From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 4/22:

“Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, ‘Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’” So David is anointed as king over all of Israel. “All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king.” Samuel first anointed David as king when he was a youth, but David doesn’t actually take the throne as king over all of Israel until he is thirty years old. The Lord has used these hard years to prepare David for the important mission ahead of him. David will reign over the Lord’s people for a total of forty years, seven years in Hebron and thirty three years as king over all of Israel. 

Now when the Philistines hear of David’s new position as king, they set out to attack him. We see David’s faith as he inquires of the Lord regarding fighting against his enemies. David waits on the Lord to respond and direct his battle plans. Notice that the Lord gives David different instructions in the two battles against the same enemy, showing that just because one way worked once doesn’t mean that it will work again. That is why we can’t assume we know how to fight our own battle – we must have faith in the Lord and wait on him to direct our steps. 

Then David goes on to capture the city of Jerusalem from the Jebusites. Jerusalem will become the capital of Israel’s Kingdom and the location where the Lord’s temple will be built. After all the pain and heartache that David had to go through while being chased by Saul, “David went on and became great, and the Lord of hosts was with him.” David takes more wives and concubines and has more children in Jerusalem. Some of David’s greatest future struggles will be a result of his multiple wives and children. Soon success is going to get the best of David and he is going to take another man’s wife, showing that sometimes it is easier to follow the Lord during times of trials than times of success. 

But currently David is so successful that Hiram, king of Tyre, befriends him and sends him resources to build his palace in Jerusalem. “So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.” 

David’s next move as king is to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem from the house of Abinadab in Kirjath Jearim. So David and all of the house of Israel celebrate the arrival of the ark, but they are not careful in handling the ark as the Lord instructed in the wilderness. The Levite priests are to cover the holy items and place them on carrying beams – “And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die” (Numbers 4:15). Unfortunately, David doesn’t follow the Lord’s instructions and places the ark on a new cart without using the Levites during the transportation. 

“And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day.” Therefore, God followed through with the promise He made in Numbers 4:15 and killed Uzzah.

“So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all his household.” 

Now David is questioning, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” The answer to his question can be found in his Bible – the one he should be reading daily per the Lord’s instructions for a king (Deuteronomy 17:18-20). 

Will David attempt to move the ark again? Keep reading to find out. (2 Samuel 5:1-3, 1 Chronicles 11:1-3, 1 Chronicles 12:23-40, 2 Samuel 5:17-25, 1 Chronicles 14:8-17, 2 Samuel 5:6-10, 1 Chronicles 11:4-9, 2 Samuel 5:13, 4-5, 11-12, 1 Chronicles 14:1-2, 1 Chronicles 13:1-5, 2 Samuel 6:1-11, 1 Chronicles 13:6-14)