Sermon Tone Analysis

2 Samuel 2-4

In every one of our lives there needs to be a continual anointing from God.

We need the Lord’s blessing in order to accomplish the work he has called us to do.

No doubt, when we are saved, the Bible says that the Spirit of God takes up residence in our heart and life.

He is our comforter, our teacher and our guide.

The Bible says that he wants to do some things for us:

The Holy Spirit with us is what enables us to the work we have been called to do.

The Lord wants to do continually more through us as well.

In order to do the work that God wants us to do in the future is going to require a stronger faith than we had in the past.

It is going to require a fresh anointing from the Lord.

I. David’s becomes King over Judah 2:1-7

Initially after the death of Saul, David does not become king over the whole nation, just over part of it, Judah particularly.

And he starts:

A. Dealing from Hebron

This would be his capital city from which he would reign from for seven years.

This is not at all a fruitless empty time when David does not have the whole kingdom yet, he actually has a lot going on the only ruling over a smaller portion of the kingdom.

1. David’s submission to God’s direction v.1

What a wonderful example David sets for us, he is habitually going to God to ask his guidance and leading for what to do in his life.

We all know the verses, we know usually what is right, but do we ask God for direction in all areas of our life, I believe David who was faithful and a man of faith didn’t think any decision too petty to go to God.

2. He doesn’t forget those that helped him get there vv.2-3

David had a rowdy bunch of guys that were his friends and confidants, yet you do not see that he leaves them behind.

He takes them with him.

You know, good leadership takes those under his or her tootilige up to the next level in their own lives.

Leaders, it is not enough that you are getting promoted, but are others being promoted as well.

Then you will know that you are a true leader.

I’ll never forget my first Corporal, he was about 26 years old, was in the Army first then joined the Marines, he was ugly, he was mean, but he was a leader, and he had gotten in trouble and had been demoted to that rank, but he was constantly trying to see everyone in 20 man section was read for war and ready for any kind of meritorious boards.

3.

He is anointed for the second time v.4

The first anointing:

You see, it is interesting to note that David was anointed king not for his defeating Goliath; but for his faithfulness to his God,

He needed that anointing, for he had a job to do – a great one, to defeat a giant, to face a king.

He was just a boy, just a shepherd, he needed power from on high.

He needed a second one to rule part of Israel, and later, we will see when he is anointed the 3rd time, he will need another fresh anointing from God.

Listen, the anointing from God last year, isn’t going to carry over, you need to continually get a hold of God.

4. Jabesh-gilead is rewarded v.5-7

David made sure he recognized had been honorable to his people; even to his king.

It wasn’t just about him, but when he heard how these men had performed, he praised them.

True praise should not be just about people who do things for you, but recognizing those who do things for others.

I love when I see people here caring for the needs of others.

I like watching people on Sunday afternoons, who take new people out to eat or have them over to their homes.

I like to see people opening up the Word of God with a new Christian and discipling them.

That is a blessing.

B. Dealing with Ishbosheth

1.

A substandard choice vv.8-11

Abner, the general of the armies of Saul, took his son Ishbosheth and made him king.

He was the second king of Israel.

The Bible says in:

I don’t know where Ishbosheth was?

He was either playing hookie, or sickly, or man who didn’t want to get his hands dirty.

I don’t know what.

But he wasn’t the best choice for Israel.

David was the best choice – but man doesn’t usually want what God wants.

Saul still was a better choice than Ishbosheth, any of the other 3 sons would have been a better choice, especially Jonathon, but they were all dead.

2. A strange battle vv.12-17

It has long been a liberal idea to find some other way to fight our wars, lets have contests or debates to solve our differences.

Or rather than have our entire armies fight, let’s just have a few of our choice men fight, and then we can say whoever wins that battle gets what they want.

I don’t know if his was a vain attempt at this or what was going on.

But there where a couple of generals out to prove their manlyhood or the manlyhood of their men.

And 23 of the choicest of Israel’s sons died that day.

And guess what happened, the battle was fought any way.

3. A stubborn family vv.18-32

a) Introduction to the son’s of Zeruiah

There three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel

They were all hard chargers.

They were all very confident, but they were all stubborn.

Now not all stubbornness is bad, as long as you are stubborn about the right things and not the wrong things.

b) Joab was David’s chief general v.13

c) Asahel was killed by Abner

He was a young man who was determined in his mind to do something that was not wise.

He went to fight a mighty man of valor

But the mighty man of valor, Abner, may not have been as young as he once, but he possessed something far greater that youthful strength and energy of Asahel, he had wisdom and confidence.

d) Asahel had confidence, but not wisdom

Asahel and his brother Abishai were both mentioned in David’s list of mighty men

He was also a general under his brother Joab.

He was stubborn, but was obedient to David and to the Lord.

He didn’t always do what was right, but could take direction and that is why he was blessed.

e) David’s sons born in Hebron 3:2-4

C. Drama in Judah & Israel - 3:7-37

1. Abner betrays Ishbosheth

2. Joab deceives Abner vv.22-27

3. David behaves wisely vv.28-39

D. Ishboseth’s assassination 4:1-12

Did you know what Ishbosheth’s name meant – it meant man of shame.

In the Bible names were important and usually meant something.

1 Chronicles 9:39

Now I don’t know if his real name was Eshbaal and then changed to Ishbosheth by his father later for something he did or not, Eshbaal means man of Baal, a false god, and wicked idol.

Now the other sons of Saul had good names, Jonathon meant: Jehovah-given, Malcishua – king of wealth; Abinadab – father of generosity.

Nevertheless, the civil war we saw in the last study continues into this one.

It was not an all out war, but one of skirmishes mainly between loyalist to David and loyalist to Ishbosheth.

As the war continued, David gained more and more support becoming stronger and Ishbosheth lost his support becoming weaker.