444 – Israel Under King David

SEMESTER 3

444 – Israel Under King David

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: BIBLE SURVEY III LESSON # 44
ISRAEL UNDER DAVID

Read the book of II Samuel.

INTRODUCTION:

1. David was the greatest of all the kings of Israel, though Israel reached its economical apex under Solomon.
2. So fundamental was his reign in the plan of God, that Scripture refers to Christ as the son of David and to his earthly kingdom as the throne of David.
3. In this lesson we shall consider the highlights of this chosen man’s life.

I. TIMES AND AGES

1. David was anointed to be king in about 1018 B.C., about sixteen years after Saul’s rejection.
2. This was shortly before he slew Goliath, at which time, accord­ing to the best available dating’s, he was about 23 years old.
3. He began to reign over Judah about 7 years after his anointing.
4. This was about thirty-nine years after Saul had been anointed king over Israel.
5. Seven years after he began to reign over Judah in Hebron, Ish­bosheth was assassinated and David became king over all Israel.

II. DAVID’S RISE IN ISRAEL

1. David’s rise to fame in Israel was as much by God’s providence as was his selection and anointing.
2. His first step to notoriety, the victory over Goliath, was altogeth­er God’s doing.
3. Two things change with this event which ushered David right to the throne:
i. The people began to notice and praise him. (I Sam. 18:7)

ii. Saul became jealous, suspicious, and neurotic. (I Sam. 18:8,9)

4. From this point David constantly grew stronger and Saul grew weaker.
5. Notwithstanding, David never tried to capture nor usurp Saul’s throne, even though he knew God had chosen him to be king.
6. Even in the case of Ishbosheth, David waited upon the Lord, as providence, even allowing human depravity to function, raised him to the throne of Israel.

III. DAVID’S SIN

1. Surely and scripturally, David was only a sinner saved by grace as others.
2. However, concerning the kingly commission, he always walked uprightly before God except in the matter concerning Bath-sheba. (I Kings 15:5)
3. This uprightness was obvious in two areas of his life:

i. He was honest and merciful as a king.
ii. He abstained from idolatry as a spiritual leader.

4. David’s sin was that of lusting after and taking Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah, which found him out in three areas of judgment.

i. She conceived, and bore a child which had to die. (II Sam. 11:5, II Sam. 12:18)
ii. This conception and the subsequent effort to hide it precipi­tated the conspiracy to kill Uriah. (II Sam. 11:5-17)
iii. God never let the sword depart from the house of David. (II Sam. 12:10-15)

5. The judgment of God in point IV. – C is seen in several areas, to David’s sorrow and shame.

i. The experience of the child’s death. (II Sam. 12:13-18)
ii. The rape of Tamar by Amnon. (II Sam. 13:1-19)
iii. The subsequent killing of Amnon by Absalom. (II Sam. 13:20-33)
iv. The insurrection against David by Absalom. (II Sam. 14:25–II Sam. 15:12)
v. The death of Absalom, David’s beloved son. (II Sam. 18:9-33)

IV.  GOD’S FORGIVENESS OF DAVID

1. David was informed of his sin and he repented. (II Sam. 12:13)
2. God forgave him. (II Sam. 12:13) This forgiveness involved two merciful results:

i. David would not suffer the lawful death penalty.
ii. His house would not be rejected as the royal family, as in the case of Saul.

3. Thus we shall see the “house of David” in some sense on the throne, all the way to Christ. (II Sam. 7:12-16)
4. This particular mercy (II Sam. 7:15) may well be, in its simplest sense, the “sure mercies of David” referred to in Acts 13:34, of which Christ was the ultimate fulfillment.