II Samuel 4:1-2, 5-7- And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin: And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
Ishbosheth's other 2 captains now had turned against him and they killed him while he was lying in bed. They took his head with them and ran to show David what they had done.
Why is it that these people think that David is going to be pleased with them? He's already shown that he thinks it is wrong to murder royalty even if they are trying to kill you! But, here once again he has murderers standing before him boasting about their kill.
II Samuel 4:8-11- And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, [As] the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings: How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
David knew that God wanted him to be king over all of Israel. But, David was willing to be patient and wait for God to bring it to pass. He wasn't looking for rebels to start a war to get him that position.
David also knew that God said that murderers should die.
II Samuel 4:12- And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
Now, all of Israel was ready to accept David as their king.
I Chronicles 11:1-3- Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel. Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.
So David became the ruler of all Israel at 37 years of age.
II Samuel 5:4-5- David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
David was now a king with a kingdom! But, every king needs a place to rule from, and David had chosen such a place. The only problem was that heathen were living there.
I Chronicles 11:4-5, 7-9- And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.
II Samuel 5:10-12- And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him. And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house. And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.
God gave David everything that He promised because David was willing to wait for God to give it. Now, he was a king with a castle and a kingdom. And kings of other lands were recognizing him, and befriending him. But, David's enemies were acknowledging him as a threat.
II Samuel 5:17-18- But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
Even though David had become a famous man, he never forgot that it was God who had gotten him there. He knew he needed God no matter how great or small he was. And he was willing to trust and obey God no matter what God said.
II Samuel 5:19-21- And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
David defeated the Philistines with God's help and he took their idols that they had left and burnt them so that no one in Israel would be tempted to worship the Philistines false gods.
But, the Philistines were very stubborn. They didn't like David and they didn't want him to be ruling Israel. IN fact, they didn't even want him alive!
II Samuel 5:22-25- And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
The next time the Philistines showed up, God had changed the battle plan. It was a good thing that David was use to asking God what He wanted, or he wouldn't have known how to fight this battle. God didn't want a head on attack. This time, David was to use the element of surprise!
David obeyed God's battle plan and God made sure that David won the battle.
Whenever we ask God what He wants in our lives and obey what He says no matter how silly it sounds or how hard it seems, God will help us to accomplish what He asked of us. We can always be victorious if we will just seek God's will for our lives and obey it!
