The Last Words of David. (2 Samuel 23: 1-39)

Today we step into 2S23, a chapter that feels like a deep breath near the end of a very long journey. The battles are mostly behind us. The rebellions have been quietened, the kingdom has weathered the storms, the heartbreak, and there's been some restoration. But now the narrative slows down and gives us something quite precious, David's final recorded words. These aren't the last words he ever spoke, but they are the last words scripture preserves as his official testimony. It's a sort of poetic reflection on leadership, covenant promises, and the kind of life that can shine when it's illuminated by God's light. The words read like a sort of benediction, a legacy, a window into the mind of a man who walked with God through triumph and failure, joy, sorrow, and courage that he found beyond the collapse. Chapter 23 gives us two gifts. It gives us David's final words and also gives us a vision of leadership under God. In it we will hear David speak of justice, the covenant that God made, and the God himself who raised him up. And as I said, it's also a portrait of what leadership looks like when it's rooted in God's character rather than just in human ambition. But then we'll also be introduced to a group of men called the mighty man, and we'll hear stories of courage and loyalty. We'll also meet these warriors who stood there growing when others fled, and who risked their lives for their king, who fought with courage, courage at the times almost defied imagination. Their story reminds us that God's work is never done alone. It's carried out by communities of faithfulness. This chapter is about legacy, but not the legacy of power or a perfect life, but the legacy of a life willing to be shaped by God, and indeed surrounded by faithful companions. And in doing so I think it invites us to reflect on the kind of people we are becoming, and the kind of leaders that we should either be or that we should follow, and the kind of courage we admire in people, and the legacy that we too should hope to leave behind. Now this is going to be a chapter filled with poetry, yes, memories, yes, courage, yes, but just simply the quiet strength of those individually and collectively who walk faithfully with God. Welcome to today's episode of the Bible Project Daily Podcast. Now as I said in the introduction, David's final words are not a sort of political speech, they're not even a military reflection on all the battles that he thought. They're not even particularly an nostalgic look back on his achievements. They are a sort of poetic, spirit-filled meditation on what true leadership looks like when it's rooted in God's character. These verses provide us a window therefore into David's character. This is a distilled wisdom of a man who walk through God, through triumph, but also through failures and in times of joy and sorrow and courage and even through times when everything all around him collapsed. So let's listen and work through together this remarkable chapter. Let me read for you the opening passage. Beginning in verses 1, let's go through to number 7. It says, "These are the last words of David, the inspired utterance of David, son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the most high, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel's songs. The spirit of the Lord spoke through me. His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke, the rock of Israel said to me, when one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God. He is like the light of a morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth. If my house were not right with God, surely he would have not made me with an everlasting covenant arranged and secured in every part. Surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my desires. But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand. Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or a shaft of a spear. They are burned up where they lie. Okay, this opening line introduces us. The first verse introduces us to David and actually within it, just in the opening verses there's four titles. He's declared to be first the son of Jesse, speaking of his humble beginnings. Then he talks about he's the man who was raised on high. Now remember this is God's elevation going on here, not his own. He's also declared to be the anointed of the God of Jacob that links it into the divine calling and the covenant made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And then as he also mentioned that he's a worship leader. He's the Psalmist of Israel. He's the voice of worship in that community. So this opening verses David's whole life story in miniature. He is the one who began in relative obscurity but was lifted by grace. He was chosen by God and he even became a worship leader who songs shaped a whole nation and indeed influence our worship today. David is not boasting here. He's just acknowledging that everything he has, everything he has done came about as a result of God's hand upon him. David then speaks by the spirit. Inspired it says and he says the spirit of the Lord spoke through me. So this is an important confession. He's saying here that his songs, his prayers, his laments, his praises, even this expression of his final words are not merely his own or even artistic expressions. They are God breathed, spirit breathed. His life is marked by a deep awareness that God was speaking through him, not just to him. And this I think is the part of true spiritual leadership. A leader, a true leader is not the source of truth. A true leader is a vessel for it to be worked through him. David then describes for us the kind of ruler that God delights in. He is one who rules in righteousness and one, of course, who rules in the fear of God. And then he gives us these two beautiful images. He says a righteous leader is like the morning light clear steady life bringing a light that brings presence and clarity after the darkness of the light. And then he says that he says a righteous leader is like rain on new grass. And now it is refreshing nourishing a presence that when it comes upon us helps others flourish. So this is David's vision of leadership. Leadership is not about power here is that it's about bringing life and about bringing light. A godly leader is one who helps others grow thrive and stand tall. And then in verse 5 he reflects on the covenant that God made. The promises he made. He says is not my house right with God. He has made with me an everlasting covenant. This you see as the anchor of David's hope. None of this is to do with his achievements or his victories. His legacy is not being covered that way here. This is about God's promise, God's covenant, a promise that will outlive him and mercy that covers him and the faithfulness that sustains him, but reaches out way beyond that. Now David knows his family and his personal life has been messy, broken and complicated. And boy if we witness that over these last 23 chapters, yet he still trusts God, God and God's promise more than his own performance. This is the humility of a man who has learned to walk the path of grace. Then this opening section ends with a sober contrast. It talks about the wicked and how they're like thorns, they're painful, they're destructive, they're impossible to handle without causing harm or damage. And he says the wicked are like these, and that means they have to be removed from our lives. They're not to be embraced or played with. They've got to be cut off and burned. This is not vindictiveness here, it's just realism about the dangers of being in relationship with wicked people. Now David has lived long enough to know that wickedness destroys, it destroys families, relationships, nations and the souls of individuals. And his final words remind us that righteousness is the thing that brings life, but wickedness is contrasted and shown to be the thing that brings ruin. So David's last recorded words offer a vision of leadership that is spirit led and anchored in the covenant promise of God. It's about a life giving life, a humble life, a righteous life, and ultimately a God-centered life. It is the testimony of a man who knows that I was nothing without God's calling, I was nothing without God's spirit, and I hope rests entirely on God's promises. Now this is clearly not the voice of a perfect man, but it is the voice of a redeemed one. And after giving us David's final spirit-breathed words, the chapter then shifts into this catalog of courage, a tribute to the men who stood with David through the darkest times in the fiercest battles. Now these are not going to be polished heroes, these are going to be ordinary men, and their friendships that they had were forged together in times of hardship, but also forged by their loyalty and their faith. And their stories are meant to remind us that God's work is never carried out by one person alone, even one great person like David here, even David the shepherd boy who became king, even David the giant slayer, and David the poet of Israel was clearly surrounded, upheld and protected by faithful companions. And this section reads like a roll call of bravery, we see acts of sacrifice and devotion. So let's walk through it together versus 8-12. These are the names of David's mighty warriors. Joe Shab, Bahashabeth, a Tahekamite was chief of the three. He raised his spear against 800 men and killed them in one encounter. Next to him was Elyezer, son of Dubai, the Aihohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pasda Mim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, but Elyezer stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Elyezer, but only to strip the dead. Next to him was Shama, son of Aghi, the Haraite. When the Philistines branded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them, but Shama took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought a great victory that day. So this section of the chapter begins with a list of the special three mighty men of God. David's most elite warriors, man whose courage at times it would seem almost to fire imagination. So first we heard about Joe Shabba, hechebeth, his role call of famous he once raised his spear against 800 men in a single encounter. Now that doesn't mean he was not, he was necessarily on his own. This is not about the numbers, it's about the fact that he stood with resolve. He and the fact that points out he stood when others aroused him fled. Next there is Elisa, and we see that in his story the Philistines advanced and Israel's army retreated, and again Elisa stayed, and he fought as it says until his hand froze to the sword. To the sword again he stood his ground, and God brought a great victory, and then there was Shama, and it talks about the Philistines attacking a field of lentils of all thing, and everyone there ran, again except this one guy, and this guy is Shama. It says he planted his feet in a field, no one thought worth defending, and God honored him that day for his courage. So these three men so that courage is not always about the size of the battle. Somewhere large, 800 involves some involved a battle over a single field, but sometimes it's more about the willingness to stand when everybody else walks away. Let's continue vs. 13-17. During harvest time, three of the 30 chief warriors came down to David from At the Cave of Adolam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Refiem. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine Garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water, and said, "O that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem." So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well, near the gate of Bethlehem, and carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead he poured it out before the Lord. "Far be it from me, Lord, to do this," he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at risk of their lives, and David would not drink it, such with the exploit of these three mighty warriors." So this is a tender scene indeed. David is seen to long for a drink, and he wants to have it from that well back in Bethlehem. That's his childhood home, and it's poignant because it's now under Philistine control, and three of these mighty men hear that this is what he's longing, and they break through the enemy lines, and they go through, and they draw water from the well, and they bring it back to David, and David is so overwhelmed by his devotion, he actually refuses to drink it, instead he pours it out before the Lord. Now that's actually don't mistake that, that's a way of making an offer for the Lord, giving back to the Lord something that you think was an exceptional gift of God, so that moment I think is meant to reveal two things. Their loyalty to David was both well fierce, but it was also potentially sacrificial, and David's deep reverence for God, and what they've done, by pouring it on the ground, he's saying that that is deeper than any physical desire that he might have. This is meant to be a picture of love expressed through the courage of these guys, and his leadership expressed through his response of humility. Okay, next we come to two other named individuals, Abhisheye and Benaya. Now Abhisheye, he's the brother of Joab, son of Zerua, and he was chief of the three, this is verse 18, he raised his spear against 300 men, and so he became as famous as the three. He was not held in greater honor than the three, but he became their commander, even though he was not included among them. Benaya, son of Jehoyada, a valiant fighter from Kuzbil, performed great exploits, he struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors, he also went down into the pit on a snowy day and killed a lion, and he struck down a huge Egyptian, although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaya went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear, such were the exploits of Benaya, son of Jehoyada. He too was as famous as the three mighty warriors, he was held in greater honor than any of the thirty, but he was not included among the three, and David put him in charge of his bodyguard. So there's the three given, and then there's these two men who stand out among the wider group. Abhisheye, Joab's brother, this fierce warrior, he becomes chief of the thirty other mighty men who will follow in the more general risks. He's not seen as attaining the status of one of the three, but Abhisheye is a man we know who repeatedly save David's life, and he's loyal, bold, sometimes impulsive, yes, but always devoted, which is why he gets a special mention also, aside from the other thirty, and then there's Benaya. He's also one of those colorful figures in David's story. He's the one who struck down two of Moab's best fighters, and he killed a lion in a pit, and he defeated a giant, it says, a giant Egyptian, the man, and who he killed with his own spear. So again, this is another man of courage, integrity, and honor. Worth mentioning, not part of the brotherhood of three, but also, if you'd like the modern expression would be that they are mentioned in dispatches. So these three followed by these two named people show us the sort of man that God raises around leaders, and they raised up because of their character, and the fact that they support the leader through the victories and the defeats. But then the list widens and includes the thirty. Sometimes referred to as the mighty man, or sometimes the brotherhood of courage. So there's a long list of names here, I'll go through them quickly. Among the thirty were Ashiel, the brother of Johab, Elin Ha-han, son of Do-do, from Bethlehem, Shama, the Haradite, Ilika, the Haradite, Heles, the Palite, the Pal-Tite, Ira, son of Ekesh, from Te-Kewa, Ayibuzar, from Anathothoth, Sibakkai, the Hushaiite, Zalmon, the Ahohite, Mahara, the Nithahotha Plite, Helled, the Son of Bana, and the Nithahotha Plite, Lityai, son of Ribbia, from Ghibbia and Benjamin, Benaya, the Pirathonite, Hedai, from the ravines of Gash, Abbi Abion, the Abathite, Azmahav, the Barmuhite, Ihaba, the Shalbanite, the sons of Jation, Jonathan, son of Shama, the Harad, Aham, son of Shara, the Harakite, Alephahite, the son of Ashabay, the Mahaheith, Ilyam, son of Arothnipel, the Gillonite, Hezro, the Carmelite, Periah, the Arbite, Igal, son of Nathan, from Zoba, the son of Hagre, Zalak, the Ammonite, Naharil, the Bear of Tite, the Armor Bear of Jacob, son of Zerua, Ere, the Iqfeite, Jarab, the Iqfeite, and Uriah, the Hittite, there were 37 in all. Okay, hope I got those names, not right or close to right, but a point is the chapter ends with this wider list of names, and it's worth noting that they're warriors from across different tribes, aren't they? They're people with different backgrounds, different stories, some of them are famous, son of appeared before in the narrative, but most actually are not. They've not been named before, but each one is credited here as playing a part in David's rise, and in maintaining Israel's stability, and among them don't miss the fact that there is Uriah the Hittite. His presence in the list is a reminder of two things, Ariah's integrity, but also the events run David's biggest failure, because of course it was his wife, Bathsheba, when he was away fighting the battle, through which David had his most profound of moral feelings. So by naming him in that list, it also is a reminder of the cost of sin, and the effects it can have, but high also grace still upheld David's life. So the list is not just a roster, it's a memorial, it's a tribute to the man who fought, bled, and stood beside David, when the kingdom was fragile, and when the future was uncertain, and through the better times as well. The stories of David's man, the mighty man teaches that God works ultimately through communities of courageous people, and that loyalty among such people, a loyalty among us as believers and followers of God is actually a very precious sacred gift. But it also should remind us that leadership, no matter how dynamic, is never a solo call in, ordinary people can do extraordinary things when God strengthens them. Faithfulness often is the thing that's running in the background, it's not often the thing that's in the spotlight, but here we see the fact that David's greatness is declared to never be something that was achieved on his own, it was shaped unsupported by all these men from all these different backgrounds who walked with him. Okay, so that's the text. What about the application of it for us today? Well, I think who Samuel chapter 23 pulls together some very powerful themes? At first of all points out the kind of leader that God delights in on the kind of people that God can use to build his kingdom. David's final words on this story and list of the mighty man invite us to reflect ourselves on our own lives, our own character, our own influence, and the communities that we either choose to surround yourself with or the communities that we try and build. And God Day leadership begins with a heart shaped by God and a heart that's posture is turned towards God. You see David's final words are not about strategy or even listing his achievements, they are about humility, fear of the Lord, and the righteousness that can rise out of that. David, in it remember, describes a leader as being someone who should be like the morning sun shining and like the rain that falls that refreshes the people so let like grass they can bloom and grow poetic language indeed, but it also talks about that the fact that a leader must rule with justice that is rooted in a Godly character, indeed in God's character. This is the type of leadership, the only type of leadership through which people come flourish rather than be trained. This is the kind of leadership that lifts others up rather than uses other people and by nature that means it's the type of leadership that reflects God rather than self. And that means that what when we look at this, this chapter is inviting us to ask of ourselves what kind of presence do we bring into the life of other peoples around us? Do we bring that sort of light? Do we bring that sort of refreshment? Do we bring new life back to people? Do we bring life to people? A new life indeed to people. Now also I think it reminds us of God's promises, God's covenant faithfulness and how that actually should be the anchor of our hope and everything we do in life. David knows his story is complicated. His family and his own personal life clearly have been marked by sin, feelings, sorrow and at times brokenness, yet he still rests in one truth. God's promises, God's covenant is stronger than any of his or his family's personal failures. This is the heart of grace in the fact that our hope does not have to be in our own performance but can be held in God's promise. David's final words are reminding us that God's faithfulness will outlast our human weaknesses and his mercy will outlive any of our mistakes. And then finally I think it also points to the fact that we are not meant to be alone. God accomplishes his work most effectively through communities of grace and communities of courage. This list of mighty men showing us the key three, some other important people than the whole wider list of thirty plus shows that greatness, any greatness that David had was never achieved alone. It was shaped by the man and I would say for us by the man and woman that we stand with. People who will fight for us when others flee, people who will risk their lives for love, people whose lives and names will be remembered because of the courage they have in standing for God just like these guys are remembered here. This chapter invites us to consider very seriously who are the people that God has placed around us and who are the type of people we should seek ourselves to gather around us and how can we honor and encourage people to stand with us together in the plans and purposes of God. In short two Samuel's tweets as that leadership is rooted in God bringing life to individuals and community. God's covenant is our security and courage and loyalty will shape God's kingdom in the future and no one, no one should try and walk the life of faith alone. So this is a chapter about legacy but not the legacy of perfection but just simply living a true life of faithfulness and I hope it's encouraged you to do that and be thankful for the people God has put in your life to enable you to do that. Thanks for being with me today. Okay, we're signing off now. You know what this chapter really does invite us to reflect in the kind of people we are and we are becoming and also the kind of leaders we should follow or the kind of leaders we should be if God has honored us with positions of influence but also it causes to think about the kind of legacy that we hope to leave behind. Mark today's episode has encouraged you in any way or helped you see God's heart on these matters more clearly. I'd love you to follow the podcast but also if you're following it I'm ready already I'd love for you to share it with someone else. This is the way this podcast grows through people finding it helpful and recommending it to others so thank you if you've ever done that and considered doing it again. That way you and they won't miss what God is going to do in their lives only won't miss what's coming next and in our next episode tomorrow we're going to go into the final chapter of Tucson. The final chapter of this whole book and it's a sobering ending. David right at the end his pride will lead him to take a wrong headed decision. He takes a census, signs a noun, an upuous doesn't it, but his motivation for taking it mean the consequences will ripple across the nation for years to come. But it's also a story of God's mercy and the God who relents from judgment and the surprising place where God sometimes will meet us with His mercy. Now I have called the episode tomorrow a cost of pride and the mercy of God and I'd love for you to join me in our final step through our journey through to Samuel. In fact it's been our journey through the whole book up to this point hasn't it. But until then until tomorrow or whenever you come back again may you walk with God in the light of God's promises. Strengthen by the people He has placed beside you and aligns you. Now if you want to support this podcast and all my other podcasts patrons have placed to visit and if you just want to keep up to date with everything I'm doing then subscribe to my weekly newsletter on sub-slide. Both the links to those places are in the episode notes. I'm just again thank you for walking through the scripture with me with ears open to God's workshaping your life I trust. Bye bye for now. [Music]