Read 2 Samuel 8
Questions from the Scripture text: What did David do to the Philistines, with what results (2 Samuel 8:1)? Then whom did he defeat (2 Samuel 8:2)? How did they become his servants? Whom else did he defeat (2 Samuel 8:3)? To where did his territory extend? What did David take from him (2 Samuel 8:4)? Who came to help Hadadezer (2 Samuel 8:5)? What did David do to them (2 Samuel 8:5-6)? How does verse 6 summarize these reports (cf. 2 Samuel 8:14)? What else did David take from Hadadezer (2 Samuel 8:7-8)? For what would he be taking this gold and bronze (cf. chapter 7)? Who heard what David had done (2 Samuel 8:9)? What did that prompt him to do (2 Samuel 8:10 a)? Why (verse 10b)? What did he bring with him? What was David doing with all of this (2 Samuel 8:11)? Whose spoil was being dedicated to Yahweh (2 Samuel 8:12)? How did David make for himself a name in 2 Samuel 8:13? Where else did he put garrisons (2 Samuel 8:14)? How does verse 14 summarize these reports (cf. 2 Samuel 8:6)? How does 2 Samuel 8:15 introduce the summary of David’s administration? What posts do 2 Samuel 8:16-17 identify? Who filled them?
Yahweh kept His promise. The Lord had promised to establish David’s throne (cf. 2 Samuel 7:16), and now chapter 8 tells us that’s exactly what He’s doing. 2 Samuel 8:6, 2 Samuel 8:14 sum up their respective sections of the chapter, “Yahweh preserved David wherever he went.” Literally, “Yahweh saved David,” or if we wish to transliterate in light of chapter 7, “Yahweh Jesus’d David wherever he went.”
There is an immediate fulfillment here of the “you haven’t seen anything yet” promise to bless David. He thought it was good then. How much better it would be in the weeks and months to come! And the end result is 2 Samuel 8:15-18: a kingdom firmly established, with judgment and justice for Yahweh’s chosen people, and priests having a central place among the chief officers of the land (2 Samuel 8:17).
Yahweh supplied David’s keeping of his part. As Yahweh gives David success, David is stockpiling bounty for his son-to-be Solomon’s building of the temple (cf. 2 Samuel 7:13; 1 Kings 5:5, 1 Kings 8:16-20). Gold from Hadadezer’s servants (2 Samuel 8:7). A large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s cities (2 Samuel 8:8). A silver, gold, and bronze thank-you by prince Joram’s hand from his father king Toi (2 Samuel 8:10). Silver and gold from all the nations which he had subdued: Syria, Moab, Ammon, Philistines, Amalek, Zobah (2 Samuel 8:11-12).
So, even David’s “contributions” are plainly given to him by Yahweh! Not only were the victories given Him by the Lord (2 Samuel 8:6, 2 Samuel 8:14), but some contributions were just walked right into Jerusalem as a gift (2 Samuel 8:10). This is true of all that we give to or do for the Lord: it’s all from Him to begin with. He generously equips and enriches us with all by which we proceed to serve Him.
Yahweh would do this infinitely more. Solomon’s temple, for which these victories prepare, was a type (an action of God earlier in history that pointed forward to His ultimate action in Christ). Jesus is that temple built without hands (cf. Mark 14:58; John 2:19–22; Acts 7:48, Acts 17:24) . And He makes of us believers a spiritual temple that He Himself builds, in which the offerings that are lifted up are spiritual rather than physical (cf. 1 Peter 2:4–5, Ephesians 2:19–22).
It would have been ridiculous for David to think that he was the one giving to God as the temple materials piled up. And how much more so for us. Did we go up to heaven to bring Christ down in the incarnation or down into the depths to bring Him up in the resurrection (cf. Romans 10:5–7)?! Of course not! And we have not resurrected ourselves spiritually, or created faith in our own hearts, or ingrafted ourselves into Christ by that faith.
We do offer ourselves unto the Lord, and lift up heart and voice in the spiritual sacrifices that we make in the public worship. And in addition to that, we constantly offer our bodies as living sacrifices (cf. Romans 12:1), and all that we are as slaves for righteousness (cf. Romans 6:13). As a royal priesthood, we even have anointed roles in His kingdom (cf. 1 Peter 2:9). But all of this is granted unto us by God, through the grace in which He gave us Christ Himself as Temple and King.
How has the Lord saved you? How has the Lord strengthened you? What has the Lord provided for you?
Suggested songs: ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” or TPH538 “Take My Life, and Let It Be”
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