The Light of the World is the Just King

Introduction

This evening, we leave the narrative type of text and we look at an oracle. This type of text will become more and more common as we proceed into the books of the prophets.

So, if you would open your Bibles we will look at 2 Samuel 23:1-7 this evening. that.s 2 Samuel 23:1-7.

R.C. Sproul points out that the oracle or ““utterance.” […] is often, though not exclusively, associated with prophecy, an association not inappropriate for David.” [1]

That is what we are looking at this evening, David, is speaking prophetically of Christ, with words that are applicable to his sons.

Lets Read 2 Samuel 23:1-7

2 Samuel 23:1–7 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: 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? 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.”

My God Bless the Reading of His Holy and Infallible Word.

Lets Pray.

Transition

Chapter 23 starts with the words, “Now these are the last words of David.” (2 Sa 23:1, ESV) It is generally agreed that the author means here that this is the last Oracle that David Spoke. R.C. Sproul said, “That is, [Davids] last poem.” [2]

Lets just put that in perspective really quickly. This means that David has completed writing all the Psalms at this point. David is witting these words in the context of the plethora of messianic prophesies within the Psalms,

like

Psalm 2 The LORD says, “I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psa 2:6, ESV)

Psalm 16 “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” (Psa 16:10, ESV)

Psalm 69 “For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.” (Psalm 69:7-9, ESV)

Psalm 110 “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psa 110:4, ESV).

In the light of the great messianic prophesies in the Psalms we turn to David’s last Oracle. Verse 1-2 read.

Main Body Division 1

Text

2 Samuel 23:1–2 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.

Exposition

"the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel”

Exposition

There is always the danger of taking the text of scripture out of time and space or confining it only to time.

David was really anointed

The title “sweet psalmist of Israel” has two important meaning.

This is how he would have been know.

God acknowledges that the psalms David Wrote are Sweet.

Application

Let us not forget that while every text of scripture directly or indirectly points the Christ, God points to Christ by using real people in real situation.

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:35, ESV)

Special Christian love for each other is not just a feel good thing, its a gospel matter, its a matter of revealing God to the world.

God has not changed his method. Scripture is closed the Cannon completed but go point to himself though his people.

The prophets like David pointed forward and said we point backwards and say, it is finished.

How do you oder your life around this truth

No 12 steps to the perfect Christ displaying life… its not that easy.

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mt 16:24, ESV)

Leonard Ravenhill, quoting Dr. Tozer, always said “you know one thing about a man caring a cross out of town, he is not coming back.”

This is the mean if a file that points to God, a man, or woman that sold everything they own and bought that field, that Pearl, ad they are going coming back.

Transition

What is it that the Lord said through David, or more precisesly, verse 2 addresses how the Lord speaks through, points through his people to himself.

"The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.”

Exposition

The method is again the same.

David lived and point to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit and we are to do the same

“He also came down upon all righteous men and Prophets; Enos, I mean, and Enoch, and Noah, and the rest; upon Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; for as regards Joseph, even Pharaoh perceived that he had the Spirit of God within him. As to Moses, and the wonderful works wrought by the Spirit in his days, thou hast heard often. This Spirit Job also had, that most enduring man, and all the saints, though we repeat not all their names.”[3]

Application

By the power of the spirit we can live lives that that point to Christ.

Transition

The next part of this Oracle is divided into two parts. The first part in Verse 3-5 addresses the sons of light and their king, and the second part, verse 6-7, address the children of darkness and their end. Lets look at verse 3-5.

Main Body Division 2

Text

2 Samuel 23:3–5 ESV

3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: 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?

Exposition

"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.”

Exposition

The king that rules with justice

This could easily be a sermon point itself

“like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning”

This could easily be a sermon point itself

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12–13, ESV)

“like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth”

This could easily be a sermon point itself

““If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (Jn 4:10, ESV)

Application

Notice the king is all good things at one time.

Sun from a cloudless sky, rain that grows the grass.

Here is everything to his people.

If you know Jesus, you know that is what he is; he is everything. He is the sun and the rain, the light shining, and the well of water spring to eternal life.

A man can be content leaving everything with a cross on his back, going out of town to die to self because he is not losing anything, but he is gaining everything in Christ.

Transition

This is no temporary thing, in verse 3 David says it is an everlasting covenant.

"For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure.”

Exposition

David Writes in the 10th Psalm “[t]he LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land.” (Ps 10:16, ESV)

Transition

The LORDs land is for the Lords people. There are two groups of people int he world. Paul writes the the Thessalonians saying, “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.” (1 Th 5:5.)

There are those of light and those of darkness, those that have God for a father and those that, like Jesus said to the Pharisees, “[y]ou [their] of your father the devil” (Jn 8:44, ESV)

Those that have Jesus for a King, live in His light and provision, I royal priesthood forever. But those that are of darkness only have destruction ahead of them. We see them described in verse 6-7.

Main Body Division 3

Text

2 Samuel 23:6–7 ESV

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.”

Exposition

"worthless men”

Exposition

The KJV translates worthless men and “sons of Belial”

“worthless men.” "This Hebrew phrase (lit. “sons of Belial”) connotes vile persons. It is used of those who incite to idolatry or insurrection; the sexually immoral; and liars.[4]

“The focus here may be on those who have opposed the rule of David.” [5]

Those who resist the king are worthless men.

Application

Illustration

Transition

Turn in your Bible to John 15 these even and we get ready to wrap up

"they are utterly consumed with fire.”

Exposition

Those who belong to the king of light will have every good thing and those that resist time will be consumed with fire.

"15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” (Jn 15:1–6, ESV)

Conclusion

Concluding with a final application tonight.

The Apostle Paul said, examine yourselves to see if you are of the faith, (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Are you in him?

Are you ready to leave town carrying your cross to die because you know that what you gain is 1000 time better then what you are loosing?

Are you read to say with the Apostle Paul, I count all this worlds stuff as dung accept the knowledge of Christ Jesus? (Philippians 3:8, ESV)

If you answered yes, and I hope you did, the next question is, are you intentionally pointing the Christ with your life.

Just because we answer yes to these question today does not mean we are done. This is what we do every day. We live int eh kings country. We are called to be God’s People.

Benediction

Romans 15:13 ESV

13 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.

Amen!

References

[1] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 489.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Cyril of Jerusalem, “The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem,” in S. Cyril of Jerusalem, S. Gregory Nazianzen, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, trans. R. W. Church and Edwin Hamilton Gifford, vol. 7, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1894), 122.

[4] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 406–407.

[5] Ibid, 490.

Bibliography

Cyril of Jerusalem, “The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem,” in S. Cyril of Jerusalem, S. Gregory Nazianzen, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, trans. R. W. Church and Edwin Hamilton Gifford, vol. 7, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1894), 122.

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.