2 Samuel 24:1-4 - Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”  So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”  The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders…

This census was one of David’s two greatest sins. The story is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 21, which says God incited David by allowing the Enemy to tempt him to do this. This sin of counting the “sheep” of Israel (see 2 Samuel 24:17) brought a terrible judgment from the Lord. 70,000 people died from a plague throughout the country, within three days’ time! We often compare the Work of the Holy Spirit to the “work of David,” so it is important to see the application of this problem in David’s life to our churches today.

continue

Acts 13:20-22 - “After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.  Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.  After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’” 

continue

“May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.”   – 2 Samuel  3:9-10 

Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a compact with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.”  So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. -   2 Samuel  3:21 .

continue

2 Samuel 23:14-17 - At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.  David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”  So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord.  “Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.

 The life of David provides a prophetic foreshadowing of the Work of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is accomplishing today.  The Lord Himself revealed to us that we would learn a great deal about the nature of a work that pleases Him if we studied the life of David and his relationship with God. 

continue

“Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul you master is dead…”  2 Samuel 2:7

continue

2 Samuel 23:14-17 – At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.  David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”  So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord.  “Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it...

In the Bible, the life of David provides a prophetic illustration of the Holy Spirit’s work, the Project of God that He wants to do in our midst. The events of David’s life and reign stand in contrast to those of Saul, his immediate predecessor, who is a prophetic illustration of empty religion – that which starts out in God’s project and then deviates to follow human opinions and agendas. We can learn many important lessons about what pleases God if we study the life of David and his relationship with God.

continue