0:00 Welcome once again to Words of Life. We are studying through the Bible, book by book, to see what message it has for us today. And we are going to look at the second book of Samuel today. 0:26 This whole book deals with the reign of David. We know that David was called a man after God's own heart. And we see in this book his triumphs and his failures. 0:47 One of the wonderful things about biographies in the Bible is, it doesn't hide the failures of its greatest men. He speaks about them very plainly, openly, so that we can be encouraged because many of us have failed so much ourselves. 1:14 Here we read in 2 Samuel chapter 1 about David's attitude when he hears about the death of Saul. We read here that a man came after Saul had died. 1:37 And he said, "I helped Saul to kill Saul." He says in verse 10, "I stood beside him and killed him." Now, the word of God says very clearly in 1 Samuel 31 that Saul committed suicide. 2:05 That's in chapter 31 verse 4. But here was a man who wanted to get some credit from David and tried to say, "Well, I killed him." An Amalekite. An Amalekite. And instead of getting credit from David for killing David's enemy, David says, "How dare you stretch out your hand against God's anointed." 2:35 Verse 14. And he told one of the soldiers to kill him. See, David's attitude. "I don't want you to kill my enemy." 2:55 I'm not excited when I hear that you killed my enemy. It was a lie what that Amalekite said. He was just trying to get some credit for it. But he reaped the consequences. And then David chants this big lament in verse 17 over Saul and Jonathan. 3:17 See, as we look at David's life, we see certain outstanding qualities. Especially towards his enemies. Towards Saul. In the days when he was young and struggling. 3:38 He had such a large-hearted attitude towards King Saul. And yet also we see that as he grew older and he became richer and wealthier, he lost some of those things. So we have things to learn and warnings also. 4:02 He calls Saul one of Israel's mighty in verse 19. Again in verse 25 and 27. And after that was over, David began to seek the Lord. 4:23 In verse chapter 2 verse 1. To one of the cities of Judah. That was David's habit in his early days. To ask the Lord for everything. Lord, you want me to go? It's a sad thing that as he grew older and became a more famous king, he stopped asking the Lord. 4:52 And there's a warning for us. In the beginning, we are all zealous. We seek God about every little thing. But as we grow older and more accepted and we have more honor. We drift away from God. 5:13 We don't read the word. We are taken up more with activity rather than listening to God. We are taken up more with serving God rather than worshipping Him. Then we become backsliders. But as long as David asked the Lord. 5:35 It went well with him. Many times in 1 Samuel, you see that. He sought the Lord. What shall I do? What shall I do? What shall I do? And here in chapter 2 verse 1 also. But after he became king. That became less and less and less. 5:55 That's how backsliding begins. In chapters 2 to 10, we read of many of the victories that David had in his battles. And also, some of the mistakes he made even pretty early in his life. 6:16 For example, we read in chapter 3 and verse 2 onwards, that he had a number of wives. His first one wife was Ahinoam. And the second, he had other wives like Abigail. And another was through another woman. 6:41 His children were all born through different women. Almost all his children were born through different wives. And then the question comes. Didn't he ask the Lord before he went and married all these wives? 7:02 This is not the habit of everybody in those days. Abraham had only one wife. Moses had only one wife. As far as we know, Joshua had only one wife. Samuel had only one wife. So why did David have so many? 7:22 He didn't have so many when he was being chased here and there. But after he became king, one wife after the other. You know, you can't say, well, that was the practice in those times. Because I showed you, they mentioned the examples of these men who didn't have many wives. 7:45 One of the dangers we face when God blesses us and life becomes more comfortable. We don't seek God so much. And I'm sure these wives caused a lot of problems for David. 8:07 Many of these sons that are mentioned here caused a lot of problems for David. They killed each other. All types of problems. One of them even chased him out of his throne. Where did it start? With having all these different wives. 8:26 Who were not God-fearing. And they were not God-fearing so they didn't bring up their children in God-fearing ways. So David was a failure as a husband and a father. But we see good things also. Many, many times we see in David's life that he refused to take vengeance. 8:50 He, unlike Joab for example, his general of his army. He, unlike Joab for example, his general of his army. And Joab would kill people who tried to harm David. When there was a civil war, when somebody made Isshbosheth king over Israel. 9:13 And some people joined him. Joab decided to kill those people. But David said no. David said no. I don't agree with that. He didn't want to kill his enemies. Those who were against him. 9:33 And there we see some really good qualities in him. He never grabbed the throne. He waited for probably ten years after God anointed him. And waited for God to give him the throne. He was thirty years old when he became king over Judah. 9:51 And thirty, thirty seven and a half when he became king over all Israel. So we see there were good qualities and bad qualities in him. And when we turn to chapter six. We see one of the mistakes that David made there. 10:15 David had a great burden to bring the ark of God into the city of God. Where he was ruling. And you remember in one Samuel. When the Philistines sent the ark of God back. He sent it on a bullock cart. 10:41 David never saw that. He wasn't alive at that time. But he must have heard of it. That the Philistines sent the ark back on a bullock cart. And he thought. Hey, that's a good idea. Why make these poor Levites carry it on their shoulder? 11:02 Let's put it on a bullock cart and take it. So, he took the ark of God. And put it on a cart. And there were two people there who were not even Levites. Who were leading the cart. We read in one Samuel chapter six and verse three. 11:21 And as they were coming up a hill. The oxen nearly upset the ark. We read in verse six. And. And Uzzah with very good intentions reached out and held the ark so that it doesn't fall. 11:51 And look at this word in verse seven. The anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah and God struck him down there for his irreverence. From childhood, Uzzah had known only the Levites, only the Kohathites can touch the ark. 12:10 So, he was not like an ignorant Gentile. He knew the truth. But he still went and touched the ark. There we see the seriousness of disobeying even small commands of God. 12:36 Some people say, oh brother, that's only a small command. That's not the major things in scripture. Wasn't this a small command that only the Kohathites should carry the ark? That's not in one of the ten commandments. 12:56 It's one of the smaller commandments. Uzzah didn't break those ten commandments. But God smote him dead. The small things are also serious. A man who fears God takes every word of God seriously. 13:17 But how did it start? It started with David disobeying God's word. He knew God's word too. He knew that only the Kohathites must carry the ark upon their shoulders. And he decided to follow the method of the world. 13:39 The Philistine method. A lot of Christians are seeking to do God's work today like that. Follow the methods of the worldly corporations and companies in promoting God's work. Use the methods of the world to advertise God's work. 14:02 Use the method of worldly musicians in order to attract people to the church. That is like carrying the ark on the bullet card. Use the methods of the world to raise money for God's work. That is like carrying the ark on the bullet card. 14:13 Use the methods of the world to raise money for God's work. Run the meetings of the church like the nightclubs are run in worldly places. Run the meetings of the church like the nightclubs are run in worldly places. 14:33 And lead the meetings and singing just like worldly people lead their meetings and their singing. I see so many things in churches today which are 100% an imitation on copy of the world. This is the principle of the ark on the bullet card. 14:59 And a lot of problems arise. Death came here and death comes to many churches that follow this method. So when a man of God, like David, begins to adopt a worldly method, 15:20 Many people suffer. And that's what happens today also. When men of God adopt worldly methods. And a lot of Christian work today is run by worldly principles. But one good thing about David that we can see. 15:41 He was a man who knew how to praise and thank God. It says even though he was a king. When finally they took the ark of God in the proper way on the shoulder of the Levites. 16:01 He was dancing before the Lord with all his might. Daniel 1 2nd Samuel chapter 6 verse 14. And they were shouting and the sound of the trumpet they brought the ark in. But his wife Mikal saw through the window her husband David dancing and leaping before the Lord. 16:33 And she despised him in her heart. We see this even today. Some people who have a particular form of worship. Very quiet and sober. There are some people who have worship meetings like that which is exactly like a funeral. 16:55 As if Jesus is still in the tomb like the disciples sat there in those three days after Jesus died. They look at other people who are so excited and praising the Lord and clapping their hands and raising their hands. And they despised them. 17:12 They despised them. They say oh that's so worldly. That's what the Pharisees said when they saw the children praising God in the temple. And they even told Jesus to stop these children from praising him like that. Some people would like Jesus to stop this type of praise and worship today. 17:40 And the Lord says why stop this praise even the stones in the building will start crying out. God delights in praise. Of course we should not try to become odd and peculiar by doing things which people will feel awkward about in a meeting. 17:57 Dancing was a very common method of praise among the Israelites as we read in Psalm 150. And where it is not common in a church I would not advise you to do it. 18:20 You can do it when you are alone before the Lord. But we must worship with all of our heart and praise him. Worship is to give ourselves to God completely. And to praise him is to praise him for who he is in various ways. 18:44 And if other people despise us let them despise us. And God punished Michal for despising David. With one of the most severe punishments any woman can get. She had no child to the day of her death verse 23. 19:08 And in chapter 7 we see another wonderful thing about David. Before that I want you to see another good thing in chapter 6 verse 20. A good habit for all of us to adopt. However busy you may have been with all your work like David was. 19:30 It says in verse 20 David returned to bless his household. That's a very good way for you. Every time you enter your home it must be to bless your family. Have you come back from a tired days of work in the office? 19:50 Come back to bless your family. Wherever you have been. Come back to bless your family. Then in chapter 7 we read about David's plan to build a temple. He had a great desire. He says Lord I am dwelling in a good house. 20:10 But your ark is in tents. And Nathan who was the prophet. Without consulting the Lord. And said sure go ahead and do that. The Lord is with you. That's a warning to us. Don't go and urge somebody to do something. 20:31 If you haven't heard from the Lord. Don't say the Lord is with you unnecessarily. You can say something like in my opinion that's a good idea. If Nathan had said that, that would have been okay. But he told him go and do that. 20:49 The Lord is with you. But the Lord is not with him for that idea. So that night the Lord came to Nathan and said. Listen, you had no business to say that to David. David is not supposed to build a house for me. That is not my plan. 21:14 But his son who comes after him will build my house. Later on the Lord told David you are a man of war and therefore you can't build my house. 1 Chronicles 28. Verse 3. Because only men of peace can build God's house. To build God's house, you must be a man of peace. 21:36 Always seeking peace with everybody. Those who are always fighting with people, they can't build God's house. But even though David could not build the temple. God gave him the grace to prepare everything to build the temple. 22:01 He defeated all the enemies so that Solomon could have peace. And he gathered all the gold and silver. So that Solomon could build the temple. Another good quality we see in David. 22:22 It says in chapter 8 verse 15 that he administered justice and righteousness for all his people. He had a concern for God's house. And a concern for God's people. 22:42 This is the mark of a real man of God. He has a concern for God's house. And he had a concern for God's people. Lord, I want your name to be glorified. I want your church to be built. And I want your people to be blessed. 23:00 He was a man after God's own heart. And we see one more thing in chapter 9. Another very good quality in it. He says in verse 1, "Is there anyone left to the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 23:16 See, even though Saul was trying to kill David. He asks, "Is there anybody in Saul's house whom I can do good?" And somebody said, "Yes, there is a man called Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul." 23:43 And he is alive and you can help him if you want. So he called him and said, "I will show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan," verse 7. And he made him sit at his table and eat regularly. 24:04 What we see in David is an ordinary man with many weaknesses. But a man who had certain good qualities that God really appreciated. He had a concern for God's house. He said, "Lord, my house is built. What about yours?" 24:26 God is always delighted with anybody who comes to him like that. "Lord, you have blessed my house. Let me do something for your church." Do you have a heart like that? Do you have a heart that's willing to show kindness to those, to the children of those who have done harm to you? 24:49 We can learn from David how to be a man after God's own heart even though we've got weaknesses in our life. The man who was called a man after God's own heart was not a perfect man. That's what encourages us. 25:12 We can be men and women after God's own heart too. Amen. Amen. Welcome once again to Words of Life. In our study through the Bible, We have now reached the book of 2 Samuel. 25:34 In our last study, we were looking at the first part of this book. We saw some of the good and bad qualities there was in David, the man after God's own heart. We can learn from those good qualities and we can get warnings from his failures. 26:01 We come now to chapter 11 which describes the great fault that there was in David's life. And if you see the context in which this happens, we can learn some lessons. In those days, kings were the ones who led their armies to battle. 26:23 Today, generals sit in the office in the headquarters and send others to the front. But in those days, the king rode on the horse and was right in front leading people to battle. And here it says in chapter 11 and verse 1 of 2 Samuel, 26:52 That at that time, when kings go out to battle, David did not go. Instead, he sent Joab and his servants. And they went and fought. 27:13 Now there is a lesson here. See, in his younger days, David wouldn't do that. He always went to battle. Now this has got a spiritual application. When we stopped getting involved in spiritual warfare, And we become lazy. 27:34 That's the time we are in danger. As long as we are fighting the spiritual battles of the Lord, we are not in danger. One simple lesson. If it David had gone to battle at that time, He would never have fallen and this particular sin would never have taken place in his life. 28:02 One little decision. Today I think I won't go to battle. Let me just sleep. And in the evening, it says in verse 2, David got up from his bed. I don't know what he was doing, sleeping until the evening. 28:22 Was it just an afternoon nap? Or was it because he was a king and he could do what he liked and he was just lazy? When I got up from bed in the olden days, perhaps he used to pray. Good habit to do whenever we get up from bed. 28:43 Pray before you get up and go out into your day's work. I'm sure he didn't do that. He got up and walked on the terrace of his house. And then he crossed in the neighbor's compound. He saw a woman having her bath outside. 29:00 And instead of immediately turning away and saying, "That's somebody else's wife. I shouldn't be looking there." Or even if it's an unmarried girl, I shouldn't be looking at that. He didn't do that. If he had done that, what a different story it would have been. 29:20 If he had been like young Joseph. What a different story it would have been. But he didn't do that. Jesus taught us to pray. Our Father who are in heaven, lead us not into temptation. 29:41 Very good prayer for all of us to pray. Father, I am so weak. Don't let me ever be tempted beyond my ability. When you read a story like this, My brother, don't sit back and say, "I will never fall like that." 30:04 The Bible says, "Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall." Do you think he will never fall like that? Maybe you are the next one to fall like that. Be careful. Take a humble attitude. Do what Jesus said. 30:24 Pray and say, "Father, don't lead me into temptation too strong for me." Deliver me from evil. That's a good prayer to pray. And so David was a king. He could do what he liked. He said and asked, "Who is that woman?" Oh, that's Uriah's wife Bathsheba. 30:47 He should have at least backed off then. Uriah is my faithful soldier fighting for me. If he was not fighting for me, he would be at home today. And he has gone there to the battlefield to fight for me. 31:08 Let me not take advantage of his wife. I didn't think about all that. You know, once the lust takes over, it's just full speed, it goes ahead. Very difficult to apply the brakes after the scooter has gone downhill so fast. 31:37 You got to put the brakes at the beginning. When the speed is much less. By now, the slope of lust has become so steep. He has no way to stop it even if you want to. 31:57 Heading for a collision and destruction. So he sent for her and committed adultery with her. And everybody knew it in the palace. What's happening? That's what's happening. 32:17 And sometime later, the woman sent a message to David saying, I'm pregnant. Now what to do? Her husband would come back and say, we are about to expose this. Who made you pregnant? And David would be caught publicly. Maybe people in the palace are all loyal to him and wouldn't tell anybody else. 32:46 But if Uriah came back and found out, the whole nation would know. So how to solve this problem. And the devil has got a solution to all such problems. And would have told him, just call Uriah and get rid of him. 33:06 And so David thinks up a scheme which the devil tells him. You know, the devil has got a thousand ways for you to cover up your sin. And all of them will lead you into more sin. You tell one lie. 33:27 Then you'll have to tell another lie to cover up that. And that's how the devil leads you on. And so he calls Uriah from the battlefield. And sends a message back through him. To the general Joab. Saying, put Uriah right in the front of the battle. 33:51 And withdraw from him so that he'll be killed. Joab does that. And Uriah is killed. And things turned against them in the battle. And Joab sends a messenger, we are losing. 34:14 But Uriah is killed. And that's all David wanted to know. You can't think of a man acting more evil and more selfishly than what you read in chapter 11. Is this a man after God's own heart? Yeah, God has chosen corrupt, wicked men. 34:39 To be his children. You and I were not chosen because we were holy. David's example is a great encouragement to those who are failures in life. Don't let it be an encouragement for you to commit sin. 35:01 Don't go to the Bible to find encouragement to commit sin. No, the story is not for such people. This is for those who have already made a mess of their life and who are a failure. Not to encourage people to go and do these things. 35:21 But to those who have already done such things. And to encourage them that God can still use you and make you a man after God's own heart. The wonderful thing is that God had a man there called Nathan who could confront David and tell him his sin. 35:41 See. Nine months had gone by and David was still not convicted. And then the Lord sends Nathan after nine months. And Nathan comes with a parable. And the parable is pointing to David. 36:01 But David doesn't realize that. He tells a parable about some rich man who exploited some poor man. And put the one little lamb that poor man had. And David got so angry. He says that man deserves to die. 36:25 And Nathan boldly says you are the man. Chapter 12 verse 7. Thank God for such prophets. Who can even stand before a king and say you are the sinner. I believe God needs such men today like Nathan. 36:46 Who don't care for the rich and the great in the world. Only care for God's opinion. Brave prophets. So here we read. That David was so strict. To want to kill a man. 37:06 Just because the man took somebody else's lamb. So you see sin had made David's heart hard also. And God punishes David. By taking away that child. 37:26 He forgave him. Because he acknowledged his sin. And David said I have sinned. The Lord has taken away your sin. He said in verse 13. David wrote that wonderful Psalm 51. That's been a blessing to so many people. 37:47 Even though God forgave him. He took away his child. See God may forgive us. Completely. But we may still have to reap something of what we saw here on this earth. I know people have got AIDS. And who are born again and get converted. 38:08 After that. And they are really born again. But they are not healed of the AIDS. And they die of the AIDS. And they go to heaven. Because their sins are forgiven. But they still reap on earth. The consequences of their sin. 38:29 They don't get punished eternally. Because Christ took that punishment. But they reap on earth. Let me give you another example. Supposing a man has filled his mind with pornographic literature for many years. And then he accepts the Lord. 38:50 The Lord will forgive all his sin in a moment. His heart is clean. Completely clean. Not one sin recorded there. But his mind is still filthy. His heart is clean. But his mind is filthy. And that mind doesn't clean. Get clean overnight. 39:10 It takes years of filling that mind with God's word. Because before slowly that mind becomes clean. Why is that? Because that is the way God warns us not to play the fool with sin like that again. 39:31 If God had made that man's mind also clean. So that he never has a dirty dream and is never tempted with those things. Then he would do it again. But when he suffers so much in his dreams and with dirty thoughts. 39:53 That keeps him from doing those things again. So that is an example of God may forgive and still allow you to suffer. And not only that. We find that David reaped in his family also. One of his sons rapes his step-sister who was born through another mother. 40:22 You see that in chapter 13. And David could not rebuke that his son because he had done such things himself. You will lose your authority as a father when you are careless. 40:43 David committed adultery with Bathsheba. His son commits adultery with his daughter. And David killed Uriah. One of his sons Absalom kills his other son Amnon. He is reaping in his family what was sown. 41:05 And then we see further. In chapter 15. One of his sons Absalom. Gets into the conspiracy against him. And turns him against. He turns against David and he gets all of Israel to support him. 41:28 And David has to run for his life. He is reaping in his own family the consequences of being an irresponsible father. Marrying so many wives. With all those wives in competition with each other. 41:53 Each mother wanting their own son to be the next king. That was why all these things happened. And while he is running away. One of Saul's relatives. One of Saul's relatives. Called Shimei in chapter 16. 42:13 Comes out and curses David. We read in verse 5 and 6 of chapter 16. And David's soldier Abishai says let me go and chop off his head. Look at David's reply. Don't do it. 42:33 See in the midst of all the bad. There is such a lot of good we see in David too. He says in chapter 16 verse 10. If the Lord has told him to curse David. Who am I to say? Why did you do it? 42:54 It's amazing. David's understanding of the sovereignty of God. If the Lord has allowed him to say. To curse David. Who am I to stop? So. He recognized that. Without God's permission. This fellow cannot curse me. 43:18 If God has allowed him to curse me. Okay. I accept it. Wonderful attitude. And further. We see in chapter 16. That one of David's counselors called Ahithophel. Changed sides and joined Absalom. 43:41 You read about that in chapter 16 verse 20 and 21. Why did he do that? Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather. And he was taking revenge on David. Just like Shimei was taking revenge on David. 44:02 For getting Saul out of the way. For taking Saul's throne. But David prayed a wonderful prayer. He said, Lord. Please make the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. And a very simple prayer. 44:25 And God answered that prayer. And you find later on that Ahithophel committed suicide. It's very wonderful. It's very wonderful how a simple prayer like that God answered. And that is the turning point of the whole story. 44:43 Otherwise David would have been killed. But just because of the simple prayer in chapter 15 verse 31. Lord. Please make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness. And God answered that. And Ahithophel hanged himself. 45:05 And Absalom followed some other counsel. And because of that David's life was saved. And later on when David's soldiers are going after Absalom to try and kill him. David says to his soldiers. 45:27 Please be gentle with my son. And when finally David was killed. Ah, Epsalom was killed. David weeps and says in chapter 18 verse 33. Oh, Absalom, my son, my son. 45:48 I wish I had died instead of you. You see what a tremendous love he had for his son. The one who had rebelled against him. He was so sad when he saw him killed. See what a lot of things David suffered in his home. Absalom committed adultery with his wives. 46:15 With David's wives. You read that. According to Ahithophel's counsel. His children murdered each other. They raped one another. It's true. However much a man may be forgiven. He reaps what he sows. 46:36 But finally. He writes a song in chapter 22. Which is the same as Psalm 18. And a very beautiful picture of salvation. How the Lord delivered him from all his enemies. And then in chapter 23. 46:57 David writes a little description of a good leader. Chapter 23. One who rules over men verse 3 must rule in the fear of God. He is writing from his own mistakes. He did not always rule with the fear of God. 47:18 But he says that's how we should do it. So David was a man who was willing to acknowledge his mistakes. And I believe that was one of the qualities that God appreciated. See if heaven was made only for perfect people. Who never made any mistakes. 47:40 David wouldn't be there. David wouldn't be there. Jacob wouldn't be there. Abraham wouldn't be there. Even Paul would not be there. And many many others. The thief on the cross would not be there. But the wonderful thing we see in the scripture is. 47:57 People who made some terrible mistakes. Repented. The main thing. They were absolutely honest. The Pharisees who made much lesser mistakes than the thief on the cross went to hell. 48:18 The Pharisees. But the thief on the cross much worse than them went to heaven. What do we learn from all this? The main thing God requires from us is honesty. And that is what he see in David. He didn't try to cover up his sin like Saul. 48:39 Finally in chapter 24. He makes one more mistake. Of counting people and depending on their strength instead of trusting the Lord. God punishes him severely and 70,000 people have died. 49:00 And God says okay. I'll forgive you but God to erect an altar for me. And in the last few verses of chapter 24. David goes to this place that God has said. The man called Arauna to buy his threshing floor. 49:21 And chapter 24 verse 21. He says I'll buy this. Arauna says no need to buy it just take it free. And David gives this wonderful reply. No I will buy it verse 24. Because 49:42 I will not offer to God that which cost me nothing. A wonderful expression. I will never offer to God that which cost me nothing. And that was the place we read later on that Solomon built the temple. You know where the house of God is built today the church? 50:06 Where God finds people like this who say I will not offer to God that which cost me nothing. This is the same place where Abraham offered Isaac too. Same spot. Where Abraham said I will not offer to God that which cost me nothing. 50:26 Where David said I will not offer to God that which cost me nothing. 2 Chronicles 3:1. 2 Chronicles 3:1. The church, the temple was built there. And that's where the church is built today also. And that's where the church is built today also. 50:36 Where we are willing to offer to God our very best. And that's where we are willing to offer to God our very best. And that's where the church is built today also. And that's where we are willing to offer to God our very best. 50:45 And that's where the church is built today also. And that's where the church is built today also. And that's where we are willing to offer to God our very best. And that's where we are willing to offer to God our very best. 50:51 And that's where we are willing to offer to God our very best. God bless you.
