Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rekab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin, because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and have resided there as foreigners to this day.
(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)
Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest. They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah. They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”
David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!”
So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.

• 2 Samuel 4:1-12

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”
When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.
On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”
David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.
When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”
So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

• 2 Samuel 5:1-25

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.
When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.
Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.
When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”
And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

• 2 Samuel 6:1-23

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

2 Samuel 4:1 ‘lost heart’: “Lit. ‘his hands became weak or limp’ (cf. 2 Chr. 15:7). Ishbosheth and all of Israel realized that Abner had been the source of strength and stability for Israel. With Abner dead, Israel was troubled because Ishbosheth no longer had a leader for the army which secured him in power.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 4:4 ‘Mephibosheth’: ”He may be introduced here to demonstrate that his youth and physical handicap disqualified him from being considered for ruling Israel. He would have been only 12 years old at the time of Ishbosheth’s death. For the history of this man, see 9:6–13; 16:1–4; 19:24–30; 21:7.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 4:5-6 ‘wheat for soldiers’: “It was the custom to secure wheat for the soldiers under their command (v. 2) along with some pay. Under the pretense of that normal routine, they came and killed the king.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 4:8 ‘the Lord has avenged’: “The murderers of Ishbosheth came to David and proclaimed, ‘the LORD has avenged’ David. However, as happened earlier to the Amalekite (1:2–15), the men were very surprised at the response of David. David did not see their deed as the Lord’s vengeance, but as murder of an innocent man.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 5:3 ‘King David made a covenant’: “David bound himself formally to certain obligations toward the Israelites, including their rights and responsibilities to one another and to the Lord (cf. 2 Kin. 11:17). As good as this covenant was, it did not end the underlying sense of separate identity felt by Israel and Judah as the revolt of Sheba (20:1) and the dissolution of the united kingdom under Rehoboam (1 Kin. 12:16) would later demonstrate. they anointed David. David’s third anointing (2:4; 1 Sam. 16:13) resulted in the unification of the 12 tribes under his kingship.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 5:6 ‘Jerusalem’: “This city is mentioned in the Bible more than any other (from Gen. 14:18 to Rev. 21:10). The city was located in the territory of Benjamin, near the northern border of Judah and was excellently fortified because of its elevation and the surrounding deep valleys, which made it naturally defensible on 3 sides. In addition, it had a good water supply, the Gihon spring, and was close to travel routes for trade. The city had earlier been conquered by Judah (Judg. 1:8), but neither Judah nor Benjamin had been successful in permanently dislodging the Jebusite inhabitants (Josh. 15:33; Judg. 1:21). By taking Jerusalem, David was able to eliminate the foreign wedge between the northern and southern tribes and to establish his capital. Jebusites. A people of Canaanite descent (Gen. 10:16–18). Since the earlier inhabitants of Jerusalem were Amorites (Josh. 10:5), it seems that the Jebusites took control of Jerusalem after the time of the Israelite conquest. the blind and the lame. The Jebusites taunted the Israelites and mocked the power of David by boasting that the blind and the lame could defend Jerusalem against him.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 5:8 ‘water shaft’: “A tunnel that channeled the city’s water supply from the Gihon spring outside the city walls on the E side into the citadel.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 5:12 ‘the Lord has established him as king’: ”Witnessing God’s evident blessing on his life, David recognized the Lord’s role in establishing his kingship.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 5:17 ‘Philistines’: “The Philistines had remained quiet neighbors during the long civil war between the house of Saul and David, but, jealous of the king who has consolidated the nation, they resolved to attack before his government was fully established. Realizing that David was no longer their vassal, they took decisive military action against his new capital of Jerusalem.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 5:23-25 ‘evil never gives up’: “David had won one great victory over the Philistines, but he was not permitted to sit down and congratulate himself for his triumph. The Philistines were at him again. Those Philistines took a great deal of beating, but the powers of evil are not content anywhere with being defeated once or twice. They are up and at us again, challenging us again, hoping to overthrow us sooner or later. And again and again we must be ready to resist them. There must be war even after victory, and we must stand prepared for it. But before David went to war, in each case he waited on God: ’David inquired of the LORD’(5:19,23). Whenever we have any enterprise on hand, we are wise to wait on God for direction and for help. David had received divine guidance before, but counsel in one dilemma is not guidance for another. Though David had been led by God the first time to fight the Philistines, he did not consider the direction given then would apply again, so he went a second time. The answers David received on these two occasions were different. The first time the Lord said, ‘Attack.’ The second time he said, ‘Do not attack.’ Had David been content with his former waiting on God, he would have made a great mistake. What we have to do, today, we may not have to do tomorrow. And what we did yesterday may have been right enough for yesterday, but it may be as wrong as possible for today. We should not be satisfied with the direction and supportive have received but go to God again and again. If we go to him daily for manna, we may well go to him daily for counsel. David did this and he acted wisely.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

2 Samuel 6 ‘David’s First Hard Lesson as King’: ”For twenty years, the ark has been preserved in the hilltop house of Abinadab in the town of Kiriath Jearim, about seven miles west of Jerusalem (see 1 Sam. 6:21-7:2). Here, at the beginning of 2 Samuel 6, David builds a brand new oxcart and sets the ark in the middle of it. Then he starts back with all the people rejoicing around the ark.
“But then a terrible thing happens. The oxen stumble in the road, and the oxcart shakes. A man named Uzzah, walking alongside the cart, reaches out to steady the ark. The moment his hand touches the ark, the power of God strikes the man and he falls dead.
“This tragedy casts a pall over the entire procession. Even David is afraid of God because of this sudden, frightening judgment against Uzzah. Why did Uzzah die? His intentions were good. He wanted to keep the ark from falling to the ground-but he had ignored God’s instructions on how the ark was to be moved.
“David was so sick at heart that he stopped the procession and placed the ark of God in the first house that was handy. Then he went back to Jerusalem, feeling bitter and resentful toward the Lord. This was the first lesson David had to learn as king. “

• Ray C. Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible

2 Samuel 6:3 ‘new cart’: “The Philistines had used a cart to transport the ark (1 Sam. 6:7). But the OT law required that the sacred ark be carried by the sons of Kohath (Num. 3:30, 31; 4:15; 7:9), using the poles prescribed (Ex. 25:12–15). house of Abinadab. See 1 Sam. 7:1. Uzzah and Ahio. Descendants of Abinadab, possibly his grandsons.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 6:7 ‘for his error’: “No matter how innocently it was done, touching the ark was in direct violation of God’s law and was to result in death (see Num. 4:15). This was a means of preserving the sense of God’s holiness and the fear of drawing near to Him without appropriate preparation.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 6:8 ‘David became angry’: “Probably anger directed at himself because the calamity resulted from David’s own carelessness. He was confused as to whether to carry on the transportation of the ark to Jerusalem (v. 9) and would not move it, fearing more death and calamity might come on him or the people (v. 10). It is likely that he waited to see the wrath of God subside before moving the ark.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 6:10 ‘Obed-Edom’: “Lit. ‘servant of Edom.’ The term ‘Gittite’ can refer to someone from the Philistine city of Gath, but here it is better to see the term related to Gath Rimmon, one of the Levitical cities (cf. Josh. 21:24, 25). Obed-Edom is referred to as a Levite in Chronicles (1 Chr. 15:17–25; 16:5, 38; 26:4, 5, 8, 15; 2 Chr. 25:24).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 6:12 ‘blessed … because of the ark’: “During the 3 months when the ark remained with Obed-Edom, the Lord blessed his family. In the same way God had blessed Obed-Edom, David was confident that with the presence of the ark, the Lord would bless his house in ways that would last forever (7:29).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 6:14 ‘David danced before the Lord’: “Cf. Ps. 150:4. The Hebrews, like other ancient and modern people, had their physical expressions of religious joys as they praised God. linen ephod. See 1 Sam. 2:18.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 6:16 ‘Michal despised him’: “Michal’s contempt for David is explained by her sarcastic remark in v. 20. She considered David’s unbridled, joyful dancing as conduct unbefitting for the dignity and gravity of a king because it exposed him in some ways.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 6:20-22 ‘David danced hoping that his household would rejoice in the moment’: “David had been soaring up on eagle’s wings. Perhaps never before in his life had he so enjoyed the public worship of God. He had forgotten everything in the delight of bringing the ark of the Lord home to his own city where he had prepared a tabernacle for its resting place. He had thrown himself into the pleasurable service of the Lord that day. Nor had he been alone in joyful adoration; all the people had been unanimously with him in honoring the Lord, the God of their fathers. It had been such a day as the nation had not enjoyed in all its history. The king came home to bless his household, wishing that all his family might share in his joy. Exactly at that moment his wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter, who had felt disgusted at seeing her husband dressed like a common Levite and leading the way in the midst of the common people, came out to meet him, full of furious scorn. Her language to him must have acted as if someone had thrown a pail of cold water into his face. With sarcastic words, villainously exaggerating what he had done and imputing to him what he had never done, she scolded the man she had scorned. It may sound like a paradox, but experience proves that we never seem to be so near meeting the devil as when we have just met our God. Whenever we enjoy a season of peculiarly close communion with God and are full of high joy, we should be on our guard. The worst side of the world will be turned toward us when we have been nearest to the eternal throne. Probably Michal had never spoken so to David. But then David had never danced before the ark of the Lord. Here stood the man of God confronted by one whose feelings were the opposite of his own. Like an iceberg she crossed the path of this great vesse1and chilled it like an Arctic winter. This led David to reaffirm and yet more plainly state his faith in God. He was not dancing ‘in the sight of the slave girls’ but ‘before the LORD.’ And David said, ‘I will dance before the LORD, and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more’ (6:20-22). So long as he knew that his heart was right before God and that his worship was accepted by God, he would let others commend or censure at their own sweet wills.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

2 Samuel 6:22 ‘humble in my own sight’: “David viewed himself with humility. It is the humble whom the Lord will exalt (cf. 1 Sam. 7:7, 8).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 6:23 ‘Michal … had no children’: “Whether David ceased to have marital relations with Michal or the Lord disciplined Michal for her contempt of David, Michal bore no children. In OT times, it was a reproach to be childless (1 Sam. 1:5, 6). Michal’s childlessness prevented her from providing a successor to David’s throne from the family of Saul (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22–28).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

My Thoughts

Ish-Bosheth wanted to be king of Israel, including Judah, but without Abner by his side, he lost heart.  He had no stomach for battle and no one wants a king who cannot lead his people.

Two among his raiding parties went into the king’s chambers.  The king must provide grain for his soldiers, so the movements of Baanah and Rekab raised no alarm.  Once inside the chambers, they found Ish-Bosheth sleeping.  They killed him and cut off his head.  They went to King David to curry favor with him, since the one impediment for David becoming king of all Israel was now dead.

But David reminded those near him what happened to the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul.  He then had these two killed.  He gave Ish-Bosheth’s head a proper burial with the remains of Abner in Hebron.

But 2 Samuel 4 mentions a crippled son of Jonathan, grandson of Saul.  Mephibosheth is not the type of person to be considered a king, but he is the last member of Saul’s family that is alive other than Michal.

With Ish-Bosheth dead, the leaders of the northern tribes came to Hebron.  They anointed King David to be king of all twelve tribes.  This was the third anointing that David received.  The first was at the hand of Samuel, guided by the spirit to pick the right son of Jesse.  Then the leaders of the tribe of Judah anointed David, the king of Judah.  And now this was the third anointing.

David then attacked the city of Jerusalem.  The Jebusites, who had thwarted all attacks in the past, scoffed at David’s attempt to take the city.  The Jebusites said that the lame and the blind could defend the heavily fortified city.

David turned to his men and said that whoever conquers the lame and blind in Jerusalem will have to use the water shaft.  The city was conquered by David’s men coming in through the water shaft.

Several times in history, a well-fortified city, under siege, was defeated through the channels that provided water.  For example, the city of Babylon had the river Euphrates flowing through it, but the Medo Persian empire redirected the river flow, and the soldiers entered the city, underneath the wall, in the shaft made for the river to flow through.  In a siege, cutting off utilities and sources of water and food supply can create more casualties than simply bombarding the city.

David called Jerusalem the city of David.  He moved his family, with his wives and concubines, to the city.  The text lists the sons born to him in Jerusalem.

On two occasions, the Philistines attacked David.  Each time, David inquired of the Lord.  Each time, the Lord said to counterattack for the Philistines were to be delivered into David’s hands.

But then, David remembered the Ark.  He had his city, and he thought the Ark should be in the city of David.  He built a tabernacle, of sorts, so that the Ark will have a home, where the priest can enter once each year.

Yet David inquired of the Lord regarding whether to fight the Philistines.  Here he got a new cart, and they loaded the Ark onto the cart.  As they moved along, the cart hit a bump, and the Ark rocked back and forth.  Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark and he died.

Rev. MacArthur writes about how he thinks that David was angry with himself because the Mosaic Law is specific about how the Ark should be moved.  David did not inquire of God.  David did not read the Mosaic Law.  But I think David was angry about the overall situation.  David’s heart was in the right place.  Uzzah meant no harm.  But once David overcame his anger, he realized that his heart was in the right place, but he did not do the job according to God’s instructions.

There are a lot of churches that think their way of worshipping is the only way, but the instructions in Mosaic Law pertain to animal and grain sacrifices that the blood of Jesus supersedes.  We are to worship in spirit and in truth.  But that is the rub.  There are so many variations and opinions regarding what are the essential elements of worshipping in spirit and in truth.

But, with the proper instruction being followed, the procession commenced again.  They brought the Ark into Jerusalem.  David danced around in a linen ephod, singing and rejoicing.

Michal looked down at the procession and she hated David.  He was not acting dignified as she thought a king should act.  No, David was worshipping the Lord in the way each of us should worship.  Since it was the rules of the day to offer burnt offerings, David did so.  Jerusalem was conquered.  David had established Jerusalem as being the capitol of all Israel.  And the Ark was in Jerusalem.  What more reason do you need for rejoicing and praising God?

But Michal, in a quiet moment afterwards, rebuked David.  David would not apologize for rejoicing at what God had done.  He had Michal sent back to be with the husband Saul had given her.  She had no children.

Thus, the only member of Saul’s household remaining was a crippled man, Mephibosheth.

And the odd story of Michal comes to an abrupt end.  In a way, she was a Pharisee before they came up with the idea of Pharisees, dictating how and when worship would be done, all the while keeping a stiff upper lip.  Michal had aided in David’s escape from Saul.  Then Michal was given to another man.  If Abner would change allegiances, David insisted that Michal was part of the deal, 2 Samuel 3, but then with Michal’s arrogance regarding propriety in worship, Michal was discarded in 2 Samuel 6.

Maybe Michal was more of a Presbyterian than a Pharisee.  You know, the “frozen chosen.”  I can say that since I have been a Presbyterian for more years than I can remember.  But Michal having no offspring closes that possible claim for someone else to be king.

Some Serendipitous Reflections

2 Samuel 4 1. ” ‘Those who live by the sword, must die by the sword’-how· has the sword of revenge backfired on you? Where has mercy prevailed instead of such ‘justice’ and revenge?
“2. David was tempted to profit from someone’s demise, but refused. When you are so tempted, how do you repel such thoughts?
2 Samuel 5:1-5 David Becomes King over Israel 1. Which promises of God are you still patiently waiting to see fulfilled in your lifetime?
2 Samuel 5:6-16 David Conquers Jerusalem 1. If you had absolute assurance that ‘the Lord was with you,’ how would your coming week be affected? What fears would dissipate? What new mission would you take on? What old habits would you break?
“2. How has God blessed you to be a blessing to others?
2 Samuel 5:17-25 David Defeats the Philistines 1. David’s first victory was insufficient. How do you react when ‘your best shot’ requires a second effort: Try the same thing? Try something new? End-run? Punt on fourth down?
“2. What factors help you tune in better to God’s game plan?
2 Samuel 6 1: What would a worship service led by David be like in your church? How would he be received? What would he have to wear? Why?
“2. In your private worship life, do you treat God with more ‘reverential awe’ or with more ‘familiarity’? What aspects of David’s ‘serendipity’ would be appropriate for a person in your position? Why? Which would be appropriate for your small group? Why?
“3. What objects of worship or means of grace do you ‘uphold’ as sacred? How, then, do you ‘uphold’ them? When have you slipped, like Uzzah,-and acted irreverently in this regard? How does Christ the Mediator intercede for you when you fall?”

• Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups

There is one set of questions each for 2 Samuel 4 and 2 Samuel 6.  There are three sets of questions for 2 Samuel 5 as noted above.

Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.

If you like these Thursday morning Bible studies, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Thursday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.