SECOND SAMUEL by F. D. Starr

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 27, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 30.

SECOND SAMUEL.

By F. D. Starr

BY F. D. STARR.

As stated in the preceding article, the books of Samuel might more consistently be called the first and second books of Kings, the latter part of the title as found in the English translation.

This book we are now considering covers practically the forty years’ reign of King David, commencing with the events connected with his accession to the throne, upon the death of Saul, and closing with the later acts of his rule, which took place a trifle over one thousand years before the birth of Christ.

With David commences a new epoch in the history of the Jews, God’s chosen people. This constitutes one of the division lines between Abraham and Christ, as seen by referring to Matt. 1:17. So the events recorded in the books of Samuel took place about midway between creation and our own time.

The life of David is one of thrilling interest and significance. By the Spirit of God he was enabled to write the beautiful psalms that have been such a comfort to millions of souls, and these were written in connection with some of his experiences, and in order to correctly understand the circumstances which called forth these noble poetic utterances, we need to become familiar with them; and these circumstances are recorded in the history of David as given in the two books of Samuel. Perhaps no portion of Holy Writ has been brought into more extensive use in a devotional way, around the family altar, and elsewhere, than these psalms composed while the author was passing through the varied experiences recorded in the books in question.

David is called the man after God’s own heart; and those who are disposed to criticize the Bible, indulge in ridicule at the idea of such a man, who committed such a grievous sin against Uriah, being called a man “after God’s own heart.” But when was this expression used in reference to David? Was it after he had committed this heinous crime? We find David’s fall occurred B.C. 1035 (2 Samuel 11), when he was about fifty years of age. The Scripture text criticized will be found in 1 Sam. 13:14. The words were spoken by Samuel to Saul: “But now thy kingdom shall not continue; the Lord hath sought Him a man after His own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” We find these words were spoken B. C. 1095, sixty years before David’s great sin, and, consequently, ten years before David’s birth. David did fulfil this description in a remarkable manner during the earlier years of his life, and the same infinite mind that mentioned Cyrus by name more than a century before his birth (Isa. 45:1), and spoke of many other individuals before they were brought into existence, saw fit to honor David in the same way.

But another prophetic utterance that should cause these Bible critics to pause and consider what they are doing, is found in the reproof the prophet of the Lord administered to the royal transgressor. “Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.” 2 Sam. 12:14.

So not only David, but those who find fault with God and His holy Book on David’s account are pointed out beforehand. And who are they who thus venture to find fault? As the text says, they are the enemies of the Lord, blasphemous scoffers.

The Lord knew all about them long before they were born. Who would want to be numbered with them? The Lord’s intense displeasure at David’s conduct, and the severe penalty visited upon David, are enough to plainly prove that such conduct is not sanctioned in the Word of God. We may all read with much profit his words of penitence recorded in Psalm 51.

The magnanimous disposition of David, as manifested in his grief upon hearing of the death of Saul, is shown in 2 Samuel 1. There is one expression in this chapter to which we would call attention, that in verse 20. The Septuagint renders this: “Tell it not in Gath, evangelize it not in Askelon.” From this we get an idea about the meaning of the Greek term, evangelize. It means to proclaim tidings, especially glad tidings. The word Gospel is from this term, and evangelizing is simply preaching the Gospel. The world is to be evangelized, that is, the Gospel is to be preached in all the world.

But that does not mean that the world is to be converted—it is to be warned. Another instance to the point is found in 2 Sam. 4:10. Wicked men thought to evangelize David.

The plan of salvation is most beautifully referred to in 2 Sam. 14:14: “For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which can not be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person; yet doth He devise means, that His banished be not expelled from Him.”

Man was banished from the presence of God when, on the account of sin, he was driven from the Garden of Eden. But he is not expelled from Him. It is one thing for a scholar to be suspended from school on account of disorderly conduct, and quite another thing for him to be expelled from the school.

Thank the Lord, we are not necessarily expelled from Him, tho we are temporarily banished from our paradise abode. Through the means God has devised,—the blessed Gospel of Christ,—we see redeemed man restored to his original Eden home. The expression, “Neither doth God respect any person,” is rendered in the German, French, and Spanish translations: “Neither hath God taken away life;” and with this agrees our own marginal reading. No, the Lifegiver did not take away life, he delighteth not in the death of any. The devil, who has the power of death, caused life to be taken away. He is a murderer from the beginning.

Do not fail to consider the eloquent description of the abating of physical power in old age, found in 2 Sam. 19:35, in connection with Eccl. 12:1-7.

But we must content ourselves with merely plucking a bouquet from this, another flower garden of the Lord’s planting, and close this interview with the words of David in Ps. 27:4: “One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Jehovah, and to inquire in His temple.”