Resources

Summer 2006

As suggested by the home group leaders’ meeting, we will be looking at some stories about David in home groups this term. The early part of David’s life is the theme for the August morning sermons. We are going to look at some incidents in David’s later life, two of which will be preached on at the 6.30 services on the first two Sundays in May.

As we found when we looked at 2 Kings last year, studying the Old Testament requires quite long passages to get the full story. You may want to treat the studies in different ways to suit your group. I will try to have the notes out in good time, so that the group know what will be studied and can read the passages in advance. You may want to summarize part of the passage and concentrate the study on a smaller section. I am also going to include a Psalm with each study, which I hope you will find helpful in applying the study to our own lives or perhaps as a lead into worship. I may include some questions with the Psalm, but you may just want to read it as part of worship. As always, use what is helpful and forget the rest!

Wed. 10th May

The story so far

Saul, the first king of Israel, has been rejected by God and David has been anointed in his place. Saul threatens David’s life and David is on the run in the desert of Judah. He has already had an opportunity to kill Saul and has not taken it, when another opportunity presents itself and Saul and David meet for the last time.

Read 1 Samuel 26

How did the meeting with Saul test David?

Why did David not take the opportunity to get rid of Saul?

Abishai gave advice which David did not think came from God (v8). How do we weigh up what is really God speaking to us and what is just human opinion?

How does David defend himself to Saul?

How do we respond when criticized unjustly?

Have we had to wait a long time for something that God has promised us? What can help us to keep trusting God?

What does this story tell us about David’s character?

Does this story have anything to teach us today?

Psalm 57

What brings David comfort in his time of danger?

v6 Abishai is the brother of Joab, the commander of David’s army, who plays a significant part in the story of David’s reign. According to the book of Chronicles they were David’s cousins, which may partly account for their power and influence.

v9 David resists the temptation to speed up God’s timetable. The Lord is quite capable of dealing with Saul himself. Later kings would have done well to follow David’s example, as those who reached the throne through assassination sometimes left it in the same way.

v18 David gives Saul two options either 1) God has sent Saul to punish David, in which case David offers to make a sacrifice to atone for whatever sin he may have committed or 2) others have told lies about David to Saul and he is really no threat to Saul, more like a flea or a bird. Saul has his usual apparently dramatic change of heart and in front of all his men confesses that he has made a foolish mistake. The two sides withdraw with kind words, but nothing has changed. David starts to make plans immediately to put himself out of Saul’s reach. Saul’s last words are poignant and prophetic. Within a couple of chapters Saul is dead and David’s triumph is not long delayed.

(Notes from The story of David by Ian Coffey)

Wed. 24th May

The story so far

Events have moved on quite a bit since our last study. David has succeeded Saul as king of Israel, and, after initial problems with supporters of one of Saul’s surviving sons, he has united the tribes of Israel. The Lord has also given him victory over the old enemy, the Philistines. David has conquered the city of Jerusalem, and made it his capital, with a fine new palace, and has brought the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s presence with his people since Moses, up to the city with a great festival of praise.

Read 2 Samuel 7

Why does David want to build a house for the Lord?

What specific promises does God make to David (v8-16)?

How does David respond to God refusing his request?

How do we respond when God seems to turn down our plans?

What does David pray v18-29)?

What can we learn about prayer from David’s response to Nathan’s message?

In what ways has the Lord demonstrated his greatness or goodness to us?

How do the promises of this chapter find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus?

Psalm 20

Where does the true security of David’s kingdom lie?

This is a very significant chapter, not just in the story of David, but in terms of the whole of Old Testament revelation. David has been established on his throne and God has given him a measure of peace and stability. His attention now turns to the Ark of the Covenant, which is housed in a tent, while David has a finely constructed palace. Nathan is initially encouraging, but he received a further revelation and returns to David the next day with a different message.

v8-16 God’s message: David is not the one to build the temple. God has never asked any of his servants for a temple. The Lord has chosen David and will make his name great. The Lord will settle the nation in peace. The Lord will establish a house for David and his son will build a temple. The Lord will guide and correct David’s son and establish his kingdom for ever. David wanted to build God a house, but instead God will build and establish David’s house, his family. This has been called the Davidic Covenant, and like the Covenants with Abraham and Noah it is unconditional. God binds himself to it, but David does not have to promise anything in return. However, its ultimate fulfillment was a spiritual one, David’s earthly dynasty did not endure for ever.

I Chronicles 28:3 suggests that David was not chosen to build the temple because he was a warrior.

v18–29 David’s response is to feel overwhelmed by the goodness of God. As if the blessings he has already received are not enough, God speaks of future blessings. He recognizes that there is a bigger plan here and that there is no one like the Lord and no people like the people of Israel, who have been chosen and blessed by God. David calls on God to do what he has promised, that the Lord’s name will be magnified. It is striking to remember that God has actually turned down David’s plan. It was a good plan, but it was not God’s plan. But David is overwhelmed by God’s importance, not his own. He is willing to abandon his plan for God’s. He is prepared to be a different kind of king, willing to acknowledge the sovereignty of God. Here is more evidence of David’s humble heart that we saw in the last study. It is so often pride that prevents us from listening to the plans God has for us.

There are three phases to this story. In phase 1 David wants to do something for God. In his position of strength David can now do something significant for God.

In phase 2 God reveals himself to Nathan as a God who acts. He has acted in the past in choosing David and he will act in the future to establish David’s kingdom. In this section God is the subject of 23 verbs!

In phase 3 David sits before God in the place of prayer. ‘Whereas before, David was full of himself, now David is full of God. Seventeen times David refers to God by name.’

We have the benefit of hindsight when reading this story. David’s dynasty and the temple have not endured for ever. On one level the prophecy from Nathan was fulfilled through the accession of Solomon and the building of the temple, but at a deeper level, this promise of and everlasting kingdom was to be fulfilled through David’s greater son, Jesus.

(Notes from The story of David by Ian Coffey, some questions from Lifebuilder Bible Studies on David by Jack Kuhatschek, Scripture Union)

Wed. 7th June

This study will focus on chapter 12, but I think it is probably essential to read chapter 11 first, unless all your group have done their homework! We may be very familiar with the story, but reading it can still have an immense impact. The author lays out the details without passing judgment, until the final verse: ‘But the thing David had done had displeased the Lord.’

Read 2 Samuel 12:1-25

Why does Nathan tell David a story rather than confronting him directly about his sin?

Why is the Lord concerned that David in particular should have acted this way (v7-9)?

What are the consequences of David’s sin, for himself and for others?

How are God’s justice and mercy revealed in his judgement of David?

How does David respond to the news that the child is ill?

Is it right to seek to change God’s mind in this way?

How does God show his grace to David?

How can we help people to know they are forgiven?

Psalm 51

How could David, chosen and blessed by God, have failed so seriously? Chapter 11 implies that he had become rather comfortable and complacent. The kingdom was more secure and David felt he could rely on his captain, Joab, take care of the day to day business of war. He let his defences slip, he was tempted and then he acted on that temptation. What was probably a one night stand to David, became a lot more significant when Bathsheba became pregnant and David took steps to cover up his sin.

Fortunately, David’s heart was more tender than Saul’s and his repentance was genuine, as we can see from Psalm 51.

v13 He immediately owned up to what he had done. Both 2 Samuel and Psalm 51 make it clear that David’s sin was primarily against God. Our sin affects others, but the greatest offence is to God who made us for better things.

v16 His actions when the baby is ill show how real his penitence was. David found forgiveness because God is a God of love, but he had to live with the disastrous consequences of his actions, some of which we will see in our next study.

(Notes from The story of David by Ian Coffey, some questions from Lifebuilder Bible Studies on David by Jack Kuhatschek, Scripture Union)

Next study: We will look at part of the story of Absalom’s rebellion,

2 Samuel 15-19:8

The real reason for doing this passage – the chance to show these wonderful pictures!

The story of the rebellion of David’s son, Absalom is told in these four chapters. We will look at the beginning and end of this tragic affair. The narrator of 2 Samuel leaves us in no doubt that God’s judgment on David’s sin with Bathsheba and the death of Uriah can be seen in the turmoil in David’s family. In the chapter following the one we looked at in our last study David’s failure to punish the sexual sin of his son Amnon (did he feel compromised by his own behaviour?) leads to his son Absalom murdering Amnon. Absalom is banished for a while and eventually recalled to court, but the break in the relationship between David and Absalom is not fully repaired. Perhaps Absalom had hoped to be named David’s successor and feels he has now lost David’s confidence. For whatever reason, Absalom begins to build a rebellion, at first secretly and then in open armed opposition to his father.

How does Absalom undermine David’s position?

How can we judge properly the character of leaders in politics, the church or in other areas of life?

Why did David decide to flee, rather than to stay and fight?

Why did David send the Ark back to Jerusalem?

How does David pray in this situation?

Where do we look for help in difficult times?

What most distresses David about the opposition he is facing?

What is David’s trust in God based on?

Is there anything in this Psalm to encourage us in difficult circumstances?

v14 David was a very skilled tactician and presumably felt a tactical withdrawal and regroup would be the best plan. David’s personal guard included a number of foreign troops, who showed great loyalty.

v25 The Ark was a powerful symbol of God’s presence with his people and possessing the Ark made a statement about your acceptability before God. David’s decision to return the Ark to Jerusalem appears surprising, but it is an act of faith and trust in God.

v31 David is alarmed to hear that his chief advisor, Ahithophel has joined Absalom, but he sends his friend and advisor, Hushai, to act as a mole in the new regime.

Ahithophel gives good advice to hit David hard and kill him, with minimal other casualties, before he has time to strengthen his position. Hushai advises gathering an army and going out to meet David in pitched battle. With God’s help (and possibly some assistance from Absalom’s pride), Hushai’s advice prevails. In the ensuing battle Joab kills Absalom and the rebellion is quashed.

(Notes from The story of David by Ian Coffey)

I have included the last passage, just to round off the story if you have time. This incident may be seen as Joab’s finest hour, though it seems that David and Joab’s relationship was somewhat strained from this point. David probably never forgave him for Absalom’s death and on his death bed gave instructions to Solomon to deal with Joab ‘according to your wisdom’.

For our last study in the life of David we are going to look at the other Old Testament record of David’s reign. The book of Chronicles tells the story of David, but not the ‘warts and all’ tale we see in Samuel and Kings. Chronicles makes no mention of the David’s adultery with Bathsheba or of Absalom’s rebellion. The focus of the story is David’s line and the temple as the centre of the nation’s life. As we know, God refused David’s request to build the temple – that was to be Solomon’s job, but Chronicles relates how David made preparations for the task. This study also reflects on the subject of giving. What can we learn from David’s example about having a right attitude to giving? This study is taken from the Lifebuilder Bible Study on David by Jack Kuhatschek.

What does this chapter show us about David’s attitude to giving?

What effect does David’s example have on the leaders of Israel and the people (v6-9)?

What motivates us to give?

What does David’s prayer in verses 10-13 reveal about his view of God?

Why does David not feel proud of his giving (v14-19)?

How did giving make David and the people feel?

How is our view of God related to our willingness or unwillingness to give?

In what other ways can we express our devotion to God?

How do the events of this chapter provide a fitting conclusion to David’s life?

What have you most appreciated about studying the life of David?

Psalm 145