2 Samuel 3 (Part 3) Bible Study | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

In this book. And this is our third time in

this chapter, and it will be the final time before we move on.

Because being the lengthy chapter that it is, Chapter 3

Isaiah 3 · chapter mention

will demand from us more time and attention but if if we are

patient and if we give the necessary attention to these

verses, then we will not be disappointed with the discipline

of meditation. My we want to see all that God

has to say and even when we think we're doing all that we

can, they're still yet more to know in the very verses that we

try to cover completely. So as we come to second, Samuel,

chapter 3, scroll down with your finger, with me to verse 31,

that is where we stopped And that is where we will continue.

And if you take a quick glance, what you'll see is that the rest

of our study in this chapter will only cover eight verses.

And in these eight verses is really one scene, one main idea

and it is David who is the main subject of our study in the past

few weeks and will be for the next few months.

David mourning. The death of a particular

person, namely Abner the son of nerve.

Now, as a recap Abner was the commander of Saul's Army who

then was The Mastermind of Using up one of Saul's Sons ishka Chef

to be a rival King to the davidic Dynasty, and Juan the

Affinity of a majority of the tribes, keeping David at just

being the king over the tribe of Judah.

Now, after several years have gone by Abner desires, now, to

move over and put his Allegiance with David and attempts to do

so. But within that attempt and with

that A small spark of Peace. It was quickly, snuffed out by

joab, who is the commander not of Saul's Army.

But if David's Army, who with cold-blooded intention murders,

Abner takes his life away from him as an act of Vengeance.

Because Abner in self-defense, in an act of war, in a context

of battle kills joab's, brother, a Sahel.

I hope we're all in line here, right?

Now, what we are left with is after David has heard, the news

of Abner's death, we will now see what will transpire.

Because apart, from the obvious reason why this is so atrocious,

the death of Abner by the hands of someone in David's Camp has

potential ramifications for the development of David's

government in Israel, is that understood this is, is not going

to look good for David's reputation as He is attempting

to win the hearts of the nation, so that they would recognize him

as who he truly is the called one of God to be king.

Now, David has been trusting, God up to this point.

He's not trying to coerce or manipulator set up campaigns to

try to win votes. He's completely resting in the

Lord. But what happens here, naturally

causes a grief and concern and David because someone from his

own ranks that something evil And how is this going to look in

the eyes of the people of Israel who have heard that David was to

be anointed king and Luna and their hearts believe he was

supposed to be king. Well that's what we're going to

see. And let's read the first four

verses together in verse 31, then David said to joab and to

all the people who were with him, tear your clothes and put

on sackcloth and mourn before Abner, and King David, follow

the beer. They buried Abner at Hebron and

the King lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner and

all the people wept and the King lamented for Abner saying,

should Abner died as a fool dies.

Your hands were not bound your feet were not fettered as one

Falls before the wicked you have fallen and all the people wept

again over him. Now, let's take this verse by

verse. When we go to verse 31 we have

to understand that this was not the initial reaction of David.

When hearing the news of Abner's death, the initial response is

here in verse 28 to verse 29, look, what he says afterward

when David heard of it he said I and my kingdom are forever

Guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner.

The son of Nur may have fall upon the head of joy and upon

all his father's house and met the house of What never be

without one who has a discharge or is leprous or holds a spindle

World falls by the sore or who lacks bread intense.

David not only condemns the actions of joab.

David goes beyond that and pronounces a curse upon him and

his descendants. Now this is important because he

is vocalizing that he is not connected to this.

The scheme. He is not connected to this

plot, he is separate. He knew nothing about it.

He had nothing to do with it, and he wants to make sure that

people are aware that he has no relation to jobs hatred for

this. And now that may seem righteous

that may seem admirably. But I want to tell you something

today that although David seems to be doing the right thing and

verbalizing. This he is not doing what he's

supposed to be doing. And what way in other words,

what should have David done? Consider his position and

consider the law of God. What should have David done?

Kill joab. That may sound shocking, right?

It may sound shocking because we feel like this is unrelated to

the law is just. A story has to do with close

relationships and people. We have to understand that there

is still the law of God that is supposed to be implemented.

And the law is so clear and saying that if someone murder

somebody with intent, they are to be killed.

They are to have their life given for life that from a

Judicial standpoint, there should be Canning, if you are a

murder, then you should also have your blood shed eye for an

eye, tooth for a tooth life, for life.

And David does not execute this. David does not move forward with

such a punishment for this crime.

He hesitates, he does it. He doesn't do more than just

give a slap on the wrist so to speak.

But is there a time where David will do it?

Does anybody know the answer to that?

yes, when Very good. The answer to when job will pay

for his crime comes. Many years from this point and

it is found in the book of First Kings chapter 2.

1 Kings 2 · chapter mention

And I want you to see that with your own eyes and verse 5 of

First, Kings chapter 2, when David is ready to rest with his

father's and his successor Solomon, his son is going to

take his place. David give his different

instructions to Solomon. One of them being you got to

deal with joab, you got to do something about this, man.

Now, this is hard because Is he is a relative.

And it's hard because it's also a complicated situation job was

a loyal and so many ways job stood by David and many

difficult times. But in First Kings, chapter 2,

1 Kings 2:5

verse 5. Look what it says, moreover

David is speaking to Solomon. You also know what job the son

of Zechariah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of

the armies of Israel, Abner, the son of Nur and a Messiah, the

Son of Jetter whom he killed avenging and time of Peace for

blood. That have been shed in war and

putting the blood of War on the belt around his waist and on the

sandals on his feet act. Therefore according to your

wisdom but do not let his grey head go down to sheol and peace.

This is, this is alarming. But the question is, why did

David wait so long? We can only speculate But what

we see here from these verses, is that because David waited,

what happened? What do we see there?

He killed Abner, right? But did he kill somebody else?

He did. He killed another of one of

David's, Captain's down the road after our main text here,

without Justice without explanation, just because he had

this terrible murderous rage. And he was, he solve his

problems by removing people, from the scene, and the most

permanent way possible. And here's what we can take out

of this job was the guilty one in both of these murders.

But it makes you wonder what could have been prevented had

David had On what he was supposed to do much early on.

when Abner situation suit, Now, this is just one of the many

examples from the word of God. One illustration among hundreds.

You can say of how the Bible asks of us to take seriously

hammering the truth that you and I should never delay in our

confrontation against sin whether it's in our own lives on

somebody else's life you and I do great damage if we delay in

our confrontation against sin And though, it's not explicitly

clear. Why David waited to pass

judgment on Joy. Why he waited for him to pass on

from this life and let Solomon kind of deal with it?

The timing kind of makes it kind of makes it obvious.

And I argue that the reason why David did not execute judgment

upon job when he should have his because, although Joy of did

something wrong. And so evil.

And cruel job was a really good Commander.

Joab contributed to much of the success of David and his

kingdom. And perhaps letting go of Joy,

it's not the best plan for me. And if you think about it, that

way, then David, even in his grieving here and chapter 3,

David is guilty of favoritism. The kind of favoritism that

doesn't deal with sin in a person's life because that

person benefits Us in different ways.

And though, this is an extreme example, you can modernize that.

You can see it in so many ways in our own lives, when the

church has been called by Jesus, to confront sin and to maintain

the purity of the assembly in love and gentleness.

Yes. But also as one of the main

things that the church is called to do and here's what's amazing,

you see it in different Church settings and different ways.

Unfortunately you have many leaders in churches who will not

deal. If the sin of a person because

they are one of the biggest givers in the church.

We don't want to lose his donations and so they can run

amok, they can cause problems, they can be.

So obviously publicly in the world and and leaders will turn

a blind eye or maybe somebody who occupies a certain position

who exercise a certain gift from within.

And if we lose them, we can lose this.

This will suffer, and they're blatantly in ungodliness and so

we'll just we'll hush-hush. And we won't make a big deal of

it and let's just let it pass. Maybe we can make a more

relatable, how many of us have felt the tension, even

confronting a brother or sister, who is clearly in wrong serious,

wrong compromising wrong because we don't want the relationship

to be awkward. We don't want to create tension,

we don't want it to affect our little web of relationships.

When in fact, scripture says that faithful are the wounds of

a friend, right? And so, what we see here is a

clear example. if we delay, if we turn a blind eye, And dealing

not just with our own sin, but those that God calls us to be

responsible for. Then we have to ask ourselves

why, and, if David was honest here, yeah, he's verbally.

Slapping job on the wrist, but he's being kind of clever.

He's doing enough to show people that he condemns, he condemns

what happened, but not enough so that he wouldn't lose what job

had to offer. He really wanted to keep him and

this is, this is a disappointing.

In David's leadership. And because David allowed

political motivation to enter in.

It eclipsed, the spiritual standards that he was supposed

to live by and that happens all the time happens all the time.

But if there's any place where we maintain God's righteousness

and dealing with people, it has to be the Church of Jesus

Christ. Has to be that no matter whether

they are relatives, whether they are great contributions and

different ways. God's primary call is for us to

trust and obey his standard of Holiness and righteousness.

Purity. And I hope you take that to

heart, that God give you an idea, the wisdom to know how to

deal with sin promptly lovingly carefully strategically less.

We can cure more damage that could have been avoided.

See David? I just dealt with job early on.

I'm a sucker could have been spared.

So many issues could have been avoided.

He dealt with it but he dealt with it too late.

Now we look at that. From David's perspective.

What do you learn from? Joab's perspective in all of

this when the fact that judgment came later on?

What do you see between this scene and the next scene in

First Kings to? Here's what you see that jaw,

perhaps thought that because he avoided consequence with Abner's

death, could it be that he was emboldened to actually take out

amasa thinking that he would not see consequences either very

strong possibility, And the picture there is this sinner

who's emboldened to continue in their sin because they have

evaded, apparently, the consequences of their actions.

But let Joy be a clear example that no matter what a person may

think he gets away with no matter what kind of status they

have in society like job did in the Kingdom sin will catch up

to. You sin will come with a with a

receipt and say you owe me this. And that's exactly what happened

to job and take comfort. What happened to job will happen

with every high-ranking criminal and society.

That thinks that they can bury the evidence and thinks that

they can pay off people, so that they are not reprimanded.

I want you to think about every corrupt politician that gets

away with their evil. There is a day coming when they

will have to pay for every single thing that they thought

they got away with. And I say, Amen to that.

Because God is a just God. Now, what's incredible is not

just the fact that joab eventually died.

It's in the manner that he died. That makes us even more scary.

Scary in a good way scary in the fear of God.

Way job did eventually die Solomon dealt with him.

He obeyed his father and he says we will deal with joy of

accordingly. Does anybody know how job died

though? He died in a specific location,

and where job died is, actually, if you're still in First Kings

1 Kings 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2, scroll down to verse 28, and you'll see exactly the

location and it is very telling, it's actually incredible.

He eventually hears the news that David called for his

execution because of his past crimes and so he makes a run for

it. And as you runs, he heads

towards a specific place and where he goes Is here when the

news came to job, for job had supported adonijah.

Although he had not supported Absalom job fled to the tent of

the Lord, and caught, hold of the horns of the altar.

So remember the Tabernacle is the house of God at this time,

the tent of meeting a transportable house of worship.

The temple was not yet made because Solomon hadn't get to

yet. But here's what job does.

He hears the news Solomon has the right to come after you and

he's coming after you. He flees to the tenth of the

Lord. He goes to the altar of

sacrifice where had the horns on the Four Corners, so that the

animal would be strapped down when it was being offered up to

the Lord He leaps upon two of the horn and he holds on as

though he was holding on for dear life.

Nothing in the Bible is by accident and so every single

detail warns us to say why am I question is?

Why why does job do this? Why does he go here?

Why does he hold onto the horns of the altar, what is he

thinking and doing so? Any ideas?

I'll give you a hint. The answer is in the Bible.

It's not it's not just guessing. There's an actual answer in the

scriptures. Okay, that's a good.

Guess he was hoping. Maybe there would be a

sacrifice. That would be performed on his

behalf. That's a very good guess but not

not quite Why would he run to the altar?

Okay, there's a picture of receiving forgiveness there

because that's what the altar symbolizes but that's symbolic I

want to give you the clear reason why Joe I went to the

altar. You have to go to your Bibles

though. Exodus 21 turn the pages of the

Sacred texts to the Book of Exodus chapter 21 and I want you

Exodus 21 · chapter mention

to see one verse that gives a clear instruction about the

sacredness of the Altar and what was supposed to happen at the

altar and what was not supposed to happen at the altar.

Exodus 21 you're there right now, scroll down to verse 14.

And let me read it out loud to you Exodus 20.

Our hope you brought your Bibles to Bible study.

But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning,

you shall take him from my altar.

Isn't the Bible awesome? You shall take him from my altar

that he may die. In other words, nobody can be

killed by The Altar. You can't desecrate it in that

way. You can't have anybody have

their blood spilled here. And so if somebody fleas here,

They are to be removed from the altar so that they can be put to

death properly. Here's what jobs thinking.

If I hold on tight enough to the altar, they can't kill me here.

So I'm going to stay here as long as possible and make sure

that I let them know that God's law says I'm safe in this area.

Where did draw of kill Abner? Where did y'all kill Abner?

At the Gate of where the City of Refuge where Abner should have

been? What safe. and joab attempts to

flee to a place with unique boundaries, where he thought he

would be, what save Whatever a man Souls that he will also

reap. When joab killed Abner where he

was supposed to be safe, according to the law of God.

He pronounced his own judgment. And when he thought that he

could be safe in the house of God by the altar of God, the

same way that was not regarded for Abner.

It was not regarded for him. God is very specific and he

holds every detail in his record.

He does not forget anything. I mean so much.

So one of the scariest verses for me and we can be all scared

together, Is when Jesus says that every word, every single

word that is spoken will be taken up into judgment every

word. Think about that.

And so the Lord is very, very meticulous.

He's very careful. He is very upset, he's not

General, he's very, very, very specific and when it came to

joab, he reached exactly what he sowed.

I find that fascinating about God, I thank God for the blood

of Jesus Christ, knowing this law job attempts to take refuge

in the house of God. But that, that is not accounted

for by Solomon. And he's killed where he thought

he would have Refuge come back to 1st Samuel.

Rather second Samuel, chapter three.

Let's go to verse 32, we were in verse 31 that time.

We re here they buried a beer at Hebron and the King.

Lifted up his voice and wept. At the grave of Abner and all

the people wept and the King lamented for Abner saying,

should Abner died as a fool dies.

Your hands were not bound your feet were not fettered as one

Falls before the wicked you have fallen.

Now, this is familiar because now David writes analogy, right?

He recites it and he proclaims it publicly.

He's done this before with who Saul and Jonathan much shorter,

but he's he has a goal with it. And the point is clear what he's

trying to tell people from his own heart is that I believe that

Abner was innocent Abner, did not deserve to die in this way

though. He died as a fool fool, meaning

that a sinner who invites death, because of his sinful ways.

He did die as a fool, but he was not a criminal.

Your hands were not bound. You weren't imprison.

Your feet were not fettered. Didn't deserve this.

You weren't awaiting some kind of trial here.

You were deceived and you fell as a victim before wicked men.

This is what he's trying to Proclaim.

This is what he's trying to communicate to his audience.

And as much as what David is saying is true, should advertise

a full dies. He did not deserve to die the

way, a sinner deserves to die because of what they bring into

their lives. And the way that they walk at

the same time, I argue that though what David is saying is

valid Abner, did die. Foolishly.

She did. Where did after die again?

City of Refuge, right? That is the only mention between

Abner and the City of Refuge and it is quite tragic.

That, that is so because Abner's relationship with the City of

Refuge should have been much different than what it was

according to what we read a couple of weeks ago The

foolishness of Abner is that he refused to flee to the City of

Refuge the moment that he committed, an accidental,

killing his duty, according to the law was to waste no time and

to make his way towards one of those cities and to take refuge

there, until he was declared innocent until the high priest

died, atoning for his departure and to his normal life.

And he did not do that. And that is sad because there's

a picture of something. When God gave his law to the

Israelites about how they were to understand the City of

Refuge, he gave it with a certain urgency and I want you

to see that go to numbers 35:15, there's a powerful word that the

Numbers 35:15

Lord uses about the manslayer who does accidentally murder

somebody. And the numbers 3515.

We see it so clear. God says, these six cities shall

be for refuge for the people of Israel and for the stranger, and

for the sojourn among them. That anyone who kills any person

without a tent, May what flee there?

Three times in this chapter and the portion which speaks about

the City of Refuge. God says, if somebody does this

there to flee to the City of Refuge, now that word flea is

the very same word used when Joseph fled, the scene after

Potiphar's wife attempted to sleep with him.

When she grabbed a hold of His Garment, he fled that room.

Now, when you understand that connection, it's hard to imagine

that when God here says that the manslayer must flee that it's a

casual stroll. Or something that you put in

your calendar for a future time, it's urgent.

It's a median. It's top priority even though it

interrupts your schedule or your family life or whatever the case

may be, you are to make this your top ambition immediately.

Flee their run their escape as soon as possible.

That's God's tone when it comes to the Cities of Refuge and we

know what the Cities of Refuge represent Christ, salvation, and

Jesus Christ. And that is why we try by God's

help. Whenever we proclaim, the gospel

from this Pulpit, that we Proclaim it with urgency.

Jesus is not a suggestion for your life.

He's the only solution. he is salvation you and I have to

understand that when we present this truth, It's breaking news.

Flee to Jesus. Run to Jesus.

It's not just good news, it costs for a response upon

hearing it whether it's your first time or the thousandth

time. If you have not answered the 909

x times before flee their that's God's heart beat.

And this is what we see here. There's a hint here that the

moment the gospel is in contact with a sinner Everything else

needs to be dropped in your life.

That's what Jesus did with those three who came up and says, I

want to follow you and they had all these other ideas.

Well, I got to bury my father and can I do this for us?

And he's like, you don't understand what it means to

follow me. You need to drop everything and

understand that if you don't do this, now, there may never be a

chance for you to do it again. We don't understand it that way.

We kind of we kind of just are you?

I think you need this. No, you do need this and you

need it now. I want you to now put yourself

in the sandals of an Israelite of this time, okay, I want you

to imagine. Now, you're there in ancient

Israel, in your home. And on a random afternoon, a

sibling brother and sister runs through the door, huffing, and

puffing, and tells you I was at work.

Today was cutting a tree and the tree fell upon another employee.

And that guy is a goner. He's dead.

And I just just talked myself out of work and I came home.

What are you doing later on? You want to hang out?

If any plans tonight. Imagine your that Israelite

hearing this and you know the law of God, how ridiculous does

that sound? What do you mean?

Do you want to do something tonight?

You need to get out of here. You forget the meal not making

you anything. You need to run to the City of

Refuge. Where's the nearest one?

Get there right away? Yeah I get.

I know God set up a listen. I can just I can do it two weeks

from now. I got plans with my buddies.

We're going on a camping trip this weekend.

So listen do you want to do something tonight or not?

Yeah. What does that translate that?

Here's a word for that foolish. Reckless.

What's the matter with you? And yet?

If we see it in that context? How much more in understanding

salvation in Jesus Christ? What are you waiting for?

Exactly. Because that Israelite who would

delay like Abner delayed had to understand that at any moment

the Avenger could come and take your life from you.

Like it did with joy that at any moment, despite your plan

despite the peace and The Mending and the networking and

all the things that you're doing, just like Abner with

David. Everything can be taken from you

in a moment. This is not something to risk

but it's not that a with play around with listen to me.

If you're a person in here, that does not know if you're saved,

get saved. Like, put your trust in Jesus

tonight. Don't delay for next Bible.

Study don't even delay for your Taco Bell later on tonight.

Give your life to Jesus tonight. Surrender to his lordship

surrender to his provision of Salvation through his blood on

that cross on your behalf. There is no reason to wait.

There's no reason to delay. And there are many things about

the City of Refuge that points. So clearly the Jesus Christ in

some people Express, two weeks ago, how they were blessed by

seeing just one parallel. The one parallel, the City of

Refuge, you can have a series on the Cities of Refuge and how it

points to Jesus. Remember The Parallel that there

were six cities, we just read and there were strategically

placed around the land of Israel.

So that why? No matter where somebody was

across the land, they would have easy access to one of those

cities and be safe and fine. Huge.

And that is a picture of this, that no matter where you are, no

matter how far you think you are salvation is available for you,

no matter where, no matter how far you think you are from

Holiness from Perfection, all have fallen short of the glory

of God. And here's the beauty about it.

God can save you. God can save you now, not when

you enter, self closer to the standard of what you think is

good. Now, it can all change, but

there's more. I mean, I'm so passionate about

this subject, let's just stay here.

A little bit, will come back to 2nd Samuel.

What are we just reading numbers, 3515.

Let's see, if anybody notice another prophetic hint to the

gospel, and just this one verse These, six cities shall be for

refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger, and for

the Sojourner, among them, that anyone who kills any person

without a tent, May flee there. Anybody else notice the gospel

truth in there? Beautiful.

Did you hear it? It's really again these six

cities shall be for the Refuge for the people is your and for

the stranger and for the soldier among them, did you catch it?

The Cities of Refuge did not discriminate?

It was not just for the Jews, not just for the chosen people

of God. It was not for the elect among

all the nations. If you are a Sojourner fewer

Gentile, if you're traveling by the Cities of Refuge work for

you as well, Jew and Gentile have salvation, and Jesus

Christ, All Nations, all tribes, all tongues have available to

the same Grace that is found in him.

And so you see? It's so obviously here that

anybody no matter where they are, no matter how far, they

think they are no matter. Background.

Ethnicity culture. They can come and be safe in

these cities and I think to myself this is glorious.

But here's what's so true. I mean, we can spend the rest of

this Bible study talking about these things, but I want to

finish this chapter. Let me add one more thing.

whenever you see a type or shadow of Jesus in the Old

Testament, You will find similarities, you'll find

differences, but no matter how things may seem so close to the

person and work of Christ. What we believe what we see.

So obviously, what we sing about is that Jesus is always the

greater than always. So you see him in David, but

he's greater than they've, he's a greater David, he's a greater

Samson. He's the greater Moses.

And that is true for the City of Refuge as much as there.

Are so much things that parallel with Christ.

Jesus is the Great. City of Refuge Hebrews 6:18

Hebrews 6:18

tells us that he is the City of Refuge in a very clear way when

you understand the language of fleeing their but let me ask you

this. How is Jesus the greater City of

Refuge anybody know? How is Jesus the greater City of

Refuge? Did you hear it?

Did you hear it? This is where you get mutually

encouraged. The City of Refuge, was for

those who were innocent. so those who unintentionally

murdered, those who accidentally killed somebody, if you were

found guilty upon trial, You, you could not have residents in

these unique boundaries you had to be expelled and you are left.

To the Vengeance of a relative. Jesus is a greater City of

Refuge because he's not just refuge for those who

accidentally send, but those who intentionally send those who

have transgressed, who those with deliberately broke God's

law, the gates of his salvation are made available even for

them, that's why he's greater Exciting.

Yes. Amen.

I hope so. Some of us have lived so long in

the City of Refuge, we've forgotten how glorious it is.

Yes night, not for unintentional, not for

accidental for deliberate. Willful perverted scheming

wicked men and women he saves. He says, you can come and

receive safety. In my blood, I rejoice in that

this book is Supernatural. This is not an ordinary

classroom tonight. This book is Supernatural.

And so we come back to 2nd Samuel now.

And so, yes, Abner, why did he dies a fool?

He didn't deserve it, but there was some element of foolishness

in him. Now, verse 35, what do we see?

Then all the people, I want you to pay attention.

As I read these three verses what reoccurs then.

All the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was

yet day. But David's War saying God, do

so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else,

till the sun goes down, and all the people took notice of it and

it, please them as everything that the king did, please.

All the people saw the people and all Israel understood that

day that had not been the Kings will to put the death Abner.

Son of Nur. What phrase repairs over and

over. Very good, four times in three

verses. We see that for some reason, the

Holy Spirit wants to bring to our attention about all the

people. And I believe the reason why he

is trying to draw our attention to, this is to communicate to us

that the actions and the attitude of David had made a

great impression on those who observed him.

I made a great impression and in his King case, as the king of

Judah, David's audience was the nation of Israel.

Talking about millions of people.

Now, here's the point, David did not have to honor Abner and the

way he did but it was very wise for him to do so.

Not that what his grief was not genuine that's not the case.

It was very genuine but strategically what he is doing

here is dispelling, all rumors all potential divisive theories

that would bring hindrance to the advancement and development

of his kingdom. And here is the lesson for all

of us. Though we may not be Kings as

David was a king that we may not be queens that we may not have

high positions. Each of us has a calling like

David had a calling Okay, every I don't care what you believe

about yourself. I don't care what level of

self-esteem, you may have according to this book, God has

deposited gifts and he has works that he's prepared beforehand.

That you should walk in them, whether that's on a great

platform or to Hidden platform. It's true nonetheless.

And here's what's important to understand about that.

The effectiveness of our individual callings is greatly

dependent upon Our conduct as citizens of the Kingdom, that we

want to see advance. The effectiveness of our

individual callings in the advancement of the kingdom of

God is greatly dependent upon our conduct as citizens, who

represent that Kingdom. I know what people mean when

they say, I don't care what people think.

I have you heard it? I mean I've said it have you

said it? I don't care what people think,

I understand what you mean by that, but some people have a

different motive and saying that and we have to, we have to

understand there's a fine line with with convincing ourselves

and even telling others, I don't care what people think.

Now, if what you mean by saying that is that in your pursuit of

righteousness and obedience to God's word, you are not

concerned about the repercussions or about the

ramifications of your decisions. You're not concerned about

criticism. Or punishment or anything that's

taken away from you. Then we applaud that kind of

attitude. But if what you mean by saying,

I don't care what people think about me is that you believe

that people should tolerate your unsanctified personality, you're

wrong. Okay, that's not godly because

the scripture is loaded with the admonition that you and I should

care what people think, as ambassadors of Jesus Christ that

we should be very careful and how we portray ourselves since

we are tied to. And we represent a king and a

kingdom a culture, a Heavenly one, And so we have to

understand what David is doing here is righteous.

He's making sure that he's blameless and he puts great

effort and making sure that he is without reproach.

Here's what's amazing. There are many things that David

gives completely to God. There many things that he says,

God, I trust you I'm not even going to be able to participate

in this, I completely leave it to you but when it came to his

behavior he put great energy into that.

He made great strides to ensure that there was no confusion

about his convictions. And you.

And I, as I said earlier, we may not have high positions in this

world, okay? But according to the scriptures,

identification of you, as a child of God, we are, royal we

are royal You're not a churchgoer, a royal priesthood.

A Tsar Peter says, in First Peter 2:9, you are a chosen

1 Peter 2:9

race. A royal priesthood, your what a

holy nation, a people of my own possession, like, what a

glorious way of crowning us. Undeserving, Sinners, if we were

just saved, and that's all the Bible says about us in the New

Testament. I'm happy with that but a royal

priesthood, a holy nation, a people of God's possession.

Later on. We are what?

Ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Rather before 1st Peter.

But with the great reward of being crowned with such titles,

listen with every reward comes responsibility and what's

amazing about what Peter says there is that when you just look

a couple of verses after that, you understand that this title

isn't just, it's not just like, poetry.

Like it's not something that we just say to each other.

We memorize, I'm a royal priesthood.

No, no, it has. It has real implications and how

we conduct ourselves. So after he says, you're a royal

priesthood. Ivory says, you're a holy nation

and all these wonderful things. Verse 12.

That's first, Peter 2:9, and 10. And first 12, just listen, you

have to turn the listen to what Peter says, keep your conduct

among the Gentiles. Honorable If you are a royal

priesthood, if you're a holy nation, well keep your conduct

among the Gentiles. Honorable so that when they

speak against you as evildoers they may see your good deeds and

glorify God on the day of visitation.

Now, that would have meant a lot to the early church, and it will

mean a lot to Christians in the west very soon if not already.

There was already a list of strange accusations going around

in the culture during the times of Peter, and the early church,

very weird, slanderous comments and rumors about Christians

followers of the way. Let me give you a few.

They practice camera to cannibalism.

They eat his blood drink, his drink, his blood eat his flesh.

What is this? They practice Kent.

This is what they were saying. They break up families.

When people join this, it just shatters fans.

They don't honor the emperor. They don't acknowledge Caesar,

they don't acknowledge Nero, they don't acknowledge these

men, they're Rebels. You know, they have these things

called these love feasts. You know what they do that?

They perform orgies. There's sexually strange,

people, there are moral, this is what was swirling around in the

culture and the unbelieving world in the offices of that

day. About Christians. and Peter

comes in and he gives these instructions and he says, this

is what God says about you, your royal priesthood, your holy

nation, all these wonderful things, but let me take it

further, prove them wrong, Prove them wrong.

Like let them encounter you. And as they encounter you, let

your conduct contradict. What they've heard from other

people mess with their thinking in a holy way cause them to be

conflicted. And Peter did you just want the

people to stop saying bad things?

He says, it can be so impressionable that on the day

of visitation they can glorify God.

In other words, they can they can actually be saved.

Because you walk honorably among them.

As the people that God calls you to be.

Now, I want you to think about it and David situation.

What is David do? This murder of Abner could have

easily cause the different tribes to come up with ideas

that David was behind all of us. If there was any tribe who would

have built that theory up, it would have been The Tribe of

Benjamin. But even The Tribe of Benjamin

could not come up with anything. Nobody can bring up any

accusation any slander, anything of the sort because David's

attitude in this public space would have directly fought

against all these Fierce Concepts.

I would try to smeared him as a true man of God and that is

encouraging. That is encouraging.

He was blameless from head to toe. and there is many things

that David put his complete trust in, as I said earlier, But

he made the conscious effort and pursuing blamelessness and

what's encouraging about that is that he did it in a sense.

Yes for God. But also for his kingdom, we do

it for God's kingdom by the help of the Holy Spirit.

By the help of the Holy Spirit, he will help us be.

Honorable people, be honest, people and listen, I'm and it

here This is where it gets hard. This is where this is where we

go. Thank you for the holy spirit

because as Believers, the high standard of it is much more than

just making sure that we're blameless, more than that.

God through his word in the New Testament, even calls us to be

intentional to be offensive in the sense of moving forward.

Not always being defensive, but moving forward and actually

making things happen as that royal priesthood.

An holy nation. So let me give you one example,

go to Romans chapter 12 and notice this, this is this is

Romans 12 · chapter mention

just one example of how as Believers we go, the extra mile,

We go, the extra mile. And Romans 12:18. when I was

Romans 12:18

thinking about David, when I said all people, all people, all

people that connection came to Romans 12:18, another kind of

Romans 12:18

all men, but in a different context, look what he says to

the Believers in Romans 12:18, if possible so far, as it

Romans 12:18

depends on, you live peaceably with all How wonderful it's

wonderful in theory, but it's very hard and practicality and

get I love this. God is so realistic.

Look what he says. So far as it depends on you, if

it's possible, make it happen. The reason is because peace in

relationships, two way thing. I could be a peaceful person,

but if you're not a peaceful person, this can, this isn't

going to work. But look at where the burden is.

The burden is on the believer to ensure that you are the

initiator and you were the manager of your relationships.

So that if there's any tension or friction you would deal with

that immediately. So that even with your enemies,

there can be some kind of level of peace and understanding.

That's our calling among many other things, right?

That's how we pursue. To blame the successor we pursue

a certain conduct that can dismantle false ideas of who we

are as those who wear the badge of Jesus Christ.

And I want to end it here. I'm really ending it here.

David went the extra mile, I mean, you can say he went the

extra mile by doing all of this, but this was just, this is what

he should have done, he should have done for many reasons, but

David goes, the extra mile and I want to prove that to you.

I want to prove it to you in an obscure texts that If we're

honest we would often skip over because we want to get to the

meteor stuff. But when you take the time to

actually read the Bible from cover to cover, you find these

gems and you go no way. Really right here it is.

Go to 1st Chronicles, 27. This is our final verse for the

night First Chronicles 27. What's happening in first

Chronicles, 27? We just really have a record of

different leaders and administrative things during

David's Rule, and Reign military divisions, and leaders of

certain tribes, And when you come to verse 16, that's what we

really see. We see the names of different

representatives of the tribes of Israel during David's Dynasty.

So we had set up these local governments in the tribes that

each tribe would have a civil Authority, that would in a sense

represent that people group within the nation of Israel.

And you look at that and be honest, be honest in the

immediate sense, it doesn't seem appealing.

Names, that are hard to pronounce one after the other.

This would tempt us to drift. But as you read and you see

these names and you have an understanding of what we are

doing, every Friday, the Old Testament, scroll down quickly

and look at verse 20. For the Ephraim mites hoshea,

the son of as Isaiah. For the half tribe of Manasseh,

Joel, the son of petia verse 21 for the half tribe of Manasseh

and Gilead. Either the son of Zechariah for

Benjamin jostle, the son of, who Abner, Think about this.

Years after Abner's death. David goes, the extra mile.

And takes one of Abner sons and makes him a leader in Israel.

That's Grace. How much more can you do after

what you did in Chapter 3 of calling him?

A great Prince and calling man on my herbal man and honoring

him with an elegy and mourning and weeping in.

Not even eating until the sun goes down.

On top of that. He takes one of Abner sons and

he says I'm going to make you a leader Over The Tribe of

Benjamin. I'm going to recognize you as a

leader Over The Tribe of Benjamin.

And we look at that and we see that this is a hint that David

wasn't doing what he was doing in chapter 3, as a political

stunt, he wasn't trying to save face, he wasn't caught up with

his reputation and just see me to be righteous and you know,

fake tears. It was real, it was real and the

best way to be holy my brother, my sister is to be real.

Really. If you leave here saying well

you know I go to Maranatha Bible Church and the pretty serious

about Holiness. And the pretty serious about

church discipline. I better not mess up so I'm

going to be chameleon. I'm gonna here I'm going to

speak one way and here I'm going to speak another way you're

going to fail man. You're gonna fail.

Just be real, be a real holy spirit, filled Christian and

this pursuit of blamelessness is effortless.

When you actually walk with a Consciousness that you want to

please, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, your elders, not because

you want to maintain your ministry, but you really love

the Lord, your heart is really soft and by him and you like

David understand the grace of God, so you can extend it to

others. That is the easiest way of being

energized for holiness. I look at some people and they

liked us trying so hard to be spiritual and it's cringe.

Stop doing it in the flesh. Stop, you're not going to get it

by reading certain books, you're not going to get it by getting

certain terminology there. You're not going to get it by

dressing a certain way or posting certain stuff.

You're gonna get it. When you really understand who

Christ is, and you're going to get it when you really

understand it, only, he can put that desire in your heart and

make you the real deal. And so, what I present to you is

simply this fall in love with Jesus Christ.

And Holiness will be much easier to pursue this man, David.

With a little verse like that in first Chronicles, silence is all

other arguments about what he did in chapter 3, being

something that was just for his kingdom and his throne and his

political agenda wrong. He was the real deal and only

you and I will be truly successful for real with god.

Well we thank you for this Bible study.

We thank you for the rich insights and just eight verses,

and we didn't even cover all of them.

We thank you, Lord, that your word is so alive and

Supernatural. Lord with all that we heard we

end with that final thought help us be real help us be true help

us be sincere. Thank You O Lord that you've

made it all possible with a power in the person of the holy

spirit. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus that we don't have to strive because your word says in

first, John 5 that your Commandments are not burdensome

Lord. We just pray for those who

really want to be Godly but are Being of seeing it come about,

they feel like they fall back into the flesh.

They feel like they, they can't maintain that consistently in

different context, they fall too easily into the pressures of

certain crowds. Lord let tonight be the turning

point. Let it change tonight.

Lured by the spirit. Do such a work in us that

wherever we go, Jesus goes whoever were with, Jesus comes

with us, whether in secret or in public that we have Christ in

mind Christ in our affections Christ, in our meditations

Christ, in our planning, Lord, only you can Inspire such a

thing and we long for that. Thank you for calling us, a

royal priesthood. Thank you for calling us a holy

nation, a people for your own possession.

Now, Lord help us be honorable and all places.

At all times, we give you glory and thanks in Jesus name we

pray. Amen.