Day 118, Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Psalms 16, 101; 2Samuel 5:6-12,17-25; 6:1-11; 23:13-17; 1Chronicles 11:4-9,15-19; 13; 14:1-2,8-12,13-17
Leadership—Starting Right
If you are given a new position as the head of your department, family, or you are the leader of any other group, you will face many challenges. How can you obtain the LORD’s favor and have success? King David knew how to start right with his leadership. How did he do it?
In today’s Bible reading, the tribes of Israel and Judah have recently installed David as the king of all their people and territories. God has protected him and lifted him to a high position. He wonders, how can I begin my reign in the right way?
Five Things David Teaches Us About New Leadership
1. Be real with our thoughts and thankful for our position
David says,
I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing…. LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance…. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:2,5,6,11, NIV)
2. Appreciate those who work with us or whom we lead, and be their defender.
King David says of Israel, “As for the saints [righteous ones] who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight” (Psalm 16:3, NIV).
He further writes, “Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure” (Psalm 101:5, NIV).
Appreciating our spouse, co-workers, colleagues, or fellow soldiers is essential because we have to live, work, or even fight battles together.
David soon leads his army to fight against the Jebusites to establish his reign from Jerusalem. This city is between Israel and Judah in neutral territory, a place well-defended (The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the Old Testament, edited by Walvoord and Zuck, ©1985, p. 461).Jerusalem is the highest city in the area with impenetrable walls, but at this time, the Jebusites inhabit it. They boast that even the blind and lame can defend their fortress. David challenges the men to come up with a plan to overthrow Jerusalem, and whoever does will be the chief commander of his forces.
Joab engineers a plan to enter the city through the water shaft. Israel’s army comes through there to attack those “lame and blind” Jebusites. It works, Israel conquers the city, and Joab becomes David’s chief commander.
Now David is the new king of the hill, otherwise known as the hill of Zion or Mt. Zion. The new king calls it the city of David, and there the Israelites build a palace for him.
Meanwhile, the Philistines hear David is the new king. They take their entire army to search and destroy him. With the help of the LORD and Israel’s troops, however, they are soundly defeated twice. “And he [David] became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him” (2Samuel 5:10; 1Chronicles 11:9, NIV).
Do we want the LORD to give us success? If we follow him, we might also lead people to victory.
David wrote in one of his hymns, “I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalms 16:7, NIV).
3. Exercise personal godliness and integrity and lead others to do the same.
David writes, “The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips” (Psalm 16:4, NIV). Furthermore, he says,
I will be careful to lead a blameless life-- when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me. Men of perverse heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with evil (Psalm 101: 2-4, NIV).When Israel defeats the Philistines, they take their carved images. They do not worship them— David has them burned (1Chronicles 14:12). Burning the idols is how he leads Israel with integrity. Have we gotten rid of the things we worship?
4. Inquire of the LORD before we make significant decisions that involve others. Obey all his instructions and lead our followers to seek the LORD.
Most of the time, David follows God’s ways, and it leads to his success (2Samuel 5:18-20. cf. 1Chronicles 14:8-12; 2Samuel 5:22-25 cf. 1Chronicles 14:13-17). One time in his early reign, he fails, and it is a costly mistake.
David tries to bring the Ark of the Covenant to a place prepared in Jerusalem. He and his people will then have a visual symbol of God’s presence and a place to worship him (1Chronicles 13:1-4). David’s first attempt fails because he does not follow the specific instructions in the Levitical law for transporting the Ark.
The Levitical law says that Levites from the Kohathite family must carry the Ark on their shoulders with the poles inserted into the attached rings. Transporting it as the LORD instructed shows respect for his commands and its holiness (Numbers 4:5,6,15). No one is to feel or look inside it. A man named Uzzah touches it and dies.We, too, are human. We may falter in our attempts to please God, but we need not be discouraged. Let us try again, and this time do things the way the LORD prescribes. We find his instructions for the way we should live in the Bible, his holy Word.
5. Surround ourselves with faithful people.
David wrote,
My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence (Psalm 101:6, NIV).
Focus Verse
Psalm 16:7 (NIV) “I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.”
Discussion
Name some of the five positive things David teaches us about starting right with new leadership. Why are they important?
Like David, every new leader makes mistakes. How should they be corrected?
What should be the focus of our leadership? What should it not be?
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:
Please send your comments to mtbiblestudies@gmail.com
Looking Ahead: The first time David tries to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem he fails. After he reads the Levitical Law and discovers his mistakes, he then draws courage to Do it Right! Join us for our Next Lesson.
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