A Few Things to Take Care of
Broken Crown, Unshakable Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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David’s prophetic oracle presents the ideal of a righteous king guided by the fear of the Lord. Such a king brings life and blessing to his nation but judgment and death to all who would threaten it. It also affirms that David’s dynasty alone is certified by the Lord.
This section is also considered prophecy of the coming Messiah.
1 These are the last words of David: The declaration of David son of Jesse, the declaration of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob. This is the most delightful of Israel’s songs. 2 The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, his word was on my tongue. 3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, “The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God, 4 is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.” 5 Is it not true my house is with God? For he has established a permanent covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will he not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire? 6 But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside; they can never be picked up by hand. 7 The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear. They will be completely burned up on the spot.
Though called the “last words of David” these are not the last words attributed to David in 2 Samuel.
This oracle also serves to set a third aspect in place of the functions of David - we know he is king, David has functioned as priest, and here he takes on the role pf prophet - this is clearly a foreshadowing of Jesus who was prophet, priest, and king.
David clearly attributes these words as not his own but the “Spirit of the Lord” speaking through him.
David lays out some leadership qualities - 1. One who exercises authority over others must us that authority in a manner consistent with the Lord’s teachings. 2. Only one who is under God’s authority is fit to be an authority over others. 3. One who leads according to the Lord’s guidelines ushers in a new period of opportunity, growth, and blessing. 4. Righteous leaders help create an environment in which the people under their can fulfill their potential.
Again, every aspect mentioned as an attribute of David is magnified in the person of Jesus, the Messiah.
When God bless you, the evidence is there. The evidence of God’s blessing on David’s life is clearly visible.
David ends his oracle with a brilliant analogy - the fate of evil in his kingdom will suffer the same fate as weeds in a farmer’s field: both would be killed with a “tool of iron and the shaft of a spear” and “burned up”. Sound familiar? Jesus told a parable about wheat and tares- they were both harvested (using tools of iron), separated after the harvest and the tares would be burned… In the millennium Jesus will rule with an “iron scepter” and in the end those without Christ will be thrown in the lake of fire.
8 These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men that he killed at one time. 9 After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle, 10 but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead. 11 After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled in formation where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, 12 but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
As great as David was and even being blessed by the Lord, he couldn’t do it all on his own.
The author is presenting a list of some 36 individuals who are singled out by name for their brave deeds and/or positions in David’s administration.
The list appears to be cumulative since it includes the names of at least 2 who dies during different but relatively early periods in David’s administration.
One things to take notice of is that no matter what the situation it is clear that God was the reason for any victory achieved.
13 Three of the thirty leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. 17 David said, “Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
Here we are given a story where 3 of the warriors demonstrated either their fearless faith or their arrogant courage, you decide.
David was thirsty and wished out loud for some water - he did not command anyone to get his some - however these 3 heard it and decided to fight their way through the enemy to travel 24 miles round trip to bring their king water…
David did something that would seem inconsiderate, he refused to drink the water and poured it out. Instead, David poured it out as an offering to the Lord, this is similar to the symbolism of the woman pouring out the perfume of Jesus.
18 Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. 19 Was he not more honored than the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.
Abishai was appointed leader of the 3 men who got the water and was regarded in higher esteem even though he was not part of the detail that retrieved the water.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 He also killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear. 22 These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors. 23 He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24 Among the Thirty were Joab’s brother Asahel, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and Uriah the Hethite. There were thirty-seven in all.
We see that there is some discrepancy as to the number of men- the list includes some who died, as we mentioned before, so it seem likely that the list of those designated as the “Thirty” varied at any given time throughout David’s administration.
So what is the point of the list? It demonstrates David’s willingness to reward those under his command when they performed their tasks with excellence. It also reflects David’s great skill in relationships and suggests a model to be emulated by godly leaders of all generations.
1 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel again, and he stirred up David against them to say, “Go, count the people of Israel and Judah.” 2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and register the troops so I can know their number.” 3 Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times more than they are—while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this?” 4 Yet the king’s order prevailed over Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the king’s presence to register the troops of Israel.
2 Samuel 21:1-14 tell of a time the Lord’s anger burned against Israel and there was a famine - he we see the word “again” - so God is angry with Israel again and after the events of 2 Samuel 21.
In order to bring judgment against Israel the Lord stirred up David to go take a census.
God is Lord over all the universe, exercising dominion over all powers and authorities, whether in heaven or on earth.
God uses superhuman and human beings to enforce the moral order - that fact that the Lord oversees the entire judgment process is ultimately a comfort to humanity - it means no malevolent action can occur that is not subjec to God’s oversight and divinely imposed limitations - it aslo means that nothing can occur that God cannot ultimately use for good.
The Torah allows for this type of census but it must be conducted properly - Exodus 30:12 “12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom for his life to the Lord as they are registered. Then no plague will come on them as they are registered.”
They took the census but something about it caused an issue - either David’s motivation or the manner in which it was carried out. - it may be that David did not require the half-shekel ransom require by the Torah.
Joab seemed troubled by the request and even questioned the King but in the end did what was commanded of him.
5 They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer, south of the town in the middle of the valley, and then proceeded toward Gad and Jazer. 6 They went to Gilead and to the land of the Hittites and continued on to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon. 7 They went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Afterward, they went to the Negev of Judah at Beer-sheba. 8 When they had gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
Here we see the route they took to register the people.
9 Joab gave the king the total of the registration of the troops. There were eight hundred thousand valiant armed men from Israel and five hundred thousand men from Judah. 10 David’s conscience troubled him after he had taken a census of the troops. He said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I’ve done. Now, Lord, because I’ve been very foolish, please take away your servant’s guilt.”
For some reason Joab did not give David the exact numbers, instead he rounded them possibly hoping to avert divine judgment.
After hearing the numbers David’s conscience got after him. He acknowledge that he “sinned greatly” - notice he immediately repented.
11 When David got up in the morning, the word of the Lord had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: 12 “Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them, and I will do it to you.’ ” 13 So Gad went to David, told him the choices, and asked him, “Do you want three years of famine to come on your land, to flee from your foes three months while they pursue you, or to have a plague in your land three days? Now, consider carefully what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.” 14 David answered Gad, “I have great anxiety. Please, let us fall into the Lord’s hands because his mercies are great, but don’t let me fall into human hands.”
Reminder - Just because you repent does not necessarily prevent punishment from coming.
This time the Lord did not speak to David directly - God chose the prophet Gad to deliver His word and what a word it was…
David was given 3 choices (kind of a cut your own switch moment): 1. 3 YEARS of famine, 2. Will have to run from enemies for 3 MONTHS, 3. An undetermined plague for 3 DAYS.
Which would you choose?
Having to decide was giving David a panic attack - but David did something almost brilliant - Trust God to do the right thing.
15 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men died. 16 Then the angel extended his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, but the Lord relented concerning the destruction and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough, withdraw your hand now!” The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let your hand be against me and my father’s family.”
God chose plague - on one hand it was only 3 days on the other we have no idea what the plague entailed.
We do know that it caused the death of 70,000 men.
There is a little tension here - who is the angel that is destroying the people. I have mentioned before how generally when we see “the angel of the Lord” we are seeing a theophany of the pre-incarnate Christ.
Here is the proposition - we have an angel who is the one responsible for carrying out the Lords judgment and we also have “the angel of the Lord” at the threshing floor.
David cried out to the Lord to deal with him because it was his sin and not the peoples - the issue is that David took a census to put faith in the number of fighting men he had (which is the word used for the 70,000 who died) and now God has removed those numbers (its a hard truth but God knows the steps of every man and He alone is able to decide when those steps end).
18 Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up and set up an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 David went up in obedience to Gad’s command, just as the Lord had commanded. 20 Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, so he went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. 21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David replied, “To buy the threshing floor from you in order to build an altar to the Lord, so the plague on the people may be halted.” 22 Araunah said to David, “My lord the king may take whatever he wants and offer it. Here are the oxen for a burnt offering and the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 Your Majesty, Araunah gives everything here to the king.” Then he said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.” 24 The king answered Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for twenty ounces of silver. 25 He built an altar to the Lord there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord was receptive to prayer for the land, and the plague on Israel ended.
On the final day of the plague Gad delivered another word to David.
The location of the threshing floor would later become the site of the Lord’s temple.
Araunah’s offer to five the items David needed was sincere but David would not accept it.
David understood the religious imperative of true sacrifice - religion that cost nothing was worth nothing, either to God or humanity - the price David paid was the established value of a large field dedicated to the Lord for one Jubilee cycle (Leviticus 27:16 “16 “If a man consecrates to the Lord any part of a field that he possesses, your assessment of value will be proportional to the seed needed to sow it, at the rate of fifty silver shekels for every six bushels of barley seed.” )
Making these sacrifices for his people David foreshadowed the actions of Jesus who also gave sacrificially on a hill near Jerusalem for His people so that an even more tragic plague might be stopped.
The sacrifice was accepted and the plague ended.
