David's Last Words
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1. As Benjamin Franklin lay dying at the age of 84, his daughter told him to change position in bed so he could breathe more easily. Franklin’s last words were, “A dying man can do nothing easy.”
2. Basketball great “Pistol" Pete Maravich collapsed during a pickup game. His last words: “I feel great.”
3. Marie Antoinette stepped on her executioner’s foot on her way to the guillotine. Her last words: “Pardonnez-moi, monsieur.” "Pardon me. I didn't do it on purpose."
4. Leonardo da Vinci was also overly modest, saying, “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.” I guess the Mona Lisa isn’t good enough?
5. Kurt Cobain wrote - It's better to burn out than to fade away.
6. Michael Jackson - I love you more.
7. Elvis Presley - I hope I haven't bored you.
8. Sir Winston Churchill - I'm bored with it all.
9. Joe DiMaggio - “I finally get to see Marilyn.”
10. Bob Hope - Surprise Me.
11. Karl Marx - "Last words are for fools who haven't said enough."
12. Leonard Nimoy - "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP."
13. My Grandpa - “Yes” when I asked if he wanted to be baptized.
These are examples of last words. Ever wonder what you might say with your last breath of life. I know what I would like to say. Fought the fight, finish the race kept the faith. Many times we see reflections on life what has been done, what was experienced, what was accomplished, what was learned and what was passed on. Sure it does seem natural to look upon what was behind us. But I wonder if it ever occured to us the beauty of reflecting on what is before us. Thinking of the future. What do I mean...
Before Thomas Hog died in 1692 the Scot charged his congregation at Kiltearn to dig his grave at the threshold of the church building where he might act as a silent sentinel against any unworthy minister coming into the charge. The inscription on Hog’s tombstone read: This stone shall bear witness against the parishioners of Kiltearn if they bring ane [sic] ungodly minister in here.
Before Thomas Hog died in 1692 the Scot charged his congregation at Kiltearn to dig his grave at the threshold of the church building where he might act as a silent sentinel against any unworthy minister coming into the charge. The inscription on Hog’s tombstone read:
This stone shall bear witness against the parishioners of Kiltearn if they bring ane [sic] ungodly minister in here.
against the parishioners of Kiltearn
if they bring ane [sic] ungodly minister
in here.
Those were, one might say, his last words on record, anticipating what might come in the future.
Those were, one might say, his last words on record, anticipating what might come in the future.
Many in today’s world desperately need to find hope. Hope for the future. We live in a time when the future looks grim for many. We are constantly being told the uncomfortable truth of disastrous consequences that are coming. No meaning, no purpose, no hope.
Many in today’s world desperately need to find this hope. We live in a time when the future looks grim for many. We are constantly being told the uncomfortable truth of disastrous consequences that are coming from our damaged environment.
Though the world around us seems bleak, as Christians the wonders of the future... is the hope of glory. We have hope for the future. What is amazing is the last words of David is the reason why there is hope for us today… it continues to strengthen our understanding of Christ in me the hope of glory. This is what we will look at today.
These are the last words of David:
“David, the son of Jesse, speaks—
David, the man who was raised up so high,
David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
“The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me;
his words are upon my tongue.
The God of Israel spoke.
The Rock of Israel said to me:
‘The one who rules righteously,
who rules in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning at sunrise,
like a morning without clouds,
like the gleaming of the sun
on new grass after rain.’
“Is it not my family God has chosen?
Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me.
His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail.
He will ensure my safety and success.
But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away,
for they tear the hand that touches them.
One must use iron tools to chop them down;
they will be totally consumed by fire.”
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
The Certain Kingdom
The Attractive Kingdom
The Exclusive Kingdom
The first thing we will look at is the certainty of the kingdom of God, surely because it is the declaration of God. We are certain because the Lord said it is so. The second thing we will see is the refreshing and reviving nature of the kingdom making it something so beautiful that we long for it. Finally, we will see the exclusivity of the kingdom because not everyone wants that kingdom to come. Some want no part of a righteous Ruler’s reign. This will serve as the backdrop to hear the beautiful message of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel of Jesus.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of the world cause us to lose sight and hope in the kingdom, even, as we have seen, in the face of death, it is the certain and sure promises of God for a refreshing and attractive Kingdom for His people in Christ is hope for the future that we can now hold onto.
Not everyone, however, wants that kingdom to come. Some want no part of a righteous Ruler’s reign. It does not attract them, enamour them, draw them.
Davis, D. R. (2002). 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity (p. 300). Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.
I. The Certain Kingdom
- The Promises of God are truly, surely, and certainly Yes and Amen.
A. David introduces a message by giving us the the wonderful source of it. It is a divine message. He is stamping the introduction. The Hebrew word used is Nay Ume. “Oracle” is a weighty word usually used with reference to a declaration from God. So it should grab our attention here. Not only that but David is one whom the Lord deals with.
“Oracle” is a weighty word usually used with reference to a declaration from God.
B. David begins to say son of Jesse to indicate humble beginnings saying he was a simple shepherd boy, who was shown to be raised upon high. To be a king. By whom? By the living God. An did we not witness this? We have seen the connection David has with the Lord. So we are going to hear the words of one who has the hand of God upon him. He is God’s chosen king. So let’s listen. But if that’s not enough.
C. He is anointed ma shi a. Messiah.
Woodhouse, J. (2015). 2 Samuel: Your Kingdom Come. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 519). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
1 Samuel
D. If that is still not enough to listen up, He is also the hero of the songs of Isreal. The composer of many of the songs contained in the beloved book called Psalms. The book that has inspired and comforted many for thousands of years. He is the Psalmist.
E. This is the Word of the Lord coming from one who is called and anointed by the Lord. So we can be sure it is the Word of the Lord and if it is the Word of the Lord the we can be sure that what is said will actually why?
It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
Preaching the Word: 2 Samuel—Your Kingdom Come Chapter 41: The Hope of David’s Kingdom: The Lord’s Promise, Part 2 (2 Samuel 23:1–7)
Life is unbearable without hope. Our motivation to live depends on a belief that there is something to live for. To be without hope is to be overtaken by despair. While the thoughts we have about the future are often dim (“something good will surely happen”), or desperate (“something good has to happen”), or deluded (“reality is something I prefer not to think about”), without some kind of hope it is difficult to carry on. There is an industry devoted to manufacturing hopes for those of us who are having trouble forming our own. It is called advertising.
One of life’s worst experiences is losing hope. A tragedy, a failure, a disaster, or a disappointment can make the future seem empty or, worse, terrifying. If you have come through such an experience, you will know that somehow you have come to believe in the future again. Of course, your confidence may be shaky and uncertain, but some kind of positive belief about the future is essential for healthy human life.
The Bible teaches us that the proper way for human beings to have hope is to know God. God is described as “the God of hope,” and those who know God are meant to “abound in hope.”
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13
F. Life is unbearable without hope. Our motivation to live depends on a belief that there is something to live for. To be without hope is to be overtaken by despair. While the thoughts we have about the future are often dim (“something good will surely happen”), or desperate (“something good has to happen”), or deluded (“reality is something I prefer not to think about”), without some kind of hope it is difficult to carry on. There is an industry devoted to manufacturing hopes for those of us who are having trouble forming our own. It is called advertising.
G. One of the worst things to happen to us in life is to lose hope. A tragedy, a failure, a disaster, or a disappointment can make the future seem empty or, worse, terrifying. If you have come through such an experience, you will know that somehow you have come to believe in the future again. Of course, your confidence may be shaky and uncertain, but some kind of positive belief about the future is essential for healthy human life. But, there is hope.
H. The Bible teaches us that the proper way for human beings to have hope is to know God’s word. This is why we teach and preach the Word of God. This is why we study it, devote ourselves to it, build upon it, apply it, meditate upon it, defend it, and with all of our might, fight for it… especially in our biblically critical culture today. It has and was always intended to be our hope.
- It is our lamp unto our feet, it is our light unto our path. It is more precious than gold it is sweeter than honey. It tells us what is the meaning of life.
- It is our sure footing, it will last forever. Heaven and earth will pass away but His word will still remain. It tells us what our purpose is here on earth.
- It is the very breath of God, it is useful for teaching correcting rebuking and training in righteousness so that the man of God will be throughly equipped for every good work. It tells us why we are here.
- It what we live on for man does not live on bread alone. So if we do not live on the word of the Lord than we are not truly living and that is why we have no hope in life.
- It transforms our minds, it feeds our souls and it nourishes our spirits. If all we have is the word than we have more than we could ask for.
- It is the mercy of God, it is a gift of grace. It is the message that brings life and life more abundant.
- It has survived every attack, every skeptic and critic, it will survive all opposition. When all is said and done, when the fires are out, when the dust settles, standing there unscathed will be the everlasting, inerrant, infallible and inspired Word of the living God.
I. So is the kingdom certain? Yes it is. The Lord declared it. All of His promises are yes and Amen. This is why we can have hope for the future.
Author and theologian R. C. Sproul recounts his conversion:
I had actually gone to a church-related college, but I went on a football scholarship, not because of any interest in the church. At the end my first week, which was spent in freshman orientation, my roommate and I decided to hit some of the bars across the border. We get to the parking lot, and I realized that I was out of cigarettes.
So I went back in the dorm and went to the cigarette machine. I got my Luckys and turned around and saw the captain of the football team sitting at a table. He spoke to me and my roommate and invited us to come over and chat, and we did. This was the first person I ever met in my life that talked about Christ as a reality.
I'd never heard anything like it. I was just absorbed, sat there for two or three hours
. He didn't give a traditional evangelism talk to me; he just kept talking to me about the wisdom of the word of God. He quoted : "Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie." I just feel certain I'm the only person in church history that was converted by that verse. God just took that verse and struck my soul with it. I saw myself as a log that was rotting in the woods. And I was going nowhere.
When I left that guy's table, I went up to my room. And in my room by myself, in the dark, I got on my knees and cried out to God to forgive me.
II. The Attractive Kingdom
- The Kingdom is refreshing and beautiful … irresistibly attractive to His people.
A. The Lord speaks of a rule. The picture of a kingdom. The Word calls for a universal ruler. The context suggests that the use of the Hebrew word Adam to be used more in the sense of mankind, moreso than man. Scholars will say that this ruler would rule more than just Israel, but all mankind. This is the beginnings of the clue of who this ruler is alluding to.
B. This ruler will rule in righteousness infected with the fear of the Lord in his hearts and passions. And a refreshing and attractive kingdom will arise. And not because a magical kingdom will appear, but because of a righteous king. Not a beautiful king because of the kingdom, but a beautiful kingdom because of a righteous king.
- The brilliance of his rule will shine bright. The sun is brightest to us after the night. I know this when traveling with the band… when I had the through the night shift.
- Not just morning bright, but not a cloud in the sky to shade the brightness at all. It will not be hidden at all. In this rule we do not have to worry about anything shady going on. Like we may have experienced in the past.
- Not only that but this rule will bring about tremendous refreshing growth. Like the warm sun on the grass after rain. For vegetation, there is nothing better than a daily dose of water and sun. Health, growth, lush happiness… There will be expansion, prosperity, plenty, the good life in this kingdom.
C. Attractive yes. A beautiful picture of what an awesome kingdom is like. This is a kingdom that God promises is coming. In fact for us, it is the Kingdom of God and it is here. The ruler the Lord through David is ultimately describing is our Lord and King Jesus and the kingdom of God.
D. He is showing us the beauty of the kingdom that John the Baptist was declaring was at hand. He was the herald of the King. And as we see in v.5 David is here describing a king that would come from his household. Christ was a son of David.
The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,
Romans 1:2
E. This is our King who has come to bring righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. He has come to make all things new. He has come to bring life everlasting. In a world thats seems like there is no hope…
In 1963, Kurt Vonnegut wrote a book entitled Cat's Cradle in which the narrator and main character, John, sought to write a book about the day the world ended. Vonnegut was prompted to do so by the nuclear bomb at Hiroshima. His fictional story deals with the technological ability of the human race combined with its stupidity.
Within the story, in the process of his research and travels, John comes across a chapter in a book related to his new religion. The title of the chapter is, "What Can a Thoughtful Man Hope for Mankind on Earth, Given the Experience of the Past Million Years?" It doesn't take John long to read this book because it consists of only one word followed by a period: "Nothing."
Vonnegut's book reveals what many in our world today think—there is no hope. Incidents like the tsunami in Southeast Asia, the genocidal activity found in many countries in the last couple of decades, and the daily death rates of HIV patients cause people to question where the hope is. Does Christianity have anything to say in this situation? Does the church have a message of hope in the apparent hopelessness?
Yes!!! There is great news. The kingdom of God is at hand. There is hope in Christ and in Christ Alone.
- He has taken the weak things of this world to shame the strong. The foolish things to shame the wise.
- He is help for the helpless, comfort for the hurting, and for those who have no money come and buy.
- He shines even brighter than the sun. There is no unrighteousness in him. And he is more than just rain, but he gives us the water of life.
- He not only is righteous, but he makes us righteous as well. Not only is He the one and only Son of God, but he makes us all sons of God as well. Not only is he the heir of it all, He makes us co-heirs with him. Not only is He the King of kings, but he make us all kings and queens of the kingdom of heaven.
- Because of Christ the King of kings all the precious things in this world like gold and diamonds are things we are gonna walk on in heaven. Can’t imagine what that is gonna be like… it is because our King is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we could ever ask or even imagine.
- There has never been nor will there ever be a kingdom greater than this. There is hope for a bright future. It is found in Christ.
F. What brilliance, was refreshment, what attraction. This is what the Lord has promised through David and it is what the Lord has delivered.
G. Delivered? He is our king right now and he is sitting on the throne right now. Yes if you are a Christian than you right now are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
But have we been made righteous?
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Are we co-heirs with Christ?
And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Did he really make all things new?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
H. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. He is now sitting at the right hand throne of the Father in heaven while all of His enemies are being made His footstool. Yes… His enemies.
III. The Exclusive Kingdom
2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity The Kingdom Is Exclusive (23:6–7)
Not everyone, however, wants that kingdom to come.
- Not everyone, however, wants that kingdom to come.
A. Unfortunately, not all see this kingdom as attractive. They do not see it as refreshing. They do not want righteousness either. They like the darkness, they like the shadows, because they like evil.
And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
B. The justice of God will prevail. Evil will be dealt with. Just because there is evil in the world now does not mean that it will always be the case. Righteousness will prevail. Wickedness will be judged. The unrighteous will be condemned. The kingdom is only for His people. It is exclusive. v. 7
One must use iron tools to chop them down;
they will be totally consumed by fire.”
C. Yes one day He will separate the sheep from the goats. Those who love the kingdom and those who don’t. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
D. For those who are not Christians the reality is eternal condemnation. This is the Word of the Lord. The certain Word of the Lord. It will come to pass. This is not a maybe. This is not a possibility. This is not a might happen. This is a will happen. If there is one thing we see in the scriptures… the Lord fulfills His promises. We are witness to a fulfillment right here.
E. The truth is, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the wages of sin is death. But I have not committed alot of really bad sins. I give you that, but ...
For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
F. Let us not be delusional today. Preferring not to think about it. Let us not be complacent. Instead of worrying i’ll just not care. Or try to be optimistic, well there will be a silver lining somewhere.
G. We do not need to see a silver lining. We need the red blood of Jesus that makes us whiter than snow. Hear the beauty of the kingdom of God. It is called the gospel. This is our hope for a bright future.
H. Face to face with the living God we have fallen short of meeting the requirements of a righteous God. We were all born enemies of God. We are all by nature children of wrath. But we can rejoice today…this is our hope… because Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died and gave us all the benefits of his death, resurrection, and rewards.
I. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures… The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance… Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ...
J. All who call upon the name of the Lord … If we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord… Salvation and citizenship to the kingdom is here for us today. The kingdom that the Lord promised to David is here. And we await the full manifestation of it when He comes again to judge the ling and the dead.
K. The kingdom is certain. The kingdom is attractive. The Kingdom is exclusive. The kingdom is here. And those who are His sheep He will put us on his right...
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.