David's Power

[00:00:00] Let's pray. [00:00:06] Lord Jesus, thank you for entering into our sorrows. [00:00:11] Thank you, entering into the darkness of this world. [00:00:16] Thank you for entering into the curse that was justly placed on man so that you might bring us out from under it. [00:00:29] We ask that you would help us to hear your word today that by your spirit our wills would be strengthened, that we might follow you more zealously, more joyfully, more confidently and boldly. [00:00:46] We ask, Lord, that you would help us to see more of who you are, to understand your love for us and your power in our lives in a way that would strengthen our faith. [00:01:00] We ask that you would do these things according to your will, and we pray this in your name. Amen. [00:01:10] Let's remain standing and turn to hear God's word from 2 Samuel, chapter 8. [00:01:37] As we return to 2 Samuel 8, or 2 Samuel rather. [00:01:42] You'll remember, if you've been following along with us in these books, that the Lord has brought his chosen servant to become king over Israel. [00:01:54] And that has meant removing Saul and the previous kingdom and then establishing David in the previous chapter. And over the last month, we've explored in depth the Davidic covenant, God's covenant with David, a covenant which has been fulfilled in Jesus. [00:02:13] And now as we go back to two Samuel, we see the ways in which David's victories foreshadow the victories that Christ achieved for us. [00:02:24] So let's think about that this morning as we turn to 2 Samuel 8, and we'll consider what David's victories reveal to us about King Jesus. [00:02:34] Let's hear God's word after this. David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Mepheg Amah out of the hand of the Philistines, and he defeated Moab. And he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death and one full line to be spared. [00:02:57] And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute. [00:03:01] David also defeated Hadadezer, the son of Rahab, the king of Zobah. [00:03:06] And he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. [00:03:10] And David took from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for a hundred chariots. [00:03:19] And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. [00:03:27] Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. [00:03:33] And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. [00:03:37] And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. And from Bata and from Berathai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze. [00:03:50] When Toi, king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, Toi sent his son Joram to King David to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him. For Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze. These also King David dedicated to the Lord together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and the spoil of Hadadezer, the son of Rahab, the king of Zobah. And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. [00:04:34] Then he put garrisons in Edom. [00:04:36] Throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. [00:04:46] So David reigned over all Israel, and David administered justice and equity to all his people. [00:04:52] Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army. And Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seruiah was secretary. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were priests. [00:05:15] You may be seated. [00:05:40] Well, this chapter is full of stories, right? We really only get headlines here. [00:05:50] In some ways, Chapter eight reads kind of like a news summary article. Perhaps if you come across these, maybe you've sort of stepped away from the news for a few weeks and you go, what has been going on with such and such a thing? And you find a good article that kind of gives you the bullet points for all the things that have been happening, kind of brings it all together and summarizes it. [00:06:11] 2nd Samuel 8 is kind of like that, isn't it? It feels kind of like this news head, raw headline, bullet point summary of all the things that have been going on to really make a single point. You know, the bottom line, the thing you walk away with, is that David's kingdom is being established in great power, and it's being established by God, not By David's ambition, not by his particular prow. [00:06:44] But the fundamental thing is that his leadership, his power, his strength is empowered by God. [00:06:52] That's the source of what's happening. God is the source of this, the power of this kingdom and the power over his servant. And through his servant, we also see the quality of this kingdom. [00:07:04] Not only is there all these enemies subdued and powerful and people bringing tribute and all these sorts of things, but we also see that it's being established in justice with equity at the conclusion, in verse 15, at the conclusion of all these battles and all these things which would be. Each one would be so interesting all on their own. If we had all the details, you could probably write volumes right, on particular instances, the valley or the attack on the Edomites or what it was like to defeat the Philistines, or all these details around Hadadezer and all the people involved and all that went on there. [00:07:46] But you get to verse 15, it sums it up for us. David reigned over all Israel, and David administered justice and equity to all his people. Justice and equity. [00:07:57] David didn't become a tyrant, he didn't become bloodthirsty. He didn't become addicted to wealth. [00:08:06] In fact, the wealth that he has, he dedicated to Yahweh. [00:08:11] It says he dedicated it to the Lord. What David is doing is an act of obedience and it's an act of worship particular to his time, particular to his calling and predictive and foreshadowing the work that Jesus would do and has done for us as God's Messiah. [00:08:34] Now, this is so important for us because we human beings need a king, want a king, want the kind of leadership and power in our lives that can truly and permanently secure peace and justice. [00:08:50] Right, equity, justice. I don't want anything else, right? We want these things in our lives so we can go about our lives and do what we're called to do, to live and to live without feeling afraid all the time, without worrying, wondering what's going to happen and how's it going to happen, and without worrying that that peace that we so much want to live under is established with some kind of unfairness or inequity. [00:09:22] It's not fair when somebody gets to live, you know, a great life, but they do it out of theft, abuse and power. [00:09:31] When somebody who hasn't done those things and is weak struggles in righteousness to just get by, not be abused. [00:09:41] We long for a kingdom, places to live, countries that are ruled with peace and justice. And David provided that. God provided that for Israel in all Those who came within her orbit. [00:10:00] Studying David's rule here helps us to understand what God did in Christ's rule. [00:10:07] And that's important because when we understand and trust what Jesus has done, we find the things that we're looking for. [00:10:15] The comfort, the peace, the joy, safety, equity, justice. All these things. No matter what our need is, we find that the Scriptures tell us in Jesus. [00:10:28] So let's look at a few things today so that we can reflect on this. First, David's power is really the work of God. This is the first thing we want to see and understand. [00:10:40] How do we see it? [00:10:42] Well, there's two places it comes out in particular, really explicitly. It comes out when God says, when the Scriptures record that these happen because of the lord. In verse 6, it says, and the Lord Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went. [00:11:00] Just says it really plainly, really clearly. And then again, we see that in verse 14, and the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. So two times it's expressed in this passage. And then, of course, we have it expressed in David's gifts to the Lord. [00:11:22] Not only is the narrator telling us that this is what's happening, the Holy Spirit is telling us what's happening, but David himself recognizes this. David's not blind to this, and so he devotes these things to the Lord. [00:11:37] And finally, we know that this is true because we know the backstory. [00:11:43] We've seen how David has come to power, that he's come to power from being out in the shepherds, in a way, even rejected by his own father, or at least overlooked and brought from. Brought from the fields into the throne room. [00:12:01] How? [00:12:02] How did that happen? Well, we won't go back and rehearse all of the stories, but we see over and over again that it was God who did it. [00:12:11] Sometimes in very, very miraculous and amazing ways. [00:12:18] In the text, we see this power expressed in various ways. We see it expressed in all these victories over all these enemies. [00:12:25] We see God's power expressed in his kingdom through the benefits that happen. [00:12:31] The honor as kings. You can imagine them. The toy, for example, bringing wealth and gifts to David. I love this. [00:12:44] In verse 10, Toi sent his son Joram to King David to ask about his health. [00:12:50] How are you doing? [00:12:52] Great to see you. Right. He's not just curious about his health, but as we go on to see, he wants to bless him. Why? [00:13:00] Because he just defeated his enemy. [00:13:04] Right. TOI has a friend in David, even though he's not a part of Israel. [00:13:09] The nations are being blessed. Those who would come against David, come against Israel, are defeated. And those who come under the orbit of that salvation find a great blessing. So here we see David's power expressed not only in the defeat of people, but in them bringing tribute. [00:13:31] This would often happen, still happens, right? When a greater power conquers a lesser power, sometimes as an expression of this new relationship, the lesser power will bring tribute. This can take all kinds of forms. [00:13:47] Taxes, money, sometimes animals, marriages, happen sometimes this way, but brings that to the greater power as an expression of honor, as an expression of subjection. [00:14:02] You now have these other nations doing that for Israel, not being a part of Israel exactly, but under her authority and care and law. In some way. [00:14:16] We also see peace happening. We see that rule at home as the administration is established. It's not just all of these victories abroad. And then things are crumbling at home, but things are strong at home. Various people are being appointed to their various places. [00:14:36] Things are going very well. [00:14:40] So in all of these details, as I said earlier, the bottom line is that the reign of God is established in David. [00:14:48] And it's not marked by David's military genius. It's not marked by his ambition. [00:14:55] It's empowered by the Lord. David is successful because he is God's chosen king. That's it. [00:15:03] Simple. [00:15:05] He is the Messiah, the anointed one, not the Messiah in replacement of Jesus, but an anointed one foreshadowing and preparing the way for the final anointed one, who is, of course, Christ. [00:15:21] Turn with me to Samuel. I'm sorry. Psalms 21, Psalm 21. [00:15:29] And we see these things expressed in David's words. [00:15:38] So if this was happening to you, and I'll tell you now, in some ways it is, if the Lord is blessing you and strengthening you. [00:15:50] Here David talks about it from the perspective of the king. What do you say? [00:15:56] What does that sound like? [00:15:58] Here's how David puts it. I'll just read the first seven verses. [00:16:03] Here's how David sees things. [00:16:06] O Lord, in your strength, the king rejoices in your salvation. How greatly he exalts. [00:16:13] You have given him his heart's desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. For you meet him with rich blessings. You set a crown of fine gold upon his head. He asked life of you. You gave it to him length of days, forever and ever. His glory is great throughout or through your salvation. Splendor and majesty you bestow on him, for you made him most blessed forever. You make him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord and through the steadfast love of the Most High. He shall not be moved. [00:16:50] You see that David understands what's going on. David is not confused. Saul, Saul was confused. [00:17:00] Saul constantly was fighting against these truths. In Psalm 21, instead of Saul simply being a receiver and a depender upon the Lord's power and on the Lord's love, Saul was constantly trying to go his own way, constantly trying to do his own thing, constantly neglecting the Lord, constantly neglecting His Word instead of just sitting in it, rejoicing in it, being established in it, and not worrying. [00:17:28] Saul was constantly out there manipulating, trying to make treaties and work these end runs around this or that problem. He was not trusting in the Lord. [00:17:38] He was always trusting in himself, always trying to gain and secure power for himself. And of course, when that didn't happen, what did he do? He got frustrated, he got discontent, and he went after the very thing that would help him. [00:17:55] Instead of trusting in the Lord and in the Lord's work and in the Lord's promises and in the Lord's servant. And David, Saul just doubled down in his own paths and his own sin, the very things that were leading him astray is what he trusted in more. [00:18:12] And ultimately it took his life. [00:18:18] David is showing us a different path, a different way of living, a different hope. [00:18:27] And it's a hope that's not grounded in one's own personal strength, in one's own personal righteousness. [00:18:35] It's a hope that's grounded not in one's abilities to do this or do that or make this or that happen. [00:18:42] His hope is established in the Lord. [00:18:48] O Lord, in your strength, the king rejoices in your salvation. [00:18:53] How greatly he exalts. Or verse 7. For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High, he shall not be moved. [00:19:06] The rule of David is really about the rule of God through David. [00:19:12] The rule of David, and we'll see this going throughout, and especially here at the beginning, is not an expression. The kingdom of God is not an expression of the power of David, but an expression of God's chosen servant. It's what Saul forgot and it's what David celebrates. [00:19:33] But David was still a man and one who was sinful. [00:19:41] David would die. [00:19:43] David would make mistakes. David would commit huge sins and receive various repercussions from them. Same would be true of Solomon, his son, and all those after him, until guess who? [00:19:58] Jesus, the son of David and the Son of God. [00:20:05] And Jesus, as the son of God, takes this place on the throne of David and then does perfectly what David was unable to do. [00:20:17] This line in Psalm 21, this verse 4, where it says, he asked life of you, and you gave it to him. The length of days, forever and ever, Is true in a new way. When we come to Jesus, who rises from the dead and is victorious over death. Now David will rise from the dead too, and so will you, if your trust is in Jesus. [00:20:50] But Jesus resurrection is different in that he's the one who conquers death. [00:20:56] He doesn't just receive the benefits of life. He is the victorious one. We rise from the dead through him. [00:21:05] In his victory, right? We receive the benefits of those things. And so what we see is that these promises for David and the establishment of the kingdom of God in this temporary and provisional way in Israel wasn't just for this moment. It wasn't just for this time. [00:21:28] There is someone to come, and we know that from God's promise to David in Second Samuel, where he promises him an enduring house, a throne that will be established forever for his Son. Chapter eight shows that promise beginning to take place. Place. But after this chapter, things will happen, prophecies will be made. The Lord will send his servants who will speak of things to come, of one to come, who will establish this in a new and even better way. [00:22:01] We've heard this passage a lot through December. Isaiah 9, 6, 7. He will be called wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. The government will be established on his shoulders. [00:22:12] These are prophecies about David's son, the Messiah, the one to come, who of course is Jesus. [00:22:20] And David himself speaks of this in Psalm 110. If you're still in the Psalms, you can flip there with me. [00:22:30] Psalm 110. [00:22:32] Just the whole ver. The whole psalm is great. It's, I think, the most cited psalm in the New Testament. But we'll just look at one verse, the first verse in your Bibles. It says, the Lord says to my Lord, and notice that the first one is capitalized and the second one is not. [00:22:56] The first one uses the divine name of God, which we transliterate and pronounce as Yahweh or Jehovah. [00:23:03] Yahweh. God says to my Lord, sit at my right hand, and I will make your enemies your footstool. [00:23:19] David is speaking about someone, his son, who he considers his Lord, which is an unusual thing for a father to say. Usually fathers don't call their sons the Master, and it's the other way around. [00:23:33] But David here is speaking as a king of someone who will be his king. [00:23:43] And that king is established by God. [00:23:46] So he's talking about the Promised One to come. He's talking about the Messiah to come. And what will happen with this Messiah? Well, Yahweh says, God says, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. [00:24:03] A powerful image, right? Kicking up your feet on the backs of your enemies, right? Relaxing at the end of the day, not worrying about your enemies, but resting your feet on them, right? It's a powerful, powerful image. And what God is saying here, let's say, start with this way. What God is saying through David about himself prophesying about when to come, is that there is going to be one who comes in which Yahweh will say, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. [00:24:36] David understands the promise. In 2nd Samuel 7, David understands that one is coming who will secure this kingdom and will secure it forever. God. In 2nd Samuel 8, he's setting the table, right? He's preparing our expectations for what is to happen. And it is his expectation of. About victory. [00:24:58] And then with the table set and the prophecies that are coming, it's like the smells start coming from the kitchen. [00:25:05] You smell the ham, the turkey, whatever it is you're making, you know the table is SM with the prophecies. You're kind of smelling it coming, right? And then when Jesus comes and he sets the table, he sets the table. He is now inviting us to enjoy that feast. [00:25:27] That's what happens when Jesus comes. He is this promised Son. And it does happen. In the reign of Jesus, Jesus defeats not just this person and that person and create a kind of sphere of influence within this region of the world. [00:25:46] What does Jesus do? This prophesied Messiah, this promised One to come, he defeats all the arch villains, every enemy, the greatest enemies, the powers behind the powers. [00:26:03] He defeats them. [00:26:08] Colossians 2:15 says this. [00:26:11] God disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in Christ, in Messiah, in Anointed One, in Jesus, he disarms, right? He disarms the rulers and authorities. He takes away their rule, he takes away their power, and he embarrasses them. [00:26:40] He puts them to open shame. Now, we don't like to be embarrassed, but we sure like seeing people who are on their high horse being brought down a pig or two to mix all kinds of idioms, right? [00:26:55] Those people who establish themselves and say, I'm in control, I'm in charge, be in subjection to me. [00:27:04] I'm going to rule over you and I'm going To demand these things over you and say, what right does this person have to do these things and say these things? When that person is removed, it's a sigh of relief. [00:27:16] It's rejoicing. When the person who elevated themselves beyond the station that they were called to be in are brought into a place of shame, it feels like justice. [00:27:30] It feels like fairness. It feels like equity. And that's what God does. [00:27:35] Satan, from the beginning has been elevating himself above God, trying to. Trying to elevate himself above God in, in our hearts and minds, in the world. [00:27:50] And God puts him and all those who rule according to his power and strength to open shame, public humiliation, no more. I'm the king, period. [00:28:04] He triumphs over them in Christ. [00:28:09] Now, for those of us, which is all of us who are born under slavery and bondage to this evil Lord, who are born in bondage and slavery to Satan, in which he manipulates us and confuses us and uses us for his will and ends, this is great news to have the slavery broken and the bondage broken from the one who was abusing you and hurting you and lying to you. [00:28:51] This is life, this is freedom. [00:28:56] So Hebrews puts it this way, chapter 2, verses 14 and 15. [00:29:02] Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise partook of the same things. [00:29:09] In other words, he became man in order that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil. [00:29:23] That's what Hebrew says, and deliver all those who through fear of death, were subject to lifelong slavery. [00:29:32] So Hebrews attributes, in not every sense, but in some senses, it attributes the power of death to the devil, and particularly this power, the power of using the fear of death to subject humanity to lifelong slavery. [00:29:54] Humanity is bound in lifelong slavery through the fear of death. [00:30:01] And Jesus comes in, he breaks that fear and delivers us from bondage. [00:30:06] He takes people who are afraid of death and then were willing to do anything, even sin, in order to hang on to that life. [00:30:14] And not just living like I'm alive and breathing and neurons are firing, but living like happiness and peace and blessing, comfort and safety, all those things we fear losing, those things we fear dying. We fear the wrath of God and then we do all these terrible things. [00:30:34] Jesus delivers that by taking care of death itself. [00:30:40] This is amazing, right? [00:30:43] He breaks the bondage from Satan. [00:30:48] He removes our fear of death and he by destroying death itself. [00:30:54] So then Christians say these crazy things like, well, what are you going to do, kill me? [00:31:03] Well, yeah, I'm going to kill you. [00:31:06] I'm going to threaten you. I'm going to abuse you. I'm going to steal from you. I'm going to hurt you if you don't follow me. And we say, okay, because my life is not upheld by my trying to undo my fear of death. [00:31:22] My life is upheld by the one who conquered death. [00:31:27] I'm going to live forever, perfectly blessed forever in the steadfast love of the Lord, forever. [00:31:37] I'm not afraid of you. [00:31:40] That's freedom. [00:31:42] It's freedom to not be afraid. [00:31:48] So in 1 Corinthians 15:54 and following, Paul writes this of death and our living again. He says, when the perishable, our bodies put on imperishable and mortality puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. [00:32:14] That's another powerful image, right? Death being consumed, swallowed up, not by some bigger, scarier death or scarier monster. A death is swallowed up in victory in the victory of Christ. [00:32:30] O Death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? [00:32:36] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is in the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [00:32:46] Right? So you see what I'm saying? David's, you know, it's like, you know, you look at this article in the newspaper or you look at a map, or you get this summary of the things that he did and they're impressive and you see God's working through this. But this is just like the tiniest, you know, Costco sample sized foretaste of what Jesus does when he destroys death and he takes away the fear of death and he takes away the power of the devil and he triumphs over him and all the rulers and authorities under Satan and puts them to open shame. [00:33:29] And then it just keeps going and going and going. And then he rules all of this not as a tyrant and not as a abuser or oppressor, but is the one who is called in Revelation 19, faithful and true. [00:33:52] Then I saw, John writes, according to the vision God gives him. Then I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. The one sitting on it is called faithful and true. [00:34:03] And in righteousness he judges, makes war. [00:34:10] David's rule is great and David knew and was anticipating someone whose rule was greater and permanent and perfect and forever. [00:34:27] Think about the difference between a partial victory in which you're kind of like, ah, that was good, but what's going to happen next? [00:34:33] And a complete victory, a full victory in which the Lord rests his feet on his enemies. [00:34:42] He does this amazingly by entering into our sin, entering into our loneliness, entering into our darkness, and dying a death he did not deserve so that we could be forgiven. [00:35:00] Now, my friends, is not the time to cling to your sins. [00:35:05] Now is not the time to go to your your own way. Now is not the time to shake your fist at heaven and say, I'm going to win. [00:35:15] Do your best, because God will make you his footstool. [00:35:20] And it's no joke. [00:35:22] The power and the wrath and the authority of God is expressed and felt and foreshadowed in this tiny way as David goes and rules over this great army and this great army and this great army that is a tiny sample size of what God will do when Jesus comes again. [00:35:46] People will wish they were dead. [00:35:49] People will be frightened and terrified and tormented forever under the wrath of God for refusing him, for shaking their fists at him, for going their own way, for doing their own will. [00:36:08] But this will not happen for those who put their faith in the King, who say, lord, I am a sinner, I have been a rebel, I have been afraid of death, I have been in bond to Satan. Rescue me, rescue me from death, rescue me from sin, heal me from my brokenheartedness. [00:36:32] And he will. [00:36:35] That's what Jesus does. [00:36:38] Jesus promises us his rule and his reign right now in our lives. [00:36:45] Not wished for victories or false hopes or pure optimism, but real ones. [00:36:51] Now is not the time to cling to our sins. Now is not the time to cling to death and to bondage, when we know that these are the last days and the Lord may return anytime and he will come suddenly, surprisingly, like a thief in the night that you weren't expecting, there he will be. [00:37:12] But he's here now, in his words and as an invitation in calling us to put our faith in him. [00:37:20] As I said, trusting in Jesus, trusting in the great King is not just wishful thinking. It's not optimism. It's allegiance and trust in the promises of God and his grace. [00:37:30] It's the promise that God has secured the victory that we all need. [00:37:37] So put your faith in him, put your trust in him, and everything will be okay. [00:37:44] Let's pray. [00:37:47] Lord, we come before you now and we ask that you would establish your rule and your reign in our hearts, that you would subdue your enemies not only in your glory, but also, Lord, that you would give to many sinners like us pardon and peace. [00:38:10] We ask, O Lord Jesus, that you would, by your grace, subdue our hearts, bend them so that they might be no longer broken. [00:38:24] Heal us so that we might no longer be diseased. [00:38:29] Comfort us so that we might no longer be sorrowful. [00:38:34] Lord, help us to see in you not only the glory and the grandeur and the power of your rule, but the life in it, the blessing in it, the justice in it, the equity in it. [00:38:47] Let us see not only your power as a raw power, but as a power that is characterized and directed by your goodness and your love. For you are called faithful and true. [00:39:02] You are also called merciful and loving. [00:39:06] And so, Lord, we ask that you would help us to turn aside from every sin that clings so closely. [00:39:14] Let us turn aside from every false hope and every idol and put our faith in you and in you alone the work that you are doing even now as you send your gospel forth into the nations, as you proclaim your rule, as you proclaim your resurrection, as you proclaim your power over the evil one. [00:39:36] We ask that this word would go out, would be active not only in us, but through us. [00:39:42] And that our neighbors in our workplaces, in our neighborhoods and our families would come to see and know the hope that we have that they might rejoice and praise and worship alongside of us, living our lives in obedience to you, our great King. [00:40:02] Lord, we ask that you would help us to live our lives through faith in you. Every day, every moment, every year, we pray these things in Jesus name, our only hope. Amen.