DAVID KING OF ISRAEL

David the king of Israel...what a man!! I have been studying him these past almost 10 weeks now with a good friend of mine, Susan!! She and I have been going to CURVES for sometime now. On Thursdays we go to CURVES and then stop at Savannah Joes and study with a good cool drink called a Fruit Tea Blast. Mango is the VERY BEST!! It is great right after a hard workout.

We have been studying Beth Moore's, "A Man After God's Own Heart". It is a wonderful study...one that I have enjoyed more than words can say!!

David was a wonderful man but his big downfall was women. He really loved and admired them so much that they almost ruined him. He loved God too which is the wonderful part of David's life. He asked God for guidance most all of the time, but when he didn't he knew that things would not go well...and they didn't!! He knew that he had sinned and needed to repent.

David was a good king but a very bad father. He seemed to just let his children get by with murder...which is exactly what happened in the case of Ammon and Tamar. She and Ammon were half brothers and sisters. Ammon thought she looked pretty good. He had her sent to his room and he violated her. She was then ruined for the rest of her life. Her status as virgin was over in just a few short minutes. During that time, if you were raped you were as good as dead. You were just nothing in everyone's eyes.Women were not thought much of in bible days anyway. She had no where to go so her brother Absalom took her in.

The problem was that David did not step in and take control. He just tried to hide it under a rug. As a parent he caused so much havoic in his children's lives. If only he would have reacted as a good parent should have.

Ammon had always watched his father, David and knew that he got what he wanted, so Ammon decided that since he was the king's son he could get what he wanted too. What an bad example that David had shown his sons.


Absalom waited for 2 years...all the while bitterness was building up in his heart. Finally one day it just all exploded and he had Ammon killed. Like his father, David he had someone else do his dirty work.

Absalom fled after the killing. David mourned for his son every day.

Finally after 3 years, Absalom returns to Jerusalem but does not see his father David for 2 more years. Finally he decided that he wanted to see his father...actually the bible says that "he wanted to see the king's face" He said, "If I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death."

David had Absalom come to see him. He bowed down in front of his father and the king kissed him.

You might say well it sound like this is going to end well...NOPE ...Sorry...not a happy ending. You can find the ending in 2 Samuel 18...also read the chapters from 15-18. It is a very interesting story!

Sounds like something on TV that we would watch today!!

The problem with the reconciliation was that neither David or Absalom really and honestly forgave each other...In their hearts. The seeds of bitterness and unforgiveness were still there and ate them up.

I have learned so much from my study of the bible. These people were just like you and I. They lived, they had jobs, they had families, they had problems and they needed forgiveness just like you and I do.

Only the Lord can do that for you!!

Off my soapbox now!!!