Day 73 – 2 Samuel: Theme

“And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.” 2 Samuel 5:10 NLT

I am amazed when reading both books of Samuel that record the life of David. From boyhood to king, he faced and overcame numerous obstacles, making it difficult to ignore God’s hand in it all. The same can be said for your life when you reflect on what you’ve experienced to reach the point where you stand today. There are several important themes to be found in 2 Samuel that are invaluable for spiritual growth.

• Kingdom Growth

Under David’s obedient leadership, Israel’s kingdom grew rapidly and with this came many changes: from tribal independence to centralized government, from the leadership of judges to a monarchy, from decentralized worship to worship at Jerusalem, and from chaos to God’s order.

• Personal Greatness

David knew the Lord was behind his success because He wanted to pour out his kindness on Israel. David regarded God’s interest as more important than his own. God does not regard personal greatness as something to be used selfishly but as an instrument to carry out His work among His people. The greatness should be, like David, a desire to love others as God loves us.

• Justice

King David showed justice, mercy, and fairness to Saul’s family, enemies, rebels, allies, and close friends alike. His just rule was grounded in his faith and relationship with God. God’s perfect moral nature is the standard for justice and hope for a heavenly-ideal relationship with God and others.

• Consequences

David’s desire for prosperity and ease led him from triumph to trouble when he abandoned his purpose as leader and king in time of war. He experienced the consequences of his sin that destroyed his family and the nation. Sin creates a cycle of suffering that is not worth the fleeting pleasure it offers. From his story it teaches us the valuable lesson not to excuse sin in our lives, but to bring it to the cross.

Prayer: Father, thank You that we can take 2 Samuel to heart as fertilizer for our own spiritual growth journey. Through this story we not only learn about the consequences of sin but how to come to You in repentance and take on the responsibility of our sin in a mature and godly way. Amen.