Cultural Sin and Obedience: Daily Thoughts from 2 Samuel (2 Samuel 5)

I have often wondered if the amount of time we Americans spend on entertainment (television, movies, shows, etc.) is not a cultural flaw that weakens our walk with God. Yes, there is a celebration of creativity and a sparking of broader thinking, but there is also a huge swath of time cut out of our days that might be more profitably used. There is not direct command not to engage in entertainment, but it may serve as one of our cultural sins that we rarely pay attention to.  Nevertheless, God continues to use and bless us.

Obedience is a hallmark of David’s life, except in one area mentioned in our text.

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward. And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer. (2 Samuel 5, ESV)

David is finally made king, and makes covenant with the people as to how he will rule them and what is expected of them, just as Yahweh made covenant with Israel as found in the law of Moses. Summaries of his kingship are made depicting how many years he reigned and who his most important children were. He adds more wives and concubines (secondary wives with less privileges), a practice often engaged in by kings of this era, a sign of their power and wealth, and frequently a way of developing pacts and alliances with other peoples as Solomon did. But Deuteronomy 17 explicitly says that when Yahweh gives Israel kings these leaders are not to multiply wives, are not to be like the kings around them. Nevertheless, all the Israelite kings practiced this. It was culturally expected even as we have certain cultural expectations of our leaders, ways they are set apart. We will see the problems that this causes David.

One of David’s first feats is the capture of Jerusalem, the city of Melchizedek called Salem then, on the border between Judah and Benjamin, a suitable new capital city for David’s rule over all Israel. The Jebusites boasted that even their lame and blind could ward off David’s army because of the seemingly impregnable fortress they had. But the water shaft was their weak spot and David exploited it. It was Yahweh who was giving him victory. This frightens and enrages the Philistines who see this as a threat to their power and they come up for war. But Yahweh tells David to go against them and they will be defeated. A second time they come and Yahweh even gives David a strategy. God is demonstrating how successful His leader will be when he lives in accord with Yahweh’s commands (which David does mostly, with the exception of multiplying wives) and trusts in Yahweh.

This will be the mark of our leadership as well, whether in the marketplace, in our families, or in our churches. When we live by God’s rules we are bound to be successful. He gave them to us to live properly in His world. And when we trust Him and depend upon His guidance He will do great things through us, using our leadership to bless His people.  If we would be even more careful, we might be able to recognize the cultural sins we unthinkingly engage in and that might work against us, and so improve our leadership all the more.