2 Samuel 23:1 – David’s Last Words
We pay particular attention to someone’s last words. You can read collections of the last words of famous people.The last words of our loved ones are likely words we’ll never forget. Here in 2nd Samuel 23, we have the last words of the man who is named more frequently in the Bible than any other human character. Not necessarily his dying words, but the last words that he spoke under the inspiration of God – his final prophecy. For us it would be the equivalent to what we write in our will. Even if we write it a long time before we die, it’s where we have the opportunity to say what we want to be remembered. It’s an opportunity for us to say what we are going to our grave believing in. David was looking forward to a coming king – a far greater king than David himself, or any other human king. Through the Holy Spirit he speaks about the coming of Jesus Christ.
How much reason did David have to be confident about the future? Based on how things had gone in his lifetime, there was much that could discourage him. David’s son Amnon had abused his half-sister Tamar, before being murdered by his brother Absalom. Absalom had then launched a rebellion which had ended with thousands of people dead, including Absalom himself. While David is still alive, as we read at the beginning of 1st Kings, his son Adonijah exalts himself and tries to set himself up as king, rather than Solomon, who was David’s choice of successor. Yes at the same time, God has exalted David as king. And not just over one tribe as it was at the start, but over all the tribes. There have been encouragements. But there have also been plenty of discouragements. And looking to the future, the signs aren’t positive that things will hold together once David is gone. In fact, God had told David through the prophet Nathan back in chapter 12 that the sword would never depart from his house. That on down the generations there will be trouble. So humanly speaking, there are plenty of reasons not to be confident about the future. But back in 2nd Samuel 7, God had made David a promise that one of David’s descendants would have a kingdom that would last forever, which was a promise about the coming of Jesus. And that promise – that covenant – is what gives David hope now. As he puts it in v5: ‘For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure’.
Question
- Why are last words so important?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks for the faithfulness of God to his covenant promises.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.