1 Chronicles 19-21
We
left off our Study in 1 Chronicles with David being told that he couldn’t build
the temple.
[A privilege
later reserved for his son.]
A) Reaction: David sulks –
throw a pity party – quit {can’t do what I want I
quit.
B) David decides – I will do what I can! – So we see in Ch.22 He
gathers the materials needed to build
C) Ch.18 – He goes on the
offensive – This was a first under the reign of David.
1) They
had defended themselves – but here David goes on the offensive –
Conquering – taking ground – potential enemies
D) Taking out those who
might be a potential threat to the building of the temple.
E) SO Ch.18 is all about the
expansion of David’s kingdom
1) The man of war is coming out
in him – loud and clear
But
that picture is suddenly contrasted by a tender moment in CH.19
It happened
after this that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son
reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun
the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David
sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came
to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.
Now
we are not sure when Nahash showed Kindness to David – most think it was during
his fugitive yrs running from Saul
A) But when Nahash dies –
This man of War stops and sends messengers to Comfort the kings Sons
B) The word comfort here is
a tender word in the Hebrew {to strongly console.
1) I like this David doesn’t
send a Hall mark card – He sent some or his guys – to come and strongly console
the King
C) David I think had
compassion on this young King Hanun – He knew what
it was like lose a father
1) David had spent a great
part of his life – separated from his father – from his family.
D) He knew what it was like
to have that kind of vacancy in your life
1) Out of compassion he
reaches out to Hanun.
Hanun
gets some bad council.
3 And the princes of the people of Ammon
said to Hanun, "Do you think that David really honors your father because
he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and
to overthrow and to spy out the land?"
A) You know some people have
been so hurt in their lives – they can’t or don’t trust anyone.
A)
Any act of kindness there is the suspicion of some ulterior motive behind it.
B) Whatever the motivation
was here – these guys didn’t trust David at all!
4 Therefore
Hanun took David's servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the
middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away.
This
was the ultimate humiliation for the
Middle Eastern man. A man’s beard
was considered his greatest ornament.
A) To shave it in a sense
was take away their manhood. {Basically they
disgraced them
B) A Middle Eastern man
would rather die than have his beard cut off.
C) I think there is a move
in our society today to take away a man’s manhood
1)
Media – Softer – more feminine men {Dads are Bozo’s / passive / non committal
That
is not the picture of a man that we see in the Bible- Two men contrasted in the
Bible Jesus and Adam
A) Adam was given a set of
Responsibilities in the garden: A will to obey
[God’s will – don’t eat the fruit] – A work to do
[Cultivate the garden] and a woman to love
[Eve]
B) Adam failed in every area
- Men have been following his example every since
1)
Began with his passive approach to temptation {Sat by while Eve talked with the
enemy. –
6 So when the woman saw that the
tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable
to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband
with her or [who was accompanying her] and he
ate.
A)
Like Adam Jesus was given 3 specific responsibilities from the father – A will to obey [his fathers] a
work to do [redeem the lost] – a woman to
love [the church]
B)
The men set forth as our examples in the scripture are men of compassion –
tenderness – {but also tough –
1) Men of vision – men of action / men who
step out in faith to lay hold of their God given responsibilities
King Phillip of
The courier spoke softly to Philip / shielding the
news from curious ears. As the king strained to listen, watchful guests detected a look of sadness in his eyes
Their interest piqued, but they said nothing. They knew that it was inappropriate to inquire of the king .
Intrusion of his privacy. Minutes passed
Finally
the king turned toward one of his close friends & said William Marshall the Earl of Pembroke has died.
Silence fell upon all who were in attendance .
But
slowly & Reverently they began to speak out in praise of William Marshall .
Their Admiration was devout & Sincere: it arose
from hearts well acquainted w/ his DEEDS OF Bravery
& the Content of his Character.
After
several minutes of this the King summarized the groups sentiments: He simply
said – William
Marshall was in my Judgment the most loyal man & true that I have ever
known, in any country I have ever been.
That
is a powerful tribute for any friend . But what made this Compliment so Powerful was that it was a tribute to an
enemy.
King Philip was a Frenchman, William Marshal
was an Englishman. Stark enemies for most of their
Life.
William Marshall was a man Known for his
great Courage / Integrity – His life was marked by an intense Love for 2 things
A)
He loved His Country { Brave & Loyal Warrior / He loved His Family
B) In an age that was
largely indifferent to Children / Men were given to their cause & their Careers –
1)
C)
Of his relationship w/ his wife Isabel biographer George Duby penned it this
way.
1) He watched over her as over the most precious treasure in the world
D)
David
reacts with a vengeance to this: RD V.5-19
CH.20
It happened in
the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle, that Joab led out
the armed forces and ravaged the country of the people of Ammon, and came and
besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at
Now
this section of scripture is familiar to most of you. – This is when the events
of
A)David is over 50 at this
point – makes a critical error – “ I don’t need to
be in the battle – ease up – {
B)In reality the safest
place for him to be is in the battle.
1) Men note that – there is
never a time to ease up –
C)How many of you are close
to 50 or over?
1) Not a time to ease up –
take a break – maybe when your 102
“Beware
of moments and hours of ease. It is in these that we most easily fall into the
power of Satan. The sultriest summer days are most laden with blight. . . . If
we cannot fill our days with our own matters, there is always plenty to be done
for others. . . . Watch and pray in days of vacation and ease, even more than
at other times.” (Meyer)
“There is nothing more full
of subtle danger in the life of any servant of God than that he should remain
inactive when the enterprises of God demand that he be out on the fields of
conflict.” (Morgan)
C) Beware the life of ease –
Our whole society is geared around – ease and leisure – How soon can I retire
1) Blessed by some of you
retired guys – still charging – serving – want to be involved - trips to New Orleans – serving here- GREAT
D)
But our culture is geared around ease -
1) Go to 3rd
world countries – every day is a struggle for survival –
2) NO time for porn – 900#’s
– that sort of thing –
E) Their society is based on
Survival – Ours is entertainment
1)It is a crime to me that a
Policeman / fireman / Soldier can barely make enough to support his family – Actor / Ball player – makes more than he will ever need
in 10 or 20 lifetimes –
A)We
are so into entertainment and amusement
B) Interesting – muse = to
not think – that is the Problem – we want to escape and so we seek amusement –
that which distracts us – so we don’t have to think –
C)Run from the temptation to
seek for an easy life
1)Prayer “ Lord don’t give me an easy life – give me a stronger
back”
D) David at a time when he
was seeking ease – should have been in battle ends up - committing adultery
then murder – his life and the life of his family would never be the same from
this.
But
here is what I want you to note the Chronicler doesn’t mention this failure in
David’s life – He leaves it out.
A)He passes right over it –
why?
B) His purpose in writing
this letter is to encourage the REMNANT – to trust
in the Lord – remain faithful to the Lord
1) To stay dependent upon
the Lord
C) SO His purpose is to
illustrate how David did that
1) He is only going to point
out one failure in David’s life – that failure has to do with His sin in the
area of Trust Ch. 21 David’s #’S the people.
D)
David sin with Bathsheba – He was giving into the lust of the flesh and the
lust of the eyes
1) But when he sinned by #
the people – He was giving into the Pride of life
E) It is that sin that moves
us to act independently of God – we start
thinking we can do it without him
1) SO that is the only
failure in the life of David that the Chronicler is
going to point out – because it serves his purpose – example of what not
to do.
F) If this remnant was going
to rise up and rebuild and restore – they were going to have to TRUST in the
Lord – His strength not their own
2 Then David
took their king's crown from his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold,
and there were precious stones in it. And it was set on David's head.
This
was some crown – a talent of gold would weigh around 75lbs { this king had a
big head man! { HUGE FOOTBALL NECKS
A)Tradition Og of Bashon who
was supposed to be 13 ft tall
B)Actually the idea of
saying they put it on David’s head – { either they held it over his head – or
it was some how attached to the throne
Also
he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance. 3 And he brought out
the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws, with iron picks, and
with axes. So David did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David
and all the people returned to
David again increases in might and in wealth, bringing the riches back
to
This example of extending
RD V.4-8
One
thing I want to note here is we see some of David’s men – killing Giants
A)Some of them were not even
born when David killed Goliath
B)But that was his influence
– that was his legacy up to this point – David the man of faith – 17 goes
against the Giant
C) That kind of faith is
contagious – contagious affect on his men
Ch.21 David’s
greatest sin
Now
Satan stood up against
A)Satan is still provoking
political leaders today -
B) In the life of the
believer he cannot tempt us with out permission
1) Story of Job { Seen my servant Job ……….
Satan is only able to do to Job what God allows
C) Also Peter – Jesus said –
Satan has desired you – asking permission –
1) Jesus was going to allow
Peter to be tempted – BROKEN –
D) After you have been
restored strengthen your brethren
So
God allowed Satan to move – or provoke David to number the pp!
A)David still had a choice –
{ Doesn’t mean Satan made him do it
B) Wife goes shopping – Just
look – don’t buy – Comes home
1) Get
behind me Satan – I did – Looked good from that view too!
C) We always have a Choice !
D) Satan provokes David –
puts this idea in his head!
STOP
– Satan is not OMNIPRESENT - One place
at a time – Big Fish
A)President Bush – Billy
Graham – Chuck Smith
A) Some private on us –
sharing time between a few 100 pp
B) But at this time in the
History of
1) Satan appeals to David’s
Pride
C) Satan Knows about Pride –
{ thrown out of heaven…………….
D) David is having great
success “Hey let’s see how great you have become”
1) God forbade the numbering
of the People – because he didn’t want their strength to be in numbers /
chariots / military might but the Lord
E) Critical
mistake{ Trusting in the wrong thing.
F) Now Joab tries to stop
David – Don’t do this
RD v.2-3
2 So David said
to Joab and to the leaders of the people, "Go, number
David
doesn’t need to do this – His legacy isn’t going to be in how big his army is –
Giant killer - / Lion / Bear / Giant / Philistines / Psalmist
A)Joab tries to warn him –
bring guilt on
B) Ignores wise counsel – No
accountability !
William
Barclay said, “Pride is the
ground in which all other sins grows and the parent from which all other sins
come”
RD
V.4-6 Abominable to Joab - Joab knows now that David has feet of Clay
A)His perception of David
has forever changed after the Uriah thing
B) Doesn’t number Levi or
Benjamin –
C) Discrepancy from
1) Answer -
RDV.7-8
A)God was displeased
B) David says – I am sorry –
but it is never that simple there are always consequences
C) One of the things that Satan
always does when he is tempting us and walking us into sin, is to blind us to sins consequences.
1)
He will never show us what the sin will ultimately cost and make no mistake;
there will always be a price to pay for sin.
D) The Price for sin is
always too high – The HS is always trying to open our eyes to that –
1)Satan
tries to keep them shut – Don’t think about the consequences
E)If David knew that what it would cost him to give into his pride, he
would have never done it.
“Sin does not serve well as a gardener to the soul. It landscapes
the contour of the soul until all that is beautiful has been made ugly, until
all that is high has been brought low, until all that is promising is wasted.
Then life like a desert is parched & barren. It is drained of purpose. It
is bleached of happiness. Sin then is not wise but wasteful, it is not a gate
but only a grave!”
What we are going to see next is truly
amazing, Only time this happens in scripture - God actually let’s David pick
the consequence that he will have to endure.
A)
Not that this makes it any easier because what we have here are three
hard choices,
Famine, Military defeat, and Pestilence. RD V.9-17
Here
David sees every ounce of payment that sin demands. He sees the ugliness; he
sees its devastation & its horror
A) And he is a broken man
facing the consequences of his sin – Cries out Lord why them – when it was me
B) That is the heart of the
shepherd: “Spare the sheep”.
C)You might be thinking “That is pretty heavy that 70,000 people
should die for David’s sin” Doesn’t seem
Fair
D)NOTE: In v.1 of Samuel’s
account of this story a very important perspective given to us.
A)The nation had fallen into
sin..... It was NOT just David.
B)
Satan was the one who tempted David to number
C)What David did here was
merely the means that God was going to use to deal not just w/ David but the
nation as a whole
So
Plague hits
A) Comes to
B)David begs to be punished
personally – v.17 let your hand be against me
Rd v.18-29
Here
we see that David’s sacrifice lifts the Plague
A) David makes an
interesting statement to Ornan - I will
NOT give to the Lord that which costs me nothing.”
B) This is the Principle: SACRIFICE always COSTS. Really if it doesn’t cost
me something it is not a true Sacrifice
1) Cost: Time, resources,
energy in ministry, ridicule
C) Ornan’s threshing Floor –
place to build the temple – Place for Sacrifices to be offered in yrs to come
D) Ornan’s threshing floor –
Mt Moriah – Abe – son
1) God will provide himself
–
E) 2,000 yrs later He did –
David’s one Sacrifice stopped the plague
F)When the world was Plagued
– God said – I will give a Sacrifice
A) Jesus – Gave the greatest sacrifice