Which Pathway to Power Will We Follow?
David's kingdom is at hand. His enemies are growing smaller and his following is growing larger. On top of this, defection from Saul's ranks is on the horizon. All things seem to be coming together for David. So it's really sad to see what happens early on in his reign at Hebron. For just when the Lord is about to bring His kingdom to fulness, David begins building the kingdom on his own terms with his own imaginations.
2 Samuel 3:2–5 (ESV) And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
Now David is doing what ancient kings NORMALLY did in those days. Sons for a King in the ancient world were emblems of power. The more sons, the more power (presumably). But how is David getting these sons? Through polygamy and political marriages arranged to strengthen his position. One wife is the daughter of Geshur's king! This practice will be taken to an extreme in Solomon's reign. The Torah clearly prohibits Israel's king from taking many wives.
Deuteronomy 17:17 (ESV) And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
David LOOKS like he is getting ahead in life. And that's exactly the problem. Because he's taking the natural road to power following the standards of his day. This is what you did in that position, after all. But what no one can see is how David's appetite for women will spell great challenges for his kingdom in the affair with Bathsheba or how these sons will behave later in life.
Here's how you are to read the Bible. YES, David is polygamous and siring several different children through strategic marriages. He will do this more in chapter 5. But NO, this is an endorsement of his behavior. These children will rape, kill and turn on each other. The END does not justify the MEANS. Take note, Bible reader of how you should read these stories lest you fall for the trap that what the Bible records equals what the Bible permits! It is not so.
Consider Christ in contrast to David. While David is doing what looks right on the outside to his surrounding culture to gain power and longevity for his crown, it will ultimately come back to bite him. Jesus, on the other hand, needs no "normal" human agenda to secure for Himself a kingdom. He will actually do the opposite of what you'd expect. He will be the Lord of Glory who will serve the least. He will be the Savior who seeks the lost. He will die for His enemies and forgive them. This is why the Gospel is hard to grasp apart from God's illumination. The Gospel does not come naturally. God opens our hearts (see Acts 16:14) to hear it and receive the true and better David who established His reign not with strategies of this world but with submission to the Father's will.
The question for you who follow Christ is this: Are you trusting the Lord's ways or God's? Are you using the methods of your culture or specific context to get ahead or are you serving and surrendering to the Lord? The way of Christ is often times the complete opposite of everything the world tells us to do. But herein lies the wisdom of God. It is the strangeness of the method of Christ that in many ways qualifies His divinity. If he acted like us, He would be a god of our own making. But He's uniquely different, set apart and holy as God the Son. He wants you to trust Him and follow Him.
Your future will thank you for it.
2 Samuel 3:2–5 (ESV) And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
Now David is doing what ancient kings NORMALLY did in those days. Sons for a King in the ancient world were emblems of power. The more sons, the more power (presumably). But how is David getting these sons? Through polygamy and political marriages arranged to strengthen his position. One wife is the daughter of Geshur's king! This practice will be taken to an extreme in Solomon's reign. The Torah clearly prohibits Israel's king from taking many wives.
Deuteronomy 17:17 (ESV) And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
David LOOKS like he is getting ahead in life. And that's exactly the problem. Because he's taking the natural road to power following the standards of his day. This is what you did in that position, after all. But what no one can see is how David's appetite for women will spell great challenges for his kingdom in the affair with Bathsheba or how these sons will behave later in life.
Here's how you are to read the Bible. YES, David is polygamous and siring several different children through strategic marriages. He will do this more in chapter 5. But NO, this is an endorsement of his behavior. These children will rape, kill and turn on each other. The END does not justify the MEANS. Take note, Bible reader of how you should read these stories lest you fall for the trap that what the Bible records equals what the Bible permits! It is not so.
Consider Christ in contrast to David. While David is doing what looks right on the outside to his surrounding culture to gain power and longevity for his crown, it will ultimately come back to bite him. Jesus, on the other hand, needs no "normal" human agenda to secure for Himself a kingdom. He will actually do the opposite of what you'd expect. He will be the Lord of Glory who will serve the least. He will be the Savior who seeks the lost. He will die for His enemies and forgive them. This is why the Gospel is hard to grasp apart from God's illumination. The Gospel does not come naturally. God opens our hearts (see Acts 16:14) to hear it and receive the true and better David who established His reign not with strategies of this world but with submission to the Father's will.
The question for you who follow Christ is this: Are you trusting the Lord's ways or God's? Are you using the methods of your culture or specific context to get ahead or are you serving and surrendering to the Lord? The way of Christ is often times the complete opposite of everything the world tells us to do. But herein lies the wisdom of God. It is the strangeness of the method of Christ that in many ways qualifies His divinity. If he acted like us, He would be a god of our own making. But He's uniquely different, set apart and holy as God the Son. He wants you to trust Him and follow Him.
Your future will thank you for it.
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