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The Book of Kings – 1Ki 2:1-11 “I go the Way of all the Earth: be thou Strong Therefore, and Shew Thyself a Man”

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1Ki 2:1-11 “I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man.”

[Study Aired July 8, 2021]

1Ki 2:1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, 
1Ki 2:2  I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; 
1Ki 2:3  And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: 
1Ki 2:4  That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel. 
1Ki 2:5  Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. 
1Ki 2:6  Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace. 
1Ki 2:7  But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother. 
1Ki 2:8  And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. 
1Ki 2:9  Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood. 
1Ki 2:10  So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. 
1Ki 2:11  And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 

David’s death is very significant as it signifies that time in Christ’s life when he said “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” of John 16:7.

Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

David is charging his son Solomon at this juncture in his life to keep the charge of the Lord thy God by walking “in his ways” while keeping his “statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments“. These statutes, commandments and judgments are types and shadows of “the law of Christ” which we keep when we are doers of the word who bear each other’s burdens (Gal 6:2-3).

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

[We deceive ourselves when we think our righteousness is something when it is less than nothing to God who is reminding us day after day as we die daily that only Christ can be Christ (1Co 1:30, Php 3:9)]

It takes the comforter, the power of the holy spirit within us, to be able to keep “the law of Christ”, and the function of that spirit is being explained to us in type and shadow via David who goes on to describe those who must die in order to avenge his life. The very next two verses in the book of John (Joh 16:7-8) explain the inward application of what David was charging Solomon to do and how we are avenged through God’s holy spirit which gives us the victory over our flesh as our enemies within are destroyed because Christ has gone the way of all flesh as a seed that dies (Joh 12:24), making it possible for the holy spirit to be sent so that we can be more than conquerors through him (Rom 8:36-37) who can now bring forth much fruit that “should remain” (Joh 16:7-8).

Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin [1Jn 2:16, Tit 2:12], and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die [Christ and Christ in His elect as our hope of glory (Gal 3:16, Col 1:27)], it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit [Joh 15:16].

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This section of Kings is very much an admonition to God’s elect ‘to be strong and show yourself a man’, which we will learn is only possible through “the man Christ Jesus” (Isa 33:22, Psa 18:17, Joh 8:36, 1Ti 2:5.

Isa 33:22  For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us. 

Psa 18:17  He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me [Rev 13:4]. 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

The Lord is showing us in this section of scripture the process from start to finish that God has ordained for his children so that we can go “the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man” through Christ our hope of glory within (Col 1:27).

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

1Ki 2:1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
1Ki 2:2  I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
1Ki 2:3  And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

As we die daily, we are getting our spiritual house in order, as David typified, by going to Solomon and telling him “be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies.” Christ is our strength who tells us also to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” so we can be as He is in this world (1Jn 4:17-18). Our strength will come about as a result of His judgments in our life which will nourish us (Num 14:9) as they teach us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts by putting off our flesh. His love will be perfected in us because of those judgments within our earth (Eph 6:10, Jer 22:29).

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. [1 John 4:17 explains what 1 Kings 2:2-3 is telling us typically in our day of judgment (1Pe 4:17)]
1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 

Jer 22:29  O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. 

The fruit of obeying God’s commandments comes about as a result of our committing all our ways unto the Lord as unto a faithful Creator (1Pe 4:19) who gives us that increase after we have watered and planted (1Co 3:6-7) so “that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself“. All the increase is of the Lord along with the desire and drive to water and plant in the first place as well (1Co 15:10, Php 2:12-13).

1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 
1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 

1Co 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

1Ki 2:4  That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

The symbolic meaning of these words which follow on the heels of our being made aware that our strength comes to us as a result of having God’s holy spirit within us, is that it is through God’s holy spirit that the word of God will continue to prevail through the ages and the gates of hell will not prevail against it within the church (Mat 16:18).

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [“there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel“]

These words “That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel” can be summarized with these verses in the new covenant: (Joh 17:20-21, Joh 13:35, Joh 8:32, Jer 29:13).

Joh 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; [“That the LORD may continue his word“]
Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 

Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another [1Co 10:17].

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. [We are made free because where the spirit of the Lord is, which quickens or empowers us, we are made free (Joh 6:63, 2Co 3:17)]

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart [“with all their heart and with all their soul“].

Will Christ find faith when he returns to the earth? Yes, but it will be as small as a grain of mustard seed which represents the kingdom of God that is currently within us in earnest (Luk 17:21) and will one day be the greatest of all trees (Mat 13:32). God has determined (Joh 15:1) who will be prepared and made ready from the foundation of the world as a royal priesthood (1Pe 2:9), and that promise is typified by this statement: “there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.”

Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Mat 13:32  Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. 

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: [Luk 17:10]

1Ki 2:5  Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. 
1Ki 2:6  Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace. 

If ever there was a statement in the bible that showed that David is yet carnal it’s these found in 1 Kings. On the other hand, the reason we know this is symbolic language is because God tells us they were ministering to us, meaning those who have God’s holy spirit within them making it possible for us to love our enemies as we are commanded to do (Mat 5:44). The enemy therefore within us is being typically represented by these men who did various things to David throughout his life (1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:12, 1Co 2:12-14). There is no love toward the enemy in these statements that typify how we must overcome our sinful nature at all cost and destroy everything that breathes (Jer 17:9). It also demonstrates that what these men sowed in their appointed time was going to reap a prophesied result. King David is telling us that we also will see this destruction of our old man within us if God is working with us in this age at this appointed time (Rom 8:37).

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This story about king David saying “let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace” is a way of instructing us to keep fighting a good fight of faith until our last breath against our old man, represented by what “Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet“. What we wrestle against is constantly trying to take away our peace and “shed the blood of war in peace” (Eph 6:12). However, God’s peace given to us through Jesus Christ passes all understanding, giving us victory over the enemy against which we wrestle, being blessed to keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Php 4:7).

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Putting “the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet” sounds very much like what Christ will do in the positive sense to these powers and principalities that once had dominion over us, keeping us enslaved by a power represented by “the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet” which we could not overcome until… (Rev 19:13-16, Rev 1:13).

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 
Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 
Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 
Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 

Rev 1:12  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 
Rev 1:13  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; [the positive hoary head that destroys the first Adam that has seven heads and ten horns (Rev 12:3, Rev 13:1, Rev 17:3)]
Rev 1:15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Joab represent powers and principalities within ourselves and others, that, for the time being, took away our peace, but now with the mind of Christ we are girded with truth, and having done all, can stand against these enemies of the cross both within and without ourselves (Act 20:31-32). There are three names named in this verse, showing the process of overcoming, and scripture often says “the son of” to remind us that we were all of our father the devil at our appointed time, ‘the son of…’. In this case JoabH3097 “Jehovah is father” the son of ZeruiahH6870 “balsam/wounded” murdering AbnarH7 “my father is a lamp” son of
NerH7 “lamp” and
AmasaH6021 “burden” son of
JetherH3500 “abundance”.

Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 
Act 20:32  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. 

1Ki 2:7  But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother. 

These sons of BarzillaiH1271 “my iron” really represent those who have shown themselves as strong men who were willing to lay down their life for their king: “I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man“.

Iron can be both positive and negative in the scripture, but in this case the “iron-hearted” sons of Barzillai represent the positive expression of iron. The reward God’s elect receive when we fight a good fight of faith is “let them be of those that eat at thy table” (Heb 13:10), that table representing the meat for which we labor that does not perish (Joh 6:27).

This story reminds us that God is faithful to reward those who diligently seek him (Heb 11:6), and that we must “be thou strong” and confident in our hearts (Jos 1:9, Heb 10:35-37) and must be about our Father’s business (Luk 2:49) knowing He will provide the meat for us to endure whatever we have to endure in His service (Php 1:6, Joh 4:32, 1Jn 4:17) that is being accomplished not by might or power but by His holy spirit, the choice oil that comes from the “choice olive” (Zec 4:6). These sons of Barzillai came to David’s help when he was fleeing from “Absalom thy brother”, which also reminds us that, at the appointed time in our trials and temptations if God is saving us in this age, He will deliver us through Christ and “not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (Jas 1:12, Heb 10:37, 1Co 10:13).

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 

Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 
Heb 10:39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; [confidence in their flesh (Heb 6:6)] but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. [“I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man” (no confidence in our flesh Php 3:3)]

1Ki 2:8  And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. 
1Ki 2:9  Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.

It is “ShimeiH8096 the son of GeraH1617, a BenjamiteH1145 of BahurimH4480 H980” who brings this grievous curse on David in the day that he “went to MahanaimH4266“. The names along with the locations to which David went when he received this curse should help us understand what the holy spirit was causing to happen for our sakes upon whom the end of the ages have come (1Co 10:11, 2Pe 1:21).

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 

2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Shimei is renowned or famous in the earth, and reminds us of the two hundred and fifty men of renown in Numbers 16:2 (Luk 6:26), and his father’s name confirms this, which means “grain”: GeraH1617. The grain needs to die in each of us in order for the new man to be born (Joh 12:24), and Shimei was still alive at this point before David’s death. Our old man is “six Israelites”, GeraH1617, and the new man working in us is Christ [#8] who brings about that completion [#7] of the new creation. That process of destroying the six Israelites within us is what brings about the completed new man in fullness, represented by the number eight, and this is accomplished through the judgment which begins at the house of God, and then the rest of the world will be judged (1Pe 4:17, Rev 17:11, Joh 7:37) at the great white throne judgment (Rev 20:11-15). As well, God is showing us what He is doing with our sinful nature with these confirming verses that relate to the “twenty Israelites [Shimei]” (Num 32:11, Exo 30:13-14).

Rev 17:11  And the beast [#6] that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition [#7, #8].

Num 32:11  Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: [The negative example of twenty years and above.]

Exo 30:13  This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. 
Exo 30:14  Every one that passeth among them that are numbered (Eph 2:8), from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD [positive example of twenty years and above].

This grievous curse toward David happened at Mahanaim [“two camps” = double minded (Jas 1:8)], from one whose name [Shimei] means [“renowned” = in the earth (Num 16:2, Num 16:32)],  and so it is no wonder that it was at the Jordan where David would say “sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword” just as John the Baptist who said “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” at the Jordan, which would witness to the double-mindedness having been put away if such fruit would manifest (Mat 3:8). Time had transpired however, and in 1Kings 2:19 David saw that no fruit of repentance had been borne in the life of “Shimei” and therefore he says: “Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood“(Luk 13:8, Luk 13:25, Rev 3:7, Rev 22:11).

Luk 13:8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 
Luk 13:9  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down [“but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood“].

Luk 13:25  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Rev 22:11  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 

1Ki 2:10  So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

We are called to rest in the Lord, and that rest comes about as a result of the putting to death of our enemies within, as David did for us typically in the verses we have looked at tonight (Heb 4:11, 1Ti 6:12).

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

To be “buried in the city of David” is typical of our dying daily and being raised into heavenly places represented by “the city of David“.

1Ki 2:11  And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in HebronH2275 H2267, and thirty and three years reigned he in JerusalemH3389.

This last verse of our study speaks to us of the days that we live in our flesh, until we “go the way of all the earth” represented by seven years that David reigned in Hebron representing our time in Babylon, where we were under the spell of earthly charmers having our seat of association in the earth and not in heavenly places, and then, if we are called and chosen and faithful to the end of this life in Christ, it will require that each of God’s elect “be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man” through Christ, for “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Act 4:12).

That strength to be saved is something that comes about as we are nourished through our trials which judgment will bring with it as we are raised in heavenly places above (Jerusalem above) symbolically stated this way: “thirty and three years reigned he in JerusalemH3389“. That time is the symbolic number of times Christ must rule and reign in our hearts to give us power over the beast which mankind is 3+3=6. (Ecc 3:18, Rev 13:18, Rev 11:3). It is Christ’s peace that passes all understanding that can only come from Jerusalem above.  His peace in us, just like the word “Jerusalem” shows us, is an ongoing (Qal) work that is “to be complete, be finished, be ended” and that will be accomplished by the author and finisher of our salvation Jesus Christ (Gal 4:26, Jas 1:17, Heb 12:2-5, Php 1:6). The world will try to take away our peace, but through Christ we can resist those spiritual attacks unto the shedding of blood as were granted his faith (1Jn 5:4).

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 

Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (Rom 3:27, 1Co 1:26)

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts [Isa 59:8]. 

Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. 

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

David reigned over Hebron and Jerusalem for forty years symbolizes that it is through much tribulation (40) that we will enter into the kingdom of God (Act 14:22).

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

God’s elect must “go the way of all the earth” which is to die; the difference being we die daily (1Co 15:31), and that death is precious unto God (Psa 116:15). If we are granted to endure until the end, the symbolic ten days in this flesh, which is a prison or pit we are in (Rev 2:10), God will receive all the glory for giving us that victory through Jesus Christ so we can “shew yourself a man“, a manchild (Gal 3:28, Rev 12:5).

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation [40] ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 

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