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This passage is taken from the second book of Samuel, chapter 23, beginning at verse one, and it's found at page three three one in the church Bible. Now, these are the last words of David. The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel. The spirit of the Lord speaks by me. His word is on my tongue.

The God of Israel has spoken. The rock of Israel has said to me, when one rules justly over men ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to spring from the earth. For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?

But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand. But the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear and they are utterly consumed with fire. This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks, Roland. As Helen said. My name is Steve Hagger. I'm one of the readers and I'm going to be taking us through, hopefully through this passage from Two Samuel, chapter 23 this morning, the last words of King David. Let's just have a prayer, shall we, before we begin.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for these words of David. Thank you that you speak through your word and you spoke to David. And we pray that this morning you would speak to our hearts as we look at these words together. In Jesus name, amen.

Thomas Hogg thomas Hogg was a minister in a church in a place called Kiltern in the north of Scotland. And before he died in 1692, he charged his congregation. He gave them very, very clear instructions. He said he wanted his grave to be dug at the threshold of the church building and they faithfully did this and he was indeed buried in that place. But he also got them to write this inscription on his gravestone.

This stone shall bear witness against the parishioners of Kiltern if they bring any ungodly minister in here.

I kind of wanted to read it in a Scottish accent, but I wasn't quite brave enough. I don't know whether that would have been a good thing or not, but, yeah, whatever you think about these words of Thomas Hogg, we're certainly left in no doubts about what he thinks his successor should be like. His grave served as a reminder, as a warning, really, on the threshold of the church. And what do we think of these words? One thing we can say about them is they're looking forward, aren't they?

His last words are looking forward. Anticipating what might come in the future. And this morning we are looking at the last words of David, which are also looking forward. Looking forward. We've been following the life of David in our sermon series this autumn.

Looking forward, haven't we? Looking forward. Looking forward to Jesus, the true king. And so now, as we come, well, now we come to these last words of King David, although actually, I don't think they're the actual last words of King David. If you read, you can read in Two Kings, chapter two, I think it is, where he speaks to Solomon just before he dies.

But these are like the last words in a kind of official sense, like a last pronouncement, if you like. And actually these words come in the form of a song. I don't know whether that came across to you, but they come in the form of a song. And I think what's really interesting is that it's a prophetic song. These words are prophecy.

Prophecy. We know that because David explicitly uses the Hebrew word for prophecy at the beginning of the song. And I'm just going to read verses two, verse two, and into verse three, going to read from the NIV. So it won't be quite the same as what you've got in front of you. Probably the spirit of the Lord spoke through me.

His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke. So what we have here is a king functioning as a prophet. That's interesting, isn't it? We have a king of Israel functioning as a prophet.

I think it's quite an unusual thing, even in Israel, an unusual thing. But this is an important time for the people of Israel. This is an important moment for them. And so they need a word directly from God himself. And that's what we have here, a word that's directly from God, the direct words of God.

And so because of this, these words, they take on a new perspective, I think, don't they? They're especially poignant, I think. And as I said a moment ago, we're looking forward, we're looking beyond David with these words. We're looking to something greater, something in the plan of God that includes all his people. All his people.

David's prophecy here points to another kingdom. He's thinking about his kingdom, but it points to another kingdom. As I said, we've been looking forward all the time, as we've been looking at the life of David, but explicitly here, these words of prophecy look forward and they look forward to another kingdom. So it's that kingdom I want us to focus on. As we look on at these words this morning, what can we learn about this future kingdom that David is talking about?

Well, first of all, the kingdom is secure. If we look at verse five, for does not my house stand so with God, for he has made me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure I was thinking about this, and I think, humanly speaking, this must have been a difficult time for David. It's a time of uncertainty, isn't it? He's nearing the end of his life, and as he looks forward to Solomon reigning after him, he must have had questions, I think, in his head. Will Solomon lead the people in the right way?

Will he also be a king off the Lord's heart in the way that David had been? Or will he actually even be king? If we look at one kings, chapter one, solomon's succession is by no means a given, particularly in some people's minds. So I guess this must have been a time of insecurity. But as David looks forwards towards the kings that will succeed him, he knows that hope for the future is secure.

Hope for the future is secure. And we know this because it's a fulfilment of an everlasting covenant. That's what we read in verse five. The fulfilment of an everlasting covenant that the Lord had instigated with him.

And you know what? The fact that this hope for the future is secure, it's something for all of us. It's something for all God's people. We can all take comfort from this. We can all take comfort from these words of prophecy, can't we?

This is a source of encouragement for us all, I think.

We live in times of uncertainty at the moment, don't we? We live in times when we look at the world and we often have a sense of despair. Things seem to be out of control and we often don't feel secure. And you know what? As Christians, we long for what David talks about in verse three.

Really, don't we? If I read verse three, when one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning. We long for leaders in our world that will rule in this way in the fear of God. But when we look at the world, we see oppression, we see injustice, we see chaos. And that seems so far from what David is talking about here.

We long for change. But what David tells us here of the coming kingdom is not a political proposal that may or may not work, but it is a divine certainty. It's a divine certainty if we look back at verse five, for does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. Ordered in all things and secure.

David here, of course, is referring to God's promise to him. And we find that in Two Samuel, chapter seven, two Samuel, chapter seven, verse 13 says this and your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. Your throne shall be established forever. David's line will never die out.

His kingdom will never end. Even if and when kings that follow him fall into sin. And we know that they do. Even when they lead the people astray, even though God would need to judge the rulers of Israel and need to judge the people themselves, even though at times things seem so chaotic and profoundly insecure. God always remembers his covenant, this covenant that he's made with David.

He will always provide a king, and ultimately a king that will reign in righteousness and in the fear of the Lord. And we can look forward with certainty to that coming kingdom that David is prophesying about. And in that kingdom we can have security because God's promises are secure.

Those of us that worry about things in life, and I count myself definitely in that group of people, I was thinking about this. What do I worry about? I think I worry about the future most of the time, what's going to happen. I think if we worry about things, that's what we worry about, isn't it? What is going to happen?

What's the future going to be like? But we have hope for the future. We have hope in a kingdom of certainty that David is talking about here in these words of prophecy. And you know what? Actually we have as believers a taste of that kingdom.

Now, in Colossians, chapter one, verse 13, paul says, the Father has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. Into the kingdom of the Son he loves. If we have experienced God's salvation, we are members of the kingdom. We are members of the kingdom now. And the more we know of God's rule in our hearts, the more we will know of this kingdom.

Secondly, the kingdom is attractive. That's the second thing I want us to think about. The kingdom is attractive. Going to read from halfway down verse three and on into verse four. The rockers of Israel has said to me, when one rules justly over men ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.

Now this is a wonderful description, isn't it, of what leadership should look like. You kind of think that these words should be emblazoned across the desk of every leader in the world, every world leader. Two qualities that make a truly great leader a heart for justice and a humble reverence for God. A heart for justice and a humble reverence for God.

As David looks forward here to the coming kingdom, we have this wonderful imagery of the reviving and refreshing effects of a Godly ruler's reign. The dawning sun on a cloudless morning, the refreshing rain that brings forth grass on the earth. Wonderful imagery, isn't it? But these promises, this promise of a Godly ruler's reign, of course it comes true in Jesus, doesn't it? In King jesus, the true King, as the angel said to Mary in Luke chapter one concerning Jesus, it says this he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.

And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. Will give to him the throne of his father David. Two samuel, chapter three. This passage that we're looking at here describes not only the ideal Jewish king, but it looks forward to a king of the Jews and the Gentiles, a king that will bring peace on the earth, as the Old Testament predicts in so many places. And the New Testament promises too.

This King, King Jesus, the true King, will renew the whole earth like sunshine and rain. Under his leadership, creation will flourish in the new heaven and the new earth where righteousness dwells. This is the hope that we have. This kingdom is attractive. And this kingdom is attractive because the King is attractive.

Jesus is attractive. Even more so because down the ages. We don't see that with rulers down the ages, do we? This kind of quality is only found in Jesus, the true King Jesus, and we need to know Him. Do you know what I think this should stir us into action.

More people need to know about Jesus, the true and perfect King. More people need to know about the restoration he brings, need to know about Him who, if we know Him, he will revive and restore us. More people need to know. And secondly, I think it should stir us into action, into prayer, into praying for our world. We worry about our world, there's so much to pray for.

But we need to pray for his kingdom to come now, don't we? We prayed that already in the Lord's Prayer. We pray it most weeks in the Lord's Prayer your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. So it should stir us into action, I think. And also the next point is the kingdom is exclusive.

Last point the kingdom is exclusive. Now, this doesn't sit so well today, does it? Something being exclusive. Everything is inclusive these days. And that's right in society.

It's right that people shouldn't people shouldn't be marginalised, and it's good and important to strive for inclusivity.

However, not everyone accepts or wants this righteous ruler's reign that David talks about. In this passage. Many people reject King Jesus, don't they? Many people reject him, and they don't want him as King. They don't want him to be part of their lives.

And so the concluding verses of this passage in the concluding verses, we see what the result is of rejecting King Jesus. And that rejection is actually the opposite of what the reign of King Jesus looks like. With the messianic King, we see the light like the morning light outside of his reign, we see thorns. The righteous ruler brings freshness. But in the judgement that follows his rejection, there's pain.

Those that reject the rule of Jesus, the rule of his righteous rule, will ultimately be excluded. That's the message here. There is judgement. The coming in kingdom involves both restoration and destruction. Actually, both salvation and judgement.

Christ's new order purges those who want no part of his righteous reign, those who are not willing to submit to his rule. David's last words balance the good news of grace with the more difficult words of judgement.

But actually, although these words of judgement are difficult to hear, they're right, aren't they? They are right. A kingdom without judgement is actually not something anyone wants, really, is it? We all want to see the wrongs that happen in the world. We want to see them dealt with.

We want to see judgement. Everyone wants to see that. And that's what's happening here, isn't it? That's exactly what's happening. This is exactly that.

God assures David that the thorns that have hurt so many people, that have ruined God's good earth, will finally be dealt with. They will finally be dealt with and the earth can flourish again. You cannot have blessing without judgement. Judgement will come. But there's choices to be made now.

There are choices to be made now. Now, I'm afraid I'm going to get a bit Christmassy with you now. I know it's the 5 November, it's not so far away. All right. Joy to the world.

I'm sure we will sing it at Christmas time. Wonderful Christmas carol. Joy to the world, the Lord is come let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room they go well with this passage, actually. In fact, particularly verse three.

I'm not sure we always sing verse three, but in verse three it says, no more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground he comes to make his blessings flow. Comes straight out of this passage, doesn't it? We can choose the reign of this righteous Saviour, Jesus Christ, now in our lives. Let every heart prepare Him room. He reigns in the hearts of all those that believe and trust in Him.

A question that we have to ask ourselves this morning, I think, is how much room is there in my heart? How much room is there in my heart for the rule and the reign of Jesus Christ, the righteous ruler that David talks about, that he prophesies about in these last words? Let's pray, shall we?

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the promise of Your kingdom and the hope that that gives us. We thank you that Your promises are secure. Help us to let you reign as King in our hearts and help us to proclaim the good news of Your kingdom. In Jesus name. Amen.