After securing Jerusalem as the capital, and winning a battle against the Philistines (2 Samuel 5), David sought to move the ark of the covenant from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem. The first attempt failed (2 Samuel 6: 1-11), but the second attempt was successful (2 Samuel 6: 12).
David next desired to build a temple, but the Lord revealed to him through Nathan the prophet that David’s son, who would succeed him on the throne, would be given that privilege (2 Samuel 7: 12, 13).
David proceeded to gain victory after victory over enemy nations, and expanded the land area of the nation (2 Samuel 8). He then inquired as to whether there was anyone left of Saul’s family that he could show kindness to for Jonathan’s sake. David learned of Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son who was lame, and took him into his house where he remained (2 Samuel 9).
David’s Sin
It was when David and the nation were prospering, that he succumbed to temptation. On one occasion, when David’s army went to battle, he remained home. David observed Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, bathing, called for her and committed adultery. When Bathsheba informed him that she had conceived, David, in an attempt to cover up his sin, had Uriah killed on the field of battle. He later married Bathsheba and she gave birth to a son, but the Lord was displeased with David’ sin (2 Samuel 11).
The prophet Nathan courageously confronted the king and exposed his wrongdoing. David repented and confessed his sin, but as a punishment the newborn son died. Psalm 51 records David’s prayer for forgiveness. Bathsheba conceived again and gave birth to Solomon (2 Samuel 12). Although God forgave David for his sin, punishment continued to follow him for the remainder of his life. David faced sexual sins, murder and intrigue within his own family. His son Absalom rebelled against his father, nevertheless, David mourned greatly upon hearing of Absalom’s death (2 Samuel 18: 33).
Toward the close of David’s reign, he put down a rebellion by the ten tribes (2 Samuel 20). David made a census of the people which angered the Lord (2 Samuel 24). His son Adonijah sought to inherit the throne, but Nathan and Bathsheba worked to insure that Solomon would become the next king (1 Kings 1: 1 – 2 Kings 2: 12). Although David was not allowed to build the temple, he made the necessary preparations for Solomon to do so. David died at seventy years of age, having reigned over the twelve tribes for thirty-three years.
David’s Character
As we consider David’s checkered career, we see courage and determination exercised along proper lines. He appreciated highly the honor of being anointed as king, yet he held this with modesty. He endured patiently the opposition of King Saul, yet treated the members of the royal family with profoundest respect. Instead of thrusting himself on the nation as king, he waited patiently the Lord’s time. The secret to David’s success was his full consecration to the Lord, made and carried out. His desire was to always give God the glory for his successes, and to realize that whatever failures there were in his life were either his own weaknesses or divine blessings in disguise. David is listed as one of the heroes of faith (Hebrews 11: 32). Our text expresses David’s complete faith, and utter dependence upon God.
David’s Antitype
David primarily types our Lord, the Head, and the Church, His body while they were in the flesh. The name David signifies beloved, and as it applies especially to our Lord, so it applies also to all the members of His body. To have been accounted worthy of that class, the spirit of love must have been in them, love for the Lord and love for one another.
In the type, David was a man of war, battling for the right, and severely tried and disciplined. Likewise, the Christ class spent their earthly lifetimes warring with the world, the flesh and the devil. David and his work of preparing for the temple types the Christ class during the Gospel Age preparing themselves and each other for the glories to follow – in the Millennial Age.