2 Samuel 5:11-25
My preacher friend put sanitary hot air hand dryers
in the rest rooms at his church and after two weeks
took them out. I asked him why and he confessed
that they worked fine but when he went in there he
saw a sign that read,
“For a sample of this week’s sermon, push the
button.”
A preacher’s young daughter noticed that her
father always bowed his head and closed his eyes
for a few seconds before he went to the pulpit to
preach. When she asked him why he did that, he
explained, ”I’m asking God to help me preach a
good sermon. His daughter thought about it for a
minute and said, “Well daddy, Why doesn’t he do
it?”
Last time we talked about David, we read of his anointing
by all the tribes of Israel. God had finally installed him as
king of all Israel. There would be no more waiting, no
more being chased by Saul. David is finally king. He also
established the capital city of Jerusalem where he would
rule.
Our text for this morning is 2 Samuel 5:11-25.
Before we dig in this morning, let’s take a moment to ask
God to speak to us through His word and give us the
ability to clearly understand His message to us.
2 Samuel 5:11-12
The Lord’s Provision
The Bible tells us that Hiram is the king of Tyre.
Tyre is a seaport on the Mediterranean Sea north of
Israel.
The Bible doesn’t share king Hiram’s motivation for
blessing king David. Did God tell him to build a house and
send the supplies and the labor?
Was Hiram seeking to get in good with David as a
political or military alliance?
We don’t know for sure, but what we do know is that
God takes care of His children.
Do you remember when God sent Elijah food by the
mouth of a raven?
Do you remember when God sent manna from heaven to
feed the Israelites?
David likely wasn’t sure either why Hiram would show
him this kindness, but two truths were made clear to
David in this situation.
1. The Lord Established David as King over Israel.
2. The Lord Exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people.
We must remember that when God always provides for
His children.
2 Samuel 5:13-16
David’s Polygamy
Aren’t you glad that God is a God of grace?
I’m sure David is.
The author simply describes David taking more wives and
concubines here. There is no condoning or condemning.
What should we take away from David having multiple
wives and concubines?
Do you remember two weeks ago when we talked about
the qualifications of a king described in Deuteronomy 17:14-20?
The third qualification was a limitation on power, women
and wealth. I want to revisit that verse.
Deuteronomy 17:17a “Neither shall he multiply wives for
himself, lest his heart turn away;”
God warned the people about the danger of polygamy.
We like to bring up Solomon when it comes to having too
many wives and concubines, but his father David failed in
that regard too. As I said before, aren’t you glad we
serve the God of grace?
God never approved or condoned polygamy, but many of
the men He used to fulfill His purposes compromised on
this.
So who were David’s wives?
Michal – Saul’s Daughter
Abigail – the widow of Nabal
Later he will marry Bathsheba
2 Samuel 5 doesn’t name his wives, just his children.
2 Samuel 5:17-25
In these verses we see a pattern.
David Prays
God Responds
David Obeys
The Lord’s Protection
The First Battle
David Prays – before engaging in battle against the
Philistines, David seeks guidance from the Lord. I
Chronicles 16 records David’s Song of Thanks. Verse 11
says the following:
“Seek the Lord and His strength;seek His presence
continually!”
Imagine how different your life would be if you were to
seek the Lord and His strength and seek His presence
continually!
God Responds – God tells David to go up because He
will certainly give the Philistines into his hand.
David Obeys – David goes to Baal-perazim and defeats
the Philistines there.
David Praises God – David recognized that God was
responsible for the victory. He describes the way God
went before him like a breaking flood.
Verse 21 tells us the Philistines left their idols there.
Why did the Philistines bring their idols with them to the
battle?
They probably thought they could help them in the battle.
But this was futile because these idols were made of
wood or iron and they were made by the hands of men.
They had no chance of victory against the one true living
God.
Verse 21 also says that David and his men carried them
(idols) away.
They were not carrying the idols away so they could place
them on their mantle at home or in their trophy case.
I Chronicles 14:12 tells us that David commanded them
to burn the idols of the Philistines.
This is a good reminder that we must rid ourselves of any
idols that exist in our life. We must eradicate them from
our lives otherwise they are likely to take hold and pull us
away from God.
That is pretty much the definition of an idol, something
that takes our attention from God.
Jesus said we cannot have two masters.
He requires our full devotion.
The Lord Creatively Protects David
The Second Battle
David Prays – this time the prayer is almost assumed.
And when David inquired of the Lord.
God Responds – You shall not go up; this time God has
something else up His sleeve. God has already defeated
them once head on. This time God wants to do something
more creative. He tells David to go up behind the enemy
near the Balsam trees and listen for the sound of
marching in the tops of the trees. When you hear it get
ready because I will have gone before you to strike down
the Philistines.
David Obeys – he did as the Lord commanded and
struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.
Isn’t God amazing? He is so creative.
This is the same God who parted the Red Sea so Israel
could walk across on dry ground to safety.
This is the same God that allowed Peter to walk on water
and who Himself also walked on water.
This is the same God who made a donkey speak.
This is the same God who made the walls of Jericho fall
down after the people marched around the city and blew
their trumpets.
God is always providing for His children and protecting us
when we need it.
APPLICATION
There’s a pattern we can learn from David in these
verses.
One that will help us avoid discipline and correction from
the Lord.
Pray
Listen
Obey
It sounds pretty simple, but we all know how difficult it is
to do what we know is right when doing what is wrong
comes so easily.
Prayer should be our first thought not our last resort
Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence
continually!
Listening can come through prayer or meditation of Bible
study.
Obedience is the heart of what God wants from us.
Deuteronomy 6:1-3 “Now this is the commandment, and
these are the statutes and judgments which the
LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that
you may observe them in the land which you are
crossing over to possess, that you may fear the
LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His
commandments which I command you, you and
your son and your grandson, all the days of your life,
and that your days may be prolonged. Therefore hear,
O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well
with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the
LORD God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land
flowing with milk and honey.”
Pray
Listen
Obey