Message To Kings - A Biblical History Of Man

Following the First Aramean War, the Ammonite king died. Hanun, the new king, severely mistreats King David's ambassadors provoking David to war. David sent Joab and Abishai to swiftly punish the Ammonites, but the Army of Israel walks into an ambush.In this episode, we discuss the Second Aramean War and the climatic moment when Joab and Abishai are surrounded and David's army faced possible annihilation. 2 Samuel 10www.messagetokings.com

King David, the benevolent monarch, sits in his palace and declares these words: “is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Then, David learns that Jonathan, his best friend, has a surviving son named Mephibosheth, who is lame in both feet. Mephibosheth goes to the king assuming his life was going to end because he was the surviving grandson of the previous King Saul, but instead King David does something, again, that is way beyond his time and shows the heart of God towards his children. 2 Samuel 9Matthew 25:34

Over a two year period, David takes his army and defeats the Philistines, the Moabites, the kingdom of Aram and Zobah and the Edomites. When it is over, the territory conquered was in fulfillment of the land promise to Abraham from Genesis 15. In this episode, we cover the military campaigns of David to arrive at this high watermark for Israel. 2 Samuel 8Genesis 15:18Psalm 18www.messagetokings.com

Once the Ark of the Covenant is brought back to Israel, David places the Ark in a giant tent. He assigns Asaph and nine of his associates to worship before the Lord continually. In this episode, we discuss the significance of what became known as the Tabernacle of David. 1 Chronicles 16Amos 9:11Acts 15:13John 4:21www.messagetokings.com

After the Ark is transported to Jerusalem, it is placed in the Tabernacle of David. David sees the Ark resting in a tent and he tells Nathan, the Prophet, he desires to build a temple for the Ark. Nathan agrees with his idea, but in the night, God speaks to Nathan and declares David cannot build the temple, but instead gives him an eternal promise. In this episode, we discuss the eternal promise of David. 2 Samuel 7:1-291 Chronicles 22:8www.messagetokings.com

The Ark of the Covenant remains at Obed-Edom's house for three months and Obed-Edom household becomes so blessed it draws the attention of King David. King David decides to give it another go. He brings all of Israel to Obed-Edom's house to bring back the Ark of the Covenant. In this episode, we discuss David's actions and the Spirit of Worship. 2 Samuel 6:12-23www.messagetokings.com

Once Jerusalem becomes Israel's Capital, David and Israel go to the House of Abinadab to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant and take it to to Jerusalem. Instead of triumph and a glorious march to Jerusalem with the Ark, tragedy strikes. In this episode, we discuss the causes of this tragedy and the spiritual concepts at work in this account. 2 Samuel 6:1-11www.messagetokings.com

After David takes Jerusalem and establishes it as his capital. Hiram, the king of Tyre, brings gifts to David and assists in building David a palace and Jerusalem is fortified and built up. Once the Philistines learn of David's establishment and the unified threat to their east, they rally and bring about two successive battles in the Valley of Rephaim, yet it was the Lord of the Breakthrough which showed himself in the Valley of the Giants.2 Samuel 5:11-25www.messagetokings.com

Once David is officially king over all of Israel, he wastes little time. With the assembly of the allegiance of the Northern Tribes, David marches on Jebus, the impregnable Jebusite fortress in Southern Israel. In this episode, we cover the capture of Jebus, to be renamed the City of Jerusalem, and parallel it with the capture of Jerusalem by the Israeli army in the Six Day War of 1967. 2 Samuel 5:6 - 5:10

After Abner is assassinated, Ish-Boseth is assassinated as well. David's treatment of the assassins is a classic of justice. Did the murderers of Ish-Boseth not know what David did with Saul's assassin? Upon Ish-Boseth's death, all of Israel comes to Hebron to crown David king. Over 300,000 able bodied men arrive and bring him gifts and swear their loyalty to him. In Hebron, God fulfills the word that David would be king over all of Israel. In this episode, we discuss the arrival of David at this place of promise and purpose and after a three day party, he presents his soldiers with their first assignment - the taking of the hilltop fortress called Jebus, later to be called Jerusalem.

The war between House of David and the House of Saul lasted a long time. It was Abner, the commander of Ish-Boseth's army, who decided to surrender the cause and make peace with David. David approves of Abner's actions and received peace overtures from Abner, but when Joab discovers the actions of Abner, there will be a dreadful action taken at the gates of Hebron, a city of refuge.

With David established as the King of Judah and Ish-Boseth as the King of the rest of Israel, their military commanders, Joab and Abner, choose to fight and they meet at the Pool at Gibeon. What appears to be a honorable duel of champions turns into a battle, which only leads to bitterness. In this episode, we cover the action at the Pool of Gibeon and the concept of unforgiveness, which builds to hate in the heart of Joab.

After waiting fifteen years from the original anointing by Samuel, David marched into Hebron and is crowned king of Judah. In this episode, we take a creative look at David visiting the Cave at Machpelah and a visit to the city of Jebus and the future city of Zion.

While David is fighting the Amalekites, Saul and the Army of Israel faces off against the Philistines at Mt Gilboa. Saul takes his forces up a mountain to take away the advantage of the Philistine horseman and chariots, but is quickly overwhelmed and surrounded. In this episode, we cover the battle and the last actions of Saul and the immediate fallout of the battle.

Even as Saul is terrified of the huge Philistine army and he visits the witch of Endor, David is commanded to join the Philistine army by Lord Achish of Gath, who David has befriended and faked an alliance with for over a year. Before David can put a plan into action, he is commanded to return to Ziklag by the other Philistines who do not trust David. Upon his return to Ziklag, a very large Amalekite army had overtaken Ziklag and had taken hostage the women and children of David's men and burned Ziklag. In this episode, we cover the detailed historical account of Josephus as David comes upon and surprises the Amalekites and fulfills the Lord's word to pursue, overtake and rescue the families and possessions and all that had been lost in David's season of fear.

Four armies are marching in the region of Israel. The Philistines have assembled to destroy King Saul and his army. David was called upon by King Achish to march with the Philistines. Saul assembled all of Israel to oppose the Philistines at Mt. Gilboa. In addition, there is a nomadic Amalekite army about to raid Southern Judea and Philistia, including Ziklag. When Saul sees the hordes of Philistines, he is terrified and when he fails to obtain counsel from God, he calls upon someone to find a witch to help him. The result is Saul and the Witch of Endor.

What the enemy could not do in the natural, he successfully achieved in spirit. According to 1 Samuel 27, David thought to himself 'one of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.' A single lie of fear broke into David's heart and was believed. In this episode, we discuss how David stepped out of God's will as he made a decision based upon fear.

David tries to find peace and rest in Judah, but the Ziphites rally against David and call upon Saul to attack David. Saul marched toward David with 3,000 troops and established a camp near David's men. In the middle of the night, David and Abishai sneak up on Saul's camp and David has another opportunity to kill Saul and become king.

After the death of Samuel, all of Israel goes to Ramah and pays their respects to the great prophet. Then, David and his men return to Judah and ask for provisions from a rich man named Nabal, who lived near the monument to Saul at Carmel. Nabal refuses David and rudely sends the men away and cuts David with his words. David, in turn, marches with 400 men to kill Nabal and the men of his household. Before David can get to Nabal's house, Abigail, the wife of Nabal, intercedes with her actions.

In this episode, we take a brief look at the mobile camp of David and explore a prophecy that sets the scene at the cave at En Gedi, where Saul is delivered, naked, to David for judgment. Instead of taking Saul's life, David shows mercy and grace. We conclude this episode with the mercy and grace of David and the spirit of honor over his life.