大卫终于作王！
撒母耳记下五章1至10节
1以色列众支派来到希伯仑见大卫，说：“我们原是你的骨肉。
2从前扫罗作我们王的时候，率领以色列人出入的是你。耶和华也曾应许你说：‘你必牧养我的民以色列，作以色列的君。’”
3于是，以色列的长老都来到希伯仑见大卫王，大卫在希伯仑耶和华面前与他们立约，他们就膏大卫作以色列的王。
4大卫登基的时候年三十岁，在位四十年。
5在希伯仑作犹大王七年零六个月，在耶路撒冷作以色列和犹大王三十三年。
6大卫和跟随他的人到了耶路撒冷，要攻打住那地方的耶布斯人。耶布斯人对大卫说：“你若不赶出瞎子，瘸子，必不能进这地方。”心里想大卫决不能进去。
7然而大卫攻取锡安的保障，就是大卫的城。
8当日大卫说：“谁攻打耶布斯人，当上水沟攻打我心里所恨恶的瘸子，瞎子。”从此有俗语说：“在那里有瞎子，瘸子，他不能进屋去。”
9大卫住在保障里，给保障起名叫大卫城。大卫又从米罗以里，周围筑墙。
10大卫日见强盛，因为耶和华万军之神与他同在。
信息分享
随着扫罗和约拿单先后战死沙场，王位终于需要接任人。但大卫并没有立即说：「我现在可以登基作作王了。」反之，他继续作支派的领袖7年，直至所有以色列人都承认他有权继任王位。
纵然如此，大卫仍然为王位争战到最后一刻。我们也经常有这种经历。每当我们按照神的旨意而努力，总是遇到撒但的攻击。有些时候，我们要等候主亲自为我们清除障碍，我们才可以向前迈进。
大卫首先征服耶路撒冷，在那里作王。耶路撒冷便成了以色列的首都，直到今天。
不断的争战和最终的得胜，是大卫一生的写照。当大卫终于可以享受太平，他却马上想要为神做一件事。请翻看七章1至2节。
神的回应值得我们注意。神拒绝大卫的提议，却承诺大卫：
1. 他的国将持续至永远（七11-12）
2. 大卫的儿子将会兴建圣殿（七13）
大卫的回应一如往常的谦卑，他承认神的伟大，对祂发出由衷的赞美。请看七章22至24节。大卫相信神的应许，开始搜购大量物料，为儿子所罗门的建殿工程作好准备。有些时候，当神对我们的计划说「不」，我们便可能把计划完全放下，甚么也不去做。我们当记着，我们即使不能建殿，也可以为建殿预备物料。
DAVID, KING AT LAST!
2 Samuel 5:1-10
1All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.
2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.
5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. David Conquers Jerusalem.
6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.”
7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.
8 On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”
9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces[b] inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
Message
At last the throne was available. Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle but David did not say immediately “Now I can be king”. He waited as king of one or two tribes for another seven years until finally all Israel acknowledged his right to the throne.
Even then the way to the throne was contested right to the last. Again this is often our experience. Whenever we seek to go forward in God's will there is always Satanic opposition. Sometimes it means waiting for the Lord to clear the way for us before we can move forward.
David's first conquest as king was the city of Jerusalem. It became the capital of Israel and remains so today.
Constant warfare but ultimate victory was David's continuing experience. But when David finally had peace, he immediately thought of doing something for God. Look now at chapter 7:1-2.
God's reply is worth noting. God said no to David's proposal but promised David:
1. He would have a continuing kingdom (2 Samuel 7:11-12).
2. David's son would build the temple (2 Samuel 7:13).
David's response was typical, a humble confession linked with warm words of worship. Look at chapter 7:22-24. David believed God and began gathering great stores of materials to enable his son Solomon to erect a temple for the worship of God. Sometimes God may say no to our plans and then we are tempted to sit back and do nothing. Remember if you cannot build yourself, you can always give the materials.