Last Words

In this talk, we see the life of King David come to a close. It is recorded from three different perspectives. Ben Stuart explains the value of each version of his last words and how we can apply it to our own lives.

1. David praised his God who saves.

2 Samuel 22 describes David's last days by drawing on his best days as a young triumph. In the song that David sings about God, he uses 8 metaphors to describe God. They are personal. God isn't just "a" rock, he's referred to as "my rock." He recalls how he called to God and He answered Him. God constantly saved David from his enemies and sometimes himself. David was a great warrior, but by the end of his life, he had no problem calling himself a helpless child and proclaiming how anything good in his life was because God had saved him.

2. David preached a God who leads.

Even in his last days, David is dealing with family drama. Adonijah wanted to be king and was growing tired of waiting for his father to die, so he gathered a group and declared himself king. Adonijah is arrogant and cannot honor others. David doesn't fall for it though, he knows that Solomon will be the next king to carry on the kingdom. Though David knows this, he waits to the very end to hand over power and bless Solomon. It's hard to let go of power. David finally blesses Solomon and tells him to prove himself to be a man - walk in the ways of God. A king's job is to restrain evil for the good of his people. Solomon removes people from his circle who have proven themselves to not have his best interest at heart.

God leads. We follow. David charges Solomon to plant the Word of God deeply and to uproot whatever rivals it. Hearing the Word for information won't lead to transformation until it makes its way into our decisions. If you don't walk with God, you won't have blessings. Of special note: beware of being shaped by your screen instead of Scripture.

3. David provides.

King David is determined to leave the kingdom better than he found it. He fulfilled his purpose of his lifetime, but on his way out he finds a way to bless God and bless the next generation. David didn't grow bitter about not being able to build the Temple for God, instead, he leveraged everything he had to help supply the next generation to praise God through what they would build for God. And then he invited others to join in!

Everything we have is the Lord's. So we give it all back to him, not because he needs it, but because he delights in the gift. The joy compounds in our hearts as well as His.

In 2 Samuel 24, David buys a threshing floor to give a sacrifice to the Lord and asks for the plague to be stopped. This land is called Mount Moriah and was where generations before, Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac, but God stopped him and provided a sacrifice of His own. Years later after David made a sacrifice there, the Temple would be built and many sacrifices would take place. In the Holy of Holies, a thick veil hung that separated man from God. No one was allowed to enter but one priest once a year and special sacrifice would be made for the atonement of all the people. When Jesus came and died as a sacrifice for all the sins of all mankind, the veil was torn from top to bottom signifying that God Himself had torn it and our sins had forever been paid for and the distance between God and Man had been removed. The Abrahamic Covenant vowed a seed that would come from him would bless the whole world. The Davidic Covenant promised a seed would come from him that would be seated on the throne forever. Jesus is the fulfillment of both.