HOW WENT THE MATTER?

2 Samuel 1:1-4 (KJV)

Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;

It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

I remember when I was in seventh grade getting into a conversation with a group about the moon. 

Some of us speculated that maybe there was no moon at all – maybe we had been told about the moon so often, seen so many pictures of what the moon looked like and trained in school to believe there is a moon to such an extent that, whenever we looked into the night sky our imaginations created the vision of the moon for us.

Maybe, we wondered, every one of us in the group saw something totally different when we looked into the sky.

I think it was the philosopher Bertrand Russell who, realizing that there is nothing physically holding the atoms of any object together, speculated that the only reason we perceive a table for instance to be solid, is because we believe it to be solid. Maybe, he thought, we could make our hand to pass right through a solid object as if it were nothing, if only we believed we could.

He was not a Christian and I do not subscribe to his ideas, but don’t laugh them off too quickly. Remember that Jesus could in fact pass through solid objects.

·   He did it in his crucified body[1]

·   He also did it in his pre-glorified body[2]

The only thing that holds anything together is Jesus.

Hebrews 1:3 (KJV)

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

The point of all this has been merely this, we don’t always see things exactly the way they are.

We tend to read the Bible linearly. 

·   First there is Genesis, then there is Exodus

·   First there is chapter one, then there is chapter two

·   First this happened, then this happened

The Bible shouldn’t always be read that way.

For instance I think the proper way to understand the book of Revelation is by seeing it as several layers of transparencies.

It isn’t that: 

·   the seven trumpet judgments happen then 

·   the seven vial judgments happen then 

·   the seven woe judgments happen

It is so much more terrible than that. These judgments are happening one on top of the other, not one right after the other.

This all applies to our text today in that, while Saul and Jonathan were dying on a battlefield, David was facing troubles of his very own.

1 Samuel 30:1-6 (KJV)

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

Think of all of this:

·   His city had been attacked

·   His wives and children had been stolen

·   His men were upset and talked about stoning him

·   He was greatly distressed

·   His was in serious trouble

·   He had to figure out how to rescue his family and those of his men

AND

·Saul and Jonathan were dying on a battlefield

Life is never linear.

As much as the time management gurus want to tell us to get one task done at a time, it’s just not reality.

Life is like a multi-layer transparency.

·   We have issues with family and home

·   We have issues with work and economy

·   We have issues with health and wellness

·   We have issues with community and government and

·   We have issues with God and the spiritual

These are all happening at the same time. It’s not like your family disappears when you go to work only to be reconstituted as soon as you arrive home and walk into the door.

You can’t just ignore matters of the spirit and soul whenever you are at work, compartmentalizing between the spiritual and the secular.

You are a Christian on the job as much as you are when you are in the churchhouse.

And so,

By the time we come to 2 Samuel chapter one the problem with Ziklag is resolved.

·   David and his men have chased down the captors of their wives and children

·   They have defeated them, taken their spoils and

·   They have divided those spoils among those who had gone with David to the fight and those who had stayed back with their stuff.[3]

David and his men had just been home two days when someone from the battlefield between the Philistines and Israel arrived.

Try to imagine again the emotions that must have been racing through David’s heart.

His wife and kids had almost been taken from him.

His one followers, people who had come to him of their own free will, had only days before talked of stoning him.

·   He was tired physically

·   He was drained emotionally but

·   He was encouraged spiritually

Suddenly, unexpectedly, there walks into their camp this man who had been on the battlefield.

David’s first question was “How Went the Matter.”

All of this other stuff going on but David had never lost care[4]for:

·   The people of his country

·   The friend named Jonathan or

·   His king, Saul

It tells me that it is possible to be fully devoted to God and be a patriot for my country at the same time.

·   They are not two separate compartments of life.

·   They are blended together in a composite of life transparencies

Please note with me first of all,

I. THE HEART OF DAVID

2 Samuel 1:4 (KJV)

And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

Now consider,

David had what most people would think are legitimate reasons to be hateful toward King Saul and bitter toward the people of Israel.

After all, David had done nothing to make Saul so jealous and yet he has hunted him down and haunted him with threats of murder for something like seven years.

David had twice had opportunity to kill Saul and not only refused to do it, but had let Saul know – I think in prayer that Saul would genuinely repent.[5]

To these acts of loyalty for his king all Saul had ever offered David were shallow apologies and further threats of death.

·   All of these year of hiding

·   All of these years of running

David could have hated King Saul but he did not.

And then there are the soldiers.

In some ways I understand Saul’s position. It would take great humility and incredible grace to submit to God’s judgment against him and recognize David as rightful king.

But the soldiers

They also knew that God had rejected Saul.

They had fought alongside David and knew him to be a man of character, loyal to his king and a hero on the battlefield.

·   All they would have had to do is submit to God and not to Saul.

·   All they would have had to do is refuse to hunt David with Saul

·   All they would have had to do is what those who had been in debt, in distress and discontent had done

If they had done the right thing, the godly thing, David would have never been in this predicament.

I can clearly understand how David might have been bitter and held a grudge against those soldiers.

He did not.

David had a heart of love and devotion to his king and to his country (as represented by the soldiers who fought for it.)

2 Samuel 1:5-12 (KJV)

And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.

And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.

So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:

And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

Notice secondly

II. THE HARDNESS OF DAVID

2 Samuel 1:13-17 (KJV)

And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

Frankly I am not sure I can explain this passage to the satisfaction of most people.

David ordered the death of this man because he had, at least according to his own testimony, done what King Saul wanted him to do.

It’s a bit like Dr. Death, Jack Kavorkian.

Just because a person wants you to help them commit suicide doesn’t justify your doing it.

It seems kind of cold hearted, doesn’t it, to kill this guy just because he said he helped kill Saul (at the request of Saul)?

All I can do is use a principle that some more reasonable historians use when considering the actions of people of the past, you have to interpret their actions through the lens of the culture that informed them.

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were all theoretically opposed to slavery but all of them owned slaves.

People today criticize George Washington for owning slaves.

Students at the University of Virginia, that was founded by Jefferson and sits on land donated by Jefferson, today want the University to stop quoting Jefferson because he was a slave owner.

These men have to be understood through the culture that informed them – they understood that they could not simply free their slaves.

In our soft society where we think it is cruel and unusual punishment to execute a person who has murdered people for the joy of it, people have a difficult time understanding David’s actions.

I just want to point out thatgood leadership makes hard choices.

Good leaders do difficult things and ask those under them to do difficult things.

·   Don’t hate a president that sends soldiers into harms way

·   Don’t hate him either, if he makes decisions in the interest of the country that seem to not be in your own best interests

·   Don’t hate a preacher who tells you what the Bible says

·   Don’t hate a pastor who holds his congregation accountable to high standards

A man with a heart for God pleases God first.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 (KJV)

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

Notice finally

III. THE HEAD OF DAVID

2 Samuel 2:1-4 (KJV)

And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

Though David loved King Saul and never once attempted to take the kingdom from him, once God had removed Saul, David quickly assumed leadership.

He did confirm with God, and I appreciate that, but then he:

·   Confidently came to Judah, 

·   Was officially installed over Judah, and 

·   Took leadership

So the illustration that keeps coming to my mind is not so flattering concerning me.

I think of myself as a rather decisive person.

When I went to Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College, I came as the dean of men. But I became the Executive Vice President just once week after arriving.

And I had no trouble assuming leadership. The college was in trouble, I had a plan and I worked my plan.

But then I went to pastor Liberty Baptist Church in Spokane. I was only there six months, but in that time I had developed an idea – 

·   I would spend one year observing how the church was used to doing things.

·   I would then spend 3-4 years teaching the church how I wanted to do things and

·   I would implement my changes the fifth year.

Six months later I was asked to return to the college and I accepted.

But I left with the pastor coming to replace me my five year plan. He said it was a great idea and that he would follow it.

But then a month or so later he called me and told me he could not do it – those people needed to understand “a new sheriff came to town.” And he shook up everything overnight.

When I came here I implemented a five year plan – never did do the new sheriff thing, and sometimes I regretted it.

I read this passage and the first thing that came to mind is that David just took charge.[6]

A leader leads.

·   Dependent upon God

·   Humble that he has been chosen but then

·   Confident that God has called him

Conclusion

Don’t you sometimes wish life could be linear? 

Don’t you sometimes wish you could just deal with one thing and then another and after that the next, perhaps with some breaks in between?

Life isn’t that way. 

Every one of us live in multiple layers of responsibility and interest.

With God’s help and direction you can do this.

·   Be confident

·   Be decisive and

Don’t become bitter or mean spirited.

That’s a heart after God’s

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[1]John 20:19 (KJV)

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

[2]Luke 4:29-30 (KJV)

And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

[3]A principle is established in this passage that is acknowledged and practiced in the military as well as all team sports – the importance of every member. For every hero on the front line, there are dozens in the background making his work possible.

[4]2 Samuel 1:18-27 (KJV)

(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely andpleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

[5]Here is a thought… how would he have known if Saul had truly repented? I think that if Saul had humbled himself, stepped down from the throne and submitted to the authority of David.

How would we know if a church member who has quit has truly gotten right? If he returns, apologizes and gets involved again. To say he is sorry but to stay out of the church is not genuine.

How would we know if a man who has disqualified himself for the pastorate has truly repented? If he steps down from the pastorate, unites with the church and cheerfully serves God in whatever capacity he is qualified.

[6]I take some solace and instruction in that, though David did take charge, he did so over Judah and not all of Israel. David did not force his leadership on those who were not so convinced. He let God give him their submission in God’s own time.