Bible Tuesday - David Part 30

I'm just not ready to be done with David :(  

Unfortunately, I don't get a choice.

Now these are the last words of David:

The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man who was raised on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the sweet psalmist of Israel:

“The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me;
his word is on my tongue.
The God of Israel has spoken;
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men,
ruling in the fear of God,
he dawns on them like the morning light,
like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,
like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.

“For does not my house stand so with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away,
for they cannot be taken with the hand;
but the man who touches them
arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,
and they are utterly consumed with fire.”
2 Samuel 23:1-7

In case we get too enamored of our boy Dave, let's not forget a few things that happened before his death.

Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not.
1 Kings 1:1-4

Some things never change...and David's love for the ladies is one of them.  I am not disputing the Bible here but seriously?  I am pretty sure a big fat ugly person could have provided David with all the warmth he required.  Or better yet Dave!  How about a big fire and a nice fur rug? 

And then there's this.

When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man,  and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,  that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’
1 Kings 2:1-4

So far, so good.

And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood.Do with him what you think best, but don’t let him grow old and go to his grave in peace.

And remember Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me with a terrible curse as I was fleeing to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I swore by the Lord that I would not kill him.  But that oath does not make him innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know how to arrange a bloody death for him.”
1 Kings 2:5-6, 8-9

This sweet little father-son chat just went sour in a hurry, didn't it?  How about "Be a good boy Solomon"  or "Take care of your mama"? 

Some people confess on their death bed.  But David spends his last precious minutes plotting revenge.  After all these weeks studying David, I still kinda want to pinch his head off.  Don't you?

So David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.  He reigned over Israel for forty years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.  He died at a ripe old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor.
1 Chronicles 29:26-28