October 26, 2025 - AM
David Becomes King #
2 Samuel 5:1-5
Introduction
Leadership is important, but godly leadership is far better than worldly leadership. The majority of books on leadership (even many of those authored by christians) emphasize a humanistic, worldly type of leadership over God’s leadership manual.
Humanistic leadership is used to in the professional world to build corporations, and is vastly different a style than that of spiritual leadership taught and emphasized in the Scripture.
Before we ever arrive to David taking the throne in Israel, there is a lot of history we must brush up on to get to this point.
I. Downfall of Saul (1 Sam 15:1-3) #
A. Establishment of Saul was established by God (1) #
• “The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people”
i. Saul was the first king over Israel, he was chosen by God and anointed by Samuel. #
◦ We must not forget that the people begged God for a king, so they could be like the other nations… God answered their prayer, and gave them a king.
B. Expectation of Saul (1, 3) #
i. Listen (1) #
• “hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD”
ii. Saul was Expected to Obey (3) #
• God told Saul, very plainly, destroy everything
• The directive was clear.
C. Execution of the Statute (8-9) #
i. Saul didn’t obey #
ii. The people didn’t obey #
iii. Saul shouldn’t have been ok with this… leadership sets the tone. #
D. Exhortation of Saul (17) #
• We are simply establishing the why God anointed David. – NOT a Lesson on Saul.
i. Arrogance was Saul’s downfall (17) #
E. Excuses of Saul (20) #
• Saul tried to shift the blame to the people… which he lead.
F. Exhortation of Saul (22-23) #
G. End of Saul’s reign (24-26) #
• Saul used all the right words that were expected… but had no heart in it.
II. Designation of David (1 Sam 16:1, 7-13) #
• David was anointed we can only roughly calculate around 15-17 years old. 15 years would pass before he actually became king of Israel.
A. Attention of God (7) #
i. Spiritual leadership loves the Word of God! #
Psalm 119:97 MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. • David took great delight in the Word of God! Psalm 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
ii. Spiritual leadership prioritizes a walk with the Lord! #
• The Word of God illuminates our walk with the Lord!
Psalm 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. • The Word of God Keeps us right! Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
iii. Spiritual leadership must guard their heart! #
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
B. Anointing of God! (13-14) #
i. God’s spirit left Saul! (14) #
• There was a departing of the spirit of God from Saul
• Saul crossed a line, in which God spiritually removed him from the throne.
ii. When God finds a person with a right heart, he will use him! #
C. Anointing of man (2 Sam 5:1-5) #
i. God’s timing! #
• Those who have studied usually calculate that David was anointed by Samuel about 15 years prior… making him roughly 15-17 when he slew Goliath.
• Chosen by God…. But not the right time of God to ascend to the throne.
ii. Details (4-5) 30 years old when he began to reign, 40 years total, 7.5 years over Judah #
III. Demeanor of David (1 Sam 16, 2 Sam 5) #
A. Attitude (1 Sam 16:18) #
i. Saul was troubled by an evil spirit #
1 Samuel 16:18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
ii. David while pursued by Saul (1 Sam 18:5) #
1 Samuel 18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. • Repeated a few times! (1 Samuel 18:12-17) ◦ There is a powerful message about spirituality here, those who are not spiritual, fear them. • Again noted – 1 Samuel 18:29-30
iii. David twice had opportunity to kill Saul, and would not. #
• David speaking to Saul:
1 Samuel 24:11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. • David speaking: 1 Samuel 26:23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed.