2 Samuel #24: an exposition of 2 Samuel 21:15-21. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, September 8, 2013.
Intro:
Do you ever struggle with your daily Scripture reading? You don’t have to be have to be spiritual. You can be honest it’s just us. Don’t you find it “tough going” at times? Are you ever bored? I know that sounds blasphemous to say out loud but have you ever thought it? Have you ever found yourself reading along in the next section in your reading and thought, “Why is this here?” Have you ever thought that you just must not be spiritual enough because no great, profound insight leaped off the page? Ever felt defeated because he finished your reading and you don’t know that you “gained” anything from reading it? I want to be clear. I believe this book to be the inerrant, infallible Word of the Living God. I believe it is God-breathed. That does not mean that every word is bursting with vibrant spiritual insight but that it is true. Still sometimes, when I’m reading I question that part that says, “…all Scripture is profitable.” Sometimes in those genealogies and there in Leviticus, I wonder.
2 Samuel 21:15-21 reads like a military report. Names, places, weapons and results. Where is the color? Where is the exciting tale of how it all unfolded? I’m wonder if the biblical writer was the Jack Webb of his day, “Just the facts mam.” I will admit, as I studied, a tune popped into my head. “Skip, skip, skip to my Lou…” I chose not to skip it and I’m glad I didn’t because there are some important insights to be drawn from this routine battle field report. Our text is found in 2 Samuel 21.
Text: 2 Samuel 21:15-21
We are in that section that is summarizing the Samuel material.
21-24 is a wrap up of the story of 1st and 2nd Samuel.
The events recorded are not chronological.
Here we have snippets drawn from the life and reign of David.
In this text, some of the military battles fought during David’s reign.
Battles with the Philistines (a constant irritant).
As we work through the text we are reminded that…
Thesis: A biblical worldview consistently sees the hand of God in all things.
Remember Scripture is a revelation of God.
That is not just that it is from God but that it is about God.
When we read Scripture we are to ask ourselves, “What does this say about God?”
“Is there something revealed about his character? His work? His ways?”
“What has he done? What does he require?”
There are 3 things I would point out from this text.
- In times of great distress and hardship God graciously preserves his struggling servants. (21:15-17)
- God steadfastly remains faithful to His promise. (21:16, 18, 20, 23)
- The enemies of our God will ultimately be silenced. (21:20-21)