"Victorious" - 2 Samuel 8
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In Hawaii, because of the time difference with the continental U.S., the NFL Monday Night Football game is played in mid-afternoon, so the local TV station delays its telecast until 6:30 in the evening. When your favorite team plays, some are too excited to wait for television, so they will listen to the game on the radio, which broadcasts it live. Then, because its their favorite team, they’ll watch the game on television, too.
Now if I know my team has won the game, it influences how I watch it on television. If my team fumbles the ball or throws an interception, it's not a problem. I think, That's bad, but it's okay. In the end, I know we will win!
When going through trouble, knowing the final outcome makes all the difference…right? Yes we declare that we have the victory is Jesus. We know that we will be victorious in the end we will get it all. But for many of us, we do not walk in light of this truth. We walk around defeated and lost. Its almost like in our lives, we don’t know that we will win in the end. We struggle because we either want the benefits now or its not the kind of benefits we really want. Yes we want success… we live in a society that lives and breathes success. Success gets you anything in all areas and we have all bought into it hook line and sinker. But the victories and rewards can be out of place. Success can and does cause damage to the kingdom of heaven and damage to its citizens. Here is the key… The victories we want are the ones that come from the Lord. The rewards we want are the ones we give back to the Lord. We will see this truth in our passage today.
Last week we witnessed the prayer of a man after God’s own heart. We saw how it was a great example as to how we should approach the Lord in our daily times in prayer. The Lord had made a promise to bring David a prosperous kingdom and one that will last for all eternity with one of his descendants on the throne… an eternal dynasty. What we will see today are the promises of God starting to become a reality.
David defeats the Philistines in Gath, the city of Goliath. Interestingly, David destroys Moab. David was part Moabite a descendant of the Moabite Ruth. Why would he do this? Especially since he received refuge for his parents in Moab while he fled from Saul. A Jewish tradition says that it was because the Moabites killed his parents. It was a disturbing picture of execution. And the Moabites paid him tribute money. He destroyed the forces of Hadadezair. The Arameans from Damascus came to help and David slaughtered 22,000 of them. The Arameans paid David tribute money. And here is the Key Verse. And the Lord made David victorious wherever he went. David was congratulated by the king of Toi and since the king of Toi was an enemy of Hadadezair he gave David many gifts. David then dedicated all of the gifts, spoils, and rewards to the Lord. The chapter now returns to the victories given to David by God. He defeated the Edomites and they became the subjects of David as well paying tribute. Again the key verse… In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went. And David was surrounded by men of strength, skill, stature and wisdom. The passage shows the reality of the promises made by the Lord and the reality of its fulfillment.
2 Samuel 8:
So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
Victories
Rewards
The Kingdom of God
The first think we will explore is the start of the fulfillment of the promises of God to David and how the victories we must hold onto are the victories that come from the Lord. The second thing are the rewards that the Lord gives are we prepared to give them back? Finally, we will see how our Lord rejected the kingdoms of the world for the beauty of the kingdom of God.
Thesis: The world and sin cause us to doubt the promises of God and his kingdom, because of blindness to the truth of the Lord, but it is Christ that will open to us the light of truth and that the power of the Holy Spirit will hold us fast to the Lord always as citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
Rewards
The Kingdom of God
I. The Victories
- We are witnessing the fulfillment of God’s promises to David.
A. The text is pretty clear. Victories upon victories. We see here a common theme … the Hebrew Naw kaw “conquered destroyed, smite or strike down.” Appears… v. 1,2,3,5,9,10,13. The author is making it very clear that David was clearly unbeatable.
B. We see the reason here as to why…
And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“ ‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings!
he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.
King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated—
2 Samuel
C. The author is showing us… well… we are watching the promise of God being fulfilled. We are seeing the early preliminary fulfillments of the Davidic covenant that we understand to be foundational to understanding the New Testament.
D. This is important because we know that what we will see here is the picture of the kingdom of heaven with our king Jesus who sits at the right hand of the Father.
E. The victories over David’s enemies was of course given to him by the Lord.
He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
This is the theme...
F. The Lord gave David victory over his enemies just like the Father will give the son victory. One of the most important passages concerning the Davidic covenant.
The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”
I. The Victories
- We are witnessing the fulfillment of God’s promises to David.
G. I will come back to this later… but let’s deal with some issues here.
H. Number 1. I know that much of what we uncover here seems pretty brutal. I mean the severity of what David does could be considered war crimes today. How is this possible? Many of us have difficulty reading passages like this and trying to understand why stuff like this happens. Let us not forget a common mistake we make today when reading and understanding the Bible.
I. We must do all that we can to refrain from evaluating the acts of war here by today’s standards. This was a time and place that is not like todays western culture. And so we must understand that we should not be distracted and disgusted by the events here, but understand the point being made. God caused David to be victorious. God fulfilled the promise that he made to David in such a way that the victories were of no doubt.
J. Just like we see in the NT as to how God will fulfill his promise to Christ. Like I said many times I believe that the book of Revelation is the fulfilling of the promise to make all of Christ’s enemies His footstool. That is what we read about… God’s enemies will be destroyed violently and harshly with cosmic force. With astounding and baffling power that we could not nor cannot imagine. This is the future of what we eagerly await. The final and eternal fulfillment of the promise of God to establish David’s kingdom in Christ forever. We are seeing the beginnings of it all here.
K. The second thing. We have got to keep in check imposing our western individualistic and consumeristic societies ideologies on this text and its theme verse. Again, V.14 In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went. The temptation is to see this verse as foundational to what some biblical scholars call success theology. This is not necessarily the prosperity Gospel or self-centered, best life now theology although it is fundamental to it.
L. In our culture today, success is a given. Is it not? The example of American Idol is a good one. Does anyone ever ask why do we want it or even should we want it? In our culture it is one of the givens in life. However, the idea does not stand when it comes to the scriptures. Dare I say to you today that God will not always give us victory no matter what the consequences. (Success, prosperity theology).
M. Does the text teach that David would always and only enjoy success? I say an emphatic no. As we will see, David was not promised that he would be free from difficulty, suffering and defeat. He is promised that the Lord will be with him with his presence and that His grace will be sufficient for David. We may lose battle, but the Lord will make sure he wins the war. And most importantly for us, the Lord will fulfill his purpose for His glory alone. Better than the famous saying of not my way but Yahway… the better force in our hearts should be if not God’s way then No Way!!
N. We must rid and restrain our hearts from success theology and know sound theology. We find something different in Scripture. Success would you say that John the Baptist was successful in the worlds eyes? How did God reward him? Beheaded for the dancing girl? How did God reward Moses? Death in the wilderness. How was Isaiah rewarded? Getting cut in two. Did you know that when God called Jeremiah… He told him that all of his preaching would fail… it would amount to nothing. They would not listen to him at all. Jesus lost 5000 people in one day. Most would say that Jesus failed in his church plant. It not success, but purpose… we see. It’s not a book on the secrets on how to be successful, but a book on how He will accomplish His purpose.
O. We can be assured that we will be held by Christ to walk in the will of the Father. To accomplish His purpose alone. Though we may not find the success in a human or worldly perspective. We can be assured that the Lord will be successful.
Isaiah 46:
Only I can tell you the future
before it even happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass,
for I do whatever I wish.
P. Though we struggle trying to figure out what it is that the Lord is doing especially in the face of what we believe to be failure, we can know that he will never leave us or forsake us and he will finish His work in us. He fulfilled it for David, therefore we can be certain that it will be fulfilled for us.
II. The Rewards
- When we are victorious in whatever we do, are the rewards dedicated to the Lord?
A. The rewards, gifts, and spoils were plenty. And why not.
Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren,
but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.
B. But the wealth of David’s kingdom is a picture that we cannot ignore. It is the picture of what we should expect, on a grander scale, with the Kingdom of God. Remember again, David’s kingdom is to teach us of the Kingdom of Heaven. And oh the rewards.
C. But, what we see here with David is important. What does he do with all that he acquired?
King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated—from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
2 Samuel 8:
D. He dedicated it to Lord. He set it apart for the Lord. And why not? Is the Lord not worth that? Was it not the work that he had done anyway and David reaped the benefits of what the Lord accomplished. V.14 In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
E. When we are victorious in whatever we do, are the rewards dedicated to the Lord? Let me show you something. Now I do believe that the reward that we will receive in heaven is Christ. It seems that Scripture for the most part, when talking of rewards, is more talking heaven and hell salvation… which implies Christ.
F. But, here is the point. If there is something maybe here, but what we see is amazing in the heart of the people of God.
the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
“You are worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
II. The Rewards
- When we are victorious in whatever we do, are the rewards dedicated to the Lord?
the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
Revelation 4:10
G. All that the elders had accomplished, all of their rewards, everything they got, all that they inherited, all of the wonderful gifts given to them… all meant nothing before the Lord. They threw it before His feet, His throne. He is worthy of it and one day we will see it. Everybody will.
H. One day we are all going to realize that everything we have been pining for, sacrificing the Lord for, all the successes we desire, all the rewards that we seek… all of it will pale in comparison to the Lord. We are going to realize that it was all for nothing compared to Christ and all that mattered was Christ the whole time. The Kingdom of Christ was here and we were to blind in greed and selfishness to notice. All that mattered and all you really want was in your hands already… or should I say in His hands. That’s better.
III. Kingdom of God
- It is the kingdom that can never be shaken.
A. How much longer oh church will we continue to chase the kingdoms of this world. Why do we continue to set Christ aside to a lower position the kingdom of God? Here we have a kingdom that can never be shaken and we still pursue, success, gain, profit, power, pleasure, popularity instead at the expense of Christ. Fame and fortune founded upon false fidelity. We look for the kingdom of Fame and fortune founded upon false fidelity.
B. The kingdoms of this world as a real temptation… maybe the best. It was the last and probably all that the Devil could offer Jesus in the wilderness.
Matthew 4:
Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
III. Kingdom of God
- It is the kingdom that can never be shaken.
C. For many of us. We took the deal. We set aside our Lord to receive the benefits of the kingdoms of this world. We reject Christ so that we can fulfill the desires of the real king in our lives. Ourselves. Let’s be honest today. Will we hold on to our sin? Our kingdom? Whatever that may be for you? Yes, we may call Him Lord, but it is we who are sitting on the throne. We reject the kingdom of God for the kingdom of the world. This is the reality of sin in our lives. Do we even care about this issue today?
D. We are so lost in sin oh that thing that so easily besets us. Unbelief that continues to flow through our veins. We have taken the kingdom of the world and now realize that we are not rulers or kings, but slaves in the kingdom. Is there any freedom for us today? I say, and emphatic. Yes!
E. Jesus did not take the kingdoms of the world but sought out the cross. He came to live the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died so that we can have life and freedom this day. And whom the son sets free is free indeed. Yes, we have hope today.
F. We have protection and we have rewards before us because Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and he was buried and he was… The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus.
G. The devil and this world are offering you a kingdom… now here is something you should see. It is not that I am saying, do not take the kingdom, do not take any kingdom. I am saying take the right one. A kingdom is being offered to you today. It is the kingdom that can never be shaken. The kingdom of God.
H. Today if you are hearing this for the first time … repent (turn from your sins) and believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God and you will have life. It is a promise… all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
I. Everyone else… The kingdom of God is here. Right now as we speak, the Father is making the enemies of Christ His footstool. He is our King. Let us go to him today and repent of our unbelief and rest on his unchanging grace.
J. He is higher than we could ever imagine. He has save us and freed us. And he will reward us for all eternity with the eternal reward. Our Lord Jesus.