Scriptures for Today: 2 Samuel 2:1-11
2 Samuel 2:1-11
And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. 2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite. 3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul. 5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. 7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them. 8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
INTRODUCTION
Everybody knows David is God’s choice. Everybody knows David killed Goliath. Everybody knows Samuel anointed him. Everybody knows Saul is dead. So here’s the question: If David is God’s chosen king, why doesn’t everyone follow him? God’s choice is not always people’s choice.
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever thought: If God opens the door, everybody will support it? Have you ever thought: If I’m doing the right thing, everybody will be happy? Have you ever thought: If this is God’s will, there won’t be any opposition? The Bible says otherwise.
Because sometimes God chooses someone… and everybody else chooses somebody different.
That’s David. Think about this. Saul is dead. The throne is open. David has already been anointed. David has already killed Goliath. David has already spent years running for his life. Surely now everything will be easy NOW. Right? Wrong. Because David is about to become: The king nobody wanted.
I. DAVID ASKED GOD FIRST
2 Samuel 2:1-2
And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. 2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.
One of the most overlooked details in David’s life. In verse 1, you see: “And David enquired of the LORD.” Stop right there. “David enquired of the Lord.” Saul never did this consistently. David did. The throne is available. The opportunity is there. The crown is within reach. Yet David doesn’t move until he asks God.
How many people would have already started packing? How many people would have already started making plans? How many people would have said: “Obviously this is what God wants!”
David asks first. That’s very important. God’s in charge. Ask Him before you do something. Is this what you want, Lord God Almighty? One reason David became king was because he learned to wait on God.
Imagine David. Years in caves. Years running. Years hiding. Years being hunted by the king. Imagine sleeping in caves while knowing God has already promised you the throne. Imagine hearing people call Saul “king” while knowing God has chosen you.
Now Saul, the king, is dead. Most men would have went right in and tried to be king immediately especially David in his position. Yet David waits for God’s instruction. We need to do the same in everything we do. Wait on the Lord.
God’s choice is not always people’s choice. And God’s timing is not always our timing.
II. DAVID FINALLY ARRIVES
2 Samuel 2:3-4
And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.
David enters Hebron. This is the capital city at this time. This is a huge moment. The waiting is over. The running is over. The caves are over. The hiding is over. Imagine training your entire life for one event. One race. One opportunity. Then finally the day arrives. That’s David right here in this moment.
Look at verse 4 there. “And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.” Notice something. Not Israel. Judah. Only Judah. Let me ask you something. If God Himself chose David, why isn’t everybody lining up behind David? Why isn’t the nation celebrating? Why isn’t Israel united?
Israel didn’t want David. Wait a minute. I thought David was supposed to be king of all Israel? He was. ALL OF ISRAEL. He is supposed to be king over all Israel. So why is only one tribe following him? Because God’s choice is not always people’s choice.
III. DAVID REWARDS FAITHFUL MEN
2 Samuel 2:4-7
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul. 5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. 7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.
David hears about Jabesh-gilead. Remember these men? When Saul died, they risked their lives to recover his body. Why would David honor men who honored Saul? Wouldn’t Saul be his enemy? Wouldn’t David be glad Saul was gone? No. David wasn’t bitter. David wasn’t petty. David wasn’t vindictive.
Let me ask you something. How do you treat people after they’ve hurt you? How do you treat people after they’ve opposed you? How do you treat people after they’ve talked about you? David had every reason to be bitter. Yet he chose honor over bitterness. David is a man after the Lord’s own heart. We need to follow this example.
One of the signs of spiritual maturity is being able to honor what is right even when it involves someone who opposed you. David spent years being hunted by Saul. Yet he still respected Saul’s office. That’s character.
IV. THE NATION SPLITS
2 Samuel 2:8-10
But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
Now comes the shock. Abner has other plans. He takes the son of Saul and makes him king over all Israel. Many people forget about Ish-bosheth being the king of Israel after Saul, but he wasn’t God’s chosen king.
But right here in this story, I want you to imagine the celebration in Hebron in Judah. David is king. People are rejoicing. The future looks bright. Then news arrives that Abner has crowned Ishbosheth king. Another king of Israel? How many kings can Israel have? One. Yet now there are two.
Can you imagine David’s frustration? After all these years. After all this waiting. After all these promises. After all this suffering. The kingdom is still divided. He wants a united kingdom.
Imagine finally getting the promotion you’ve worked toward for ten years. Then on your first day someone announces: “We’ve hired another manager too. There will be two managers.” That’s similar to David here. He was going to be king over Israel but now there’s someone else too. So, only the house of Judah followed David. The rest of Israel didn’t want David.
God’s choice is not always people’s choice. God chose David. Abner chose Ishbosheth. All the people except the tribe of Judah followed Abner’s choice for king and not God’s choice.
Imagine standing in Israel that day. One tribe follows David. The rest of the nation follows Ishbosheth. If you were taking a poll, who would look successful? Ishbosheth. If you were counting votes, who would look right? Ishbosheth. If you were measuring by popularity, who would appear to be winning? Ishbosheth.
But God wasn’t counting votes. God had already chosen His king. And that’s a lesson we all need. Truth is not determined by a majority vote. God’s will is not determined by popular opinion. God’s choice is not always people’s choice.
V. THE KING NOBODY WANTED
2 Samuel 2:11
And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
This verse sounds small. But it’s huge. Seven and a half years. Think about that. David has already waited years. Now he waits seven and a half more. Imagine if that were you. Waiting and waiting and waiting. Seven and a half years. One birthday. Two birthdays. Three birthdays. Four birthdays. Five birthdays. Six birthdays. Seven birthdays. And David is still waiting.
How many of us would have quit? How many of us would have forced the issue? How many of us would have become impatient? Imagine being elected president. But only one state recognizes you as the president. “United we stand. Divided we fall.” We’ve come close to states doing that in more recent elections.
That’s David right here. Only one tribe sees him as king David. God has promised him the kingdom. Yet most of the nation is following somebody else. For seven and a half years David was king. But most people refused to acknowledge it. God’s choice is not always people’s choice.
CONCLUSION
Think about David’s story. God chose him. Samuel anointed him. The throne belonged to him. Yet the people chose somebody else. David spent years waiting. Years suffering. Years wondering. Years trusting. But eventually every promise God made came true.
Let me ask you something. Have you ever felt overlooked? Rejected? Passed over? Misunderstood? Maybe you’re doing what’s right and wondering why nobody notices. David was there.
For seven and a half years he was the rightful king… and most people didn’t want him. But God wasn’t confused. God wasn’t late. God wasn’t worried. Because God’s plans do not depend on popular opinion. And that’s the lesson. God’s choice is not always people’s choice.
David was the king nobody wanted. But he was exactly the king God wanted. And in the end… God’s choice won.
Let’s pray.
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