3 So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned forty years in all.
The main point this week is counting on God. David was very young when he was anointed king by Samuel in front of his father, Jesse, and all his older brothers. In all likelihood, as I understand it, he waited at least 15 years from that time until he was recognized by all of Israel as God's anointed King.
In the meantime, he accomplished a few things. He became part of Saul's family, marrying one of his daughters and becoming bosom buddies with Saul's son Jonathan. He won the hearts of all the girls, as evidenced by their cheers of "Saul has killed his thousands; David has killed his ten thousands." He spent a number of years running for his life with Saul in hot pursuit.
Finally, Saul kills himself on the battlefield as he faces an overwhelming tide of Philistines, having witnessed the deaths of three of his sons, including Jonathan.
Israel is a divided kingdom. I remember this, but for tomorrow's study, I think I'll see how that came to be -- do a bit of historical research. I can't remember why Israel and Judah split. The relevance today is that when Judah hears that Saul is dead, they go find David and crown him the new king. Israel, however, is led by Saul's premier army general, Abner, to crown Saul's son Ishbosheth the new king.
Civil war ensues.
Ishbosheth makes it 2 years, but makes a fatal mistake: he forgets who made him king. It wasn't God. It was Abner. Ishbosheth insults Abner, accusing him of sexual improprieties. Abner, in turn, swears that he will do everything in his power to make David king of Israel.
It doesn't end up working. Abner is killed by a vengeful family who had lost a brother to Abner during the civil war. Lacking Abner's protection and guidance, Ishbosheth becomes an easy target for ambitious bootlickers anxious to please the new regime. He is assassinated in his bed. (When the assassins bring David Ishbosheth's head, he is far from pleased. They are executed as a reward.)
All of which leads us to King David's coronation over the united kingdom of Israel and Judah.
David not only waits through King Saul's reign, but through two years of civil war following Saul's death. He waits at least 15 years.
At times, it must have seemed like an impossible memory, this anointing from Samuel. Yet nowhere in scripture do we see David questioning God about this. At every turn, he seems content to wait as long as it takes for God to fulfill his promises.
Then I think about Abraham and Sarah, who also had what must have seemed like an impossible memory of a promise from God. They did not wait for him to fulfill his promise. It did not go well.
Our key verse: Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.I struggle with the promises that God is our rescuer and provider. I have too many examples from history that illustrate how God didn't provide or rescue. So the first time I read this verse, I was, honestly, a little irritated. What about the Holocaust? These were God's own people, for whom he didn't provide or protect.
Immediately on the heels of this thought came the next: it says God is our refuge and strength, not our rescuer and provider. There are other places in the Psalms where it says this, certainly, and Matthew 6 and 8 have lots about letting God be our provider, but not in this passage.
I'm reminded how often God has been my refuge and strength, such that times of trouble are healed and redeemed and now form part of the foundation of my faith.
I pray that I never forget he is always my refuge and strength. I pray that I remember that one of the most subtle times of trouble is when life is so easy, I can coast along without Him. Let me not be so complacent with this life, the status quo that I forget how much I need him.
Amen
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Next post: Psalm 37.
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