Scripture: 2 Samuel 23:1-38
Sermon Series: 2 Samuel: When God is Your King! – Sermon 23
“OK, let’s roll.” This past week we remembered 9/11. We remember Todd Beamer’s (picture) immortal words. There were many heroes that day. Have you heard of Rick Rescorla (picture)? He also saved many lives that day.
Rescorla practiced escape drills regularly with his co-workers. Knowing what to do saved their lives on 9/11. A British-born retired Army officer, he worked in the south tower. He was prepared for this attack. He’d been working at the north tower when it was bombed by terrorists in 1993 and had helped people evacuate the damaged building. He believed a similar attack could happen again and the next one might be worse. He was right.
After the first plane struck the north tower, Rescorla used a bullhorn ordering everyone in his office to leave. His co-workers knew exactly what to do, Rescorla had been practicing safety drills with them for years. To keep people calm in the stairwell, he sang the same songs he’d once crooned to cheer up his fellow soldiers during the Vietnam War. He led nearly 2,700 of his employees to safety before the towers collapsed. But Rescorla wouldn’t leave until he was sure everyone had escaped. He was last seen on the 10th floor heading back upstairs, looking for more people to save.
Don’t you love stories of heroes? We’re coming to the end of our study of 2 Samuel. Today we’re looking at chapter 23. It’s about, Heroes, but not just any kind of hero. They’re God’s heroes. God chose them. He empowered them and used them to rescue His people. God is the real hero of the story.
2 Samuel 23 has two parts: Lessons from the last words from David, God’s hero and Lessons from the heroes on David’s list of mighty men.
1. Lessons from the last words from David, God’s hero
What do you want your last words to be? What words do you want your loved ones to remember? Last words are important.
Joseph Bayly (picture) wrote a book entitled, The View From a Hearse, after three of the Bayly’s seven children died at young ages. Bayly was intimately acquainted with the pain of death and all too familiar with what he called this enemy’s “grim violence.” I like that title, The View From a Hearse. All of us need to view life from the vantage-point of a hearse.
We’re fascinated with the last words of notable people. When actor Michael Landon (picture) was dying of cancer his family gathered around his bed. His son said it was time to move on. Landon said, “You’re right. It’s time. I love you all.” As football coach Vince Lombardi (picture) died he turned to his wife Marie and said, “Happy anniversary. I love you.” Bob Marley’s (picture) last words were “Money can’t buy life.” Baseball legend, Joe DiMaggio (picture) died talking about his former wife, Marilyn Monroe, “I’ll finally get to see Marilyn.” Karl Marx’s (picture), response when asked by his housekeeper what his last words were, said, “Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough.” Jacques Derrida’s (picture), the father in many ways of post-modernity and deconstructionism, dying words were, “I’m smiling at you from wherever I am.”
How different, hopeful and confident are the last words of Christ-followers like D.L. Moody (picture). On December 21, 1899, after cutting short a crusade because of ill health. Moody awakened after a restless night. In careful, measured words he said, “Earth recedes, Heaven opens before me!” His son, Will, thought his father was dreaming. “No, this is no dream, Will. It is beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go.”
One that challenges my heart is from October 16, 1555, when Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley (picture) stood back-to-back as they are burned at the stake for preaching the gospel. As the flames roared, Latimer’s last words were, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.” And they did!
The death of King David and his last words aren’t recorded in 2 Samuel, but in 1 Kings 2. 2 Samuel 23 is his last psalm. David wrote 73 of them. The last one is found only here in 2 Samuel 23.
The phrase “the last words of David” mean “his last inspired written words from the Lord.” They were probably written during the latter days of his life. David later has deathbed words for Solomon. This is David’s last official speech. You’ll find similar “last words” with Isaac, Jacob and Moses.
Since its theme is godly leadership, he may have written it for his son, Solomon. When this chapter is compared with the preceding one, it’s evident that 2 Samuel 22 is concerned with God’s past blessings while the first 7 verses in 2 Samuel 23 look to the future. This psalm speaks of David’s royal house, anticipating the coming reign of David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ.
Please note something critical. “The oracle of David…the oracle of the man…The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me” (2 Samuel 23:1-2). This term “oracle” indicates David is speaking as a prophet and uttering God’s divine word. It’s what we call the doctrine of inspiration.
Far too many professing Christians try to “ride the fence” in today’s culture. They want to pick and choose when it comes to the Bible, so they get caught between clear biblical teaching and what culture pressures them to believe. They try to find some sort of compromise. Yet, to reject some of God’s authority is to reject all of it.
No one would say to a parent, “I like your older child, but your younger one gets on my nerves. I don’t want them around.” How would that go over? By the same logic, nobody would say that the church is under God’s authority in Scripture if we can ignore Him when what the Bible says doesn’t conform to our culture. You can’t pick and choose what you want in God’s Word. The first one to do that is found in Genesis 3. His name is Satan.
A core belief in Christianity is that the Bible is God’s inspired Word. Because it’s God’s Word it means the Bible is the final authority, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
The last books of the Bible were completed just over 2,000 years ago. Once the Bible was complete there was nothing more to be added to it. God’s Word doesn’t need our updating, so it’s “on the right side of history.” Yet, that’s exactly what many who claim to be Christians do. We can’t pick and choose what we want in the Bible when it comes to culture, sex, marriage, or gender. We can’t pick and choose what we want it to say about sin or salvation. Augustine (picture), “If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”
It’s why at Grace we teach through entire books like 2 Samuel. They’re part of God’s inspired Word…though I’m looking forward to our next series, Vote King Jesus (logo) on the Beatitudes. We hold with the Reformers, Sola Scriptura – the Bible is the only authority for faith and practice. At Grace, we are committed to understanding the Bible, not interpreting it.
The word oracle is used twice in these verses. An oracle is a divine prediction. David isn’t giving his best advice; he’s speaking divine truth. This isn’t religious poetry but the very words of God. Peter calls David a prophet in Acts 2. What David is saying is divine revelation.
David’s identity is one of humility. “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 Samuel 23:1).
Charles Simeon (picture) summed up real Christianity as, “Humility, humility, humility.” That’s David. It’s why he was used by God, loved by God and others. How many humble people do you know? How many humble CEOs, politicians or athletes? How about humble Christians? David was.
David is the son of Jesse. Who’s Jesse? He’s a rancher, a nobody.
God raised David up. God anointed him. God blessed him with the gift of writing psalms and singing. God gave him military ability. It was all God and David knew it.
David was born a nobody. Jesse was a nobody who lived in the one-horse town of Bethlehem. When Samuel paid a surprise visit to see Jesse’s sons and to anoint one of them as king, David was so insignificant he wasn’t even invited to the party. He’s in the field tending sheep. He started as a nobody but look what happened All the success David had in his life was a gift from God. After God chose David, God was at work in David’s life to elevate him. God carried David through life’s tragedies and triumphs.
David was a nobody that, by God’s grace, was made into somebody. It’s the same with us. Anything that we are or have is from God. It’s God that saves us and rescues us. He chose to put us together with Jesus. He softened our hearts to trust in Jesus. God lifted us up.
Anointed means chosen by God to be king. David was not just lifted up by God, but God set him apart to be king. It was all God’s grace.
“The sweet psalmist of Israel” David reminds us that he was given the privilege of writing many of Israel’s songs that we find in the book of Psalms. They were written out of the joys and trials of David’s life. But God also wrote them as He worked in and through David’s life.
David’s prophecy is one of the coming Kingdom. David speaks about far more than he knows. His words are prophetic. Though he speaks words of praise on David’s house and the Davidic covenant, his words point toward God’s continuing work with the family of David. His words look forward to the ultimate Davidic King, Jesus. In many ways, these verses urge us to pray, “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). Notice that they point out that…
The Kingdom is certain. David has an insistent repetition. It’s not a guess. It’s a divine decree. This is an “everlasting covenant.” It’s the only time the term is used in the Old Testament, where the Davidic covenant is specifically called everlasting.
How welcome this note of certainty is for the people of God. One could not look at the flux and flops of history and deduce that a righteous ruler over humanity is coming to reign. Our world is plunging into chaos rather than rising to civilization, wallowing in oppression rather than finding justice.
Many of the Lord’s own people walk through lives riddled with uncertainties, wondering how their apparently senseless circumstances find a niche in divine wisdom. We can never infer kingdom hope from personal experience. David tells us that it’s a matter of divine revelation. The coming kingdom is not a political proposal, it’s a divine certainty. And we too rest as believers in an eternal destiny because of God’s promise to us.
David’s words are ultimately speaking about Jesus. Jesus is the son of David that they point to. If you look at the beginning of the gospel of Matthew and Luke, those books begin with long genealogies. Those genealogies are there to prove that Jesus was a descendant of King David. Jesus was the legitimate heir to be king. But Jesus didn’t establish some temporal earthly kingdom. By His death and resurrection, He established the eternal kingdom of God. Everyone will one day confess Jesus as the one true eternal King. David describes God’s covenant with him as ordered and secure. Those are legal terms, meaning that God’s promise is guaranteed.
The Kingdom is attractive. Can you imagine what Eden must have been like? When I was a teen, we’d go to a place called Callaway Gardens. It was beautiful. No garden on this earth compares to the beauty of Christ’s coming kingdom. There are beautiful benefits to the Son of David’s reign. The metaphors in verse 4 are rich in nature; grass growing, sunshine and rain.
His words point to a coming universal ruler who rules righteously and as a result renews and refreshes what and whom He rules. This ruler doesn’t crush his subjects but refreshes and nurtures them. This kingdom, unlike governments of our day, is desired because this king is desired. And he is all the more attractive because we rarely find this kind of ruler.
While in America, we have problematic leaders, it’s nothing like much of the world. Can you imagine living under the dictatorship in North Korea? Christ’s just rule is attractive because it will prioritize the well-being of all those it governs and treat them with loving and kind devotion.
It’s what our world longs for and doesn’t know it. No doubt you’ve seen those bumper stickers, Coexist (picture). It has something for everyone; Islam, a peace symbol, the Star of David, a cross, the pagan/Wiccan symbol, the yin-yang symbol of Eastern religions and the Dharma wheel of Buddhism. It’s a longing for something more, something not found in this world. But it’s all answered, every longing is answered in King Jesus.
There’s true coexistence. No racial discrimination or gender dysphoria. When we bow our knees before King Jesus, all that humanity longs for is met in Him. This is a prophecy that’s going to happen.
In a world of chaos and disorder, it’s comforting to know that all history is moving towards the reign of Jesus. We could never discern this truth through our own personal experiences of senseless circumstances. Our hope comes from God’s Word, His divine revelation. Jesus shall reign! As Isaac Watts (picture) wrote: “Jesus shall reign wherever the sun, does His successive journeys run; His kingdom spread from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more.” I couldn’t function in life without believing this reality.
The Kingdom is exclusive. It’s not for everyone. “But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand; but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire” (2 Samuel 23:6-7).
Not everyone wants this kingdom to come. Some want nothing to do with the righteous ruler’s reign. It doesn’t attract them but repulses them. If the Messianic king is like light, they’re like thorns. If the King brings freshness, they inflict pain and will be excluded from the regime they despise.
This coming kingdom involves both restoration and destruction, salvation, and judgment. Christ’s new order will purge those who want no part of His righteous reign, refusing to submit to Him. Worthless men is literally sons of Belial. Such produce thorns. Jesus brings blessing, they bring pain.
We must warn of such judgment. Jesus did. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. “The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:40-42).
This teaching isn’t popular today. Our contemporary dogma of tolerance considers anyone heretical who disputes the gospel of all-inclusiveness. Even some in the professing church loathe those recognizing any distinction between Christ and the cronies of rebellion. The kingdom doctrine in Scripture refuses to fuzzy such distinctions. Listen to David or Jesus. They speak the same truth and words. David describes the way an iron tool is used to grab thornbushes and throw them in a consuming fire.
C. S. Lewis (picture) got it right, didn’t he, when he said, “There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, “Your will be done,” and those to whom God says, “All right then, have it your own way.”
That will be the execution of God’s judgment. It’s why we have the King set before us now, so that we may fall at His feet and embrace Him as a Savior, so that on the day when we face Him, we may do so unashamed, clothed in the righteousness that He alone provides. It’s the choices between hope-filled or hopeless? These last words of David are gospel words.
The Old Testament prophesied the coming of the King for the first time and He came. He came as a baby and died on a cross for our sin. 2 Samuel 23 prophesies of the King coming back. This time, He’s coming to reign. Our world needs much more than positive and encouraging. It needs a Savior. It needs a King who will rule justly and set things right.
In his book, Honest Evangelism, Rico Tice (picture) says, “Loving people means warning people.” He then illustrates that with the following personal story. He writes: “I was once in Australia visiting a friend. He took me to a beach on Botany Bay, so I decided I had to go for a swim. I was just taking off my shirt when he said: “What are you doing?” I said: “I’m going for a swim.” He said: “What about those signs?” And he pointed me to some signs I’d not really noticed—Danger: Sharks! With all the confidence of an Englishman abroad, I said: “Don’t be ridiculous—I’ll be fine.” He said: “Listen mate, 200 Australians have died in shark attacks—you’ve got to decide whether those shark signs are there to save you or to ruin your fun. You’re of age—you decide.” I decided not to go for a swim.
David’s last words conclude with a warning to all who reject God’s covenant of grace. David’s Greater Son, Jesus Christ, spoke more about hell than anyone else. His words are a loving warning to those who are not believers in Him. The reason Jesus talked about hell is that He came and died so no one had to go there. The way to go to hell is to reject the grace of God that’s only found in Jesus Christ.
Let me urge you if you’re not yet a believer in Jesus Christ to heed the warning of David. Don’t be like a thornbush thrown into the fire. Repent of your sin. Ask Jesus to forgive you, believe that He has paid the penalty for all your sin…please do it today.
2. Lessons from David’s faithful list of heroes
Who are your heroes? Who are your child’s heroes? Jane and I love to go to D.C. The memorials always put a lump in my throat – such courage, such heroism. Two of my favorites are the Vietnam Memorial and the Marine Corps War Memorial (pictures).
God’s Word says a lot about heroes. I don’t know if we’ve ever lived in a day when we so needed heroes and heroines. Christians need both. Your children need heroes, Christian ones.
Our nation is at great risk militarily today. A politically correct military is a weak one. A country’s military is to protect it and win wars, not make sociological statements. The Bible is clear – God created us male and female. We need gender identity. What happened to “trust the science”? Gender confusion isn’t science. Trust the Bible. We must show God’s love and grace to those who are gender confused. Jesus died for them as well as for us.
The Bible teaches that God designed distinct identities of men and women. The heroism of 2 Samuel 23 doesn’t fit in today’s irrational culture. We need godly men and godly women who understand their created purpose.
In a world where our children are assaulted with godless messages nearly from birth, parents need to begin sexual identity and education almost before they bring the baby home. A child needs to continually hear I’m so glad God made you a boy or God made you a girl.
You can get some of these myths out of school libraries, but they permeate the culture. The Mouse (picture) is not your friend. Please don’t let screens babysit. Even if you homeschool or use a Christian school, understand these lies are everywhere. God, His Word, godly parents and grandparents with a biblical worldview, and a local church are spiritual defenses for your child.
Many of the sociological issues are because men aren’t living out their God-designed role as men. Sadly, it’s not much better in the Church. From crime to substance abuse, single parent families – repeatedly, men are MIA.
We’re in the midst of Identity Insanity. It’s rebellion against God’s design. It’s not just about gender. Google it and you’ll not only find those who want to be identified as another gender, you’ll also find those who identify as mermaids, mermen, furies, unicorns, dogs, cats, birds and adults in diapers and I’m not talking about Depends. If you question it, you’re a hateful bigot.
A 12-year-old (picture) out east was sent home from school because he wore a t-shirt that said, “there are only two genders.” The school said his t-shirt made other kids feel unsafe. It’s the debasement of Romans 1. Verse 22, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools.”
It’s why we desperately need male heroes. We need Christian History. About the only place that you’ll consistently find Christian male heroes today is in the sports world. If you love sports, please be an avid listener of Sports Spectrum. Jason Romano (picture) highlights Christian athletes.
David’s unparalleled success was the result not only of his relationship with the Lord, but also of his heroic soldiers’ efforts. They’re here, not only to be remembered but to inspire us to spiritual heroism. When God raises up a leader, He also raises up a team. Let’s look at some of the highlights from David’s mighty men as we move from prophetic words to heroic deeds.
God’s gives His heroes the victory when they persevere. Notice something about the first three: Josheb-basshebeth, Eleazar and Shammah. God gave all three of them the victory. Eleazar’s name means “God has helped.” The passage also tells that us for Eleazar and Shammah, the rest of the Israeli army fled. These two persevered when others quit. They stood alone.
Eleazar fought so long and hard, his hand clung like a vise on his sword. It was a physical sword, but you’ll never win without clinging to God’s Word, that’s referred to in the New Testament as “the sword of the Spirit.”
When you pray for victory, pray that you’ll persevere because Satan wants you to quit. There are no trophies for quitters.
It’s vital that we learn to stand alone. We must teach our young people to stand alone. Look through the Bible. Those God used like David, Joseph, Esther – all stood alone. You may be the only Christ-follower in your family or workplace. You’ll need God’s power to persevere and stand alone.
God blesses His heroes who take risks. Probably David was fleeing from Saul and was holed up in a cave. He’s homesick and mentions wanting a drink of water from the well in Bethlehem, his hometown. These three men didn’t sneak in. They fought their way through the Philistines to get a pouch of water for David. We don’t even know their names, but David is so overwhelmed at their passion and risk, he pours the water out in worship. This pouring out describes the priestly function of the wine and oil offerings. They literally put their blood on the line and David honored these men even more by giving the water to God. He didn’t see water. He saw the blood of these who risked their lives. Blood belongs to God, so David pours it out, not as trash but as treasure.
The Apostle Paul did the same in his devotion to Christ, “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all” (Philippians 2:17).
When David Livingstone (picture), the missionary pioneer, was working in Africa, some friends wrote: “We would like to send other men to you. Have you found a good road into your area yet?” Livingstone wrote back: “If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.” Are you and I willing to step out in faith and take risks for Jesus? That’s spiritual heroism!
God’s heroes have courage. Abishai and Benaiah are astounding. Did you see the World War II series, Band of Brothers (picture) about paratroopers of Easy Company who jumped behind German Lines on D-Day?
Easy company experienced a casualty rate of almost 50%. They interviewed some of the surviving soldiers who said that they never realized their experience would be the greatest challenge they’d ever face. They were all afraid but had to overcome their fears. Once they were told they were surrounded by Germans, one of them said, “We’re paratroopers, we’re supposed to be surrounded!” The survivors in their later years talked about how the experience of being with their fellow soldiers in tough times were the most cherished memories of their lives. One shared that his grandson asked him, “Grandpa, were you a hero?” After pondering that for a moment he said, “No, son, I wasn’t a hero, but I served in a company of heroes.”
Benaniah’s story is more detailed. We have three of his battles. In his battle with a lion he had the fiercest opponent, in the worst location (a pit where he couldn’t get out even if he’d a change of heart), in the most uncomfortable season (a snowy day). Yet he won the victory. The point is that the more obstacles and the more determined the opponent, the more courage is needed and the greater the victory.
Five times Joshua exhorts the people of God to “be strong and courageous.” That’s what Abishai and Benaiah were. It’s what we must be. God is our strength and source of courage. Fear is not from God!
God’s heroes will always be remembered. Have you ever Googled your name? There are Scott Carsons that are authors, college professors and soccer players. I don’t show up until the bottom of page 2 and it doesn’t really say anything about me.
Do you know where I know my name is? It’s in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21). My Savior put it there. I pray I’ll one day hear these words from King Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).
We don’t know much about these men. We just know that they were courageous and faithfully served. King David remembered. More importantly, God remembered…and King Jesus does the same with us.
God gives His heroes grace upon grace. There are three names here that surprise us, even shock us. Asahel was murdered by Saul’s general, Abner. Eliam was Bathsheba’s father. But the one who causes our mouth to drop open is the last one – Uriah. David assassinated Uriah to cover his adultery.
It demonstrates again that this is God’s Word. Most of us would have sanitized out that story of our own failure. Yet, it shows God’s grace. All of us have memories that haunt us. God doesn’t want them to haunt us but to humble us and to remind us that we need the cross. We need His grace. We need His cross, not just at salvation. We need His cross every moment of every day. We’re not good people but we have a great and gracious God!
Conclusion
President Harry Truman (picture) was once asked to speak at a fund-raising project to help the children of a White House guard who was slain in the line of duty. With great emotion he said, “You can’t imagine just how a man feels when someone else dies for him.” As Christ-followers, we do know how it feels. The Lord Jesus died for us!
The real hero in 2 Samuel 23 is not David or His mighty men, it’s King Jesus. All of these men’s exploits are nothing compared to what Jesus did for us on the cross. Jesus didn’t sacrifice His life for His friends, He died for us – His enemies. He did it so that salvation could be a free gift, but you must accept the gift.
Some day Jesus will say His last words. Those who have accepted His gift of salvation, He’ll welcome into eternal life. But for those who have never accepted Him as their Lord and Savior, they’ll hear His terrible words, “I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23).
What will Jesus’ last words be to you? Come in or depart from me? What you choose today, determines what Jesus will say to you then.