Daily Bible Devotionals

“These are the last words of David: The declaration of David son of Jesse, the declaration of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the favorite singer of Israel...” 2 Samuel 23:1 (HCSB)

What are a redneck’s last words? “Hey y’all, watch this!”

What are his best friend’s last words? “Aw, I can do better than that!”

Today we are treated to a rarity in that David’s last words are less brief (and more profound) than others. It is important to note that there is no claim that these words were literally the last words David breathed. They are his last official words, “for the record.”

David’s last words on record are words with eyes, not to the past but the future. David’s “last words” might be compared to the blessings of Isaac (Genesis 27:2-4), Jacob (Genesis 49: 1, 28), and Moses (Deuteronomy 33:1) before their deaths. But this text does not exactly fit those molds.

David’s last words are not a blessing on persons but a prophecy about a kingdom. This passage, along with chapter 22, stands at the center of 2 Samuel 21-24. The psalm of chapter 22 looks back upon how the Lord established the kingdom; the prophecy of 23:1-7 looks forward to how the Lord will consummate the kingdom.

David is passing along (to us) his understanding that God’s Kingdom is:

Certain: (v.v.1-3a, 5) Our lives are filled with uncertainties. Don’t we all, at some time, wonder how our apparently senseless circumstances jibe with God’s wisdom? In many ways, we still have to encourage and convince each other that God is present, powerful, and Holy and that He cares about us in difficult seasons of life. We would never naturally ascribe Kingdom hope to our personal suffering. Therefore, David is speaking from Divine enabling. He is prophesying things we would not naturally assume: The coming Kingdom is not a political possibility but divine certainty.

Attractive: (3b-4) The Kingdom is attractive because the coming King (Messiah Jesus) is attractive. Not physically attractive, per se, but He does not crush or exploit His subjects. He refreshes and nourishes them. The King is attractive because we have seen so little of this kind of ruler. Given our current political climate, aren’t our hearts stirred to pray for the Kingdom of the “Final David” to come quickly?

Exclusive: (6-7) It is exclusive because not everyone wants the Kingdom to come. Some want no part of the Ruler’s reign. Jesus is the “Rose of Sharon.” The godless people in the garden are “like thorns;” He brings freshness while they inflict pain. And they will be excluded from the regime they despise, tossed away, and totally burned up on the spot (Matthew 13:41-42). So, what about you? Are you for or against Him?

“David spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” 2 Samuel 22:1 (HCSB)

There is much that can be said about today’s chapter. Surely theologians have ripped apart and dissected this psalm and its companion, Psalm 18. Have fun with that. Today, I just want to point out some simple observations.

2 Samuel 22 is a psalm of Thanksgiving. Timely, don’t you think? Here, we have a reflective piece, looking back over a long dramatic saga of salvation: When the Lord rescued David “from all his enemies and from Saul.” This heading is the lens through which we are to view the whole psalm.

At this point in his life, David’s history could have been narrated as that of a great and powerful king. This chapter, however, corrects any misunderstanding that David’s life and kingdom should be understood as anything other than the result of God’s sovereign and powerful acts. David is not “King David” by any means other than God’s desire. Furthermore, David’s Kingdom is sustained by nothing other than God’s provision.

These are not the words of an observer. They are from David himself!

But why do we need a song to tell us that? Don’t we already know God has supported David, despite David’s apparent flaws? Yes, but songs and poetry convey emotions that we otherwise don’t assume.

For instance, when David eluded Saul’s spear, nothing really registered on my emotional Richter scale. Even when God held Saul in His own strait-jacket (having him incapacitated by prophesying while David escaped), I didn’t do much more than sigh. When David seemed doomed to commit political suicide and march out with the Philistines against Israel, there was not much emotion from me. One thing I definitely didn’t do was jump up and say, “God is awesome!!!”

By using poetic songwriting and explosive language, David provides the truth behind all these instances (and others): All these deliverances came from the Lord! He is the sky-splitting, world-shaking, enemy-bashing God!!

Does our worship represent such passion and remembrance as David’s? Is there intensity in our praise? Does our worship reflect our understanding of the importance of our personal righteousness? Does our worship celebrate the invincibility of God’s Kingdom, which we are a part of through David’s “Son,” Messiah Jesus? Most importantly, does our worship point exclusively to the One who calls, establishes, and sustains us?

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Samuel 21. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“They were at the great stone in Gibeon, when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out. Joab asked Amasa, ‘Are you well, my brother?’ Then with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him. Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again for Amasa was dead. Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.” 2 Samuel 20:8-10 (HCSB)

There was a revolution underway. A Benjamite named Sheba was trying (unsuccessfully) to get the ten tribes of Israel to secede from David’s tribe of Judah and the priestly tribe of the Levites. He was a rebel. David appointed a man named Amasa to muster a Judean army within three days to pursue Sheba and quash the rebellion. For whatever reason, Amasa took more than his allotted time, so David told Abishai to muster his army and march against Sheba. Joab and his men were riding out under Abishai’s command.

It seems cut and dried. Go get the rebel. But if you look closely, you will notice two rebels in this story. Joab is also a rebel, perhaps more dangerous than Sheba. On his way to bring justice to another rebel, Joab took the opportunity to kill his power rival within David’s kingdom. Sadly, we are not surprised. We have seen this all before. People who get in Joab’s way find themselves pushing-up daisies! Joab butchered Abner and Absolam. Now Amasa is his latest victim. Joab specialized in treachery and blood.

But was he really a “rebel”? Sure, he was a brutal warrior, but was he a threat to the kingdom? I believe so. Sheba wanted to leave the Davidic kingdom behind, but Joab refused to be controlled within the kingdom. He was always hacking away to keep his own position unrivaled. Jesus warned us of such men.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father Who is in Heaven.” Matthew 7:21 (HCSB)

There is such a thing as acknowledging the king’s sovereignty yet disregarding his will. You see, Joab is faithful to David. He does not try to become king like Sheba, yet he acts as his own king. He is extremely loyal to David but essentially un-submissive to David.

This kind of person has no place in the kingdom in the end. There are scores of “Joabs” in the Church. Do you have “Joabs” in your life? Are you a “Joab” to someone else in spiritual authority? Are you one who claims loyalty to God yet denies the authority of His Scripture?

“Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, ‘The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now, therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?” 2 Samuel 19:9-10 (HCSB)

I was riveted to the television news in late August 2005. A tropical depression-turned-hurricane was bearing down on New Orleans, and it did not look like the kind of storm “Gulf Coasters” were used to weathering. Having grown up in the Southern US and vacationed all along the Gulf Coast, I was well aware of the potential property damage that strong storms can inflict. I had driven past the shells of blown-out beach homes and washed-away tourist attractions. But nobody predicted the enormously ominous impact of Katrina, and it all played out LIVE on cable news.

While the storm itself was horrifying, its greatest impact occurred in the aftermath. The citizens of New Orleans had to cope with the reality that even though they may return to their former houses, they were no longer “home.”

That is the impression 2 Samuel 19 gives us of King David’s return from exile. It becomes one of those “welcome home – maybe” situations where David almost wishes he hadn’t returned. He returns home as king, but the kingdom seems to crumble in his hands. Remember, this is mostly David’s fault. (see 2 Sam 12:11)

All of Israel was in a dilemma. And, as often happens to people in difficult times, they began bickering among themselves. The writer allows people to describe their political condition: The king delivered us many times, but we anointed Absalom king over us. Now Absalom is dead. So, why aren’t we bringing David back as king?

David got wind of this sentiment. He fired off a message to the elders of Judah, his own tribe, via his priestly friends Zadok and Abiathar. He appealed to their PRIDE: why should they lag behind the rest of the tribes of Israel in restoring him as King? He appealed to their RELATIONSHIP: David himself was from Judah, “bone and flesh.” Finally, he appealed to their ANXIETIES: he swore to appoint Amasa, commander of Absalom’s army, in place of Joab. This was a signal that those in Judah who had supported Absalom needed fear no retribution from the new Davidic regime.

David still had the old magic:

“So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man…” 2 Samuel 19:14a (HCSB)

Yes, David risked polarizing the rest of Israel, but Absalom’s revolt had begun in Judah. David needed to fortify his kingdom first with his own people (David was a Judean) as the foundation. It reminds us that just as “judgment begins in the house of the Lord” (1 Peter 4:17), it is also where reconciliation must happen first. And if there is to be REVIVAL in the World, it must begin with a “revival of unity” among the Church-at-large. Let it begin with us as we seek His Word!

“Just then the Cushite came and said, ‘May my lord the king hear the good news: today the Lord has delivered you from all those rising up against you!’ The king asked the Cushite, ‘Is the young man Absalom alright?’ The Cushite replied, ‘May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you with evil intent.’ The king was deeply moved and went up to the gate chamber and wept. As he walked, he cried, ‘My son Absalom! My son Absalom! If I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!’” 2 Samuel 18:31-33 (HCSB)

As we read through these passages, notice how nobly many of the Gentiles act, as opposed to the moral compromise that seems to rule the Israelite characters. It is evident throughout the Torah and Tanakh (aka Old Testament) that God is pleased to honor anyone who wholeheartedly follows Him, regardless of ethnicity.

Notice how the Cushite gives honor to the Lord for David’s deliverance. He has seen something in David’s leadership and has learned something about David’s God in the process of serving the king. I find it interesting that the Cushite tells the whole truth, whereas Ahimaaz simply wanted to be considered well in David’s eyes. In today’s passage, we learn that significant truths sometimes come from a secondary character. Finally, David learns the truth: Deliverance for David involves disaster for Absolam!

In this news, we get our most valuable lesson: If the Kingdom of God under God’s chosen king is to be saved, then the enemy who assaults the kingdom must be destroyed.

God offers no secure salvation to His “Bride” unless He brings decisive judgment on her enemies. We must stop praying, “Deliver us from evil,” unless we yearn for evil’s destruction. Otherwise, we are like a patient ready to undergo cancer surgery, who pleads with his doctor, “deal gently with my cancer,” or urges the surgeon, “get most of it, but leave a little, because cancer and I have a deep relationship.”

You see, David and Absalom are also metaphors for the warring relationship between our “new life” as believers and our carnal flesh. Often, we become unjustly sentimental over our sin. We say to God, “Take all of me, but not that!” Most of the tension within the church today seems to be over the spiritual conflict between those who are determined to be in the World (and somewhat sentimentally “of” it) and those who choose to be in the World yet are actively driving out Worldliness in their lives.

The visible evidence between the two is much like the difference between Ahimaaz and the Cushite: In their testimonies. The former only shares half of the gospel (love/acceptance) so as not to offend, while the latter lays out the whole truth as it is.

There will always be those who cannot understand why there cannot be ecumenicity between Believers and the World: literally, between Christ and Antichrist. But God’s people know David was wrong to pine after Absalom and that the Cushite was right. Preserving God’s Kingdom involves permanently removing its enemies in our lives.

“Hushai continued, ‘You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with his people. He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves or some other place. If some of our troops fall first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion will melt because all Israel knows your father and the valiant men with him are warriors. Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba – as numerous as the sand by the sea – be gathered to you so that you personally go into battle.’” 2 Samuel 17:8-11 (HCSB)

At his core, David was more shepherd than warrior. In contrast, Absalom wanted to be considered a warrior without being a shepherd. Absalom wanted the “image” of shepherding. Remember how he stood at the gate and told the people he should be judging their cases because David was too busy for them? But there was never any evidence he judged a single case. In modern political terms, Absalom ran on the “shepherd” ticket, but his true heart was to be considered mighty.

Hushai knew Absalom’s heart, so he negotiated toward Absalom’s ego. Notice how Hushai stresses David the “warrior.” He tells Absalom:

“Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with his people. He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves, or some other place.” 2 Samuel 17:8b-9a (HCSB)

The fact is that David, being a good shepherd, was right there with the “sheep” who had followed him. Absalom, undoubtedly, learned a lot from his father about warfare, but he misjudged his dad’s heart. Absalom wanted to be king but didn’t want to look after his “flock.” It reminds me of Jesus’ words:

“I assure you: Anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t recognize the voice of a stranger.” John 10:1-6 (HCSB)

In chapter 15, David, being the “Shepherd of Israel,” stood by and watched all his “sheep” walk by. He even stopped a few and questioned them to see if they were truly “his.” Hushai knew David’s heart, so he knew exactly where David would be. That is what made his counsel so brilliant. He played Absalom’s prideful ignorance against him.

Lest we idolize Hushai’s heroism, we must recognize Hushai had no idea whether Absalom would heed his counsel. It is safe to say Hushai was led by God’s Spirit, so the praise for David’s rescue lies in God’s doing. We don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. Our responsibility, then, is simply to trust His leading.

“Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!’ The king replied, ‘Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the Lord told him, “Curse David!” Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’ Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, ‘Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life – how much more now this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to. Perhaps, the Lord will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.’” 2 Samuel 16:9-12 (HCSB)

Shimei was certain that the Lord was paying back David for all the “Saul-ish” blood he shed and that the Lord was giving Absalom the kingdom. Finally, Shimei’s trash-talking became tiresome. Abishai, Joab’s brother, turns to David and asks permission to cut Shimei’s head off! After all, it’s hard to talk trash without a head.

David argued that the Lord had ordered Shimei to curse him. Instead of shutting up Shimei by force, David sought relief elsewhere:

“Perhaps, the Lord will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” 2 Samuel 16:12 (HCSB)

Take a moment and let the gravity of that statement take hold. What is it that David wants the Lord to see? His iniquity. Here is the secret of David’s peace. David had deep-seated confidence in a God of “un-guessable” grace, Who tends to replace cursing with goodness. He assumes the Lord has this strangely wonderful way of looking upon guilt and yet returning a blessing instead of a curse. If the mouth of God has declared David’s deserved punishment, perhaps the eye of God may long to spare him from it.

How can David even begin to think this way? Notice how he is not sure of this. He uses the word “perhaps.” David confesses the Lord’s freedom in this matter; He may or may not. But can’t you see that David could never have said, “perhaps” - never even conceived the possibility - unless he had already experienced the known character of God? How can he even dream this unless he actually knows a God like that and is a man after that God’s own heart? You can’t imagine how deep God’s compassion is for you, even when He disciplines you for your sin. But David would try because he knew Him.

Shouldn’t this come as exceptional hope to us today, those of us Christians who believe we have made a royal mess of our lives? What of us who have smashed God’s commandments, defiled His standards, and then suffered miserably for it? Repentance and forgiveness have come, yet we are sure God only regards us with grudging tolerance. And sometimes, we doubt His patience! Are we truly banned to the junkyard? Perhaps, we should take a stare at David’s God. What if we had a God, Who can look at guilt and return good if He desires? Well, we do. And, perhaps, He will.

“David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Each of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.” 2 Samuel 15:30 (HCSB)

Israel’s rightful king has been rejected, and he plods up the Mount of Olives, weeping. Admittedly, David is suffering for his sins, but he is still the king, and nobody enjoys seeing the Lord’s anointed being deposed by “the people’s choice,”…even if it is the king’s son.

This would not be the last time we see such a scene. The “Descendant of David” (the rightful king according to 2 Samuel 7:12-16) will be seen on the Mount of Olives.

“Now He came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:” Luke 19:37 (HCSB)

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus evokes images of both Absalom and David, with the Mount of Olives as a backdrop. We think of Absalom because the people of Jerusalem celebrated Jesus’ arrival just as they celebrated Absalom’s. To them, Jesus would be the candidate of the people, the One who would hear their cases against the Roman and Sadducee oppression and judge their oppressors. They wanted Jesus to fit their agendas.

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in Heaven and glory in the highest Heaven! And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.’” Luke 19:38-40 (NKJV)

Note that this was the same crowd who, once their vision for leadership became blurred, chose Barabbas!

We think of David when we read of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, not so much over his rejection as the doom of those who have rejected Him.

“As He approached and saw the city; He wept over it, saying, ‘If you knew this day what would bring peace – but now is hidden from your eyes. For the days will come on you when your enemies will build an embankment against you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” Luke 19:41-44 (HCSB)

It is possible to believe you are clinging to Jesus in a saving way, yet all the while be clinging to the “wrong” Jesus. Jesus spoke of this very dilemma: Matthew 7:21-29. Make sure the Jesus you claim to follow is the Jesus of the Bible, not one who has been altered by man’s imagination. The best way to be sure is to read the Bible.