Commissioned

What do you find the most inspiring in the language of this psalm? The most inspiring sentiments in the language of this psalm is David's total submission to God and trusting that he will be delivered from his enemies. What encourages you the most? I am encouraged knowing that just as God has protected and delivered David from his enemies He will do the same for me as I trust HIM. Write down all the various titles and metaphors used of God in this psalm. Titles and metaphors used of God in this psalm are, Lord, Most High, Rock, Fortress, Strength, Deliverer, Shield, Horn of my Salvation, Stronghold, Support, Teacher, and Avenger.

Q4. (2 Samuel 16-20) What does this passage teach us about David’s character and faith? This passage teaches us that David vacilates between fully trusting in God and the arm of flesh. What does it reveal about Joab’s character? Joab was a selfish and seeks to accomplish his own goals. What kind of faith do you see in Joab? Joab's faith is in his accomplishments. What does this passage teach us about the importance of friends? Loyal friends are important for accomplishing your goal. Is Joab really David’s friend? Joab is David's friend but must have his way.

Q3. (2 Samuel 18:1-19:8) Why does David command mercy for Absalom in the battle? David command mercy for Absalom in the battle because he was his son and he truly loved him. Why does Joab kill him against David’s orders? Joab kill Absalom against David’s orders because he felt that Absalom who wanted to kill David should die instead. How does David’s loud mourning threaten his kingdom? David’s loud mourning threaten his kingdom at a time when the people should be rejoicing and welcoming him back to his place as King he's demonstration remorse for his enemy and disregarded the feelings of the people. What does this say about his followers’ loyalty? This says that his followers’ were indeed loyal to him, but they want a strong leader. What does it say about David’s faith? This reaction say that David, knowing that he was the Lord's anointed continued to trust God. About his weaknesses? David's weakness is brought under control.

Q2. (2 Samuel 16:5-14) Why doesn’t David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him? David doesn’t silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him because he believes that perhaps Shimei was being used by the Lord to curse him as part of the Lord's judgment. In that case, David doesn't want to put himself in the place of opposing God. Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision? This decision is a spiritual one rather than a political one because he says, "It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today." What does it tell us about David’s faith? It tells us that David fears God and continues to trust in God's mercy and knows that in repentance God will vindicate him.

Q1. (2 Samuel 15:14-30) Why does David flee Jerusalem rather than stay and fight? David fled Jerusalem rather than stay and fight because he feared the city being put to a battle in which many of the people will be killed and he might possibly lose. What are David’s emotions during this retreat? David was at an emotional low but still he looked to the Lord for protection and eventually bringing him back to the throne. Why doesn’t he take the ark with him into exile? David did not take the ark with him into exile because the ark should be under the care of the priest and in the city, not in exile with him. Does this exhibit faith, fatalism, or submission? David's actions and emotional display shows his submission to the providence of God. What does this tell us about his faith? David fully trust his God.

Q4. (2 Samuel 13-15:13) It’s difficult to find positive spiritual lessons in these sad and grim chapters. It is difficult to find positive spiritual lessons in these sad and grim chapters because it is centered around a dysfunctional family, a people that is considered to be "people of God," and decides not to follow God's anointed and appointed leader. What negative spiritual lessons do you find? The negative spiritual lessons that is found here highlights how the blessings God bestows upon us can be used to reject his will and for man to establish his own will. "In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him." (2 Samuel 14:25) Absalom had everything and yet wanted his father's crown too.

Q3. (2 Samuel 15:1-6) What are the elements of Absalom’s public relations campaign to win over the people to his side? Absalom sought the public's favor by granting them favor as sitting as judge in civil matters. How effective is it? Absalom's public relation campaign was very effective because the people began to favor him and saw his as a great and important man. What should David have done differently? David should have been a stronger leader, one who presented himself as a King and as a disciplinarian when necessary. Which of David’s weaknesses does Absalom exploit? Absalom exploited David's absence of providing judicial rulings in a timely manner.

Q2. (2 Samuel 13:39-14:24) Why do you think Joab conspires to get David to bring Absalom home? I think Joab conspired to get David to bring Absalom home because David truly longed to have his son home. Why do you think David does not immediately show Absalom his favor? I think David did not immediately show Absalom his favor beofter cause he did not want to show his side, a father's love for his son in spite of his wrong doing.

Q1. (2 Samuel 13:21-22) Why do you think David doesn’t discipline his son Amnon for his sexual assault on his half-sister? I believe that David doesn’t discipline his son Amnon for his sexual assault on his half-sister because he remembers his own sinful desires as a younger man and that he favored him being his first born son. What are the consequences of David’s inaction? The consequences of David’s inaction caused him to lose the moral leadership of his family and in so doing led to the death of Amnon. Absalom took matters in his own hands and killed Amnon..

Q4. (2 Samuel 12:10-14) What punishment does David deserve? David deserved to die for his sin. What does he get instead? David's punishment was that the sword will never depart from his house, his descendants will always be in battle. God promise to take away his wives and give them to someone who is close to him and this will bring shame on the family. How does this punishment relate to the provisions of the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7:14-15? God promised that even when his children sin, he would chasten them but His mercy shall not depart from them. The provisions of the Davidic Covenant still stands. How do David’s sins hurt God’s glory? David's sins hurt God's glory because he went against the will o God. How do our sins reflect on Jesus Christ? Our sins reflect on Jesus Christ because his blood was shed for our cleansing. When we sin we're holding on to that which Jesus died to rescue us from.

Q3. (2 Samuel 12:1-10) Why might it be dangerous for Nathan the prophet to confront the king? The king had supreme authority and did not need to listen to anyone and this word that the prophet was bringing might not be welcomed. What device does Nathan employ get the king to listen to him? Nathan told the King what he wanted him to know by telling his story disguised. How does David’s condemnation of the rich man’s greed help him acknowledge and condemn his own actions? David's condemn the rich man's greed because in his heart he sympathized with the poor man. This led him to recognize himself in the story. .

Q2. (2 Samuel 11) How can a “man after God’s own heart” do something so ugly, so despicable as this – first adultery and then murder by proxy to cover it up? David was able to do something so ugly, so despicable as this - adultery followed by murder by proxy, because he allowed sin to enter his heart; first he coveted another man's wife then he acted on it and finally to cover it all up he committed murder by proxy. One sin led to another, and another, and another, etc. What does this teach us about our human condition? God has promised to make a way of escape for us when temptation to sin arises, David's sinning teaches us to resist the devil and follow God's path to escape. What is our problem as humans? Our problem as humans is that Satan will always bring temptations to us. How can David ever recover his integrity after this? David's integrity can be recovered only by repenting and receiving God's forgiveness.

Q1. (2 Samuel 9:1-13) Why does David honor Mephibosheth? David honored his promises to Jonathan and also his promise to Saul not to kill his offspring when he gets the chance. What does this teach us about David’s character? David was a man of integrity, trustworthy a man of his word.

Q4. The Davidic kingdom did end in 587 BC – temporarily. How did God fulfill his promises in the Davidic Covenant? After the capture in 587 B.C. the kingdom remained in under foreign rulership. The fulfillment of the promise was of the Messiah. In what ways is it fulfilled in Christ? The promise is fulfilled in Christ as Messiah who is of the descendant of David and who is the everlasting king of Israel.

Q3. (2 Samuel 7:14-16) There is a conditional aspect in the Davidic Covenant – that God will discipline David’s descendants when they sin. How did God discipline David and his descendants? The discipline to David's descendants came in the form of captivity by foreign rulers. Under Solomon's son Rehoboam the kingdom split The split-off Northern Kingdom went through nine different royal dynasties before it ended in exile by the Assyrians in 722 BC. The Southern Kingdom of Judah, on the other hand, experienced just a single dynasty throughout the approximately 400 years between David ascending the throne until the final exile to Babylon in 587 BC.

Q2. (2 Samuel 7:8-13) What are the main promises of the Davidic Covenant? The main promises of the Davidic Covenant are: 1. A great name 2. A secure homeland for his people 3. Peace (rest from his enemies) 4. A Dynasty 5. A Son Who Will Build the Temple 6. An Everlasting Kingdom Are these promises conditional or unconditional? Unlike some of the othe covenants, these promises are unconditional they are God's will for David, his descendants and the Israelites. Why does conditionality make a difference? Conditionality makes a difference because the promises depends upon compliance to something. Which of these promises is most important to you as a Christian? The promise that is most important to me as a Christian is knowing that I am a citizen of an Everlasting Kingdom.

Q1. (2 Samuel 7:1-7) Why is Nathan so quick to give David approval to build the temple? Nathan is quick to give David approval to build the temple because he was convinced that David had God's approval since he was the anointed king and he was a person who feared and worshipped God with all of his heart. What should have Nathan done instead? Nathan should have sought God's direction for advising King David. What is the danger of leaders and followers too quickly approving major spiritual directions without really waiting upon the Lord? The danger of leaders and followers too quickly approving major spiritual directions without really waiting upon the Lord is not following the will of God in the matter. David’s heart is partly right about building the temple though. David’s heart is partly right about building the temple, he considered a place for the Ark of God, a place where God meets with them should be a place that is magnifcence and a place that represents him giving his best for God. Which part does David have right? David was right, God should be given our best; in all things.

Q4. (2 Samuel 6:16, 20-23) What has happened to Michal that she is so bitter at David? Michal is bitter at David because the kingdom was taken away from Saul and his household and given to David. Even though David was her husband, it appears that she still held a dislike for th fact that he reigned as \king over Israel and not her blood relative. How does her bitterness cause her to misjudge what she sees? Because of her butterness she refuses to see any good in what David did as he praised God. Are you bitter towards God about something in your past? What effect might it have on your spiritual life? No, I'm not bitter towards God abount anything in my past. How can you find healing from the bitterness? You can find healing from bitterness by forgiving the person who caused the hurt. What would have happened if David had conformed his worship expression to his wife’s preferences? If David had conformed his worship expression to his wife's preference would mean that he esteemed her above God. It is God's desire for His creation to worship Him with the freedom and free-will that He gave them. He wants us to worship Him in Spirit and in truth, with passion.

Q3. (2 Samuel 6:14, 22) How would you describe David’s approach to worship? David’s approach to worship was to give everything in the act of worship. David danced with a passion before the Lord. What does his dancing here teach us? David's dancing teaches us to be free in our worship. As we worship God we should remember that we worship Him alone and we do so with all our heart. What do we learn about praise from the psalms he wrote? The Psalms David wrote teaches us that our praise are to be spoken and sung out loud, it is to be experienced. Does what others might think affect your ability to worship? What others thing should not affect our ability to worship, though it sometimes does. We should always worship an audience of one. How has God been working in your life to teach you to worship him in spirit and in truth? It is my desire to worship God as He desires, in Spirit and in truth without fear of what man might say.

Q2. (2 Samuel 6:11-13) How should the ark have been transported? The Ark should have been transported by Levites. They were God's choice to carry the Arkof the Lord. How are Uzzah and David responsible if they don’t know the provisions of the Mosaic Law? Both are responsibile for knowing how to handle sacred objects because God's instructions were given to them in the Torah. What does David’s mistake in this incident teach us about seeking to do God’s will? David’s mistake in this incident teaches us that seeking to do God’s will always require that we stay in communion with Him and obey Him.

Q1. (2 Samuel 6:1-10) Why does God strike Uzzah? Why is David so angry? I believe God struck Uzzah because his touching to the Ark was an act of of irreverence for the Holy thing. God establish for His people how holy things are to be handled and His people are expected to do likewise. In this instance how to handle that which is holy was the lesson to be learned. I believe David was angry because under his instructions the Ark was being brought to Jerusalem and the death of Uzzah was attributed to him obeying David. David now stood embarrassed and responsible for this death.

Q3. (2 Samuel 5:17-25) Why does David inquire of the Lord before he attacks the Philistines the first time? David's inquiry of the Lord before he attacked the Philistines the first time because as the servant of the Lord and wanting to obey God's directing he wanted to know that when he moves against the Philistine that it was God's will. What would have happened if he thought he knew how to attack the Philistines, and didn’t inquire of the Lord the second time? Having the desire to be in God's will, he sought to know how God will deliver the Philistine into his hands. How specifically would his army attack and be successful. Why do we often want to figure out the process so we can act independently, rather than wait on God as a way of life? We often want to figure out the process and act independently because we are impatient, sometimes, and also because sometime we think that it cannot be done another way; this must be it. What does that say about God? When we act independent of God it says that we do not see God as Sovereign, over all. What does that say about us? When we act independent of God it says that we are allowing the flesh, carnal mind, to rule when in fact it should be dying. Our will should be God's will, therefore before we embark upon any venture we must always seek God's will.

Q2. (2 Samuel 5:1-5) Approximately how long has it been since David had been anointed king by Samuel? (See Appendix 4. Chronology of the Life of David). Why did the fulfillment of God’s word take so long? How would you evaluate David’s patience concerning this prophecy that he would be king? How would you measure your own patience concerning what you believe God has promised you? The time that lapsed between Samuel's anointing of David and his reign over all Israel was about seven. The fulfillment of God’s word took so long because of David's a keen sense of righteousness when it involves the kingship. He restrained himself from establishing himself as King over Saul and his descendant after Saul's death because he knew the kingdom would be his someday. In evaluating David's patience I'd say that he waited paitently knowing that God's plan for his life would come to pass. I'd like to say that I also wait patiently for God's plans to unfold but, very often I am impatient. It is an area that I need God's help with.

Q1. (2 Samuel 3:22-39) Why does Joab slay Abner? Is he justified in doing so? How does this affect his king’s unification plans? Why do you think Joab is so blind? How can our spiritual blindness get in the way of God working out His plan in our lives? Joab slays Abner in revenge for his brother's death. Joab is not justified in this slaying as the death of his brother was not an intentional nor pr-meditated act by Abner. Joab's selfish act interrupted the plans which were being made to united both Judah and Israel under the kingship of David. In this matter of revenful killing Joab is blind to the most important matters that concern the kingdom because he was more concern about his personal feelings and his hatred toward Abner. When we are spiritually blind and allow personal motives to take center stage and upset the program or plans for the wider community we get in the way of God's plans being effective in all of our lives.

Q3. (2 Samuel 1:19-27; 1 Chronicles 10:13-14) David is gracious in his memorial psalm. How does he remember Saul’s life? How does the Chronicler remember Saul’s life? How do you think God evaluates Saul’s life? What do we learn from this? David remembers Saul's liife and as he and all his men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul. David wrote a Psalm in honor of Saul and detailed his life with words of praise. The Chronicler remember Saul’s life by speaking of the judgment of the Lord against him. I think God evaluates Saul’s life as a sinner deserving his mercy and grace. From this we learn that even though someone may have been hand picked by God for an assignment, they could fall from the righteousness that they once held; but where sin abound grace much more abound.