Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20020929.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part XLV: Learning To Honor God When He Keeps His Promises Of Help
(2 Samuel 7:11b with 8:1-18)
  1. Introduction
    1. When God appoints a party to an oversight role in a marriage, family, church, business or governmental position, ultimately, it is the Lord Himself Who must HELP that party function so he may succeed there.
    2. David enjoyed success in military and administrative endeavors as king because of the Lord's HELP, and he honored the Lord in fitting fashion as a result (as follows):
  2. Learning To Honor God When He Keeps His Promises Of Help, 2 Samuel 7:11b with 8:1-18.
    1. When God made the Davidic Covenant promises to king David, He promised to give David rest from all of his enemies, 2 Samuel 7:11b NIV.
    2. Accordingly, God began to show His fulfillment of this promise in 2 Samuel 8:1-18 in amazing ways:
      1. Though the Philistines plagued Israel throughout Saul's reign, David both defeated and subdued them even as far as the important Philistine city of Gath itself, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, ftn. to 2 Samuel 8:1.
      2. Next, the Moabites who apparently were a special problem enemy David subdued by executing two-thirds of the population in random choice and saving the rest alive to pay him tribute, 2 Sam. 8:2. Though this may seem harsh by today's standards, it was apparently a just activity as the context tells us God was helping David wherever he went in this chapter, cf. 2 Samuel 8:6b, 14b.
      3. Third, while the Aramean enemy, Hadadezer left his capital to recover lost territory north by the Euphrates River, David took the opportunity to capture his homeland and take much spoil, 8:3-4a. David hamstrung all but 100 horses so the Arameans could use them only for peaceful pursuits while the 100 horses would be useful for defending the nation alone, 2 Samuel 8:4b.
      4. Fourth, upon defeating Hadadezer's homeland, a group of Arameans in Syria on his way home decided to attack him as a reprisal, so David overcame them by slaying 22,000 of the enemy, establishing protective garrisons there and left the country paying tribute to Israel, 2 Samuel 8:5-6a.
      5. Fifth, upon returning with his spoil, David brought the gold shields belonging to Hadadezer's officers to Jerusalem along with an enormous amount of captured bronze, 2 Samuel 8:7-8.
      6. Sixth, upon hearing of his conquests and spoils gained, another Aramean king, Tou of Hamath, sent his son, Joram to David to congratulate him for defeating Hadadezer with whom he had warred, 8:9-10b. Joram delivered more gifts of silver, gold and bronze, 2 Samuel 8:10c.
      7. Seventh, in a battle with the Edomites in the Valley of Salt south of the Dead Sea, David gained international fame, 2 Samuel 8:13. David preserved his victory by establishing garrisons in Edom so that the Edomites became his subjects, 2 Samuel 8:14.
      8. Eighth, David established an administration to govern this growing empire, placing Joab as his army's commander, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud as recorder, Zadok and Ahimelech as priests, Seraiah as secretary, Benaiah as head of his special forces and his sons as chief officials, 8:15-18, cf. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, p. 465.
    3. David noticed God's HELP in these efforts, and honored the Lord as a result, 2 Sam. 8:6b, 14b, 11-12.
      1. Both in 2 Samuel 8:6b and 8:14b, the NIV reads: "The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went."
      2. The Hebrew word for "gave victory" is yasha' from which the word "salvation" comes, and carries the idea in this context of help in gaining military victory.
      3. Recognizing God had given him victory in all of these battles, and that God had caused Tou of Hamath to befriend him (and had supplied him the personnel to administrate his kingdom), David dedicated the spoils of war from these conquests to the Lord, 2 Samuel 8:11-12.
Lesson: When David began to witness God's faithfulness to keep His promises to him regarding the establishment of peace for him and Israel from all of their enemies, he RIGHTFULLY honored the Lord in devoting to Him all the spoils of war that came his way.

Application: (1) We who are put into oversight positions by God NEED His help to succeed! (2) That being so, WHEN we START to SEE GOD actually HELP us in that oversight, we must be careful to give Him all the GLORY for that success, and DEDICATE all we are and have for His glory alone!