2 Sam. 2:1, 4
After Saul's death, David "inquired of the Lord" if he should go up"into any of the cities of Judah." He was told to go up. Again he inquires. "Whither shall I go up?" and the Lord said, "Unto Hebron."
Note these repeated inquiries and answers, as if to strike our attention. At a time when serious consequences hung upon David's every step, we are taught the deep necessity of waiting upon God always. Twice he had inquired of the Lord, twice he was answered; and the way it is presented prepares the mind to expect a fresh inquiry of the Lord as to the next important step-his coronation as king. But, at this point, there is suddenly an absence of further inquiry:"And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah." Not a word about the other tribes-no message sent them that they might share in the event; and the king is anointed "over the house of Judah."
David was never marked out to be king merely over Judah. How clear and solemn the connection here between not inquiring of the Lord and this great error! The ties of nature-the men of Judah, led to action from natural impulse, not spiritual wisdom; like the failure of Paul at Jerusalem, kind friends and congenial associations were too much for the heart. The natural result was a union of the other tribes in an independent kingdom under a son of Saul. Bloodshed follows, "long war," treachery, jealous hate, murder, and vengeance – an awful record. Not until seven and a half years afterwards is David anointed king over all Israel at last, as recorded in chap. 5:
But David's after-history shows the evil continued to work. When again taking the kingdom after the overthrow of Absalom (chap. 19:) David appeals not to all Israel, but to Judah, to bring him back. This was greater failure than before; for in the former case the men of Judah came, and crowned him. In this case, though Israel was saying to one another, "Why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back," David pays them no attention, but appeals to the elders of Judah, saying:"Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house, seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house ?" David was in a perverse spirit. He knew all Israel was ready to receive him, and yet still turns to Judah. And not only this, he says nothing about the kingdom at large,-only about the king and "his house."
But this is too flagrant an error to be passed over.« "And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with Him over Jordan?" (2 Sam. 19:41). And the men of Judah claim him as "near of kin" to them; and the men of Israel say '' we have ten parts in the king . . . why then did ye despise us?" and this is followed by fiercer words from Judah.
The result is recorded in the next chapter-rebellion and bloodshed. We hear of no word or influence of David to pacify. Events take their course to the bitter end; while God, in mercy to His people, . brings the tribes again in subjection to David as before.
Thus we see that the division into two kingdoms later on, had its roots in the condition of David's heart from the beginning-whatever the condition of all the tribes. This is a very solemn lesson as to the evil consequences among God's people of un-judged sin. And a special lesson in this history, is the first suggested-the deep importance of waiting upon God. " My soul wait thou only upon God." In this same history of David we see the grave danger, at special times, of being suddenly swayed from simplicity, and grossly blinded to spiritual discernment by strong natural feeling, as by pride and selfish interests of family, of friends, or of party. Never does the Lord fail to answer, to guide, and to bless those who wait upon Him; nor can He fail"to make ' '» us feel the evil results of doing our own will and forsaking Him.
May we be doers of the Word and thus prove that "good and perfect and acceptable will of God," learning to wait upon Him at all times. E. S. L.