2 Samuel #10: an exposition of 2 Samuel 8:1-18. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, April 14, 2013.
Intro: From time to time it is good and necessary to stop and take stock. Reflect on where you are. How you got there and where you are going. That’s true when you are on a journey. Are we on the right road? How long have we been traveling? How much further? It’s true when you are on a guided tour. Stop. Catch your breath. Rehears and reflect then go on your way. That’s what the biblical writer is doing in 2 Samuel chapter 8. This is summary brining to close a major section of the Samuel material. In fact it is the 3rd of the 5 sections in the work. This section began back in 1 Samuel chapter 15. 1 Samuel 15 – 2 Samuel 8 is about the rise of David. Saul, the people’s choice, had been a miserable failure. David, God’s choice has come from the pasture to the palace. From watching over sheep to leading a nation. He is firmly established in the new capital – Jerusalem. The Ark of God is back in the center of national life. God has made David the promise that his throne will be an “everlasting” throne. The writer now brings this section to a close by summing up David’s early reign. Our text this evening is the entire 8th chapter of 2 Samuel.
Text: 2 Samuel 8:1-18
This is not exactly an exciting chapter. What we have is a catalogue of David’s military victories and the establishment of his cabinet. This is another place when I want to ask, “Did Paul read this before he wrote, ‘all Scripture is profitable…?’”
A part of me wants to move on to chapter 9 and the story of Mephibosheth (I like saying his name!). Chapter 9 and David’s treatment of this poor cripple because of his love for Jonathan – that’ll preach – chapter 8, not so much.
But there is value in chapter 8. I want to be careful because I do not want to “spiritualize” the text. I don’t want to run with an allusion or an analogy and say, “This is the meaning of this text.”
2 Samuel chapter 8 is about David and his real, literal, military victories over his enemies and the expansion of the borders of Israel. It is an historical record of events that happened in ancient Israel but there are principles reflected in these events that do inform us and apply to our living out the Faith.
Thesis: 2 Samuel 8 reminds us of the wonder of God’s blessings and our response to those blessings.
I want to point to three principles drawn from this text.
- God, faithful to His Word, always accomplishes His purpose. (8:1-6, 13-14)
- Contrary to popular opinion the blessing of God is not for personal comfort or glory but for His own glory. (8:7-12)
- We are to reflect God’s character and glory in all we do. (8:15-18)