Category Archives: Seeking His Kingdom Bible Study

Nathan’s Warning to Bathsheba

Introduction:

In our previous lesson, Adonijah began boasting, “I will make myself king.”

The prophet Nathan knows that this action must be addressed.

1 Kings 1:11-27 NLT
Nathan’s Warning to Bathsheba
¹¹Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it? ¹²If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice. ¹³Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ ¹⁴And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”

Bathsheba Appeals to David
¹⁵So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.) ¹⁶Bathsheba bowed down before the king.
“What can I do for you?” he asked her.
¹⁷She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the Lord your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’ ¹⁸But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it. ¹⁹He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. ²⁰And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you. ²¹If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.”

Nathan Confirms the Crisis
²²While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. ²³The king’s officials told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.”
Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. ²⁴Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne? ²⁵Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ ²⁶But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon. ²⁷Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?”

Examine the Scriptures

1 Kings 1:11-27 NLT

Nathan’s Warning to Bathsheba

¹¹Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother,

Nathan is the one to initiate action.

Nathan approaches Bathsheba.

Nathan was a prophet of the LORD and served as a close adviser to King David.

Bathsheba was one of David’s wives and was the mother of Solomon.

Remember how this relationship got off to a bad start. (2 Samuel 11-12)

The queen mother held an important and influential position in the royal court.

An example of Bathsheba’s influence:

1 Kings 2:19 NLT
¹⁹So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak on Adonijah’s behalf. The king rose from his throne to meet her, and he bowed down before her. When he sat down on his throne again, the king ordered that a throne be brought for his mother, and she sat at his right hand.

and (Nathan speaking to Bathsheba) asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it?

Refer to verse 5. (Previous lesson)

⁵About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.”

Refer to verse 25. (Today’s lesson)

²⁵Today he (Adonijah) has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

Nathan tells Bathsheba that Adonijah has made himself king.

Nathan would have known that it was the Lord’s will for Solomon to be the king of Israel.

A previous conversation Nathan had with David years before:

2 Samuel 7:11-17 NLT
¹¹…. “‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you (David) —a dynasty of kings! ¹²For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”
¹⁷So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

The Lord speaking to David:

1 Chronicles 22:9-10 NLT
⁹But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. ¹⁰He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

Nathan knew that God loved Solomon.

2 Samuel 12:24-25 NLT
²⁴Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child ²⁵and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.

¹²If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice.

Nathan warns Bathsheba that both she and Solomon ae in danger.

If Solomon does not become the next king, his life as well as the life of Bathsheba would be at risk. (see verse 21)

In the ancient near East, rival heirs were commonly executed once a new king took power.

¹³Go (Bathsheba) at once to King David and say to him,

Tell David what is happening.

Nathan advises Bathsheba to tell King David what is happening.

‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”?

Refer to verse 17

¹⁷She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the Lord your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’

Refer also to verse 29-30

²⁹And the king repeated his vow: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has rescued me from every danger, ³⁰your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the Lord, the God of Israel.”

This vow to Bathsheba is not mentioned anywhere else in scripture.

This vow to Bathsheba is not mentioned anywhere else in scripture, but we do know that this was God’s will.

Why then has Adonijah become king?’ ¹⁴And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”

In this appeal to King David:

Bathsheba will speak first. To remind David of his oath.

Nathan will confirm her words.

A Biblical principle to consider:

Deuteronomy 19:15 NLT
¹⁵“You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

2 Corinthians 13:1 NLT
… “The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses).

In an appeal to King David, Bathsheba will speak first and then Nathan will confirm her words.

Bathsheba Appeals to David

¹⁵So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.)

Bathsheba follows Nathan’s advice and goes to the king.

David’s silence can enable rebellion.

¹⁶Bathsheba bowed down before the king.

David is old and weak.

Bathsheba treated King David with the respect he deserved,

“What can I do for you?” he asked her.

David was receptive to Bathsheba’s visit.

¹⁷She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the Lord your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’

Bathsheba reminds David of his solemn oath that Solomon would reign.

An oath taken in the Lord’s name was inviolable.

¹⁸But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it. ¹⁹He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.

Bathsheba stated the facts about Adonijah’s uprising without exaggeration or embellishment.

²⁰And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you.

Bathsheba appealed to David to announce publically who his successor would be.

²¹If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.”

If Solomon does not become the next king, his life as well as the life of Bathsheba would be at risk.

Solomon will be declared a traitor.

Bathsheba will likely be executed.

God’s covenant promise through Solomon would appear to fail.

Nathan Confirms the Crisis

²²While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.

Nathan joins with Bathsheba as planned, to confirm her report.

¹⁴And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”

²³The king’s officials told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.”

Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. ²⁴Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne?

Had David, in fact, encouraged Adonijah to claim the throne, or had he been betrayed by Adonijah?

Nathan speaks with urgency and respect, not accusation.

Nathan forces David to recognize that silence has allowed rebellion.

²⁵Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

Nathan confirms Bathsheba’s report with a few more details, adding “They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’”

Nathan’s comments, along with Bathsheba’s comments would have encouraged David to act immediately.

This is the royal acclamation normally spoken for God’s chosen king.

Adonijah:

has offered sacrifices,

gathered military and priestly support,

proclaimed himself king —

²⁶But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon.

²⁷Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?”

Nathan diplomatically asked David if he had planned the present circumstances.

Nathan did not accuse David of anything.

Nathan did not put David on the defensive.

This was a nice way to treat an old dying man.

David must now:

either confirm Adonijah, or

act decisively for Solomon.

Neutrality is no longer possible.

David must now take action.

David in His Old Age

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David in His Old Age

Introduction:

1& 2 Kings is a continuation of 1 & 2 Samuel. 1 Kings begins where 2 Samuel ends.

In the original Hebrew Bible, 1 & 2 Kings were originally one single book, usually called Kings.

It may have been divided simply because two scrolls were easier to manage than one large scroll.

Together, Samuel and Kings relate the whole story of the monarchy, from its rise under the ministry of Samuel to its fall at the hands of the Babylonians. (Roughly 1100-560 BC, including 37 years in exile, 2 Kings 25:27) *

Author unknown

Events recorded in 1 Kings take place between 973 BC and 853 BC.

Events recorded in 2 Kings take place between 853 and 586 (* or 561) B.C. (ESV)
971-561 B.C. (MacArthur)

Beginning with:

King David died in 970 B.C.

Ending with:

The eventual exile:

Israel to Assyria (2 Kings 17)

Judah to Babylon (2 Kings 25)

Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 586 B.C.

Chronicles retells this same period with some differences.

1 & 2 Kings was written after the fall of Jerusalem in 586, between 561-538 B.C. (MacArhur)

The sad reality that this history revealed was that all the kings of Israel and the majority of the kings of Judah “did evil in the sight of the Lord”.

1 Kings 1:1-10 NLT
David in His Old Age
^1:1 King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. ²So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.”
³So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. ⁴The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her.

Adonijah Claims the Throne
⁵About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. ⁶Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.
⁷Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. ⁸But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah.
⁹Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. ¹⁰But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Kings 1:1-10 NLT

David in His Old Age

^1:1 King David was now very old,

2 Samuel 5:4-5 NLT
⁴David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. ⁵He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

1 Kings 2:11 NLT
¹¹David had reigned over Israel for forty years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.

David would now be 70 years of age.

In the ancient Near East, a king’s physical vitality was often seen as a reflection of his ability to lead and protect the nation.

King David is old and near death, and the question of succession—who will be king next—has not yet been publicly settled.

We know from scripture that God had already chosen Solomon (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 22:9–10), but we also know that this appointment was not universally known or accepted.

David knew Solomon had been chosen by God to be the next king, but David had delayed making this public information.

That delay created confusion, ambition, and division.

and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. ²So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.”

This was in harmony with the medical customs of that time. (MacArthur)

It was customary in ancient times to warm an elderly person not only by covering him or her with blankets, but also by putting a healthy person in bed with him or her. The body heat of the well person would keep the older person warmer.

David’s physical weakness stands in sharp contrast to his earlier strength as a warrior-king.

³So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king.

Shunem was located near the plain of Jezreel in the tribal territory of Issachar.

⁴The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him.

Abishag was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him.

But the king had no sexual relations with her.

The fact that David did not have sexual relations with this “very beautiful” young woman is significant because it indicates that his physical powers were now weak.

Abishag’s role was medical and royal, not marital.

Although Abishag remained a virgin she apparently became a part of David’s harem.

After David’s death, Adonijah asks Bathsheba to request that Solomon give him Abishag as a wife (1 Kings 2:13–17).

In the ancient Near East, taking a former king’s concubine or royal woman was a symbolic claim to the throne.

Remember when Absalom, David’s son, slept with David’s concubines.

More about this later.

Adonijah Claims the Throne

⁵About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith,

Adonijah was David’s fourth son. He was approximately 35 years of age.

We do not know much about David’s wife Haggith, other than the fact she was Adonijah’s mother and that she would have been married to David during David’s Hebron reign.

Adonijah’s older brothers, Ammon, Daniel, and Absalom are all apparently dead.

Absalom instructed his servants to kill Amnon when he was drunk (2 Samuel 13:28–29).

David’s son Daniel—also called Chileab—has no recorded account of his death. Daniel (Chileab) was David’s second son, born to Abigail, the widow of Nabal.

(2 Samuel 3:3; 1 Chronicles 3:1). After these listings, Daniel is never mentioned again in the biblical narrative, apparently dying in his youth.

David’s son Absalom died after being killed by Joab, the commander of David’s army, during Absalom’s rebellion.

Adonijah appears to be David’s oldest surviving son at the time of 1 Kings 1.

Adonijah began boasting, “I will make myself king.”

Adonijah assumed he would succeed his father.

Adonijah had:

The right age

The royal look

The military backing

But he was not God’s choice.

Adonijah declared himself king.

David had the right, with God’s guidance, to appoint his own successor.

Adonijah must have known that David favored Solomon (see verse 10).

So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him.

Remember:

2 Samuel 15:1 NLT
Absalom’s Rebellion
^15:1 After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him.

This is royal imagery—an attempt to look legitimate.

Distinct signs of kingship that appealed to the masses.

⁶Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?”

Apparently Adonijah was used to getting his own way, for David had never held him accountable for anything.

David’s failure to discipline his sons contributed directly to rebellion by his sons:

Absalom rebelled.

Adonijah now repeats the pattern.

Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.

David treated Adonijah much like he had treated Absalom.

Attractive physical appearance was an important asset for someone who wanted to become king.

1 Samuel 9:2 NLT
²His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.

1 Samuel 16:12 NLT
¹²So Jesse sent for him. (David) He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

2 Samuel 14:25 NLT
²⁵Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.

⁷Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king.

Joab: David’s nephew and the commander of Israel’s army.

Joab had repeatedly disobeyed David.

Abiathar: One of two high priests serving during David’s reign.

God’s voice is missing from Adonijah’s movement

Joab and Abiathar were among Adonijah’s supporters.

⁸But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah.

Zadok: The other high priest serving during David’s reign.

Benaiah (a prominent military commander) and the mighty men: Military

David’s mighty men had followed him through years of danger and hardship.

Nathan: A prophet

Prophet and advisor to King David.

Spokesperson for God’s will, ensuring that God’s plan for the monarchy was followed.

Nathan the prophet had previously spoken God’s word to David (2 Samuel 7).

Three pillars of Israel’s leadership:

Zadok, Benaiah, and Nathan were among those who supported David’s position.

⁹Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah.

This event appeared to be more of a social gathering than a religious ceremony.

Adonijah uses a religious ceremony to legitimize rebellion.

¹⁰But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.

Nathan, Benaiah, the king’s bodyguard, and Solomon were loyal to David and would have honored David’s wishes.

Adonijah did not invite men to this “religious” ceremony who would not be supportive of his desire to become king.

David Takes a Census

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David Takes a Census

This lesson starts out at 2 Samuel 24:1 saying:

^24:1 Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census.

Note: Taking a census for the right reasons is not sinful.

Numbers 1:1-3 NLT
^1:1 A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. On the first day of the second month of that year he said, ²“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their clans and families. List all the men ³twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron must register the troops,

Numbers 26:1-4 NLT
The Second Registration of Israel’s Troops
^26:1 After the plague had ended, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, ²“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their families. List all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war.”
³So there on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest issued these instructions to the leaders of Israel: ⁴“List all the men of Israel twenty years old and older, just as the Lord commanded Moses.”

Clearly, there is more to this story than just taking a census.

2 Samuel 24 NLT
David Takes a Census
^24:1 Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the Lord told him.
²So the king said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the tribes of Israel—from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south—so I may know how many people there are.”
³But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God let you live to see a hundred times as many people as there are now! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this?”
⁴But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab and the commanders of the army went out to count the people of Israel. ⁵First they crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, south of the town in the valley, in the direction of Gad. Then they went on to Jazer, ⁶then to Gilead in the land of Tahtim-hodshi and to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon. ⁷Then they came to the fortress of Tyre, and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went south to Judah as far as Beersheba.
⁸Having gone through the entire land for nine months and twenty days, they returned to Jerusalem. ⁹Joab reported the number of people to the king. There were 800,000 capable warriors in Israel who could handle a sword, and 500,000 in Judah.

Judgment for David’s Sin

¹⁰But after he had taken the census, David’s conscience began to bother him. And he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, Lord, for doing this foolish thing.”
¹¹The next morning the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, who was David’s seer. This was the message: ¹²“Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.’”
¹³So Gad came to David and asked him, “Will you choose three years of famine throughout your land, three months of fleeing from your enemies, or three days of severe plague throughout your land? Think this over and decide what answer I should give the Lord who sent me.”
¹⁴“I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands.”
¹⁵So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel that morning, and it lasted for three days. A total of 70,000 people died throughout the nation, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. ¹⁶But as the angel was preparing to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented and said to the death angel, “Stop! That is enough!” At that moment the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
¹⁷When David saw the angel, he said to the Lord, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep—what have they done? Let your anger fall against me and my family.”

David Builds an Altar

¹⁸That day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
¹⁹So David went up to do what the Lord had commanded him. ²⁰When Araunah saw the king and his men coming toward him, he came and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. ²¹“Why have you come, my lord the king?” Araunah asked.
David replied, “I have come to buy your threshing floor and to build an altar to the Lord there, so that he will stop the plague.”
²²“Take it, my lord the king, and use it as you wish,” Araunah said to David. “Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and you can use the threshing boards and ox yokes for wood to build a fire on the altar. ²³I will give it all to you, Your Majesty, and may the Lord your God accept your sacrifice.”
²⁴But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it, for I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing.” So David paid him fifty pieces of silver for the threshing floor and the oxen.
²⁵David built an altar there to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the Lord answered his prayer for the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 24 NLT
David Takes a Census

The parallel version to this story is found in 1 Chronicles 21:1-16.

^24:1 Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel,

Once again God’s anger burned against Israel.

Note: This says the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, not against David.

This likely took place late in David’s reign.

The previous occasion may have been the famine of 21:1

2 Samuel 21:1 NLT
^21:1 There was a famine during David’s reign that lasted for three years, so David asked the Lord about it. And the Lord said, “The famine has come because Saul and his family are guilty of murdering the Gibeonites.”

Other causes for the Lord’s anger.

Deuteronomy 4:25 NLT
²⁵“In the future, when you have children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time, do not corrupt yourselves by making idols of any kind. This is evil in the sight of the Lord your God and will arouse his anger.

Deuteronomy 6:14-15 NLT
¹⁴“You must not worship any of the gods of neighboring nations, ¹⁵for the Lord your God, who lives among you, is a jealous God. His anger will flare up against you, and he will wipe you from the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 31:16-18 NLT
¹⁶The Lord said to Moses, “You are about to die and join your ancestors. After you are gone, these people will begin to worship foreign gods, the gods of the land where they are going. They will abandon me and break my covenant that I have made with them. ¹⁷Then my anger will blaze forth against them. I will abandon them, hiding my face from them, and they will be devoured. Terrible trouble will come down on them, and on that day they will say, ‘These disasters have come down on us because God is no longer among us!’ ¹⁸At that time I will hide my face from them on account of all the evil they commit by worshiping other gods.

Deuteronomy 29:22-28 NLT
²²“Then the generations to come, both your own descendants and the foreigners who come from distant lands, will see the devastation of the land and the diseases the Lord inflicts on it. ²³They will exclaim, ‘The whole land is devastated by sulfur and salt. It is a wasteland with nothing planted and nothing growing, not even a blade of grass. It is like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord destroyed in his intense anger.’
²⁴“And all the surrounding nations will ask, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this land? Why was he so angry?’
²⁵“And the answer will be, ‘This happened because the people of the land abandoned the covenant that the Lord, the God of their ancestors, made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. ²⁶Instead, they turned away to serve and worship gods they had not known before, gods that were not from the Lord. ²⁷That is why the Lord’s anger has burned against this land, bringing down on it every curse recorded in this book. ²⁸In great anger and fury the Lord uprooted his people from their land and banished them to another land, where they still live today!’

Scripture does not say why God was angry with Israel at this point in time.

and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the Lord told him.

1 Chronicles 21:1-2 NLT
David Takes a Census
^21:1 Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. ²So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the people of Israel—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—and bring me a report so I may know how many there are.”

God allowed David to be tested.

This may have been a situation where the Lord had allowed Satan to prompt David to an improper course of action in order that Israel might be punished.

The Lord Himself did not incite David to do evil.

James 1:13 NLT
¹³And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.

²So the king said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the tribes of Israel—from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south—so I may know how many people there are.”

In the ancient world, a census was often a precursor to taxation or military conscription.

The problem may have been David’s pride.

The problem may have been that David was trusting in the number of men available to serve in his army (see verse 9), rather than trusting in the Lord.

This census did not have the Lord’s sanction.

David appeared to have forgotten his priorities.

Psalm 20:7 NLT
⁷Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.

³But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God let you live to see a hundred times as many people as there are now! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this?”

Joab knew David’s actions were wrong.

1 Chronicles 21:3 NLT
David Takes a Census
³But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?”

⁴But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab and the commanders of the army went out to count the people of Israel. ⁵First they crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, south of the town in the valley, in the direction of Gad. Then they went on to Jazer, ⁶then to Gilead in the land of Tahtim-hodshi and to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon. ⁷Then they came to the fortress of Tyre, and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went south to Judah as far as Beersheba.

David insisted that a census be taken.

⁸Having gone through the entire land for nine months and twenty days, they returned to Jerusalem. ⁹Joab reported the number of people to the king. There were 800,000 capable warriors in Israel who could handle a sword, and 500,000 in Judah.

The report from the census seems to indicate that the census was taken for military purposes.

Judgment for David’s Sin

David knew that he had sinned greatly and had done a foolish thing.

David’s conscience was sensitive to sin.

David confessed his sin.

¹¹The next morning the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, who was David’s seer. This was the message: ¹²“Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.’”
¹³So Gad came to David and asked him, “Will you choose three years of famine throughout your land, three months of fleeing from your enemies, or three days of severe plague throughout your land?

David was given a choice of three possible punishments for his sin.

Through the prophet Gad, David is offered three choices:

Three years of famine in Israel.

Three months fleeing from Israel’s enemies.

Three days of plague throughout the land.

Famine, sword, or plague.

Israel, not David, was the object of God’s wrath.

Think this over and decide what answer I should give the Lord who sent me.”
¹⁴“I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands.”

David chose the plague because he knew that while God is just, He is also far more merciful than any human army.

Human enemies may lack compassion, but God does not.

¹⁵So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel that morning, and it lasted for three days. A total of 70,000 people died throughout the nation, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. ¹⁶But as the angel was preparing to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented and said to the death angel, “Stop! That is enough!”

70,000 Israelites die in a plague. The consequences for David’s sin were severe,

God halts the angel of destruction

At that moment the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
¹⁷When David saw the angel, he said to the Lord, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep—what have they done? Let your anger fall against me and my family.”

David offers himself for the people.

David Builds an Altar

Araunah offers his threshing floor and animals to David for free.

²⁴But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it, for I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing.” So David paid him fifty pieces of silver for the threshing floor and the oxen.

David realized that sacrifice without cost is empty.

David knew that true worship involves personal sacrifice, cost and surrender.

²⁵David built an altar there to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the Lord answered his prayer for the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

David built an altar to the LORD and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings.

The LORD answered David’s prayer for the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

This is where Abraham offered Isaac.

Genesis 22:2 NLT
²“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

This site became the location of Solomon’s Temple.

2 Chronicles 3:1 NLT
Solomon Builds the Temple
^3:1 So Solomon began to build the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to David, his father. The Temple was built on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the site that David had selected.

David’s Mightiest Warriors

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David’s Mightiest Warriors

Introduction:

It takes a community

Scripture consistently teaches that God designed people to live, grow, worship, and persevere in community, not in isolation.

Isolation makes us vulnerable.

Galatians 6:2 NLT
²Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Romans 12:4-5 NLT
⁴Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, ⁵so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT
¹²A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

David’s life was shaped by a wide range of relationships:

Prophets (Samuel, Nathan)

Family (Jesse, Jonathan, Michal, Solomon)

Adversaries (Saul, Absalom)

Warriors and allies (Joab)

Wise and godly influencers (Abigail)

In this lesson we will be considering ways that David’s mightiest warriors impacted David’s life.

2 Samuel 23:8-39 NLT
David’s Mightiest Warriors
⁸These are the names of David’s mightiest warriors. The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was leader of the Three—the three mightiest warriors among David’s men. He once used his spear to kill 800 enemy warriors in a single battle.
⁹Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. Once Eleazar and David stood together against the Philistines when the entire Israelite army had fled. ¹⁰He killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the Lord gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder!
¹¹Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, ¹²but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
¹³Once during the harvest, when David was at the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there. ¹⁴David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem.
¹⁵David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” ¹⁶So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. ¹⁷“The Lord forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.
David’s Thirty Mighty Men
¹⁸Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three. ¹⁹Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.
²⁰There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. ²¹Once, armed only with a club, he killed an imposing Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. ²²Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors. ²³He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.
²⁴Other members of the Thirty included: Asahel, Joab’s brother;
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
²⁵Shammah from Harod;
Elika from Harod;
²⁶Helez from Pelon;
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
²⁷Abiezer from Anathoth;
Sibbecai from Hushah;
²⁸Zalmon from Ahoah;
Maharai from Netophah;
²⁹Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (in the land of Benjamin);
³⁰Benaiah from Pirathon;
Hurai from Nahale-gaash;
³¹Abi-albon from Arabah;
Azmaveth from Bahurim;
³²Eliahba from Shaalbon;
the sons of Jashen;
Jonathan ³³son of Shagee from Harar;
Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar;
³⁴Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah;
Eliam son of Ahithophel from Giloh;
³⁵Hezro from Carmel;
Paarai from Arba;
³⁶Igal son of Nathan from Zobah;
Bani from Gad;
³⁷Zelek from Ammon;
Naharai from Beeroth, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah;
³⁸Ira from Jattir;
Gareb from Jattir;
³⁹Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 23:8-39 NLT

David’s Mightiest Warriors

1 Chronicles 11:10-47 has much of the same content with slight variations.

Start out with:

The Three

⁸These are the names of David’s mightiest warriors.

The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was leader of the Three—the three mightiest warriors among David’s men. He once used his spear to kill 800 enemy warriors in a single battle.

Jashobeam was an example of a man with extraordinary courage and skill empowered by God to defeat the enemy.

⁹Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. Once Eleazar and David stood together against the Philistines when the entire Israelite army had fled. ¹⁰He killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the Lord gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder!

This is another example of a mighty warrior empowered by God.

Eleazar was a courageous warrior who fought to the point of total exhaustion. God spared the lives of both Elazar and David.

Eleazar took initiative when others fell back.

Eleazar continued fighting past the point of exhaustion.

Eleazar displayed both courage and endurance rarely found even in elite warriors.

Eleazar’s actions symbolized unyielding commitment and battle-hardened perseverance.

Scripture says: “the Lordgave him (Eleazar) a great victory that day.”

¹¹Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, ¹²but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

Here again: “the Lord brought about a great victory.”

Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah were three courageous and loyal warriors being used by God to bring about victories for the Israelites.

Human bravery + divine power = triumph.

David’s Thirty Mighty Men

Another story of men devoted to David.

¹³Once during the harvest, when David was at the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there.

Not the three mentioned in 8-12, but three mentioned in the thirty.

¹⁴David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem.
¹⁵David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” ¹⁶So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. ¹⁷“The Lord forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.

David, hiding in the cave of Adullam longs for water from Bethlehem’s well.

Three of his mighty men, devoted to David break through the enemy lines to get it.

David refuses to drink and pours it out “as an offering to the Lord,” saying “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.”

2 Samuel 23:14-17 is a story of fierce loyalty and risk taken by three men for David.

David’s Thirty Mighty Men

Review this passage:

Abishai

¹⁸Abishai son of Zeruiah,

the brother of Joab, (Note)

was the leader of the Thirty (many translations say “the three”).

He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three.

¹⁹Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.

Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander.

Review this passage:

²⁰There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel.

He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab.

Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.

²¹Once, armed only with a club, he killed an imposing Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.

²²Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors.

²³He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three.

And David made him captain of his bodyguard.

Benaiah was made the captain of David’s bodyguard.

²⁴Other members of the Thirty included: (30 names listed here + unnamed sons in v. 32)

The number of names varies slightly in different accounts (typical for ancient military rosters).

“The Thirty” in 2 Samuel 23:24 refers to David’s elite corps of warriors, a prestigious and stable group title for a set of exceptional soldiers who stood just below “the Three” in rank and honor. The membership shifted over time, but the name remained fixed as a term of honor.

The “Thirty” refers to a formal elite military corps within David’s army. It was not literally always thirty men—rather, it was a title for a group of high-ranking warriors.

Some interesting highlights:

***Asahel, Joab’s brother;
David’s nephew who was famous for his speed. He was killed by Abner in the pursuit of Abner during the war between David and Ishbosheth.

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
²⁵Shammah from Harod; most likely not the Shammah mentioned in v. 11.
Elika from Harod;
²⁶Helez from Pelon;
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
²⁷Abiezer from Anathoth;
Sibbecai from Hushah;   Mebunnai the Hushathite (ESV),
²⁸Zalmon from Ahoah;
Maharai from Netophah;
²⁹Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (in the land of Benjamin);
³⁰Benaiah from Pirathon;   see verse 20. This might not be the same person.
Hurai from Nahale-gaash;   Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash (ESV)
³¹Abi-albon from Arabah;
Azmaveth from Bahurim;
³²Eliahba from Shaalbon;
the sons of Jashen; (This implies more than one)
Jonathan ³³son of Shagee from Harar;                Shammah the Hararite (ESV)
Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar;
³⁴Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah;

***Eliam son of Ahithophel from Giloh; the father of Bathsheba

³⁵Hezro from Carmel;
Paarai from Arba;
³⁶Igal son of Nathan from Zobah;
Bani from Gad;
³⁷Zelek from Ammon;

***Naharai from Beeroth, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah (David’s sister);

³⁸Ira from Jattir;
Gareb from Jattir;

***³⁹Uriah the Hittite.

The husband of Bathsheba.

Uriah was one of David’s most loyal warriors—yet David betrayed him and had him killed (2 Sam 11).

There were thirty-seven in all.

Joab, David’s commander, is notably absent from the full list.

Note: Joab’s name is mentioned (v. 18 & 37), but is not included as one of David’s mightiest warriors.

Conclusion

David’s elite warriors.

These warriors were some of the “iron tools” that God used to “chop down” the godless (23:7)

Though their feats are extraordinary, the repeated acknowledgment of God’s involvement shows that victory is ultimately the Lord’s.

This passage reminds us that God values courage, loyalty, and humility—and that He works through ordinary people who trust Him in extraordinary ways.

This list of men demonstrates the value of absolute loyalty and brotherhood in achieving great things. These men were instrumental in fulfilling God’s plan for David’s kingdom.

This passage of scripture ensures that the courage and commitment of these men are remembered for generations, highlighting that success is often achieved through the efforts of a dedicated team.

The incredible feats listed are seen not just as human strength, but as evidence of God’s power at work through those He chooses to exalt.

David’s Last Words

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David’s Last Words

2 Samuel 23:1-7 NLT
David’s Last Words
^23:1 These are the last words of David:
“David, the son of Jesse, speaks—
David, the man who was raised up so high,
David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
²“The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me;
his words are upon my tongue.
³The God of Israel spoke.
The Rock of Israel said to me:
‘The one who rules righteously,
who rules in the fear of God,
⁴is like the light of morning at sunrise,
like a morning without clouds,
like the gleaming of the sun
on new grass after rain.’
⁵“Is it not my family God has chosen?
Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me.
His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail.
He will ensure my safety and success.
⁶But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away,
for they tear the hand that touches them.
⁷One must use iron tools to chop them down;
they will be totally consumed by fire.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 23:1-7 NLT
David’s Last Words

^23:1 These are the last words of David:

David’s “last words” were not necessarily the last words he actually spoke.

Most likely his last words were recorded in 1 Kings Chapter 2.

1 Kings 2:1-10 NLT
David’s Final Instructions to Solomon
^2:1 As the time of King David’s death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon:
²“I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. ³Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. ⁴If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
⁵“And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace,
^a staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood. ⁶Do with him what you think best, but don’t let him grow old and go to his grave in peace.
⁷“Be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. Make them permanent guests at your table, for they took care of me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
⁸“And remember Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me with a terrible curse as I was fleeing to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I swore by the Lord that I would not kill him. ⁹But that oath does not make him innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know how to arrange a bloody death for him.”
¹⁰Then David died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.

These “last words” of David were most likely his final formal, Spirit-inspired declaration to Israel.

Many scholars view this passage of scripture as David’s final poetic oracle (a prophetic speech from the king), similar in tone and structure to a psalm.

“David, the son of Jesse, speaks—

David as a boy.

1 Samuel 16:10-11, 13 NLT
¹⁰In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” ¹¹Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”

¹³So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on.

When Samuel came to anoint the next king, Jesse didn’t even bring David at first. He was considered the least likely in the family.

- - David was youngest of eight sons. (1 Samuel 16:10)

- - David was not considered important enough to attend the sacrifice (the celebration) with Samuel, Jesse, and his older brothers.

- - David was out tending the sheep.

This shows David began life in humble obscurity.

David began life in humble obscurity.

David, the man who was raised up so high,

David became the king of Israel.

David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob,

David was anointed by God to be the king of Israel. (1 Samuel 16)

1 Samuel 13:14 NLT
¹⁴But now your (Saul) kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart (David). The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

Daniel 2:21 NLT
²¹He (God) controls the course of world events;
he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the scholars.

Romans 13:1 NLT
^13:1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

John 19:11
Jesus to Pilate:
¹¹Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

It was God who enabled David to rule righteously.

David ruled as an agent of God.

Those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.

David was not only a king, he was a musician and poet.

David wrote about half of the psalms in the book of Psalms.

David identifies himself as a poetically gifted king of Israel.

²“The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me;

David was aware of God’s Spirit at work in him enabling him to speak under the Spirit’s guidance.

his words are upon my tongue.

David describes himself as a prophet, whose songs and wise sayings come from God.

2 Peter 1:20-21 NLT
²⁰Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, ²¹or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

Acts 1:16 NLT
¹⁶“Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David.

Acts 4:25 NLT (Quoting Psalm 2:1-2)
²⁵you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
²⁶The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Messiah.

The Spirit of the Lord spoke to David and through him to the nation of Israel.

³The God of Israel spoke.
The Rock of Israel said to me:

The Rock of Israel

‘The one who rules righteously,
who rules in the fear of God,

A ruler is to rule righteously.

A good ruler acts with justice, fairness, and moral integrity.

A ruler is to rule in the fear of God, recognizing God’s ultimate authority.

⁴is like the light of morning at sunrise,
like a morning without clouds,
like the gleaming of the sun
on new grass after rain.’

David stated that a king who rules as an agent of God is “like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning” and “like the brightness after rain
that brings grass from the earth”.

This gives us a reason to pray for our president.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 NLT
^2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. ²Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

⁵“Is it not my family God has chosen?

Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me.

See chapter 7:12-16

2 Samuel 7:12-16 NLT
⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! ¹²For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

God’s covenant with David points beyond David to the future Messianic King, Jesus Christ—the perfect righteous ruler.

Jesus is the everlasting king who is the “son of David”.

Matthew 1:1 NLT
¹ This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:

Psalm 89:29, 34-37
²⁹I will preserve an heir for him;
his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.

³⁴No, I will not break my covenant;
I will not take back a single word I said.
³⁵I have sworn an oath to David,
and in my holiness I cannot lie:
³⁶His dynasty will go on forever;
his kingdom will endure as the sun.
³⁷It will be as eternal as the moon,
my faithful witness in the sky!”

His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail.

He will ensure my safety and success.

David believes and trusts God’s covenant.

God’s promises stand.

In contrast:

⁶But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away,
for they tear the hand that touches them.
⁷One must use iron tools to chop them down;
they will be totally consumed by fire.”

The enemies of God will be cast aside in judgment.

Matthew 13:30 NLT
³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

Matthew 13:41 NLT
⁴¹The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.

Psalm 1:4-5 NLT
⁴But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
⁵They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.

Psalm 2:9 ( Speaking about nations who plot against the Lord.)
⁹You will break them with an iron rod
and smash them like clay pots.’”

God’s kingdom brings blessing to the righteous but judgment on the unrepentant.

David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving

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David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving

Introduction:

David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

(Giving Thanks)

This lesson is our final look at David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving found in 2 Samuel 22:1-51.

David’s song is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God. (Also found in Psalm 18:1-50)

A song of worship to the Lord.

2 Samuel 22:31-51 is the concluding section of David’s Song.

David closes his song by celebrating the character of God, the power God extended to him, and the victories God granted.

David sings about God’s perfect character and His divine enablement.

God’s divine resources were made available to David (and are also available to us).

Our focus today will be on the things mentioned in this passage that we should be thankful for.

Giving thanks.

A quick look at the introduction of another of David’s Psalm of Thanks.

1 Chronicles 16:8-12 NLT
⁸Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
⁹Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
¹⁰Exult in his holy name;
rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
¹¹Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
¹²Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

A call to praise and remember the Lord’s mighty works.

This is a good set-up for today’s passage, 2 Samuel 22:31-51.

David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving

2 Samuel 22:31-51 NLT

³¹“God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
³²For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
³³God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.
³⁴He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
³⁵He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
³⁶You have given me your shield of victory;
your help has made me great.
³⁷You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.
³⁸“I chased my enemies and destroyed them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
³⁹I consumed them;
I struck them down so they did not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
⁴⁰You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
⁴¹You placed my foot on their necks.
I have destroyed all who hated me.
⁴²They looked for help, but no one came to their rescue.
They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
⁴³I ground them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trampled them in the gutter like dirt.
⁴⁴“You gave me victory over my accusers.
You preserved me as the ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.
⁴⁵Foreign nations cringe before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they submit.
⁴⁶They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their strongholds.
⁴⁷“The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!
⁴⁸He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he brings down the nations under me
⁴⁹ and delivers me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
⁵⁰For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
⁵¹You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.”

Examine the Scriptures

David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving

2 Samuel 22:31-51 NLT

³¹“God’s way is perfect.

Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT
³I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
how glorious is our God!
⁴He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
how just and upright he is!

God’s way is perfect.

His actions, His timing, His decisions, and His methods are flawless.

All the Lord’s promises prove true.

Some of God’s promises to David:

2 Samuel 7:8-16 NLT
The heart of the Davidic Covenant
⁸“Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. ⁹I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! ¹²For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

All the LORD’s promises prove true.

Numbers 23:19 NLT
¹⁹God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

Hebrews 6:18 NLT
¹⁸So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.

He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Psalm 28:7 NLT
⁷The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Proverbs 30:5 NLT
⁵Every word of God proves true.
He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.

God is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

³²For who is God except the Lord?

There is no other God.

Who but our God is a solid rock?

Isaiah 44:6 NLT
⁶This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:
“I am the First and the Last;
there is no other God.

Isaiah 44:8 NLT
⁸Do not tremble; do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago?
You are my witnesses—is there any other God?
No! There is no other Rock—not one!”

Isaiah 45:21 NLT
²¹…
For there is no other God but me,
a righteous God and Savior.
There is none but me.

Only the LORD (Yahweh) is truly God. There is no other. No one compares with Him. Only He deserves our worship, trust, and obedience.

LORD – Yahweh – YHWH

³³God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.

Other translations:

many say perfect

some say blameless

some say upright

some say safe

He makes my way: straight

safe

upright.

He leads me: toward righteousness

toward obedience

He helps me: mature

live faithfully

God shapes our character.

³⁴He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
³⁵He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.

A bow of bronze would be powerful, but difficult to draw

³⁶You have given me your shield of victory;
your help has made me great.
³⁷You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.

God equipped David.

God equips us to deal with life’s battles.

God strengthens His people and prepares them for the battles they must face.

³⁸“I chased my enemies and destroyed them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
³⁹I consumed them;
I struck them down so they did not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
⁴⁰You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
⁴¹You placed my foot on their necks.
I have destroyed all who hated me.

God gives us victory over our enemies.

God strengthens His people and prepares them for the hardships they must face.

⁴²They looked for help, but no one came to their rescue.
They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
⁴³I ground them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trampled them in the gutter like dirt.
⁴⁴“You gave me victory over my accusers.
You preserved me as the ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.
⁴⁵Foreign nations cringe before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they submit.
⁴⁶They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their strongholds.

God despises the wicked.

⁴⁷“The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!
⁴⁸He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he brings down the nations under me
⁴⁹ and delivers me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
⁵⁰For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
⁵¹You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.”

God is to be exalted.

God deserves our praise

I will sing praises to your name.

Psalm 145:1-3 NLT
A psalm of praise of David.
¹I will exalt you, my God and King,
and praise your name forever and ever.
²I will praise you every day;
yes, I will praise you forever.
³Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.

Psalm 113:1-4 NLT
¹Praise the Lord!
Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord.
Praise the name of the Lord!
²Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and forever.
³Everywhere—from east to west—
praise the name of the Lord.
⁴For the Lord is high above the nations;
his glory is higher than the heavens.

Psalm 18:2-3 NLT (nearly identical to 2 Samuel 22:3-4)
²The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
³I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.

List things we should be thankful for.

God Rewards Righteousness and Punishes Wickedness

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God Rewards Righteousness and Punishes Wickedness

Introduction:

This is not a lesson about salvation; rather, this is a lesson about faithful perseverance in godliness.

2 Samuel 22:21-31 NLT
²¹The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
    he restored me because of my innocence.
²²For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
²³I have followed all his regulations;
    I have never abandoned his decrees.
²⁴I am blameless before God;
    I have kept myself from sin.
²⁵The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
    He has seen my innocence.
²⁶“To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
    to those with integrity you show integrity.
²⁷To the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
²⁸You rescue the humble,
    but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.
²⁹O Lord, you are my lamp.
    The Lord lights up my darkness.
³⁰In your strength I can crush an army;
    with my God I can scale any wall.
³¹“God’s way is perfect.
    All the Lord’s promises prove true.
    He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Examine the Scriptures

God rewards righteousness and punishes wickedness.

This is clearly a Biblical principle:

Isaiah 3:10-11 NLT
¹⁰Tell the godly that all will be well for them.
They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!
¹¹But the wicked are doomed,
for they will get exactly what they deserve.

Psalm 1:6 NLT
⁶For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 37:28 NLT
²⁸For the Lord loves justice,
and he will never abandon the godly.
He will keep them safe forever,
but the children of the wicked will die.

Galatians 6:7-8 NLT
⁷Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. ⁸Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

Matthew 16:27 NLT
²⁷For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.

2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT
¹⁰For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

Our previous lesson ended with 2 Samuel 22:20

2 Samuel 22:20 NLT
²⁰He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.

“He delights in me.”

This expression that the Lord “delights in me” provides a transition to verses 21-28, where David describes the basis of God’s saving deliverance.

David did not suggest that works are necessary for salvation, which is not the issue here. He was saying, however, that the benefits of God are often obtained in this life by faithful perseverance in godliness.

2 Samuel 22:21-31 NLT

²¹The Lord rewarded me for doing right;

A few examples of David doing right:

David viewed Saul as God’s appointed king.

David deeply loved his son Absalom, even though Absalom rebelled against him.

There’s no record of David expressing personal animosity toward Ishbosheth. He didn’t seek vengeance or try to assassinate him. When Ishbosheth was murdered by two of his own captains, David was deeply displeased, and had them executed.

David demonstrated moral integrity and respect for the Lord’s anointed line — he refused to advance his own position through treachery or bloodshed.

he restored me because of my innocence.

David needed restoration.

²²For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.

David kept the ways of the Lord.*

David did not turn to other gods.

²³I have followed all his regulations;
I have never abandoned his decrees.

David followed God’s regulations.*

David valued God’s decrees.

²⁴I am blameless before God;
I have kept myself from sin.

*See comments following v. 25.

²⁵The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
He has seen my innocence.

God honored David’s devotion and integrity.

David is not claiming to be sinless (he knew his failures, like with Bathsheba), but rather that his heart was loyal to God.

The Bible describes David as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). That phrase doesn’t mean David was perfect — far from it — but it points to the deep qualities of his inner life and relationship with God.

David lived as a man after God’s heart.

Acts 13:22 NLT
²²But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

David’s humility after sin showed why he was still a man after God’s heart — he always turned back to God.

David’s deliverance flowed from his relationship with God—one marked by integrity, repentance, and obedience.

God values the heart — integrity and faithfulness matter more than outward perfection.

David lived a life of obedience, repentance, and loyalty to God, even when he failed.

David was not claiming to be righteous or sinless in any absolute sense. Rather David

(1) believed God,

(2) was considered righteous by faith, and

(3) desired to please the Lord and be obedient to His commands.

(4) David recognized that the Lord rewards those who faithfully serve Him.

God rewarded David and showed mercy to him as He does to all who are upright (faithful . . . blameless . . . pure . . . humble).

²⁶“To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.
²⁷To the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

Application:

God honors those who honor Him.

Proverbs 3:9-10 NLT
⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
¹⁰then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

John 12:26 NLT
²⁶Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

²⁸You rescue the humble,
but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.

David summarizes the contrast between the proud and the humble:

This is a timeless truth echoed in Scripture:

God lifts the humble, those who depend on Him.

God humbles the proud, those who rely on themselves.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humility attracts God’s favor, but pride invites His resistance.

James 4:6 NLT
⁶And he (God) gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5 NLT
⁵In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 3:34 NLT
³⁴The Lord mocks the mockers
but is gracious to the humble.

God treats people according to their character — merciful to the merciful, opposed to the proud.

Psalm 18:25 NLT (The same as verse 28)
²⁵To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.

²⁹O Lord, you are my lamp.
The Lord lights up my darkness.

In 2 Samuel 21:17 David is referred to as the light of Israel.

2 Samuel 21:17 NLT
¹⁷But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men declared, “You are not going out to battle with us again! Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?”

Here David refers to the Lord as his lamp.

God is the one who enabled David to see clearly, walk uprightly, and live securely.

David life reflected the light of God’s glory.

For us:

Psalm 119:105 NLT
¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.

Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Our lives should also reflect the light of God’s glory.

³⁰In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.

David is experiencing the Lord’s favor.

The Lord caused David’s life and undertakings to flourish.

Divine strength replaces human limitation — “with my God I can scale any wall.”

For us:

Philippians 4:13 NLT
¹³For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

³¹“God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

David’s divine rescue and success were related to his own obedience.

After reflecting on God’s justice, David turns again to personal praise for God’s help and faithfulness.

God enlightens, empowers, and protects all who trust Him. His way and His word are flawless.

Conclusion

God Rewards Righteousness and Punishes Wickedness

Proverbs 13:21 NLT
²¹Trouble chases sinners,
while blessings reward the righteous.

Psalm 18:20 NLT
²⁰The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
he restored me because of my innocence.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
⁵⁸So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Galatians 6:9 NLT
⁹So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Hebrews 10:36 NLT
³⁶Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
¹³No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

God as the Divine Warrior

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God as the Divine Warrior

Introduction:

As you listen to our passage of scripture for today, 2 Samuel 22:8-20, I want you to make a real effort to visualize what you are hearing. What pictures come to your mind? What do you see?

2 Samuel 22:7-20 NLT (repeating verse 7 from the previous lesson)
⁷But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
⁸“Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the heavens shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
⁹Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
¹⁰He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
¹¹Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
¹²He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
¹³A great brightness shone around him,
and burning coals blazed forth.
¹⁴The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
¹⁵He shot arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were confused.
¹⁶Then at the command of the Lord,
at the blast of his breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
¹⁷“He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁸He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
¹⁹They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the Lord supported me.
²⁰He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.

What did you visualize?

Share with the group what you saw.

David describes God’s coming in power from heaven to earth.

This is a picture of a Warrior-King is descending from heaven to earth.

Here we have a vivid, poetic description of God’s majestic and powerful intervention to rescue David from his enemies when David is in utter distress.

These images present God as being angry with David’s adversaries as he intervenes in David’s crisis.

The primary message is that God responded with spectacular, cosmic force to David’s cry for help.

Define theophany.

David describes God’s rescue as a theophany.

A theophany is a vivid poetic description of God’s appearance in power and glory.

A theophany in the Bible is a tangible manifestation of God, an encounter with God.

Theophanies are appearances of God in the Bible.

Theophanies are events where God visibly manifests Himself to people.

There are other theophanies in the Bible.

Here are two examples,

Exodus 19:16-20 NLT
¹⁶On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. ¹⁷Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. ¹⁹As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. ²⁰The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain.

Habakkuk 3:3-15 NLT
Habakkuk’s Prayer
³I see God moving across the deserts from Edom,
the Holy One coming from Mount Paran.
His brilliant splendor fills the heavens,
and the earth is filled with his praise.
⁴His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise.
Rays of light flash from his hands,
where his awesome power is hidden.
⁵Pestilence marches before him;
plague follows close behind.
⁶When he stops, the earth shakes.
When he looks, the nations tremble.
He shatters the everlasting mountains
and levels the eternal hills.
He is the Eternal One!
⁷I see the people of Cushan in distress,
and the nation of Midian trembling in terror.
⁸Was it in anger, Lord, that you struck the rivers
and parted the sea?
Were you displeased with them?
No, you were sending your chariots of salvation!
⁹You brandished your bow
and your quiver of arrows.
You split open the earth with flowing rivers.
¹⁰The mountains watched and trembled.
Onward swept the raging waters.
The mighty deep cried out,
lifting its hands in submission.
¹¹The sun and moon stood still in the sky
as your brilliant arrows flew
and your glittering spear flashed.
¹²You marched across the land in anger
and trampled the nations in your fury.
¹³You went out to rescue your chosen people,
to save your anointed ones.
You crushed the heads of the wicked
and stripped their bones from head to toe.
¹⁴With his own weapons,
you destroyed the chief of those
who rushed out like a whirlwind,
thinking Israel would be easy prey.
¹⁵You trampled the sea with your horses,
and the mighty waters piled high.

Other theophanies in the Bible.

God appearing to Abraham – Genesis 18:1–2

The burning bush

The pillar of cloud and fire

The cloud over the tabernacle

The angel of the Lord appearing to Gideon

Isaiah’s vision in the temple

Ezekiel’s vision of God’s glory

Examine the Scriptures

Read (review) 2 Samuel 22:1-7 NLT

David’s Song of Praise
^22:1 David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. ²He sang:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
³ my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
⁴I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
⁵“The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
⁶The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
⁷But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.

2 Samuel 22:8-20 NLT

God as the Divine Warrior

(This song is nearly identical to Psalm 18:7–19.)

David poetically recounts how God’s power shook creation itself to come to his aid. The imagery is vivid—earthquakes, storms, thunder, and lightning—revealing God’s majesty and wrath against evil.

⁸“Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the heavens shook;
they quaked because of his anger.

This verse describes the cosmic disturbance that accompanies God’s intervention.

⁹Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.

Here God’s power is portrayed in terms similar to those applied to the awesome beast, the leviathan.

Job 41:19-21 NLT
¹⁹Lightning leaps from its mouth;
flames of fire flash out.
²⁰Smoke streams from its nostrils
like steam from a pot heated over burning rushes.
²¹Its breath would kindle coals,
for flames shoot from its mouth.

This theophany is a picture of God’s righteous anger.

God’s wrath is not arbitrary—it arises from His justice and love for His chosen ones.

“Smoke” and “fire” symbolize God’s burning anger and purifying power.

¹⁰He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
¹¹Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
¹²He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
¹³A great brightness shone around him,
and burning coals blazed forth.

God as Divine Warrior

He rides upon the storm, commanding creation to act in defense of His people.

This passage describes God descending from heaven as a Divine Warrior in a storm to rescue David.

¹⁴The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
¹⁵He shot arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were confused.

Other similar passages.

Psalm 77:18 NLT
¹⁸Your thunder roared from the whirlwind;
the lightning lit up the world!
The earth trembled and shook.

Psalm 29:3-4 NLT
³The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
⁴The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.

Job 37:2-5 NLT
²Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice
as it rolls from his mouth.
³It rolls across the heavens,
and his lightning flashes in every direction.
⁴Then comes the roaring of the thunder—
the tremendous voice of his majesty.
He does not restrain it when he speaks.
⁵God’s voice is glorious in the thunder.
We can’t even imagine the greatness of his power.

1 Samuel 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;

God revealed His power audibly and visibly.

God’s voice commands attention and reverence.

¹⁶Then at the command of the Lord,
at the blast of his breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.

God’s commands shake creation.

This verse describes an earth-shaking divine rebuke.

The forces of nature serve God’s will.

Nature and nations alike yield to God’s voice; His rule is absolute.

¹⁷“He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁸He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
¹⁹They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the Lord supported me.
²⁰He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.

God reached down from heaven to rescue David from his powerful enemies.

God is not distant: He powerfully moves creation itself to rescue those who trust Him.

God rescues not because of human merit, but because He delights in His children.

For believers, this passage reminds us that God’s power is not distant or abstract. The same God who shook heaven and earth to save David still acts for His people today. When we are surrounded by “many waters,” we can trust that God hears our cry, moves heaven and earth for our good, and delivers us because He delights in us through Christ.

David Praises the Lord his Deliverer

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David Praises the Lord, his Deliverer

Introduction:

On March 31, 2022, we looked at:

1 Samuel 2:1-10 NLT (Near the beginning of our study of 1^st & 2^nd Samuel)

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

Hannah’s prayer is also known as a song or a poem.

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise also has similarities to David’s Song of Praise in 2 Samuel 22. (Near the end of our study of 1^st & 2^nd Samuel)

Hannah’s prayer is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.
(This prayer celebrated the fact that Hannah had been saved from barrenness, as well as celebrating Samuel’s dedication to the Lord’s service.)

The prayer celebrates God’s holiness, sovereignty, and justice.

David’s song is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.
(David was saved from his enemies.)

The song expresses David’s deep gratitude and faith in God’s power and faithfulness.

2 Samuel 22:1-7 NLT
David’s Song of Praise
^22:1 David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. ²He sang:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
³ my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
⁴I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
⁵“The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
⁶The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
⁷But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 22:1-7 NLT
David’s Song of Praise

David Praises the Lord his Deliverer

^22:1 David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.

David’s song of thanksgiving and praise to God.

David’s song is a song of praise to the Lord for his deliverance from all his enemies and from Saul.

In this song David recognized God’s faithfulness as well as God’s power.

David’s song recorded in 2 Samuel (2 Samuel 22:1-51) is nearly identical to Psalm 18.

²He sang:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
³ my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.

In this translation David uses words and phrases including:

rock, fortress, shield, refuge, my place of safety, my savior, and the one who saves me

to describe the Lord.

David used words and phrases including rock, fortress, shield, and refuge, my place of safety, my savior, and the one who saves me, to describe the Lord.

Many of these terms or images found in this section of David’s song came from David’s experiences as a warrior and fugitive who often hid in rocky strongholds.

These words and phrases represented God’s greatness, strength and reliability.

David knew that true security is only found in the Lord.

Rock – symbolizes strength, permanence, stability, immovable

God was David’s rock, his unshakable foundation.

God was David’s strength in times of danger.

Fortress – emphasizes security from enemies, a place of safety, protection from enemies, a secure retreat that the enemy finds inaccessible, a place of safety beyond enemy reach.

For David, God is his security and protection in times of danger.

Savior –means deliverer, rescuer, or protector.

God repeatedly intervened to rescue David from danger.

God was David’s security, protection, refuge, strength, and deliverer in the face of danger.

⁴I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.

David called on the Lord and the Lord saved David from his enemies.

⁵“The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.

This vividly portrays David’s feeling of being overwhelmed, like a man drowning in a sudden, violent flood.

⁶The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.

In his lifetime David faced many near death experiences.

Many times throughout his life, David would have felt wrapped up and trapped, like a captive destined for death.

David felt entangled and trapped. David knew that he was unable to free himself. This verse highlights the finality and hopelessness of his situation without divine intervention.

But God repeatedly broke these snares.

2 Samuel 22:1
Psalm 18:1
“the Lord rescued him (David) from all his enemies and from Saul.”

God rescued David repeatedly. (This is just a partial list.)

For emphasis, I believe it is important that we review these events.

David defeats Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

David risked his life when he fought the giant Philistine warrior Goliath with only a sling and faith in God.

1 Samuel 17:41-44 NLT
⁴¹Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, ⁴²sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. ⁴³“Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. ⁴⁴“Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.

David faced Saul’s Jealous Rage (1 Samuel 18:10–11 & 1 Samuel 19:9–10)Saul tried to kill David with a spear while David was playing the harp.

This happened on at least two occasions.

1 Samuel 18:10-11 NLT
¹⁰The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand, ¹¹and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.

Saul tried to have David killed in battle. 1 Samuel 18:17

1 Samuel 18:17 NLT
¹⁷One day Saul said to David, “I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I’ll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself.”

Saul sent men to David’s house to kill him, but Michal (David’s wife) helped him escape through a window. 1 Samuel 19:11

1 Samuel 19:11 NLT
¹¹Then Saul sent troops to watch David’s house. They were told to kill David when he came out the next morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning.”

Saul wants to kill David. 1 Samuel 20:30-31

1 Samuel 20:30-31 NLT
³⁰Saul boiled with rage at Jonathan. “You stupid son of a whore!” he swore at him. “Do you think I don’t know that you want him to be king in your place, shaming yourself and your mother? ³¹As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!”

1 Samuel 20–23

Saul repeatedly hunted David in the wilderness with his army, leading to close calls where David narrowly escaped.

David was constantly on the run, hiding in fields, caves, and deserts.

David among the Philistines at Gath.

David sought refuge in the Philistine city of Gath, the home of Goliath, where he was recognized and seized by the Philistines. He feigned madness to escape this danger.
King Achish of Gath could have killed David. 1 Samuel 21:10-15

1 Samuel 21:10-15NLT
¹⁰So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. ¹¹But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
¹²David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. ¹³So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.
¹⁴Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? ¹⁵We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”

Saul Again Pursues David (1 Samuel 26)

When the Amalekites raided Ziklag and burned it to the ground David’s own men even spoke of stoning him.

1 Samuel 30:6 NLT
⁶David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

Civil War with Ish-bosheth’s supporters (2 Samuel 2–4)

David’s forces battled Abner and Ish-bosheth’s men; constantly in danger in the struggle for the throne.

Battles with the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17–25)

The Philistines repeatedly attacked David after he became king.

2 Samuel 5:17 NLT
¹⁷When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him

War with the Ammonites and Arameans (2 Samuel 10–12)

David led his army in dangerous campaigns that risked his life.

Absalom’s Rebellion (2 Samuel 15–18)

David fled Jerusalem when Absalom seized power. Crossing the Jordan and hiding in the wilderness, he faced possible death if captured. Absalom’s forces actively sought to kill David.

Battles Against Giants (2 Samuel 21:15–22)

David grew weary fighting the Philistine giant Ishbi-benob, who tried to kill him. Abishai rescued him just in time.

2 Samuel 21:16 NLT
¹⁶Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants; his bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds, and he was armed with a new sword. He had cornered David and was about to kill him.

⁷But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.

David called to the Lord in his distress.

He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.

Where the Lord is enthroned as king

The temple here refers to God’s dwelling place in heaven, showing that even in his earthly peril, David’s prayer reached the divine throne room.

God heard David’s cry.

Summary:

David is reflecting back on a lifetime of deliverances, from the hand of all his enemies, by God.

David gives all the credit to God for his victories and survival, recognizing that every triumph came from divine deliverance, not his own strength.

Battles against Philistine Giants

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Battles against Philistine Giants

Introduction:

These final chapters of 2 Samuel (21–24) serve as an appendix, coda, or epilogue to David’s reign. These chapters are thematic, not chronological, and not all the events described here happened at the end of David’s reign.

Fighting Giants

This section discusses four battles in which Israel faced Philistine giants. Note that David is only mentioned in one of these four battles.

2 Samuel 21:15-22 NLT
Battles against Philistine Giants
¹⁵Once again the Philistines were at war with Israel. And when David and his men were in the thick of battle, David became weak and exhausted. ¹⁶Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants; his bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds, and he was armed with a new sword. He had cornered David and was about to kill him. ¹⁷But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men declared, “You are not going out to battle with us again! Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?”
¹⁸After this, there was another battle against the Philistines at Gob. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, another descendant of the giants.
¹⁹During another battle at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of his spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam!
²⁰In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants. ²¹But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.
²²These four Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed them.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Chronicles 20:4-8 is a parallel account to 2 Samuel 21:15-22

1 Chronicles 20:4-8 NLT
Battles against Philistine Giants
⁴After this, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, a descendant of the giants, and so the Philistines were subdued.
⁵During another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of Lahmi’s spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam!
⁶In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants. ⁷But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.
⁸These Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed them.

2 Samuel 21:15-22 NLT

Battles against Philistine Giants

The following four battles with the Philistines cannot be chronologically located with any certainty.

Each battle involves a heroic accomplishment by one of David’s mighty men, resulting in the death of a Philistine giant.

This record of four giant killers emphasizes the supernatural character of the victories David was able to enjoy because God fought for him by using various men in his army.

¹⁵Once again the Philistines were at war with Israel. And when David and his men were in the thick of battle, David became weak and exhausted.

David, though older at this point, still took part in a battle with the Philistines.

His presence on the battlefield shows his leadership and commitment.

Compare this to 2 Samuel 11:1

2 Samuel 11:1 NLT
David and Bathsheba
^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

David became weak and exhausted.

David’s weariness signals that his strength is failing — a reminder that even great leaders decline with age.

This shows that even God’s anointed king had human limitations.

David is vulnerable.

These episodes illustrate God’s continued protection over Israel and David’s kingdom, even as David’s own strength begins to wane.

¹⁶Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants;

Some translations use the phrase “a descendant of the giants or the sons of the giant.”

Other translations say “a descendant of Rapha”.

NIV – CEB
16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha

ESV – NASB
16 And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants

Rapha refers to the ancestor of the Rephaim.

The Rephaim (plural of Rapha) were a race of giants who lived in Canaan before Israel entered the land.

Some of their descendants apparently survived into David’s time among the Philistines of Gath, where Goliath came from.

Giants are mentioned in at least seven of the Old Testament books.

One familiar story is found in Numbers 13.

Numbers 13:31-33 NLT
Twelve Scouts Explore Canaan
³¹But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” ³²So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. ³³We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”

Ishbi-benob
His bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds,

This is an indication of his great strength.

and he was armed with a new sword.

His weapons were “up to date”.

He had cornered David and was about to kill him.

Since Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants he may have known that David had killed Goliath and now he wanted to avenge Goliath’s death.

Ishbi-benob cornered David and was about to kill him.

¹⁷But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine.

Abishai son of Zeruiah (David’s sister) came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine.

Abishai was David’s nephew.

Abishai was one of David’s most loyal and courageous warriors:

He is called one of David’s mighty men

Abishai came to David’s rescue and killed Ishbi-benob.

Then David’s men declared, “You are not going out to battle with us again!

David’s soldiers, recognizing his declining physical strength, insist that David stay out of direct combat, marking the end of David’s frontline fighting days.

Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?”

If David were to die in battle, Israel’s leadership and morale would be devastated.

David, with God’s help brought the light of prosperity and well-being to Israel.

David is the symbol of God’s presence and guidance for the nation, which must be preserved at all costs.

God’s blessing resided in David and his house.

Extinguishing that “lamp” would mean spiritual and national darkness for Israel.

This reminds us that God’s purposes are not dependent on one man’s physical strength but on His ongoing covenant faithfulness.

David is the symbol of God’s presence and guidance for the nation.

¹⁸After this, there was another battle against the Philistines at Gob. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, another descendant of the giants.

1 Chronicles 20:4 NLT
⁴After this, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, a descendant of the giants, and so the Philistines were subdued.

Gob may have been another name for Gezer (1 Chron. 20:4).

The repetition of “descendants of the giant” (Rephaim) emphasizes that these were formidable enemies, yet each is defeated by one of David’s warriors — showing God’s strength through human instruments.

The repetition of “descendants of the giant” emphasizes that these were formidable enemies, yet each is defeated by one of David’s warriors — showing God’s strength through human instruments.

¹⁹During another battle at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of his spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam!

1 Chronicles 20:5 NLT
⁵During another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of Lahmi’s spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam!

Some translations say “killed Goliath”.

Were there two giants named Goliath? Probably not.

Most scholars believe a scribal omission occurred here, leaving out “the brother of.”

There is no confusion in the translations of 1 Chronicles 20:5. Most translations say “killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath” or something very similar to that.

Regardless, the point stands: another descendant of the giants fell before David’s men.

Another descendant of the giants fell before David’s men.

²⁰In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants.

1 Chronicles 20:6 NLT
⁶In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants.

The description of this unnamed giant underscores the abnormal and intimidating nature of Israel’s enemies.

Such features emphasize his monstrous might — yet physical power means nothing against those God empowers.

The description of this unnamed giant underscores the abnormal and intimidating nature of Israel’s enemies— yet physical power means nothing against those God empowers.

²¹But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea (or Shammah).

1 Chronicles 20:7 NLT
⁷But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.

Taunting from another giant.

1 Samuel 17:8-11 NLT
Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! ⁹If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! ¹⁰I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” ¹¹When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.

The Jonathan named here is David’s nephew.

These episodes demonstrates the bravery of David’s warriors.

With God’s help, these warriors continue to defeat powerful enemies.

²²These four Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed them.

1 Chronicles 20:8 NLT
⁸These Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed them.

God’s kingdom overcomes the might of the world through faith and obedience.

David’s decline gives rise to others empowered to continue the fight — God’s work never depends on one person alone.

God’s power and protection still rest upon Israel through others besides David.

God’s strength triumphs over human might.

The overall point of this passage of scripture is that God continued to bless David and Israel with supernatural victories through his faithful servants.

The defeat of giants clearly shows God’s ability to triumph over seemingly insurmountable foes.

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Category Archives: Seeking His Kingdom Bible Study

Nathan’s Warning to Bathsheba

David in His Old Age

David Takes a Census

David’s Mightiest Warriors

David’s Last Words

David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving

God Rewards Righteousness and Punishes Wickedness

God as the Divine Warrior

David Praises the Lord his Deliverer

Battles against Philistine Giants