The Lord had established David as king over Israel and exalted his kingdom

2 Samuel 5:1-25

Key verse 5:12

“Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.”

In our spiritual life we always want to be victoriouss. Who wants to be defeated and miserable? No one. So we always want to be victorious life in Jesus Christ. But when think about it, our victory or defeat does not depend on our abilities. It depends on who our king is. If Jesus is our king we will be victorious all the time. If someone else is our king we will be defeated all the time. Guaranteed. When Saul was king over Israel they were not victorious. They were not able to drive out Jebusites from Jerusalem. They were not able to defeat the Philistines. When David was king over Israel the story is totally different. They were able to defeat Jebusites from Jerusalem and they were victorious against the Philistines. They were able to defeat the Philistines repeatedly. So today we want to know how we can secure our Lord Jesus as our king. We also want to know how the Lord established David as king over Israel and exalted his kingdom. We also want to know how our Father established Jesus as our king and exalted his kingdom. So we have three things in question today.

Part I. David was anointed by the elders of Israel. (v.1-5)

Let’s read verses 1-3 responsively. I will go first. 

“All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’” 3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.”

Now verse 1 says “all the tribes of Israel”. Do you know how many men refers to “all the tribes of Israel”? According to 1 Chronicles chapter 12 there were more than 300,000 people. These 300,000 people came to David at Hebron and they tried to persuade David to be their king. Basically they were saying, “David, you have so many reasons to be our king. Please be our king!” So the first reason is ‘we are your own flesh and blood.” “We are your own brothers.” And even Saul was our king you were our real leader because you led us in our military campaigns. Furthermore the Lord told you, “You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’” So you have all these reasons to be our king. Please! When we think about it we ask a question. “Why then didn’t they come to David earlier?” They came to David 7.5 years later after the death of Saul. When they know all their ways are exhausted. Sometimes we do not come to Jesus and accept his sovereign rule over our lives whenever we have something to rely on. When all our means are exhausted and when we have no way to get help we come to Jesus and ask Jesus to rule over us and are ready to follow his rule. All the elders of Israel came to David at Hebron. They made a covenant. David made a covenant with the Lord and they anointed David king over Israel. David was anointed 3 times. First by Samuel, second by the tribe of Judah and lastly by all the tribes of Israel, 11 tribes other than the tribe of Judah. But Saul was anointed by Samuel once. 

Look at verses 4 and 5. “4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.”

Suppose David was anointed by Samuel at the age of 15. He had spent 15 years to become a king of Hebron over the Judah. And he had to wait 7.5 years to become a king over the united kingdom of Israel. After David was anointed by Samuel they could have forced his way to become a king because he was anointed by the Lord. He had two opportunities to kill Saul and become a king. Even after he was anointed as king over Judah in Hebron he could have forced his way and claim his kingship over the people of the tribes of Israel. But he did not do that. David was patiently waiting for the Lord’s time. The Lord had helped David to be patient and wait for his time. When the time of the Lord came more than 300,000 people all came to David and determined to make David king over them with their full joy and willingness. This shows how the Lord had helped David to establish him as king over Israel. The Lord blessed David to be very patient and wait on the Lord’s time.

Part II. David conquered the fortress of Zion and made it the City of David (v.6-16)

Let’s read verse 6-8 responsively. I will go first.

“6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.,8 On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

After David was anointed as king over the united kingdom David marched to the fortress of Zion and captured it. This fortress of Zion is the place which is very difficult to conquer. That is why it was occupied by the Jebusites. From general Joshua down to Saul no one was able to drive the Jebusites from the fortress of Zion. It is a small pocket of the land. It is a small pocket of the land but it is the enemy’s land inside of the Israel. So when David became a king he marched to it and captured the fortress of Zion. He made it his own city. This Zion or Jerusalem is north part of Hebron. So it is more situated at the central part of united kingdom. 

Furthermore this place has a very rich spiritual inheritance. The Mount Zion and Mount Morriah. (showing power point picture). Mount Zion was surrounded by 3 valleys and it is very hard to conquer it. The first time the name of “Jerusalem” appears is in Genesis when Melchizedek, the king of Salem appeared to Abraham and blessed him. And “Salem” means “Jerusalem.” Abraham was commanded by the Lord to offer his son Isaac on the Mount Morriah. And Mount Morriah is right there near Mount Zion. So David wanted to capture the fortress of Zion because it was a part of the enemy’s land and it has many spiritual inheritance. 

But it was so difficult to conquer it. So David said in 8. “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft.” Do you know what is ‘water shaft’? Basically it is water channel. This is water shaft. (pointing it in the power point). If you look at in the middle with blue one, it says ‘Warren’s shaft.’ There was a man named Warren. He went to Jerusalem to find very valuable something. But he found this shaft. So it is called ‘Warren shaft.” This is basically the water channel that connects Gihon spring to water the people in the city of Jerusalem. It was so difficult to conquer the city David’s army might have used the water shaft and that is how they conquered Jerusalem.

Look at verse 9. “9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces inward.”

David did not just captures the fortress of Zion but he expanded it and made his residence. He named it as ‘City of David.’ He wanted to make sure that he is the one who conquer the city. “10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.”

Now let’s read 11 and 12 responsively. I will go first. “11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.”

When David was anointed as king over Israel Hiram, king of Tyre, he was one Gentile king, became a friend of David and the king of Tyre and his people had a very valuable skills and material to build the palace and temple. And he sent envoys to David , along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. This one Gentile king’s hospitality brought David to realize that the Lord had established him as king over Israel. Saul was anointed by the Lord but Saul was never established by the Lord as king over Israel. Indeed the Lord rejected him as king over Israel although he lived a king for 42 years. 

And David also realized that the Lord had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. The power and fame and glory of his kingdom spread out to the neighboring kingdoms for the sake his people Israel, for them to be delivered from their enemies and live in safety. 

Spiritually speaking our Father has also established Jesus as our king and exalted his kingdom for our sake. 

Philippians 2:8-11 shows how our Father has established Jesus as our king and exalted him. Let us read these verses responsively. I will go first. 

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus God the Father exalted Jesus as the king of kings and the Lord of the lords and his name is above every name and every knee should bow before Jesus. 

Jesus’ kingdom was also exalted. This is what the angel Gabriel said to Mary when Jesus was born. It is Luke 1:31-33. Let’s read these verses responsively. I will go first. “³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

The Lord God said to Jesus. The Lord will give Jesus the throne of his father David. Jesus was a descendant of David. Jesus will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever and Jesus’ kingdom will never end.

Our federal government is shut down. But Jesus’ government will never end. It will never be shut down. It will be always open and works powerfully in our hearts and heart of others. 

Now when we think about it, when our Father established Jesus as our king and exalt his kingdom where is Jesus’ residence. Where is Jesus’ dwelling place? Jesus’ residence and his dwelling place is ‘our hearts’. Our hearts were originally the fortress of Satan, our enemy with the power of sin and death. Satan occupied our hearts. Spiritually speaking, it was Satan’s fortress. But our Father God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he broke the power of sin and death and established Jesus as our king in our hearts and exalted his kingdom in our hearts.

So our hearts is so important place. It is the battle ground. So it is no wonder that our enemy always wants to capture it again. If not possible then even small pots of a land. One deep rooted one sin, or one small pleasure time to time, tempting us to compromise “It’s okay. Everybody sins anyhow.” Our heart is battle ground and it is at the same time it is the throne of Jesus Christ as our king and it is his dwelling place and residence.

The battle goes on in our hearts. Whether it is the fortress of Satan or fortress of our king Jesus Christ. 

Look at verses 13-16. “13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.” David might have thought that by marrying princes of his neighboring kingdoms he might secure his kingdom. But that was not God’s way. The word of God clearly says that king should not have many wives. But he had 8 wives and 10 concubines and many children. And he had a big trouble because of his children later times.

Part III. David defeated the Philistines. (v.17-25)

Let’s read verses 17-21 responsively. Can you go first? Please!

“17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 19 so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” 20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.”

This is the valley of Rephaim, (showing in the power point) west of Jerusalem. Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king over Israel then they came with full force to destroy David. They wanted to get rid of David before his kingdom took root and became strong. So they came with full force. Then David went down to a stronghold, some fortress. Then David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?” The Philistines had been Israel’s enemy and David knew it and everybody knew it. And they came to destroy David. It is common sense to go out and fight. But David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?” He had another question, “Will you deliver them into my hands?” Of course to go and attack the Philistines is one thing and to win victory against them is still quite another. And the Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” And David went out.

And David was so convinced of the Lord’s victory because he went out after he heard the Lord’s answer. He felt that the Lord was breaking out against his enemies before him as waters break out. Water breaking out, (showing the picture in the power point). Such confidence came to David because David inquired of the Lord and heard the Lord’s answer. “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” No problem!

When was the victory confirmed? Was the victory finalized and confirmed at the time of actual battle? Was the victory secured when the Lord answered David? It is the time when the Lord answered David. ““Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

If the Lord answers our prayers as soon as we ask him who would not pray? Everybody will pray. If the Lord answers our questions as soon as we inquire of him who would not inquire of him? But the Lord may not necessarily answer our prayers as soon as we pray. David did not know when the Lord would answer his inquiry. So probably David went down to the stronghold to take time with the Lord, to have fellowship with the Lord. The victory was secured when David had fellowship with the Lord and asked him, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” and waited patiently until the Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” And the victory was secured at that time.

The Physical battle, when David went out and fought against the Philistines, that was nothing. They just came automatically. As waters break out and wipe out everything David felt the Lord wiped out everything, every enemy of him. 

What David shows how David secured the Lord as his king. Although David was king over the united kingdom of Israel David knew who was the real king. The Lord God was the real king. So he did not act according to his common sense, his sinful desires, his knowledge or anything. He depended on the Lord by inquiring of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” He was saying, “I am powerless. I am nobody.” The Lord was very pleased. The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” We don’t know how long it took to receive the answer from the Lord but David waited patiently until he heard the Lord’s answer. 

And this is how we can secure Jesus as our king. We can inquire of him, we can pray for him. And we can wait patiently until Jesus answers our prayers, until Jesus speaks to us, ad follow his word and command instead of our sinful desires. Victory will be secured. We will be victorious under the leadership of our king Jesus Christ all the time. No exceptions!

Let’s read verses 22-25 responsively. I will go first. “22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23 so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” 25 So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.”

Same enemies came in the same place. It’s funny that they spread out in the valley of Rephaim. They may like this place. And David had already won victory. So he can just go out and use the same strategy and won the victory. But David didn’t do so. He inquired of the Lord again and waited for the Lord’s answer. The Lord gave him a different military strategy. Not frontal attack but rear attack. “Circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees when  you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees” because it means the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistines. So David waited until he heard the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees. “shee!” something like that. “Move quickly when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army. David believed it and obeyed it and the victory was secured. He could struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. Gibeon and Gezer, (showing in the power point.” And Gezer was their place. He chased after them all to their home town.

In conclusion, “How the Lord established David as king over Israel and exalted his kingdom?” “How did our Father establish Jesus as our king and exalt his kingdom? And “ How can we secure Jesus as our king?”  The answer for the first question is 1) The Lord helped David to be anointed by the elders of Israel in patience. 2) The Lord strengthened David to capture the fortress of Zion and made it the City of David and 3) The Lord helped David to defeat the Philistines.

“How did our Father establish Jesus as our king and exalt his kingdom? By raising Jesus from the dead, breaking the power of sin and death and making Jesus’ residence in our hearts. Our spiritual fortress, the place of Jesus’ throne is our hearts.

“ How can we secure Jesus as our king?” By inquiring of Jesus and follow his commands instead of our sinful desires.

One word: The Lord had established David as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom.

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