2 Samuel 23:8-12 Hand Stuck To The Sword!

 ”These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.“ ‭‭

II Samuel‬ ‭23‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. These are the names of the mighty men: David was nothing without his mighty men, and they were nothing without him. He was their leader, but a leader is nothing without followers – and David had the mighty men to follow him. These men didn’t necessarily start as mighty men; many of them were the distressed, indebted, and discontented people who followed David at Adullam Cave (1 Samuel 22:1-2).

i. “These men came to David when his fortunes were at the lowest ebb, and he himself was regarded as a rebel and an outlaw, and they remained faithful to him throughout their lives. Happy are they who can follow a good cause in its worst estate, for theirs is true glory.” (Spurgeon)

ii. The day for mighty men and women – heroic men and women for God – has not ended. “The triumph of the church as a whole depends upon the personal victory of every Christian. In other words, your victory, your life, your personal testimony, are important to the cause of God today. What happens out in New Guinea, down in the Amazon jungle, over in disturbed Congo, is not unrelated to what happens in your own personal relationship with God and your personal battle against the forces of darkness. Victory for the church on the whole world-front depends upon victory in your life and in mine; ‘home’ and ‘foreign’ situations cannot be detached.” (Redpath)

b. Adino the Eznite: This leader among David’s mighty men was noted for having killed eight hundred men at one time.

i. “Three hundred is the reading in Chronicles, and seems to be the true one.” (Clarke)

c. Eleazar the son of Dodo: This leader of David’s mighty men was famous for enduring with David in a famous battle and when his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. Through his tenacity, the LORD brought about a great victory that day.

i. Spurgeon saw that Eleazar, in his solitary stand until victory, was a tremendous example for believers today. “Solitary prowess is expected of believers. I hope we may breed in this place a race of men and women who know the truth, and know also what the Lord claims at their hands, and are resolved, by the help of the Holy Spirit, to war a good warfare for their Lord whether others will stand at their side or no.”

ii. “Remember Mr. Sankey’s hymn, - ‘Dare to be a Daniel! Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!’Dare to be an Eleazar, and go forth and smite the Philistines alone; you will soon find that there are others in the house who have concealed their sentiments, but when they see, you coming forward, they will be openly on the Lord’s side. Many cowards are skulking about, try to shame them. Many are undecided, let them see a brave man, and he will be the standard-bearer around whom they will rally.” (Spurgeon)

d. Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite: This leader among David’s mighty men stationed himself in the middle of the field when others fled, and he held the ground single-handedly until the LORD brought about a great victory. (Guzik)

Hand Stuck To The Sword!

I can relate to Eleazar, when doing some mechanical tasks the tool has stuck to my hand and I had to physically free my fingers with my free hand to release the tool! I then had to use a flat surface and force my fingers to bend in the opposite direction and hold them until they relaxed!

Oh, if only the Bible would stick to our hand when doing the Lord’s work!

Blessings 

2 Samuel 23:5-7 Genealogy

 ”“Although my house is not so with God, Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; Will He not make it increase? But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands. But the man who touches them Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭23‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Although my house is not so with God: David looked at the complete blessedness of a just ruler’s reign and he knew that his reign fell short of both perfect justice and complete blessedness.

b. Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant: David knew that the everlasting covenant from God was not based on David’s perfection as a ruler. It was based on God’s gracious commitment to His everlasting covenant.

c. This is all my salvation and all my desire: David only said this because the covenant was based on God’s faithfulness and not his own. David knew that his own obedience was not enough to be a foundation for all his salvation and all his desire.

i. We can say that because of his sin and its consequences, David’s light dimmed towards the end of his life, but it was not extinguished. He shined until the end. “In the Divine dealing with us, there is no mistake, no lapse. Nothing has been permitted which has not been made to serve the highest purpose. This is so even of our failures, if, like David, in true penitence we have forsaken them and confessed them. It is certainly so of all our sorrows and trials.” (Morgan)

d. The sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away: The covenant was based on God’s faithfulness, but David knew that obedience still mattered. God would still oppose the sons of rebellion and they would end in ruin. David knew he could trust the LORD to take care of his enemies and wicked men.

i. “This was the whole theme of David. The Lord is in control. Rest in Him. Don’t fret yourself because of the evildoers that bring evil devices to pass. Rest in the Lord, trust also in Him. Delight thyself in the Lord! And all of the help, and the strength, the ministry of God’s Spirit to our hearts, through the Psalms, the sweet psalmist of Israel. What a legacy he has left.” (Smith)

ii. This remarkable relationship with God is the reason why David was Israel’s greatest king, and the most prominent ancestor of Jesus Christ. The New Testament begins with these words: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David (Matthew 1:1). (Guzik)

Genealogy 

My book of genealogy started with my father and just like king David he wasn’t perfect, but his legacy was that he raised our family in a Christian home and I know he is with Jesus in his heavenly home. 

Each one of my father’s children have to find their own way and their own salvation. You can say it’s a matter of the heart. Each one of us has to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior to have our names written in the Lambs Book of Life. 

The Lord is in control and I rest in Him!

I look forward to going to my heavenly home, do you?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 23:1-4 To Be With God!

 ”Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel: “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.’“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. These are the last words of David: It wasn’t that these were the words David spoke from his deathbed, but they expressed his heart and longing at the end of his life.

i. “I suppose the last poetical composition is here intended. He might have spoken many words after these in prose, but none in verse.” (Clarke)

ii. This short psalm is a beautiful song of wisdom from David at the end of his life. “Wherein he doth, in few words but full of matter, acknowledge God’s benefits, confess his sins, profess his faith, comfort himself in the covenant, and [announce] destruction to unbelievers…. How much in a little!” (Trapp)

iii. What a life his was – we have a capsule of David’s life in the titles and descriptions of 2 Samuel 23:1:

· The son of Jesse: Jesse was a humble farmer and this title reminds us of David’s humble beginning.

· The man raised up on high: David allowed God to raise him up, so that he could confidently rest in this title.

· The anointed of the God of Jacob: David was anointed by God, not by himself or merely by man. He had a unique empowering and enabling from God.

· The sweet psalmist of Israel: David had a beautiful gift of eloquence and expression before God. This title reminds us of David’s deep inner life with God.

b. The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me: This indicates that at least at times, David was aware of the work of divine inspiration through him and expressed in his words.

c. He who rules over men must be just: As David looked back over his life and reign, he was struck by the great need for rulers to exercise justice. He knew this because he had seen the goodness of justice provided and the curse of justice denied.

d. Ruling in the fear of God: This is the key to justice in the work of a leader. When leaders rule in the fear of God they recognize that a God of justice reviews their work and will require an accounting of how the ruler has led.

e. He shall be like the light of the morning: David reflected on how a wise ruler is blessed when he rules with justice. Though David’s reign was not perfect it was blessed – and his reign is the one most identified with the reign of the Messiah.

i. From one perspective David’s reign was a disaster. He suffered from a dark scandal during his reign, he suffered under repeated family crises, under an attempted insurrection from his own son, under another civil war, and from three years of famine.

ii. In contrast to David, his son Solomon’s reign seemed perfect. Solomon enjoyed a reign of peace, great prosperity, prominence, and glory.

iii. Yet the Bible has nothing but praise for David and his reign, reflected in passages like Psalm 89:20, Isaiah 55:3-4, Romans 1:3, and Revelation 22:16. In contrast, Solomon is barely mentioned in the rest of the Scriptures and when he is, it is almost in a backhanded way (see Matthew 6:28-29 and Matthew 12:42).

iv. The difference between David and Solomon was found in their different relationships with God. David’s passion in life was simply to be with God (Psalm 84:10), while Solomon’s passion was personal improvement (1 Kings 3:4-15). We can also say that David endured to the end, loving and serving God in the final chapters of his life (2 Samuel 23:1-7), while Solomon forsook God in his later years (1 Kings 11:4-8).

(Guzik)

To Be With God!

This was David’s passion with loving and serving God in the final chapters of his life!

Oh how I long to be like David in my final chapters!

Do you?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 22:47-51 Blessed Be My Rock!

 ”“The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation! It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me; He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name. “He is the tower of salvation to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and his descendants forevermore.”“ II Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭47‬-‭51‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock: David thought of the great victory of God on his behalf and could only worship.

b. It is God who avenges me, and subdues the peoples under me: David emphasized the thought, “This is the LORD’s victory. He won it for me. The glory goes to Him.”

c. He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up: We see in this psalm that David constantly moved back and forth from speaking about God (He delivers me) to speaking directly to God (You also lift me up). David didn’t seem to have a problem moving between the two aspects, indicating that there is a place for both in praise.

d. And sing praises to Your name: “To be saved singing is to be saved indeed. Many are saved mourning and doubting; but David had such faith that he could fight singing, and win the battle with a song still on his lips.” (Spurgeon)

i. Paul quotes 2 Samuel 22:50 (Psalm 18:49) in Romans 15:9.

e. And shows mercy to His anointed: David ended the psalm understanding his position in mercy. Though earlier in the psalm he proclaimed his own righteousness, he came back to the foundation of God’s mercy. David’s relationship with God was based on God’s great mercy, not upon David’s own righteousness. (Guzik)

Blessed Be My Rock!

This Spurgeon quote is rich and full of wisdom as God has to bring many to the bottom before they will come to Him. Oh to be saved singing!

“To be saved singing is to be saved indeed. Many are saved mourning and doubting; but David had such faith that he could fight singing, and win the battle with a song still on his lips.” (Spurgeon)

How were you saved?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 22:31-46 The Throne Is The Lords!

 ”As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. “For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip. “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose against me. You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. They looked, but there was none to save; Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I trod them like dirt in the streets, And I spread them out. “You have also delivered me from the strivings of my people; You have kept me as the head of the nations. A people I have not known shall serve me. The foreigners submit to me; As soon as they hear, they obey me. The foreigners fade away, And come frightened from their hideouts.“ II Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭31‬-‭46‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He is a shield to all who trust in Him: When God met David’s need He brought protection. David could see with light and stand in God’s strength, but he still needed supernatural protection. David’s trust was the vital link in receiving this protection from God.

b. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places: David thought of how deer seem to skip from place to place and never lose their footing. God gave him the same kind of skill in working through the challenges brought by his enemies.

c. So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze: David thought of the strength needed to bend a bow made of bronze. God gave him the same kind of strength to overcome the challenges brought by his enemies.

d. Your gentleness has made me great: For David, it wasn’t only about skill and power. It was also about receiving God’s mercy and enjoying a relationship with the God of great gentleness. This also was a resource of strength for David.

i. “We might brave the lion; we are vanquished by the Lamb. We could withstand the scathing look of scorn; but when the gentle Lord casts on us the look of ineffable tenderness, we go out to weep bitterly.” (Meyer)

e. I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them: David relished the place of victory he had in the LORD. He wasn’t hesitant to proclaim it, either out of false humility or out of an uncertainty of possessing the victory. He knew that enemies might rise again, but he looked back at the field of battle and said, “They have fallen under my feet, and when they were under my feet I trod them like dirt in the streets.”

f. You have also delivered me from the strivings of my people: David didn’t only have to battle with problems from enemies, but also with the strivings of his own people. In the midst of the battle he had to endure the contention of his own people, but God sustained him through that also.

g. You have kept me as the head of the nations: David knew that the throne belonged to God. David knew, “The throne is not mine. Not to have, not to take, not to protect, and not to keep. The throne is the LORD’s.” (Edwards) Therefore, when David had the throne, he knew it was God who gave it to him. (Guzik)

The Throne Is The Lords!

I like Edwards quote:

“The throne is not mine. Not to have, not to take, not to protect, and not to keep. The throne is the LORD’s.”

There are times we want to sit in the Lords throne with judgment, revenge, hate and the list goes on! We would do well if we remember, Jesus loves them too and leave the throne to the Lord!

Blessings 

2 Samuel 22:26-30 Humility

 ”“With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down. “For You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭26‬-‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful: Jesus discussed this principle in the Sermon on the Mount but from the perspective of man instead of from God: For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.(Matthew 7:2)

i. “In these words we have revealed the principles of relationship between God and man. God is to man what man is to God.” (Morgan)

ii. David didn’t only sing about this principle; he also lived it and benefited from it. God showed David great mercy because he showed great mercy to others, like Saul (1 Samuel 24:10-13) and Shimei (2 Samuel 16:7-12).

iii. “Note that even the merciful need mercy; no amount of generosity to the poor, or forgiveness to enemies, can set us beyond the need of mercy.” (Spurgeon)

b. With the devious You will show Yourself shrewd: Translators have trouble with this sentence because it communicates a difficult concept. It’s easy to say that if a man is pure towards God then God will be pure to him. But you can’t say that if a man is wicked towards God, then God will be wicked towards him because God can’t do anything wicked.

i. “David expresses the second half of the parallel by a somewhat ambiguous word, the root meaning of which is ‘twisted.’ The verse actually says, ‘To the twisted (or crooked) you will show yourself twisted (or crooked)’…. The idea seems to be that if a person insists in going devious ways in his dealings with God, God will outwit him, as that man deserves.” (Boice)

c. You will save the humble people; but Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down: David proclaims his confidence in the principle repeated in Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, and 1 Peter 5:5: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

i. There is something in true humility that prompts the grace and mercy of God and there is something in pride and haughtiness that prompts His resistance and displeasure.

ii. Humility isn’t necessarily a low opinion of self; it is a combination of an accurate opinion of self and simple self-forgetfulness. Humility is others-centered not self-centered.

d. The LORD shall enlighten my darkness: When God met David’s need He first brought light. Great strength and skill don’t help much at all if we can’t see in the midst of the struggle.

e. By You I can run against a troop; by my God I can leap over a wall: When God met David’s need He brought strength. One man should not be able to battle a troop, nor should he be able to leap over a wall protecting a city.

i. David knew the principle of Ephesians 6:10long before Paul penned the words: Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. God has a resource of power (His might) that He makes available to us by faith. We don’t have to be strong in our might, but we can be strong in His might. (Guzik)

Humility 

We can all learn to be a little more humble! 

”Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”“ ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Dear God, please reveal any proud ways within me because I desire to be clothed in humility. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Blessings