11:1 David had been made king over a united Israel. David was accepted by God and men because since youth, he dedicated himself to the service of God. Genuine care for the tribes of Israel and faith in God propelled David to face fierce enemies and frequent wars. The greatest attributes for a king or leader of any kind is a soul-deep humility. Much of David's kingship foreshadows the life of Jesus: though He is a King, Jesus came a servant, Matthew 20:28. Unlike Saul before him, and many kings after, David lived mostly for others rather than for himself. And before himself and others, David lived for God; he had and expressed an exuberant love of God, 2 Samuel 6:14.
11:2 Even when Saul was king and David just a soldier, David was known as the one who led Israel out of tribulation and into peace. Kingdoms around the world have established tiers of authority but it is those doing the work of God who truly lead a nation.
In 1 Samuel 13:14 God explained to Saul that his reign was expiring because he refused to listen to God. To the detriment of the kingdom, Saul replaced God's voice with the voice of his own ego. God spoke of Saul's replacement, a man who was after God's own heart: David, 2 Samuel 7:8. To be after God's own heart is to be in faithful pursuit of justice, compassion, love, wisdom and peace.
11:3 In 2 Samuel 17, the youngest son of a shepherd was chosen to lead the kingdom of Israel. This is perhaps an unexpected but fantastic choice as it exemplifies everything Jesus tells us in the New Testament: the humble will be exalted and the proud humbled, Luke 14:11. The elders of Israel anoint David as King, a formality in that David had been chosen long ago by God. David's humility had pre-qualified him for the position.
11:4 David and Israel set their sights on claiming Jerusalem. At the time, Jerusalem was in inhabited already by the Jebusites. It is before any of Israel's conquests that we must remember God's words in Deuteronomy 9:5.
It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
God has a plan to gather all of humanity, and that plan took flight with a small, weak body of people in Deuteronomy 7:7. God decided that He could best capture the attention of the whole earth by bringing an unlikely group into to center stage. Humanity would witness, and even through scripture, a small and destitute nation made grand with abundance - all of it through faith. Nobody would be amazed to see a mighty or perfect nation achieve such, it would be expected. But to see an imperfect group of impoverished nobodies rise into a powerful and blessed nation? Former slaves made kings? That turns heads, and more importantly hearts, to God.
11:5-6 The Jebusites resisted, of course. Evil never relinquishes its power willingly. A man named Joab distinguished himself by electing first to attack the Jebusites. Joab earns his place as chief and captain of Israel's army. Joab continued to be a man quick to act, and though at times hastily, he devoted himself to the task at hand.
11:7-8 David made a stronghold in Jerusalem, a fortified place to dwell in the newly acquired territory and it became known at the City of David. With David as king and Joab as captain of the army, Jerusalem steadily became Israel's (that is, the 12 tribes) headquarters.
11:9 So David went on and became great, and the Lord of hosts was with him. David became great because he walked the path that leads to blessing. God remained with David because David remained with God. Nothing could cleave them apart because they remained fully committed to each other; there was no space between them through which anything could infiltrate! And that is why David became great and remained loved by God: not because he was perfect (David was far from perfect) but because David rarely allowed anything to get between himself and God.
Desire, anger, and vanity strain then eventually sever our connection with God, that is: our faith. That is why it is so important, in the small, daily moments to stifle those things when they arise. Desire can be smothered in remembering that God delightedly provides everything we need, Matthew 6:8 and Luke 12:32. Anger can be smothered in the remembrance and trust in God's commitment to exacting justice and the preservation and restoration of the innocent, Psalm 37:28. Vanity can be smothered in the example of Jesus, who is entrusted with the keys of the kingdom because of His selfless lifestyle, Revelation 1:18.
The recipe for greatest is the absence rather than the presence of certain ingredients: desire, anger, and vanity. The only time David was not great was when he allowed desire to slip in and strain his relationship with God. None of us are impervious to desire, anger or greed. But through David's example, we learn that if we expel it as soon as we realize it in ourselves, God will restore us to greatness.
11:10-14 The mighty men of David, the people who surrounded and helped uphold the strength of the king and kingdom through battle, strategy and counsel: Jashobeam and Eleazar.
11:15-19 Three chief men are highlighted for their bravery and loyalty to David. In 2 Samuel 23:14-17 David expressed extreme thirst offhandedly in battle. The three men risked their lives to retrieve a glass of water for David. Yet when they presented it to him, David was flabbergasted and humbled by their efforts. Inborn humility prevented David from being able to drink the water so instead, he dedicated it to God. In that moment, David realized that God had truly blessed him. And as a mere, imperfect human, he did not feel worthy of such opulent blessing.
11:20-25 Abishai and Benaiah, valiant soldiers who fought the enemies of Israel with mettle and acuity. David's cadre is mentioned as a reminder that this mission from God is a family effort. Just because these men were not kings does not render them unworthy of mention. Their bravery made strides for Israel's claim and establishment in a violent time and unsteady land.
11:26-47 Mighty warriors are named. Each name a man with a worthy story and instrumental impact. Each man with a family and a relationship with God. Each man, under God, a pioneer for this great faith.
