David’s swansong (2 Samuel 23)
This collection of
thoughts is possibly the work of the scribes who captured all of these things.
These are his closing thoughts: the legacy of
a truly great man.
He was the son of
Jesse, raised to significance, part of a great lineage tracing back to
Jacob, and the Psalmist of Israel.
He confessed that his
speech was all inspired by God.
He also remembered the true rock of his faith. The
fortresses of Israel were built on rocky outcrops, but the greatest rock was the
God of Israel.
David gave a clear charge
to his successors to rule justly before God, for those who rule in the fear of God
will be like the light of morning and as the tender grass after rain.
It’s a contrast to his
reign, which saw the gathering of many storm clouds, pockets of growth but so
much yet to do and a few bright years of glory mingled with decades of
struggle.
He also confessed that
his own house was not perfect, but his love for God was a consuming desire.
He then cited his war
counsel, made up of the three generals under Joab. He did not mention Joab. All
affection for him was gone, notably for the slaying of his son, Absalom.
The three were the
first in rank, followed by the second tier: Joab’s brothers Abishai and
Asahel (whom Abner killed), plus Benaiah. They were fearless warriors.
These were the leaders
among David’s round-table: the so-called 30. He paid tribute to them all.
David stumbled again (2 Samuel 24 & 1 Chronicles 21)
David had gained a
sense of supremacy: a slippery pinnacle that caused him to forget the rock of
his faith. As with Moses before him, he had a lapse of reason.
The main antagonist was Satan (1 Chronicles 21), who tried something similar with Jesus when, having won the first two rounds of his Wilderness trial, he stood on the pinnacle of the temple. The lesson was a throwback to Israel's wanderings, namely: "Do not tempt God".
Against the better counsel
of Joab, David imposed a census on Israel – to assess his strength. But the strength
that had sustained him all of his days and had always been his rock, was
forgotten.
The census was useful
from an historic perspective as it tells us that the fighting force of David
had swelled to 800,000 men, of which 500,000 were from Judah. I suspect many
more able-bodied men were available, but Judah was the king’s tribe and stood
most loyal to him.
It took 9½ months. Then David was smitten with regret. It may have been a more
subtle sin than his offences over Bathsheba, but it betrayed an oath of trust in his God.
God expressed his offence through the prophet Gad, who offered no quarter. God had heard David’s
tears of penitence, but he would pay anyway.
The options were to
face 7 months of famine, 3 months as a fugitive or 3 days of pestilence. He
chose to rather fall into God’s hands than into the hands of men: thus, pestilence.
Three days later
70,000 people men were dead. The emphasis on men suggests that they were cut
from his army, reducing them to not too much more than what crossed the Jordan
with Joshua.
It was God’s way of
saying “so much for your army”. David got the point. He saw the angel of vengeance and also saw him advance towards Jerusalem, but God stopped him.
David pleaded for the innocent
souls who had paid so dearly for his sin and implored God to rather lay his judgment
on him and his own, so God told him to build an altar.
He bought the
threshing-floor where he saw the angel, and the owner's the oxen, built an altar and sacrificed to God. Then God’s hand of wrath was stayed.
David wept before God (Psalm 30)
Another great Psalm,
written at the dedication of “his house”: the threshing-floor of Araunah on the
slopes of Mount Moriah. It may well have been the same place where Jesus died.
He thanked God for sparing
him and healing him, for lifting him up from the grave he deserved and for not
consigning him to the pit.
He also proclaimed the
immortal words: His wrath endures but a moment – weeping may endure for a
night, but joy comes in the morning (vs 5).
Then he reconciled the
mount to his God as the true mount of salvation and rock of redemption.
It is such a lesson to
us. How many of us will forget God and count our savings, pensions or
congregations and lean on that when all we have and will ever have, is him – we own
nothing. We came into this world naked and will leave the same way.
David revived and
shouted: you have turned my mourning into dancing and exchanged my sackcloth for
garments of praise.
He renewed his vow to God (Psalm 31)
Once again God was his
rock. He trusted in him alone who covered his shame. It is such a
moving tribute. Even God must have wept to see his child so broken with sorrow.
Like Jesus on the cross,
he commended his spirit to God (vs 5).
He also remembered the
many times when God came to his aid, defended him, covered his shame,
vindicated him and gave him refuge. He knew how he had hurt his maker.
But he proclaimed the hope that we would find refuge in him and thus concluded by saying “Love the Lord
ye saints. Be of good courage for he will strengthen your heart”.
He confessed his sin (Psalm 32 – some say it
was written after his sin with Bathsheba, but it is more logically linked to his
census sin)
This Psalm articulates
his sin as an act of repentance and confirms the blessedness of forgiveness as
in “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputes no sin and in whose spirit is
no guile”.
He relived the heaviness
of his chastisement and how he longed for the storm to pass as he braced
himself against the outpouring of God’s wrath (That also fits better with the census sin).
But he also confessed
openly and hid nothing, in contrast to Saul’s avoidance and self-justification.
Instead of hiding from God, God was his hiding place.
He advised us to heed God’s
instruction and not be as a stubborn mule, for a heart that can sense wrong
before judgment falls is in a very good place. Always be
sensitive to him.
His joy returned (Psalm 33, continued form Psalm
32, 1 Chronicles 22 & 24-27)
He sang a new song on the
psaltery and harp. All his Psalms were set to music and he composed both the music
and the lyrics.
He affirmed the judgments
of God, who loves righteousness judgment and fills the earth with his goodness, reserves no place for the unbeliever, but loves the righteous.
He shuns those who trust in horses. They are not delivered by their strength. His eye is only on all who fear him. Thus we wait on him, our help and shield.
It may have been about that time when David chose to prepare for his death by stockpiling what he could to assist Solomon in the future building of the temple. What a great king.
Denied the chance to build the temple, he still did what he could to contribute - as fathers should do in preparing their sons to mount their shoulders and reach beyond their own limitations.
He also set his house in order and set the functions and courses of the priests according to their families, an important institution that rotated priestly duties through the years and which later helps us to pinpoint details about the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah.
He shuns those who trust in horses. They are not delivered by their strength. His eye is only on all who fear him. Thus we wait on him, our help and shield.
It may have been about that time when David chose to prepare for his death by stockpiling what he could to assist Solomon in the future building of the temple. What a great king.
Denied the chance to build the temple, he still did what he could to contribute - as fathers should do in preparing their sons to mount their shoulders and reach beyond their own limitations.
He also set his house in order and set the functions and courses of the priests according to their families, an important institution that rotated priestly duties through the years and which later helps us to pinpoint details about the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
