All right, you should have some notes in front of you, but if you don't, there's some in the back. Lessons from the life of David. David and his Lord, I've titled this particular lesson, David and his Lord. We're in 2 Samuel, chapter 23. Let's turn there and we'll read this entire passage just to start off with. 2 Samuel 23, it's just a very short passage, seven verses. 2 Samuel 23, beginning in verse one. Now these be the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, the Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my mouth. The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake to me. He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. and he shall be as a light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds, as a tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands. But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place. This passage of scripture is, commentators will tell you that this is a difficult passage. And indeed, as we read it through, it seemed like there were some difficulties. So we will do our best to exposit and teach on them. I will do my best. But what I found when commentators say this is a difficult passage, what they mean is that there's disagreement over what the interpretation is. One commentator will say this, and another commentator will say that, and the average person, like you or me, is sort of left thinking, what is it? What does this mean? Perhaps you've read this passage before, a short but challenging passage, we'll say. The challenges start right away. In verse one, it says, these be the last words of David. And immediately, we start to think, well, wait a minute. Are these really David's last words? I mean, we think of last words as literally the last breath that a person might utter, the last words. And so a strictly literal translation, which we sometimes unreasonably pride ourselves on being, we believe in a literal translation of scripture, literal interpretation of scripture, but anything can be carried to an extreme. Anything can be carried too far. We believe in a literal translation, but let's not get too far and say, well, this absolutely has to mean this. We need to study the word of God carefully. And so a literal translation says, maybe this is out of order. Last words. I mean, these are not David's last words yet, because he has more to say. He has some stuff to say to Solomon, his son, about taking care of Joab, that treacherous, traitorous, current general that he had. The murderer of his son, he's got some words of Solomon to take care of Job. Those, I think, were more closely to David's actual last words. So what is this? Is the text out of order? The initial difficulty, by way of introduction, is resolved if we understand this to be David's last inspired words. David's last inspired words, words he spoke as prophecy, words he spoke by the Lord, by the Spirit of God, David and his Lord, I've titled this, because inspired words means David speaking as God's mouthpiece, mouthpiece. Now, I don't believe, our pastor, preaches the word of God and we listen to him carefully as God's mouthpiece in our day, but he's not literally speaking the words of God. The word of God is completed. It's in scripture. So if we listen to preaching, we are careful to say, is this correct preaching? Is it according to scripture? Is this the right interpretation? Our pastor could have got it wrong. I hope he's not watching. But if he was watching, I hope he agrees that we ought to test the word. We ought to test each and everything that's taught us. We ought to test what's taught in Sunday school as well, may I say. So David speaking, but David speaking is God's wealth piece. Last words, Matthew Henry says, the last words are good and great men are thought worthy in a special manner to be remarked and remembered. Last words. If we consider these to be David's last words of prophecy, the initial difficulty is removed. The last, and I believe that's what they are, the last inspired words of David. But there's a second difficulty that we might struggle with, because as David is speaking in these seven verses, he's speaking not only of himself, but also of his Lord. And David, may I say, David is so close to God at this point in time that the two are becoming sort of mingled together. David is speaking about himself, and he's speaking about his Lord, and we can interpret it both ways. David is a type of Christ. as far as humanly possible, a type of Christ. And so, David, the two are blended together in here, David and his Lord. David, the type, albeit imperfect, and Christ, the pattern. And David here, in his last words, last words, last words of prophecy, spake of a coming king. What a appropriate topic. for David's last inspired words. He spoke of the coming king. David spoke much of his expectations of a coming Messiah, a coming king, in the Psalms, in other things that he wrote. Just as an aside, a very brief aside, Does anyone know what the most quoted verse in the Old Testament is, from the Old Testament, and the most quoted verse in the New Testament? And let me give you a few helps, perhaps. You might think, well, maybe it's Habakkuk chapter two, verse four. The just shall live by faith. Well, that's a good, maybe get a partial credit for that, because it is quoted three times in the New Testament. How about this verse, Genesis 15, 6. It says, Abraham believed the Lord. and it was counted to him for righteousness. That's quoted more than Habakkuk 2.4 a number of times. I didn't count them. But the most quoted verse in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, the most quoted Old Testament verse found in the New Testament is actually words of David, Psalm 110. Verse one, David wrote, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Psalm 110, verse one, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. That's quoted in Colossians, once. It's quoted in Ephesians, once. It's quoted in 1 Peter, once. 1 Corinthians, once. In Romans, once. In Luke, three times. Matthew, four times. Mark, four times. Acts, four times. In Hebrews is a winner with a whopping six times. That one verse is quoted in all or part six times in Hebrews. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool." Every reference in the New Testament to this verse is a reference that glorifies Jesus Christ as the one whose coming was foretold and anticipated in here by David, by David, David's Lord. I've titled this message David and His Lord. David, Lord, the Lord said, from Psalm 110, the Lord said, this is Jehovah God, the Lord said, Yahweh is a word in Hebrew, God's covenant name, the Lord said unto my Lord, again, quoting from Psalm 110, verse one, the Lord said, Jehovah God said unto my Lord, that's the Messiah, the Messiah, Adawan, it means the sovereign, the Master, the Owner. Yahweh, Jehovah God, said unto the Sovereign One, unto the Master, the Owner. David the King in Psalm 110 is acknowledging His Lord, that is Jesus Christ, as Sovereign, holding an office Jesus Christ holds an office by the decrees and counsel of God himself. Jesus Christ, David says, is one who has advanced, who has been advanced to the highest honor and entrusted with absolute sovereign power in heaven and earth, one who sits, the Lord said unto my, it says, it's all back to Psalm 110. Well, I guess I didn't read this verse. It says, when he has spoken, he sat. Sitting is always a resting posture for a Hebrew priest. It means his labors are done. He's finished his work. It's a ruling posture, sitting, one who sits to give law and judgment. Sitting is a remaining posture. The Lord Jesus Christ is a King forever. Matthew Henry says, quoting upon Psalm 110, he says, all the favors that come from God to man and all the service that comes from man to God passed through the hand of Jesus Christ, passed through His hand. All the favors that come from God to man pass through Jesus Christ. All the service that goes from man to God passes through the hand of Jesus Christ. Matthew Henry calls Psalm 110 pure gospel, pure gospel. And David says, these will be the last words of David. He's speaking of his Lord, speaking of his Lord. And his enemies will in due time be made his footstool. Again, that's from Psalm 110. But let's get back to 2 Samuel. Here's a quote. a little story that James Montgomery Boyce gives. He's a Presbyterian, he's gone home to be with the Lord, but a Presbyterian theologian, Presbyterian pastor for many years. But James Montgomery Boyce writes, he says, many years ago, and it's relevant to David's words here, many years ago on Christmas Day, my great-grandfather died. He'd been ailing for some time. Again, the words of James Montgomery, boys. He'd been ailing for some time and had been confined to his bedroom. Because of Christmas, however, the family brought him out to the living room where he was placed on a sofa. The morning passed and afternoon came. My grandfather began to speak with those members of the family who were present about the Lord Jesus Christ and about his second coming. Suddenly, while my grandfather was speaking, he drew himself up off the sofa, stretching out his hands toward heaven. A big smile crossed his face. His eyes lit up. Then he fell back, having gone to be with the Lord. The family was convinced he'd caught a vision of Jesus at the moment of his homecoming. I tell this story, says James Montgomery Boyce, because it is somewhat analogous to the experience that David had shortly before his death, an experience which highlights David's lifelong expectations of the Messiah. What David saw, or may not have seen with his own eyes, yet it was a true vision of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see, first of all, going to your notes, point one, his anointing. Point one, his anointing. Now these be the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, said, the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, the spirit of the Lord spake by me. This word was in my tongue. David's anointing. I've got two at some points, perspiration, and inspiration, perspiration. At first we're reminded of David's humble beginnings. The son of Jesse, the son of Jesse, his lowly origin. David was totally unknown to those in power when he came before Saul. And you know, after he'd killed Goliath, Saul asked, whose son is he? Whose son is he? I mean, David had already been in court. David had played his heart before Saul, but Saul hadn't paid any attention at all to David. He was a nobody. He was just son of a shepherd, shepherd man. And he was a shepherd himself. And Saul asked, whose son is he? And the answer was from his servants, O king, I cannot tell, 1 Samuel chapter 17. So David himself answered Saul and said, I am the son of thy servant, Jesse, the Bethlehemite. But followed immediately by David's lowly origins, it says, he was a man, verse one, who was raised up on high, raised up on high. The dignity of David's elevation is made mention of. He found favor with God. And he was exalted to the throne, to the throne of Israel, made a rule over all Israel. May I say that this is not like winning the lottery. This is not like winning the lottery. David had to do something. That's the perspiration part. David, it wasn't like, hey, you are now rich because you bought a stupid lottery ticket. Don't buy one. I do not recommend purchasing a lottery ticket. David worked hard. perspiration. He worked hard as an obedient son out there, taking care of the sheep, fighting off the lions and the bears. As a young assistant and harpsist to Saul, David did his best. He was diligent. He was trustworthy and true. He was mindful to give glory and credit to his Lord. David described himself as the anointed of God. Verse one, the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob. Did you know that's the description of a believer? That's the description of a believer, anointed of God. First 2 Corinthians, I can prove it from scripture. 2 Corinthians 1, verse 22, now he which establisheth with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God. He which establishes us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God." So as David describes himself as anointed of God, he's simply saying, hey, I'm a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ in his day and with his amount of revelation that he had to work with. David refers to himself as a sweet psalmist of Israel. Also in verse 1, personally penning over at least 73 of the Psalms that are named and attributed to David, including Psalm 110. 73 Psalms, probably more. So we see there's perspiration, David worked hard, but there's also inspiration. Verse two, the spirit of the Lord speak by me, David says, by me. And may I say before I get to that, David said, used the word said twice in verse one. Now these be the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse said, it says, and the sweet psalmist of Israel said, and then it says verse three, the God of Israel said. Those words said are one speaking with assurance and authority, the Hebrew word. It's a rather strong use of that word said, speaking with assurance and with authority. And David here claims to speak for God. when he speaks prophetically, the spirit of the Lord speak by me, he says in verse two, his word was in my tongue. This is a verse, 2 Samuel chapter 23, verse two, a verse that helps to define the nature and the extent of divine inspiration. The mouth, here is David's mouth, it's a human mouth, but the words, the message is divine. The voice, that of a man, but the words, those of God. The divine and the human are meeting together in conjunction. And the Lord is speaking by David. We confront something that literally transcends what the human mind is capable of comprehending. Something that transcends what the human mind is capable of comprehending. The grasp of the finite mind has difficulty, if not an impossibility, of grasping this fact that God can speak by a man. But God did indeed speak by David. 2 Peter 1, verse 21, holy men of God speak as they're moved by the Holy Spirit. It's not simply that their thoughts were elevated and they were thinking high and lofty, God-pleasing thoughts. Rather, their very tongues were controlled, were controlled, and not simply concepts, but verbal inspirations, the very words the Holy Spirit chose without doing any injustice to the independence and the freedom, the liberty of the man. How could that happen? How can God control my words without, they're my words, but how can they be God's words? It's like, if you're a computer, this is where the little lights start to blink and smoke starts to come up and you can't, fathom it. So don't try, don't try. David's anointing, David's appointing. Verse three, the God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake to me. Oops, we got to pause for a second. We don't want to pass over something. There's a reference here a relatively rare reference in the Old Testament, to the Trinity. The Trinity's not absent in the Old Testament, but it is veiled. The Trinity's not as clear by far as it is in the New Testament, but here it is. Verse two, the Spirit of God spake. All right, well, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. Verse two, verse three, the God of Israel said, that's Jehovah God, The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake to me. That's none other than the Messiah, a reference, somewhat veiled, to the Trinity here in the Old Testament. David begins to talk about duties of men, a must for the king. He says, it says, he, verse three, he that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God, a must. for man, duties of man, a must for the king. He must be just, ruling in the favor of God. Oh, the rulers would follow this rule. Oh, the rulers of this world would follow this rule. The world would be a different place, may I say, if rulers of this world would follow this simple, simple two-step rule. He must be just, point one. He must rule in the fear of God. Wow. Well, all the rulers would follow this rule. It's not merely enough for rulers to do no wrong. A ruler must not allow wrong to be done. Whoa. It's not simply enough for a ruler to do no wrong, but a ruler must not allow wrong to be done. A ruler must use their power to write the injured against those that injure them. A godly ruler, a must, it's a must here. It says, he that rules over men must, must be just. A ruler must allow those they rule over to have their rights and their properties. A ruler must be just. He must allow those who they rule over to have their rights and properties. They must do so in the fear of God, promoting the practice of religion in their realm. There's a lot of rulers who don't do that. And they must protect both godliness and honesty. And prosperity is promised. If a ruler would do this, verse four, he, the ruler, shall be as a light of the morning, when the sun rises, even a morning without clouds, as a tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. So it's the government of a godly ruler. After a reign of tyranny, so is David's government, at least in the beginning, before he lapsed into his 10 years of withdrawal after his sin with Bathsheba. But David's reign in the beginning was like a breath of fresh air, like a sunshine, a morning without clouds. After Saul, the tyranny of Saul's reign, the fearfulness, the accusations, David comes to power. What a breath of fresh air that was. As a growing luster of a good government is compared here to a perfect day, a harvest of blessings is what it brings. But there's a deeper level. Again, David and his Messiah, David and his Lord, are blended together because this same passage refers not only to David and the duties of men, but also delights in the Messiah, David's prophetic statement. Clearly, which is verse three, he that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. This only finds its fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. There has never been, there never will be a ruler who meets This must criterion except for the Lord Jesus Christ when he comes to rule. No earthly Lord may say comes even close to this ideal. No earthly leader can meet the demands of this office. David himself admits he did not. Verse five, although my house be not so with God. I mean, David, the Lord said, this is what you must do. And David says, I haven't, I've haven't. Essential qualities of one who would rule over men for God's glory and for the people's good, essential qualities are righteousness and a complete dependence upon God. They're found only in the Lord Jesus Christ who came to do his father's will. Everlasting prosperity is promised when Jesus Christ is Lord. He alone will order the affairs of this world according to divine will. He alone is a ruler that David was looking for, that David's looking forward to. Jesus Christ is the light of the morning. Verse four, he shall be as a light of the morning because, hello, he's the light of the world. He's the light of the world. Jesus Christ is as the light of the morning. Jesus Christ is as the tender grass. Verse four, springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain, because he is the branch, the branch with a capital B of the Lord. He's the fruit of the earth. That's from Isaiah chapter four, verse two. Jesus Christ is a branch. Jesus Christ is the fruit of the earth. He's as tender grass. We see David's appointing, not only Judas the man, but lights and the Messiah, but I tried to be alliterative, discouragements in the rear view mirror, discouragements in the rear view mirror. By that, I mean, just so there's no confusion, I mean, you're looking in the past. As you look in your rear view mirror of your car, you're looking at things that are in the past, things that you've gone by, and now are in the past. That's my intent and my meaning behind that. So don't take it otherwise, like something's approaching you. No, this is something that is in the past, discouragement in the past. The historical here merges into the typical. David's reflections turn from the Lord to himself and his house. He says, although my house be not so, with God. David hears sorrows of the state of his own house. By his own conduct, his house was not what it should have been. His house was less religious and less prosperous than it could have been. May I say that this is the understatement of all understatements. But as for my house, although my house be not so with God, I mean, hello, David. Four of your sons are dead. One died as an infant. And three have been murdered by other sons and by Joab. One son was murdered by two sons were murdered by other sons. One son was murdered by Joab. Wow, David, his house is a disaster. It's a disaster, David's house. And both David and Israel have suffered many things as consequences. David has his fears concerning his descendants and who would succeed him as king, casting a dark cloud and mingling his joy with grief. May I say that, I hope this fan is not picking up by my microphone, may I say that we also have rear view mirrors. Rear view mirrors, if you don't haven't looked in your rear view mirror, you don't think you have one, you do, that you have a past that's not what it should have been. That's what David's talking about. Disappointments, discouragements in the rear view mirror. We have discouragements in our rear view mirrors as well. As we look back from our current position to which sovereign grace has lifted us, we're here by the grace of God alone, As we look back, we can see more clearly our follies in the past. And more clearly, we can bemoan our failures. We recognize our failures to recognize and fully use the goodness that God afforded to us in the past. And we mourn the graceless condition of some of those who are near and dear to us, as David did here. Although my house Be not so with God. Wow. Discouragements, due to our failures, are a common feature of our lives. And that would be most discouraging, but it's not the end of the verse. It's not the end of the verse. David said, although my house be not so with God, yet, yet. What a beautiful antithesis, antithesis. I want to say antithes, antithes. It's a contrast. It's the opposite, the exact opposite. The Holy Spirit has placed that word yet in verse 5. Although my house be not so with God, I think if we're honest with ourselves, each of us can say that as well. Yet, says David, yet can we say, yet he hath made with me, David says, an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure, for this is all my salvation and all my desire. Illustrates this verse, illustrates beautifully the opening and the flowering of God's faithfulness. It's set in marked contrast to David's wretched failures opening and flowering of God's faithfulness, the awe-inspiring sovereignty of God comes into full focus all of a sudden. Suddenly, God is sovereign. Divine justice was accorded to David's foes, but divine grace lavished upon David. Wow. Divine justice on his foes, but divine grace upon David. And God has made his elect. has made with his elect an everlasting covenant. It says, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant. Everlasting, a covenant made with, that God made with his people before the foundation of the world was laid. A covenant ordered, that means arranged to bring glory to God the Father. A covenant that's been ordered and arranged to bring glory and honor to the Son. A covenant ordered to bring blessings upon God's people. Wow, I say wow and wow. Think about it, think about it for a minute. This verse here brings tears to my eyes. You see our failures were anticipated. We look in the rear view mirror and we see a bunch of discouragements. But God knew them already. Before they happened, God had anticipated them, and he has made full provision for our failures, because the administration of this covenant is in the hands of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And this was David's salvation. David's desire, and may I say it's an inexhaustible, inexhaustible well of comfort. Well, you know where you go to to get water? Inexhaustible well of comfort to which we may return again and again. Yet, he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for this is all my salvation and all my desire. Although, He make it not to grow, although He make it not to grow. God's covenant stands and will continue. Outward signs may discourage us, but God never fails, never has, never will. God will preserve to Himself a godly seed, regardless of outward appearances. That's what David's talking about in the last part of that verse, although we make it not to grow. Outward appearances. Look, may I say they look kind of bad for David? I mean, Job's still his general. Job is, in fact, plotting who's going to be the next in line. And Job doesn't have Solomon in mind. Job has got someone else in mind. Wow. Things aren't looking so good for David, but God will preserve to himself a godly seed, regardless of outward signs. God never fails, never has, never will. His appearing, His appearing. May I say this was a difficult passage to put together an outline for. I've scratched my head. I enjoy the challenge. But there's two verses here that are kind of confusing a little bit. Because verse six and seven says, but the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands. But the man that shall touch him must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place." I mean, this is where commentators start to like go this way and that way. I mean, what does it mean? Well, I think, me personally, after studying this passage, I think it's a reference to the Lord's appearing. the Lord's when he comes to judge and to right all the wrongs. I think David here is still looking at his Messiah. I'm keeping the theme of David and his Lord. And I think David is looking at his Messiah. And again, there's a blending together as David considers all these things, and he's packed a lot into a few verses. But I think he's looking ahead to Christ's return. I believe David is prophesying of the ruin and destruction of God's enemies. The sons of Belial shall be all of them." I mean, David had plenty of enemies. He still has enemies. The Lord has delivered him out of them all up to this point in time, but they're still there. He says, but the sons of Belial ultimately shall be all of them, including that wretched Joab. shall be as thorns thrust away. Was Job saved? I have not a clue. I don't think so. But, you know, who can we judge? That's why I call him wretched. But anyway, I think Job was one of the worst characters in Scripture. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away. because they cannot be taken with hands. I mean, David perhaps is thinking of Job here. David has tried to get rid of Job again and again. He's still there. He's still there. David's looking ahead to Christ's return, prophesies of the ultimate ruin and destruction. He calls them sons of Belial, sons of the devil, thorns, enemies that openly oppose the things of God, enemies who secretly betray and slander God's truth. The same about the minister, you know, did you hear what they said? Boy, slandering God's truth, secretly betraying, thorns to be thrust aside so that Christ will establish his kingdom despite the enmity of his enemies. Like thorns that would burn with fire at Christ's return. It's the most solemn reference, I believe, to the fate of the godless. The fate of those who are self-willed, the fate of those who are unconcerned with God's glory, the fate of those who need to be won for the Lord Jesus Christ before it's too late, but the fate of those who despise and ill-treat God's servants, God's retribution, His righteous retribution will surely fall on them. I believe that that's what these verses are referring to, the Lord's appearing. It's a somber warning for all of us to heed. So David's last words, I believe, were the words of prophecy. I believe they're words that were looking forward to his Messiah, the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, which I believe David saw perhaps veiled, but certainly he saw the Lord's coming. not only for on the cross, but also his ultimate coming to judge and right the world. And within these words, again, are these marvelous promises for us, promises for us to take light, take heed to, and to take encouragement in. There's a glorious future coming, is there not? We can smile. We can lift up our eyes. We don't need to be cast down all the time. Let's look to the Lord Jesus Christ, not look down at the things of this earth. Let's do that more and more as we go older and wiser in the faith, amen? Let's look to the Lord in prayer.