Today's passage: 2 Samuel 24

Helpful thoughts:

• Compare verse 1 with the parallel passage, 1 Chronicles 21:1.  God is sovereign over all.
• David's pride in the matter (The reason Joab was right to question his motive) was in trusting in the battle readiness of the people over the protection promised by the LORD of Hosts.
• David chose the third option in order to put his hope in the mercy of God, though God could have stopped any of the three options whenever He deemed right.

Questions to consider:

1. Why was David right to repent?  What did he do that was wrong?  Why is conviction of sin such a great gift from God?
2. Why is it always right to turn to the Lord in our sin?  Who is the final judge?  Who alone can extend mercy?
3. On what grounds are you and I given mercy?  What offering provided our peace and forgiveness from our sin?

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 23

Helpful thoughts:

• God's formula for a great king:
  • Rule with justice.
  • Fear the Lord.  No king is the final authority.
• All of David's mighty men had this in common, their might came from the Almighty.
• The final name mentioned is Uriah the Hittite, the first husband of Bathsheba whom David had killed in battle.

Questions to consider:

1. What did David know he was writing (Verse 2)?  How does this compare with 2 Peter 1:21?
2. What is the answer to David's question in verse 5?  Did David's house (His family and the kings that followed him) rule the way God had instructed?  Whose integrity guaranteed this everlasting covenant?
3. How does Jesus perfectly fulfill God's requirement for the perfect king?

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 22

Helpful thoughts:

• This chapter and Psalm 18 are very similar.
• The song was written later in David's life.
• This song states the hows and why of God's deliverance.  The right response to God's grace and kindness is praising the Lord among the nations, that others will know who alone deserves their praise.
• Verse 27 reveals David's knowledge of why he could say what he did in verse 21.  He was righteous because he had been purified, a sinner saved by grace.

Questions to consider:

1. How will God show His steadfast love to His “Anointed” forever?  Who is the Lord's Anointed who will reign on the throne forever?
2. Why is it so important that we understand verses 26-29 so that we can rightly interpret verses 21-25?  Would David have qualified if he really believed he accomplished verses 21-25 without God's grace in verses 26-29?
3. How does this understanding of God's grace in the Gospel ensure that we sing His praises to the nations instead of…our praises?  Do we want people to be just like us or do we want them to know the One who cleanses and gives us eternal life?  How does the Gospel give us reason and motivation to proclaim Christ to others?

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 21

Helpful thoughts:

• The last four chapters in 2 Samuel go back and highlight different times during David's reign.  They are not chronological.
• The Gibeonites had been promised peace after they tricked Israel in Joshua 9:3-27.
• David's victory over Goliath wasn't the only time Israel saw a giant fall.  David wasn't more powerful than the rest of the Israelites.  They all had the same God.

Questions to consider:

1. How did David respond after he saw the attempt at respect that was shown to the bodies of the deceased by Rizpah?  How do we tend to respond to people who conduct themselves and treat others with respect?
2. Why were these other Israelite men able to defeat the other Philistine champions?  What had God promised them?  Who was their faith placed in?
3. What is the great enemy God has promised to defeat for us through Christ?

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 20

Helpful thoughts:

• Sheba was a part of Saul's tribe and took advantage of the division at the end of the last chapter.
• David did not lay with his former concubines after they had been with Absalom during his rebellion.
• After Amasa failed to bring the army together, David turned to Abishai instead of Joab.  But, by the end of this event, Joab was reinstalled over the army
• The wise woman had the right to appeal for peace in Israel (Deuteronomy 20:10).

Questions to consider:

1. What kind of leadership/power did Joab possess if he was able to disobey David's orders for command and still have troops readily loyal to him?
2. On what basis did the woman make her appeal?  What did she want to prevent Joab from doing to a city of Israel?
3. Who was right in this chapter?  Is there a true hero?  Is Joab being loyal to David or to Israel or both or neither?  How does this narrative further point us to our need for a true sinless hero in King Jesus?

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 19

Helpful thoughts:

• Through David's example, the victors returned as though they had been defeated.
  • Leaders lead by example even when they don't desire to do so.
• Joab had a great deal of power himself.  It could be argued that his words to David, though appearing to be quite threatening, were an expression of loyalty and love.
  • Israel needed a leader.  Joab alerted David to his responsibility and window of opportunity to reclaim his role.
  • Sitting at the gate to judge was David's act/communication of his return to the throne.
• Mephibosheth wasn't actually giving all his land to Ziba.  His response to David was a way of saying thank you and being happier about the safety of David than the return of any land.
  • We might be right to think that dividing the land between Ziba and Mephibosheth was unjust.  What is apparent is that Mephibosheth truly exemplified his overall gratitude toward David by accepting the judgment.

Questions to consider:

1. Why would it make sense for David to mourn for the death of Absalom?  Why would it make sense for him to extend gratitude to his supporters and protectors?  How could we compare the response of the people to Paul's instruction to the church at Corinth to, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)?  When does following a leader become dangerous and even sinful?
2. How many further consequences are we seeing of people's sinful actions? (Deaths, rivalries, jealousy, etc.)  Do we get to control the consequences of our sin?  What kinds of positions are people put in when sin is happening all around?  What will Heaven be like where there is no sin!?
3. Now that David's back, is everyone living happily ever after?  What is still happening?  How will King Jesus' return be different than this return of King David?

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 18

Helpful thoughts:

• Men from Gath of the Philistines (Ittai the Gittite) and from Cush in Africa were loyal and fought with David in Israel.  God has always intended for and welcomed the nations into His family by faith. (Leviticus 19:34, Romans 4:13-18)
• David considered Absalom his boy and desired to be restored after this rebellion.
  • This rebellion cost the lives of 20,000 Israelites.
• Words like “happened” and “a certain man”, and the fact that the forest killed more men than the sword, remind us that even though things look like chance, God is providentially in control.
• A heap of stones covered Absalom in his death.  This mimicked the death of stoning which was due a rebellious son (Deuteronomy 21:20-21) and had been utilized in the past against Israel's enemies (Joshua 7:26).

Questions to consider:

1. Why do you think Joab was so ready to disobey David's orders?  How might the people who supported David felt after David mourned the loss of Absalom before the loss of so many soldiers?
2. How did the Cushite's word choice reflect a different view of Absalom from David's?  How did the Cushite speak of Absalom?
3. What might you have noticed is missing from this chapter?  Who hasn't David consulted?  In what ways have David's priorities gotten out of sorts?  How has he allowed his despair to take over in a way that prevented him from seeking the Lord?  How has this changed his view of what was happening?

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 17

Helpful thoughts:

• The advice of Ahithophel sounded right in the minds of Absalom and also to all the elders of Israel.
  • Absalom had been working on this for over four years.
  • It may have looked or felt like the whole government shifted overnight.
• Hushai's counsel would allow time for David to prepare and required Absalom to be personally involved in the battle, risking his own life.
• Perhaps Ahithophel was aware of what would come of Absalom's choice to follow Hushai's counsel instead of his own.  He preferred suicide to being held responsible for a plan to overthrow King David.  His suicide was a selfish act even if it was used to communicate what would come of Absalom.
• Shobi was a prince over the Ammonites.  They pledged their loyalty to David during this time of distress.

Questions to consider:

1. Why did Hushai's counsel sound better to all the people (Verse 14)?  What does this teach us about the sovereignty of God and the hearts of man?
2. Is it OK that the female servant lied to protect the messengers?  How does the accuracy of the accounts (For better or worse) give us reason to be even more sure of the honesty of the Scriptures?  How does this remind us who the real hero of the story is?

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 16

Helpful thoughts:

• Ziba's “kindness” to David will later be proven false (19:24-27).  He attempted to selfishly capitalize on the chaos of the situation.
• If God intended for David to receive rebuke, then he knew he needed to be willing to take it.
  • Proverbs 27:6 – If our friends are speaking the truth to us in love, especially when it's hard, may we have ears to hear.
• David's consequence from 2 Samuel 12:11 comes true through the counsel of Bathsheba's grandfather…
  • Possession of the harem was passed down with the throne.  Absalom's action was a wicked form of declaration that he was now the king of Israel.
  • Don't let verse 23 fool you…  Ahithophel's advise was regarded as being from the Lord.  But, having put his faith in this man's counsel brought great shame and sin on Absalom.

Questions to consider:

1. Why don't we have to worry about defending ourselves?  What (Who) defines us as people?  What does the fear of man push us to do when others think poorly of us?
2. When we rush to defend ourselves from the negative perceptions of others, what might we miss out on?
3. When do we know that the counsel we receive from others (Or give to others) is godly counsel?  (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:3-4)

Today's passage: 2 Samuel 15

Helpful thoughts:

• Without reconciliation with king David, Absalom would not have had access to these chariots and horses.  Absalom used his father's forgiveness against him.
• The gate of the city was the common place for public judicial hearings.  Absalom found a weak spot in David's governing and utilized against him.
  • He flattered the people and stole their hearts for four whole years before moving to the next phase of his plan.  This was not a decision made on a whim.
• Having taken so many officials from Jerusalem would have given the appearance that David knew of and supported Absalom's actions.  It was not too uncommon then for a king to crown his heir before he died and for them to reign together for a time.
• Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather and would become a counselor to Absalom.  Hushai's job was to give Absalom the opposite counsel from whatever Ahithophel suggested.

Questions to consider:

1. What do you believe God's opinion was towards the sacrifices Absalom offered during this rebellion?  What kind of sacrifice does God desire and deserve?
2. In rejecting the presence of the Ark of the Covenant (Allowing it to remain in Jerusalem), and in relinquishing control of the situation to God, who was David trusting in?  Who was he seeking to protect?  Was David utilizing the tension to garner for himself more followers and secure his power or was he acknowledging that God might have a better plan for the people than for him to remain the king?
3. How would you compare and contrast the leadership styles portrayed by Absalom and David in this chapter?  How does believing in and relying on the goodness and the sovereignty of God change the way we see people and our role in relationships?  In leadership?