Be Just or Be Worthless
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION: Welcome/Prayer
Open to 2 Samuel 23… we’ll be in verses 1-7
Last week we covered the second portion of chapter 22, which was a song written by David about his faith in Yahweh… and how David credits his success to Yahweh
This week we look at the second poem written by David...
Both of these poems are found in the middle of chapters 21-24, a concluding unit of 2 Samuel written in chiastic structure…
With the poems of chapter 22 and 23 in the center, highlighting the faith of David in Yahweh
This poem is known as David’s last words… and it is one example of why when we look at the events recorded in 2 Samuel, we must not assume they are placed in chronological order.
For clearly, verses 1-7 are not the last words of David as David speaks again later in chapter 24.
But this highlights for us that the author has been intentional in the arrangement of the material for certain purposes and that the chiastic structure we find here at the end of 2 Samuel is not some coincidence but a deliberate action to highlight the faith of King David.
As we go through these 7 verses we’ll look at who is speaking, then look at the two types of people mentioned in David’s final words… the just ruler and those who are worthless.
Let’s begin by reading verses 1-3a… and what’s meant by 3a, is the first part of verse 3.
2 Samuel 23:1–3a (ESV)
1 Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue. 3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me:
We have an introduction to these words of David…
A moment David uses to establish credibility and authority…
In short, David is stating the reason why the words that follow must be heeded...
He begins be establishing who he, himself is...
He’s David, the son of Jesse… and you might wonder does it matter?
Who’s Jesse anyhow? Outside of David, Jesse is a nobody in Israelite recorded history
But by mentioning Jesse, David is showing his genealogy...
David is showing that one that he is an Israelite… and being an Israelite is important if one is to claim to be king, and claim to be the anointed one over Israel… Deut. 17:15
15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
Furthermore, David shows himself to be from the line of Judah… that Jesse and himself are Judahites.
This piece of information grants more credibility to David as he links himself with ancient prophecy - Gen 49:10 where Jacob in blessing his sons, blesses Judah with the scepter to rule God’s people
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Beyond establishing his Israelite heritage, David reminds the reader he is the chosen one, the anointed...
In 1 Samuel 16, David was anointed by the judge and prophet Samuel as ordered by the Spirit of God
Since that moment the Spirit of the Lord has been with David
In David’s anointing he has written many psalms and he identifies himself as such, as the sweet psalmist of Israel...
David here is appealing to his track record so to speak
He is the author of the songs of the nation… therefore, his words prior to these that follow, have been tested before and approved of...
In other words, David is a proven best-selling author...
His psalms also carry a prophetic voice because he is God’s anointed one…
Even Saul, when he was alive, was considered a prophet at times because he indeed prophesied from time to time as recorded in 1 Samuel 10
David identifying himself as a psalmist and one chosen by God, thus naturally identifies himself as a prophet.
He identifies himself this way in the very beginning of the poem, by using the words “the oracle”… a term in the Hebrew used in reference to prophetic utterances, and often used by the prophets of Israel.
And as the prophets typically do as well, David starts his utterance, his message, by identifying the authority upon which he speaks...
David says it’s the Spirit of Yahweh that speaks “by” him… that is the Holy Spirit is the input, David is the output… David is an instrument of which Yahweh speaks to created man.
The fact that the Word of God is upon David’s mind and soul in his final moments further reveals David’s faith and trust in God.
And David emphasizes this several times to drive the point home.
Spirit of the Lord speaks by me…
His Word is on my tongue...
The God of Israel has spoken...
The Rock of Israel has said to me...
This is important… for without acknowledging from whom this message comes from… and the authority of it… one might not pay careful attention to the words spoken…
Especially during a time when most communication was oral, was spoken and heard, not written and read...
You had to be ready to hear what was said… for you couldn’t just go back up and reconsider what was spoken.
Likewise… the same is true today...
When you come to church you must prepare yourselves to hear from God
You must be ready to pay attention and be focus
For what is said from here is not simply the mere utterances of fallen men… but the utterances of God as delivered through His Word
It’s not that I speak new utterances… David did… I do not. No pastor does… any pastor who says he has a word that is new or special for you is a liar, a wolf, and is worthless. And we’ll talk more about worthless men at the end.
The word I bring, is God’s word. It’s not new. I may speak of it from a variety of angles and perspectives in regard to how it is applied to our lives, to our church, and how it ought to form our worship of God.
But the principle meaning and understanding of God’s Word, is found in His Word… not in me. Whatever I say, you ought to be able to go back to the text and see it already there...
You might not have noticed it before… but now you do…
If not… I either have failed in how I communicate the truth… or I have deviated from the principal meaning of the text, of God’s Word… or I simply have elevated myself to a position that I am not called to be in...
Therefore, when you come to church… understand you come to here our holy Father speak… you come to hear Jesus, His Son speak… you come to hear the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus, from the Father to us, speak...
A reality that horrifies, humbles, and blesses me… a reality that keeps me from being fearful of your opinion about what I say… for I speak not for myself… but I speak what God has already spoken and I speak with His authority… and as He was David’s Rock, He is mine as well… and I know He is for most you also.
Hence why I bathe my sermons in prayer… I bathe you in prayer in how you will receive it…
This truth is not only for when you come to church though...
It’s anytime you go to read the Scriptures...
Anytime you open your Bible or your Bible app… you are hearing straight from the mouth of God.
2 Tim 3:16
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
What a blessing… what a privilege… what an honor… no wonder many die to have in their hands a single page of His Holy Word… and others die so others may have it.
May we never forget the privilege we have being able to read and study His whole Word… and we are able to gather freely do so… for now...
So, what has the Rock of Israel spoken to David? Let’s read on, starting with verse 3b, that is the second part of verse 3, and we will read through verse 5, to hear the first part of this utterance from God.
2 Samuel 23:3b–5 (ESV)
3 When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, 4 he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth. 5 “For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?
In short, a just ruler is a blessing to those whom he rules over.
Exactly how does one rule justly though? There are two things go consider… one is implicit in our text, the other explicit
The first is to acknowledge who the ruler is ruling… men.
That is, those who possess the Imago Dei, the Image of God… not beasts or mere creatures… but men and women.
Whose value and worth is found in the Imago Dei… not in their lot in life, not what they can or cannot contribute to society… how useful or useless they are… but that they are of the human race… a privileged race in all of the cosmos… a race not defined by color, socioeconomic status… or any other reason other than they, we bear the image of God.
A king may have greater responsibility and society may suffer more at the lost of a king… but in God’s eyes the king is a servant of equal value and worth as the street sweeper.
Each have their roles, their responsibilities… but both bear God’s image… both are loved and valued by God… thus the ruler would be wise to treat those under him as such.
The second thing to acknowledge, and this is explicit in the text… is that the king will be held accountable...
That is, the king, the ruler, is to do so fearing God.
This principle goes back to Moses, Ex 18:21 when his father-in-law gave Moses advice on how to delegate responsibility
21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
And Nehemiah gives us an example of one who fears God and those who don’t Nehemiah 5:15
15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
The fear of God keeps the ruler honest… compassionate… gracious… and just.
One of the responsibilities of the ruler is to ensure justice, God’s justice, is practiced and kept…
In doing so, the ruler becomes a source of life… of vitality… of blessing
The just ruler is compared to the morning light that breaks the darkness of night… giving light… giving hope after a long dark night
He’s compared to the sun shining on a cloudless morning… providing warmth and sense of confidence...
And he’s like the rain that provides life and refreshment that leads to growth.
For where true righteousness exist, there is life found.
To know righteousness is to know life.
What does this have to do with us though? Who here is a king? A ruler? Is this message simply for those who are in charge?
It is… but it’s also a message for all of us.
Are we not all anointed? We, who believe in Christ. We who are partakers of the New Covenant?
2 Cor 1:21-22
21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
More than that, we all have some sort of authority in our lives… it differs from one another in scope and manner but we all have some sort of responsibility...
Fathers have their families...
Mothers have their children...
Children may not have much, but over time they are given some… and how they obey is a reflection in how they will lead
Those of you who teach… you have authority… you rule over your students
Those of you who work law enforcement… exercise authority and justice… do so recognizing whom you exercise it over as well as under…
Others are supervisors or bosses in various capacities…
And I am sure if we gave more time we could continue the list… but the point is the same. We all have it to some degree…
And here in America we have it in a very unique way that we must not ignore nor neglect… in a form of government where the power of the government is found in the people, at least when it was founded...
Our voting… is an exercise of authority… of rule. In a very unique sense. The founding fathers understood this and there was an understanding that voting was privileged responsibility not to be given to godless people, but to people who feared God.
Samuel Adams said, “Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote…that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.”
We must not think that our private life and public life can each have their own faith system.
If we believe in Christ, we believe in Christ both in private and in public… and that goes with how we vote… for how we vote is a reflection in how we rule.
Do not think, “But’s not American, faith and politics are meant to be separate”
First off… your American history is off if that is what you think. The quote from Sam Adams should point that out.
Second, we don’t concern ourselves with the American way… we concern ourselves with the Biblical way.
We are dual-citizens… and if we must lose one it’s the American one we want to lose for America one day will be no more.
And yes, you might think what impact does my one vote have… that’s not the point.
You have the opportunity, you have the obligation… be faithful to God and let God deal with the rest. Do not be negligent in your faithfulness because of other people’s unfaithfulness.
When a ruler, rules justly in the fear of God, the ruler is blessed.
David provides his house as an example of being blessed as a just ruler.
Has not God granted David’s house life? By making with David an everlasting covenant?
A promise that is ordered and secure.
A promise that David can trust to receive help in times of distress.
Through the Davidic Covenant given in 2 Samuel 7 God has guaranteed that the House of David will never end and that his house will reign forever… and of course this is ultimately fulfilled through Jesus, despite the failings of many of David’s other descendants.
When we ourselves live justly, righteously, and rule in the same manner we can expect the same kind of blessing...
The Davidic Covenant was not made with us specifically, but because of the Davidic Covenant, the New Covenant was established which was made for us specifically...
As those who believe in the Son of David, Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior, we enter into an everlasting covenant that Christ ushered in the shedding of His blood for our sin upon the cross.
As such He has begun a work with us that is ordered and secured as well… Phil 1:6
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
And as our High Priest we can go to Jesus, as David went to Yahweh, to receive help Heb 4:16
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1 Cor 1:4-9 Paul sums up the promises and blessing of our life in the New Covenant well… speaking of the gifts we receive to help us wait for Christ’s return and how on that day Christ will present us guiltless before the Father.
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is the blessing of one who lives righteously, justly, made possible only by the righteousness of Christ… yet… for those who refuse to live this way, there is a consequence...
6 But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand; 7 but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire.”
Who are these worthless men that are like thorns?
If you’ve been paying attention in Samuel the issue of worthless men is a common theme. It began back in 1 Samuel...
Hannah asks not to be regarded as a worthless woman in 1 Samuel 1:16 when Eli wonders if she is drunk...
16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”
Then the sons of Eli in 1 Samuel 2:12 are called worthless for they did not know Yahweh.
12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.
In 1 Samuel 10:27 some “worthless men” doubted that Saul, the Lord’s anointed could save them.
27 But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.
In 1 Samuel 15:9, Saul and his men devoted what they considered to be worthless to destruction after defeating the Amalikites.
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
Then in 1 Samuel 25:17 & 1 Samuel 25:25, a servant and Abigail (Nabal’s wife) speak of Nabal, as a worthless man, in light of the way he treated David.
17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”
25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
1 Samuel 30:22 - those who were selfish and greedy while disagreeing with David’s decision to share the spoil of battle are called wicked and worthless.
22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.”
Then in 2 Samuel 16:7, Shimei blasphemes David’s name by calling him worthless...
7 And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man!
In 2 Samuel 20:1 - Sheba, the leader of the rebellion we spoke about a few weeks ago… he is called worthless
1 Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!”
Then we have the verse here in chapter 23, comparing worthless men to thorns...
Through these examples we see some commonality between those who are described as “worthless”
They don’t know God… they lacked faith in God and His purposes...
They were selfish people… people of this world out for their own gain
As such these people.... not living justly, not ruling justly as in the instance of Eli’s sons… they are not life givers… thus they are worthless men.
Therefore, worthless men are like thorns in a field… or in a garden… useless...
There is no need for them to be there… not only that but thorns are dangerous
Worthless men may be useless in giving life but that does not mean they are not dangerous nor does it mean they won’t cause harm…
Too many thorns in a field can choke out the good growth and what is useful and what is pleasing… consider the parable of the sower… Matt 13:7, 22
7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Or Numbers 33:55
55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.
The thorns of this age are the temptations of this world as well as the false teachers within the church… for the worthless thorns exist without and within God’s people…
Thorns, worthless people, are useless to God and a threat to God’s people… as such they are destined for judgment… and they will be treated as a farmer treats thorns…
They will be utterly consumed with fire....
This imagery is common throughout Scripture
Isaiah 27:1-5 God speaking of His people as a vineyard He watches over
1 In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. 2 In that day, “A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! 3 I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day; 4 I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle! I would march against them, I would burn them up together. 5 Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me.”
Heb 6:7-8
7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
Therefore, there is a choice before us…
As presented by David’s final words… there is a blessing to be found for those who live and rule justly… and a curse, fiery judgment for those who live otherwise worthless lives...
So, let us be just… or we shall be worthless...
How is this to be done? In our own power? In our own will, volition?
As it was done for David… faith in Yahweh… delighting in God… trusting in the Rock of Israel.
Remembering, we are not our own… but we are His… we in Him, and He in us…
Thus we are a new creation, with new wills… with new power… 2 Cor 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Gal 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
This new life must be done in Christ and only in Christ and in no other name, no other way....
For it is Christ who fulfills all of these verses
Jesus Christ… who is the Son of David, the son of Jesse… thus an Israelite, a Judahite...
He is the Lord’s Anointed… hence His title, Christ, meaning “Anointed One”… it’s not His last name.
David was a just and righteous ruler… but he was imperfect, only Jesus, who is God, is able to rule perfectly and with pure justice and pure righteousness
As such, Jesus, being the Son of God, living in perfect obedience to the Father is blessed by the Father and has been given all authority in heaven and earth and granted the throne of David to sit on it one day to rule for all eternity.
And it is Jesus who will take an iron rod and judge all the worthless thorns of all of time and set them ablaze in fiery judgment as He executes perfect justice upon His enemies.
But praise God, that while there is time in this age… while we still breathe, if we find ourselves to be worthless, God has made our way for us to be reconciled to Him… to make peace with Him Isaiah 27:5
5 Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me.”
Therefore, if you figure yourself to be worthless by the conviction of the Spirit… this is the moment to accept Christ, to confess your sin and repent… and then enjoy fellowship with the Son and His saints at His table...
And if you are not worthless, but just, in Christ.... then come rejoice in God’s work in you by the Spirit of Christ and be encouraged to stay the course and live justly so that you may be found in Christ as you are in Christ right now…
Partake of communion remind yourself of the promises of Christ… that His work upon the cross reconciled us to the Father… and we are granted rest
For once we choose Christ… and are found in Christ, we will never lose Christ… but let us not allow the devil to cause us to think that joy of life, joy of eternity can be found in disobedience… let us remain faithful, let us remain blessed… let us consider how we are to live remembering Christ is returning to judge all… those who are just and those who are worthless.