Seasons: David

This is a somewhat abbreviated sketch of David's life. For additional info see chabad.org or read everything between II Samuel chapter 16 and I Kings chapter 2. The on-line Jewish Encyclopedia is another great resource.


Personal seasons are easily seen throughout this list. Spiritual seasons are there but can be augmented by the Psalms of David. Please pardon the lack of scripture links. I figure the majority of this info is familiar to most. Only the references in Psalms are linked for you. For placement of the Psalms in the life of David, I used "The Chronological Bible" by Regal Publishers copyright 1977. For other references, use the Bible search link in my sidebar.


1. A man after God’s own heart I Samuel 13:14
2. Youngest of the 8 sons of Jesse I Samuel 16:10,11
3. Courageous shepherd I Samuel 17:34-36
4. Handsome I Samuel 16:12
5. Anointed to be king by Samuel the prophet I Samuel 16:12,13 Psalm 19 Psalm 8
6. Served as musician for King Saul I Samuel 16:14-23
7. Returned to his father’s house I 17:15
8. Became the champion of Israel by slaying Goliath I Samuel 17:25-53 Psalm 23
9. Admired by Jonathan, despised by King Saul I Samuel 18:1-9
10. Lived as a fugitive I Samuel 19 Psalm 59 Psalm 25
11. Displayed respect for the King in sparing his life I Samuel 24:1-15 Psalm 57 Psalm 108
and I Samuel 26:1-20 possible location of Psalm 7
12. Reigned as King of Judah in Hebron II Samuel 5:1-5
13. Became King of all of Israel II Samuel 5:3
14. Captured Jerusalem and made it the capitol city II Samuel 5:7 Psalm 118
15. God was with him and increased his territory II Samuel 5:10 I Chronicles 11:9
16. He took wives and concubines in II Samuel 5:13
17. Brought the ark to Jerusalem II Samuel 6:1-11 I Chronicles 15:1-29
18. Spurned by his wife Michal II Samuel 6:20-23
19. Enlarged the kingdom and won military victories II Samuel chs 8 &10
20. Committed adultery w/Bathsheba & had Uriah killed II Samuel chs 11 & 12
21. Rebuked by the prophet Nathan II Samuel chapter 12
22. Repented of his sins: Psalm 51 Psalm 32
23. Scorned by his son Absalom II Samuel chapters 15-18
24. Made preparations for building the temple I Chronicles 22:5,14
and I Chronicles 29:2
25. Forbidden to build the temple I Chronicles 28:3 Psalm 145
26. Appointed Solomon as his successor I Kings 1: 11-39
27. Charged Solomon regarding the kingdom and the temple I Kings 2:1-9
28. Died I Chronicles 29:26-28

When you read the accounts in the books of I and II Samuel, I Kings, and I Chronicles you get the facts of his circumstances. When you read the associated Psalms you can feel what he was feeling at the time. You can see the emotions including tears and rants. The Psalms reveal his spiritual condition and his faith in God. These are some of the recorded seasons of David's life.

Spiritual Seasons: Adam

Ask 5 people how they would define spiritual seasons and you would get 5 different answers. One might use qualifiers like lows, mediums, highs, or mountain tops. Someone else might use the terms ebbs and flows. Yet another might describe the seasons as dry or overflowing. Regardless how you label them, spiritual seasons do exist. They are part of God's plan to smooth our rough edges, purify our hearts, equip us for service, and adorn us as His bride.

This study will in no way be exhaustive. My point is to sketch out the seasons in the lives of some biblical characters. Then to take note of the transition factors, and the cyclical nature of the seasons. Finally, I hope to draw some insight as to what was to be learned or accomplished within each season.

Let's start with Adam. His first spiritual season had to have been his best. He walked and talked with God. No inhibitions, no upsets, nothing to hinder their relationship in any way. Must have been serene. Then....

Seasons change. Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Adam recognized his nakedness and he hid from God. The relationship became strained. God added to Adam's fear when He asked, "where art thou?" God knew Adam's whereabouts, but Adam didn't know that God knew.

Cursed by God, Adam learned of sorrow. Then he was separated from the garden and his Creator. Alienated from God, what a dismal season of one's own choosing.

Little is known about the rest of Adam's 930 years. Most every other reference to him is negative. In Eve's responses to the births of Cain and Seth, she acknowledged God as the giver of life. Given the record of Cain and Abel and their worship, we understand that they were knowledeable of God and were able to converse with Him. With this in mind, it is reasonable to assume that God still communicated with Adam and Eve. He instituted animal sacrifice as a means of covering their physical bodies and their sins against Him.

Adam had a long life and no doubt experienced spiritual seasons. Did he learn from his mistakes? There is no actual record of Adam being reconciled to God.

Seasons Change

Weather seasons change. God made the Earth and solar system to work that way. Genesis 1:14 states: "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:" In most areas of the world there are 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each having their own distinctions. In some places the seasons are more readily identified than others. The physical variances in the atmospheric temperature and the changes in the Earth's vegetation are the most obvious signs of each division.


But what of spiritual seasons? They do exist, but are they meant to be? Like the seasons of the Earth, there are notable physical signs of change that occur with each spiritual season. The causes of spiritual highs and lows are infinite. What ushers in a climate change for me may not affect you in any way. I'm not sure I even want to breach the subject, but it has been on my mind for awhile. Last week's Friday Five seemed to be a goad for me to begin this series of posts.

Bring on the comments, open the box, stir things up a little, and then we will see how the dust settles on this one.

Pay It Forward: Nice Matters

These folks are kind, compassionate, friendly, uplifting, and of course; they are nice.

Kari @ Healed Waters the originator of the Mercy Drop Award. Her posts are saturated with the love and compassion of Christ. They are like a drink of water to this thirsty soul.

Granny B @ Compassion to Sympathize is a homespun newcomer with a heart of gold. When it comes to being nice, she knows just how to show it.

Tami @ The Next Step is a member of Christian Women Online and participates in the daily themes. I particularly like her "Thankful Thursday" posts.

Godzheart @ Victorious Woman writes of her daily life and Christian walk. Her biblical study blog, Lessons from Life is well written and easily followed. Though I haven't met her, I picture her with a soft voice and a friendly smile.

CH Green @ Beneath The Ivy Wreath has time constraints that keep her from reading and commenting as much as she would like. Her comments may be few but they are always encouraging. She recently launched her poetry blog, The Ivy Wreath and welcomes your comments.

Cindy @ Inspirational Korner consistently posts uplifting and insightful posts. Her comments around bloggyland are also of the encouraging sort. Nice matters in blog design too. She changes the backdrop regularly to add a touch of class to her site.

Ordinary Christian is someone who is not afraid to reveal her weaknesses in order to strengthen others. No matter where her adventures take her, she always stays on the right path.

I'm not sure who created this award. All I have is these few words to go with it.
"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."

Crucible of Praise

Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done. It is something that comes standard with the package of our humanity. Some folks become praise junkies. They go about doing things just to be recognized and rewarded. Others while they relish the compliments, prefer to remain anonymous in their well doing. Proverbs 27:21 sheds some light upon the power and purpose of praise. The Message states it this way: "The purity of silver and gold is tested by putting them in the fire; The purity of human hearts is tested by giving them a little fame."

I am still learning how to be gracious when receiving compliments. When I know I have done well, I tend to reward myself. Not necessarily in a tangible way, but I just have a deep satisfaction in my labors. Often I am perceived as being ungrateful due to my inadequate responses. In reality, I love the accolades but I don't want to let them swell my head. I am learning to say a simple "thank you" and/or "to God be the glory".

Praise can incite pride or it can work perfection. Pride is the automatic response of the flesh. Perfection is the result of yielding to the Spirit of God. Remember, everything He created is good. The Word says so. Yet there is no goodness about the flesh. It is merely an earthen housing for the Spirit of God. So the Apostle Paul adds that we must keep the flesh under the control of the Spirit.

Basically, I said all of that to preface this huge thank you to Rita at Saved by Grace. She has bestowed upon me the "Nice Matters" award. Let me also add, to God be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done. Without Him, I would be neither nice, friendly, good, positive, or influential.

"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."
I have met so many nice bloggers in the few months that I have been in the bloggyhood. Those who are nice are also positive influences in the blogosphere. Inspirational is yet another word for various blogs I have read. "Feel good" blogs are as infinite as the stars in the sky. Finding 7 worthy recipients is easy. Keeping the list to 7 is the hard part. And.......Now........The envelopes please................Ooops! There must be some mistake. I have been handed some bills instead of the nominations for the "Nice Matters" awards. Sorry to disappoint you folks, but the hour is late, the awards will have to wait..... until my next post.

Let's Get Busy

I just had to share this link. It is a wonderful addition to my previous post. Many thanks to Pastor Brad Williams. Read @ Sojourner.

For a closer look at what kind of busy we should be: check out Tyler's post @ Sons of the Prophets.

A Deliberate Call

The book of Acts is one of my favorites. It is rich in historical data, sets forth the foundation of the New Testament Church, chronicles the exploits of the Apostles, and provides an overview of the life of Paul. For today's post, I want to use a portion of chapter 26; copied here from the KJV. Follow this link for the entire chapter.

16But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Here Paul recounts the words previously recorded in Acts 9:3-6 then elaborates a bit more on the message from Christ in verses 16 - 18. For our study today; I want to glean from the text some reasons Christ makes Himself known to us. Why He takes us out of the world just to send us back unto it.

1. to make us His ministers/servants
2. to make us testimonials/witnesses of His power/acts
3. to use us as His heralds of the revelations He will show us
4. to enable us to enlighten others; to be guides
5. to aid us in turning others from darkness into light; to be reflections of the Light
6. to use us to loose those who are bound by satan; to be agents of deliverance
7. to use us to teach sinners what is required to be forgiven; to be teachers
8. and to show them how to lay claim to what belongs to the sanctified; to be models

No different than Paul; we all are called and empowered to be His witnesses. We must declare the same message as Paul, as we minister to the world .

Also worth mentioning: We must be knocked off of our "high horse"of sinfulness before we can be of use to the Lord. Secondly, we have to stand up/become attentive in order to receive instructions for salvation and ministry. We can't work in the Kingdom lying down!