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"The Conquering And Comforting King" • 11.29.15 •
Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro
- It's difficult to conceive of David's next
move. He has been given some tremendous promises by God, including an enduring
house and descendant who will reign eternally!
- How does he act? What does he do? Let's take
a look!
Text
• II Samuel
8:1-6a : "After this it came to pass that David
attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Metheg Ammah from the
hand of the Philistines. Then he defeated Moab.
Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two
lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to
be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute. David
also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover
his territory at the River Euphrates. David took from him one thousand
chariots, seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers.
Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of
them for one hundred chariots. When the Syrians of Damascus came to help
Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. Then
David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s
servants, and brought tribute." : For the first time in
David's reign, we find him on the offensive. "But wait David? God said he
would build you a house?"
- Often when we study the Word, we have to stop
for lack of time, but if we continued on, we'd see clearly that the sovereignty
of God's promise alongside of human activity!
- Instead of passively sitting back and waiting
for God to "do it all," David got moving and went out aggressively
against the enemies of God. Did he not believe God? His action proved that he
did!
- David cooperatively acts according to the
promises he has received! He didn't act foolishly or presumptively, but went
out confidently! This is how we should all respond to God's Word!
- The text begins with the record of the defeat
of the Philistines in Metheg Ammah, meaning "the Mother City."
- While we don't know where this city is for
certain, I Chronicles 18:1
associates this victory with the city of Gath. This was the very heart of
Philistine territory!
- After this defeat, the Philistines were
subdued, the word suggesting a "humbled" position. After he
dispatched the Philistines to the west, Moab to the east was next.
- This is a curious move, given that David's
great-great Grandmother, Ruth, was a Moabitess and that he had transferred his
own Father and Mother into the care of the Moabites during his exile.
- Some scholars believe that the Moabites at
some point in time, betrayed David and mistreated his family, perhaps in an
attempt to curry favor with Saul. That is extra biblical speculation.
- In any case, David dominated Moab, executing
two thirds of Moab's forces and leaving a third to serve Israel's interests. After
these two victories, David focuses on the Syrians in the North.
- Hadadezer occupied an area that belonged to
Israel, near the Euphrates river. David had gone up to recover his territory.
- In God's initial promise to Abraham, long
before the nation of Israel existed, the promised land included the area near
the great river, the Euphrates. (Genesis
15:18, Deuteronomy 11:24)
- While Israel had never taken that land, it
was lawfully David's to recover from Hadadezer's hands! David defeated him and
collected some war machines, chariots in the process!
- It's understandable that modern people would
take exception to David's crippling of the horses that had been bred for war.
They would continue to be of use, but not for military purposes.
- At the end of this section, David controls
Syria, who had sought to help Hadadezer, with a military presence in their
country, and receives tribute from them as well.
• II Samuel
8:6b-8 : "So
the Lord preserved David wherever he went. And David took the shields of gold
that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. Also
from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a
large amount of bronze." : God preserved David.
- The word is translated in a variety of ways,
but encompasses protection, help and deliverance. In every facet of his
military campaigns, God worked on David's behalf.
- With regard to the Syrian campaign, David
walked away with a great deal of spoil, bringing home the shields of gold that
had accompanied his army to battle.
- David was also able to procure a great amount
of bronze as part of the spoil left by his enemies. But then, he was enriched
by a King who chose to make peace. Look at verse 9.
•
II Samuel 8:9-14 : "When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated
all the army of Hadadezer, then Toi sent Joram his son to
King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer
and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought
with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. King
David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he
had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued— from Syria, from
Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, from Amalek, and from the
spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah." : Hamath had been at war with Hadadezer, so Toi was happy to send
a "toiken" of his affection for and submission to David.
-
David had been on a roll and Toi had no desire to be deposed. It was in his
best interest to seek a pact of non-aggression thus, the articles of silver,
gold and bronze.
-
These are the spoils that would have been appropriate for the victor to
receive, which helps to explain David's next move.
-
David promptly dedicated these things from Hamath, as well as that which came
from his other battles with the Nations, to the Lord. After all, it was God who
had given the victory to David.
-
The spoil passed from David's hand right into the hand of the Lord! Literally, David
sanctified or set these apart for the Lord's use exclusively. What did David do
with all of this?
-
Turn over to I Chronicles 29. David explains
his actions for us, just prior to his death.
• I
Chronicles 29:1-5 : "Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: 'My son
Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is
great, because the temple is not for man but for the Lord God. Now for the house of my God I have
prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for
things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood
for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various
colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my
affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and
above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of
gold and silver: three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven
thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses; the gold for things of gold and the
silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands
of craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?'" : God had forbidden David to build him a house, but David was not
kept from preparing materials for that house!
- All of these battles, all of David's work
went toward providing for something that he never personally experienced! What
zeal for God and what a great example!
- The King didn't mope about what the Lord
wouldn't allow him to do.
- This is often our inclination, but true
servants delight themselves in serving, not choosing their service! David could
have gone into "Diva" mode and withheld his resource from the Lord.
- Instead, David channeled his energy and
funneled his resources to provide for another to do what was on his heart!
- Some will sow, some will reap, but God will
bring the increase! Ours is to find a part to play!
• II Samuel
8:13,14 : "And
David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand
Syrians in the Valley of Salt. He also put garrisons in Edom;
throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s
servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went." : With his victories in tow, specifically this final victory in
the south, David firmly established his reputation.
- This victory came after a time of some
trouble for David, as Psalm 60
indicates. The Syrians and the Edomites were in league and David dealt them a
hearty blow.
- Edom was a cousin country to Israel through
Esau, but had always maintained a hostility toward them. David did not go to
war with them, but he exerted himself via military influence.
- With David's occupation of Edom, the promise
given to Rebecca in Genesis 25:23.
The older brother, Esau, the Father of the Edomite nation, would serve Jacob,
the Father of the Israelite nation!
-
At the close of this section, David has expanded the Kingdom in every
direction! He has taken all of the territory that God intended Israel to have.
•
II Samuel 8:15-18 : "So David reigned over all Israel;
and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. Joab the son of Zeruiah was over
the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; Zadok the son of Ahitub and
Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the
scribe; Benaiah
the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and
David’s sons were chief ministers." : With the
expansion of David's Kingdom came the expansion of his cabinet. David reigned
and administered judgment and justice through these officers.
-
We know of Joab and the type of man that he has proven himself to be. These
other men are unknown to us. David ruled over Israel, as well as over the
Gentile nations that surrounded Israel!
-
He prefigures Jesus Christ who will rules over every nation as part of His
inheritance! (Ps.2:8)
• II Samuel 9:1-3 : "Now
David said, 'Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may
show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?' And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was
Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, 'Are you
Ziba?' He said, 'At your service!' Then the king said, 'Is there not still someone of the house of Saul,
to whom I may show the kindness of God?' And Ziba said to the king, 'There is
still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.'" : After securing Israel's borders, David searches out one of
Saul's final heirs.
- Some have suggested that this part of the
story happens after the events of II
Samuel 21:1-6. Saul had betrayed the Gibeonites after Israel had taken an
oath not to harm them.
- When God came against Israel for their sin,
the people of Gibeon asked for the death of Saul's descendants in order for
justice to be served.
- If this is the case, the phrase at the
beginning of verse 1 makes more
sense. Most of Saul's descendants were now gone. "Is there anyone left
from the house of Saul?"
- That would have struck terror in the hearts
of other men, as the Kings of that ancient day made a practice of destroying
all of the previous Monarch's descendants.
- David isn't seeking to destroy. Rather, he
seeks Saul's descendant out in order to show him kindness for Jonathan's sake,
indeed the kindness of God!
- David remembers the promise that he made to
Jonathan back in I Samuel 20. David
knew that Saul was after him, but Jonathan had been kept in the dark by his
Father.
- When they had arranged a meeting together,
Jonathan wanted to be sure that if it were his last meeting with David, that
there would be an understanding between the two.
- Jonathan asked that David show this kindness
to his family after he was gone in I
Samuel 20:14 and 15. David is now going to fulfill that promise.
- When Saul's servant, likely a man that served
in the palace, was found, he disclosed discreetly that there was a descendant,
but quickly added that he was lame in his feet.
- "There isn't a need to kill him! He's no
threat to you!" Whether David was aware or not, he is now aware of
Mephibosheth, whose story we looked at in II
Samuel 4:4.
- Mephibosheth had become a cripple at age 5
when his nurse and he fell on their way out of Shiloh. His broken bones more
than likely had not been set properly.
- For the sake of one moment of panic, Mephibosheth
suffered for the rest of his life, not to mention the fact that he was related
to Saul, David's presumed enemy.
•
II Samuel 9:4-7 : "So the king said to him, 'Where is he?' And Ziba said to the
king, 'Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.' Then
King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel,
from Lo Debar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had
come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, 'Mephibosheth?'
And he answered, 'Here is your servant!' So David said to him, 'Do not fear,
for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will
restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread
at my table continually.'" : Mephibosheth had spent
years in the care of another person, in a place called "Lo Debar"
meaning "Without Pasture."
-
What a sad picture! Mephibosheth had surely been convinced that his days were
numbered. He knew it was only a matter of time before David sent for him, even
though he lived across the river.
-
When the Kings men arrived, a pit must have developed in his stomach. When he
arrived before David, he did what he was supposed to do and fell before the
King.
-
We can only surmise from David's first words to him, that he did so in utter
terror. He was sure that he was a dead man when he heard the words from David,
"Mephibosheth, do not fear!"
-
Can you imagine this moment? Mephibosheth has believed that he would die but
David only wished to show him kindness for Jonathan!
-
In other words, the kindness that Mephibosheth was receiving was that which had
been reserved by David for Jonathan.
-
That manifested itself in two ways, the first of which was the restoration of
all of Saul's land.
-
Mephibosheth no longer needed to live a life in alienation and separation from
the heart of Israel's life. He could come back into the life that a prince
would have known.
-
His second gesture was to invite him to eat at his own table, not once, but
continually!
-
Every meal that David was to eat, he would expect to share with Mephibosheth
for the rest of their lives!
•
II Samuel 9:8-11 : "Then he bowed himself, and said, 'What
is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?' And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s
servant, and said to him, 'I have given to your master’s son all that belonged
to Saul and to all his house. You therefore,
and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall
bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But
Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread at my table always.' Now Ziba
had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then
Ziba said to the king, 'According to all that my lord the king has commanded
his servant, so will your servant do.' 'As for
Mephibosheth,' said the king, 'he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s
sons.'" : Mephibosheth can hardly believe
what has happened to him. Who is he that the King should dispense such favor
toward him?
-
David just smiled and kept the favor coming, commissioning Ziba to employ his
35 people to work the land that was now restored to Mephibosheth.
-
All of the food that came in from the estate would stand as an inheritance for Mephibosheth's
son, but he did not need to worry about a thing. He'd eat straight from the
King's reserve!
-
He would eat at the table, not as a guest, not as an honored visiting
dignitary, but as a son! Mephibosheth could walk around with the confidence
that one of David's sons had!
•
II Samuel 9:12,13 : "Mephibosheth had a young son whose
name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth.
So
Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table.
And he was lame in both his feet." : While
Mephibosheth was in Jerusalem, the Lord blessed him with a son, an heir named
"Micha" which means, "Who is like God!"
-
What a great tribute! God had shown him kindness through the King and he names
his son with the appropriate wonder! Mephibosheth had a son and a dedicated
group of servants!
-
But the greatest joy was that he ate continually at the King's table. This is
the fourth time in 13 verses that the Spirit of God mentions this! Apparently,
it's important!
-
In fact, it's mentioned twice more than the fact of his physical situation! God
had blessed him twice more than his ailment had cursed him!
Conclusion
- In these two chapters, we see a King that
conquers and a King that comforts. In chapter 8, we recognize that the King, Jesus Christ, will be victorious.
- David ruled over Israel and over all the
Gentile nations that surrounded him. Jesus will rule over every nation, tribe
and tongue for eternity.
- For those who have not surrendered to Christ,
consider the inevitable outcome. Jesus will reign. Will you be conquered or
will you surrender as Toi did?
- This brings us to chapter 9. Like Mephibosheth, we are all
spiritually lame in our feet as a result of our fall. We have all lived in
exile, in a hopeless place without pasture, without hope.
- We have all lived in fear, hoping to simply
live out our days without suffering the King's wrath.
- When He sought and sent for us, we were
amazed that He didn't seek to exact revenge, but sought to show us kindness!
- Like David, God wants to show us His
kindness, not for the sake of a wonderful human being like Jonathan, but for
the sake of His great Savior and Son, Jesus Christ!
- God wants to treat you and I to what Jesus
deserves even though we are lame in our feet!
- He invites us through belief in Christ, to
come to His table, to dine continually, not as a guest, but as a son, because
of His Son, who died for our sins and rose for our salvation!
- All who accept His terms, either that of
surrender or that of freely given grace on Christ's account, have a place at
His table. Will you be there? May it be so, for the King awaits your reply!
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