2 Samuel #28: an exposition of 2 Samuel 24:1-25. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, October 20, 2013.
Intro:
It is a precious truth that provides comfort and encouragement in the face of great adversity. It is an anchor in the midst of the storm tossed emotions of heartache and disappointment. Through the centuries God’s people have found comfort and reassurance in the doctrine of Divine sovereignty. When the foundations are shaken there is comfort in the fact that He reigns. When the winds of destruction howl there is peace in the knowledge His firm hand guides all things. Our hope is held firm by the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. At the same time that doctrine is the source of untold questions along with a good deal of spiritual and emotional turmoil. To say that God is sovereign is to acknowledge His control over all things. Nothing comes to us but that it passes through Him. So what do you do when God doesn’t act like He should? What do we do when God’s actions shatter our preconceived notions? How do we respond when He refuses to fit in the nice categories we’ve created?
Our text this evening is found in 2 Samuel chapter 24.
Text: 2 Samuel 24:1-25
The biblical writer comes to the end of his 2 volume work, known to us as 1 and 2 Samuel.
King David has played a prominent role throughout much of the work.
It is appropriate he is at the center of this last chapter.
Here we find vintage David – sinning greatly, repenting and praying.
As we work our way through this text I want us to keep our eyes on this truth…
Thesis: As the people of God, in the face of every adversity, every trial and every difficulty we must maintain a biblical understanding of God.
We are prone to draw our own conclusions about God, His nature, His character, His ways based on our understanding about what has happened and how we feel about it. The problem is that is a very unreliable way to go about it. The only sure guide is the Word of God. This book is the revelation of God. It is His saying, “This is who I am. This is what I’ve done and this is how you serve and relate to Me.”
With that in mind I want to point out three things from our text.
- A biblical understanding of God lives and worships within the tension of God’s mysterious ways. (24:1-9)
- A biblical understanding of God confidently submits to God’s sovereign mercy. (24:10-19)
- A biblical understanding of God gladly acknowledges the necessity of atonement. (24:20-25)
Conclusion:
You don’t need a seminary degree to make the connection.
God has provided an altar.
Not far from Aruanah’s threshing floor.
A place where God’s wrath was let loose.
An altar surrounded by darkness and judgment (Mark 15:33).
A cry of God-forsakenness pierced that darkness (Mark 15:34)
There we fell into the hand of God and discovered His mercy.