This Book continues the history, but finds David no longer an exile fleeing for his life. God's word concerning Saul has been fulfilled, and there remains no real obstacle to David's return to Judah, where he reigned over that tribe for 7 ½ years before the rest of the tribes accepted his authority. Thus it took time to bring about the subjection of his own people Israel, then much time afterwards to subdue other nations, so that David was characteristically a man of war. For this reason God did not allow him to build the temple, but reserved that privilege for Solomon, whose name means peaceableness.
David is therefore a type of Christ as gaining the kingdom by warfare and conquest, as will be the case through the Tribulation Period. Solomon is typical of Christ also, but as reigning in peace during the millennium. 2nd Samuel however illustrates the painful truth that man always fails to rightly represent the Lord Jesus. While David is a type of Christ, yet after chapter 10 we see him as being too greatly in contrast to his Lord in much of his history. He has to learn by painful experience that God's blessing him is only because of pure sovereign grace.