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Okay, you can turn in your Bibles
to 2 Samuel chapter 23. 2 Samuel chapter 23. Essentially what we have in 2
Samuel 23 are the last words of David and then a list of David's
mighty men. Because I didn't want to just
tack on David's mighty men tonight, we're going to look at David's
mighty men next week, God willing. So we'll take up the last words
of David, specifically chapter 23, verses 1 to 7. I'll read
the passage now. Now these are the last words
of David. Thus says David, the son of Jesse. Thus says the man raised up on
high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist
of Israel. The Spirit of the Lord spoke
by me, and his word was on my tongue. The God of Israel said,
the rock of Israel spoke to me. He who rules over men must be
just, ruling in the fear of God. and he shall be like the light
of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, like
the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining
after rain. Although my house is not so with
God, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered
in all things and secure, for this is all my salvation and
all my desire. Will he not make it increase?
But the sons of rebellion shall be as thorns thrust away, because
they cannot be taken with hands. But the man who touches them
must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they shall
be utterly burned with fire in their place. Amen. So in the
specific context, chapters 21 to 24 are a final assessment
of David's reign, and they are generally positive. It sets the
stage for chapters 1 and 2 in 1 Kings when Solomon ascends
the throne. And David here speaks his last
words, not the last things he ever said, because he charges
Solomon in 1 Kings 2, 1 to 9, but his last official words,
his last words on record. As Davis says, David's last words
might be compared to the blessing of Isaac in Genesis 27, Jacob
in Genesis 49, and Moses in Deuteronomy 33 before their deaths. But this
text doesn't exactly fit that mold. It is not a blessing on
persons, but a prophecy about the kingdom. This passage with
chapter 22 stands at the center of 2 Samuel 21-24. The psalm
of chapter 22 looks back upon how Yahweh established the kingdom. The prophecy of chapter 23 verses
1-7 looks forward to how Yahweh will consummate the kingdom.
And so essentially what we have is perspective from the part
of David concerning the future of the kingdom under the Lord
Jesus Christ. And I hope that we can demonstrate
that tonight. So as we look at the last words
of David, we want to consider six things. First, the speaker
of the words, verse 1a. Secondly, the subject of the
words, verse 1b. Thirdly, the source of the words
in verse 2. Fourth, the description of the
king in verses 3 and 4. The covenant that pledges the
king in verse 5. And then the exclusivity of the
kingdom in verses 6 and 7. So he speaks about the king,
and in that as well we learn something concerning the kingdom
that will be administered are administrated by the Lord Jesus
Christ. But note in the first place,
the speaker of the words, verse 1. Now these are the last words
of David. Again, not the last thing he
ever said, but the last recorded or the last official words of
David. Now, note secondly the subject
of the words. I'm going to ask you to think
with me here a little bit, not that I don't ever want you to
not think, but there is a difference of interpretation concerning
who the focus is on in the remaining verses. Notice, it says, thus
says David, the son of Jesse, thus says the man raised up on
high, the anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist
of Israel. Now there is an interpretation,
reflective of what we read here, that it is in fact concerned
with David. David is the son of Jesse. That
stresses his humble beginnings. Remember, Jesse himself was alarmed
that David would be called for, or be called for to Samuel in
terms of the possibility of kingship. Notice that he's described as
the man raised up on high. David was certainly exalted.
He came from those humble beginnings as a son of Jesse, and he's exalted
on high. He's lifted up. He is raised
up by God for service as the king over Israel. Notice it goes
on to describe him as the anointed of the God of Jacob. Now, the
anointed there, the English word translates the Hebrew word Messiah. The Greek equivalent is Christ.
So Messiah, Christ, anointed, those are all synonymous terms.
And David was an anointed of the God of Jacob in the Old Covenant.
He was God's Christ or Messiah in that Old Covenant setting
when he reigned. Later on, even Cyrus, king of
Persia, is called a Christ. He's called an anointed one because
God raises him up to bring to naught the nation or the kingdom
of Babylon. And then notice, David is described
under this interpretation as the sweet psalmist of Israel. Certainly, David composed the
majority of the Psalms, and he was a man known for that particular
skill or that particular art. His claim to fame when we first
meet him is that he plays music to calm Saul when Saul's in one
of those frenzies that he goes through from time to time. So the Davidic interpretation
indicates that everything from thence on describes, at least
to some degree, David's reign over Israel and that it does
in fact typify the Lord Jesus Christ. But there's another interpretation
that reads this way. Notice in verse 1, thus says
David the son of Jesse, thus says the man raised up concerning
the anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel.
Now the preposition on high as it's read here in the New King
James is reflective of what's called the Masoretic text. Now,
some have reflected upon the fact that the Masoretic Text
oftentimes, or at least sometimes, tried to diminish or smooth out
or correct some specifically Christological readings. The
Masoretic Text was worked on about the 7th century to the
10th century AD, so long after the time when Jesus came and
the New Testament was written and all that sort of thing was
happening. I think we're on here. OK. So the Masoretes, some claim,
when there was a particularly messianic reading and it pointed
to Jesus, they may have not always translated it in keeping with
that Jesus interpretation. Now, that's not to say we get
rid of the Masoretic text, but certainly it's necessary to compare
passages. The Greek translation of the
Old Testament translates a Hebrew word a bit differently. Notice,
thus says the man raised up, concerning. And when we translate
it concerning, then it's Jesus who is the anointed of the God
of Jacob. It's Jesus who's the sweet psalmist
of Israel. Literally, also translated as
the favorite of the songs of Israel. And I suspect and I believe
that what we have here is not David describing or reflecting
upon his kingdom and upon his rule, but he is looking forward
to his greater son that will rule with the authority of God
Most High. And I think that the context
evidences this in many ways. So the translation issue, the
Greek Septuagint translates it or has it as concerning the anointed
of the God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel. I think the
context indicates that David is speaking about someone other
than himself. He is speaking about the anointed
of the God of Jacob to come. Not Him, not Him in particular,
but His greater Son, the one promised in that Davidic covenant
in 2 Samuel 7. Remember, God had promised to
David that from His seed, He would raise up one who would
sit upon the throne and He would rule and reign forever. Well,
the fact is that Messiah, Christ, the Lord Jesus, is already in
the context. Notice at the end of chapter
22. He speaks of Yahweh and he says he is the tower of salvation
to his king and shows mercy to his anointed, to his Christ,
to David and his descendants forevermore. So David's already
thinking about descendants forevermore. As well, note the description
of this covenantal king in verses 3 and 4. Notice specifically
in verse 3, he who rules over men. It's not simply an Israelite
king. It's not simply a Judean king,
but rather it's a comprehensive king, or a king rather with a
comprehensive reign and rule. He rules over men. As well, note
the specific contrast in verse 5. After describing this king
in verses 3 and 4, David says in verse 5, although my house
is not so with God. Now that sounds like a discrepancy
or could appear to be a contradiction. If David is describing his own
reign in verses 3 and 4, it would be very odd for David to then
say in verse 5, although my house is not so with God. A couple
English versions try to fix that particular problem. The ESV and
the New American Standard Bible make it a question. Verse 5,
something to the effect of, although my house, or is my house this
way with God? Yet because of this he established
his covenant. But there's no question indicator
in verse 5a whatsoever. The NIV assumes that David's
house was in fact such a house as described in verses 3 and
4, and as a result, God made the Davidic covenant with David.
which I think is absolutely not what is going on in the passage. There's a contrast. He is David
the son of Jesse, the man raised up, speaking concerning the anointed
of the God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel. Verse 5,
he said, although my house is not so with God, yet He has made
me an everlasting covenant. He appeals again to 2 Samuel
7 and the reality that God will raise up a Davidic king from
his line. And then we need to ask the question,
what is David's confidence at the end of his life? I don't
think it's looking back over his past reign and banking Israel's
future upon that. David's reign was good. 8.15
indicates that it was filled with justice and judgment, but
it wasn't a perfect reign. David's confidence is the one
promise. David's confidence is in the
one whom God will send to save his people from their sins. And
then, as I said, the subject of the Psalms. Notice in verse
1 at the very end, "...and the sweet psalmist of Israel." It
could be translated and is literally the favorite of the songs of
Israel. Jesus is the favorite of the
songs of Israel. This also indicates to us something
about how we ought to treat the book of Psalms. David's purpose
in the Psalms is to set forth Jesus Christ. David's purpose
in the Psalms is, in the first place, messianic. He is setting
before us the Lord of glory, the one who will come to judge
His people, to bring in justice, to bring in righteousness, and
to deal with the enemies of God Most High. So if we go back to
verse 1, and we read, Thus says David the son of Jesse, thus
says the man raised up concerning. This now introduces to us the
subject of his words, the anointed of the God of Jacob, that's the
Lord Jesus Christ, that's the one to come. And then he is indeed
the favorite of the songs of Israel. So that what we have
here is a messianic prophecy concerning the time of our Lord
Jesus Christ. This is the subject matter that
occupies David so much in the Psalms, and this is the subject
matter that occupies David when he comes to his last words. The last thing that he wants
to pass on in terms of an official record, in terms of a parting
charge, or a parting prophecy rather, is to point Israel to
the Lord Jesus Christ. He is preaching Christ in verses
1 to 7. Now notice, the source of the
words. He does this by the Holy Spirit. Verse 2, the Spirit of the Lord
spoke by me. Now, we hold to the doctrine
of divine inspiration. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3 that
all scripture is given by inspiration of God. It's profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for instruction in right... I'm sorry, doctrine,
reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness that the man
of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. David ascribes
his words not to himself, not to some midnight romp in the
woods where he found some inspiration. He says, the Spirit of the Lord
spoke by me. Matthew Henry makes this comment.
He says, David here avows his divine inspiration, that in his
Psalms and in this composition, the Spirit of God spoke by him. He says, this puts an honor upon
the book of Psalms, and recommends them to our use in our devotions,
that they are words which the Holy Ghost teaches. If anyone
ever asks you, why do you think that the Bible is unlike any
other book? Certainly 2 Timothy 3.16 is a
go-to text, but so is 2 Samuel 23 too. When David, the king
of Israel, says, the Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and we
know that David wrote the bulk of the Psalms in this altar,
We realize that there is something more than a man who has some
musical ability, who picks up his pen and writes odes to the
God of Israel. The Spirit of the Lord spoke
by him. The Spirit of the Lord, continuing
in verse 2, his word was on my tongue. We not only speak of
the doctrine of divine inspiration, but we speak of verbal plenary
inspiration. And verbal plenary inspiration
refers to all of the text. Plenary means full, every jot
and tittle. Do you realize that the Apostle
Paul hinges a theological argument on the plural form or the singular
form of the word seed in the book of Galatians. The argument
is that he does not make this promise concerning seeds, but
seed, and he wants us to know that he's referring to the Lord
Jesus Christ. It's not just the concepts, it's
not just the themes, it's not just the ideas, that wasn't the
only thing given by God the Spirit to the authors of sacred writ.
But it was the words themselves. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction,
and instruction in righteousness. So the speaker of the words is
King David. The subject of the words is the
anointed of the God of Jacob. the favorite one of the Songs
of Israel. It's about the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the source from which these words flow are the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's task is to
bring glory to Jesus. The Holy Spirit's task, or one
of the tasks, is to spotlight the Lord Christ. And interestingly
enough, here's the Spirit of the Lord in an Old Covenant passage.
I think there's this idea that the Spirit came first on the
day of Pentecost. That is absolutely incorrect.
Remember when David prays his prayer of repentance in Psalm
51. Take not thine Holy Spirit from
me. me. The Spirit is active in the
Old Testament. The triune God is active in the
Old Testament. It's not just one person of the
Trinity that we see the focus on in the Old Testament. In fact,
we're going to see a reference in this very passage to the Trinity
himself. But the Spirit is active in the
Old Testament. I would describe what happened
on the Day of Pentecost. It was more of a quantitative
difference. In other words, the Spirit was
poured out in a way He had not been prior to that. Joel prophesied
that the Spirit would come in power, and that takes place on
the Day of Pentecost. So he's poured out quantitatively
in a larger measure than perhaps had happened before, but it's
not the case that there was no Holy Spirit in the Old Testament,
for David ascribes his words to the Spirit of the living God
himself. Now notice, he goes on to describe
the king, the king that will come, the king that will reign,
the king that's been identified as the anointed of the God of
Jacob and the favorite of the songs of Israel. Note first,
before we look at the description, the speakers involved. Verse
3, the God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me. Intriguing, isn't it? Now maybe
he's just further defining, but it could be the case that he's
making a distinction. He's making what Turretin would
later say, we distinguish. He speaks of the God of Israel.
He speaks of the Rock of Israel. These speak through the agency
of the Holy Spirit. I don't think it's a stretch
to find here in verses 2 and 3 a reference to the triune God.
I don't think typically when we argue with Jehovah's Witnesses,
2 Samuel 23 is a go-to text to prove the Trinity. But for David,
he saw distinction in the Godhead. He knew there was one true and
living God. As a faithful Jew, he would have
confessed the Shema each and every day. Hear, O Israel, the
Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. But there
is that distinction of persons in the Godhead. In fact, I argue
that the Trinity is in chapter 1 of the book of Genesis. And
not where you may think. Genesis chapter 1. We certainly
have that plural form used in verse 26. Then God said, let
us make man in our image. The plural there. Some have tried
to explain that away. but I take it as a reference
to the triune God, the Godhead of persons, the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. But notice, even in verse 1,
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The
earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face
of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face
of the waters. I've never understood why we
don't think the Spirit is active and present in the Old Testament.
We have a reference to God, we have a reference to the Holy
Spirit. We know that God spoke and it came to pass, right? Look
at Psalm 33. Psalm 33, this just highlights
or underscores or reiterates what's going on in Genesis 1.
Notice in Psalm 33, verse 6, by the word of the Lord, the
heavens were made. It's a rendering for logos in
the Greek New Testament. It's not just word, it can also
be speech. In fact, if you read Calvin's
commentaries on John 1, in the beginning was the word and the
word was with God and the word was God. John Calvin translates
it there as speech. So God spoke, and it came into
being. The psalmist says, by the word
of the Lord, the heavens were made. Well, who's the word of
the Lord according to John 1? It is our Lord Jesus Christ.
So in Genesis chapter 1, verses 1 and 2, we have a reference
to God. We hear him speak. That word
is Christ the Son, and the Spirit is brooding over the waters.
So it's not a stretch to see the Trinity in the Old Testament,
and I suspect that's what's going on here, specifically in chapter
23 of 2 Samuel, verses 2 and 3. The Spirit of the Lord spoke
by me. The God of Israel said. The Rock
of Israel spoke to me. Listen to John Gill. He speaks
concerning the second person, the Rock. He says, "...or the
second divine person, the Son and Word of God is meant, who
is often called a rock in Scripture, and is the rock on which the
Israel or Church of God is built, and in whom it remains safe and
firm, the gates of hell not being able to prevail against it."
And so here is an instance and proof of a trinity of persons
in the Godhead, the God of Israel, Jehovah the Father, the Rock
of Israel, Jehovah the Son, and the Spirit of Jehovah, as in
the preceding verse, who is Jehovah the Spirit. You see, David knew
his theology, David knew his God. He knew there was one God
who exists eternally in three persons, the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, the
same in substance, equal in power and glory. And David acknowledges
that, and David highlights that reality as he goes on now to
describe the king. Notice specifically his description
in 3B. He who rules over men must be
just. Again, don't miss that comprehensive
rule. David has expanded his scope. David knows that his rule has
been over Israel. David knows that his rule has
been concentrated on a particular body, Politech. But the one whom
he's speaking of, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the favorite
of the songs of Israel, this one rules over men. His kingdom
is comprehensive, His kingdom is all-inclusive, His kingdom
is expanse, His empire is universal. Notice, He goes on to say that
He must be just. And several places in the Psalms,
and several places in the prophets highlight this is the character
of the Messiah. You can turn to Psalm 72. Psalm
72. Everybody with me, we're dealing
with Jesus as the subject of the prophecy, and David's not
so much musing upon himself and his record. He makes the contrast,
but although my house is not that way, but God has established
His covenant. He's describing the one who will
come from His seed, even our Lord Jesus. Notice in Psalm 72,
a psalm rather of Solomon. Give the king your judgments
and your righteousness to the king's son. He will judge your
people with righteousness and your poor with justice. The mountains
will bring peace to the people and the little hills by righteousness.
He will bring justice to the poor of the people. He will save
the children of the needy and will break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear you as long as
the sun and moon endure. Throughout all generations, he
shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, like
showers that water the earth. In his days, the righteous shall
flourish and abundance of peace until the moon is no more. Note
his universal empire, verse eight. He shall have dominion also from
sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. Those
who dwell in the wilderness will bow before him and his enemies
will lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of
the Isles will bring presents. The kings of Sheba and Seba will
offer gifts. Yes, all kings shall fall down
before him. All nations shall serve him. Solomon learned Christology from
his father David, who understood the coming Messiah. And Solomon
writes this concerning the one who was to come from his vantage
point. Notice the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah
chapter 11. Specifically verses 1 to 10,
we'll just pick out a few points here. 11.1. There shall come
forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow
out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall
rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the
Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of
the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of
the Lord. He shall not judge by the sight of his eyes, nor
decide by the hearing of his ears." I think I've shared with
you before, there was a Jewish expectation that Messiah would
be blind. That Messiah would be blind and
deaf based on this particular passage. The idea is, is that
he's impartial. He judges according to righteousness
and justice. He doesn't judge by the sight
of his eyes nor decide by the hearing of his ears. He does
so impartially, he does so consistently, he does so according to justice
and equity. But with righteousness he shall
judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with
the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness
shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of
His ways. Keep these passages in mind, because as we go back
to see David's prophecy in 2 Samuel 23, he follows the same trajectory. He describes the nature of the
Messiah, he describes the reign of the Messiah, and then he highlights
the exclusivity of the Messiah. In other words, there will be
those who do not submit and they will be crushed, they will be
dashed to pieces. Just like it says here, "...he
shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the
breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked." It's not the case
that universalism is true. It's not the case that every
single human being on the face of the earth will be redeemed.
When Christ comes, he comes to his own, his own receive him
not. They say, away with him, away
with him, crucify him. They have him executed. On the
third day, he's raised from the dead, he ascends on high, It's
not the case that every human being accepts or receives the
grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. There are enemies
of the kingdom the king is perfectly equipped to deal with. He will
exclude them, he will punish them. But the point here is that
what we find in the Psalms and in the prophets confirm what
David is speaking here concerning Jesus. Notice in Jeremiah the
prophet in chapter 23, verse 5. This is just a sampling of text,
by the way. We can multiply text. And that's
not preacher talk. That's reality. There's a whole
host of passages throughout the Psalter and throughout the Prophets
that testify concerning the justice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice
in 23.5, Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I
will raise to David a branch of righteousness. Isn't that
interesting? That language of branch is used
very often, or sprout is used very often concerning Jesus.
It's in our passage in 2 Samuel 7. It comes up in Psalm 132 as
well. This idea of sprout or branch
has a partial meaning of increase. It will go forward. I will raise
to David a branch of righteousness, a king shall reign and prosper
and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In his days Judah
will be saved and Israel will dwell safely. Now this is his
name by which he will be called the Lord our righteousness. Isn't
that a great title? Do we ever refer to Jesus as
the Lord our righteousness? Because he is. We're not righteous
in our own strength. It's not the case that God's
going to accept us because Jim is our righteousness. It's because
the Lord Jesus is our righteousness. And what marks, what punctuates,
what characterizes His rule and His reign? It's justice. And
we ought to take great comfort and encouragement by that. We
live in an unjust world filled with sin and depravity and wickedness.
I mean, every single day it's like the wicked find new ways
to excel. They find new ways to engage
in vile and wretched sorts of things. And people look around
and they say, is there no justice? Is there no righteousness? It
may not be in our generation, but there's a day coming when
justiceness will be met out, when justice will be visited
upon the heads of all the wicked. And this is what David is pointing
to. He is pointing to that one whose
characteristic attribute of reign and rule is justice. He goes
on in 2 Samuel 23. It says that he rules in the
fear of God. We just saw that in the prophet
Isaiah. We see that in Hebrews 5, who because of his godly fear
was hurt. Now fear doesn't mean always
hiding underneath the table because a bear just walked into the sanctuary.
Fear is reverence. Fear is to understand who God
is. He's holy, He's righteous, He's
almighty, He is powerful. The Lord Christ has that reverence,
that fear of His Father with reference to the economy of redemption. And it says that he rules in
the fear of God. And isn't this what we want?
We don't want a man who rules without the fear of God. What
is that that characterizes godly leaders? It's that they fear
the Lord. In fact, in the book of Exodus,
in Exodus 18, this was a prerequisite for choosing leaders. This was
the counsel given to Moses in terms of the sorts of men he
ought to pick, or the sorts of men that he ought to choose to
help him lead. Moses' father-in-law, Jethro,
in verse 17 of Exodus 18, said to him, the thing that you do
is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will
surely wear yourselves out, for this thing is too much for you.
You're not able to perform it by yourself. Listen now to my
voice, I will give you counsel and God will be with you. Stand
before God for the people so that you may bring the difficulties
to God. And you shall teach them the
statutes and the laws and show them the way in which they must
walk and the work they must do. Moreover, you shall select from
all the people able men such as Fear God. You see, this was
to be characteristic of a ruler in Israel. It wasn't supposed
to be a humanist, wasn't supposed to be a secularist, wasn't supposed
to be an atheist or a God-hater. No, if a man was going to occupy
a position of leadership and authority, he must fear God.
So when David is musing about the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favorite of the songs of Israel, he describes him as one
whose rule is just and who rules in the fear of God. We go back
to 2 Samuel 23. That's the nature or rather the
description of the king. Note the results of his reign. Verse 4. It says, And he shall
be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning
without clouds. Now, I think that has a special
sort of connection with those of us who live in a rainy climate,
doesn't it? I mean, if you lived in Jamaica
or you lived in Palmdale, California, you don't feel it as much, I'm
convinced. When you've got sunshine, you
know, 364 days out of the year, passages like these don't tend
to grip you as much as they do for some of us, you know, when
it gets to January or February. And those of us who even like
the rain, by January, it gets a little bit dark and a little
bit old after a while. I mean, it gets a little bit,
you know, depressing. He shall be like the light of
the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, like
the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining
after rain. It's a beautiful and a poetic
description of the effects of the rain of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. like the light of the morning
when the sun rises. The prophet Isaiah in chapter
9, it's echoed or paralleled or rather quoted by Matthew in
Matthew 4, 15-16. In fact, turn to the Matthew
4, 15-16 passage. I remember preaching on this
passage, the dawn of the messianic light. It's at the very beginning,
or just prior to the statement concerning Jesus' public ministry. Remember that he's baptized,
he goes out into the wilderness, and then notice in chapter 4,
verse 12. Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,
he departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, he came
and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions
of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and
the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region
and shadow of death, light has dawned. From that time, Jesus
began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand. The light has come into the world. Doesn't Jesus describe himself
as the light of the world? And yet men prefer darkness.
They love darkness rather than light. They don't want to come
to the light, lest their evil deeds are exposed. But David
is describing for us the very nature of Christ's reign, Christ's
rule, Christ's glory. And he says, the effect of it
shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a
morning without clouds, like the tender grass springing out
of the earth by clear shining after rain. Davis says, verse
4 is not hopelessly obscure. It depicts via imagery of light,
sun, rain, and grass, the reviving, refreshing, renewing effects
of this ruler's reign. Freshness and vitality ooze out
of verse 4, no matter how one translates it. David points us
to a coming universal ruler who rules righteously and therefore
renews and refreshes what and whom he rules. I think that's
a very apt description or commentary on what we find here in verse
4 that is the effect of the Messiah's rule, the Messiah's reign, the
people of God benefit. There is reviving, refreshing,
and renewing for the people of God under the Lord Jesus Christ. Now notice, he moves from the
description of the king to the covenant that pledges the king. Notice in verse 5, although my
house is not so with God, he's just described the perfect or
the ideal king. He's just described that the
one who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
Now David was a good man, David was a godly man, but David wasn't
that man that he just described. That man he just described is
the anointed of the God of Jacob, the favorite of the songs of
Israel. David says, although my house is not so with God. The sin of David himself. You
know what's really interesting in the list of warriors, David's
mighty men, who's the last one? Uriah the Hittite. I have said
and suggested that 21 to 24 is a positive assessment of David's
reign as king, but it's not a perfect assessment of David's reign as
king. When we read Uriah the Hittite
in verse 39, We remember, don't we? David isn't the perfect king. David isn't the ideal king. David
got to where he was because of the grace of God. And David is
pointing us to the ideal, to the perfect king, to the one
who would come, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem
those under the law. Yes, seed of David according
to his humanity, but son of God according to his deity. So David
here describes for us the Lord Christ. So he says, although
my house is not so with God. The sin of David, chapters 11
and 12. And the Yahweh imposed judgment upon him and his house.
God says that the sword will never depart from your house.
God says I'll raise up adversity from within your house. And God
says your wives are going to be publicly defiled for what
you have done with Uriah the Hittite and his wife. As well,
David's house contained the man Amnon. We read of Amnon, we learned
of Amnon in chapter 13. What was his claim to fame? Incestual
rape of his sister Tamar. This is how David's sons conducted
themselves. Now we see why he can say, although
my house is not so with God. What happens subsequent to Amnon's
rape of Tamar? Absalom takes him out. Absalom
didn't have the authority, he didn't have the prerogative.
I mean, on one certain level, we understand his response. When
somebody incestually raped our sisters or our daughters or something
like that, it would rise up in us to want to take them out.
So on the one hand, we understand what drives Absalom, but we cannot
condone it because it was not his prerogative. And yet, nevertheless,
this is what happens under David's watch. And then afterwards, we
have the usurpation of Absalom to the throne of David. I mean,
he basically kicks David off the throne. He schmoozes the
people of Israel, he wins the popular support, such that David
is exiled from his kingdom. David has to leave. So when we
get to verse 5, although my house is not so with God, we understand
precisely what he is saying, and then we understand why he
invokes God's covenant. So the thought that it's not,
or that it is, and that's the reason why God made covenant
with us, that's just not in the text. The contrast is sharp. Although my house is not so with
God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant. It's
almost like this. Because it's so messed up, God
stepped in and imposes this covenant in order to set things straight.
God undertakes because if it's left to the navigation of men,
we will run the kingdom right on the rocks. And this is what
the subsequent history of the kings of Judah and Israel demonstrate. These weren't righteous, God-fearing
men ruling with justice. These were men that left to themselves
would have taken the kingdom and would have certainly run
it right into the ground. a cliff. So he grounds this,
he highlights this, and he indicates that the very prospect of a future
kingdom is because of God's covenant. The yet in the text underscores
God's graciousness. The everlasting covenant in view
is that covenant we've looked at in 2 Samuel chapter 7. It is the reality that God will
raise up a seed from David to sit upon the throne. In fact,
let's refresh our memories on that promise. 2 Samuel chapter
7, David is sitting in his house, musing upon the fact that he's
sitting in his house. And he says, it's not good that
I'm sitting in a house of panel and the Lord is dwelling in a
tent. I know I want to make him a house. So Nathan thinks that's
a good idea. And then God says to Nathan,
no, I don't want David to do this. It's a good thing that's
in your head. It's a good thing that's in your heart. However,
it's not going to be under you. Notice specifically, at the end
of verse 11, the Lord tells you that He will make you a house.
See, the issue isn't David making a house for God, but God making
a dynasty of David. The word house there has that
meaning. The marginal reading is correct.
It's a dynasty, a dynasty of kings, a succession of kings
that will lead to Jesus. Notice in verse 12, when your
days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set
up your seat after you who will come from your body and I will
establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my
name. Isn't that what Jesus does? Isn't
that the whole point in Matthew 16? When Jesus says, I will build
my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
What's Jesus asserting there? That Jesus is the son of God
who is building a house for God. Jesus is the son of David who
is building a house for God. So he says, he shall build a
house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom
forever. I will be his father, and he
shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, that's
not a reference to Christ. Remember that at the giving of
the Davidic covenant, there was a succession of Judean kings. And if they commit iniquity,
he will chasten them with the rod of men and with the blows
of the sons of men. But my mercy shall not depart
from him as I took it from Saul." In other words, I'm going to
preserve the line, the Davidic line through the kings of Judah,
such till Jesus comes. That's the point. As I took it
from Saul, whom I removed from before you, and your house and
your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne
shall be established forever. So what God says in this particular
statement is that death does not annul the promise. Death
does not annul the promise. In other words, David, you're
going to die, Solomon's going to die, other Judean kings are going
to die, but the promise lives on. As well, sin cannot destroy
the promise. Try as they might, those Judean
kings aren't going to shipwreck the kingdom. Try as hard as they
may, and there are times when you actually think they are trying
to destroy the kingdom by their apostasy from Yahweh. Try as
hard as they might, and sin as they will, that will not destroy
this covenant. And time will not exhaust it. In other words, it's not the
case that there's this short-lived period. It will be realized in
the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will sit upon the throne forever. That will establish the throne
of David forever. Now turn to Luke chapter 1. Luke
chapter 1. I don't know if you're like me,
but I like to see how the Bible all works together. I like to
see the connection. I like to see the consistency.
I like to see the consent of the parts, the unity of the whole,
and the scope. And the scope is the glory of
God Most High. And it's this covenant that ushers
this along. Notice in Luke chapter 1 verse
31, And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth
a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and
will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will
give him the throne of his father David. What do you think is in
the background? It's 2 Samuel 7. It's 2 Samuel
23 verse 5. It's the Davidic covenant. He will be great and will be
called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house
of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
Turn over to Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2, incidentally,
where we're told that David was a prophet. You know, David is
prophesying in 2 Samuel 23, 1 to 7. Some would say, well, I thought
David was a king. I thought David was a poet. David
was a prophet as well, and he's prophesying specifically in 2
Samuel 23. And notice what Peter says in
Acts 2, 29. Men and brethren, let me speak
freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and
buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. It's on the heels
of a quote from Psalm 16. David wrote Psalm 16, but it
speaks of one who will not seek corruption. And then he says
in verse 30, Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God
had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body,
according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on
his throne. He, foreseeing this, spoke concerning
the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in
Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has
raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted
to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father
the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you
now see and hear." Notice what Peter says. He says specifically,
being a prophet, knowing that God had sworn with an oath in
the Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel 7, to him that of the fruit of
his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ
to sit on his throne. Now, when did God raise up the
Christ to sit him on his throne? Is it in the future, our future?
Is it after a millennial kingdom? Is that when Jesus occupies David's
throne? It's at the resurrection. God
raised him up from the dead, he ascended on high, and he sat
down at the right hand of the majesty of God on high. The throne
of David is where Jesus sits and rules and reigns. So you
see, all of this is connected to 2 Samuel chapter 7, the Davidic
covenant. And David says as much in verse
5 of 23, although my house is not so with God, yet he has made
with me an everlasting covenant. He goes on to indicate that this
covenant is ordered in all things and secure because of the faithfulness
of God. I don't know that you've all
read from this point on in the history of Israel. If you haven't,
please do. And just notice on how many,
you know, hands you can count the good kings. There were no
good kings in the Northern Kingdom. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Not a one of them feared God.
In the Southern Kingdom, there was a handful, but not all of
them. Okay? So you need to realize
that had it been left to man, same with the church, if it was
up to man, what would we do? We'd drive it right off a cliff.
Thankfully, the Lord Jesus says, I will build my church and the
gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. If he asked us to
build his church, we would be in dire straits. That would not
be a good place to be. Praise God Almighty that Jesus
is the house builder for God. and that it's us who help him,
us who are supposed to do what we're supposed to do, but the
faithfulness of Yahweh is what makes this ordered and secure. And then David says this, for
this is all my salvation and all my desire. And I don't think
David's reflecting upon his rule and his reign. He's reflecting
upon the hope of Israel. He's reflecting upon Jesus, the
favorite of the sons of Israel. Will he not make it increase? Will he not cause it to sprout? I think there is in there this
idea of branch and sprout and these allusions to our Lord Jesus
Christ. So the covenant that pledges
the king, and then notice at the end, the exclusivity of the
kingdom in verses 6 and 7. But the sons of rebellion, these
are the sons of Belial. You'll see that word sometimes
in the margin, the sons of Belial, the wicked, the godless, the
rebels. The sons of rebellion shall be
as thorns thrust away. Note the contrast that we find
in this particular section. For our Lord Jesus, what the
effects of his reign, like the tender grass springing out of
the earth by clear shining after rain. But the sons of rebellion
shall be as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken
with hands. But the man who touches them
must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they shall
be utterly burned with fire in their place. I think this is
a reference to the other side. We know that Jesus comes to save
his people. to deliver His people, to exercise
His rule and reign for His people, but He also comes to deal with
those who are not His people. He comes in judgment. It's not
just salvation, but there is judgment to be had for those
outside of the kingdom, and that is what is in engage, or what
is indicated here by David in this 2 Samuel 23 prophecy. The sons of rebellion shall be
as thorns thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands.
The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the shaft
of a spear, and they shall be utterly burned with fire in their
place. How often does our Lord Jesus
speak of a fire that is not quenched in the gospel narratives? How
often does our Lord Jesus talk about hell and judgment? You
know, that's something that's intriguing to me. We get charged
at times with, all you guys ever talk about is hell and judgment
and damnation and fire. Jesus talked a lot about hell
and damnation and fire and judgment. Jesus talked a lot about it.
Why? Because people need to hear it. The fear of the Lord at times
is what persuades man. Paul says, knowing therefore
the terror of the Lord. We persuade men. We're not doing
men any favor by saying, come to Jesus for a happy life. We're
telling that to North Americans who are affluent. We're telling
that to North Americans who make six digits and have, you know,
massive SUVs and massive homes and massive this. And our gospel
approach is, come to Jesus and you'll be happy. Have you ever
met one of these pagans that raised their eyebrows and said,
what do you mean? I'm happy. I get everything I want. I get
everything money can buy. See, it's not just about being
happy in Jesus. It's about escaping the wrath
and judgment of God. Now, I realize that there's a
whole host of baits that God uses to catch fish. Spurgeon
said it that way. God uses different baits for
different people. Some people hear the love of
God and they're wooed to the Savior. Praise God Almighty!
Some people hear the terror of the Lord and they run to the
Savior for refuge and safety. Praise God Almighty! That they
get there is the most important thing. And it's the various means
used by a sovereign and a gracious God to do His bidding. But in
our generation, that's something that's lacking, and something
that's missing, and something that's wanting, is this fear
of the Lord, this terror of Yahweh, this reality that you're going
to face a God who is holy, holy, holy. A God whom the angels have
to cover their eyes in front of because He's too pure and
burning for them to view. That's the God of Holy Scripture,
and we don't do sinners any favor by just painting them as this
cosmic bellhop that is, you know, going to answer every beck and
call they make. Just ask God, He'll give you
a new house. Just ask God, He'll give you a new boat. And that's
what most of these Christian movies that they produce, not
that I go to see these movies, but, you know, the skits or the
bits that I see about, it's all a formula. Do this and God will
bless you. Do this and God will rain out
upon you. It's like Baal. That's how Baal
was approached. Do X amount of things and Baal
will send rain upon your land. Yahweh was never like that. Our
God is not formulaic. We don't put in, you know, 15
prayers, you know, 10 Hail Marys and Our Father, and we get God
to spit out the forgiveness. That's not the way our God operates,
and persons need to understand that. It's not that you come
to God to make your already almost complete life complete, it's
that you come to God for your sins, for the forgiveness of
sins, for redemption through blood, for a right standing before
a holy God and acceptance through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible never shrinks back from declaring the terror of
the Lord. I don't know why we as the church
would think to do so, that we wouldn't want to, you know, make
people feel bad or make them feel disturbed or make them feel
uncomfortable. David goes from the description
of Christ, the effects of his reign, to the warning to those
who would oppose him. Davis says, the coming kingdom
then involves both restoration and destruction, both salvation
and judgment. Christ's new order will purge
those who want no part in a righteous king and who will not submit
to the righteous king. So there will be a purge involved. So brethren, as we conclude our
study tonight, I want to finish with just a few thoughts, but
I do want us to see and appreciate, I hope I made the case, that
David is writing about Jesus, the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favorite of the songs of Israel. We learn from this passage
concerning the comprehensive rule of Christ. It is a comprehensive
rule, and this goes back to Abraham. We go further back to Abraham. David is simply reflecting, in
terms of Christ's rule, what was already promised to Abraham.
When God called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees, what did
he say to him? I want to make you the father
of this body politic. I want you to be the father of
Israel and of Israel alone. I think sometimes that's how
we think, but God says to Abraham, in you all the nations of the
earth shall be blessed. In you all the families of the
earth shall be blessed. Now, as I've mentioned before,
Paul argues that the seed of Abraham is the reason that that
comes to fruition. It's because of Christ. But because
of Christ, there is a comprehensive Kingdom of Christ. Men from every
tribe, tongue, people, and nation. It's a comprehensive rule, and
we are blessed participants in it. the Abrahamic Covenant, 2
Samuel, all over the Psalms, ask of me and I will give you
the nations for your inheritance. Psalm 2, 7-9. The ends of the
earth as your possession. Have you ever reflected on Jesus'
words in Matthew 28? Go therefore and make disciples
of all the nations. Why do you think Jesus says that?
Because it's already been promised to him by Yahweh. Psalm 2, ask
of me and I will give you the nations. and the ends of the
earth as your possession. So when Jesus says, go and make
disciples of all the nations, He's already got that prerogative
and that authority. So we have it in the words of
David in the Psalms, we have it all throughout the prophets,
and we have it in the New Testament as well. To the Jew first, And
also to the Greek, Paul says in Romans chapter 1, 16 and 17. Christ's rule is comprehensive
over a universal empire. The nature of the rule of Christ
is justice and the fear of God that characterizes his reign.
Praise God for the justice with which he rules. And then the
destruction of the enemies of Christ. Just one sample in the
New Testament, a New Testament equivalent of what David says
here at the end of his prophecy. Look at Revelation 21. Revelation
21, after talking about the new heavens and the new earth and
the reality that the blessed of God will enter into the city
of God, the temple of God, we learn that the wicked will be
excluded. 21.8, but the cowardly, unbelieving,
abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters,
and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Now, I
usually qualify this by trying to explain cowardly. Cowardly
doesn't mean you're afraid of spiders. Cowardly doesn't mean
you're afraid of grizzlies in the woods without a gun. Not
that the grizzly doesn't have a gun, but when you don't have
a gun and you meet a grizzly, it's a dangling participle there,
I think. But the cowardly are those who
do not overcome. Isn't that the recurring emphasis
to the seven churches in Asia Minor? In each instance, He who
overcomes, blessing. He who overcomes, blessing. He
who overcomes, overcome, overcome, overcome. What's the point that
John is trying to communicate, or the Spirit is, to the angels
of the churches? Overcome, persevere, don't give up, go forward. Cowardly
in 21.8 are those who didn't overcome. They're those who succumbed
to the beastly pressure of the Roman Empire. They're those who
succumbed to unbelieving Israel. They're those who succumbed to
the great horror of Babylon. They're those who recanted and
those who did not maintain steadfastness. The lack of overcoming is described
as cowardly and so they are cast into the lake of fire. Notice
in 21.27, "...but there shall by no means enter anything that
defiles or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who
are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." I think that's a bit
of an encouragement for the people of God. It's a warning for the
non-people of God, isn't it? Certainly if you're not a person
of God and you read that, it should hopefully strike terror
in your heart. It should be a bit of a warning
to the professing people of God that we need to realize that
God means business, and if we fake it, if we play games, if
we pretend, then we will be excluded. But it's an encouragement to
the people of God. Isn't it a blessed thought that
when we're in the New Jerusalem, nothing that defiles will be
there? I mean, if you were to go buy a house today, would you
buy one in the worst part of Chilliwack? Would you buy one
in the worst neighborhood? No, typically we like to buy
one that's not in the worst part of the neighborhood, so that
we are not threatened by, you know, home invasion, robbers,
or whatnot. We try to pick a place to live
that's safe and secure from life's threats. And I think this is
one of the points that is being made there. People of God, listen,
there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles or causes
an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in
the Lamb's Book of Life." In other words, your eternal companions
are those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. It's
not the people that are going to mug you and steal from you
and take your wallet and do horrible things to your property. No,
they're not going to be there. And then notice in 22.15, 2215, but outside are dogs, and sorcerers,
and sexually immoral, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves
and practices a lie. Dogs there probably doesn't mean
canines. I'm not of the persuasion that
all dogs go to heaven, but I don't think that dogs in this particular
instance means the four-footed furry animals that we so love
here on Earth. No, dogs is probably a reference
to heretics or some such thing. So those are excluded from this
blessed city. And so what we find in David
is absolutely consistent with the rest of the Bible. And I
think as a fitting conclusion, we ought to consider the church's
response to the rule of Christ. We ought to sing to the favorite
one, the songs of Zion composed by David in the Psalms. We ought
to sing praises to our God for this Christ who has delivered
us from our sins. Well, let us pray. Our Father,
we thank you for your word and we thank you for this prophecy
concerning the rule and the reign of our Lord Jesus, and how we
praise you that we have him enthroned at the right hand of God Almighty,
how we praise you that the New Testament everywhere echoes these
Old Testament covenants, that we have all this affirmation
that this is indeed the case, and we look forward to that day
when he does come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
I pray, Father, that you would bless each and every one of us,
each and every one that attends this church, our family members,
our friends that perhaps are unsaved now. We pray, God, that
they would be converted by the powerful grace of God, that they
would be changed, that they would be transformed, that they would
be believers in Him and ready for that day when He comes to
judge. I ask that you would go with us now and watch over us
and help us, God, to glorify you in the remainder of this
week. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
