David is now king over all of Israel. God has finally fulfilled the promise that David would be king and how long did David have to wait? He was probably anointed as king when we was around 15 to 17 years old. Even if he was 20, that was 17 years waiting for this promise to come true!

2 Samuel 5:4-5
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 and three years over all Israel and Judah.

• David was 30 years old when he began, but that was only Judah. He became king over Israel when he was 37 years old!
• 17 years of waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled. We need to learn to wait on the Lord even when the promise seems to delay.

What was David’s first act as king?

• 2 Samuel 5:6-7
  6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.
• He took Jerusalem as his city and stronghold, where he would reign from.
• 2 Samuel 5:9-10
  9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. 10 And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
• God blessed him very much and he grew great and God was with him.
• What else happened?
• 2 Samuel 5:11-12
  11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house. 12 And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.
• The king of Tyre gave him wood and carpenters and masons and he build David a house!

But it wasn’t long after David became king that trouble would come.

• 2 Samuel 5:17-18
  17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. 18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
• The Philistines came out to war against him.
• What did David do?
  • 2 Samuel 5:19
    And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
  • He was careful to ask the Lord for direction.
  • Though he was a skilled man of war, he didn’t just rush into battle.
  • Even though God blessed him, he did not go ahead without seeking counsel from God.
• Sometimes it is very easy to think that God is with us so that we can just go ahead and do whatever we want because God has blessed us so far.
• We need to be careful to always seek the Lord no matter how much success we have had in the past.
• We must seek God even though we might have gone to war so many times.
• Or in our day today, we run many programs and we think we know what to do. But we always have to be careful to ask God to be with us and ask Him what we should do.
• What did God say? Go ahead because He would deliver the Philistines into his hands.
• 2 Samuel 5:20-21
  20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. 21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
• God gave David the victory.

But it wasn’t long before they came back again.

• 2 Samuel 5:22-24
  22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. 24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
• Once again they want to fight against David. We don’t know how long between the first war and the second even though the verses are right after each other.
• But what does David do? Instead of rushing headlong into battle confident that he has been faithful and confident that God is with him, he stops to ask God again.
• And what does God say this time? Of course he says go ahead. But instead of just giving him approval, God also tells David what to do.
• Instead of confronting them in the battle face to face, God tells David a different tactic. Go behind them and when they hear the sound of the mulberry trees shaking, then he would know that God would go before him and fight for him.
• If David had just rushed into battle, God would not have been with him.
• Yes – he was victorious the last time.
• Yes – he was probably faithful to God and had not done anything evil or wicked against God.
• But if he had not stopped to seek counsel and approval from God, God would not have been with him.
• We need to be so careful that we just don’t go ahead without God.
• Many times we just ask God to bless our plans. But we need to stop to ask God what we should do.
• What if God didn’t even want them to go and fight against them?
• We cannot take the successes of our past and think that God will always work in the same way. God’s ways are always higher than ours, His thoughts are higher than ours – we need to take the time to seek Him first and ask Him what we ought to do.
• Have you asked God about whether you should be in a relationship with this person? Many time we just ask God to bless our relationship. But maybe you shouldn’t be together.
• Have you asked God about whether you should be studying this course of study?
• Have you asked God whether you should work here in this city or country or whether you should leave? Sometimes we just leave it to circumstance and just see what doors open and close. But have you asked God to guide you and show you clearly?
• Too often we just sail along life, letting the winds and waves push us a certain direction. But often, it is along a path that God does not want us to go.
• If we want to know what God wants us to do, we need to seek Him.
• Jeremiah 29:13
  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
• If we seek God with all our heart, we will find Him and He will answer us.
• Psalms 102:2
  Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
• These are precious promises to us that there is a God in heaven that knows the end from the beginning, He is all powerful, He is full of wisdom, and He desires to guide each of our lives if we let Him.

So what happened to the Philistines?

• 2 Samuel 5:25
  And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
• 1 Chronicles 14:17
  And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.
• David became famous and all the surrounding nations became fearful of him.
• There was peace for a while.

See that God gave him victory and peace, what did David decide to do next?

• 2 Samuel 6:1-5
  1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. 3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
• He wanted to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.
• There was celebration, there was music. It was a joyous occasion.
• David summoned 30,000 men together for this occasion. It wasn’t something small.
• It had been a long time since Israel had witnessed such a scene of triumph and rejoicing.
• But along the way, something happened.
• 2 Samuel 6:6-7
  6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
• Uzzah saw that the ark was shaking on the cart that the oxen were pulling so he put forth his hand to steady it. But right away he was struck dead!
• All of a sudden, the joyous occasion was turned into grief and mourning. A sudden judgment came in the midst of all this celebration. Everyone was shocked and horrified.
• How did David react to this situation?
• 2 Samuel 6:8-10
  8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me? 10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.
• David was displeased. Yes he was not happy to see such a sudden change in events and feelings. But he was more afraid than anything else.
• He was so afraid that he decided to leave the ark of the covenant at the house of Obededom the Gittite. He didn’t want to bring it to Jerusalem because he did not know what might happen to him if he did.

Why was it that Uzzah was struck dead so suddenly? It seemed like his only intention was to help to steady the ark since it seemed like it was falling.

• Numbers 4:15
  And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
• You see, the priests were the ones that covered all the furniture including the ark of the covenant but no one was to touch it. The way that the furniture was all carried was by poles that was put through rings that were attached to the furniture.
• All the pillars and curtains and boards were all put on oxen and carts to pull and carry, but not so with the furniture.
• Numbers 7:9
  But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.
• The sons of Kohath were to carry it with their own hands.
• So even if Uzzah was a priest or even the high priest, he still would have been struck dead because no one was allowed to touch the ark. He had disregarded the directions from the Lord and so he was met with swift punishment.
• David and the people had assembled together to perform a sacred work, to bring the ark to Jerusalem. Everyone was glad with willing hearts. But God could not accept the service because it was not performed in accordance with His directions.
• This just goes to show that God cares about every little instruction that He gives us. He had good and clear reason for everything He tells us. And whether we understand or not, He desires that by faith we obey all that He has written to us.
• Some think that just because we are happy and have a good feeling, that we can do anything in regards to the worship of God. But God’s requirements are very specific. He doesn’t go just by how much happiness or joy you have in your heart. We must still be careful to follow all the instruction of the Lord.
• Sure, God desires us to be filled with joy when we come into His presence. He wants us to worship with thanksgiving on our lips and in our hearts. But He also wants us to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
• Feelings cannot be the only guide as to whether we are worshipping God correctly or not. We must go back to the word and see what the Lord instructs us. Let us be careful to follow all that has been written for us.

So the scene was turned from one of joy into mourning, and David was afraid so he left the ark at someone else’s place. But what happened when he did that?

• 2 Samuel 6:11
  And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.
• Obededom was glad to receive the ark into his house. And more than that, God blessed his house whilst the ark resided there for three months.
• It must have been so obvious for everyone to see because reports came back to David.
• 2 Samuel 6:12
  And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.
• So finally David had the courage again to try and bring the ark to Jerusalem. But this time he resolved to give careful attention to carry out every requirement and instruction of the Lord.
• 2 Samuel 6:13-15
  13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with 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.
• David laid aside his royal robes and put on a linen ephod. He was not trying to take the role of a priest. The linen ephod was worn also by others besides priests. David was showing that he was on equal footing with everyone else and was rejoicing along with everyone else. God was the One to be adored that day, and He alone was to be the sole object of reverence and center of attention.
• The Bible also says that David danced before the Lord. David’s dancing was in reverent joy. It was nothing that resembled the type of dancing today that is sensual and worldly. One was to the remembrance of God and to exalt His holy name. And the worldly dancing exalts Satan and causes men to forget God and do things that would dishonour Him.

2 Samuel 6:17-19
17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.

• The ark had finally been brought to Jerusalem. David had made a tabernacle for it. He offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. He blessed the people and sent everyone home with some food and drink that everyone would remember this day of gladness, joy and celebration.
• David wanted to leave a lasting impression in every one’s minds of God’s goodness, and he wanted to kindle anew their zeal for God. He endeavoured by every means to deepen those impressions. And this made a favourable impact on the nation of Israel and was a great witness to all the surrounding nations as well.

God desires for us to worship Him with a full heart of love and joy. Maybe if we did this genuinely, people who see would be inspired.

I remember growing up in church as a youth, there was this one guy, whenever I sat next to him in church, he sang with his whole heart. You could hear it in his voice, you could see it in his expression, and I tell you it made singing and church and the whole experience so exciting and amazing.

Let’s just to worship in truth but in spirit as well. That our hearts would be fully into it. That we would appreciate all these moments of gathering together.