Who’s Who
King David
Attempting to shift from his ‘outlaw’ lifestyle to reunifying the northern and southern tribes under his leadership.
Abishai & Asahel
Brothers to General Commander Joab. Asahel is killed prematurely in battle by Commander Abner. This is never forgotten by both Abishai & Joab who organise a mafia-style execution of Abner.
Michal
Michal is daughter of Saul, and promised as wife to David although Saul went back on this. She helps David escape Saul’s clutches at one stage and is used as a bargaining chip by Abner in his negotiations with David.
Abner
Disgruntled General of Saul’s army. Appoints Ishbosheth in Saul’s place as a rival to David. At one point kills one of Commander Joab’s brothers, after an exhausting chase.
Mephibosheth
Jonathan’s surviving son who happened to be crippled. He was also Saul’s surviving grandson. Because of David & Jonathon’s close friendship, Mephibosheth is invited to live in David’s house.
Commander Joab
One of the sons of Zeruiah and General Commander of David’s army. Although loyal to David, he takes matters into his own hands over a personal vendetta.
Ishbosheth
Appointed King over Saul’s house after Saul’s death by commanding general, Abner. Virtually a puppet king of Israel for two years.
The Story So Far …
Circa 1000BC: A time of sweeping political, social and religious changes in the life of Israel as she moves from being a loose Federation of Tribes led by the Judges, to being a unified monarchy led by a King.
The LORD establishes Saul as Israel’s first King, but all does not go well. Cracks appear early on in the King’s leadership.
Saul is not all that Israel had hoped he would be. He repeatedly fails to obey the commands of the LORD, and so the LORD rejects him as King.
The Prophet Samuel goes to Saul and foretells that in due time the Kingdom of Israel will be torn out of his hands and given to another.
Unbeknownst to Saul the LORD promises the kingdom to the boy David, whom Samuel anoints as ‘King in waiting’.
The young ‘King in waiting’ miraculously defeats the Philistine Goliath, and so enters the service and household of the King.
The boy David grows to be a mighty and successful commander in Saul’s army. King Saul grows to be insanely jealous of David’s success and his fame. He is soon making repeated attempts on David’s life.
While Saul does not yet know that it is David who is to become King … the same is not true for Jonathan, Saul’s eldest son.
Jonathan is caught between loyalty to his Father and loyalty to his best friend David. Although he is heir to his father’s throne, Jonathan risks his own life to preserve the life of David.
David flees from Saul and lives in neighboring lands with a rag tag band of outcasts. The ‘King in waiting’ has become the ‘King in hiding’.
Relentlessly Saul pursues David seeking to kill him. David however refuses to raise his hand against Saul, twice sparing the life of the rejected King.
Aware that the LORD has forsaken his rule, Saul wallows in his desperate and ill fated attempts to preserve his kingdom – even enlisting the services of the Witch of Endor.
The nation of Israel has descended into its darkest hour …
… Their Prophet is dead.
… Their King is dead.
… Their army is routed.
Even David’s fortunes are at their lowest ebb.
A war torn messenger stumbles into David’s ramshackle encampment bringing news of King Saul’s death.
Men Behaving Badly In The Kingdom
“The King is Dead” v 1&2
1.Responding to God’s appointed King v3-16
a. for an opportunist
b. for a king in waiting
Key Verse: “Why were you not afraid to destroy the Lord’s annointed” v14
What do I fear?
2. Responding with lament v17-27
Key Verse: “Your glory O Israel lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen” v19
What do I lament over?
Conclusion:
a. The way you treat the Lord’s anointed, determines your destiny.
b. The things you lament over determine in which kingdom you are investing