KING SOLOMON

 

And Solomon became the king of Israel. He sat upon the throne of his father. David charged him to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments so that the promise of God can be fulfilled in his life. He was also charged to reward Joab, Ishmael and Barzillai according to the deeds of each one of them. Solomon did not take vengeance immediately, but he rather allowed each one to prove himself. Even Adonijah his brother who he could have killed immediately to secure the kingdom to himself, he still gave him a chance until Adonijah requested for the hand of Abishag the Shunamite, David’s last wife. This probably was symbolic in their culture and hence Solomon’s reaction. The story shows Solomon’s willingness to give others a second chance. He did not act based on first offence, he instructed Shimel not to depart from Jerusalem but 2 years later, Shimel went against his instructions and that spelt his doom. Adonijah probably still eyeing the throne, asked Abishag as wife and that nailed him.

 

 

LESSON:

Leaders should not act or judge based on a tip from others, there is always a need to give them along rope to pull. Many leaders will ignore or remove everyone who has not supported their candidacy for a position as soon as they secure that position.  Some will even make an enemy of those classes of people but not Solomon, he gave them the opportunity to have a rethink. Solomon loved the Lord and God gave him the opportunity to ask for whatever he desired. Solomon did not ask for gold or silver, neither did he ask for the head of his enemies, he only asked for understanding heart to judge Gods people. Solomon realized his ignorance, inexperience and weakness. He knew that only God will give him the wisdom to rule the great nation of Israel, he must have remembered leaders like Moses and knew he would only succeed with God on his side giving him a daily dose of heavenly wisdom. God was pleased with Solomon; He did not only give him extraordinary wisdom but also riches, and honor that there was none other comparable to him in the history of Israel. Solomon wrote many words of wisdom which are still very relevant today. These words written in the book of proverbs and Ecclesiastes touch on every facet of life. They will  guide every leader, every young man and woman who will take them seriously.

God is interested in sound and fair judgment. He expects every leader to pursue farmers and to depend on Him. So many intrigues play out in human systems and organizations. A leader who will succeed must rely on God for wisdom, he must seek earnestly after fairness in judgment and the Lord will prosper him as he did Solomon. When we rely on our own strength and judgment, we are bound to fail because our judgment is taunted with error and sin.

David’s Last Days

David’s song of thanksgiving in 2samuel 22:1-51 was a celebration of God’s grace in his life. It was a summary of his life. In spite of David’s sin, he still claimed righteousness and uprightness because he understood God’s forgiveness. He understood God’s grace. God say “even though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, even though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool”.

LESSON: No matter how deep we have been in sin, the lord is ready to forgive us and start all over with us if we are repentant. He will remember our sins no more and before him, we shall be perfect.

David also summarized God’s expectation of every leader in 2sam 23:3-4 “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling with the fear of God and he shall be as the light of the morning”.

 

David made another fatal mistake towards the end of his life. He requested that a census be carried out in Israel. Every attempt by Joab and his cabinet members to dissuade him failed. He went ahead with his plans only to realize his foolishness after the deed was done. He repented whole heartedly again but the consequences followed. David was asked to choose the punishment out of three options; he chose to fall into the hands of God because he knew God is merciful. About 70,000 people were destroyed in the pestilence before God stayed the hand of the angel of destruction.   

LESSON: When leaders fail to listen to advice especially on issues that may affect followers, if and when it backfires, the impact is not only on the leaders but also on the followers. Leaders should therefore give thoughtful consideration and seek God’s face before embarking on such projects.

They should not turn deaf ears to the advice of the people because no man is infallible. The end of David’s life, Adoniyah started projecting himself as king. David was not ignorant of it but he never rebuked him. This again shows the permissiveness of David as a father. Not until Nathan and Bathsheba approached him did he take a decisive action to pronounce Solomon king after him.

 

David loved God with all his heart. Even though God did not allow him to build a temple for Him as he desired, yet he made all the necessary preparations in terms of materials, systems and procedure. All of which he carefully handed over to his son Solomon.

David was indeed a man after God’s heart. He fallible, made many mistakes but this man like Joab clung to God all through saying “I will not let you go until you bless me”. God indeed blessed, gave him a son to sit on his throne, God was faithful to his covenant to David all through. Through this sinful but repentant man, Jesus came unto the world and was called the son of David. What a privilege, the lord is faithful.

To all leaders who like David will submit to God’s leading and chastisement God will be faithful as he was to his servant David.   

Evil in David’s Family

 

          David’s son Ammon burning with passion for his half sister Tamar was advised by his friend Jonadab to fake sickness and request for Tamar to come and attend to him. The king, ignorant of Ammon’s motive agreed and sent Tamar to Ammon. Ammon raped his sister and sent her out. Absalom the full blood brother of Tamar though seething with anger held his peace and waited for a good opportunity to revenge.

Two years later, Absalom hatched his plans, He commanded his servants to kill Ammon while all the king’s son were holding a party in his house. The king was devastated but Absalom ran away. Not long after this, David’s heart began o yearn for his son Absalom. Through the help of Joab, Absalom was allowed to come back to Jerusalem. Before long, Absalom conspired, usurped his father’s throne and David had to flee from Jerusalem. Absalom came to Jerusalem and on the rooftop of the palace and in the presence of all the people he laid with his father’s wives. Some of David’s close friends like Ahictophel deflected to Absalom. Ahitophel being the grandfather of Bathsheba probably had an axe to grind with David. It was an opportunity to revenge. Other friends like Hushai, remained faithful, some flee with him. However, this was also an opportunity for those who had been waiting to get their pound of flesh to do so. One of them was Shimel, the son of Gera who cast stones at David because he took the place of his kinsman Saul.

 

On the long run, Absalom was defeated; he was killed against the wishes of David his father. And David returned back to the palace.

LESSON:

1.     Sow to the wind and you reap a whirl wind. David had an illicit affair with Bathsheba and also planned the death of (Uriah) Bathsheba’s husband. The repercussion was enormous; David lost three promising sons; Bathsheba’s son, Ammon and Absalom. Tamar, his daughter was defiled; his wives were defiled through incest. What he did to another in secret was done to him openly. David was traumatized by his son’s conspiracy and his sins came to the open. The penalty is usually always serious when a leader------- disobeys God. Moses too struck the rock in annoyance, and lost the opportunity to step into the earthly Canaan. Leaders and administrators should be careful of bringing reproach to the name of the lord.

2.     A leader has many friends when he is in power, but you can only know your real friends when challenges come.

3.     David loved his children to a fault, while the Bible recorded that David was wroth with Ammon for raping his sister, there was no record of any punishment meted to him. Even though, Absalam was after David’s life, David never wanted him dead when Absalam was in exile after killing Ammon, David wanted him back 2 samuel 13:39. Joab noticed it and set up the

4.     David made a hasty decision concerning the case of Mephibosheth and Ziba. He heard only one side of the story.

5.     David was decisive when Sheba led a revolt against the king, David sent his men after him, Sheba was killed and the revolt came to an end. Leaders sometimes have to be decisive and pro active when it comes to quenching evil before it spreads.

 

MORE LESSONS FROM KING DAVID AND THE AMMONITES.

Bathsheba settled into David’s household, she had a son for David and everything seemed normal until God sent Nathan to David. David was confronted with his sin indirectly and he condemned himself. David repented, immediately he was forgiven but the consequences followed him.

LESSONS:

a)     The guilty are also very quick to judge and condemn others. David condemned the rich man in Nathan’s parable without thinking about his own sins as well. As leaders and administrators let us remember that we are not perfect too as we pass judgment on our subordinates and followers.

b)    We may assume that God has overlooked our sins because he is silent but a sinner cannot go unpunished. Leaders in particular cannot afford to indulge in sin. In 2samuel 12:14 Nathan said that David had given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme because of his sin. Followers look up to leaders for example, but when they give bad example they encourage followers to do likewise or at best to ridicule the God we serve.

c)     God forgave David but the consequences followed him, the child died and a circle of evil started within David’s family.

d)    In it all, David surrendered to God and face his lot with patience and humility.

The loving kindness of the lord, his long suffering and forgiving grace was demonstrated in the birth of Solomon in this relationship. This Solomon later became a favoured one in the sight of God.

KING DAVID AND THE AMMONITES

 

David’s faithfulness to his friends was demonstrated again when Nahash, the king of the Ammonites died. In appreciation of the kindness that Nahash had shown to David sent an envoy o commemorate with Hannum, Nahash’s son. Unfortunately Hannum was ill advised and he mistreated the servants of David. After discovering the evil they had done, they quickly went to hire the Syrians to join them in a battle against Israel. But he Lord was on the side of Israel even though the Syrians were many about thirty three thousand at the first battle and more at the second. David smoke them and they fled before him.

LESSON: When leaders act in accordance with the will of God, God takes care of their battles, he fights for them and their enemies are forced to be at peace with them.

David and Bathsheba

David was at the pinnacle of his success, he had fought many wars, and many nations were at peace with him, his throne has been established and his people revered him. However he was still consolidating his kingdom. It was a time when kings go to battle, and David instead of going to war sent Joab and his men to battle. He stayed back in Jerusalem and one evening as he strolled lazily on the roof of his house, he saw a beautiful woman in the distance taking her bath. David was so caphrated with this woman that he would not resist sending for her and having an affair with her. This was in spite of the fact that he had investigated and found out that this was Bathsheba the wife of Uriah the Hitite one of David’s best and faithful soldiers. Bathsheba became pregnant as a result of this affair and David in an attempt to cover sent for Uriah who was then at war front. Uriah came home but home but out of his faithfulness and integrity he refused to go and sleep at home with his wife. Twice, David tried to make Uriah go home to his wife, even getting him drunk, but Uriah was unflinching in his faithfulness. David therefore resorted to what he thought was the best way out of the mess, he made Uriah to unknowingly carry his own death warrant to Joab. Uriah was killed and Bathsheba became the wife of David.

 

LESSONS: How are the mighty fallen indeed! Let him that standeth, take heed lest he falls. Watch and pray for your adversary, the devil prowls about seeking whom to devour. Beware when you are at the peak of your success, because then you are more prone to temptations.

1.     The first mistake David made was to stay back at home when he was supposed to be at the war front. How often do leaders tend to relax when they are supposed to be in the fore front setting examples for their followers in service? David relaxed when he was supposed to be working and the Devil struck.

2.     David was not watchful, he did not fall into sin, and he walked right into it with his eyes opened. He saw the woman, thought about what to do; got information about her sent for her and had an affair with her. Everything was carefully planned and executed. Can you imagine a man who would not as much lift a finger against his enemy king Saul even when he had the opportunity now committing adultery and murder willfully? Talk about the danger of success, danger of watchlessness, the danger of taking things for granted, the danger of thinking we are in charge as leaders and we can do anything with impurity!. David fell and great indeed was the fall. Any leader who would not be watchful at every moment, who will become a Lord unto himself, will likewise fall. Leaders are particularly susceptible to this same temptation especially when they become secured in their position. Let us learn from David, we are never safe when we remove our eyes from the lord even for a split of a second.

CONTINUATION ON KIND DAVID....

LESSON: The need to always enquire of the Lord cannot be over emphasized, David discovered this secret and it guided him all his life. Leaders should learn from him.

David again showed his love for God by going to Baale of Judah to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. David was always concerned with spiritual things and in pleasing God. He thought about what to do for God’s glory again and he arrived at bringing the ark of God to a special place in Jerusalem the capital city. David had very good plans to honor God but along the line an accident occurred that discouraged David. Uzzah was supposed to know better and not to touch the ark, he did and he died.

LESSON: Things may not always go right even when we are doing God’s work, accidents may occur, but rather than give up, we should learn our lessons from them.

David abandoned the ark in the house of Obededom because of the incident. The Lord blessed Obededom’s household and when David heard this, he went back and brought the ark to Jerusalem with singing and dancing. His wife Michel, Saul’s daughter who abused him for dancing before the Lord remained barren for life.

After all these, God gave David rest from all his enemies, David decide in his heart to make a house for the ark, God then sent Nathan to him and God made a covenant with David that David’s kingdom will be established forever. His children shall rule after him and the Lord shall guide them. David was overwhelmed; he went before God and gave thanks.

LESSON: When we move away from selfish interests and we decide to honor God and his course, God will also honor us. David honored God, sough God’s interest every time and the Lord honored and established him. What a lesson to us all in a world where all we think about is self.

For Jonathan’s sake.

David never forgot his covenant with Jonathan. He never forgot Jonathan’s kindness and for his sake he sought out Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. David returned everything that belong to Saul back to Mephibosheth. He also honored him by making him a permanent guest at his table, just like any of David’s own son.

David never forgot the kindness of his friend; he was ever willing to show appreciation. He tried to show kindness to Hanun, king of Ammon when his father died but it was misinterpreted.

LESSON: As leaders and administrators, we should never forget our friends, even when we are promoted and seem to be higher than them in rank; we should always remember to repay kindness. David did not become pompous, he did not look down on his friends, he was there for his friend’s family even when the friend was no more.   

 

AND THE STORY OF KING DAVID CONTINUES.....

The story of Abner and Ishbosheth eventually took the usual turn it will normally take when we rely on men to take us to the top, to be our godfathers in a bit to get you to the top. When Isbosheth challenged Abner as regard’s his father; Saul’s concubine, the battle line was drawn and Abner deflected to David. Abner only wanted Ishbosheth as a stooge under his control, but the moment Ishbosheth demanded right things fell apart between them. Is this not the same scenario that we seeing our world today. The so called kingmakers or powers that be, install their stooges and expert, Demand loyalty at all cost. Leaders and administrators learn to wait on God and not on men, the arm of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own.

After the fallout, Abner came to David and David received him, even though Abner was the captain of Saul’s army all the time when Saul was hunting for David, He worked alongside Saul to destroy David. Yet David forgot the past and was willing to build bridges, however in a bid of revenge for his brother’s life, Joab killed Abner. The way David mourned and buried Abner showed that it was not his intention to get Abner killed. This also shows the magnimunity of David and his interest to unite Israel. To crown it all, Ishbosheth (king of the rest of Israel) and son of Saul were assassinated by his servants. These servants’s came to David with Ishbosheth’s head thinking they will be rewarded; unfortunately they met their waterloo because David did not reason like other men.

LESSON: David never rejoiced in the downfall of his enemies. He was willing to reconcile with Abner. He was willing to wait on God to work out his promise and not to diverse a means to accomplish God’s purpose. He could have planned Ishbosheth’s death himself since Ishbosheth was his only obstacle from becoming king as already promised by God. David displayed integrity and dependence upon God, he waited for God to make his enemies his footstool. How many administrators today wait on God today? So many go out of their way to scheme and to possess what God has not promised them. God promised David but David was not in a hurry, he waited and God made it beautifulin his own time. David was eventually crowned king over all of Israel after waiting for 7years and 6months as king over Judah. His reign became a reference point in the history of Israel, all because he was patient and he obeyed God. He knew that God was particular not only about the end but also about the means. Many would say “the end justifies the means” but that was not in the dictionary of David. All leaders should surrender both the means and the end to God who alone can establish them. The Lord was with David and he went on and became great 2samuel 5:10. However great David was, he also had weaknesses that were obvious. Verse 13 of 2samuel 5 laid the foundation of what eventually became a snare to David. He married more wives and took more concubines. Every human being has weaknesses and loopholes. For a leader, it is more obvious because you are lifted up above your people and so everybody can see those weaknesses. The love of women was an obvious weakness in David’s life and this was what led to his great fall later in life.

David again enquired of the Lord when the Philistines came against Israel, he did not delight in the power of his might or become self conceited because he conquered Goliath. The Lord instructed him to go ahead and the Philistines were defeated. Even when they regrouped again, David still enquired of the Lord before going against them and God gave him the strategy to use. Again he gained victory.

MORE LESSONS FROM KIND DAVID

David got himself  together and he decided to enquire from the Lord if he should pursue Amalekites.

LESSON: David enquired of the Lord before making a decision, this became David’s hallmark. An administrator must always enquire of the Lord so that he will not make mistakes. The secret of David’s success was his dependence on God’s leading. Today’s leaders must also depend on God for success.

David and his men went after the Amalekites and God granted them favor, they recovered everything that was taken away.

Promise Fulfilled

When the news of Saul and Jonathan’s death got to David, he lamented. His dirge for Saul and Jonathan is one of the most beautiful poems in the Bible. It was natural for David to sorrow over the death of his faithful friend Jonathan but to sorrow over Saul – an ardent enemy? But he did, David sorrowed over both Saul and Jonathan, commending their courage and unity. The Amalekites that came with the news must have thought that David would recompense him for killing Saul his enemy, he was mistaken as David surprised by the Amalekites effontry commanded that he should be killed.

LESSON: Many leaders would have rejoiced and celebrated the death of their enemy. Especially the enemy that is blocking their path to success. In fact many would go to any extent to exterminate such an enemy. But not David, he waited on God even when the opportunity to strike back was presented, he stood by principle not to touch or harm the anointed man of God. What a man, what a leader and what a big lesson for leaders and administrators today. Scheming and manipulation may take us to the top but what the Lord has not given will only end in disaster. We need to learn to wait for the right time because what God has promised, he will do. He is not a man that he should lie. David did not run ahead of God, he waited for him. He did not give excuses or rationalize in order to achieve his desire; he waited for God to act on his behalf. He did not laugh at the downfall of his enemy, he grieved and sympathized.

David had been anointed as king by Samuel many years earlier, with the death of Saul; David should have forcefully ascended the throne. However, David again enquired of the Lord if he could go up to the cities of Judah 2^nd Samuel 2:1. The men of Judah then in recognition of God’s will, anointed David lay over them. Abner, the son of Ner captain of Saul’s army in deviance to God’s will and probably in order to retain his position and power in the government or administration made Ishbosheth, Saul’s son to be king over the rest of Israel.

LESSON: We see Abner’s method being played out all around us today. Rub my back, I rub yours. The supposed kingmakers in government and in administration set up those who will retain them where they are or will give them the opportunity to have a say and to wield power in their administration. Instead of enquiring from the lord like David did or even following the express will of God, they peddle their own interest God may appear to allow it for a while, but in the end His purpose will override all such moves.

STILL ON KING DAVID..

LESSON:  The fact that we have overcome a particular temptation is no guarantee that the devil will not present it again in another manner. He continues to tempt us on our weak points. David who refuses to take vengeance when Saul’s life was in his hand was willing to destroy Nabal and his household because of an insult. Leaders should be watchful because of our adversary; the devil is relentless in making us to fall.

After another attempt on David’s life by Saul, David out of frustration decided to relocate to the land of the Philistines. He was accepted by Achish, king of Gath and was given the town Ziklag to settle with his men. David used this opportunity to destroy some of the remaining Canaanites including the Amalaekites. Rather than going to attack his own people, those who have betrayed him to Saul, he worked in line with God’s purpose, destroying the former inhabitants of the land.

 

War broke out between Israel and the Philistines again, Achish decided to enlist David and his men in the Philistine army. This was a big dilemma for David, should he fight his own people, to support the one who has supported and accommodated him? God delivered him through the stand of other Philistines leaders who insisted that David and his men should turn back lest they later join Israel at the battle to fight them.

LESSON: God is always ahead of every situation we may find ourselves and with every temptation, he will provide a way of escape. This was what God did for David and he will do it for leader who is working according to God’s will.

David came home to realize that Ziklag had been invaded, by the Amalekites, his wives; properties and those of his men had been taken away. It was a difficult time for him for even his men were so mad that they wanted to stone him.

LESSON: One victory does not indicate victory forever. God had just intervened in David’s dilemma on fighting on the side of the Philistines against the Israelites, while he was still jubilating on the great deliverance; he is faced with another disaster. No wonder the Bible says “Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the lord delivers him from them all.”

KING DAVID

The appointment of David as king and his whole life brings to mind or is clearly summarized in his proclamation in Psalm 139:15-18. God had identified David right from the very beginning and in the wilderness while he was shepherding the sheep, God was with him. His relationship with God borne out of that experience is summarized in Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”.

Samuel was afraid to go and anoint another king while Saul was still alive and ruling, but God gave Samuel the instructions and the modalities. God passed Eliab and David’s other brothers by and he chose David who was the youngest. Except for his beauty, David was not said to posses any physical MEN of a king. Immediately after he was anointed, the spirit of the Lord came upon David.

By the providence of God, David landed in the palace to play the harp and lift up the spirit of Saul. David probably went back home later because of the Philistine - Israeli war. His father however sent him with provisions to his brothers at the war front.

David made his debut appearance when he decided to face Goliath. Even though his eldest brother Eliab tried to discourage him by ridiculing him, David was undaunted. His response to Saul in 1samuel 17:37 revealed a man who had confidence in his God. David consumed by his zeal for God and his cause faced the giant with only a sling, five stones, and a staff. What a sight, a boy named David with no physical armour and a giant named Goliath who was heavily armed with a sword, a spear and a shield. There at that decisive moment was the famous and powerful poem composed by David “You come to me with a sword, a spear and a shield, but I come to you in the name of the lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied, this day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord’s”. 1samuel 17:45-47. What confidence, what faith in the power of the most high.

 

 

 

LESSON: How often do we shrink and panic in the sight of the power of the enemy, David believed God, He became the oracle of God at that moment, even though humanly speaking considering the circumstances, he was bound to fail, even to die but God rose up and answered his prayers and indeed the whole assembly confirmed that there is a God in Israel as David killed Goliath and the enemies took to their heels.

Saul was jealous and he tried to kill David but because David conducted himself wisely, he became afraid of David. The fear of David made Saul relentless in pursuing his life. From Ramah to Nob, to Adullam cave, to keilah, to Ziph forest, while in Ziph, Saul almost closed in on David but God intervened, Saul had to retreat to go and face the philistines who were attacking Israel.

LESSON: When we are at our units end, and it seems there is no way of escape from impending danger, God sometimes intervene in a miraculous way and deliver us. A leader that would expect this type of protection must however be in tune with God, faithful to God as David was at the time.

David had the opportunity to kill Saul when he came into the cave where David and his men were hiding, any other person would have seen this as a God giving opportunity to end the life of his enemy and be free, and especially these days the common prayer is to rain Holy Ghost fire upon your enemies so that they can be eliminated. Faithful David never laid his hands on God’s anointed; no wonder God called him “a man after my heart”. Many a leader today are looking for ways to get rid of their opponent by crook or by ……… and if per chance the opponents plays into their hands, that is the end, answered prayers they will say. We need to know what the will of God is and then work according to his time table not run ahead of him. He makes all things beautiful in his own time, when the time is ripe; he works is things out without us lifting a finger so that the glory goes to him alone. The opportunity presented itself again but David never laid is finger on Saul         .

In spite of all these noble activities of David, he still wasn’t a saint. When he and his friends needed provisions/supplies, he sent his men to Nabal and was ready to destroy Nabal and his family. Beautiful and wise Abigail intervened and reminded David not to shed blood needlessly to give vengeance unto the Lord because the lord shall yet fulfill his promise to David. David heeded the advice.