2 Samuel 24:17

2 Samuel 24:17 says, And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.  As the angel of the LORD was destroying the people of Israel, David confessed his sins to God and said that they weren't guilty.  He then asked that the punishment come on him and his father’s house.  If our sins are leading others to suffer, then we need to acknowledge our sins and pray that they no longer suffer because of them.  Verse eighteen continues, And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.  Gad, David’s wise man, told him to build an altar to God on the threshingfloor of Araunah, a proselyite according to Matthew Henry.  If we have truly repented of our sins, then our actions should begin to bring honor to God and we should worship at His altar.  Verse nineteen states,And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.  David did as God through Gad had commanded.  Though God's word may be spoken to us by others, we must recognize it when it is and act on it by the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty adds, And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.  When Araunah saw David, the king, coming, he went out and bowed himself humbly before him.  When we meet Jesus, the eternal King, we must humbly bow ourselves before Him if we are to be saved.  Of course, we must first recognize Him for Who He is for this to happen.  Verse twenty-one says, And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.  Araunah asked David why he had come to him, and David said to buy his threshingfloor to build an altar to God so the plaque on Israel could be stopped.  Though we cannot buy salvation, we should be willing to pay whatever we can to bring the gospel of Christ to others.  Verse twenty-two adds, And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.  Araunah offered to give David everything he needed in order to make the sacrifice.  We might be willing to pay the price for someone's salvation, but salvation does not work that way.  Though salvation is free to anyone who accepts it, each person must give all that they have to God when they accept it.  Verse twenty-three continues, All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.  Araunah offered to give this all to David.  Again, we might be willing to give everything we have to ensure the salvation of others, but we cannot pay for their sins.  Only Jesus Christ can and each person must accept His sacrifice for themselves in order to be saved.  Verse twenty-four states, And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.  David told Araunah that he could not accept his offer, but he must pay the cost of his own sin.  As already stated, no one can accept salvation for us even if they are willing to do so, and we cannot buy it.  Still, we should give everything we own in this world to God as we use it to carry out God's work.  David paid Araunah for the threshingfloor.  Verse twenty-five adds, And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.  After David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, God stopped the plague on Israel.  If we as a nation were to sincerely individually and collectively repent and offer sacrifices to God and commit to doing His will, the plague of sin would be stopped. 

2 Samuel 24:10

2 Samuel 24:10 says, And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.  David realized that he had done foolishly by numbering the people of Israel, since God had not told him to do so.  Matthew Henry says David had numbered the people of Israel out of self-pride and because of this it was wrong.  Anytime we count attendance in church for reasons of self-pride, we need to repent for doing so, although I don't believe counting attendance is necessarily wrong.  Verse eleven adds, For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,  When David was up in the morning, God's word came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer and not to David himself.  As followers of Christ, we don't need a seer or anyone else to tell us God's will for our life.  God will speak directly to us.  Verse twelve continues, Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.   God told Gad to go to David and tell him he had three choices as punishment for his sin.  Still, there is really only one choice for anyone to find forgiveness from sin, and that is by putting one's faith in Jesus Christ.  There are no more options.  Verse thirteen states, So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.  Gad told David that God gave him three choices for punishment, and two involved all the people of Israel more than they did David himself.  We cannot expect others to bear responsibility for our sins.  Only Jesus Christ can, and we must personally confess our sins and put our faith in Him to claim this forgiveness.  Verse fourteen adds, And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.  David said he didn't know for sure what the best choice was, so let him fall into the hand of God and not the hand of man.  Any of these things would decrease David’s self-pride.  God may at times today have to allow us to be defeated materially in order to decrease our self-pride, but if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, He will never allow us to be defeated spiritually.  All of these choices were for a limited time period and not forever.  Verse fifteen continues, So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.  God sent a pestilence on the people and seventy thousand men died.  We might think this to be an unfair punishment, but we need to remember that God sees things from an eternal perspective.  Verse sixteen says, And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.  When the angel of the Lord was about to destroy Jerusalem, God said that enough punishment had occurred and stopped him.  We need to understand that one angel carried out God's punishment of David and that the angel was totally obedient to God.  God has already pronounced the death of Jesus Christ on the cross to be enough punishment for the sins of mankind, and if we put our faith in Him, we will never face everlasting punishment of our soul.

2 Samuel 24:1

2 Samuel 24:1 says, And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.  Matthew Henry says that God was angry because David was going to number the people and later verses seem to bear this out.  God was once again angry with Israel, and it seems He told David to go and number Israel and Judah.  Matthew Henry says David’s arrogance and not God led him to do this.  Though they were called God's people, they were often His people in name only.  We today cannot afford to be the same way.  Verse two adds, For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.  David told Joab, the captain of his army, to go and number all the people of Israel, though David didn't tell Joab why he wanted him to do this.  Verse three continues, And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?  Joab, who seemed to question David’s authority a good bit, asked David why he wanted to do this, since David’s God, as Joab referred to Him, would add to the people as He saw fit.  David still didn't give Joab a reason as to why he was doing this.  Leaders of the church today may not always feel the need to tell us why they are doing a particular thing, but we need to pray that it is always because God has commanded them to.  Verse four concludes, Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.  It seems that Joab and the captains of the army all questioned David, but David’s will prevailed.  David may have truly believed that he was doing God's will, but it would seem that this really wasn't the case.  Verse five states, And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer:  Though he questioned David, Joab and those who were to help him passed over Jordan to begin counting the people.  If we truly believe that religious leaders are calling on us to do something that we believe is against God's will, we should not only question them, but should refuse to do what they ask.  Verse six adds, Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,  Matthew Henry points out that they began the count in the most distant parts of Israel.  Verse seven continues, And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.  They continued their count throughout Israel.  Verse eight says, So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.  It took them nine months and twenty days to complete the count, by which time it was likely no longer accurate.  Some people where they first counted would have been born and others died by the time over nine months had passed.  Though I see no problem with counting attendance and membership in the local church today, we need to pray that after over nine months that it will have increased.  Verse nine adds, And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.  Joab took the count to David, and from the way it is stated, these must have been the men over twenty capable of going to war.  Though the count was divided between the people of Israel and the people of Judah, they were all part of the same nation in God's sight.  We as followers of Christ may divide ourselves by country or denomination here in the world, but we are still all a part of the same family of God. 

2 Samuel 23:24

1 Samuel 23:24 says, Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, These next several verses are a listing of the thirty military leaders who were under the three main rulers.  Joab’s brother Asahel was one of them, though Joab himself was really not listed anywhere, though he was over the whole army.  Matthew Henry says he was a great general but not a good man, having murdered two of David's friends.  Even if we do great things for God, if we have not accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we still are not a part of the family of God and will not have our name written in the Book of Life.  Verse twenty-five adds, Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,  Verse twenty-six continues, Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,  Verse twenty-seven states, Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,  Verse twenty-eight adds, Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,  Verse twenty nine continues, Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,  Verse thirty says, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,  Verse thirty-one adds, Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,  Verse thirty-two adds, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,  Verse thirty-three continues, Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,   Verse thirty-four states, Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,  Verse thirty-five adds, Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,  Verse thirty-six continues, Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,  Verse thirty-seven says, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,  Verse thirty-eight adds, Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,  Verse thirty-nine concludes, Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.  This concluded the mention of all those who served as leaders of David's army.  We need to hope that one day our name will be written down as one of those who served in God's army.

2 Samuel 23:18

2 Samuel 23:18 says, And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.  David then spoke of Abishai, Joab’s brother, being the chief of the three.  He had slain three hundred Philistines at one time.  Verse nineteen adds, Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.  David said for this reason Abishai was the captain over the forces, but not of the first three.  Though he ruled over most, some were still equal to him in position or rank.  Some people are still placed by God in positions of power over others, but none will ever be equal to God.  Verse twenty states, And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:  Next, David referred to the actions of Benaiah who killed two lionlike men of Moab and a lion in the time of snow.  These acts were not noted because of the number of people or even animals that Benaiah killed, but because of how powerful they were.  Sometimes, it is not how many enemies of God we defeat but how powerful they are in the world that sets us aside from others.  Verse twenty-one adds, And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.  We are told of another time when Benaiah took a sword away from an Egyptian and killed him with his own sword.  As long as we remain faithful to God, we don't have to have superior weapons to defeat our enemies.  Verse twenty-two continues, These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.  Though he was not a part of the three mighty men, he was noted by them.  Matthew Henry says for these acts that David preferred Benaiah as captain of his life-guard or standing forces.  As we engage in war against Satan and his forces today, some of us may need to guard the home front more than going out to meet them on the battleground.  Verse twenty-three concludes, He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.  David said Benaiah was more honorable than the thirty, the next group in order of power but he was not equal to the three.  No matter where we rank in God's army, we need to boldly face the enemy.  We should never seek self-glorification for serving God. 

2 Samuel 23:8

2 Samuel 23:8 says, These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.  We are told of some of the mighty men of David and what they had done in battle, beginning with chief among the captains, Afion, who had killed eight hundred men at once.  Matthew Henry points out that we had heard nothing of these three men before, so the exploits of David may have been even greater than what we have recorded.  As stated before, many of God's great warriors may never get recognition in this lifetime, or if they do it may be long after their actual feats of bravery.  Verse nine adds, And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:  Verse ten continues, He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.  Next was Eleazor, one of three mighty men with David who were in a battle with the Philistines at a time when the rest of the army of Israel wasn't with them. He killed Philistines until his hand was weary, under God's power, and God gave him a great victory that day.  We may be outnumbered in our fight against Satan and his forces today, but by the power of God if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we will be victorious.  Verse eleven states, And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.  Verse twelve adds, But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.  Next was Shammah,  who stood against the Philistines to protect a piece of ground of the Israelites when once again the rest of the army wasn't around, having fled in fear.  Even if we stand alone, we should always stand with God and He has already given us the everlasting victory.  We really have no record of these battles except for their being referred to here, and many of the battles fought for God today may never be noted by the rest of the world.  Verse thirteen says, And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.  Verse fourteen adds, And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.  Then, we have a reference to an event that happened when David was in a hold in the cave of Adullam, most likely during the time he was hiding from Saul, and the Philistines were in the valley of Rephaim.  Verse fifteen continues, And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!   David began to desire some water from the well in Bethlehem, but the Philistines were between the well and him.  David was allowing his desire to impact Him.  We need to be careful that as Christians we don't become too desirous of the things of the world.  Verse sixteen states, And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.  Three of David's mighty men broke through the Philistines to get him some of the water.  They put themselves in danger to fulfill David’s desire, and we should never expect any of our fellow Christians to put themselves in danger to fulfill some desire that we have.  Even though David had not asked them to do this, he had shared his desire for the water with them.  Verse seventeen adds, And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.  When these three men returned with the water, David refused to drink it because it had been obtained by these men putting themselves in danger simply to fulfill his desire.  We should certainly never attempt to have other believers fulfill our desires by putting themselves in danger.  It is one thing to risk one's life in a battle that is necessary, but it is something totally different to do so simply to fulfill our desires. 

2 Samuel 23:1

2 Samuel 23:1 says, Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,  We are told that these were the last words of David, who had been raised up to a high position and anointed king of Israel by God.  He was also noted as the sweet psalmist of Israel.  Our last words may not be noted, but we are raised up high if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, and though we are not made a king, we are a child of the King, which is all that really matters.  Verse two adds, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.  David said the Spirit of the LORD spoke to him and put His words on David’s tongue.  We, as Christians, should be guided by the Holy Spirit in all that we say and do.  Verse three continues, The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.  David said that God, the Rock of Israel, told him that people must be just in ruling over Israel.  We need rulers in the world today who rule based on justice and never see themselves as above it, and justice should be God's justice and not their own.  Verse four states, And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.  David compared the leader to a sunny day and to grass shining after the rain.  I believe he was saying that a Godly leader should bring good things to those that he or she serves over instead of gloom and doom.  Verse five adds, Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.  David said that his house, his children, were not as dedicated to God as they should have been and were not going to grow.  The time of their rule here on earth was coming to an end.  Even if we are devoted to God, our children may not be, but even if they are, our days on earth are numbered.  David also said that he had an everlasting covenant with God that was all for his salvation and this was fulfilled through Jesus Christ, a descendant of David.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we enter into this same everlasting covenant with God. Verse six continues, But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:  David said that the sons of Belial would always cause problems for those who are serving God.  We as Christians need to understand that we will always face opposition from the world.  Satan and his forces will always be at work attempting to keep people from accepting salvation and trying to keep those who have from being effective in doing God's work.  Verse seven concludes, But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.  David said that those who would touch God's people to destroy them must be utterly destroyed and then burned with fire.  As I have stated before, I don't believe that we as Christians are called on to destroy our enemies, but we can also be certain that if we are faithful to God, He has spiritually fenced them in and one day they will be cast into the lake of fire forever.