Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20020728.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part XXXVIII: Following God's LEAD In Assuming Even RIGHTFUL Oversight Positions
(2 Samuel 2:1-7)
  1. Introduction
    1. Though Scripture may dictate an overseer in a family, marriage, church, business or government position has the right to exercise his authority in that position, due to special circumstances, the subordinates involved may not think it acceptable for him to exercise that oversight, or for him even to BE in that role!
    2. In such a position, the rightful overseer needs the wisdom of GOD, and David exemplified this for us:
  2. Following God's LEAD In Assuming Even RIGHTFUL Oversight Positions, 2 Samuel 2:1-7.
    1. Though anointed by God to rule Israel, at Saul's death, David found himself in the awkward spot of being Israel's RIGHTFUL king, but aware that many in Israel were not yet ready to ACCEPT him as king:
      1. Since Saul sinned unacceptably before the Lord, God chose to end his dynasty and to begin a new one with the anointing of David as king, cf. 1 Samuel 16:1, 13.
      2. However, as long as Saul lived, most of Israel still viewed SAUL as their king, and some even in David's home tribe of Judah sided with Saul against David, cf. 1 Samuel 23:11-12, 19-20.
      3. Support was still strong for Saul even at his death: the men of Jabesh-gilead risked their LIVES to transport the bodies of Saul and his sons out of Philistine-controlled territory for burial, 31:11-13.
      4. Accordingly, though Saul was dead, David had a long way to go before he could COMFORTABLY rule Israel as its ACCEPTED KING!
    2. To handle this awkward and potentially explosive leadership state, David acted carefully and wisely each step that he took as follows:
      1. First, David prayerfully asked God if he should move from Ziklag where he had moved to escape Saul's persecution, and if he should relocate in his home tribal territory of Judah, 2 Samuel 2:1a.
      2. Second, having learned God wanted him in Judah, David asked God where in Judah he should relocate out of SENSITIVITY to the politically-inflammatory crisis a move to his hometown of Bethlehem could produce (as follows):
        1. David's hometown was Bethlehem where his parents had raised him, 1 Samuel 16:1.
        2. However, Bethlehem was only seven miles south of Judah's border with Saul's tribe of Benjamin, cf. Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., "Map 4: The Twelve Tribes of Israel"; 1 Sam. 9:1-10:1.
        3. Thus, aware that moving back to his hometown might appear to be a challenge to Saul's people, and thus inflame a civil war in Israel, David asked God WHERE in Judah should he relocate, 2:1b.
      3. God instructed David to move to Hebron (2:1c), a town seventeen miles south of Judah's border with Benjamin and located toward the less-provocative middle of Judah's tribal territory, Ibid., Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., "Map 4: The Twelve Tribes of Israel."
      4. When David moved to Hebron, the men of Judah made him their king, the king of Judah, 2:2-4a.
      5. While acting as king in Judah, David sent a message to the men of Jabesh-gilead who lived in the tribal territory of Gad to honor them for burying Saul and his sons, 2 Samuel 2:4b. Wisely, David sought to pacify potential opponents in Israel to his being Judah's king by giving such commendations to those who had honored king Saul and his sons, 2 Samuel 2:5-7a.
      6. In the process, David also informed these men of Gad that he was newly crowned king in Judah, giving others like them in the nation of Israel an opportunity to respond favorably to his role as king, 2:7b.
Lesson: David WISELY responded to the CHALLENGE in ISRAEL to his DIVINELY-APPOINTED RULERSHIP by taking the following steps: (a) he sought GOD'S direction as to his precise moves as leader. (b) He EXERCISED oversight where OTHERS ACCEPTED him as leader. (c) He PRAISED to those who were POTENTIAL SUBJECTS in an effort to DIFFUSE their REJECTING him, and (d) he let news of what ACCEPTANCE by subordinates God had GIVEN him in Judah be KNOWN to give others who had not yet decided a CHANCE to ACCEPT him in that role.

Application: Like David, if God-appointed to an oversight role where others may not yet ACCEPT it or be READY to accept US IN it, we should (a) heed God's leading and take (b) patient, (c) kind steps!