We noticed in the prior lesson that 1 Chronicles is quickly bringing us to the life of David. After moving through an important genealogy in which accounts of faithfulness and unfaithfulness are recorded to show the people how to move forward and remind them of their past. Moving forward with God means not breaking faith. King Saul’s kingship and dynasty was removed from him because he was unfaithful to God and because he did not inquire guidance from God (cf. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14). The Chronicler shows that God’s people must remain faithful to the Lord or experience devastating consequences for disobedience. Chapter 11 opens with David. You will notice that the Chronicler is not paying attention to the early days of David’s life nor about his difficulties during the reign of Saul. The start point for David’s life for the Chronicler is with David on the throne.
Come to the King (1 Chronicles 11:1-3)
In the first three verses of 1 Chronicles 11 we are reading that all Israel acknowledges and understands the kingship of David. They gather to David at Hebron and they say that David is one of them. “We are your bone and flesh.” You belong to us and we belong to you. You are like us and with us. They further acknowledge that even when Saul was king, it is was David who truly led Israel. David was the one who was giving Israel victory. In fact, this was one of the reasons for Saul’s jealousy and antagonism toward David. The people were proclaiming that Saul had killed thousands, but David had killed tens of thousands (cf. 1 Samuel 18:7). Notice the third truth they acknowledge in verse 2. They acknowledge that the Lord decreed that David was to be the shepherd of his people, Israel, and was to be prince (ruler) over Israel. The proclamation is that all Israel supports the anointed one, David. David then makes a covenant with Israel and Israel submitted to his rule, anointing him as king over them. As we read, you are already seeing the foreshadowing of the work of the Christ when he, as the Son of David, comes as the new king and shepherd of Israel and makes a covenant with them.
Establishing the King’s Rule (1 Chronicles 11:4-9)
Now we are given an overwhelming symbol regarding David’s kingdom. David and all Israel goes to Jerusalem to establish it in the kingdom. Please notice what the inhabitants say in verse 5. “You will not come in here.” In essence, you are not taking this city. You will not succeed. So the inhabitants resist the anointed king. So what happens? Look at the rest of verse 5. “Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.” The inhabitants foolishly put up a futile resistance against David. They are defiant, but David captures the city anyway. Joab is the first to go in and strike the city. So he is made commander of David’s army. David then builds up and repairs the city. The key to this section is found in verse 9. “And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.” The success of the king is because the Lord is with him.
Supporting the King’s Rule (1 Chronicles 11:10-47)
The rest of chapter 11 and chapter 12 records the people that were attracted to David’s kingship. Verse 10 describes the mighty men who gave David strong support in his kingdom. The account records amazing works that those who supported David were doing in the kingdom. In verse 11 we read about Jashobeam killed 300 men at one time with his spear. We read about Eleazar in verses 12-14 who, when the rest of the Israelites fled before the Philistines, took his stand in the midst of the plot of land and defended it. Listen to the words at the end of verse 14. “And the Lord saved them by a great victory.” Their success was because the Lord was with them.
As we continue to verse 15 we see the kingdom expanding. While we are reading about the mighty men in David’s army, we are told something about the character of David in verses 15-19. In verse 17, while in the cave of Abdullah, David longingly expressed his desire to drink the water from the well of Bethlehem. Now I want us to pay attention to two things. First, we need to see the devotion of the king’s supporters. When the king proclaimed his desire for a particular water where the Philistines were encamped, this circle of three mighty men respond. They break through the camp of the Philistines, draw the water from the well in Bethlehem, and bring it back to David. I want us to see the dedication of these three to their king. They do not hear the desires of their king but resist responding. They do not think that it is too dangerous or too difficult. They want to do what the king desires. This section is expressing the devotion and dedication that these supporters have for their king.
Second, we need to see the humility of the king. When these men came back with the water, we read in verse 18 that he poured it out to the Lord rather than drinking it. Now we can read this and think that David is being ungrateful and throwing away the dangerous acts of these men. However, David explains himself in verse 19. David proclaims his unworthiness to drink his water because his men had risked their lives for him. He demonstrates great humility, offering the water to the Lord, rather than enjoying it for himself. David does not accept this by saying, “Well, I am king.” No, David knows that this kind of devotion belongs to the Lord. David is for his people. David loves and respects his men, caring for them, and recognizing what they did for him.
The rest of chapter 11 continues to describe the mighty men who were supporting David. Abishai raised his spear against 300 men (11:20). Benaiah is described as a mighty warrior. He struck down a lion and struck down a man of great stature who had a spear like a weaver’s beam. You might notice that he sounds like a combination of Samson, Moses, and David. Yet he was also not in the circle of the three. Then we are given a list of David’s mighty men to close out chapter 11. It is worth noting that one of David’s mighty men was Uriah the Hittite (11:41), whom David had killed to cover his sin with Bathsheba.
Joining the King’s Cause (1 Chronicles 12:1-40)
Chapter 12 continues to describe David’s mighty men. The first verse reminds us of David’s situation when he was running for his life from King Saul. So these are the men that supported David during his times of distress and helped him in war. We are given another list of names for the first 15 verses. We are even told that the Benjaminites, which were Saul’s kinsmen, became supporters of David (12:2). But all of them are described as amazing warriors. Verse 14 gives a summary of the Gadites who, even the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest was a match for a thousand. They crossed the Jordan River when it was overflowing its banks and put the enemies to flight (12:15).
But the Chronicler tells us more about the king and his kingdom. Look at verse 16. People from Benjamin and Judah came to David at his stronghold. Listen to the offer in verse 17. David says that if you come to him in friendship to help him, then the king’s heart will be joined to you. But if you betray me to my enemies, even though I have not done any wrong, then the God of our fathers will see and judge you. This is an amazing offer and declaration to those who look to come to the king. If you come with friendship to help me, then I will be joined to you. But if you come to be my betrayer, then God will see and judge you, because I have done nothing worthy of betrayal.
The Spirit clothed Amasai and notice what he said in verse 18. He speaks on behalf of the people, proclaiming that they belong to David and are with him. They know that God helps David. So David received these people and make them officers in his army.
Let’s jump down to the end of the chapter to see the summary idea of these two chapters and then we will draw some applications and conclusions. Look at verse 38. All of these fighting men came with their whole heart to make David king over all Israel. All Israel were of a single mind to make David king. They were fully determined to make David king. The result was that they enjoyed three days of feasting with the king (12:39).
Foreshadowing the Christ
As we read through these two chapters I hope that you were able to see many foreshadowing pictures for the coming of Christ. From the beginning, we saw David called the shepherd and prince of Israel. These are also prophetic terms given to Christ (cf. Ezekiel 34:23; Jeremiah 23:5). Jesus proclaimed himself to be the good shepherd of the sheep in John 10:11-14. We also see the nature of Christ’s kingdom in this chapter. The enemies of the king believe they will be successful in withstanding him. However, the anointed is given the victory. This is exactly what was prophesied in Psalm 2 regarding the Lord and his Anointed. The nations will rage and take their stand against the Lord and his Anointed, believing that they will be successful (cf. Psalm 2:1-3). But Lord is victorious and he does establish his King in Zion (cf. Psalm 2:6).
Further, we see the humility of the king. When we read about the life of Jesus, one of the greatest attributes that jumps off the page is his humility. The apostle Paul proclaims the humility of Christ in Philippians 2. He did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped or used to his own advantage. Rather, he lowered himself by taking on the form of a servant and coming in human flesh. We even see some foreshadowing of this at the beginning of chapter 11 when the people recognize and proclaim that the king is one with them (cf. 1 Chronicles 11:1).
Foreshadowing Christ’s Supporters
One of the amazing pictures we also see are the mighty men of David. Everyone who gave themselves in devotion to the king are pictured as being successful in the work because God was with them. But it also amazing to see that while David had so many mighty men, there were three men who were set apart (cf. 1 Chronicles 11:11, 21). I cannot explain why because the scriptures do not tell us, but we see Jesus with a close circle of three as well. When Jesus was on the Mount of Olives before his betrayal, you may remember that Jesus took his disciples with him to pray. But then Jesus takes Peter, James, and John a little further to watch and pray (Matthew 26:36-37). We also see that it was these same three who were with Jesus for the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1). As we have seen with David’s mighty men, this is not a denigration of the other disciples. But Jesus had a circle of three just as David did.
But think about the offer of the king. Go back 1 Chronicles 12:17 where David makes an offer to those who would come to him. If you come to him in friendship to help him, then his heart will be joined to you. Please think about what an amazing offer this is. If you want to be friends with the king, then he will receive you and you can be joined to him. We need to be amazed by this offer. The anointed king is offering for those who come to him for friendship that he will give his heart to them. You can join with the king. This is the offer that Jesus makes to those who will come to him. We read in James 4:4 that you have a choice to make because friendship with the world is hostility toward God. But listen to Jesus using this wording to his disciples.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:13-14 ESV)
Our king is offering this kind of relationship with us. Consider what the writer of Hebrews says about this relationship we have with Jesus.
For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers…. (Hebrews 2:10-11 ESV)
He is not ashamed to call us brothers because he gave his life to bring us to glory. Please also think about the other side of what David said. If you have come to betray him, then God will see that and judge you. Please also hear the king say that he has done no wrong. We immediately think of Judas who joined as a companion and disciple of Jesus, only to betray him even though he had done no wrong. God would see and judge him for his betrayal. Do not come to the king to betray him. He has done you no wrong. What the king is asking is if you are coming to him with your whole heart and with a single mind to be with him. The right response is recorded in 1 Chronicles 12:18. “We are yours and we are with you. God helps you and so we are with you.” Those who belong to the Lord understand and willingly devote themselves to the king. This is also what we see in 1 Chronicles 12:38. The people are coming to David with a single mind and a sincere heart. We see a similar picture in the New Testament.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (1 John 4:1-3 ESV)
If you belong to the King, then you are going to confess your allegiance to the King. But we do not just come to him to belong to the kingdom. We also come to him to do the work in the kingdom of God. This is what we are seeing in 1 Chronicles 11-12. These people are coming to David to support him, follow him, and give their lives for him and his kingdom. They come to him with such devotion that they are willing to give their lives to the king. They want to be with the king. They want to work for the king. They have a single focus of living for the king. Friends, when we see that we are offered to have this kind of relationship with King Jesus, it should be our desire to work for him. The apostle Paul proclaimed that we have been created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10). We do not need convincing that we should work for the Lord because we are in awe of the belonging to our great King. Do not betray him with a fake relationship. Give yourself to him. Listen to what Paul told Timothy:
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21 ESV)
Here is the message of hope to the fallen. You can be joined with the King and do the work. If we cleanse ourselves, then we are ready for our honorable use. We will be useful to the master. We will be ready for every good work. Or we can go back to what Jesus told his disciples. You are my friends if you do what I command (John 15:14). These two chapters record the names of those people who sacrificed their lives for the king. You do not know who they are. But God did and he recorded their names. God will record your name in the book of life if you will give your life to the King and live for him. You can be in relationship with the King. The King will not be ashamed to call you his brothers. Join your life to the King with a sincere heart for he laid down his life for you.