Sermon Central
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Belonging In A Better Place Series
Contributed by Paul Robinson on Sep 14, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: King Saul had just died. David had been anointed king for the second time. Now he looked at the city of Jerusalem (a Jebusite stronghold) and said to himself, "I"m going to take that city. That is where I belong as the King of Israel."
This story unfolds in four main points:
1. David’s Desire for Jerusalem (v. 6a)
It’s interesting that the Bible does not say anything about David’s desire to take Jerusalem. Verse 6 simply says, “And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites.” However, David was a conqueror, and so he wanted to take this city which would be the perfect place for his capital.
Notice that God doesn’t tell David to take the city. Apparently it was David’s idea. It was his desire. And yet, the Bible is clear that Jerusalem was also God’s desired place.
Psalm 78:67-68, “Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.”
Psalm 82:1-3, “His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.”
Psalm 132:13-14, “For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.”
Do you have a desire for belonging? David could have been content with Hebron, but he desired a better place. You might be content with your life right now, and that’s good, OR you might desire a better place in your life. What do I mean?
I’m talking about the desires of your heart. You desire to be married; you desire to get that career; you desire the absolute best for your kids or grandchildren; you desire to overcome that besetting sin; you desire to start that ministry; you desire that your family would be united again; you desire to witness to those anti-Christian neighbors or co-workers; you desire to stop living in fear and step out by faith; you desire to stop being so shy so you can help people; you desire that the final years of your life would be the absolute best. The list goes on. Whatever that desire might be, chances are, God put it in your heart.
Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
2. The Jebusites’ Response (v. 6b)
The city of Jerusalem was so well fortified that the Jebusites mock David, saying that even the lame and blind could fend him off! LOL They don’t seem to realize that they are talking about DAVID here. Perhaps many others had attempted to take Jerusalem and had failed miserably. So the Jebusites are smug in their response.
Often when you desire to do something great in your life, the world will mock you. They will mock you just for being a Christian!
John 15:18, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
I John 3:13, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.”
“Hate” is a strong word, but it is the right word. The world hates you, and they don’t want you to succeed. Our culture prides itself on tolerance, and yet you can’t pray in Jesus’ name in school or on a football field; you can’t practice your convictions when baking a cake; the mockery comes the moment you mention the name of Jesus. They hated Him, and so they hate you too.
Nehemiah faced ridicule and persecution while he rebuilt the walls around Jerusalem. His enemies were Sanballet, Geshem, and Tobiah. First came the mockery.
Nehemiah 4:2-3, “And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.”
Notice Nehemiah’s response in verse 4: “Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity.”
Next the enemies wanted to meet with Nehemiah in order to delay him and ultimately, harm him.
Nehemiah 6:1-2, “Now it came to pass, when Sanballet, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballet and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.”
But notice Nehemiah’s response in verse 3: “And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?”
