Morning Light – October 7th, 2015: David is Crowned in Hebron

Morning Light – October 7th, 2015
Today: [1 Chronicles Eleven] David is Crowned in Hebron. In this chapter we see that Saul is Dead and David is crowned in Hebron. Hebron means “place of association”. Jesus becomes Lord of our life by association. When we spend time in God’s presence we become like Him. After David was crowned he attacked the Jebusites and the Philistines. The Jebusites were the first inhabitants of Jerusalem and they thought no one else had a right to come into the city. This attitude prevails among many Christians who despise newcomers and new converts as the elder brother of the prodigal. As David fought these enemies he raised up mighty men to do great things just as Jesus does in our midst as we spend time in His presence.
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[1Ch 11:1-47 KJV] 1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we [are] thy bone and thy flesh. 2 And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou [wast] he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel. 3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel. 4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which [is] Jebus; where the Jebusites [were], the inhabitants of the land. 5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which [is] the city of David. 6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief. 7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. 8 And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9 So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts [was] with him. 10 These also [are] the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, [and] with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. 11 And this [is] the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain [by him] at one time. 12 And after him [was] Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who [was one] of the three mighties. 13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14 And they set themselves in the midst of [that] parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved [them] by a great deliverance. 15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
Saul is dead and the Israelites seek David out in Hebrew and anoint him king. Remember that David is a type of Christ and that Jesus was called the “Son of David”. When the Israelites told David in Hebron they were “his bone and his flesh…” this is a type of the marriage of the bridegroom and the bride of Christ. They were saying to David “our tribes are married to you…” Where this takes place speaks to us about the character of our relationship with Christ. Hebron means “place of fascination” or “seat of association”. Eph. 2 tells us we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. That seat of authority is activated in our lives through our association with Christ as with David at Hebron. We are fascinated with Christ. He occupies our affections and our interest and our deep committment because we are enraptured and desirous to be in relationship with him.
Hebron is where the people anointed David. David was anointed king three times – first by Samuel, then by the tribe of Judah and then by the 10 tribes in Hebron. You may be called and anointed of God but that doesn’t mean the people have anointed you yet – there does come a time that the anointing on your life will be recognized – even by family members if they are listening to God.
The Israelites recognized that David was a blessing to them even when Saul was king. While Saul ruled and sought David’s life – David was still fighting Israel’s battles and defending them against all enemies. This again is a type of Christ. There may be corrupt and ungodly leadership over the people of God but Jesus is still involved. He is still anointing and defending the people. This can be confusing to people who equate God’s anointing with God’s approval. Saul was anointed but corrupt. David defended Saul’s throne and the people even though they sought his life while he did it. You might see a ministry or a denomination very corrupt in it’s character yet God is still involving himself with them because God involves himself where his people are because He loves them. Gainsayers and critics may declare that God will not bless but God blesses whom He wishes from a position of unconditional love not theological correctness.
After David was anointed king by the people the first thing he does is go after the Jebusites. The Jebusites were the first inhabitants of Jerusalem before Joshua brought the people into the land. In all the history of the people of God they had not been able to fully drive out the Jebusites. Their name means “to trample down…” The Jebusites represent those people in our midst who take the attitude “I was here first – who do you think you are…” They think they are more spiritual, or more entitled, or that they have more authority because they have been around longer. Their effect is to discourage people, particularly new comers into the things of God. They have the “elder brother” mentality of the story of prodigal thinking they deserve promotion before anyone else.
They are downtrodden and trampled down in thier spirits and they are offended if someone aspires to rise above their own meagar accomplishments. They place a high premium upon mourning and sackcloth and a spiritual sobriety immersed in unbelief. These are those that Jesus rebuked saying “you won’t enter the kingdom and you won’t let anyone else enter in …” This is what the Jebusites said to David and what those who consider themselves “insiders” will say to new comers and those they think are not qualified to be in a church or a group “you will not come in here…” This is a major stronghold in the church that any visitor to your group will encounter when the come to your meetings – inhospitality, being ignored and marginized by the Jebusite spirit operating among the people.
These were the first inhabitants of Jerusalem that David battled. He unseated them and built his house on their ruins of their stronghold. Furthermore he pitched the tabernacle of David there and brought into it the ark of the Covenant. But the Jubusites were not allowed to share in it.
16 And David [was] then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison [was] then at Bethlehem. 17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that [is] at the gate! 18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that [was] by the gate, and took [it], and brought [it] to David: but David would not drink [of] it, but poured it out to the LORD, 19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with [the jeopardy of] their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest. 20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew [them], and had a name among the three. 21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the [first] three. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. 23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of [great] stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand [was] a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. 24 These [things] did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties. 25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the [first] three: and David set him over his guard. 26 Also the valiant men of the armies [were], Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
The second enemy David went up against after becoming king was the Philistines. After the Jebusites are defeated the Philistines must be routed as well. The word Philistine we have seen in a previous study means “divider” and “one who divides”. Divisiveness is rife in Christian culture. Divisiveness is so deep in Christianity it has become the very definition of who we are. This happens across the board as we see 16,000 denominations and sects, but it also happens in our own intimate circles where opinion rages, offenses abound and pride provokes criticism and high mindedness among God’s people. This destroys churches and hinders the move of God. As the hand of David was against the Philistines so the hand of God will move against those who cause division among His people. Don’t let yourself be one of these people.
31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, [that pertained] to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.
The remainder of this chapter is the registry of David’s mighty men. These were the discontent and indebted who gathered to David when he fled from Saul. They lived in the cave Abdullum and over the course of time they become David’s mighty men. They spent time around David and they drank from his spirit and became like him. We likewise come to Jesus from our brokenness and need in life and as we spend time with Him we are changed – or at least we should be. This was the case with the disciples that followed Jesus. They were difficult, opinionated, strongheaded men but after a time Jesus impacted them and they were changed in ways that were evident to others:
[Act 4:13 KJV] 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
These men had the benefit of walking with Jesus in His earthwalk but what about us? Consider the words of John:
[1Jo 3:2 KJV] 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
As we spend time in God’s presence He will have an effect on you and an affect on your character. When you see in yourself or in others something other than the character of Christ then you know they have not spent time in His presence. When you see Him you will be like Him for you shall see Him as He is. Sometimes when you are angry and offended and irritable and full of self pity you just need to go spend time in God’s presence.
Judas didn’t get this. He was constantly keeping counsel only with his own thoughts and counting the money and resenting how the resources were being spent. Many of David’s mighty men eventually faltered because they likewise weren’t willing to relinquish their own thoughts and opinions. As you simply choose to be simple of heart and spend time in God’s presence on a daily basis you will be changed and you to can become one of David’s mighty men.