Without effort on David's part the throne of Israel was now at last his. There had been bloodshed; but he was not connected with it, and the nation turns to David, the long absent, long neglected, but at the same time the long promised one. We see again in David's history likeness to Christ who when He returns to reign will at first be King of Judah, and afterward bring the whole nation of Israel into subjection to Himself.
Jerusalem is first named in the Scriptures in Joshua 10; Joshua 15:6363As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day. (Joshua 15:63); and Judges 1:8,218Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. (Judges 1:8)
21And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day. (Judges 1:21) speak of it as captured in part; the children of Israel could not drive the inhabitants out, but shared the city with them. Four hundred years later, David made it the capital city of Israel. There, after another 1075 years Jesus died, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God. From its eastern hill, the Mount of Olives, He ascended to heaven, and to it He will return (Zechariah 14). It is last mentioned in Revelation 20:99And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:9) as "the beloved city", at the close of the Millennium.
The Jehusites, inhabitants of Jerusalem, thought to keep David from taking possession of the city, but he took the strong hold (fortress) of Zion, the higher part of it, on the southwest. From 1 Chronicles 11:66And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief. (1 Chronicles 11:6) we learn that Joab, of whose treacherous act of blood we read in the third chapter, at this time became the head of the army, a place hitherto held by David himself.
David became continually greater, and God was with him. Hiram, king of the important northern seacoast city of Tyre, acknowledged David, sending materials and men to build him a house. David saw that God had established him as king, and had exalted his kingdom because of His people Israel.
But now that David's suffering days are over, and power is in his hands, nature asserts itself: he takes more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem. Trial is needed to restore his soul, and this comes in an invasion by the Philistines who encamped in the valley of Rephaim, "Valley of the giants." Perhaps this name brought to David's memory his encounter with Goliath. He "inquired of the Lord", as he had done before (1 Samuel 23:2, 4, 11-12; 30:82Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. (1 Samuel 23:2)
4Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. (1 Samuel 23:4)
11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. 12Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. (1 Samuel 23:11‑12)
8And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. (1 Samuel 30:8); 2 Samuel 2:11And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. (2 Samuel 2:1)); this is always the source of power for the Christian. Victory resulted, and David owned it as God's, not his own.
The Philistines came again, and David again prayed for guidance; it was not enough for him to have once prayed. "Continue (or persevere) in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving," is the word in Colossians 4:22Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; (Colossians 4:2). Specific direction was given for meeting the Philistines, for was not God the Lord God of Hosts (verse 10) to fight His people's battles on this occasion?
In the wonderful fortieth chapter of Isaiah He is called the "everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth," Who gives "power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength .. . . They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." Happy and safe are all who trust in Him!