Big Idea: The Lord accomplishes his purposes through those who promote his kingdom agenda and act in accordance with his reliable promises.

Understanding the Text

Israel has been humiliated by the Philistines and torn by civil strife, but finally the tribes have united and made David king in accordance with God’s purposes. David immediately takes the ancient site of Jerusalem as a prelude to establishing a central sanctuary there. He also seeks the Lord’s guidance and experiences his supernatural intervention in battle as he defeats the Philistines. Though Saul is dead and gone, the narrator continues to make his case for David’s legitimacy. Saul led Israel to a humiliating defeat, but David reverses that disaster and turns the tables on the Philistines through the guidance and empowerme…