The Story of Patriarchs and Prophets
by Ellen G. White
Chapter 73: The Last Years of David
The overthrow of Absalom did not at once bring peace to the
kingdom. So large a part of the nation had joined in revolt
that David would not return to his capital and resume his
authority without an invitation from the tribes. In the confusion
that followed Absalom's defeat there was no prompt and decided
action to recall the king, and when at last Judah undertook to
bring back David, the jealousy of the other tribes was roused,
and a counterrevolution followed. This, however, was speedily
quelled, and peace returned to Israel.
The history of David affords one of the most impressive
testimonies ever given to the dangers that threaten the soul from
power and riches and worldly honor—those things that are most
eagerly desired among men. Few have ever passed through an
experience better adapted to prepare them for enduring such a
test. David's early life as a shepherd, with its lessons of humility,
of patient toil, and of tender care for his flocks; the communion
with nature in the solitude of the hills, developing his genius for
music and poetry, and directing his thoughts to the Creator; the
long discipline of his wilderness life, calling into exercise courage,
fortitude, patience, and faith in God, had been appointed by
the Lord as a preparation for the throne of Israel. David had
enjoyed precious experiences of the love of God, and had been richly
endowed with His Spirit; in the history of Saul he had seen the
utter worthlessness of mere human wisdom. And yet worldly
success and honor so weakened the character of David that he
was repeatedly overcome by the temper.
Intercourse with heathen peoples led to a desire to follow
their national customs and kindled ambition for worldly greatness.
As the people of Jehovah, Israel was to be honored; but as
pride and self-confidence increased, the Israelites were not content [p. 747] with this pre-eminence. They cared rather for their standing
among other nations. This spirit could not fail to invite
temptation. With a view to extending his conquests among
foreign nations, David determined to increase his army by requiring
military service from all who were of proper age. To effect
this, it became necessary to take a census of the population. It
was pride and ambition that prompted this action of the king.
The numbering of the people would show the contrast between
the weakness of the kingdom when David ascended the throne
and its strength and prosperity under his rule. This would tend
still further to foster the already too great self-confidence of both
king and people. The Scripture says, "Satan stood up against
Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." The prosperity
of Israel under David had been due to the blessing of God rather
than to the ability of her king or the strength of her armies. But
the increasing of the military resources of the kingdom would
give the impression to surrounding nations that Israel's trust was
in her armies, and not in the power of Jehovah.
Though the people of Israel were proud of their national
greatness, they did not look with favor upon David's plan for so
greatly extending the military service. The proposed enrollment
caused much dissatisfaction; consequently it was thought necessary
to employ the military officers in place of the priests and
magistrates, who had formerly taken the census. The object of
the undertaking was directly contrary to the principles of a
theocracy. Even Joab remonstrated, unscrupulous as he had
heretofore shown himself. He said, "The Lord make His people a
hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king,
are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord
require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore
Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to
Jerusalem." The numbering was not finished when David was
convicted of his sin. Self-condemned, he "said unto God, I have
sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I
beseech Thee, do away the iniquity of Thy servant; for I have done
very foolishly." The next morning a message was brought to
David by the prophet Gad: "Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee
either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before [p. 748] thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee;
or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in
the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all
the coasts of Israel. Now therefore," said the prophet, "advise
thyself what word I shall bring again to Him that sent me."
The king's answer was, "I am in a great strait: let us fall now
into the hand of the Lord; for His mercies are great: and let me
not fall into the hand of man."
The land was smitten with pestilence, which destroyed seventy
thousand in Israel. The scourge had not yet entered the capital,
when "David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord
stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword
in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the
elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their
faces." The king pleaded with God in behalf of Israel: "Is it
not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is
that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep,
what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray Thee, O Lord my
God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on Thy people,
that they should be plagued."
The taking of the census had caused disaffection among the
people; yet they had themselves cherished the same sins that
prompted David's action. As the Lord through Absalom's sin
visited judgment upon David, so through David's error He punished
the sins of Israel.
The destroying angel had stayed his course outside Jerusalem.
He stood upon Mount Moriah, "in the threshing floor of Ornan
the Jebusite." Directed by the prophet, David went to the mountain,
and there built an altar to the Lord, "and offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and He
answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering."
"So the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague
was stayed from Israel."
The spot upon which the altar was erected, henceforth ever
to be regarded as holy ground, was tendered to the king by
Ornan as a gift. But the king declined thus to receive it. "I will
verily buy it for the full price," he said; "for I will not take that
which is thine for the Lord, not offer burnt offerings without
cost. So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of [p. 749] gold by weight." This spot, memorable as the place where Abraham
had built the altar to offer up his son, and now hallowed
by this great deliverance, was afterward chosen as the site of the
temple erected by Solomon.
Still another shadow was to gather over the last years of
David. He had reached the age of threescore and ten. The hardships
and exposures of his early wanderings, his many wars, the
cares and afflictions of his later years, had sapped the fountain
of life. Though his mind retained its clearness and strength,
feebleness and age, with their desire for seclusion, prevented a
quick apprehension of what was passing in the kingdom, and
again rebellion sprang up in the very shadow of the throne.
Again the fruit of David's parental indulgence was manifest. The
one who now aspired to the throne was Adonijah, "a very goodly
man" in person and bearing, but unprincipled and reckless. In
his youth he had been subjected to but little restraint; for "his
father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast
thou done so?" He now rebelled against the authority of God,
who had appointed Solomon to the throne. Both by natural endowments
and religious character Solomon was better qualified
than his elder brother to become ruler of Israel; yet although the
choice of God had been clearly indicated, Adonijah did not fail
to find sympathizers. Joab, though guilty of many crimes, had
heretofore been loyal to the throne; but he now joined the
conspiracy against Solomon, as did also Abiathar the priest.
The rebellion was ripe; the conspirators had assembled at a
great feast just without the city to proclaim Adonijah king, when
their plans were thwarted by the prompt action of a few faithful
persons, chief among whom were Zadok the priest, Nathan the
prophet, and Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. They represented
the state of affairs to the king, reminding him of the
divine direction that Solomon should succeed to the throne.
David at once abdicated in favor of Solomon, who was immediately
anointed and proclaimed king. The conspiracy was crushed.
Its chief actors had incurred the penalty of death. Abiathar's life
was spared, out of respect to his office and his former fidelity to
David; but he was degraded from the office of high priest, which
passed to the line of Zadok. Joab and Adonijah were spared for
the time, but after the death of David they suffered the penalty of [p. 750] their crime. The execution of the sentence upon the son of David
completed the fourfold judgment that testified to God's abhorrence
of the father's sin.
From the very opening of David's reign one of his most
cherished plans had been that of erecting a temple to the Lord.
Though he had not been permitted to execute this design, he had
manifested no less zeal and earnestness in its behalf. He had provided
an abundance of the most costly material—gold, silver, onyx
stones, and stones of divers colors; marble, and the most precious
woods. And now these valuable treasures that he had collected
must be committed to others; for other hands must build the
house for the ark, the symbol of God's presence.
Seeing that his end was near, the king summoned the princes
of Israel, with representative men from all parts of the kingdom,
to receive this legacy in trust. He desired to commit to them his
dying charge and secure their concurrence and support in the
great work to be accomplished. Because of his physical weakness,
it had not been expected that he would attend to this transfer
in person; but the inspiration of God came upon him, and
with more than his wonted fervor and power, he was able, for the
last time, to address his people. He told them of his own desire
to build the temple, and of the Lord's command that the work
should be committed to Solomon his son. The divine assurance
was, "Solomon thy son, he shall build My house and My courts;
for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father.
Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he be constant
to do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day."
"Now therefore," David said, "in the sight of all Israel the
congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep
and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God:
that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance
for your children after you forever."
David had learned by his own experience how hard is the
path of him who departs from God. He had felt the condemnation
of the broken law, and had reaped the fruits of transgression;
and his whole soul was moved with solicitude that the leaders
of Israel should be true to God, and that Solomon should obey
God's law, shunning the sins that had weakened his father's
authority, embittered his life, and dishonored God. David knew [p. 751] that it would require humility of heart, a constant trust in God,
and unceasing watchfulness to withstand the temptations that
would surely beset Solomon in his exalted station; for such
prominent characters are a special mark for the shafts of Satan.
Turning to his son, already acknowledged as his successor on the
throne, David said: "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the
God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with
a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth
all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him,
He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast
thee off forever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee
to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it."
David gave Solomon minute directions for building the temple,
with patterns of every part, and of all its instruments of service,
as had been revealed to him by divine inspiration. Solomon was
still young, and shrank from the weighty responsibilities that
would devolve upon him in the erection of the temple and in
the government of God's people. David said to his son, "Be strong
and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed, for
the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee."
Again David appealed to the congregation: "Solomon my son,
whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the
work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord
God." He said, "I have prepared will all my might for the house
of my God," and he went on to enumerate the materials he had
gathered. More than this, he said, "I have set my affection to the
house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and
silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and
above all that I have prepared for the holy house, even three
thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand
talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses
withal." "Who then," he asked of the assembled multitude that
had brought their liberal gifts—"who then is willing to consecrate
his service this day unto the Lord?"
There was a ready response from the assembly. "The chief of
the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of
thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work,
offered willingly, and gave, for the service of the house of God, of [p. 752] gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver
ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents,
and one hundred thousand talents of iron. And they with whom
precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the
house of the Lord. . . . Then the people rejoiced, for that they
offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly
to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
"Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation:
and David said, Blessed be Thou, Lord God of Israel our
father, forever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the
power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all
that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom,
O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head above all. Both
riches and honor come of Thee, and Thou reignest over all; and
in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to
make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our
God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name. But who
am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so
willingly after this sort? for all things come of Thee, and of
Thine own have we given Thee. For we are strangers before
Thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the
earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O Lord our
God, all this store that we have prepared to build Thee an house
for Thine holy name cometh of Thine hand, and is all Thine
own. I know also, my God, that Thou triest the heart, and
hast pleasure in uprightness.
"As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly
offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy Thy
people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto Thee. O
Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, our fathers, keep this
forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy
people, and prepare their heart unto Thee: and give unto Solomon
my son a perfect heart, to keep Thy commandments, Thy
testimonies, and Thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to
build the palace, for the which I have made provision. And David
said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And
all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and
bowed down their heads, and worshiped the Lord."
With deepest interest the king had gathered the rich material [p. 753] for building and beautifying the temple. He had composed the
glorious anthems that in afteryears should echo through its courts.
Now his heart was made glad in God, as the chief of the fathers
and the princes of Israel so nobly responded to his appeal, and
offered themselves to the important work before them. And as
they gave their service, they were disposed to do more. They
swelled the offerings, giving of their own possessions into the
treasury. David had felt deeply his own unworthiness in gathering
the material for the house of God, and the expression of
loyalty in the ready response of the nobles of his kingdom, as
with willing hearts they dedicated their treasures to Jehovah and
devoted themselves to His service, filled him with joy. But it was
God alone who had imparted this disposition to His people. He,
not man, must be glorified. It was He who had provided the
people with the riches of earth, and His Spirit had made them
willing to bring their precious things for the temple. It was all of
the Lord; if His love had not moved upon the hearts of the people,
the king's efforts would have been vain, and the temple would
never have been erected.
All that man receives of God's bounty still belongs to God.
Whatever God has bestowed in the valuable and beautiful things
of earth is placed in the hands of men to test them—to sound
the depths of their love for Him and their appreciation of His
favors. Whether it be the treasures of wealth or of intellect, they
are to be laid, a willing offering, at the feet of Jesus; the giver
saying, meanwhile, with David, "All things come of Thee, and of
Thine own have we given Thee."
When he felt that death was approaching, the burden of
David's heart was still for Solomon and for the kingdom of Israel,
whose prosperity must so largely depend upon the fidelity
of her king. "And he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the
way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself
a man; and keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His
ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His
judgments, and His testimonies, . . . that thou mayest prosper in
all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: that
the Lord may continue His word which He spake concerning
me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before
Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there
shall not fail thee (said He) a man on the throne of Israel."
1 Kings 2:1-4. [p. 754]
David's "last words," as recorded, are a song—a song of trust,
of loftiest principle, and undying faith:
"David the son of Jesse saith,|
And the man who was raised on high saith,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me: . . .
One that ruleth over men righteously,
That ruleth in the fear of God,
He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth,
A morning without clouds;
When the tender grass springeth out of the earth,
Through clear shining after rain.
Verily my house is not so with God;
Yet He hath made me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things, and sure:
For it is all my salvation, and all my desire."
|2 Samuel 23:1-5, R.V.|
Great had been David's fall, but deep was his repentance,
ardent was his love, and strong his faith. He had been forgiven
much, and therefore he loved much. Luke 7:48.
The psalms of David pass through the whole range of experience,
from the depths of conscious guilt and self-condemnation
to the loftiest faith and the most exalted communing with God.
His life record declares that sin can bring only shame and woe, but
that God's love and mercy can reach to the deepest depths, that
faith will lift up the repenting soul to share the adoption of the
sons of God. Of all the assurances which His word contains, it is
one of the strongest testimonies to the faithfulness, the justice, and
the covenant mercy of God.
Man "fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not," "but the
word of our God shall stand forever." "The mercy of Jehovah
is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and
His righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep His
covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do
them." Job 14:2; Isaiah 40:8; Psalm 103:17, 18.
"Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever." Ecclesiastes 3:14.
Glorious are the promises made to David and his house, promises
that look forward to the eternal ages, and find their complete
fulfillment in Christ. The Lord declared: [p. 755]
"I have sworn unto David My servant . . . with whom My
hand shall be established: Mine arm also shall strengthen him.
. . . My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him: and in My
name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea,
and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry unto Me, Thou art
my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. Also I will
make him My first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. My
mercy will I keep for him forevermore, and My covenant shall
stand fast with him." Psalm 89:3-28.
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"His seed also will I make to endure forever,|
And his throne as the days of heaven."
"He shall judge the poor of the people,
He shall save the children of the needy,
And shall break in pieces the oppressor.
They shall fear thee while the sun endureth,
And so long as the moon, throughout all generations. . . .
In his days shall the righteous flourish;
And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more.
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the river unto the ends of the earth."
"His name shall endure forever:
His name shall be continued as long as the sun:
And men shall be blessed in him:
All nations shall call him blessed."
|Psalm 72:4-8, R.V., 17.|
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and
the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall
be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace." "He shall be great, and shall
be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give
unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign
over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall
be no end." Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:32, 33.