04122015GodWorksThroughMan2Sa5-6DonRuhl
God Works through Man
How do you know when God is directing your life?
Second Samuel 5–6
Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • April 12, In the year of our Lord, 2015
Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Larry Amberg – No Suggestions
Prelude:
- How can I know that God is guiding me in a certain direction?
- I believe there are many answers to that question, but
- let me show you one.
- God does something, then He uses people to steer us in that direction.
Persuasion:
- Second Samuel 5.1–5 – Men Acknowledge the Lord’s Anointing
5.1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, “You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’ “ 3 Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
- Second Samuel 5.6–9 – David Takes Jerusalem
6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David). 8 Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward.
- Second Samuel 5.10 – David’s Greatness Backed by the Lord
10 So David went on and became great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.
- Second Samuel 5.11–16 – David Knows the Lord’s Backing
11 Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built David a house. 12 So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel. 13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. Also more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
- Second Samuel 5.17–21 – The Lord Breaks through David’s Enemies
17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 21 And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.
- Second Samuel 5.22–25 – David Listens for the Sound of Marching
22 Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 24 And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 25 And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.
- Second Samuel 6.1–5 – Celebrating the Moving of the Ark
1 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. 3 So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. 5 Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.
- Second Samuel 6.6–10 – The Lord Becomes Angry and David Becomes Angry
6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. 8 And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
- Second Samuel 6.11–15 – David and Israel Celebrate the Ark in Jerusalem
11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household. 12 Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. 14 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
- Second Samuel 6.16–20a – David Blessed Everyone
16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 So they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house. 20a Then David returned to bless his household.
- Second Samuel 6.20b–23 – Michal Despises David
And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.” 23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. (2 Sam 5:1–6:23)
- God Works through Man
- He did it with Saul.
- Samuel anointed Saul.
- Later Israel made Saul king.
- He did it with David.
- Samuel anointed David.
- Later Israel made David king.
- Listen to Peter’s reasoning,
13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good (1Pe 2.13–14).
- Yet, in every nation you see people working to put in a leader.
- It is like our food.
- We give thanks to God, but
- He used farmers, truckers, stores, and my wife
- to get the food from the store,
- bring it home, and
- prepare it.
- We could thank each of those people along the way, and
- you had better thank the one who prepared it for you, but
- ultimately we pray only to God,
- thanking Him for our food.
- Here is what I am saying.
- God works in your life,
- but for what are you looking?
A man lived by a river. He heard a radio report that the river would flood the town and that everyone should evacuate immediately. But the man said, “I’m religious, I pray. God loves me. God will save me.” The waters began to rise. A man in a row boat came along and he shouted. “Hey! Hey you! You up there. The town is flooding. I can take you to safety.” But the man shouted back: “I’m religious, I pray. God loves me. God will save me.” A helicopter came hovering overhead. A guy with a megaphone shouted. “Hey! You there! The town is fully flooded. Let me drop down a ladder and I will help you to safety.” The men shouted back that he was religious, that he prayed, that God loved him and that God would take him to safety. The man drowned. When he got to heaven, he asked why the Lord did not help him. “Lord,” he said, “I’m a religious man, I pray. I thought you loved me. Why did this happen?” God said, “I sent you a radio report, a helicopter, and a guy in a row boat. What on earth are you doing here?”
- He wanted a sign.
- He wanted something spectacular that shouted God’s name.
- Elijah had a similar experience.
- Wicked Queen Jezebel of Israel promised to kill him within 24 hours.
- He fled for his life and prayed to God,
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1Ki 19.4).
- God sent an angel to the prophet who was now sleeping.
- The angel touched him and
- told him to eat the food
- that the angel had prepared along with some water.
- Elijah ate and drank, and went back to sleep.
- When he awakens he goes to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- When he arrives, the Lord asked him,
9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1Ki 19.9).
- Here is his answer,
10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (1Ki 19.10).
- In other words, Elijah gave up.
- Here is his answer,
- What was he expecting?
- What did he want the Lord to do?
- He wanted an experience that just shouted God’s name.
- Then this happened – 1Ki 19.11–18
- He did it with Saul.
- What Do You Do Then?
- If good people are encouraging you to go a certain direction,
- go with it, for
- God is probably behind it.
- If a good person encourages you to do something
- that God does not want you to do,
- He will stop you, and
- I will show you that tonight
- from Second Samuel 7.
- If good people are encouraging you to go a certain direction,
Exhortation:
- Somethings God had already addressed in the Scriptures.
- He has revealed clearly
- that He wants you to go to heaven,
- that He wants you to acknowledge Jesus as His Son,
- that He wants you to love Him as He has loved you,
- that He wants you to love your neighbor as yourself.
- The list is quite long.
- He has revealed clearly
- All that I have shown you today does not mean it will always be pleasant.
- Jesus asked to be released from going to the cross, but
- He wanted the Father’s will done.
- How did Jesus know what to do?
- He got up from prayer and dealt with the circumstances as they came.
- And what He suffered, He did for you that you might live.