Promises Kept

Turn to 2 Samuel 4…picking up in verse 1-5:5

Intro: Patience—A Fruit of the Spirit

As human beings we’re willing to do almost anything in order to get what we want, except wait.

If something = up in the air… it’s incredibly hard to wait.

Even for inevitable things = it’s hard to wait.

----------------------------

Human beings—have natural propensity towards impatience...

The world we live in makes it so much worse.

1. Have cars—can travel faster than any generation that’s ever existed.......still don’t follow the speed limit.

2. Having stores isn’t good enough…should be able to order online…and have it at your house in 1-2 days shipping... tops, ideally the same day.

3. Microwave meals,, because cooking takes too long.

4. Living in wealthiest nation ever...... Credit cards/sources of debt,, so you can get what you want, without waiting

H.R. Block—tax return advance loan!

>>> So, we find ourselves living in a world that caters to our impatience. <<<

· We do whatever we can to get what we want,, when we want,, as often as we want....

---------------------------------

Problem for the Christian:

Living in world,, teaches us to be impatient,,

But serving a God,, who desires for us to be patient

Who doesn’t work on our timeframe.

God doesn’t do:

two-day shipping or same day shipping,,

microwave meals

or the like

Need: So, we need this text today,, because it reminds us to patiently await God’s promise, for He is a faithful God.

-----------------------------------------

God desires to work patience into us… it is a fruit of the Spirit...

>>> But patience isn’t learned in a classroom <<<

it’s a hands-on learning experience...

it’s learned through waiting...

-------------------------------------------

One area --- Believers must swim upstream

World caters to immediate gratification

Everything = better,, faster,, easier...

God desires us to slow down & wait.

-------------------------

o So we wait --- for God to fulfill His promises in His Word ---

While waiting --- we can rest assured God will accomplish all He’s promised,,

but it won’t follow the timing we expected...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 35 minutes left ---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Recap: “The Decision-Maker”

Recap:

Last week— death of Abner (commander)

Israel & Judah = divided...

David (king of promise) reigns in south

Ish-bosheth (Saul’s son) reigns in north

Abner controlling reins of Israel.

-----------------------------

Abner deserts Israel

David & Abner came to peace

-----------------------------

Abner & David depart in peace

>>> But Joab out of revenge,, kills Abner,, risking peace of all Israel. <<<

Text ended w/ great funeral procession for Abner

We learned:

importance of being people of peace

Peace = decision-making paradigm,, the decision-maker.

as much as it depends on you,, live @ peace w/ all men...

leave vengeance in hands of God.

(T) And so, with this major event in the text last week,

we’ll see where this story goes next...

Look w/ me @ chapter 4 verse 1…

🐢🐢🐢 --- 33 minutes left ---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Text (2 Samuel 4:1-5:5)

Setting (v1) “The Dismay of Ish-bosheth & Israel”

2 Samuel 4:1–5:5 (ESV)

1 When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.

Ish-bosheth = official “king” of Israel...

Abner deserted him

Then Abner is murdered...

>>> Nothing is going for him --- surely he is terrified --- he’s ruling a losing regime. <<<

...Surely he thinks that he’s next in line to die...

Scripture says:

His courage failed

All Israel **under his leadership** is dismayed...

(T) And so, with this ominous introduction, what happens next?

Look w/ me @ vs 2. The text says,

🐢🐢🐢 --- 31 minutes left ---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Setting2/Introduction of Tension (v2-4) “Introduction to Rechab & Baanah”

2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (for Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin;

3 the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

*** More background than expected ***

3 Guys introduced:

Rechab & Baanah --- captains of raiding bands

Benjamites,, from same tribe as Ish-bosheth & father, Saul

hometown = city that had displaced the local Beerothites

Mephibosheth— Jonathan’s son & Saul’s grandson.

Saul’s son = terrified & failing

Saul’s grandson = crippled

>>> Saul’s house is desolate… & nearing extinction… <<<

Sandwiched in the middle,, we see a random introduction to two guys...

Fellow Benjamites

Leaders in Ish-bosheth’s army

(T) And so now that we’ve received enough background information today, why are all these guys important?

What happens with them?

Look with me @ vs. 5.... The text says,

🐢🐢🐢 --- 29 minutes left ---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Rising Action -Climax (v5-8) “The Death of Ish-bosheth”

5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest.

6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night,

8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.”

We see: why these guys were introduced...

Ish-bosheth --- king of north --- is murdered while taking an afternoon nap...

Text says:

they stabbed him

they struck him

put him to death

beheaded him

Pretty clear he’s dead.

Cowardly deed… killing someone in their sleep = like taking candy from a baby...

they travel many miles to visit David & bring the “good” news!

Haven’t we seen this scene before?

Consider:

Ish-bosheth in rebellion against God’s plan

problem for David

only lasting obstacle --- separating a united Israel

>>> They expect a big “atta boy!” from David. <<<

In their mind… they did David a favor

-----------------------------------------------

Not only this,, but they play the God card!

§ It was God who avenged David.

**This was all a God-thing!**

------------------------------------------------

(Q) Anyone else ever play the God-card & think it resolves you of all responsibility?

God told me to do this

This is what God wanted

God was the one that brought this (thing) to me,, it has to be a blessing...

We must be incredibly careful that things we credit to God are in alignment with His Word....

I want to give God all credit in life…but sometimes people blame their bad decisions… or even their sin... on God...

Murdering a man in his bed,, while he’s sleeping,, doesn’t seem like God’s perfect plan for these guys...

§ DALE DAVIS: “They come with blood on their hands but theology on their lips,

expecting that the latter will magically bleach the former.

Murder always seems more pleasant when wrapped in religious considerations.”[1]

(T) The only question now is how will David respond?

They took out David’s last opponent to the throne....

they’ve got his head to prove it....

So, what does David have to say?

Look w/ me @ vs. 9…the text says,,

🐢🐢🐢 --- 24 minutes left ---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Resolution (v9-12) “The Death of Rechab and Baanah

9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity,

10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?”

12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

· Note: David never endorses those who kill his opponents.

>>> Narrator once again proves David’s innocence <<<

David didn’t kill Saul & was sad about it ...

David didn’t kill Abner & was sad about it ...

David didn’t kill Ish-bosheth & was sad about it ...

David never forced his assent to the throne…but waited on God’s timing.

David learned from encounter w/ Nabal,, he can trust God’s hand to accomplish His will...

David didn’t have to deal w/ Saul… or Abner…

Certainly,, God could have dealt w/ Ish-bosheth too...

--------------------------------------------

(V9) David responds.... by first recounting God’s blessing...

God had redeemed David’s life out of every adversity

God was faithful yesterday… so God will be faithful today & tomorrow too!

Recounting the blessings of God,, gave David faith for the future!

-------------------------------------

· Christian, can you look back over your life and see the same testimony?

How often do you look to the past to find courage and faith to follow the Lord today?

o David knew God would take care of him…because he had experienced it.

Look over pages of 1 Samuel....you’ll see countless testimonies of God’s faithfulness to David.

-------------------------------

David responds --- telling Rechab & Baanah --- about the Amalekite servant that claimed to kill Saul...

David isn’t out to crush the competition… He’s willing to trust God.

>>> David knew that God would establish him... the only question was when. <<<

-------------------------------------

David makes public example of these guys

**shows he isn’t taking the kingdom by force**

He’s not going to conquer his brothers in Israel…he’s waiting on God’s timing....

The hanging corpses = public reminder of the consequences of sin,,

and that David wasn’t endorsing the murder of Ish-bosheth....

(T) So, now unfortunately for Ish-bosheth, he’s out of the picture. But this isn’t unfortunate for everyone.

Look with me at vs. 1 of chapter 5....The text says,

🐢🐢🐢 --- 19 minutes left ---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Conclusion (5:1-5) “David Anointed King of Israel”

1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.

2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’ ”

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

· Church, did you see here that God’s promise has finally come to pass?

**This is the main thrust of our text today.**

God fulfilled His promise… && David didn’t have to force it!

--------------------------------------------

At the appointed time, all of Israel comes to David…to make Him king...

You’re our brother—fellow Israelite...

You led our military under Saul

& God had promised this (ironically last)

>>> David = now anointed as king over all Israel <<<

--------------------------------------------

Church, I want you to think back w/ me on David’s journey...

Anointed by prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 16....obscure kid,, a nobody…teenager/young man

Fought Goliath & won --- national fame

King’s son in law (yay)

running for his life from crazy father-in-law

Fugitive,, living in Philistine territory

Life under threat countless times

Messes up along the way...

Lives w/ Philistines

loses everything @ Ziklag & is nearly killed by his own guys...

---------------------------------------------

Then Saul dies

&& David = anointed over Judah…

**But Israel = divided…**

Years later… in God’s timing,, David ascends the throne of all Israel (approx 37 years old)…just as God had said.

**The promise took approximately 20 years.**

Easy for us:

It’s just the turn of a few pages.

It’s just six months of Sunday mornings

But for David this was two decades...

(T) And so, as we look at this text today, and as we look at our own lives, I want us to see that,

Homiletical Idea:

· God’s promises are sure to come to pass for He is a promise-keeping God, but they often require us to wait.

We don’t like this, because it goes against what we’re used to in today’s world.

Our day & age— companies racing to make things quicker,, easier,, faster...

We’re taught to expect everything immediately...

But God doesn’t work this way

The Scripture says:

2 Peter 3:8 (ESV)

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

For David… it took 20 years...

Waiting isn’t easy…

but it’s what God has for us.

It’s there to build a patient faith in us...

knowing that He who promised will be faithful...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 13 minutes left ---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Gospel “Ever Since the Fathers Passed Away”

Not only do we wait on God’s promise in our own lives....

We’re all awaiting the next great moment in redemptive history...

----------------------------

As we consider:

The surety of God’s promise

Our need to wait

No better example than Christ’s return

since 1st century A.D....believers have been awaiting the promise

Christ is coming

He will set up His Kingdom

New heavens & new earth

all who believe will inherit eternal life

--------------------------------------------

It’s been a lot longer than David’s 20 years...

Not unexpected…consider what Peter wrote:

knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3:3-4).

It’s here that Peter explains a day with God is as a thousand years & vice versa....

------------------------------------

Since 1st century,, we’ve known some would scoff & not believe.

But the time comes…eventually.

In today’s text,, we saw the king of promise finally ascend his throne

he was anointed

he was foretold to reign

&& someday we’ll see Christ’s reign consummated

Christ = the Messiah… the anointed one...

the descendant of David...

the root of Jesse

he’ll reign until he puts all enemies under his feet,, including death...

----------------------------

God’s promise is sure.

**Christ is sure to come again.**

He will set up His Kingdom, and He will reign in righteousness.

We can take these promises to the bank, and this is good news for those who believe.

>>> God has promised eternal life to those who believe && He will not lie!! (Titus 1:2). <<<

And I want to tell you this morning, that if you place your faith in Jesus Christ, you can be a recipient of this promise today.

Just as God promised --- a kingdom to David --- so God has promised that all who trust in Christ will be saved no the final day of judgment.

-----------------------------------

Christ lived a sinless life,, for us...

Christ died a horrific death,, for us...

He took the penalty that we could be saved by grace.

----------------------------------

God = just,, in that He punished sin...

God = merciful,, in that He made a way for us to be justified...

And you can be saved by grace, through faith today,

if you place your trust in Christ,

believing that through His righteousness alone you can be found righteous in God’s sight,

and you turn from your sin to the Savior today,

you can be forgiven.

And you can be a recipient of the promise, today.

And if you don’t know where you stand with the Lord today, we’d love to talk to you after the service.

(T) And now, in closing, I’d like to share a few takeaways with you all this morning,

Takeaways:

Learn about God?

God = covenant-keeping…faithful God.

What God has promised…He will perform...

Though the promise delays,, we can trust in Him!!

The what is sure…the only question is when....

🐢🐢🐢 --- 5 minutes left ---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

App:

Encourage: we must wait w/ patience for God’s plans & purposes to come about.

David had to wait approximately 15-20 years for God’s promise

Countless difficulties

7 years of partial fulfillment!

Abraham had to wait 25 years for the promise...

God spoke to Abraham @ 75,, promising him many things

Isaac came when Abraham was 100...

Moses had to wait 40 years in the desert before being sent to free Israel from bondage.

Jesus himself had to wait until age 30 to begin public ministry!

Lazarus had to stay dead for 4 days before he came back

**Hebrews 11 tells us that not everyone who waited even got the promise in their lifetime!**

Many of God’s promises are fulfilled beyond the grave!

(Q) Why would you or I be any different?

>>> If God has made His people wait for thousands of years…I don’t think He’s changing now. <<<

Even if the conveniences of modern living convince us He should.

-------------------------------------

· It’s in the waiting that God shapes us.

We can’t grow in faith…if we never have to believe when it’s hard.

We can’t grow in patience…if we never have to wait.

We can’t become more like Jesus,, if we don’t go through the challenges that even He went through! Including waiting!

§ So embrace the wait. Trust God during the process.

Remember,, patience isn’t learned in a classroom.

§ Our God is a promise-keeping, covenant-faithful God.

What He has promised He will perform.

He is not a man that He should lie.

He will bring to pass all that He has promised.

§ But it might not happen in our timing, or even in our lifetime on this earth.

§ And yet, He’s faithful.

Close in prayer