The books of 1 and 2 Samuel seek to ask and answer two important questions, namely:
Will kingship help Israel obey the terms of the old covenant and flourish in the Land of Promise?
Kingship will not help if the king is someone who refuses to obey the Lord and walk in his ways.What kind of king does Israel need?
They need a king who lives in submission to the Lord and leads the people in obedience.
For 2 Samuel 8:1–18, you will emphasize the work which David does to bring about rest for God’s people. Explain why he engages in various campaigns and how the Lord helps him to achieve battle victory. Make it clear that it is the work of God’s King which brings rest for God’s people (and not their own work).
1 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.