043-2 Samuel 23:8-23 Be A Mighty Man of God Pastor Phil Ballmaier 6-25-17 The Book of 2 Samuel chronicles David’s rise to power as Israel’s second, and possibly greatest king in their history. His reign covered forty years (seven in Hebron over the tribe of Judah; and thirty-three years as king over all of Israel). David’s reign, although glorious, wasn’t free from controversy and shame. His sin with Bathsheba, the rebellion in his own family with regard to Absalom and his numbering of the people leading to God’s judgment were a few of the darker events of David’s later years as king. Approximately half of the book tells of King David’s success and the other half shows his failures. Overall the Holy Spirit lifts David up in the pages of Scripture as a man after God’s heart—a man who loved God and never worshiped an idol. And as such he became the standard the Lord used to judge all the other kings of Israel and Judah by—the degree to which “they walked in the steps of their father David.”