David Lesson 7 final

Overview

David at the End: Last Words, Sovereign Grace

David's "last words" in 2 Samuel 23:1-7 function less like a deathbed utterance and more like a last will and testament—his final reflection on his life and reign. Notice how he introduces himself: "the son of Jesse." David is unashamed of his humble origins as a shepherd. He recalls God's word that a ruler who governs justly in the fear of God is "like the light of morning," and he rests his confidence not in his own record but in the everlasting covenant God made with his house. Did David always rule in righteousness? Plainly not. But the perfect Ruler, Jesus Christ, would come from his line, and Christ's righteousness would be credited to him. Tellingly, the roll of David's mighty men ends with "Uriah the Hittite" 2 Samuel 23:39—a sober bridge from David's psalm of trust to his next great failure.

That failure is the census in 2 Samuel 24. David, who once trusted God to defeat Goliath, now numbers his troops to measure his security. Even Joab protests, but the king insists. Scripture gives us two angles on this event: "the anger of the LORD was kindled… and he incited David," while 1 Chronicles 21:1 says, "Satan stood up against Israel and incited David." Letting Scripture interpret Scripture, we see that God tempts no one to sin (cf. James 1), yet nothing—not even Satan's activity—escapes his sovereign throne. God is not the author of evil, and human beings remain responsible for their sin; but God in his sovereignty permits and uses what passes before him. This is a comforting truth, not a troubling one: the world is a mess, but God is not out of control of his world.

When David's heart smites him, he confesses, "I have sinned greatly" 2 Samuel 24:10, and chooses to fall into the hand of the Lord rather than into human hands, "for his mercy is great." The plague that follows looks severe, but it is not vengeance or wrath—it is fatherly discipline aimed at repentance. As Paul writes, "God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance" Romans 2:4. David refuses to offer to the Lord what costs him nothing, builds an altar at Araunah's threshing floor, and the plague is stayed. The same pattern shapes the Christian life: trials and difficulties do not surprise God, they are not punishment for sin (Christ has borne that on the cross), and God never wastes our suffering. He uses it to refine us into the likeness of his Son.

The closing testimony is astonishing. After David's adultery, murder, and prideful census, God can still say to Solomon, "If you will walk before me… as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness…" 1 Kings 9:4. How? Because when God forgives, he forgives completely: "I will remember their sin no more" Jeremiah 31:34. David was washed in the blood of the Savior who was to come, and God truly forgets what he has forgiven. We may identify with David in many details—chosen by grace, set on a unique path, falling into sin, restored again and again by mercy, learning by the Spirit's power to trust God's covenant love. In the end, David's story is not really about David. Every chapter points to Jesus, the true and righteous King in whom the promises to David are kept forever.

Transcript

Great, this is Heavenly Father. 7s

We give you thanks for the joy of being in this, your house, on the Lord's Day. 8s

We thank you for the preciousness of your Word. 15s

We thank you for the story of David and how you used Him to your glory and we pray 18s

now for your rich blessing on this class in Jesus' name. 24s

Last week we took a look at how David's sin against your raya and beseiva, how God 31s

had forgiven that sin. 39s

But God also disciplined David. 44s

And it was not a discipline that was out of wrath because God's punishes sin through the 48s

Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 56s

But whatever trial, whatever difficulty God allows in His sovereignty. 59s

God uses that and all falls under the framework of discipline. 65s

And it is used for our refinement and training. 72s

So we see them with regard to David as we see the discipline come upon Him, that refinement 76s

and training. 85s

Well, we've studied David in the field on the run on the rise and on the throne. 86s

We've seen him on the edge and on the sword and today, I'd like to take a look with you 91s

in our final session of this series here, David at the end, David at the end. 95s

There are famous last words. 104s

I think, for example, of General John Sedwick, a Civil War battlefield. 107s

And he is reportedly to have said, quote, they couldn't hit the side of an elephant at 114s

this distance and he's reported to say that right before he was killed. 122s

Famous last words, like, don't worry. 129s

I've done this plenty of times before. 133s

Famous last words, like, how could we possibly lose? 137s

Famous last words, like, I don't see how it could do any harm. 142s

Famous last words, we don't need to turn off the circuit breaker. 148s

I can have this outlet rewired in a snap. 152s

Famous last words, like, that we see. 156s

Well, let's look at some reference to David's last words. 159s

In second Samuel chapter 23, Genesis X to the Stilveticus, numbers do it around me. 164s

Joshua judges Ruth and then you hit the Samuels, for Samuel and then second Samuel. 170s

Second Samuel chapter 23 and we'll pick up in verse 1. 176s

Now these are the last words of David. 186s

The Oracle of David, Son of Jesse, the Oracle of the Man whom God exalted. 192s

The anointed of the God of Jacob, the favorite of the strong one of Israel. 198s

But in what sense are these David's last words? 206s

Because they're not even as last words recorded in second Samuel. 211s

We see that there are more words that David shares in first and second kings. 216s

So the reference here today was last words is in the sense of a last will and testament to put it that way. 224s

It's David's final words on the matter of his life, back to verse 1 again. 232s

Now the use of the last words of David, the Oracle of David, Son of Jesse, 239s

the Oracle of the Man whom God exalted. 244s

The anointed of the God of Jacob, the favorite of the strong one of Israel. 248s

Notice here how David identifies himself as the Son of Jesse. 255s

He is not ashamed about his lowly status with regard to a shepherd. 260s

He is not ashamed of that at all in his background. 272s

Going on into verse 3, the God of Israel has spoken, the rock of Israel has said to me, 278s

one who rules over people justly ruling in the fear of God, 285s

is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning gleaming from the rain on the grassy land. 292s

Is not my house like this with God, for He has made with me and everlasting covenant, 302s

ordered in all things insecure, will He not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? 310s

Had David ruled in righteousness? 320s

Well, we've seen enough of David's life to say, well, no, not always. 323s

We see David's sin so clearly displayed in Scripture. 330s

But we also know of the perfect ruler, the Lord Jesus Christ, that would come, 336s

and how Jesus lived the perfect righteous life and how that righteous life would be credited to David. 342s

David then moves into highlighting a list of mighty men. 352s

And look, please, at verse 39, the very last verse of chapter 23, 358s

and notice who's listed, 367s

you're right of the Hittite, 369s

37 in all. You remember, you're right, right? 371s

You're right, it was the husband of Bathsheba. 377s

You're right, it was the one that David had murdered, 380s

covering up his sin with Bathsheba, or trying to cover it up. 385s

This is a fascinating portion of Second Samuel, because you go from David's Psalm, 392s

which is verses 1 to 7 of 23. 399s

The reference to the mighty men is a bridge to David's sin. 403s

And the sin that David commits is he does not count on the Lord, 411s

but he counts his army. He doesn't rely on the Lord. 418s

He counts his army. Let's go over, please, to Second Samuel, chapter 24. 424s

Again, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. 433s

And he incited David against them saying, 439s

go count the people of Israel and Judah. 442s

We don't know what had incited the anger of the Lord, 448s

but there is this reference here for David to go and count the people of Israel and Judah. 452s

Now it's interesting when you go over the first Chronicles. 458s

Your first Second Samuel, first King, the Second Kings, and then you hit Chronicles. 463s

So turn there, please, to first Chronicles 21, verse 1. 470s

First Chronicles 21, verse 1. 476s

And there we read, Satan stood up against Israel 493s

and incited David to count the people of Israel. 497s

That's interesting reference. Here in first Chronicles chapter 21, 503s

what's references here, the counting of the people. 508s

It's a Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count the people of Israel. 511s

But when you go back into Second Samuel chapter 24, 517s

verse 1, it says, again, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he incited David against them. 521s

Saying, go count the people of Israel and Judah. 529s

Well, Scripture doesn't contradict itself. 534s

And remember the principle, you let Scripture interpret what? 537s

You let Scripture interpret Scripture and what you see in Scripture. 541s

Is that God is still sovereign over even evil that happens? 546s

Now, God doesn't tempt anyone to sin. God doesn't lead anyone into sin. 555s

But God will read as an example, Job, allow Satan to do some things because everything passes 562s

before God's throne. To say that God does not end the end, 572s

allow some terrible things that have happened. 581s

Evil things that would happen would then communicate that God is not all powerful. 586s

He's not omniscient. Then you wind up with a God who is weak. 593s

No, what we see in Scripture is that there are times in which God does not lead someone into sin. 601s

But God allows Satan to do some things, which is exactly what happens here. 611s

So God allows Satan to do this. 619s

What first Chronicles 24 is highlighting is the sovereignty aspect of God. 624s

That this did not happen without it passing before God's throne. 630s

That doesn't make God culpable in it. 634s

As humans are responsible for our own sinfulness. 637s

But the first Chronicles passage shows who is behind the counting. Does that make sense? 641s

Does that make sense? Okay. 649s

So, second Samuel chapter 24. 651s

We'll pick up in verse 2. 663s

So the king said to Job, and the commanders of the army who were with him, 670s

go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Ber Shiba and take a census of the people. 676s

So let me know how many there are. 682s

But Job said to the king, may the Lord your God increase the number of the people 100 fold. 687s

While the eyes of my Lord, the king can still see it. 695s

But why does my Lord the king want to do this? 699s

But the king's word prevailed against Job, and the commanders of the army. 702s

So Job and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king 706s

to take a census of the people of Israel. 711s

The cross of Jordan and began from a roar and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, 715s

toward Gadd and on to Jazor. 721s

Then they came to Gilead and to Kadesh and the land of the Hittites. 724s

And they came to Dan and from Dan they went around to Sidon and came to the fortress of Tyrant, 728s

all the cities of the Hibites and the Canonites. 734s

And they went out to the Nagab of Judah, Edbeir Shiba. 738s

So when they had gone through all the land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days. 742s

Job reported to the king the number of those who had been recorded in Israel. 749s

There were 800,000 soldiers able to draw the sword and those of Judah were 500,000. 754s

But afterward David was stricken to the heart because he had numbered the people. 764s

David said it, Lord, I've sinned greatly and what I've done, but now, 769s

old Lord, I pray you take away the guilt of your servant for I have done very foolishly. 772s

David thought his security lay in his army and not in God. 783s

And God is not pleased with this. 791s

You know, Scripture tells us that every good thing comes from above, everything. 795s

We are at a fear of love and trust him above everything else because all good things come from him. 800s

But David's trust here was in the size of his army and not in the God who had made his covenant relationship with him. 807s

And David comes to the realization of his sinfulness, picking up in verse 11. 816s

When David rose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet, 824s

David's Seer is saying, go and say to David, 829s

thus says the Lord, three things I offer you. Choose one of them and I will do it to you. 832s

So, God came to David and told him, he asked him, 838s

shall three years of famine come to you on your land or will you flee three months before your foes while they 842s

now consider and decide what I shall return to the one who sent me. 854s

Then David said to Gad, I am in great distress, let us fall into the hand of the Lord 860s

for his mercy is great, but let me not fall into human hands. 864s

So, the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from that morning until the appointed time and 70,000 of the people died 871s

from Dandabershiba. For when the angels stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem to destroy 878s

at the Lord the lented concerning the evil and said to the angel who is bringing destruction among the 884s

people that is enough, now stay your hand. The angel of the Lord was then by the Threshing Floor 891s

of Aruna, the Jeppicide, Jebucide. When David saw the angel who was destroying the people, 898s

he said, the Lord, I alone have sinned and I alone have done wickedly, but the sheep would have 904s

been done. Let your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father's house. 910s

That day Gad came to David and said to him, go up and erect an altar to the Lord on the Threshing Floor 919s

of Aruna of the Jebucide. Following Gad's instructions, David went up as Lord had commanded 925s

when Aruna looked down. He saw the king and his servants coming toward him. 932s

And Aruna went out and prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. 937s

Aruna said, why is my Lord the king come to his servant? David said, 943s

to buy the Threshing Floor from you in order to build an altar to the Lord so that the plague may be 948s

verited from the people. Then Aruna said, David, let my Lord the king take and offer up what seems 954s

good to him here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the Threshing sledgeys and the yolks of 961s

the oxen for the wood. All this O King Aruna gives to the king. And Aruna said to the king, 968s

may the Lord your God respond favorably to you. The king said to Aruna, no, but I will buy them 975s

from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing. 982s

So David bought Threshing Floor and the oxen for 50 shekels of silver. David built there 990s

an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being. So the evil 995s

ends, so the Lord answered his supplication for the land and the plague was averted from Israel. 1001s

Take a look now at Romans the second chapter Matthew Mark Luke John, Acts and then Romans. 1012s

Romans chapter 2 verse 4. 1022s

There Paul writes, or do you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience? 1037s

Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 1046s

The plague that God sent on Israel seems harsh, but in a way it was a sign of the Lord's kindness. 1056s

The plague was not revenge of the Lord. The plague was not punishment of the Lord. 1077s

The plague was disciplined. The plague was intended to bring Israel to repentance for the sin of their pride. 1089s

That's why you can say in a way this is an expression of kindness of God. 1103s

Expression of kindness. When you consider the fact that God tempts no one to sin. 1108s

God's not responsible for when we sin. But that God is sovereign over evil. 1119s

That is a comforting word. So someone says, why did God allow those terrible crashes of the 1130s

planes on 9-11 into the towers? God must be without power or we he would have prevented that. 1146s

Careful how one answers. Because one must say, could God have prevented those jets from going into the towers? 1156s

Yes, you must say that. Because if you don't say that, then God is not all powerful and God is not sovereign. 1168s

God is sovereign over all of those events. Was God responsible for that? No, because God is not the one who is 1178s

responsible for causing someone to sin. But does God use situations of evil? 1190s

In the sense of allowing it, one must say yes. You understand that distinction on that. So then when you come to this section and you say, 1206s

here the people had disobeyed and God allows then as a form of discipline upon the people, God allows this to 1221s

occur, allows the plague to occur, what is the ultimate motive here? The ultimate motive is for 1234s

repentance. There's two main big thoughts to hang on to. I talk about it in my sermon today, 1246s

how the world is a mess. God is not out of control of his world. But God does allow some things 1254s

that passed before his throne to occur. That doesn't mean that he's responsible for it, 1264s

but that he allows it because there is a word of comfort in that that God is still sovereign. 1269s

There is a word of comfort in that in the sense that God allows the plague to occur 1275s

because what is the ultimate purpose of God? The ultimate purpose of God is to lead the people to 1282s

pintence of their pride and the ultimate then that occurs is repentance and abandonment of self 1289s

reliance and idolatry. And so when people say, if God was a loving God, 1303s

then God would not have let and then you fill in the blank. This happened. What's the response to 1315s

that? Well, on one side you've got Rabbi Kushner who wrote a book, I mean, decades ago, 1324s

why do bad things happen to good people? What's the problem with that title? There's no good 1333s

people, right? So that's assuming then it's based upon a works righteousness orientation that 1341s

there are good people then that God allows bad things to happen and bottom line for Kushner is 1349s

you have a neutered God. You have a neutered God who says, boy, that was a terrible thing that 1356s

that happened. Sure, we shouldn't have that. Instead of understanding that God is sovereign 1363s

over all. So then you come to this segment here with an understanding of God's sovereign 1369s

over, over all in terms of everything passes before His throne that which He allows. That means 1378s

when God allows discipline in our lives, when God allows trials and challenges and difficulties 1386s

etc into our lives, that's not surprising God. It has passed through before Him and God in His 1394s

sovereignty allows it and we also know that God never ever waste suffering. He never, ever does. 1405s

You see, that is so far away from the concept of God that is prevalent in understanding God 1416s

is some kind of cosmic Santa who gives us good things if we're good people, right? Some kind 1427s

or some kind of of grandfather who's just kind of out of touch with everything, but kind of 1438s

shows up every now and then and gives a gift. It's these kind of concepts of God that in the mind of a 1447s

sinful human being says that God is a genie in the Bible and I need Him then to give me a 70 degrees 1455s

every day and the lead at my back and how dare He when He doesn't do that. And God looks at us and 1465s

what does He say through Jesus Christ, I have forgiven you. I have taken all of your sin upon 1473s

Jesus, you are forgiven. And now I want to mold you on and refine you. I'm going to discipline you 1481s

to be more and more like Christ because we don't grow when things are good, right? In our 1490s

sinfulness we say, look what I have brought upon myself. Look at my accomplishments. God must be 1499s

smiling at me. I must have done something good the song from sound of music when something good happens to us. 1511s

No. That's how we treat God instead of saying, God in your sovereignty that you control all things, 1523s

you have allowed this difficulty to pass through your throne and have allowed it to happen. 1532s

You are sovereign over everything that occurs and also I know that you are not punishing me. 1539s

It's not an expression of your wrath because my sin has been a tone for on the cross. I understand this 1547s

as a form of discipline and I know what your heart is to form me more and more like Jesus Christ. 1555s

And God allows here the plague. Can't you hear the question? If God loved it, why did he allow a 1562s

plague? Because He uses the plague for what? To lead to repentance. The simple understanding of God 1572s

as Santa, as God as one who is the genie of the bottle is blown to the reverene in Scripture. 1588s

And we see the complexity but we come back to home base which is the grace of God, the heart of God, 1601s

Christ, His love for us, His kindness in leading us to repentance and His sovereignty over all. 1612s

Let's go to First Kings chapter two. Samuel Samuel then King Kings. First Kings chapter two. 1626s

Verse 10. Then David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David. 1639s

The time that David rained over Israel was 40 years. He rained seven years in Hebrew 1652s

and 33 years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David and his kingdom 1657s

was firmly established. How do we understand what God says about David? Look at First Kings the 1664s

third chapter verse 14. He says here to Solomon, He says, if you will walk in my ways 1675s

keeping my statutes and my commandments as your father David walked it then I'll lengthen your life. 1688s

And you look at David and you'll just look at the sin against Bashiva, the murder of 1699s

your raya, the trusting in his army, you want to go down the list and yet it says, if you'll walk in 1705s

my ways keeping my statutes as and my commandments as your father David walked. Go to First Kings the 1712s

ninth chapter. First Kings chapter nine. Verse four. As for you if you will walk before me as David 1721s

your father walked with integrity of heart and uprightness doing according to all that I have 1736s

commanded you and keeping my statutes and my ordinances then I will establish your royal throne 1743s

over Israel forever as I promised your father David saying there shall not fail you a successor 1749s

on the throne of Israel. That's a fascinating statement here. As for you if you'll walk before 1755s

me as David your father walked with integrity of heart and uprightness doing according to all that I have 1763s

no when God forgives God forgives when he forgives he forgives Jeremiah 31 1780s

for I will forgive their wickedness and we will remember their sins no more because David was 1795s

washed of his sin in the blood of the Savior who was to come God could say of David that he 1804s

did walk in God's ways and God looks at us and what does he see but he sees us enveloped in the 1812s

God forgets. We may identify with David in some of the details of his earthly life. We too are chosen 1834s

by God's grace. We're set purposely on a path that God has for each and every one of us a unique 1848s

never to be repeated path. We too like David fall into sin and we too like David experience 1857s

the grace and mercy of God again and again and we too by the spirits power learn to trust God's 1866s

mercy and we share in the inheritance that God promised to David and delivered in his son Jesus Christ. 1877s

David is such a fascinating figure such an important figure in the scriptural narrative but in the end 1889s

it's not about David is it? It's about Jesus because at all points to the Christ. 1898s

David on the field on the run and on the rise. David on the throne on the edge and on the sword 1910s

and David at the last. Well next week Pastor Maladek is going to be here she's going to be 1918s

getting a new class on Romans chapter 9 through 11 it's going to focus on the sovereignty of God 1925s

in salvation Romans 9 through 11 as glorious glorious that's going to be a wonderful class that 1933s

starts next week. Thank you. 1943s