II Samuel Chapter
5 "The Kingdom United, David's Accession Over Israel." This Bible
Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's
transcription is provided with written permission by http://www.theseason.org II Samuel 5:1 "Then came the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, "Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh." In this fifth chapter, all the tribes of Israel will be united in one kingdom and David will reign over all Israel. We have discussed the "key of David" in I Samuel, but we are going to see three more parts to that "key of David" in this chapter. These parts are important in the foundation to that key. In the statement "we are thy bone and thy flesh", indicate that God chooses people in the flesh to perform the duties that must be done here on earth. The angels are not going to do the work, but God's people in the flesh are to do the work. Jesus Christ will come from the lineage of David, and he will be "of thy bone and thy flesh", "of the seed of David". II Samuel 5:2 "Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, `Thou shalt feed My people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.' " David was the first king that God chose, where as Saul was the first king chosen by man over the people of Israel. Jesus will be born about a thousand years later through the lineage or seed of David. So in David we have "the seed and the leader" as the second sign. The third part to this "key of David" is that David will be a "shepherd over all Israel". So to sum it up, we have the seed, the leader or king, and the shepherd, all tied up in David. This is all pointing to the King of Kings, born in the flesh, coming to earth to be our Shepherd, that feeds His sheep, and tends to the flock. David then become a type of the promised Messiah that will come many years later through the loins of David. II Samuel 5:3 "So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel." All the leaders of every tribe of Israel are present in David's capital city of Hebron at this time, and David is going to make a covenant with every tribe. Once the formality of the covenant was sealed, the leaders came before the Lord and anointed David to be their king. This anointing was for the people's sake, for David had already been anointed by Samuel the prophet many years prior to be the future king of Israel, following the death of Saul. Saul was continually disobedient to God, and God told Samuel that David was His choice to be king. I Samuel 16:1 "And the Lord said unto Samuel, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided Me a king among his sons." Then in verse 13 we read; "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah." David was a man after God's own heart, and thus he was beloved. David was hand picked to reign over Israel, and his duties as we see here was to be in the role of leader and shepherd, and in the flesh it would be through David's seed that Jesus Christ would come. We will see that David was not perfect and he will make many mistakes, but his heart and mind is in turned to God's desires. David sought instruction for God in all matters concerning the well being of his people. By David being anointed by the People indicates that the people now accept him as their king. Remember that God's anointing came many years prior, when Samuel the prophet anointed David as God's accepted king. II Samuel 5:4 "David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years." This is a type of Christ, for Christ was also thirty years old when he began his ministry. The number of forty in biblical numerics stand for "probation". So we see the life of Jesus here on earth written all over David and his reign. David died at the age of seventy, living a full life. II Samuel 5:5 "In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah." Remember how old Jesus was at the time of the crucifixion, He was thirty three years old. There are many other things that are interesting to look at, even though it is not stated here in the Scriptures. But the number seven has many meanings in biblical numerics, and they are only things to consider and think about. The translators have really messed this verse up in their translating. What this is saying is as follows. The name of the city of Jerusalem at this time was called Jabez after the people that lived there and founded the city. They were the Jebusites. Jabez at this time of David's rule was a walled city which made it impossible to enter the city to take it. So what this is saying here in the following verses, was repeating what the Jebusites were saying. They stated that they could all leave the city and leave only the lame and blind, and those left behind could still prevent David from entering into the city; for Jabez was very well fortified. II Samuel 5:7 "Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the City of David." II Samuel 5:8 "And David said on that day, "Whatsoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain." Wherefore they said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house." David's command here is to get back at the Jebusites slam at David and the Israelites. In the phrase "to the gutter", which in the Hebrew text reads "by or through the zinnor". The "zinnor" was a rock cut passage from the lower Gihon, or En-rogel (today called the Virgin's fount on the east of Ophel) which brought water through the passage to the surface. This is how the city was supplied with water, and even a seige could not stop the water from lowing to the city. This same channel has almost caused a war in Jerusalem in the past years, for it is a way to get into the inside of the city where there will be no barriers. The promise; "...and he shall be chief and captain" is from the promise in I Chronicles 11:6, which tells that Joab got up the zinnor first. The writings of Josephus says that a man named Araunah, a friend of David's, owned property near and it was probably Araunah that revealed the secrets of the passage. Thus David spared Araunah life and rewarded him when the Israelites took the city. This verse has nothing to do with the lame and the handicapped, for it is in reference only to the strength of the city of Jerusalem [Jabez] itself. God takes care of the handicapped and he loves them very much. When an handicapped person speaks out for the Father it has a very strong influence on those listening, for they can see the love of God through that person. The slam given here was given by the Jebusites for they really thought that they could not be defeated by anyone. II Samuel 5:9 "So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward." Once David took the city of David, Jerusalem, he went one step beyond the Jebusites for the defence of the city. He build another wall outside the existing wall, and thus established an inner and outer wall for the cities protection. II Samuel 5:10 "And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him." The reason that David became great is was that the Lord God of hosts, YHVH the Father was with David. II Samuel 5:11 "And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they build David an house." We know from Ezekiel 28, that in the first earth age, Satan was called the king of Tyre. "Tyre" in the Hebrew is "rock", and Satan is the false rock. The king of Tyrus was the king of merchandising, trying to buy his way in to where ever he went. This king of Tyre is no different than this other king of Tyre, for he is trying to buy his way in with David. He will supply the men and material for David's house, and with the help will come all sorts of strings attached to those gifts. This is a type of what we ought to be paying attention to, for it is also how Satan works, trying to buy his way into our lives. II Samuel 5:12 "And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake." David knew that the kingdom that was establish that he would rule over was set up for "His", God's people's sake. It wasn't there to glorify David but to give God glory, and David knew it. The problem with Saul was that he thought the people and the land were there to satisfy Saul. David knew where his power came from, and he respected that power. II Samuel 5:13 "And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron:and there were yet sons and daughters born to David." In taking these wives there were several times where things didn't work out right. II Samuel 5:14 "And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon," Two of the sons name here have a pronoun place in Scripture, they are Nathan and Solomon, for Nathan was the son of David that Jesus Christ would be born through. Luke 3:31 "Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David," In the expression "Which was", in the Hebrew is saying, "which is by law". Remember that this is giving Mary's lineage, for it is talking about Joseph's in-laws. Solomon of course was the son of David that would take over the throne from his father David, and was know for his great wisdom. Solomon would author three books of the Scriptures, Proverbs, Song of Solomon and the book of Ecclesiastes. II Samuel 5:15 "Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia," II Samuel 5:16 "And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet." II Samuel 5:17 "But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold." When David heard that the Philistines were going to challenge his authority and upset the kingdom. David went down to a "stronghold"; a place of defense. Remember that David had warred with and against the Philistines, and he knew them well, for he even lived amongst them for years, and knew their king personally. This stronghold was a special place to where he knew that the advantage in battle was his. II Samuel 5:18 "The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephiam." "The valley of Rephaim" is where the descendants of that old giant "Rapha" of the Nephilim lived. The word "Nephilim" in the Hebrew tongue means "fallen angel". These were the ones that did not come to earth born of woman, but came to earth and bred with the daughters of men. II Samuel 5:19 "And David enquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt Thou deliver them into mine hand?" And the Lord said unto David, "Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand." Here is another lesson for us to apply in our own life. For when the enemy appears to be strong, and they appear to be giants and to much for us to handle, that is the time to seek our direction from the Lord God. David went to the Lord and sought direction for what he should do in this case. The two things that David wanted to know was, first, should I go to war with these Philistines, and secondly, are you going to deliver them into my hands. The Lord gave His assurance that the victory was going to be his. Today many times man wants to charge into their battles of life without God, and then they like to accuse God for their stupid mistakes and blunders. They may have the best of excuses and intentions, but if they do it without asking God's blessings on the matter, don't blame God for your mistakes when things go bad. When you know God's overall plan, you may be going against His plan and thus the answer would be no. II Samuel 5:20 "And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, "The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim." "Baal-perazim" means the "lord of division". The lord of division is not our Lord, and when David met them in the valley, God gave the enemy into David's hand. The Lord God Almighty caused division in their camp to where they could not come against David. God sent division amongst the Philistines, and caused confusion in the camp. II Samuel 5:21 "And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them." David and his men took all the false idols and images of heathen worship that the Philistines left behind, and they burned them. This is also what should happen to the traditions of men today, for they are the images of idolatry that comes between God and man. There is no room in God's Word and for his people for traditions that go against, and in contrary to God Word. When you set up traditions within your church houses, they themselves bring division amongst God's people. II Samuel 5:22 "And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim." Here again the Philistine are coming back to war again in this valley of the giants which are descendents of the fallen angels. II Samuel 5:23 "And when David enquired of the Lord he said, "Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees." David went right back to the Lord of instructions as to what he should do. It is very important that David inquired, for this time God instructed him not to go up and do battle with these Philistines. However this time God has instructed David to circle around the Philistines and approach them from the rear. There was a forest of Mulberry trees behind the Philistines, and David and his men were to stay in the trees and wait. There was a reason for this wait, for God is going to have the victory here, and David was to watch. II Samuel 5:24 "And let it be, when thou hearst the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines." God told David that when you hear the sound of a great army coming over the tree tops, then you come charging with your men, and the Lord will go out and smite the enemy before you can reach them. The very sound of God's army will strike fear into the minds of the Philistines. They are going to run over themselves in fear and kill each other trampling one another. God has a way of handling the material things through the Spiritual means. God never changes, and He never will. Just as He fought battles in David's day, He will go before us in our battles in our lives today. However when we make our request known to God, there are conditions that we must be follow. You might call them "ifs" for those conditions are all in His Word, and when we meet those condition, we can expect God to keep his promises to us. So what happened here was God's army did the work, and David's army got all the credit. The requirement to David was that He and his army follow instructions. II Samuel 5:25 "And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba unto thou come to Gazer." This battle went on for a distance for about thirty five miles, as the Philistines left all their belongings behind and ran for their lives. David and his men followed them, smiting the enemy every step of the way. When you do it God's Way, God helps you get the job done. He gives us instruction and strength when it is needed. If David would have charged forward like in the first battle, he would have been slaughtered. The first battle showed the strength of David's army, and the Philistines came back to the battle field ready to meet that strength. However God had a surprise for the Philistines, and terror ran through their camp, and all they could do was escape back to their own lands. God chose the line of attack, and he did not want David and his army in the way. God's Spirit gave the unction to David to do what he had to do, and that was to follow God's orders. Remember, when Jesus Christ returns to set up his kingdom, He will bring with him also a large army that will defeat the devil and the forces on earth and it will be quick and over.
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