Second Samuel begins with David learning of Saul's
death and ends with his offering
a sacrifice on the threshing floor of Araunah to stop a plague. In
the twenty-four
chapters of this book we find David at both his best and his worst.
These facts alone
should convince most people of the inspiration of the Bible for no
mere human historian
would have included the bad with the good found in these chapters.
After Saul's death it takes David about seven years
to gain the whole country of Israel
into his kingdom. After the death of Saul's son Ishbosheth, David united
the whole
country again. During his reign the borders of the kingdom of
Israel are greatly enlarged
in all directions. Israel is thrust into a place of national greatness
which lasted through the
life of his son Solomon.
David was denied by God the desire he had to build
for God a house. Instead of being
upset with God, David set out to gather all that he could for his son
to use to build the
temple. He got cedars from Lebanon, cut stone so that when the temple
was built everything
fit together perfectly. David set aside many of the spoils of war he
gained from his many
victories to be used in making things for the temple. David is remembered
as a man after
God's own heart and a great leader of his people.