The Ultimate Good Series

Reading the story of the life of David, from the beginning (1 Samuel) until now (end of 2 Samuel), is like reading a man going through a Christian boot camp.

• David went through a lot, to be where God wants him to be and do what God wants him to do. God was training His servant.

• David went through the good and the bad. If fact, it seems to be more bad than good. It does not mean life is a bed of roses because you are God’s anointed.

• David learns through the hardships, the mistakes, and the pain. He was far from perfect.

• What stands out, in this long and hard journey that David had, is his unwavering trust in God. He always return to God and submit to Him.

It is easy for us to look at David’s life and focus only on the good parts.

• But the truth of the matter is, for a large part of his life, he was struggling… with something. The psalms reveal that. Enemies without and enemies within.

• He faced persecutions and hardships, broken relationships and broken family; he faced temptations and sinned. He was constantly fighting against the enemies.

• This is what we try to ignore. Life with God must be good and happy, prosperous and peaceful.

• Yet this is not true of David, the man anointed and chosen by God to be His servant. It is not true of the servants of God we read about in the Scriptures.

Matt 16:24 Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

• Can we trust God enough to accept the good and the bad, knowing that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose? (cf. 8:28)

• Can we believe that there is this ULTIMATE GOOD that God is working towards, for each one of our lives?

Look at David’s life. He was anointed as a boy by Prophet Samuel to be the King of Israel, but waited some 20 years before that happens.

• And when he entered the palace, he was not trusted. He was persecuted by King Saul and had to run for his life.

• God did not give him a straight path to the throne, even though that was prophesied.

• David had to fight many battles, before he became King, and even after.

I won’t rehash that. But just for the recent few chapters, we saw the hardships and pains that David was put through.

• David fell into temptation and sinned. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed her husband Uriah.

• He repented but lost his first son, as a judgment from God for giving the nations the chance to blaspheme His name.

Sin has its consequences. His daughter Tamar was raped by her half-brother, Amnon. Two years later, Absalom took revenge and killed Amnon, his half-brother.

• Absalom was angry with David’s lack of action and conspired successfully in forcing his dad out of the palace.

• David was betrayed by those close to him. He was ostracised by the tribes.

• Even as he fled (2 Sam 16:5) someone from Saul’s clan came out to curse him and throw stones at him.

Eventually, when Absalom was killed, David grieved for his son. When would you do, if your son is your enemy?

Finally, it would seem that David could return to Jerusalem and resume his role as King over Israel. Yet it was not going to be that straight-forward.

• David has to regain the trust of his people, especially those who had come sided Absalom against him.

• 2 Sam 19:11-15 “11King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, `Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? 12You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?'

• 13And say to Amasa (Absalom’s army commander, 17:25), `Are you not my own flesh and blood? (David’s nephew, son of his sister Abigail). May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab.'"

• 14He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. They sent word to the king, "Return, you and all your men." 15Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.

We thought that would be end of David’s woes. But no, someone started another rebellion: