David and War
 

This morning I have a question on my mind. David was told he could not build the temple because he was a man of war. Didn't God tell David to go to war in the first place? Why was David seemingly punished for doing God's will?

I think David couldn't build the temple because of shedding too much innocent blood ,which that could refer to the slaying of Uriah perhaps.

Just a thought--sometimes men have gone overboard in doing warfare after God commanded thm to go.

When you start swinging the sword, it is important to know when to stop.

Also, it could be that it wasn't a punishment, but just rather a role that God had reserved for someone else. Just like Paul planted and Apollos watered.

Did it have to mean that david was being punished?

Or just that he was a fighter who was going to sire a builder?

I tried to find where this was written. Anybody know off the top of your head? I was reading in 2 Sam. 7 but if it's in there, I missed it.

Consider this passage:


Hsa 1:4 ¶ And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little [while], and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

Jehu had been commissioned by the Lord to deal with Ahab and his wife, and Jezreel.

But it appears that he developed a little too strong a taste for blood.

God does ordain the sword, but it is important to know when to stop swinging.

Give me a minute and I'll find it for you.

That's a good point about stopping. Sometimes the best thing a person can do is throw down the sword and walk away.

Solomon was also a warrior king. I have always felt that the reason David was prohibited from building the temple was not that he was a man of war, but rather, he shed the innocent blood of Uriah the Hittite.

God sanctioned war through David; He never sanctioned the slaying of Uriah.

Check out 1.Chronicles chapter 22.

OKay, I am waiting for Scott's findings.

"Thou hast shed blood abundantly and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight." 1 Chr. 22:8

Uriah is probably included in there but it doesn't sound like that is by any means the sole reason.

See 1.Chronicles 22:8 of course I'm reading NKJV and I went to My Tyndales New Bible Dictionary.

Thanks, Scott.

David's calling was just different than his son's, in my opinion.

It doesn't necessarily mean that he was penalized.

Of course maybe David motives in war ,might not have be correct ,perhaps He shed innocent blood for self -glorification.

I asked my wife ,where this was found she said you've got a pile of books ,go look it up.:slaphappy

LOL! Smart woman you married! :slaphappy I got a pile of books, but couldn't find it. Usually if I can think of a key word I can find something, but all I could think of were David, house and blood. That's a tough one.

Sounds like God would have let him build the house if he hadn't shed so much blood.

It could be that God ordained him for that purpose, ILG.

God needed a warrior to do David's job, and He needed a different man to do Solomon's job.

One more thought.
While we have all of the important details in David's life that we needed to know, perhaps there were other incidents that are not listed?
After all, there does seem to be references in the KJV Bible to books we know very little of such as the book of Jasher.

2 Sam 12:31

1 Chr. 20: 3

Maybe this has something to do with it. I personally find this horrifying. I hope David didn't condone this.

This is also my belief.

I think David's ego and pride got in the way of him having the privilege and honour of building the temple. Clearly he would have liked to have been the one to do that.

Didn't he start numbering the children of Israel, which he wasn't supposed to do? It would seem to indicate that he was building himself a kingdom of his own.

II Sam. 24:1 "And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah."

Yes, he did, but he chose three days of pestilence as a punishment for that.

Yes, he did. But, did God "move against" David because he knew what was in his heart? Power? Did He know that David would take war outside of what God wanted.

Remember, he took Bathsheba to be his. He is taking authority of his position which was wrong on his part - He felt entitled.

He was only a man after God's own heart, IMO, because even when he messed up, he was truly sorry and dealt with it. Perhaps God placed a hedge about him only because He knew his heart. He knew Saul's heart and put an end to his reign.

Just my thoughts.

Well....I dunno. But these are all food for thought.

Honestly if I knew David....all those wives and concubines....stealing a man's wife and murdering him....sawing people asunder, numbering the people.....I don't think I would like him at all. I guess he gives us all hope, eh?

Certainly does! He gives me hope and I haven't done half that!

:toofunny :toofunny

Seriously, the reason that I say the "hedge" about him because God knew His heart. I have seen God do that in my very life when I wasn't strong enough alone. He choose to place a hedge about me. He didn't have to do it, but He did.

What about this thought, perhaps God was going to allow David to have Bathsheba.

After all, casualtie rates were probably high, Uriah wasn't a coward by any stretch of the imagination.
He would have gone into the thick of the battle knowing the cost.

But because David tried to have his own way, God punished him,
just as he punished Moses by not letting him go into the promised land.

What? You did 3/4's?:D

I ain't sayin' nuthin'!!!!!!!

:happydance :happydance

Some say that David could have gained Bathsheba legally because of a previous command from God to Israel for them to kill all of the Hittites.

No, I can't buy that. When you set the whole thing up her grandfather was David's closest counselor. She obviously lived with him as was the way. She knew what was going on. She more than likely knew that David was staying behind. I read somewhere, and I can't remember where, that the king would come out on the roof at a certain time of day and sooooooo....... It was a soap opera scenario.

He asked about her because he knew she wanted him to see her. That's how I see it.

I agree God raises up those in each generation to serve His purpose to that generation. Some as vessels of honor some as vessels of dishonor, in David's case "the bloodletting" it was dishonor, yet still God's purpose for David. God's severity and His mercy serve His loving purpose. JMO

In the long run God did not hold it against David that he was not able to build the temple. I have often said that the greatest words concnerning David are found in Acts 13:36-37: "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers,..."

I can only pray God feels the same way about me at the end of my days.

Amen. Good post!

David and War
 

Great post!!

Should be the desire of us all

Blessings,

Falla39