A Turtle On A Fence Post

Have you heard the phrase, A Turtle on a Fence Post (picture)? If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know that he didn’t get there on his own. Pulitzer Prize winner Alex Haley (picture), author of the bestselling novel, Roots (picture), has a picture in his office of a turtle sitting atop a fence post. He says, “The picture is there to remind me of a lesson I learned long ago. If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know it had to have some help getting there. Any time I start thinking, ‘Wow, isn’t this marvelous what I’ve done!’ I look at that picture and remember how this turtle—me—got up on that post.”

Haley realized that he wasn’t a self-made man. In the time since as a teen he was anointed by Samuel, David went from the cave to the castle. He didn’t get there on his own. God put him on the throne. David is a God-made man.

Whether we know it or not, we’re all God-made men and women. All that we have – place, position, possession – is a gift from God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

In our series on 2 Samuel, we’ve been learning that the kingdom of God in David’s day is the kingdom of David, and the kingdom of David is pointing to the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ. For David’s kingdom to be established, all the tribes of Israel needed to come to the king. In the same way, we who are part of the kingdom of God as unpacked for us in the life and ministry of Jesus are those who have come to King Jesus.

Now if you asked somebody how they became a Christ-follower, they probably wouldn’t use this terminology, but it’d be true of them. If they were to say, “Well, I once was the master of my own destiny. I was very clear about what I was doing with my life and where I was going and what I wanted to be. But along that journey, I realized I was listless, hopeless and directionless. There was something vital missing.  Somebody shared with me that the reason that I’d been created was to glorify God and that God had made Himself known in the person of Jesus Christ, and that Jesus is a Savior, a Lord, and a King. To give my life purpose I had to come to know Jesus in a saving way and come to Him as the King of my life.”

But like David, there are many obstacles in the way of coming to King Jesus. Think, for example, of the life of Saul of Tarsus: the big obstacle in Saul’s life was his religiosity and his personal pride.

There are many who’ve never bowed the knee to Jesus as King, not because they’re so horrible. No, in fact, they’re some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. They’re some of the most religious, moral individuals around. The huge obstacle that keeps them from King Jesus is their pride.

One lady shared this about her mother. Her mother was quite a lady. She was wealthy, she was venerated, she was politically active, and so on. She read the Bible for a sort of intellectual stimulation. On a few occasions in her town, she even took the place of the minister when he went on vacation. Her commitment to the Bible was an intellectual exercise.

But the daughter wrote, “It was void of the Holy Spirit–inspired life, because she flat-out denied Christ. She mocked Him, really.” And then she goes on to say that this woman’s mocking “was focused on myself and on my husband when we were converted and came to know Jesus as King. We talked to her often. We had her in our home consistently. But she thought we were crazy. She was so self-satisfied and so full of hardened pride. She died in June this year at the age of ninety-two. But in January, a few months before she died, a longtime friend, 86 years old, was used by God to lead the self-assured, hardened, 92-year-old, wealthy, politically adept lady to living faith in Jesus Christ. She became a member of His kingdom.”

Everyone in Christ’s kingdom has a similar history. To be a Christ-follower, Jesus must be the King of your life. So, what’s your history? To know Christ, to be part of His Kingdom, you’re A Turtle on a Fence Post. He’s the One who saves us. He’s the One who gives us everything that we have and are. David models for us what it means to trust God and wait on His timing. If you’re taking notes…

1. Be patient and humble acknowledging that EVERYTHING is given to you by God. 

“And the Lord said to you [David], ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel’” (2 Samuel 5:2). “And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him” (2 Samuel 5:12). “And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel” (2 Samuel 5:12).

The explanation for David’s rise to power has many factors. David is king over all Israel because historically Saul’s general, Abner, paved the way and Ish-bosheth was an ineffectual ruler. Sociologically the northern tribes entered into a covenant agreement with David as king. Psychologically David is a powerful leader and seasoned warrior who commands the loyalty of the people. Yet, beyond these important factors is the true cause – the theological cause of David’s reign. God chose him. God lifted him up. And this is the most important one. David isn’t David apart from God…and neither am I and neither are you. There’s no place for pride. Without God’s gracious generosity, we’re nothing and have nothing and will be nothing.

So, where are you this morning? Do you realize God placed you there? Do you realize that everything you have is from God? David doesn’t seize power. If David had been Saul, he’d been king long before this. Instead, David waits and trusts God.

Franklin Roosevelt (picture) was president longer than any other president, a little over 12 years. He died in office before his last term ended. Can you envision a president serving 40 years? David reigned for a total of 40 years. During that time David expands Israel’s borders from 6000 to 60,000 square miles. He creates a new empire by unifying the 12 tribes into a powerful nation. He reorganizes the priesthood, starts temple choirs; subdues the enemies of Israel more than any other leader since Joshua. He becomes the standard for all future kings. This delegation at David’s coronation numbered over 300,000.

Similarly, when we come to Jesus, who is God’s king for us today, and ask Him to be the king of our life, in that moment we reject all the other kings we’ve set up in our heart. When we ask Jesus to be our king, we’re admitting that every other leader we’ve followed or hobby or idol that we’ve put on the throne of our life instead of Jesus has only ended in disaster, just as it did for the northern tribes of Israel. The northern kingdom finally came to their senses and recognized David as God’s chosen king for them.

When we come to Jesus, it involves us coming to our senses and recognizing Jesus, God’s chosen king, is the only king for us. Every other king we follow ends in disaster. My friend, have you come to your senses?

If Jesus isn’t your King, then you’re like Diane di Prima (picture), a poet and a member of the Beat Generation or Beatniks. The Beat Generation believed that experience validated life. Recently, she died at the age of 86. In her obituary, they quoted her: “The world should just relax and not put labels on everything. We don’t know who we are or where we’re going.” While I admire her candor, yet what emptiness and futility. Apart from Christ as the monarch of life, this life is empty and futile.

These leaders enter into a covenant with David. As we’re beginning a new members’ class, my attention was drawn to a comment Dr. Richard D. Philips (picture) made in his book on 2 Samuel regarding this covenant and the local church today: “Church membership today likewise brings people into relationship with the church, spelling out their biblically sanctioned duties and promising the faithful ministry and care of the church elders.”

The Jebusites are the opposite of David, filled with pride. J.D. Greear (picture) notes that, “God has to take our eyes off our kingdom before He can build His.” It’s what’s taking place here. “And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, ‘You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off’ —thinking, ‘David cannot come in here’” (2 Samuel 5:6).

Jerusalem had been a thorn in Israel’s side back to the time of Joshua. They were located in the middle of the nation (map), a citadel of hostile enemies. Yet, God promised Abraham that He’d give his descendants the land of the Jebusites. “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites’” (Genesis 15:18-21).

Ironically, their city is called “Jerusalem” which means “city of peace. While nations fought each other in the valley below Jerusalem, the Jebusites lived peaceably, left alone by the world like a black widow in her lair.

They were arrogant and cocky. Jewish historian, Josephus (picture), in his Antiquities of the Jews, claimed that the Jebusites actually put the blind and lame around the walls to show David how confident that they were of their city’s invincibility. We hear the sarcastic wisecrack of the Jebusites. It might be a good line but not if you have to eat your words. Exactly how David did it, we don’t know. This water shaft reference is vague. Verse 6 says, “the king and his men.” Apparently, David took a small force, the 600 men who’d been his faithful team since his days of being chased by King Saul.

He does what no other Israelite had been able to do in 800 years! David is a new and better Joshua. God promised this to Abraham. Please note that God’s promises aren’t stamped with an expiration date. David conquers this Jebusite stronghold, making it his new capital city in the center of the nation.

The Jebusites underestimated God’s king. That’s true today throughout our world. Maybe you’re sitting here and sadly that’s true of you.

God has set His king in Zion on His holy hill. The nations of the world, and I’m referring to Psalm 2, “the nations of the world rage. They “plot in vain.” They “set themselves…against the Lord and against His Anointed,” saying, “We’ll just burst His bonds and cast Him away.” But “He who sits in the heavens laughs…the Lord holds them in derision.” The Jebusites underestimated God’s King. Many still make that same blunder.

Jerusalem will make an ideal new capital. It has natural defenses, on a high elevation; centrally located. Jerusalem didn’t belong to any tribe so David can’t be accused of playing favorites. Remember David has inherited a fractured kingdom. He must be a uniter of God’s people.

According to Jonathan Edwards (picture), David’s capture of Jerusalem is the greatest picture of our salvation in the Old Testament. It’s definitely a picture of a victorious Christian life. Confidence in God’s power and zeal for His mission inspires the holy boldness needed for victory in spiritual warfare. You may have a temptation in the core of your life, an area in need of personal sanctification. As David removed the evil holdout core of the nation, God can give you the victory. The defeat of sin was won at Calvary.

Too often we confess sin and live in sin’s aftereffects. God wants us to defeat it before it happens and live in victory. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).    

This is the first time Jerusalem is called “Zion.” Without question Jerusalem is the most important city of the Bible. It’s mentioned 800 times. 3,000 years later it’s still on the forefront. You can’t read this apart from today’s news. To get our view of Jerusalem wrong not only has political implications, but it also has theological implications. We look forward not to going to Jerusalem in the Middle East, though you may like to go there for a visit. Believers look forward to the New Jerusalem that’s part of God’s end times plan.

2. Be careful who you choose for friends, vss. 11-12. 

When you’re a winner, you “win” new friends. “And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel” (2 Samuel 5:11-12). Tyre was the most important seaport on the coast of Phoenicia (map), about 100 miles north of Jerusalem. This is the first substantial reference to Tyre in the Bible.

Israel wanted to be like the other nations. Under David they’re achieving that. Other nations are now sending their ambassadors to meet their king.  

Hiram embodies what’s considered success: commercialism and money. He also represents what’s most dangerous for Israel, self-sufficiency instead of God dependence. But David is a practitioner of alliances. This will come back to haunt future generations. His son, Solomon, marries pagan kings’ daughters to make political alliances. They were idol worshippers who turned his heart from God. In Jeremiah’s day Israel’s kings cut deals and shaded justice for the personal gain of rich cedar to build their palaces. Be wary of friends like Hiram who give gifts, but it’s gifts with strings.

Who are your friends? Your inner circle? Do they help you draw closer to God or wander from Him?

3. Be wise with your drives, vss. 13. 

“And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.” (2 Samuel 5:13).

What’s culturally acceptable is often not biblically right. It’s noteworthy that this is the only time in Scripture that “concubines” precedes wives. This seems to be more about alliances, maybe with key families of the northern tribes. It’s sexual politics. It’s dangerous to let pragmatism be in the driver’s seat of our values. Perhaps David thought, “I deserve this.” No doubt he rationalized, “everyone else is doing it.” Later it’s his sex drives that bring devastation on his life, his family and his kingdom.

Moses warned against this (Deuteronomy 17:17). It was a cultural capitulation to be like other kings and nations. On one hand the number of David’s sons reveals his strength; the increased number of wives and concubines reveals his foolishness. David’s compromises mar his character and the kingdom over which he rules. It’s an Achilles’ heel in his soul.

David’s blended family will have tragic ramifications. In spite of our cavalier attitude toward blended families, they often have long term ramifications on the children in the home. Issues like favoritism, inconsistency of rules and parenting, even sexual relations between pubescent adolescents who are thrown together at a critical stage of life.

It’s clear from the creation account God intended a monogamous relationship in marriage. But David’s a man of his time. Biblical narration tells us what happened, not necessarily whether it was right or wrong. Men misusing women was a result of the fall. God calls men to honor women – to protect them, to love our wives as Christ loves the church. One of our greatest testimonies to a lost world should be our healthy, godly marriages.

It was acceptable for David to have a large harem but by doing so he capitulated to his culture. Too many Christians rationalize when it comes to lust. Pornography is an epidemic in the church. Then, we wonder why we have marital and family problems and carnality in the church.

Yet, it’s more basic than that. Our spiritual compromises begin in our hearts. Too often we’re like a lost world and don’t consider it a problem. It’s what everyone is doing. For example…

Anger. Our culture is so angry. I heard the other day that 25% of Americans are so angry that it’s hard to have a rational conversation with them. What about us? Are you an angry person? What does your face say? Like the culture, Christ-followers are frequently more aggressive and less sensitive.

Apathy. We live in a culture that cares less. Yet happy people, rather than being complacent, are generally the ones engaged with the world. Surveys indicate that those who experience positive feelings are more likely to be concerned with a variety of issues and, most importantly, are more likely to take action to do something about it.

So, do you really care about anything? Fulfillment and soul satisfaction comes with caring about what God cares about. It has a vertical and horizontal dimension. We care about the God who loves and saved us, and we care about those around us – what God’s Word calls our “neighbor.” Do you care? Would others consider you a caring individual?

Complaining. Americans are some of the biggest whiners. Believers are to be different. We have so many blessings yet often focus on what’s wrong, on all the problems in the world. But we know the final score…we win!

So, do you think about your blessings more or what you’re unhappy about? Complaining only worsens your mood, makes you feel helpless, and can lead to a pessimistic outlook on life. It becomes a vicious cycle.

Connected. Our culture is shallow and has difficulty thinking or having a rational discussion. A major part of that is that we’re so connected, we’re distracted…and we’re addicted to distractions. We check our smartphones about 81,500 times each year, or once every 4.3 minutes of our waking lives, which means you’ll be tempted to check your phone 6 times before this sermon is done. Anything that preoccupies our focus on this temporal world is a problem. It diverts our minds and hearts from what’s truly significant.

David capitulated and adapted to his culture. What about us? God has called us to be different. What do we have for a dying world if we’re just like them?

4. Be aware that moving forward spiritually brings attacks, vss. 17-18. 

Let’s read the last portion of chapter five. “When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the Lord, He said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.”

We tend to think of the Philistines as a sort of crass, uneducated people, a type of Mad Max people. That’s not accurate. The Philistines were at the very forefront of things at this point in history. They were the ones who, in terms of their military prowess and organization, were the force to be reckoned with. David understands this and therefore, they must be dealt with.

For nearly a decade the Philistines have been silent, but now that David had ascended the throne and united Israel, they attack. They’re attempting to drive a wedge right up the middle of the nation.

When was the last time that you said or thought, “Why does this always happen to me?” Ask someone to share their favorite Bible verse and chances are that few will recite one on persecution. Yes, we know that Jesus said we will be persecuted for our faith. Countless believers have been tortured or killed for confessing Jesus as Lord. Even in Western culture where we have the Constitutional right to freedom of religion, we experience subtle forms of persecution. With every passing year, additional pressure is being put on churches and believers to abandon or compromise their convictions.

English crime writer and poet, Dorothy Sayers (picture) wrote, “I believe it to be a grave mistake to present Christianity as something charming and popular with no offense in it.” Sayers was pointing out that Christianity is offensive to unbelievers. Scripture teaches that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18). Unbelievers don’t want to hear that. It angers them. They’re in rebellion against God.

When we face persecution, our response is telling. Some of us feel betrayed by God because things aren’t going well. The Bible doesn’t promise a comfortable life. Persecuted believers often share that their closest moments with God came during their toughest times. Our spiritual sense of God’s love is heightened when we suffer for Him. It’s a grace God gives us to endure difficult times. We can miss it because we feel entitled to comfort.

David isn’t surprised by this attack. His coronation was wonderful news for Israel but dreadful news for the Philistines. A united Israel is a threat and they’re going to put a stop to it. They meet David in the Valley of Rephaim. Raphah was the name of a giant and his descendants are called Rephaimites. David fights the Philistines in the valley of giants, but he doesn’t jump in. He inquires first for God’s will.

The Philistines are defeated and abandon their idols on the field. That shows the nature of false gods. What kind of god has to be carried? This victory would unite and ignite the passion of the nation. It was like a D-Day victory and gave them confidence in God for the future.

Do we stop and seek God’s will? Do we really believe He can give us the victory? One of the ways to encourage ourselves in the Lord is to remember what He’s done for us in the past. God hasn’t changed.

5. Be attentive to God’s leading and will, vss. 19-25. 

On the afternoon of April 4, 1943, the crew of the B-24 bomber, Lady Be Good (picture), departed Soluch airstrip off the coast of Libya on their first combat mission. They’re target was Naples, Italy. Shortly after takeoff the bomber group encountered a sandstorm which affected their engines. The lead plane crashed into the ocean. Unfortunately, it had also served as the navigation aircraft for the other bombers and had the expert navigators. The rest of the bombers were following them. With their loss the rest of the bomber group was now on its own.

For some reason, Lady Be Good, turned back 30 minutes prior to reaching the target. On the return flight they took the wrong course. Realizing that they were lost; they began to use their navigation equipment, but by now it was night. Unaware of a tailwind and thinking they must be near the Libyan Coast, they radioed for a reference point to guide them. But unknown to them, they’d already passed the coast and were now well over the desert. They’d passed their reference points. It would be the defining moment and choice. Either they believe the instruments which were working perfectly or follow their own hunches. They ignored their instruments and trusted their instincts. Hours later they ran out of fuel and crash landed 440 miles into the desert (picture). Most of the crew survived the crash, but perished later, lost in the desert. 

Each of us comes face to face with choices like the one the crew of Lady Be Good encountered. We must choose between two different directions, both competing for our attention. Our instincts tell us one thing; God’s Word tells us another…and we’re forced to choose between the two.

David again inquired of the Lord. Militarily and strategically speaking, it was nuts…attack from the rear? It was also completely different from the first instructions. Sometimes we’re traditionalists and forget that God doesn’t just have one plan. David is to wait on the Lord this time and God went before David and his army. Scholars believe the sound of marching in the leaves of the trees was possibly an angelic army. Years before the Israelites had asked for a king to fight their battles, now God fights their battles.  He’ll fight ours too if we will trust Him.

Israel retook all the land that they’d lost 70 years before to the Philistines when the Ark was taken. The Philistines discover that God is dangerous. David trusted and obeyed and was victorious. God fought his battles. From that time forward the Philistines were never again a serious threat.

God’s wants you to have victory in your life and He wants you to know that victory comes through His Word. True victory comes through God’s truth. We have what David didn’t have. We have God’s Word and His guidance in the pages of Scripture.

All of us are fighting, and all of us are fighting all the time. That’s not really the issue. The issue is “Are we fighting the right battles?” The ultimate battle we must fight is a spiritual one, and the real battleground is our own hearts.  

One of our biggest struggles with God’s Word is making the daily connection between His Word and our daily needs. God’s word is sufficient. It’s exactly what we need when our enemies – the world, the flesh and the devil – spread out before us and attack us.

Conclusion

So, the next time you’re feeling a little puffed up about all the great things you’ve done and are about to break your arm patting yourself on the back, remember the turtle on the fence (picture) post. You didn’t crawl to the top by yourself. Somebody had to put you there. God put David on the throne. And like the turtle, we didn’t get here by ourselves. God did it!

In an age where entitlement reigns and self-actualization is actually a thing, it’s vital that we remember where we’ve come from and all those who’ve boosted us up. And it’s not just our friends and families. God has done far more for us than we could ever ask or imagine. In fact, we didn’t just start on the ground like the turtle. No, it was much worse than that. We started out separated from a loving God by the depth of our own sin, and there was absolutely nothing we could do to fix things.

Fleming Rutledge (picture), in her book, Not Ashamed of the Gospel, writes: “We don’t like that part about being [powerless], so we substitute another gospel, the American gospel: ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ As many polls have shown, vast numbers of Americans think that comes from the Bible. It can’t be said too many times: it does not come from the Bible. The Bible tells us exactly the opposite: When we could not help ourselves, Christ died for us.”

We needed a rescuer. Aren’t you thankful that we have one? In the book of Romans, Paul puts it like this: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

We’re not turtles on fenceposts. We’re sinners saved by the amazing, overwhelming, gracious, generous love of the living God. David knew who he was and how he got there. God was his king.

My friend, do you realize that you are only here and what you are by the grace of God? Have you let Jesus rescue you? Is Jesus your King?