2 Samuel 23
by Pastor David Groendyk

The famous last words of David share many similar themes to his psalm of the previous chapter, but there is one crucial difference. Whereas chapter 22 was a reflection upon what God had done in the past, the first part of chapter 23 is primarily a prophecy looking forward to the future of God’s kingdom.

The first seven verses are a short oracle, but they are packed with heavy doctrine. What do we learn about the kingdom of God? Firstly, it is certain. These words are not merely David’s words, but they are God himself, the Holy Spirit, speaking through David (v. 2). The very character of God is that he is a sure and steadfast Rock (v. 3). The covenant promises that God made to David about an everlasting king reigning on the throne are secure (v. 4; cf. 2 Sam. 7:13). God’s reign and rule is as sure as sure can be. More than that, God’s kingdom is a refreshing and life-giving kingdom (v. 4). Like taking a long drink of cool water on a hot summer afternoon is God’s righteous rule to the soul of the believer. Most of us are all too familiar with leaders who rule unjustly, lie continually, make power grabs, and exploit their office for personal gain. What joy and relief when we finally encounter a king with no hidden agenda but who carries out righteousness, edifies his people, and glorifies God. Surely verses 3–5 point us directly to Christ, the true fulfillment of 2 Samuel 7. Truly submitting to his reign and rule means accepting his gospel of salvation and living in a manner worthy of that gospel from here on out. Anyone who will not bow the knee to Christ as their Savior and Lord will not stand on the final day of judgment (vv. 6–7). How do each of these characteristics of God’s kingdom (its certainty, refreshment, and exclusivity) encourage you today?

The rest of this chapter really whets our appetite to hear more about some of these amazing mighty men, doesn’t it? Maybe we could’ve skipped over some of David’s sins and heard more about Josheb-basshebeth taking on 800 men at once. But these brief stories and this long list of names is meant to whet our appetite for more of God. Notice that very explicitly in verses 10 and 12, the author points out that the Lord worked great victories for Israel. Yes, these men were quite courageous, but they would’ve been nothing unless the Lord worked through them. We’re not meant to glorify Josheb-basshebeth, Eleazar, and Shammah, but the mighty God whose Spirit, power, and wisdom gave them the victory. Perhaps this is why not every single one of David’s mighty men had their own full story recounted here. Some of these men we’ve read about already, and some have nothing but their name listed in Scripture. It reminds us that, although almost nothing is remembered about Mebunnai or Heleb 4000 years after their deaths and although our names might not ever be remembered on this earth, our names are written in the Book of Life, and the Lord God of heaven and earth still knows us personally and is working in us through the Holy Spirit. One name that we do remember, though, is the very last one in verse 39, Uriah the Hittite. I will admit that I had forgotten Uriah was one of David’s mighty men, and if you’re like me then seeing Uriah’s name made your stomach drop a little. But rather than let us be dragged back into all the gory details and moral failings, Ralph Davis encourages us to see Uriah’s name pointing us to the grace of God. Rather than despair, we must be humbled by our sin-filled memories and move past them, knowing that God’s grace covers even the ugliest of sins. Even a great sinner like David can be redeemed! We might still grieve the consequences of our sins, but their memories should no longer haunt us. For every single individual child of God, his strength, endurance, and forgiveness are always available. That’s the reality of living in his kingdom. Praise him for it.