Village Church Annandale (Sydney) sermons

Today it's an extension of the first part of the chapter, where we see the promises of God being worked out practically in the rule of David over Israel.

There are three key headings for this section

1. The wealth of the nations brought to Jerusalem.

2. A great name for the King.

3. Justice and righteousness for God’s people.

All three represent promises of God that are fulfilled in David. And then fulfilled even more clearly in the Lord Jesus.

2 Samuel 8:7 David took the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 King David also took huge quantities of bronze from Betah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.

9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Toi and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Joram had items of silver, gold, and bronze with him. 11 King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued— 12 from Edom,Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 David made a reputation for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in Salt Valley. 14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

15 So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people.

16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army;

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;

17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests;

Seraiah was court secretary;

18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

and David’s sons were chief officials.

2 Samuel 8 probably chronologically comes before 2 Samuel 7. There's a confronting section of the passage where David executes judgement on the Moabites. On the one hand we should not necessarily see the actions of David as approved by God. But on the other hand, the commentator John Calvin says, ‘the stringency which David exercised against the Moabites ought not to be considered cruelty but to be the just judgement of God since they had abused his long patience and had mocked him.'

2 Samuel 8:1 After this, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah[a] from Philistine control.[b] 2 He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one full length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.

3 David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control at the Euphrates River. 4 David captured seventeen hundred horsemen[c] and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses and kept a hundred chariots.[d]

5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Aramean men. 6 Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

7 David took the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 King David also took huge quantities of bronze from Betah[e] and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities. (CSB)

Today we see David's response to God's amazing promise in the first part of the chapter.

God promises to make David's name great, a place, peace and rest. In the future he has promised the descendants of David an eternal throne, a relationship of Father and Son where his love is never taken away, and an Eternal Kingdom.

And David prays a prayer of Praise and Request. He praises God for who he is and what he has done. And, then he prays so boldly, that God would do what he has promised to do.

2 Samuel 7:18 Then King David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far? 19 What you have done so far was a little thing to you, Lord God, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation for mankind, Lord God. 20 What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord God. 21 Because of your word and according to your will, you have revealed all these great things to your servant.

22 This is why you are great, Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms. 23 And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt. 24 You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

25 Now, Lord God, fulfill the promise forever that you have made to your servant and his house. Do as you have promised, 26 so that your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you 27 since you, Lord of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant when you said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Lord God, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever. (CSB)

The commentator John Woodhouse says he was given a book for Christmas that contained ten great speeches have impacted the modern world.

Mr Woodhouse says this speech by the Lord to the Prophet Nathan, repeated the next morning to the King, deserves to be in that book.

Today we discuss why Mr Woodhouse's assessment is right, and the outline the great significance of this speech, and it's implications for today.

2 Samuel7:8 “So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest on the earth. 10 I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done 11 ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you. 12 When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals. 15 But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and kingdom will endure before me[a] forever, and your throne will be established forever.’”

A few updates for Daily Bible Time as we start August. 

1. We are publishing a reading plan for August in advance.  See www.villagechurch.sydney/dailybibletime

2. Going forward, we are going to publish Daily Bible Time every weekday morning on the webpage www.villagechurch.sydney/dailybibletime and on our Youtube and Audio podcast channels. 

3. We are moving Daily Bible Time off the Village Church Facebook page as a regular thing.  We will occasionally publish it on Facebook, but not every day. Our Facebook page will take on a different focus. 

4. Today we start looking at one of the most important chapters in the Bible, 2 Samuel 7, so go and subscribe at www.villagechurch.sydney/dailybibletime

2 Samuel 7:1 When the king had settled into his palace and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”

3 So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5 “Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in? 6 From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as my dwelling. 7 In all my journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever spoken a word to one of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’

Yesterday we learned not to presume on God. Today having learned our place before the Almighty, we can in humility enjoy our position relative to him. Rejoicing before him.

2 samuel 6:12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

David and Michal

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince[f] over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your[g] eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. (CSB)

Not presuming on God's holiness | 2 Samuel 6:1-8 | Dominic Steele | Daily Bible Time | 29 July 2021

When you read something in the Bible that seems strange to us. It's an opporunity to think more deeply. It's an opportunity to ask yourself, 'Why am I and my thinking out of step with God?' And then as you do that to reflect, 'Well it can't be God that's wrong and needs to change, so it must be me.' 'I need to think harder and dig deeper.'

The execution of Uzzah in 2 Samuel 6:1-8 is one of those moments, which initally seems strange to us. Lets have a go today at digging deeper into this moment.

2 Samuel 6:1-8 David again assembled all the fit young men in Israel: thirty thousand. 2 He and all his troops set out to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah. The ark bears the Name, the name of the Lord of Armies who is enthroned between the cherubim. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and transported it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart 4 and brought it with the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on the hill. Ahio walked in front of the ark. 5 David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums,[d] and cymbals.6 When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled.  7 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there next to the ark of God.  8 David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah, as it is today. 9 David feared the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 So he was not willing to bring the ark of the Lord to the city of David; instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.

Today our focus is on the nations around Israel, rising up against the King David.

And we think beyond that moment to the incidents today where people speak out and defy Almighty God and his king Jesus. 

And we are reminded again that in the end, the Victory will be the Lord’s.  That in the end, every knee will bow before the Lord and his Christ.  

2 Samuel 5:17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of David, but he heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18 So the Philistines came and spread out in Rephaim Valley.

19 Then David inquired of the Lord: “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord replied to David, “Attack, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”

20 So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me.” Therefore, he named that place The Lord Bursts Out. 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

22 The Philistines came up again and spread out in Rephaim Valley. 23 So David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not attack directly, but circle around behind them and come at them opposite the balsam trees. 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 So David did exactly as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.

This little section of 2 Samuel 5 is a climax passage.  David is king over Jerusalem, secure and prosperous.

And it is the Lord who has brought him there.

But we see the first hint of trouble in his close relationship with the King of Tyre.  And even more that David takes concubines and wives. 

2 Samuel 5:9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.

11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.