Serving the King (1 Chronicles 12)

WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.040 --> 00:00:07.509 Let's give our attention now to first chronicles, chapter twelve. First Chronicles, 2 00:00:07.549 --> 00:00:18.469 Chapter Twelve. Now, these are the men who came to David at Ziklag 3 00:00:19.309 --> 00:00:22.899 while he could not move about freely because of Saul, the son of Kish 4 00:00:23.940 --> 00:00:28.019 and. They were among the mighty men who helped him in war. They 5 00:00:28.059 --> 00:00:32.939 were bowmen who could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the 6 00:00:32.979 --> 00:00:39.810 left hand. They were Benjaminites, Saul's kinsman. The chief was Ahiezer, 7 00:00:40.490 --> 00:00:45.969 then Joe Ash, both sons of Shema AH of Gibeah. Also Jazeel and 8 00:00:46.049 --> 00:00:53.399 pellet, the sons of Ozma, Ozma, Ozma Deth Baraka, Jehu and 9 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:58.759 Anatof Ishmai of Gibeon, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over 10 00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:07.109 the thirty. Jeremiah, Jehaziel Johannon, Jazabad of Ghetora, Eluzai, jeremoth 11 00:01:07.629 --> 00:01:19.579 they aliah, Shamariyah, Chefataiah, the Hahaphite Elkanah Ishia, Azareel joazare and 12 00:01:19.700 --> 00:01:26.700 Jasobeam, the Krahites, and Joe Law and Zebediah, the sons of Jeoho, 13 00:01:26.299 --> 00:01:33.090 Jere Roham of ghetor from the GADDITES. There went over to David at 14 00:01:33.129 --> 00:01:38.450 the stronghold in the Wilderness, mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and 15 00:01:38.530 --> 00:01:42.049 spear, whose faces were like the faces of Lions, who were swift as 16 00:01:42.090 --> 00:01:47.760 Gazelle's upon the mountains, as are the chief Ohbad I, a second, 17 00:01:48.359 --> 00:01:53.400 Eliab, the third, Mishmana Fourth, Jeremiah, v a Tai, sixth, 18 00:01:53.879 --> 00:02:00.359 Elliel, seventh, Johannon, eight, elzabad, ninth, Jeremiah, 19 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:06.349 ten, Makbanai, eleven. These gaddyites were officers of the army. The 20 00:02:06.390 --> 00:02:08.750 least was a match for a hundred men, in the greatest for a thousand. 21 00:02:09.509 --> 00:02:13.909 These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it 22 00:02:14.030 --> 00:02:17.340 was overflowing all its banks and put to flight all those in the valleys to 23 00:02:17.340 --> 00:02:22.620 the east and to the West. And some of the men, and Benjamin 24 00:02:22.699 --> 00:02:25.900 and Judah came to the stronghold to David. David went out to meet them 25 00:02:25.939 --> 00:02:30.490 and said to them, if you have come to me in friendship to help 26 00:02:30.610 --> 00:02:32.969 me, my heart will be joined to you, but if you would tray 27 00:02:34.090 --> 00:02:38.090 me to my adversaries, although there were, there is none wrong in my 28 00:02:38.289 --> 00:02:42.289 hands, then may the god of our forefaught, what God of our fathers 29 00:02:42.370 --> 00:02:46.439 see and rebuke you. Then the spirit clothed on Asi, chief of the 30 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:51.360 thirty, and said we are yours, Oh David, and with you, 31 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:55.280 Oh son of Jesse, peace peace to you and peace to your helpers, 32 00:02:55.719 --> 00:03:00.909 for your God helps you. Then David received them and made them officers of 33 00:03:00.990 --> 00:03:07.669 his troops. Some of the men of Manassa deserted to David when he came 34 00:03:07.789 --> 00:03:12.349 to the Philip came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. Yet he 35 00:03:12.509 --> 00:03:15.020 did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent 36 00:03:15.099 --> 00:03:19.580 him away, saying, at peril to our heads, he will desert to 37 00:03:19.699 --> 00:03:23.860 his master Saul. As he went to Zik lag, the men of Manassa 38 00:03:24.099 --> 00:03:30.330 deserted to him. Odd Nah, Josebad, Jetta, Jettiel, Michael, 39 00:03:30.889 --> 00:03:38.530 Jose Abad, Elihu and Zillothi, chiefs of thousands in Manassa. They helped 40 00:03:38.530 --> 00:03:42.919 David against the band of Raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor 41 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.960 and were commanders in the army. For from the day, for from day 42 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:52.360 to day, came to men to help him, until there was a great 43 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:58.550 army, like an Army of God. These are the numbers of the divisions 44 00:03:58.590 --> 00:04:01.789 of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the Kingdom of 45 00:04:01.830 --> 00:04:08.110 Saul over to him according to the word of Jehovah. The men of Judah, 46 00:04:08.150 --> 00:04:12.500 bearing shield and spear. Were six thousand eight hundred armed troops of the 47 00:04:12.539 --> 00:04:16.259 asseminate, Simeonites, mighty men of Valor for war. Seven thousand one hundred 48 00:04:16.899 --> 00:04:21.540 of the levice. Four thousand six hundred, the Prince of Jehoyda, the 49 00:04:21.620 --> 00:04:27.490 house of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred Zadok, a young 50 00:04:27.610 --> 00:04:30.930 man mighty and Valor, and twenty two commanders from his own father's house. 51 00:04:31.649 --> 00:04:36.129 Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul, three thousand of whom the majority 52 00:04:36.209 --> 00:04:41.680 had to that point kept their allegiance to the House of Saul. Of the 53 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:46.759 EPHRAMITES. Twenty thousand eight hundred mighty men of valor, famous men to their 54 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:50.600 father's houses, of the half tribe of Manassa. Eighteen thousand who were expressly 55 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:57.350 named to come and make David King of Issakar, men who had understanding of 56 00:04:57.430 --> 00:05:00.550 the times to know what Israel ought to do. Two hundred chiefs and all 57 00:05:00.589 --> 00:05:06.420 their kinsmen under their command. Of ZEBULN, fifty thousand season troops equipped for 58 00:05:06.459 --> 00:05:11.860 battle with all the weapons of war to help David, with singleness of purpose, 59 00:05:12.699 --> 00:05:15.860 of Naphtali, when thousand commanders, with whom were thirty seven thousand men 60 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:20.810 armed with shield and spear, of the Danites, twenty eight thousand six hundred 61 00:05:20.810 --> 00:05:26.490 men equipped for battle, of Asher, forty thousand season troops ready for battle, 62 00:05:27.129 --> 00:05:30.329 of the Rubenites and Gadites, and the half tribe of Manassa from beyond 63 00:05:30.410 --> 00:05:34.370 the Jordan, one hundred and twenty thousand men armed with all the weapons of 64 00:05:34.490 --> 00:05:41.040 war. All these men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to 65 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:46.279 Hebron with full intent to make David King overall Israel. Likewise, all the 66 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:50.189 rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David King, and they 67 00:05:50.230 --> 00:05:55.350 were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers 68 00:05:55.389 --> 00:05:59.990 had made preparation for them and also their relatives. From as far as this 69 00:06:00.110 --> 00:06:04.579 a car and Zebulin and naftally came bringing food on donkeys and camels and on 70 00:06:04.660 --> 00:06:11.579 mules and on Oxen, abundant provisions for flour, cakes of figs, clusters 71 00:06:11.620 --> 00:06:15.699 of raymonds and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy 72 00:06:16.660 --> 00:06:26.050 in Israel. God bless his word to us. Well, this is quite 73 00:06:26.089 --> 00:06:29.610 a scene, isn't it? It takes a little bit of time to describe, 74 00:06:30.290 --> 00:06:33.000 but it's very worth it and we can be glad that the Holy Spirit 75 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:39.879 did take the time. What we have is a picture of David's anointing in 76 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:45.160 chapter eleven. You remember, all Israel gathers together to David and Hebron and 77 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:47.870 they say to him, this is the beginning of chapter eleven, behold, 78 00:06:47.990 --> 00:06:53.430 we are bone of your bone and we are bone. Sorry, we behold, 79 00:06:53.589 --> 00:07:00.350 we are your bone and flesh. And then they say, they say 80 00:07:00.750 --> 00:07:04.339 that he is to be anointed for God had promised that he would be shepherd 81 00:07:04.660 --> 00:07:09.980 over the people Israel. Also, at that time we see that the elders 82 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:15.410 come to make him king. David makes a covenant with these representatives. Chapter 83 00:07:15.569 --> 00:07:24.930 Twelve points the chapter twelve adds another layer to this and describes from all of 84 00:07:25.129 --> 00:07:30.399 Israel, all over the map, thousands and thousands of men coming from every 85 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:39.720 tribe to come and make sure that David stays king. Chapter twelve begins with 86 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:44.829 a flashback. I'm reminding that there were men who came to David earlier when 87 00:07:44.870 --> 00:07:48.310 he was at Zick lag, when he was running from Saul. But in 88 00:07:48.430 --> 00:07:55.029 all of this you see God's provision or for David. From the very beginning, 89 00:07:55.029 --> 00:07:58.779 even when David was on the run, God was bringing men to him. 90 00:07:58.819 --> 00:08:03.259 God was providing David with the help he needed to do his job as 91 00:08:03.300 --> 00:08:07.819 king, all of these people flowing to him, submitting themselves to him and 92 00:08:07.300 --> 00:08:13.370 offering their service. Well, this all culminates in the final verses of Chapter 93 00:08:13.410 --> 00:08:18.850 Twelve, and it's this huge celebration, thousands and thousands of people coming together 94 00:08:18.250 --> 00:08:24.449 to have this three day feast. Food brought on, food don't brought on 95 00:08:24.569 --> 00:08:30.399 donkeys, camels, mules and oxen, this great procession of people and animals, 96 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:37.120 all to celebrate the king, king who has come. Why a huge 97 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:43.429 celebration? Why are all these mighty men of valor and of war sitting down 98 00:08:43.629 --> 00:08:50.190 to eat food? Well, the scripture tells us it was joy. There 99 00:08:50.350 --> 00:08:58.220 was joy in all Israel. A joyful army is an impressive thing. Armies 100 00:08:58.299 --> 00:09:03.980 know a lot of deep feelings, loyalty, loss, fear, courage, 101 00:09:05.259 --> 00:09:13.169 duty and here joy. It's worthwhile for us to reflect on the why behind 102 00:09:13.289 --> 00:09:20.090 that joy. Why did all of these people come together for this purpose, 103 00:09:20.210 --> 00:09:26.360 to celebrate in all of the strength and power that was exhibited there. What 104 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:33.360 made these men, brave, tough, valiant men, and their families so 105 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:39.710 joyful? What caused them to sit down and celebrate such life and with such 106 00:09:39.789 --> 00:09:48.269 energy and such abundance? I think the answer is pretty simple. The strength 107 00:09:48.509 --> 00:09:54.899 of their beloved king. They came knowing that they were being led by this 108 00:09:56.259 --> 00:10:01.820 chosen one of God. They had committed themselves to hearing God's word as he 109 00:10:01.940 --> 00:10:07.409 had spoken it, and believed him. These armies and these people who are 110 00:10:07.490 --> 00:10:11.250 coming to celebrate. In many ways it feels like a victory celebration, doesn't 111 00:10:11.250 --> 00:10:16.169 it? This is often when armies celebrate right not at the beginning of the 112 00:10:16.250 --> 00:10:18.730 battle, but at the end, once it's all one, once everything's been 113 00:10:18.769 --> 00:10:26.159 accomplished and there is peace, unity prosperity. This great reason for rejoicing. 114 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:31.679 Now, in a sense, the battle had been one. David had been 115 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:35.080 brought to the throne, who had been on the run for quite some time, 116 00:10:35.549 --> 00:10:39.909 but yet there was also many battles still to come. You remember, 117 00:10:39.990 --> 00:10:43.429 one of the reasons David had to ascend to the throne was because Saul failed 118 00:10:43.509 --> 00:10:48.389 to conquer the Philistines. That was David's job. Now these men were coming 119 00:10:48.429 --> 00:10:52.980 to him not just to have a big party but to go to war, 120 00:10:54.059 --> 00:10:58.980 men who were not just any men, but throughout this entire chapter we're constantly 121 00:11:00.059 --> 00:11:05.450 told how great they were. Like the beginning, we read of these Benjaminites 122 00:11:05.610 --> 00:11:11.049 who were able to sling stones with either the right or the left hand, 123 00:11:11.769 --> 00:11:16.250 a very powerful advantage in a time of war. We read that when we 124 00:11:16.570 --> 00:11:20.759 these great numbers of troops, when they come, they're always seasoned troops. 125 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:26.919 And even these, the smaller thousands of numbers, like one thousand or three 126 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:33.990 thousand, these are often commanders, the best of the best Israel is sending 127 00:11:33.029 --> 00:11:39.110 their their mighty men, their special task forces there, their elite to come 128 00:11:39.789 --> 00:11:46.860 and serve the king. They serve David with faith and with confidence that God 129 00:11:46.899 --> 00:11:52.419 will do through him as he is promised, and they're ready to celebrate that. 130 00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:56.779 This is important for us to remember because, as David points to us 131 00:11:56.820 --> 00:12:03.330 and pictures to us our King King Jesus, we're reminded that we do the 132 00:12:03.409 --> 00:12:09.090 very same thing, even every Sunday when we come to worship and we don't 133 00:12:09.129 --> 00:12:13.649 have a threeday festival, but we do have a one day festival. We 134 00:12:15.009 --> 00:12:20.440 take the time and we remember how Jesus ascended to the throne through the his 135 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:24.000 work on the cross, to he ascended to power, to glory, to 136 00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:30.629 victory as the anointed one of God. And when we celebrate, we celebrate 137 00:12:30.750 --> 00:12:35.750 in this kind of great fellowship and even around a table. This happens both 138 00:12:35.789 --> 00:12:41.669 in worship and after worship. We break from our activities, we take time 139 00:12:41.870 --> 00:12:46.899 away from our lands, our people's are places so that we might pray and 140 00:12:48.139 --> 00:12:56.860 eat and sing and celebrate and worship, spending time together enjoy over what the 141 00:12:56.899 --> 00:13:03.009 king has done. So I want to think about this this evening, this 142 00:13:03.250 --> 00:13:09.809 joy that they're celebrating the strength of the king in three ways in particular, 143 00:13:09.730 --> 00:13:15.159 three aspects of this joy that they have that comes out in the chapter. 144 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:18.399 You might think of it as this way. These are three benefits that result 145 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.879 from the king's strength and the King's victory and God's promise, three things that 146 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:31.909 give us cause for joy, and they are peace and unity and prosperity. 147 00:13:33.549 --> 00:13:37.470 First, peace. Now, peace is not usually the first thing we think 148 00:13:37.509 --> 00:13:43.100 of when we think of an army or the captain of an army. But 149 00:13:43.179 --> 00:13:48.139 it is the end for which any good army is ain't me peace, and 150 00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:54.139 this is what in chapter twelve, am as I prophesized. This is in 151 00:13:54.259 --> 00:14:00.289 verse eighteen, we read that the spirit clothed amsie, chief of the thirty, 152 00:14:00.409 --> 00:14:03.409 and said we are yours, Oh David, and with you so, 153 00:14:03.529 --> 00:14:09.039 oh son of Jesse, peace peace to you and peace to your helpers, 154 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:16.080 for your God helps you. This is the aim of these warriors, this 155 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:22.879 is the aim of these mighty men of war and a valor peace. And 156 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:26.669 it's not just an aim, a goal, that they have. It is 157 00:14:26.830 --> 00:14:35.029 the spirit of God's expressed desire. He Clothes Amasi and he prophesies in this 158 00:14:35.190 --> 00:14:43.259 way, and David receives him. These men are aiming for peace. It's 159 00:14:43.299 --> 00:14:48.220 what King Nebuchadnezzar desired for his people and his Babylonian Empire. And Daniel, 160 00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:54.730 chapter four, verse one, King Nebuchadnezzar says to all people's nations languages that 161 00:14:54.809 --> 00:15:01.889 dwell in all the earth. Peace be multiplied to you. Often in the 162 00:15:03.250 --> 00:15:07.919 greeting that I give in the beginning of our worship services, at the beginning 163 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:11.399 of the various letters in the New Testament, we hear this. Grace and 164 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:18.600 peace be to you. This is a goal that our Lord has for his 165 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:24.750 people, and so it's what we read that of King Jesus, what he 166 00:15:24.950 --> 00:15:30.830 blesses his disciples with. On The Sunday after his resurrection, after his conquering 167 00:15:30.950 --> 00:15:35.429 of the grave, he comes and he stands among his disciples and you know 168 00:15:35.470 --> 00:15:43.700 what he says to them. Peace be with you. But peace, as 169 00:15:43.779 --> 00:15:50.450 you know, does not come easily, whether that's national peace, international peace 170 00:15:50.409 --> 00:15:56.809 or even personal inner peace can be a very hard thing to have sometimes, 171 00:15:58.730 --> 00:16:06.039 to feel comfort, to feel at ease, to feel at rest, to 172 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:11.320 know that you are right with God and that things are are good. But 173 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:18.360 there isn't battle and strife going on. It doesn't come easily because sin and 174 00:16:18.590 --> 00:16:26.070 evil are everywhere. It's between us as individuals, as neighbors, as Christian 175 00:16:26.190 --> 00:16:32.190 brothers and sisters, and it's inside to the Bible tells us that the flesh 176 00:16:32.230 --> 00:16:37.220 and the spirit are warring at one another, warring with one another, fighting 177 00:16:37.379 --> 00:16:41.299 this battle. We're reminded in scripture and Ephesians to put on the armor of 178 00:16:41.460 --> 00:16:48.769 God, to be mighty men of valor, because we don't fight the things 179 00:16:48.809 --> 00:16:56.809 of this world, but spiritual powers and darkness. Sin, Satan himself, 180 00:16:56.850 --> 00:17:02.919 seeks to tear apart families, churches, countries, to tear US apart from 181 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:10.559 God. Peace is not easily come by, and so when God says here 182 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:18.309 is my anointed king, peace will come through him, you can see why 183 00:17:18.349 --> 00:17:22.390 people should stand up and listen. Their ears should open up and say, 184 00:17:22.390 --> 00:17:26.710 I want to hear that. Who is this king? And when we hear 185 00:17:27.549 --> 00:17:33.339 that it is Jesus, even as they heard it was David, we are 186 00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:37.819 right to be filled with joy. That's why God puts these words in amasized 187 00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:45.089 mouth. That's why Colossians one says of Jesus, David's son, that through 188 00:17:45.210 --> 00:17:49.049 him God reconciled all things, through himself, whether on Heaven, on or 189 00:17:49.170 --> 00:17:56.970 on Earth, making peace by the blood of the cross. Jesus will go 190 00:17:56.210 --> 00:18:00.720 to his death, he will um go, he will go into battle, 191 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:07.279 he will shed his blood, he will die, but through it all he 192 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:12.950 will be victorious and he will give you peace. So this is why they 193 00:18:12.990 --> 00:18:18.029 have joy, this is why they're going to celebrate, because they have been 194 00:18:18.109 --> 00:18:26.589 given a king who is giving them peace. Here's a second thing. We 195 00:18:26.950 --> 00:18:33.099 receive the strength of our king. Unity. Unity is a lot like peace, 196 00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:37.420 but it's perhaps you could describe it as something even greater than peace, 197 00:18:38.819 --> 00:18:45.890 because it describes not just the peaceful existence of things, but the peaceful coexistence 198 00:18:45.009 --> 00:18:52.890 of things. Unity describes more than things not at war, but as things 199 00:18:52.049 --> 00:19:00.240 joining together, becoming one. We read various descriptions of this kind of unity 200 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:07.839 here in First Chronicles, Chapter Twelve, we read of the singleness of purpose 201 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:11.630 of the tribe of Zebulen. We read of all of these people coming together 202 00:19:12.269 --> 00:19:17.150 to aid and to help David. Over and over we read that they were 203 00:19:17.230 --> 00:19:21.190 coming to help David, to help him. We read of their unity, 204 00:19:21.230 --> 00:19:26.339 as there are described in this kind of battle ready order. There and verse 205 00:19:26.579 --> 00:19:33.500 Thirty Eight, all these men of war, arrayed in battle order, came 206 00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:40.529 to Hebron with the full intent to make David King over all Israel. It's 207 00:19:40.609 --> 00:19:47.210 not a simple thing to gather thousands and thousands of people who are strong and 208 00:19:47.569 --> 00:19:55.519 powerful and equipped to destroy one another to come in submission under one single person, 209 00:19:56.279 --> 00:20:04.599 unified strength and Power and glory, all coalescing together for unity under King 210 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:11.150 David, multiple tribes, multiple representatives. We know how remarkable this is, 211 00:20:11.349 --> 00:20:15.710 because it doesn't last. One day, these tribes will be separated from one 212 00:20:15.750 --> 00:20:22.819 another, will be at war. David's own house splitting apart, factions, 213 00:20:22.859 --> 00:20:27.619 insurrections, rebellions, people using this power, you, using their strength, 214 00:20:27.660 --> 00:20:36.569 using their political and military acumen and wisdom and cleverness, to hurt one another, 215 00:20:37.450 --> 00:20:44.650 to destroy and bring things of God down. But not here. Here 216 00:20:44.809 --> 00:20:49.519 they are coming together, they're coming in unity. Can you imagine what it 217 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:56.640 would feel like to be marching in this particular army to know that every single 218 00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:00.640 person around you is there for the same purpose, the same godly purpose, 219 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:08.349 to see David, the anointed one of God, crowned his King? This 220 00:21:08.549 --> 00:21:14.589 is how things should be under the Lord's anointed one, gathering together with him, 221 00:21:15.630 --> 00:21:19.819 with him at the head, victorious, a God sent leader. That's 222 00:21:19.900 --> 00:21:25.299 because of that unity that they also were able to sit around the table. 223 00:21:25.579 --> 00:21:32.420 In some ways. Is this one humongous family, worshiping God, celebrating and 224 00:21:32.970 --> 00:21:38.650 full of joy. Now this is true of David, think how much more 225 00:21:38.809 --> 00:21:44.529 true this is of King Jesus, who Unites People, not just for a 226 00:21:44.690 --> 00:21:53.039 time before all eternity, people who are can come together and celebrate despite great 227 00:21:53.119 --> 00:21:59.400 differences, not just coming from and coming from different tribes, but from different 228 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:10.630 languages, different countries, different eras of history. It's remarkable wonderful. Jesus 229 00:22:10.789 --> 00:22:19.539 describes his church as one body. He envisions our unity together as so significant 230 00:22:19.900 --> 00:22:26.779 that we could be described as one person. That much unity is what all 231 00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:33.609 belongs to US under Jesus, our head. That's why, when we live 232 00:22:33.730 --> 00:22:38.490 our lives together, we eat and we pray and we laugh and we cry, 233 00:22:40.529 --> 00:22:44.759 and we do it not just as people who happen to have similar interests, 234 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:48.559 people who happen to bump into each other along the way, but who 235 00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:55.920 people who are united under this king, who are united by the very spirit 236 00:22:56.039 --> 00:23:00.950 of God. The same one who, clothed on aside, prophesy about this 237 00:23:00.230 --> 00:23:06.750 piece, is the same one who is in each of us and unites us 238 00:23:06.869 --> 00:23:15.740 together in a spiritual unity. Again, no wonder we have joy. This 239 00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:18.700 is how good our king is. These are the things that he is done 240 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:23.900 and what he has achieved through his blood on the cross and his ascension to 241 00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:30.650 power. The last one. There are many we could think of, but 242 00:23:30.890 --> 00:23:41.240 prosperity. This celebration is astonishing. Have you ever had a big party at 243 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:47.240 your house, gone to some big box store and bought lots and lots of 244 00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:52.640 food, filled up maybe one, two three shopping carts to provide for a 245 00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:56.990 lot of food for your family, guests and friends. Maybe you've even done 246 00:23:56.990 --> 00:24:03.069 that recently or you're planning on doing it soon. Now listen to this description 247 00:24:03.230 --> 00:24:10.819 of this particular celebration and consider this from the angle of prosperity, God's blessing 248 00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:15.700 under the anointed King Verse Thirty Nine. And they were with David for three 249 00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:22.859 days. Three days, not an evening party, a three day party, 250 00:24:22.019 --> 00:24:26.890 eating and drinking for their brothers and sister. Brothers had made preparation for them 251 00:24:27.609 --> 00:24:32.369 and also their relatives. From as far as this a car and Zebulin and 252 00:24:32.369 --> 00:24:37.960 naftally came bringing food on donkeys, on Campbels, on mules and on Oxen, 253 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:45.119 abundant provisions for flour, cakes of figs, clusters of Raven, raven 254 00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:49.480 raisins and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in 255 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:55.789 is real. So you can perhaps imagine a shopping cart full of food. 256 00:24:56.710 --> 00:25:02.630 Imagine a donkey or a mule, hundred pounds filled with food. Imagine and 257 00:25:02.990 --> 00:25:07.779 an ox or here listed oxen. From what I understand, they can carry 258 00:25:07.779 --> 00:25:11.460 about it one and a half times their weight. We're talking about thousands of 259 00:25:11.619 --> 00:25:18.460 pounds, thousands of pounds up pulled, I should say. Camels likewise can 260 00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:23.130 carry five hundred, six hundred and upwards pounds. This is a lot. 261 00:25:25.049 --> 00:25:30.329 Even if you had just four of these animals filled with food, imagine how 262 00:25:30.369 --> 00:25:34.450 much that would be. But here what we have pictured is this great celebration, 263 00:25:34.609 --> 00:25:40.839 all of these people with animals, pouring in, pouring in, pouring 264 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:47.319 in, and with good food, abundant provisions of delicious things. This is 265 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:52.910 a celebration God is not merely providing them with with the bread and water, 266 00:25:53.950 --> 00:26:06.140 gives them raisins and figs and cakes, wine and oil and meat, prosperity, 267 00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:11.700 good provision. This is when we put our Thanksgiving meals out on the 268 00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:17.059 tables. Right this is what we kind of say, wow at look at 269 00:26:17.099 --> 00:26:19.930 all that God has given than to us. We kind of go over the 270 00:26:21.130 --> 00:26:25.730 top as a way to celebrate his overthetopness to us, as a way to 271 00:26:25.809 --> 00:26:30.289 celebrate the way he just pours out blessings on us. That happens because of 272 00:26:32.170 --> 00:26:37.079 our king. You remember the way I quoted King Nebuchadnezzar speaking. He speaks 273 00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:42.400 to the whole Earth, all nations, tribes, languages, people's this is 274 00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:48.589 no doubt hyperbolely because we know the King Nebuchadnezzar did not rule over every square 275 00:26:48.990 --> 00:26:55.910 inch of the earth. But Jesus it's a little different, it's a lot 276 00:26:56.069 --> 00:27:02.299 different. Remember what Colossians one said, making peace by making peace by the 277 00:27:02.339 --> 00:27:07.900 blood of the cross, reconciling all things to himself. On Earth and in 278 00:27:08.059 --> 00:27:14.460 Heaven, Jesus owns it all, the king of Kings, the Lord of 279 00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:18.490 Lords, when he ascends to glory, to His throne at the right hand 280 00:27:18.690 --> 00:27:22.009 of the heavenly father, he reconciles it all to himself. He owns it 281 00:27:22.089 --> 00:27:27.089 all to himself and he gives it to us. Remember what James said earlier, 282 00:27:27.170 --> 00:27:32.720 that we read every good and perfect gift coming down from the father who 283 00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:40.240 is above. Under the kingship of Jesus we have the prosperity that is pictured 284 00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:45.430 here with David and his people, and much, much more. God had 285 00:27:45.430 --> 00:27:52.069 promises to give us a new heaven and a new earth. He promises us 286 00:27:52.269 --> 00:28:00.259 even now. He says we have every spiritual blessing. Now it's true that 287 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:04.460 sometimes God's people suffer under a lot. Like David, they find themselves in 288 00:28:04.539 --> 00:28:11.819 the wilderness fleeing, running, scared, relying on God by faith. There 289 00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:18.569 are some Christians around the world who suffer under persecution, under loss, under 290 00:28:18.690 --> 00:28:23.769 famine, under great difficulties. But even when these material blessings aren't present, 291 00:28:25.849 --> 00:28:30.640 God is continually producing a much richer fruit in all of us, bringing a 292 00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:40.319 harvest of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, 293 00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:44.789 self control. He's bringing these fruits of the spirit to bear on, 294 00:28:44.990 --> 00:28:52.230 to to blossom and grow. He provides for us and he promises us that 295 00:28:52.390 --> 00:28:56.579 these things will flower into rich blessings and the material blessings that we lack now. 296 00:28:57.259 --> 00:29:03.019 It's just for a little time to produce these great spiritual blessings in us, 297 00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:07.579 that one day we might enjoy everything, material and a material, physical 298 00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:15.210 and spiritual. Even now, God is providing this prosperity for us and all 299 00:29:15.289 --> 00:29:21.089 the necessary conditions for it to grow in you think what would it take for 300 00:29:21.329 --> 00:29:26.000 Israel to enjoy all these flowers and cakes and raisins? Good soil, good 301 00:29:26.200 --> 00:29:32.279 sun, rain, lack of insects, lack of disease, mold, the 302 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:36.680 let's goes on and on. Think of the conditions it takes for God to 303 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:41.390 grow the fruit of the spirit in US, peace with the father, life 304 00:29:42.309 --> 00:29:47.710 in the son of God, the pruning and cultivation by the spirit, all 305 00:29:47.829 --> 00:29:52.059 these things God is doing for us. He is making us a prosperous people, 306 00:29:55.059 --> 00:29:57.980 and this is what we have in Jesus. He is our king, 307 00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:03.740 pouring out his spirit on us, bringing to forth these spiritual blene of benefits, 308 00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:11.849 promising us a world and a kingdom treasures that we can hardly even imagine. 309 00:30:14.569 --> 00:30:15.930 This is what we have in King Jesus, and this is why we, 310 00:30:17.569 --> 00:30:22.480 as Christian soldiers, go onward to him and say here, I am 311 00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:26.759 O, Lord and King, at your service, ready to help and serve 312 00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:33.839 in any way. We gather around the table of the Lord, around the 313 00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:38.630 Lord's table communion, and then our homes as well, over simple meals, 314 00:30:40.589 --> 00:30:45.109 joining with one and another, celebrating, all because of the grace and strength 315 00:30:45.230 --> 00:30:52.059 of our king. This is what God tells to it tells us and teaches 316 00:30:52.140 --> 00:30:56.900 us, and first chronicles twelve, this is the joy that we have in 317 00:30:56.940 --> 00:31:03.289 the Lord. Now, I admit that there is some degree in difficulty, 318 00:31:03.450 --> 00:31:07.210 a degree of difficulty in seeing this, because a lot of this, this 319 00:31:07.730 --> 00:31:14.809 celebrating, this joy, it comes to us by faith. You look around, 320 00:31:14.849 --> 00:31:18.200 you here now and you see a few people, a few warriors, 321 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:23.319 men of war, people who have put on the armor of God. But 322 00:31:23.400 --> 00:31:29.279 we're small group. There aren't thousands and thousands around us. We don't see 323 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:36.069 animals parading in loaded down with cakes and raisins. Can Be hard sometimes to 324 00:31:36.630 --> 00:31:42.150 see these things because in some ways we don't see them. Our King is 325 00:31:44.109 --> 00:31:51.420 not here, but in heaven, and our mightiest soldiers are not always mighty, 326 00:31:51.539 --> 00:31:56.299 are they? They fall, they get confused, they stumble. When 327 00:31:56.299 --> 00:32:00.700 we think about our own joy, we know that it is weak, sometimes 328 00:32:00.779 --> 00:32:06.769 weeping. Our peace inside is sometimes fraught with struggles. Sometimes we search for 329 00:32:06.849 --> 00:32:13.329 it for a long time before we feel peace. Our unity with one another 330 00:32:13.450 --> 00:32:17.200 sometimes feels more like strangers in a room than a family at a table. 331 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:25.079 But God gives us this word to remind us of the truth. We, 332 00:32:25.400 --> 00:32:30.670 as Christians, are people who judge things not by the way they seem, 333 00:32:31.349 --> 00:32:36.549 but by the way they are. We judge things not by the way that 334 00:32:36.670 --> 00:32:39.750 they we see them at the moment, but the way that God says that 335 00:32:39.910 --> 00:32:46.900 they are, because he is truthful. We judge not. We don't judge 336 00:32:46.940 --> 00:32:52.059 eternity by the things that are temporal or the glorious things to come by our 337 00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:58.019 momentary afflictions or the things that are promised, by the things that we are 338 00:32:58.099 --> 00:33:06.089 waiting on. As Christians, we listen to the passage a God's word from 339 00:33:06.130 --> 00:33:09.250 place like first chronicles twelve, and we look away from our situation as it 340 00:33:09.369 --> 00:33:15.400 seems to us, the lies that Satan tells us, and we hear the 341 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:19.440 word of God as it is promised to us in Jesus, and we hear 342 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:24.200 a word of truth and we know and we begin to see the peace and 343 00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:30.549 prosperity and unity that God has promised. We see the fruits of the spirit 344 00:33:30.670 --> 00:33:35.630 in our lives and those around us. We see the way that he provides 345 00:33:35.710 --> 00:33:39.190 for us daily, for our eating, for our clothing. We see the 346 00:33:39.269 --> 00:33:45.059 way that he has given US victory over sins in our life, over death 347 00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:51.980 itself. We judge life based on what God has said, what God has 348 00:33:52.099 --> 00:33:59.130 done in Jesus on the Cross. So if you have struggle with peace inside, 349 00:34:00.529 --> 00:34:06.569 think of David and think of Jesus, think of the peace that is 350 00:34:06.690 --> 00:34:10.360 secured here, the peace that is coming to God's people under this king, 351 00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:17.039 and remember how much bore peace, how much everlasting peace, a peace that 352 00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:24.510 passes understanding that comes to us in Jesus. If you desire unity with your 353 00:34:24.630 --> 00:34:30.869 brothers and sisters, if you feel like community and communion is lacking with those 354 00:34:30.949 --> 00:34:35.949 around you, then see things in the light of Jesus, in the light 355 00:34:36.070 --> 00:34:39.260 of the spirit that has been given to us, the spirit that unites us 356 00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:45.739 with one another. Treat your brothers and sisters not just as strangers, as 357 00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:49.460 in a room, but, even though you may not know them very well, 358 00:34:50.179 --> 00:34:53.530 as those who are members, even of the same body that you belong 359 00:34:53.690 --> 00:34:59.650 to. It gives you reason to have courage to go to them, to 360 00:34:59.769 --> 00:35:04.409 get to know them, to come close to them, to be submissive, 361 00:35:04.769 --> 00:35:14.639 to forgive, to love. If you desire prosperity, look to King Jesus 362 00:35:14.679 --> 00:35:17.840 again. Don't look to the things that fade in this world, but to 363 00:35:17.920 --> 00:35:23.789 the treasures in heaven that is waiting for you as an inheritance that belongs to 364 00:35:23.909 --> 00:35:29.710 you as the children of God. All of these things are a free gift 365 00:35:29.829 --> 00:35:34.710 that God gives to you. He gives this to you freely through his son, 366 00:35:34.750 --> 00:35:38.059 and he says here, enjoy. Here is the king who comes into 367 00:35:38.139 --> 00:35:43.820 glory, and all this is for you, and that's why we get up 368 00:35:44.219 --> 00:35:50.489 and we march together in this life under the banner of our King. It's 369 00:35:50.530 --> 00:35:57.210 why we come every Sunday together to worship, to celebrate and enjoy here and 370 00:35:57.329 --> 00:36:02.730 now, because our God has given us great joy, everlasting joy, through 371 00:36:02.769 --> 00:36:09.400 the strength of the anointed king. May we learn to see things like this, 372 00:36:10.679 --> 00:36:15.599 to seek things in this way, not just struggling in the things of 373 00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:20.869 this world with no eye on the one whom God has given. But let 374 00:36:20.909 --> 00:36:27.030 us see everything, experience everything, feel everything and press on in the joy 375 00:36:27.949 --> 00:36:30.590 of the Lord. Let us pray