Lessons from David and King Saul

In Matthew 21:23-27, Mark 11:27-33, and Luke 20:1-8, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that there are only two sources of authority; either our authority comes from Heaven or our authority comes from men. Heaven’s authority is approved by God because it comes from him (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Man’s authority is condemned by God because it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12). Saul lived by his own authority. This displeased God and led to his death. David lived according to God’s authority. This pleased God and established his kingdom forever. However, as we look at David alone, we see that there was a moment in which he acted without authority. Let us look into the life of David and discover the need for authority in 2 Samuel 6:5-15.

We need God’s authority because:

All labor is in vain without it (2 Samuel 6:5)

Something always goes wrong without it (2 Samuel 6:6)

We anger God without it (2 Samuel 6:7)

Death is the inevitable result without it (2 Samuel 6:7)

It creates a spirit of timidity and unwillingness (2 Samuel 6:9-10)

David eventually gets the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and it was successful because he did what God had authorized (1 Chronicles 15:1-15). In reading 1 Chronicles 15:1-15, we see that the text of 2 Samuel 6:5-11 takes place between 1 Chronicles 15:1-2. What happened between 1 Chronicles 15:1 and 1 Chronicles 15:2? David recognized his need for heaven’s authority. As a result of having Heaven’s authority: