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Q3. (2 Samuel 18:1-19:8) Why does David command mercy for Absalom in the battle? Why does Joab kill him against David's orders? How does David's loud mourning threaten his kingdom? What does this say about his followers' loyalty? What does it say about David's faith? About his weaknesses? David loved his son and did not want him to die. Joab knows that with the death of Absalom the rebellion will be over, and also for all the trouble he has caused he deserves death. David has to be careful with the mourning of his son and it would be wise to take Joab’s advise and thank his troops. After all they had risked their lives for their king, but they came back to Jerusalem as if they had been defeated. They had won the war, saved the king and his family, but the king is weeping because Absalom was slain. Instead they should have been rejoicing. As a father we can expect David to grieve over the tragic death of a son, but as a leader he owes it to his followers to acknowledge their brave service. From this we can see that David’s followers were very loyal to him, and they were sympathetic to the kings sorrow. During this whole episode we see David fully trusting God. As far as his weaknesses are concerned – I think that when it comes to his family David is seen as a weak father not disciplining his sons for one. Also he must have been in a comfort zone living the life of luxury and had become lethargic and complacent as a leader.

Q2. (2 Samuel 16:5-14) Why doesn't David silence Shimei son of Gera from cursing him? Is this a political decision or a spiritual decision? What does it tell us about David's faith? David doesn’t silence Shimei, instead we see that he overcomes his present anger, hurt, and bitterness. It is a spiritual decision. David is being verbally abused as well as having rocks thrown at him, yet he does not retaliate. Shimei accuses David of destroying Saul and his household and taking over the throne. He is completely misinformed for we know that David spared Saul's life several times, as well as honouring the position and the authority of the king. David realises that Shimei is God's tool to shape David's life for future good. We all find criticism hard to accept, but David responds properly and this helps him to grow even more spiritually by developing character, humility, patience, and dependence upon God. This all tells us that David had great faith in God and did not seeks revenge; he would rather trust God to take care of people like Absalom and Shimei. Even though he is falsely accused and shamefully treated; still David submits to the sovereign will of God.

Q1. (2 Samuel 15:14-30) Why does David flee Jerusalem rather than stay and fight? What are David's emotions during this retreat? Why doesn't he take the ark with him into exile? Does this exhibit faith, fatalism, or submission? What does this tell us about his faith? In the past we saw that David acts best under crisis, but until now he has been rather lethargic. However, with a crisis looming he moves into action. I think it was a strategic decision to flee rather than stay and fight. One reason was that there was not enough food available to survive a siege. He also knows what Absalom is capable of, and if he attacks Jerusalem he would slaughter innocent inhabitants, and David saw no reason for hundreds of people to die. At the same time he is buying time to get organised; he knows his chances are better in open country if there is going to be a battle. Also by leaving Jerusalem, he could identify his loyal supporters – those that left with him. While fleeing David weeps and knows he is being punished for his evil deeds; the words - "The sword shall not depart from your household" was being fulfilled. In the midst of all this betrayal and trouble we still see David’s concern for others. He does not take the ark with him because he knows the Lord is with him and that he will be returning to Jerusalem. We see this as he leaves ten concubines behind. Besides he does not see the ark as only his or as a type of good luck charm. All this exhibits faith and submission. David is willing to accept whatever God has decided for his life; we read, “But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him." (v 26). David was inviting God to examine his heart and life and see if he was still a man after God's own heart. If David was not right, he was open to God's judgment and was willing to take whatever punishment God had in mind. He was willing to be corrected by the Lord. This tells me that David has learned to put his confidence in God, though burdened, broken-hearted, and deeply hurt. In Psalm 3 we get a clearer picture of what was taking place in his heart. In one of the verses he affirms his trust in the Lord: “But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. Psalm 3:3.

Q4. (2 Samuel 13-15:13) It's difficult to find positive spiritual lessons in these sad and grim chapters. What negative spiritual lessons do you find? There is so much negativity in these lessons. By not disciplining our children in love can have disastrous consequences as seen here with David and Absalom. I know we all want the best for our children but unfortunately they have the tendency to follow our weaknesses instead of our strengths. We obviously do not want them making the same mistakes we have made by disobeying our Lord. So we should not be surprised if they do. Another negative lesson we can observe is that bitterness and anger can have devastating effects on our lives, as witnessed by Absalom’s hate and subsequent murder of his brother Amnon. Then again we see Absalom’s actions are totally opposed to God’s way. He promoted and exalted himself, undermining his own father’s reign as king, causing untold chaos and death as well as leading so many people astray with all his lies and manipulation. The lesson here is if you do evil you will ultimately be called to account, as we see in Absalom’s untimely death. David is also to blame in not taking control of the situation early and stamping his authority on his reign and reacting immediately to any form of betrayal.

Q3. (2 Samuel 15:1-6) What are the elements of Absalom's public relations campaign to win over the people to his side? How effective is it? What should David have done differently? Which of David's weaknesses does Absalom exploit? Absalom is a smooth talker and uses charm to sway the people and steal their hearts away from David. A real trouble-maker and an absolute fake. We see him exalting himself and manipulating people. These actions do not demonstrate Godliness, instead they reveal his true motive in doing all this was to get power for himself. His whole campaign is very effective as it took only four years for Absalom's magnetism to draw together a large number of devoted followers throughout the whole land. The people love him and fall for his deception so much so that he manages to stir up trouble in Jerusalem. David must have been aware of Absalom’s actions and that they were done to undermine the king’s authority – as seen at the city gate. Perhaps, at this time, David was ill and not completely in control of the affairs of the kingdom, and had allowed Absalom to carry on with his deception. Absalom exploited David’s weakness in not disciplining his family and subjects. As soon as he became aware of Absalom’s efforts to undermine his authority he should have taken the appropriate action to stop it.

Q2. (2 Samuel 13:39-14:24) Why do you think Joab conspires to get David to bring Absalom home? Why do you think David does not immediately show Absalom his favour? Joab realised that David longed to have Absalom back in Jerusalem, but more importantly, Joab was concerned about Absalom, who was heir to the throne, being ready to reign just in case something happened to David. Although David misses his son, perhaps he realises that the people knew that Absalom was guilty of murder and should therefore be executed. As king it was his duty to uphold the law, and Absalom being guilty of Amnon’s murder could therefore not return without receiving due punishment. So we see the fear of public disapproval preventing David from allowing Absalom to return to Jerusalem. On the other hand, we know that Absalom was a favourite among the people, and perhaps David allowed his son to be kept out of the limelight and lay low for a time.

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? What are the consequences of David's inaction? It would be difficult for David to discipline and punish Amnon for a sexual sin which he himself is guilty of. So he does nothing about it; instead his response should have been immediate. This inaction was to have dire consequences – leading ultimately to the death of two of his sons.

Q4. (2 Samuel 12:10-14) What punishment does David deserve? What does he get instead? How does this punishment relate to the provisions of the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7:14-15? How do David's sins hurt God's glory? How do our sins reflect on Jesus Christ? David's adultery with Bathsheba was a sin of passion, a sin of the moment that overtook him, but his sin of having Uriah killed was premeditated murder, a crime that was deliberate and disgraceful. The punishment David deserves, like all of us, is death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).” But instead of death, David gets forgiveness – he confesses “I have sinned against the Lord”, and Nathan assures David that the Lord has forgiven him. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).’ David himself writes in Psalm 103:12 – “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” So, God has forgiven David, but he does not escape the punishment he deserves. As we see in 2 Samuel 7:14-15, God has promised that he will remain a father to David and David will receive punishment inflicted by men. And this is what happened. The first baby conceived by David and Bathsheba died by disease. Amnon was murdered by Absalom. Absalom was killed by Joab. Adonijah will be executed by Solomon. David’s sins, and ours, hurt God’s glory, in that when we knowingly sin, we insult God and show contempt for Him. How do our sins reflect on Jesus? Well, all our sins are put upon Him. He died on the cross for David’s sins and all our sins. As we read in 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24). All I can say is that we are fortunate to have a loving Heavenly Father full of grace and mercy!

Q3. (2 Samuel 12:1-10) Why might it be dangerous for Nathan the prophet to confront the king? What device does Nathan employ get the king to listen to him? How does David's condemnation of the rich man's greed help him acknowledge and condemn his own actions? In those days the king was normally all-powerful and demanded utmost respect. Confronting such a king directly could result in death! Therefore, to tell the king about his sin would take courage, compassion, and wisdom. This Nathan did by using a juridical parable to get his message subtly across. It is a parable that focuses on David’s sins - we see a picture of David, Uriah, and Bathsheba. David is the rich man. The poor man is Uriah. The lamb is Bathsheba. We notice that David could judge sin in others more easily than in himself. However, David’s response and condemnation of the rich man actually pronounced judgment on himself. He was disgusted with the rich man’s behaviour and declared that the rich man should restore fourfold and deserved to die for his sin. It was when Nathan pointed out to David that he was the rich man in the parable that the full realization of what he had done came to him and he then came to the place of repentance and confessed his sin as being against the LORD. Ironically, it was David who eventually had to restore fourfold, as he himself had decreed concerning the rich man in the parable: The baby would die; Amnon would be murdered; Absalom would be slain; and Adonijah would be executed.

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? What does this teach us about our human condition? What is our problem as humans? How can David ever recover his integrity after this? David although being a man after God’s own heart, is like all of us, a sinner saved by Grace. He is therefore, like all of us, capable of doing these despicable sins. This teaches us that we have a great need for a Saviour to save us and get us out of this sin condition. We cannot do it on our own. We need to be “recreated”, that is made new creations with the help of the Holy Spirit and by our Lord Jesus Himself. We read this in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Here we see David, the man after God's own heart, commit adultery and then murder the husband in a last-ditch effort to cover his own sin. But sin can never be successfully covered – we cannot hide our sins from God. Luckily for David our Lord is a loving God full of compassion, and David after repenting is forgiven of these sins. However, our Heavenly Father is also a just God and David had to pay dearly for his sins. As Charles Spurgeon said, "God does not allow his children to sin successfully.”

Q1. (2 Samuel 9:1-13) Why does David honour Mephibosheth? What does this teach us about David's character? We had read earlier in 1 Samuel 20:12-17 and other verses that David had promised both Saul and Jonathan that he would not exterminate their descendants when he became king. So here we see David keeping his promises by not only sparing Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, but by honouring him as well. In this respect it shows that David is a man of his word and at the same time a man of compassion. He had inherited all that belonged to Saul and yet he gave it all to Mephibosheth. In honouring Mephibosheth David was actually honouring Jonathan, the father. To me this shows that David was indeed a man after God’s own heart. See Acts 13:22, “After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.' “

Q4. The Davidic kingdom did end in 587 BC - temporarily. How did God fulfill his promises in the Davidic Covenant? In what ways is it fulfilled in Christ? In 2 Samuel 7:13 God reveals his promise of a Kingdom that will last forever, and that David’s own descendant would sit on the throne. As we know this kingdom has been interrupted since the Babylonian captivity, but it will be restored when Christ, the Seed of David, returns to reign over all the earth, and as we read in Revelation 11:15, Jesus will reign for ever and ever." The kingdom belongs to God and it is through His Son, Jesus Christ that the Kingdom will be ruled. Christ has been king in His kingdom all along; for we read in Psalm 110:1, The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." Jesus confirms this in Matthew 28:18, “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” When the last enemy is destroyed, namely death, then comes the end, and He will hand over the kingdom to God the Father, as seen in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, “Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He "has put everything under His feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under Him, it is clear that this does not include God Himself, who put everything under Christ. When He has done this, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under Him, so that God may be all in all.” This does not mean that then He will cease to rule; He will reign forever and ever – fulfilling His covenant made with David.

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? Further in 2 Samuel we read all about the sins committed by David and his family and how God disciplined them. There are sins of incest, murder, and rebellion mentioned, and that this brought both David and his family a lot of suffering; even almost costing him the throne. David’s sin that I best remember is his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. This sin led to other sins and terrible consequences for the whole family. He planned to have Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, killed by sending him to the front line of battle. There is Amnon's crime of incest, followed by Absalom's murder of his brother. We see Absalom proclaim himself king throughout Israel, and his strong following posing a threat to David, causing David to flee from Jerusalem. David gained time through deceptively organising his forces and putting down his son's rebellion. Absalom was killed while trying to flee; his death plunged David into grief. David and his family could not escape God’s discipline and judgments and the whole family was thrown into turmoil. When the prophet Nathan confronted the king with his sins, David acknowledged his guilt. He confessed his sins and pleaded with God for forgiveness. We read in two of David’s Psalms the agony he was suffering. In Psalm 32, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"- and you forgave the guilt of my sin….” David had gone through divine chastening and forgiveness, now he encourages others to seek the Lord who deals graciously with sinners. Again in Psalm 51, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me….” God forgave him, but for a long period David had to endure the consequences of his lack of self-control as well as his failure to discipline his family.

Q2. (2 Samuel 7:8-13) What are the main promises of the Davidic Covenant? Are these promises conditional or unconditional? Why does conditionality make a difference? Which of these promises is most important to you as a Christian? The promises God had made were that David’s name would be great; he would have a secure homeland for his people; and there would be peace. The other promises made by God are that David would have a son (Solomon) who would build the Temple, and that this son’s throne would be established forever. In other words the reign of our Messiah would go on forever. These promises are unconditional in that they are binding promises made by God to David and ultimately to us as believers. This conditionality makes a big difference in that all David had to do was trust God and accept these promise in good faith. As a Christian believer in today’s world, I find comfort in knowing that all of this is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of David and will be manifested when He returns, establishes the promised kingdom, and sits on David's throne. David would have a house forever, a kingdom forever, and a throne forever, and would glorify God's name forever. So we see these same spiritual blessings God offered to David are offered today in Jesus Christ to all who will trust Him. This we read in Acts 13:32-39, “We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "'You are my Son; today I have become your Father'. The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: "'I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.' So it is stated elsewhere: "'You will not let your Holy One see decay.' "For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

Q1. (2 Samuel 7:1-7) Why is Nathan so quick to give David approval to build the temple? What should have Nathan done instead? What is the danger of leaders and followers too quickly approving major spiritual directions without really waiting upon the Lord? David's heart is partly right about building the temple though. Which part does David have right? Nathan has given his approval to David without knowing the mind of God. He makes a hasty and wrong decision; he first needed to study the Word and pray about it before giving his approval. He had acted hastily without first consulting the Lord, and because of this hasty decision he has to admit to David that he was wrong and had made a mistake. We don’t know God’s plans but we do know that God is always right. So it was incorrect decision of Nathan. God did not want David to build the temple for He had given David the task of leading Israel and destroying its enemies. To do this David needed to be a warrior and as we read in 1 Chronicles 28:3, God did not want His Temple built by a warrior. “But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.' God, however, did use David to collect the materials so that his son Solomon could begin working on the Temple when he becalm king. We see David’s heart is right, and that he dearly loves the Lord and feels God deserves the best and for this reason wants to build a temple to house the Ark. Perhaps he also has some feelings of guilt. He has been king for nearly 15 years and is living in luxury compared to the tent that houses the Lord. So David’s motives were right, but he was not the right person for the job.

Q4. (2 Samuel 6:16, 20-23) What has happened to Michal that she is so bitter at David? How does her bitterness cause her to misjudge what she sees? Are you bitter towards God about something in your past? What effect might it have on your spiritual life? How can you find healing from the bitterness? What would have happened if David had conformed his worship expression to his wife's preferences? Everyone, except Michal, is happy and rejoicing. Her bitterness towards David might be as a result of his harem – she was his first wife, and might by now, be jealous of all David’s other wives. Also she is called Saul’s daughter (v20) instead of David’s wife perhaps indicating that her attitude towards David was the same as her father’s. This bitterness could perhaps also have resulted in her indifference towards God, and she therefore sees little value in praising God and the actions of David. I can honestly say I have never been bitter towards God about anything. On the contrary I have only been most grateful for what He has done in my life and the lives of my family. Fortunately the Holy Spirit has helped me realise long ago that I must, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). David was by nature an extrovert and I cannot imagine him not giving full outing to expressing his joy in praising and worshipping God. He was truly excited and Michal would only have dampened his enthusiasm.

Q3. (2 Samuel 6:14, 22) How would you describe David's approach to worship? What does his dancing here teach us? What do we learn about praise from the psalms he wrote? Does what others might think affect your ability to worship? How has God been working in your life to teach you to worship him in spirit and in truth? I know David acted out of love for the Lord, but perhaps with actions that are a bit undignified for a king. We see his gratitude and love for God expressed in his dancing in psalm 30:11. He wrote: “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy”. Having remembered his illness and God's healing, David rejoices in what the Lord has done. Other Psalmists have also expressed their praise with dancing. In Psalm 149:3, “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp”. And Psalm 150:4: “praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,”. I think God likes us to worship Him with song and dance. When used properly our music and singing can bring praise to God. We should praise Him for what He has done for us, and for who He is. I think I will be classified as being one of “God’s frozen people”. I suppose it has something to do with my age and culture. To me it does matter what God thinks, and out of reverence for Him I prefer acting in a dignified way in both my actions and my dress code when worshipping Him. After all, we owe our Heavenly Father all our worship, adoration, and praise. 1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. Psalm 150:1-6 (NIV)

Q2. (2 Samuel 6:11-13) How should the ark have been transported? How are Uzzah and David responsible if they don't know the provisions of the Mosaic Law? What does David's mistake in this incident teach us about seeking to do God's will? God had given Moses elaborate instructions on how the ark was to be transported. Very briefly, the High Priest would take the veil, and use it to cover the ark of the covenant. On top of this was placed a protective covering of skins and then a cloth of blue. Then to help them carry the ark, wooden staves were put into the rings on the ark enabling four men (Levites) to carry it before the marching nation. These instructions were overlooked and the ark was disrespectfully transported on a cart, similar to the way the heathen Philistines had done. God is a God of order and is concerned with details and expects His instructions to be carried out. Just like ignorance of the law, today in our society, is no excuse; both Uzzah and David had no excuse. You would expect them to have known the Mosaic Law concerning the moving of the ark, or have been able to get proper advice from those in the know. We see when David moves the ark the second time he has looked up the proper procedures to follow and he now has a new respect for God and a keen awareness of His holiness. David’s mistake teaches us we are to take God’s Word seriously. When God's work is done God's way, in obedience to God's truth, it will never lack God's blessing. And God's blessings come from a life right with God and a heart that is yielded and obedient to Him. Also it reminds us that we are not to take on God’s work light-heartedly without proper training or instructions.

Q1. (2 Samuel 6:1-10) Why does God strike Uzzah? Why is David so angry? The ark represented the presence of God who dwelled among His people. So it had to be handled with the utmost reverence, and in transporting it from place to place specific instructions were given (Num 4). It was to be carried by Levites who would bear it on their shoulders by means of poles. Even the Levites could not touch the ark or even look in it because of its holiness. These instructions were overlooked and the ark was transported on a cart, similar to the way the heathen Philistines had done. Therefore, when the oxen stumbled and Uzzah (not a Levite) instinctively touched the ark, this was an act of irreverence that cost him his life. There are no grey areas with God. It is either right or wrong, and the harshness of the Lord’s discipline must be seen in the light of His absolute holiness. This requires that sacred tasks be done in God’s way, if it is to have God’s blessing. I think David was more frightened (v9) than angry by what had happened. He must have wondered if Uzzah’s death might be a message to him indicating that he was not worthy of being in God’s presence, and that the same thing that happened to Uzzah might happen to him. In his confusion he decided to leave the ark at the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. He wanted to test whether the presence of the ark was a blessing or a curse. So after 3 months when he saw how the Lord had blessed Obed-Edom and his household he knew there was more to be gained than feared from the presence of God in the ark.

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 fulfilment 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? Samuel had anointed David as king approximately 15 years before. David had also by now ruled over the tribe of Judah in Hebron for another 7.5 years. What remained for David to be crowned king of Israel was for all the tribes to convene at Hebron and crown David king. The people realised that God’s hand was upon him, for God gave him success in his military exploits. So the elders of the whole nation anointed David and proclaimed him as their king. God’s timing is always perfect. David had by now become a seasoned warrior and a gifted leader who had the blessing of the Lord on his life. David showed patience and faith in God promise – he knew he would be crowned king. In the same way we can trust God to keep his promises to us. We read in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus’. As Believers we know that God’s riches are unlimited and our Heavenly Father will meet our every need in His own perfect time.

Q3. (2 Samuel 5:17-25) Why does David inquire of the Lord before he attacks the Philistines the first time? What would have happened if he thought he knew how to attack the Philistines, and didn't inquire of the Lord the second time? 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? What does that say about God? What does that say about us? Before any major event we see David always seeking the Lord’s advice. So here again, before the first Philistine attack, he seeks God’s will. Assured by the Lord that He would give Israel victory, David met the Philistines about 3.5 km southwest of Jerusalem, and he forced them to retreat. However, the Philistines returned to fight a second time, and like the first time David sought the Lord's will. He did not assume he could just use the same strategy as with the first attack. So David again seeks the Lord’s help. This time David was given a different battle plan, and the Lord gave the Israelites victory again. The same plan used for the first attack might not have worked, but by seeking God’s advice for the second time, David was assured of victory. In this modern world of ours, time is money; we have become so impatient and want instant gratification. Waiting for God's reply takes time, patience, alertness, and faith. Then there is also the question of pride. We like to be in control. We must learn to wait for His guidance and direction in our lives. This is vital when we come to the major decisions to be taken in our lives. The Lord will give direction through His Spirit, the Word of God, through godly counsel from parents, pastors, and other godly believers. Therefore as Believers we must seek God’s guidance first because He will help if we only allow Him.

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 fulfilment 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? Samuel had anointed David as king approximately 15 years before. David had also by now ruled over the tribe of Judah in Hebron for another 7.5 years. What remained for David to be crowned king of Israel was for all the tribes to convene at Hebron and crown David king. The people realised that God’s hand was upon him, for God gave him success in his military exploits. So the elders of the whole nation anointed David and proclaimed him as their king. God’s timing is always perfect. David had by now become a seasoned warrior and a gifted leader who had the blessing of the Lord on his life. David showed patience and faith in God promise – he knew he would be crowned king. In the same way we can trust God to keep his promises to us. We read in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus’. As Believers we know that God’s riches are unlimited and our Heavenly Father will meet our every need in His own perfect time.

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 kills Abner in a revenge killing to avenge his brother’s (Asahel) death. I don’t think Joab understood that Abner had come in peace; rather he thought the only reason Abner had come was to deceive David by spying out the situation and getting ready for an attack. Joab, being blinded by the death of his brother, had only his family and personal interests at heart rather than that of his country; and his actions could easily have jeopardized the whole process of unifying David’s kingdom. As Christians we must be most careful not to return evil for evil as most people do today. I know that sometimes this is easier said than done. We must, however, resist the temptation to fight back and try to get even. Rather, by faith, we must put our trust in our Heavenly Father to accomplish His will in our lives and in the lives of those who hurt us. We read this in Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord”. Again in Proverbs 24:29, “Do not say, "I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did."

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? In David’s lament for Saul we see David's sincere grief over the death of Saul. He speaks highly of Saul mentioning his skill and bravery and willingness to give his life for his country. There are no negatives in this song, nothing is mentioned about the sins or mistakes Saul had made. Only positives are mentioned: how the mighty have fallen; loved and gracious; swifter than eagles; stronger than lions. The Chronicler, on the other hand, has only negatives to say about Saul’s life. Highlighting the facts that that Saul did not keep the word of the Lord, being unfaithful and having consulted a medium. So we see a contrast here, Saul’s disloyalty to God against David’s loyalty – David being a man after God’s own heart. We know from 1 Samuel that God had rejected Saul. He disobeyed God on so many occasions as well as neglecting to ask God for guidance in running the kingdom. We can learn much from David’s attitude and reaction towards Saul. Only a person who is in close fellowship with God could speak mercifully and kindly about another who had wronged him and even tried to kill him. I know from my own experience it would be most difficult for me to forgive such a person. The lesson here is not to let any wrong hinder our walk with God and to allow bitterness to creep into our lives.

Q2. (1 Samuel 30:6) From the Psalms of David, how does David seem to strengthen himself in the Lord when things are going bad? What devotional exercises does he adopt? What is the focus of his faith? No matter what our trouble or trial, it's always good to look back and recall the goodness of the Lord. This is what David did. David remembered how the Lord delivered him from his enemies and specifically from Saul. He had learned during his years running away and hiding that ultimate success had depended on faith in the Lord and patience during His providential working. He knew there was no one to turn to for strength in such an overwhelming crisis except the LORD. It is when we read the Psalms that we begin to get an understanding of what David must have been going through; his inner turmoil and his deep love and trust for the Lord. He strengthened himself by realising: that God is his refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 41:1); by putting his trust and hope in the Lord (Psalm 9:10); waiting patiently and turning to the Lord (Psalm 40:1); by acknowledging that God had delivered him from all his fears (34:4); and by hearing his cries for help (18:6).