come against David, but God granted David victory over his enemies. When David sinned again, God sent a plague on Israel and 70,000 men died. It stopped when David built an altar to God.

David sees Bathsheba bathing.

Note that is was
difficult to find
an image of this without
a nude Bathsheba.
David was a good king, chosen by God. God gave him victory over his enemies and he became king of Judah. He was later crowned as king over all Israel. He brought the Ark of the Covenant to the capital and wanted to build a temple for God; instead, God established David’s lineage forever. One of David’s descendants would reign in Israel forever. He also extended kindness to the children of his enemy Saul. As great as David was, he was still a sinful man. He coveted a married woman, committed adultery with her, and had her husband killed. When his sin was revealed to him, he repented, but he had to deal with the consequences of his sin. His family caused trouble for him and he had rebellions against his leadership. But God was still with David. He had victory over his enemies. When David again sinned, God sent a plague and killed 70,000 men of Israel, but David repented of his sin and worshiped God and the plague stopped.
The first part of David’s reign was good, but after he committed adultery and murder, his life became difficult. He had endured righteous suffering from Saul’s persecution, but this trouble he brought on himself. Following his sin, his life appears to be on a downward spiral. More rebellions and family trouble were caused by his sin. Sin produces death and David’s family experienced that death. Because of my sin, I deserve death, but from God’s grace, I will have life forever. Praise the Lord, for He is good!

                                                                                        

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