The passage for preaching today is 2 Samuel 23 1-7. Listen to God's word. 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. 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, a clear shining after rain. Although my house is not so with God, yet he has made 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. These are the last words of David. When you hear this about anybody, if you're like me, you tend to sit up and listen, and to listen carefully. Last words seem to carry a weight about them. You want to hear how this person maybe sums up their life, or the direction that they give to their children and to their grandchildren. There is something weighty about this. And we have here David nearing the end of his life. And you could say that he is preparing for death. In a different passage, we do find other last words. You can see those in 1 Kings 2. And in that place, David spoke to his son Solomon. And there his last words have that force of instructing his son. He's establishing him on the throne that he would inherit from his father David. But this portion is something more public. This section contains David's words to the children of Israel, his counsel, his instruction, his own testimony given to the children of Israel. And we have the privilege of hearing these last words of David. Now before I go on, I just want to note that here in the United States, we don't like to talk about death very much. We don't like to think about death very much. We push it away from ourselves as much as we can. But it need not be that way. Instead, in Christ, You can think about and talk about death in a way that reflects that you are a child of God, that Christ is yours and you are Christ. And by doing so, you can let the gospel light shine in you and around you. You can draw attention to the fact that Jesus is your Savior and your Lord in life and in death. So today, by David's last words, I'm going to invite you to think about death, to think about it from a Christian perspective. And in doing so, this passage will guide you to look to your own soul to see that you are in Christ and to do the King's work. The first thing David does is to remember the king's blessings. These king's blessings are God's blessings in David's life who would also be a king. Even the way David identifies himself is full of an acknowledgement of God's blessings. And since we're coming to the end of 2 Samuel, I want you to remember with me, where was the first time that we met David? Well, it's all the way back in 1 Samuel, 1 Samuel 16. There we read how God sent his prophet Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel. And he went to the house of Jesse, And there he found seven men who, for all the world, looked like good contestants or good candidates to be the next king in Israel. They were tall, they were strong, they were able men. And Samuel thought, surely one of these men is going to be the next king. Not so, according to God. God said to Samuel, do not look at his appearance, and each of those 70 says the same thing, do not look at his appearance, or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. And so, God passed over these seven of Jesse's sons, leaving Samuel to ask, are there any others? I hope you remember that Jesse, David's father, kind of said, well, yeah, there is another son, the youngest one. He's out watching over the sheep, as if to say, why do you want to see him? He was young, he had what was really a lowly job. Might romanticize being a shepherd, but it really was not all that great a job. And the youngest had that job, that's the job you give to the youngest, right? And so Jesse sent for David, and here he comes into the room. If this was a movie, There would be almost the slow motion of David entering the room and the music would swell. And David would be young and handsome and strong. This is not a movie, is it? David was young, but he wasn't all that handsome. The Bible describes him as ruddy. And we've assigned to that a lot of good looks. But it really wasn't that either. He was out working with the sheep all day, so he's probably scruffy. That might be a good word for ruddy. Bronzed by the sun, yes, but that means sunburned. David had a very humble beginning. From that humble beginning, God raised up David to be king. Cuz God looked on the heart. And God chose by his own sovereign will and purpose. So David was anointed by God, by Samuel, God's representative. And he was anointed to become the Lord's ruler and protector, Lord's king in Israel. In addition, David identifies the fact that not only was he given this high privilege and high responsibility to be king, but God also gave him another responsibility. The Lord raised him up to serve as a prophet. He was the sweet psalmist of Israel. And that means that he was given the spirit of God to record the words of God. And we know them particularly as the book of Psalms that we love so much. These words of worship that are inspired by the Holy Spirit, we might praise the Lord. And so this very humble beginning by David is turned around by really the exaltation of God the Father upon David. And in saying that, I hope that your mind might race forward and to see in David that there is another king that would follow after David, one that descends from him. One that is promised of old from the very beginning, and that is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, promised King of Israel. And he, too, had a humble beginning regarding his beginning here on Earth. Throughout all eternity, God the Son and Father and Spirit have lived mind-bogglingly, if that's a word. But the Son became man and humbled himself, becoming a man, humbled himself in Very poor condition. He was not born in a palace, right? He did not ride a stallion and be equipped with a crown and jewels and swords. No, he was a humble carpenter's son and followed his father likely in that trade. From that humble beginning, we know that Jesus served the Lord. He did the Lord's work that the Father had for him to do, and a glorious work it was. It was our own redemption. Not only then, did God raise up David from a humble beginning? Not only did he give him to rule as a king, but also to speak as a prophet. As we go on into verses three and four, you can see that work of a prophet and that exalted role. And I want to just call your attention to the fact that David is very aware That the words that he spoke in the Psalms and the way that he recorded those, that they were by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. That phrase is one that we have come to know and love because it speaks about how the Lord God himself is the author of all of scripture. So David confesses not his own skill, but he confesses that God is speaking through him. And that what he wrote was because God's word was on David's tongue. And this deserves a lot more attention that you can read about or think about the doctrine of inspiration of all of scripture. From that we can say that every psalm and every prophecy, every book of the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter speaks of it this way, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. And David declares this role that he had as a prophet in this way, describes actually the Trinity at work in this inspiration. If you see here, it's the Holy Spirit who spoke by David, that then God the Father, God of Israel speaks next, referring to the Father. And what does the Father say? Well, the Rock of Israel speaks. It was Jesus. And all contained here in the revelation of David. And he professes the fact that through the Spirit and through the Son, that he must rule and reign with justice. The one who would be king must rule with justice. And David, in reflecting on this, must have recognized that he had often failed in the responsibility God gave him to do. We have walked through David's life together now for many months, and you know David's failings. You know David's sins. He did not protect those who had suffered neglect and abuse on his own watch. You know that he had moral failure in his own lust and adultery and murder. But David, as he speaks of the just rule of the king, is reflecting not just on himself, but is looking forward to that perfect work of Jesus Christ, who would deal justly in all his ways. And these are part of the blessings of God that David reflects on. And he anticipates the ultimate Davidic king, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so these first verses, you find David reflecting on his life, reflecting on the blessings of God. And he can take comfort in life and in death. While David did not do his work perfectly, he was relying on the only Savior, Jesus Christ. So he could reflect on that blessing, that the light of Jesus Christ is something that guided him too. It is a comfort to you as well. In fact, by David's words, it prompts you to reflect on the many blessings that God has brought in your life. Prompts you to reflect on the comfort that he gives you in dark valleys of suffering. Reflect on the light that is given to you to guide you in decisions that you make, paths that you choose. It guides you to repent of your sins and know the joy of forgiveness, one of those greatest blessings of God. So hear David's last words and be prompted by them to do the same, to reflect on the many blessings of the King in your life. David goes on now, in verse five, he looks forward to the promises of future blessings. He speaks of his house and his heritage. In other words, he looks forward to what God was going to do in the years to come. It really is a startling statement though, isn't it? Think of it this way. Why in the world would an old man think about the future? Think about it that way. What is it that is moving David near the end of his life to think and even to plan for the future? Well, according to David, you do have a future, just as David had a future. And that future was in that promise of God of the covenant Lord Jesus Christ that would come. Even after David was gone, the house of David would continue. And even after David was gone from this world, he would continue. He does continue. an everlasting life, as does every man, woman, and child that is born into this world. Each and every one of you will continue after death. For David, that continuing was a continuing of blessing as he was received into the Lord's sight. David, though, acknowledges, my house is not so with God. So here David is once more reflecting on his own failings, on the ways in which he had not lived up to the responsibility that God had given for him. My house is not yet what God has promised, but it will be. It will be. Yet he has made a covenant, an everlasting covenant, You see, David is basing his hope for the future on the sure promise of God. It's a promise that's recorded back in 2 Samuel 7. There you can read how God made a promise to David. A promise that your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne will be established forever. And so David anticipated this, and he foresaw the fulfillment of this promise in the coming Savior, Jesus Christ. And so as he looks forward to the future, he looks forward to the coming of Jesus, his birth, his death, his resurrection, and his ruling even now as king forever and ever. And he does that because of that covenant, covenant that God made with David. But the rest of scripture helps us to know that that covenant stands in the context of other covenants. And even a covenant that God made within the Trinity from before the foundation of the world. Where before God created the world, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit covenanted to redeem a people to himself. That necessitated the coming of Jesus Christ, necessitated the birth and death of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Which means that in this covenant of redemption that David saw an application to in his kingship, we are embraced in that covenant as well. Because in Jesus Christ, You are united to a savior and to a king, and he is our constant guide and companion throughout all of our lives. He is the one who defends you and protects you. He keeps you all your days. He is the one who gives you the indwelling of the Holy Spirit so that you know God's word and his laws, and enables you to walk in those. So by David's leading and by Jesus's mediation, David calls you to meditate on Jesus, to fix your eyes on him, the author and perfecter of your faith. And he does so by encouraging you to think regularly about God's covenant promises. One theologian puts it this way, one commentator puts it this way. He says, he calls you to study the wonders of this covenant that they may be familiar to your minds in time of health. And so they shall fill you with unutterable peace and joy when every other refuge shall fail and your soul be summoned into the presence of God. Meditate on those promises of God, meditate on his covenant. Finally then, David closes his last words with a call, which I'll summarize. Prepare to meet your God. Prepare to meet your maker, your king. And it's a call to the children of Israel that stands now as a record in scripture as a call to people in every time and in every place. We can say that because each and every one of us, each and every one of you will appear before God to give an account of your life. You don't know when that will be. Death comes suddenly for some, it lingers for others, but right now you're alive. And so like David and his pleading with the children of Israel, I plead with you, prepare to meet your God. After death, it will be too late. Prepare now. If you do not repent and ask Jesus to be your savior and your king, you will be like thorns, says David, thorns that are gathered together only to be thrown in the fire to be burned away. Now is the time to turn from your sins and to become a Christian. Look to your own soul. But there is also one last application that I'll make. Because David not only prepares his own soul to meet the Lord, but in these last word, he continues his work. He continues to do the work of a king that God had given him to do. And that is part of your responsibility now. It is part of preparing to meet the Lord. It's to be about the work, even now, God has given you. You're not dead yet. You are still here. And we have to conclude that a sovereign God has you here for a reason. Like the way that Mark reflected on this during his battle with cancer. His prayer was, God, if you would have me to care for Susan and raise Max, would you heal me of this? I'm ready to go, but you have work for me. And keep me here. Archibald Alexander says this. We are kept here to do the master's work. We have a stewardship which we must give account. David's last words prompt you to prepare to meet your God by looking to your own soul, by doing your King's work. I want to close this by reading the question and answer to the very first question of the Heidelberg Catechism. They're so fitting here, attached to David's last words. What is your only comfort in life and death? Answer, that I, with body and soul, both in life and death, I am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who by His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins and delivered me from all the power of the devil, and so preserves me that without the will of my Heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head. Yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation. And therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life and makes me sincerely willing and ready henceforth to live for him. This is my comfort in life and death. Last words, last words of David. Let's pray. Lord God, it is so true that we are kept to do your work. And as David nears the end of his life, we have to recognize that our life is fleeting. It will end. We don't know when that will be, but it surely will unless you come again before that. So God, I pray that we would prepare to be with you. We would prepare to meet God. May we look to our own souls and find that the only comfort there is, is to be in Jesus. Father, I pray that we would also be about that work that you have for us to do. Lord, it is true that you order all things according to your will, that you assure us of eternal life, and you make us sincerely willing and ready to live for you. That is our desire, that in living and dying, that you are our comfort, you are our God and King, we would live for you. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. We're gonna close with Psalm 73 C. We will confess together these things, that God is what we want most. That he is our guide in all of our life and even on through death itself. That he has reasons and work for us to do that are given. are given to you to glorify Him forever and ever. Let's stand and sing Psalm 73c.