2 Samuel 5:1–10
1 All 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. 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.” 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 inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. (2 Samuel 5:1–10)
We could say that David’s reign was divided into two parts. The first part, which lasted seven years, was over Judah only. The second part, which lasted thirty-three years, was over all Israel. Corresponding to the first and second parts of his reign, David also had two capitals. His first capital was Hebron, and his second was Jerusalem. His entire reign is described in 2 Samuel 5:4–5:
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. (2 Samuel 5:4–5)
This text is really the account of how Jerusalem became the capital of Israel. And in this account we can see four things that a vision does.
THE VISION UNITES
First, the vision unites. Notice in this story what David’s vision was. Until then, Jerusalem did not belong to Israel, but David wanted to make it the capital of his kingdom. The people at that time were scattered and divided between the dynasty of Saul and the new king, David. But here in verse 1 we see how all the elders of Israel — the leaders and rulers in Israel — came to David and said to him, “We want to be part of your vision.” The people gathered around David in Hebron. Why? Because they had found a man who had a vision (2 Samuel 5:1–3).
1 All 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. (2 Samuel 5:1–3)
Notice that although the elders of Israel had been on Saul’s side for a long time, they still remembered God’s words to David. They remembered the vision David had — the vision that he would be king over all Israel. If we have a clear vision, it will unite our church, mobilize us, and make us strong.
THE VISION PROVIDES A GOVERNING CENTER
The second thing a vision does is that it provides a governing center from which it can be carried out. A vision needs a place to hold it and contain it. For David and Israel, Jerusalem was the place for the fulfillment of the vision God had given His anointed one. For us, the center of our vision is our local church — not the building, but the assembly of born-again believers, which is God’s temple. Our aim is to win our neighborhood, to win our city for the kingdom of God. If we have a clear vision, it will unite not only our church, but all the churches, for the winning of our cities and our country.
THE VISION UNSETTLES OUR SOUL
Third, the vision unsettles our soul. Before it is realized, it must be won in an inner struggle. When a person has a vision, not only fulfilling it but even holding on to it is difficult. A vision leads to an inner struggle, to a spiritual battle in our hearts. God has given us His instructions, and we have received them, but then the questions and the doubts begin to come, the mocking voices that say to us, “Well, and how is this going to happen? Who are you to do something so significant?” and so on. David had a vision to make Jerusalem his capital, but this did not come easily. In 2 Samuel 5:6 it says:
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.” (2 Samuel 5:6)
The Jebusites, and the blind and the lame in this case, are like the inner voices that fight against our vision. In verses 7–8, however, we see that David found a way to use those mocking voices to spur his men on toward the fulfillment of his vision.
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.” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.” (2 Samuel 5:7–8)
The enemy will disturb us and pester us. He will try to talk us out of our vision. We all pass through such inner struggles. We wonder whether we are really fit to carry out the vision God has given us. Very often we keep these inner conversations to ourselves. But we need to share our vision with faithful people who support us. We need brothers who will encourage us.
If we let the doubts and the inner voices work within us, they will kill our vision. Instead of feeding them, we must apply to them what we know about spiritual warfare. We must use the words, “It is also written…” We must ask ourselves the questions, “Is what this voice is telling me in agreement with God’s Word? Does it build up me and the people around me, or does it in some way tear us down?” For if we cannot believe and see a given vision fulfilled within ourselves, we will never see it accomplished. But we should be encouraged that if a vision is great and truly from God, it is not we who carry it, but it that carries us.
THE VISION PRODUCES GREATNESS
Fourth, the vision produces greatness. At the end of this passage we see that, as a result of the vision he had and as a result of following it, David prospered more and more and became greater and greater. If we too follow the vision God has given us for our life and ministry, then we, like David, will have God’s presence in our lives.
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 inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. (2 Samuel 5:9–10)
David’s entrance into Jerusalem, his prospering and his rise, were not by chance. They were the result of his dreaming and planning over a long time. If we want to get somewhere, we must first know where we are right now.
Second, we must know where we want to get to.
Third, we must know the steps needed to get there.
Fourth, we must ask ourselves the question of the cost — are we ready to pay it?
Fifth, gather people around you and pour your vision into them as well. Great dreams are never achieved alone. As we see in this case too, David never set out to capture Jerusalem before he had received the support of all the elders of Israel and of all Israel.
Sixth, begin to speak about your vision, and keep on saying it.
And seventh: never, never stop!