After God’s Own Heart – Part 8 – Be on Guard
Guard Your Heart:
As 2 Samuel opens up – we see that an Amalekite enter David’s camp with some disturbing news – look at your text in verse 3 –
David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
- This is the first that David has heard about what happened to the armies of Israel – to his friend Jonathan – and ultimately what happened to Saul.
- David immediately asks how this man knew what had happened – look at your text.
5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
- The book of proverbs has this this line that so speaks into this it says –
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)
Guard Your Hands:
Shortly after David is told of Saul’s death – He turns to the Lord and asks in 2:1 “After this David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Go up.’ David said, ‘To which shall I go up?’ And he said, ‘To Hebron.’
- David asks God where to go – God Hebron – so he goes – and drop to verse 4 –
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
Guard Your Feet:
Now after 7 and a half years of waiting – it FINALLY happens. David becomes king – look down with me at chapter 5:1
“Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, ‘Behold, we are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.”
- David is anointed king – This is something that has been twenty years in the making.
And I think if there ever was a time for there to be a temptation to believe that he has arrived!
- it would be right now. He did it. He went through the process – He is now king.
- yet we see in verse 17 that after the Philistines hear that David has become king they amass their troops come after him.
- David at this point has the resources – has the full military – yet we see him guard his steps and ask God what he wants him to do – look at verse 19!
19 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”
- And David goes out – and defeats the enemy. Then right after this – we see that the Philistines come out again. They bring more troops!
- and you’d think with his recent success he would be like – I’ve seen this before I know what to do – but no! He asks God again! Verse 23 –
23 And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.
Guard Your Eyes:
And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
- David starts doing something that a lot of the kings of the day did: and that is to gain a harem of wives which represents political alliances.
And it doesn’t stop there. look at chapter 5 verse 13.
13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.
“He [the King] must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray.” (Deut. 17:17)