Author: Alfonso Maldonado

1Samuel 17, the power of prayer!

2Sa 17:1-2, Moreover AHITHOPHEL SAID TO ABSALOM, “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. I WILL COME UPON HIM WHILE HE IS WEARY AND WEAK, AND MAKE HIM AFRAID. ..

Wise council from Ahithophel for David and his people were weary and weak for lack of food! Now Absalom asked Hushai for advice! 2Sa 17:29, … “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.” 

2Sa 17:11, THEREFORE I ADVISE THAT ALL ISRAEL BE FULLY GATHERED TO YOU, FROM DAN TO BEERSHEBA, like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, AND THAT YOU GO TO BATTLE IN PERSON. 

2Sa 17:14, … “THE ADVICE OF HUSHAI THE ARCHITE IS BETTER THAN THE ADVICE OF AHITHOPHEL.” FOR THE LORD HAD PURPOSED TO DEFEAT THE GOOD ADVICE OF AHITHOPHEL, TO THE INTENT THAT THE LORD MIGHT BRING DISASTER ON ABSALOM. 

Because of David’s simple prayer the LORD turned a wise mans council into foolishness in the eyes of Absalom! We don’t need to use big words to pray to the LORD, because he wants to hear what’s in your heart ‘HELP ME LORD’, ‘HAVE MERCY ON ME LORD’!

2Sa 15:31, … And David said, “O LORD, I PRAY, TURN THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL INTO FOOLISHNESS!” 

Psa 145:18-19, The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.

2Samuel 16, 1, EARS OF THE WISE!

2Sa 16:5-7, … there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was SHIMEI … HE CAME OUT, CURSING CONTINUOUSLY AS HE CAME. AND HE THREW STONES AT DAVID … Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “COME OUT! COME OUT! YOU BLOODTHIRSTY MAN, YOU ROGUE!

2Sa 16:9-10, Then Abishai …said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!” But the king said, … SO LET HIM CURSE, BECAUSE THE LORD HAS SAID TO HIM, ‘CURSE DAVID.’ WHO THEN SHALL SAY, ‘WHY HAVE YOU DONE SO?’

Even in the cursing of Shimei DAVID WAS LISTENING TO THE WORDS OF HIM TO SEE IF IT’S FROM THE LORD!

Pro 18:15, The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, AND THE EAR OF THE WISE SEEKS KNOWLEDGE.

2Sa 16:12, It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 

WHILE SHIMEI FOOLISH MOUTH ALMOST GOT HIM KILLED BY ABISHAI; DAVID WAS LISTENING CAREFULLY TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY WORD OF THE LORD EVEN BY THE MOUTH OF A FOOL!

Pro 10:14, WISE PEOPLE STORE UP KNOWLEDGE, BUT THE MOUTH OF THE FOOLISH IS NEAR DESTRUCTION. 

2Samuel 15, Absalom’s Conspiracy!

2Sa 15:12, THEN ABSALOM SENT FOR AHITHOPHEL THE GILONITE, DAVID’S COUNSELOR, … AND THE CONSPIRACY GREW STRONG, FOR THE PEOPLE WITH ABSALOM Continually Increased In Number. 

Ahithophel, David’s counselor was also the grand father of Bathsheba! His advice was as if it were an oracle of God (2Sa 16:23)!

2Sa 15:31, Then someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I PRAY, TURN THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL INTO FOOLISHNESS!” 

Psa 41:9, EVEN MY OWN FAMILIAR FRIEND IN WHOM I TRUSTED, WHO ATE MY BREAD, HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.

David was betrayed by Ahithophel as JESUS was betrayed by Judas, But the difference here is that DAVID SUFFERED FOR HIS OWN SINS WHERE AS THE CHRIST SUFFERED FOR OUR SINS! YET, AFTER ALL THIS DAVID PLACED HIS TRUST IN THE LORD!

2Sa 15:26, BUT IF HE SAYS THUS: ‘I HAVE NO DELIGHT IN YOU,’ HERE I AM, LET HIM DO TO ME AS SEEMS GOOD TO HIM.” 

SEEK HIM IN THE GOOD TIMES AND IN THE BAD. SEEK HIM AND HIS WORD, FOR HE IS OUR STRENGTH IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!

Pro 28:1, The wicked flee when no one pursues, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS ARE BOLD AS A LION. 

2Samuel 14, Absalom Returns!

2Sa 14:1-2, So Joab …PERCEIVED THAT THE KING’S HEART WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ABSALOM. And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “PLEASE PRETEND TO BE A MOURNER, AND PUT ON MOURNING APPAREL; …BUT ACT LIKE A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN MOURNING A LONG TIME FOR THE DEAD.

Joab wanted to bring back Absalom because it was affecting David, the king!

2Sa 14:14, FOR WE WILL SURELY DIE AND BECOME LIKE WATER SPILLED ON THE GROUND, which cannot be gathered up again. YET GOD DOES NOT TAKE AWAY A LIFE; BUT HE DEVISES MEANS, SO THAT HIS BANISHED ONES ARE NOT EXPELLED FROM HIM. 

The wise woman told David “WE ALL DIE THEN THE OPPORTUNITY OF RECONCILIATION IS GONE! DO IT NOW! GOD DEVISES MEANS TO BRING BACK A BANISHED PERSON BACK TO HIMSELF! A PICTURE OF JESUS WHO HUNG ON THE CROSS TO BRING US BACK TO THE FATHER

2Co 5:18, Now all things are of God, WHO HAS RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, AND HAS GIVEN US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, 

TIME IS SHORT, FORGIVE AND MOVE ON! WE HAVE WORK TO DO FOR HIS KINGDOM!

Mat 18:21-22, Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I DO NOT SAY TO YOU, UP TO SEVEN TIMES, BUT UP TO SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN.

2Samuel 13, Amnon lusted for his sister!

2Sa 13:6, Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “PLEASE LET TAMAR MY SISTER COME AND MAKE A COUPLE OF CAKES FOR ME IN MY SIGHT, THAT I MAY EAT FROM HER HAND.” 

Amnon believed he loved his sister Yet, it wasn’t love but lust!

2Sa 13:11, Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “COME, LIE WITH ME, MY SISTER.” 

2Sa 13:12-14, …”No, my brother, DO NOT FORCE ME, … DO NOT DO THIS DISGRACEFUL THING! And I, where could I take MY SHAME? And as for you, you would be LIKE ONE OF THE FOOLS in Israel. … HE WOULD NOT HEED HER VOICE; AND BEING STRONGER THAN SHE, HE FORCED HER AND LAY WITH HER.

Lev 18:11, …BEGOTTEN BY YOUR FATHER—SHE IS YOUR SISTER—YOU SHALL NOT UNCOVER HER NAKEDNESS. 

2Sa 13:15, THEN AMNON HATED HER EXCEEDINGLY, …”ARISE, BE GONE!” 

THE LOVE HE HAD WAS REPLACED BY HATE BECAUSE SHE WAS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF HIS SIN! PEOPLE OFTEN MISTAKE LUST FOR LOVE, BUT THIS IS NOT FROM THE FATHER BUT OF THE WORLD! 1John 2:16.

Rom 8:6, FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH, BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE. 

2Samuel 12, David’s sin revealed!

2Sa 12:7-8, THEN NATHAN SAID TO DAVID, “YOU ARE THE MAN! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I ANOINTED YOU king over Israel, and I DELIVERED YOU from the hand of Saul. I GAVE YOU your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, AND GAVE YOU the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I ALSO WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU MUCH MORE!

God told David that his sin was ingratitude. GOD GAVE HIM, ANOINTED HIM, PROTECTED HIM AND WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM MORE BUT, HE LUSTED AND TOOK THE WIFE OF URIAH!

2Sa 12:9-10, WHY HAVE YOU DESPISED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD, TO DO EVIL IN HIS SIGHT? YOU HAVE KILLED URIAH the Hittite with the sword; YOU HAVE TAKEN HIS WIFE to be your wife, and HAVE KILLED HIM WITH THE SWORD OF THE PEOPLE OF AMMON. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, BECAUSE YOU HAVE DESPISED ME, AND HAVE TAKEN THE WIFE OF URIAH THE HITTITE TO BE YOUR WIFE.’

THIS IS DAVID, A SINNER, A MURDERER, AN ADULTERER AND A THIEF WHO BEING RICH COVETED THE WIFE OF A POOR MAN! GOD GAVE HIM EVERYTHING GOOD YET HE WANTED MORE! ELIPHAZ TOLD JOB, THAT MAN DRINKS INIQUITY LIKE WATER, WE SIN AS IF OUR LIVES DEPENDANT ON IT TO SURVIVE (Job 15:16). THIS UGLY PART OF DAVID’S LIFE IS ALSO A REFLECTION OF WHAT’S IN OUR HEART. LIKE A MIRROR STRAIGHT INTO OUR SOUL WE SEE THE REAL US!

Rom 7:24, O WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! WHO WILL DELIVER ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH? 

2Samuel 11, David’s transgression!

2Sa 11:2-3, … And from the roof he saw A WOMAN BATHING, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. …. And someone said, “IS THIS NOT BATHSHEBA, THE DAUGHTER OF ELIAM, THE WIFE OF URIAH THE HITTITE?”

While David, was told that she was the daughter of Eliam, one of David’s mighty men (2Sa 23:34). He knew that her grandfather was Ahithophel, one of David’s chief counselors (2Sa 15:12). And, that she was married to honorable Uriah! THIS WAS HIS ESCAPE, YET BECAUSE OF HIS LUST HE IGNORED THEM!

1Co 10:13, NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION WILL ALSO MAKE THE WAY OF ESCAPE, that you may be able to bear it. 

David ended up killing Honorable Uriah and believed that no one would find out!

2Sa 11:27, … BUT THE THING THAT DAVID HAD DONE DISPLEASED THE LORD. 

Pro 15:3, THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE IN EVERY PLACE, KEEPING WATCH ON THE EVIL AND THE GOOD. 

WE CAN’T HIDE OUR SINS FROM HIM AND HE WILL ALWAYS GIVE US A WAY OUT.  DAVID ELECTED TO IGNORE GOD AND HIS WARNINGS; WHICH CAUSE PROBLEMS IN HIS OWN HOME! HIS EYES ARE ALWAYS UPON US FOR HE LOVES US AND WANTS THE BEST FOR US!

2Samuel 10, David’s Ambassadors!

2Sa 10:3-4, And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, … Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” THEREFORE HANUN TOOK DAVID’S SERVANTS, SHAVED OFF HALF OF THEIR BEARDS, CUT OFF THEIR GARMENTS IN THE MIDDLE, AT THEIR BUTTOCKS, AND SENT THEM AWAY.

Shaving half their beards and sending them half naked back to Israel was very disrespectful and embarrassing to David’s ambassadors! REMEMBER WE ARE THE LORD’S AMBASSADORS; IF THE WORLD HATES YOU KNOW THAT IT HATED OUR LORD BEFORE THEY HATED YOU! John 15:18.

2Co 5:20, NOW THEN, WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, AS THOUGH GOD WERE PLEADING THROUGH US: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 

2Sa 10:7, NOW WHEN DAVID HEARD OF IT, HE SENT JOAB AND ALL THE ARMY OF THE MIGHTY MEN. 

THIS IS NOT OUR HOME AND THE ENEMY IS EVERYWHERE SEROUNDING US ON EVERYSIDE. YET WE HAVE THE POWER OF THE KING OF ISRAEL, THE COMMANDER OF THE LORDS ARMY IS AT OUR SIDE!

Ps 44:5-8, THROUGH YOU we will push down our enemies; THROUGH YOUR NAME we will trample those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, Nor shall my sword save me. BUT YOU HAVE SAVED US FROM OUR ENEMIES, AND HAVE PUT TO SHAME THOSE WHO HATED US. IN GOD WE BOAST ALL DAY LONG, AND PRAISE YOUR NAME FOREVER. Selah

2Samuel 9, At the Kings table!

2Sa 9:5-6, Then King David sent and brought HIM OUT OF THE HOUSE OF MACHIR THE SON OF AMMIEL, FROM LO DEBAR. Now when MEPHIBOSHETH THE SON OF JONATHAN, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself….

Mephibosheth was living in another man’s home hiding in fear of king David.

2Sa 9:7-8, So David said to him, “DO NOT FEAR, FOR I WILL SURELY SHOW YOU KINDNESS FOR JONATHAN YOUR FATHER’S SAKE, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and YOU SHALL EAT BREAD AT MY TABLE CONTINUALLY.” Then he bowed himself, and said, “WHAT IS YOUR SERVANT, THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK UPON SUCH A DEAD DOG AS I?”

Luk 22:30, THAT YOU MAY EAT AND DRINK AT MY TABLE IN MY KINGDOM, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” 

Before coming to CHRIST, we were poor, weak, lame and fearful. We are separated from the King because of our sins towards the KING! YET, OUR KING CAME LOOKING FOR US, BECAUSE HE LOVED US!

1Jn 4:19, WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US. 

2Sa 9:13, SO MEPHIBOSHETH DWELT IN JERUSALEM, FOR HE ATE CONTINUALLY AT THE KING’S TABLE….

AS DAVID SEES JONATHAN IN MEPHIBOSHETH, SO DOES OUR FATHER SEE CHRIST IN US! AND WE WILL EAT AT HIS TABLE CONTINUALLY! NOT THAT WE DESERVE IT BUT BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE!

2Samuel 8, the house of the LORD!

2Sa 8:6-7, SO THE LORD PRESERVED DAVID WHEREVER HE WENT. And David TOOK THE SHIELDS OF GOLD that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer…

2Sa 8:10-11,  then Toi (king of Hamath) sent Joram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, …Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. 

KING DAVID ALSO DEDICATED THESE TO THE LORD, ALONG WITH THE SILVER AND GOLD that he had dedicated FROM ALL THE NATIONS WHICH HE HAD SUBDUED

David was told that he wasn’t going to build the house of the LORD, BUT HE WAS GOING TO PREPARE FOR IT!

1Ch 22:14, Indeed I have taken much trouble to PREPARE FOR THE HOUSE OF THE LORD ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND TALENTS OF GOLD AND ONE MILLION TALENTS OF SILVER, AND BRONZE AND IRON BEYOND MEASURE, FOR IT IS SO ABUNDANT. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them.

We may not be called to build the house of the LORD yet we can help prepare for it or lift up the hands of the person who is called to do so! JESUS HIMSELF IS ALSO BUILDING A TEMPLE BEING HIMSELF THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.

Eph 2:19-20, Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF BEING THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,