II SAMUEL 23 Lesson # 26
ALL HOPE AND ALL MEANS ARE GOD’S
I. Introduction:
Q As we near the end of our lives do we see reality more clearly? Do old men and women see life clearer the older they get?
Q Have you ever heard of men receiving a word of prophecy on their death bed?
An = This tradition is found in the Old Testament. Isaac “blesses” his sons just before he dies (Genesis 27), Jacob prophesies about his sons just before he dies (Genesis 49), and Moses gives a prophecy about the tribes of Israel (Deuteronomy 33).
>>>> Have someone read Genesis 49:1-2.
Note: Our chapter opens with David giving his last words, but they were not from his insightfulness. His words were not his own, from his own experience, but words given to him from God.
II. David’s Last Words: All Hope Comes From God. II Samuel 23:1-7.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 23:1-2.
Q What is the source of David’s oracle?
An = The Spirit of the Lord spoke through David and God’s Word was on David’s tongue (Proverbs 16:1). David is being used as a prophet, one who speaks forth God’s Word. David’s prophecy basically has three parts. David is given the description of what is good leadership (3-4), David’s hope for his own lineage (5) and the future of poor leadership (6-7).
Let us first see what good leadership is like….
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 23:3-4.
Q What is good leadership like?
An = After they have given their answers show them the structure of David’s little speech here. It is in an “if…then” form. The form is “if this is done…then this will be true”. The form states “if you meet this condition…then these results will follow”. The “if” clause or “condition” states: “He who rules over men righteously and rules in the fear of God.” That is the condition that must be fulfilled. If that condition is met then the following results will follow: “that man will be like the morning, a clear morning with sunshine, after a rain, where the grass grows, because it has sun and water.”
In other words, the leader who is righteous and lives in the fear of God will prosper like grass that receives rain and sunshine. There will be growth and prosperity when leaders fear God and lead righteously.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 23:5
Q Where is David’s hope for the future of his lineage or house?
An = It is in God. David’s hope for his house was in righteousness (or the fear of God), but also in the promise (or covenant) God had made to with him in II Samuel 7. It was an everlasting covenant, ordered or arranged and secure. Its security was in God’s promise. His hope of growth was in God.
Q Do the children of great men always prosper?
An = Often they do not. Children of great men often have difficult lives.
Q Why is this often the case?
Q Who hurt Saul’s children’s chances of inheriting the kingship?
An = It was Saul himself. Saul hurt his family’s fortunes.
Q Do all children of godly men succeed? What about David’s sons?
An = The kids have it too easy and are not the same type of men or women as their parents or grandparents. Good men succeed because they did the right things. Amnon, for example, did not do things right. Those who farm know, there is no growth like there is with grass that receives sunshine and rain.
Q Were David’s children to rule righteously and in the fear of God?
An = A few did. Solomon started out good but wound up an “apostate” who went into idolatry and oppression of his own people. David’s grandson Reheboam was a spoiled fool and lost 10 of the 12 tribes and most of David’s empire. Only a few of David’s lineage were righteous leaders who lived in the fear of God: Hezekiah, Josiah, etc.
Q Did God keep His promise to David to make his house grow?
An = Yes, He did. It is David’s son, Jesus who truly rules in the fear of God and with perfect obedience. His rule only grows every year: greater and greater. He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, for now and all eternity. His kingdom will never end. It is the “Son of David”, Jesus Christ, that fulfills the promise or covenant made to David.
Many of David’s sons and much of his lineage fell by the wayside. It failed or was burned as trash. David was allowed to see that.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 23:6-7.
Q What will happen to worthless men?
An = They will be like thorns, difficult to deal with but harshly dealt with and burned.
Q What should we say to our children? What real hope for the future does our house or lineage have?
An = Our true hope is in God’s promise. The true hope for our children is living righteously (in the fear of God).
Note: Our real hope is in God and obedience to God.
It is righteousness and obedience that safeguards our children not our money, wealth, position, name or power. David was one of the richest men on earth, but his great great grandchildren lost it all. He was a king, but when Mary and Joseph, part of David’s lineage,
were alive, they were poor peasants.
III. David’s Mighty Men: All Means to Success Are God’s. II Samuel 23:8-39.
Q How did such a small nation like Israel win so many battles and conquer so much territory?
An = God blessed David, but the means of that blessing was David’s incredible fighting force. They are often called the “Mighty Men”.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 23:8-12.
Q What do you think of these three guys?
Q What were some of the characteristics of these three men?
An = Adino = incredible ability in war (he killed eight hundred men in one day).
Eleazar = incredible tenacity and ability to stand alone (sword stuck to his hand).
Shammah = ability to stand alone and not run but fight (struck the Philistines in the midst of a lentil field).
Note: These men were able to fight and bring about victory for David’s army when otherwise they would have lost. David would not have been successful without these men. The Lord wrought a great victory through “them” (23:11,12), not just David.
Q What is the Bible saying here?
An = That it is not a “one horse” show. David needed these men to accomplish the victories that he did. Every successful church or christian work is always more than one man or one woman who is anointed.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 23:13-17.
Q Why did these men risk their lives to get David a drink?
An = Because they wanted to please their leader. They were extremely loyal to David. Truly his wish was their command. You cannot succeed without loyalty. A leader, a father, a pastor, a youth director, cannot succeed without the loyalty and love of those who follow him.
Q Why did David pour out the water onto the ground?
An = David knew that he was not to drink the “blood of men”. Such devotion and loyalty belonged to God. David did what was “righteous”, “what was appropriate” (which is what righteousness means in Hebrew). You cannot succeed unless the leader understands that he is not the center, but God is.
Q Do leaders need to be as devoted to their men as their men are to their leaders?
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 23:18-23.
Note: Again, you have great warriors mentioned and the prominent positions that they held. David had with him amazing fighters.
>>>> Have someone read II Samuel 23:34-39.
Note: We did not read the entire list, but I wanted to make a couple of observations.
1) Q Are all of these heroes Jewish?
An = Not all of them, some of them were foreigners or not of Jewish descent. Many of our greatest helpers may not come from the “blue-blood” lines of our particular group or denomination.
2) Q Who was Ahithophel?
An = One of David’s greatest betrayers. However, Ahithophel the Gilonite, had a son who was one of David’s champions. A strange twist of fate.
3) Q Who is the last man mentioned?
An = It was the very man that David had murdered. The Bible is willing to sing David’s praises and see his good points, but it never turns a blind eye to the whole truth, even if some of that truth is embarrassing. David was a great man but not a perfect man.
4) Q Does David monopolize the credit?
An = Brueggemann, p. 348 points out that in Assyrian records the only warrior mentioned is the king. David did not monopolized credit and it helps us see that the work of God is greater than one individual.
5) Q Could we be to the “Son of David” what the mighty men were to the historical David?
An = May the Lord bring about great victories through us who are inspired by His example and bring forth victory and honor to His throne. If we do, we will be mentioned.