Stay Busy While Waiting: The Rise Of David Pt.3 - 2 Samuel 2:1-10 Series

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Introduction

At the beginning of 2 Samuel Israel is in a state of ruin. The whole nation had lived most if not all their lives with Saul as the king and very few could even remember a time when Saul was not king. And now Saul is dead. Jonathan is dead. Israel is defeated. The Philistines are in control. And now that the dust has settled, and Saul’s body has been recovered and buried, the people of Israel look around at each other and say, “Now what?” What is going to become of this decimated, ruined nation? Well, things are about to get worse. Israel has some glorious days in her future, but not before she travels through a very dark valley. Israel is about to plunge into a long term civil war that will drag on for many years.

God’s Way: David

The writer begins by taking us back to Ziklag where David is. And it all starts out in a very hopeful, promising way. David inquires of the Lord – which introduces us once again to the most important mark of a godly leader.

Marks of a Godly Leader

Love of God’s will

2 Samuel 2:1 In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. "Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" he asked. The LORD said, "Go up." David asked, "Where shall I go?"

The very first thing David does is seek God’s will. He seeks God’s will because he loves God’s way. And the reason I say that is the most important mark of a godly leader is because there is no way worth following other than God’s way. If you are going to follow someone’s leadership, follow someone who loves God’s will so much that he makes it the only pursuit of his life. That is David. And God is pleased with that, and He honors it. Unlike Saul, God responds to David and gives him the guidance he seeks.

1 … David asked, "Where shall I go?" "To Hebron," the LORD answered.

That is about six or eight miles south of 470 and Santa Fe – down near Sedalia. So David goes to the most important city in Judah – way down south. And it is not just for a visit.

2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.

The mention of the wives and families shows that it was a permanent move. God told him to go and he went – no questions asked. That is another mark of someone who truly loves God’s will. A lot of people are praying for God to reveal His will to them, but you can tell if someone really loves God’s will by what they do when it is revealed. God says go to Hebron and David goes to Hebron.

4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

Now we’re talking. Finally David is king! When God put an end to the life of Saul it was for the purpose of turning the kingdom over to David.

1 Chronicles 10:13 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, 14 and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

God anointed David king way back in 1 Samuel 16, and now, after 15 chapters of David living in caves as a fugitive, there is a crown on his head. Granted it is only one tribe at this point, but at least David is the king over someone – even if it is only in the south at this point. After a long civil war David will become king over all of Israel (ch.5).

I think it is safe to say that nobody in Scripture has a tougher time gaining the throne than David. For Saul, Samuel anointed him, the people rallied around him, he led them in one victory, and he was in. For Solomon, David said some words on his deathbed and when David was done talking…

1 Kings 2:12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

For other kings it is a handful of verses at the most and they are in. But the greatest king of all, the man chosen by God and held up by Scripture as the standard against whom all kings were measured, God’s choice for the throne – it takes him 20 chapters.