Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20030216.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part LXII: Learning From The Last Formal Address On Leadership By A Veteran In Spiritual Leadership
(2 Samuel 23:1-7 NIV)
  1. Introduction
    1. When a veteran spiritual leader gives a final public address, and that address summarizes his views and recommendations to others on success in leadership, it is to be heeded along with his personal testimony.
    2. We have such a final public address by David in 2 Samuel 23:1-7 NIV, and we study it to glean an overview of leadership that God blesses.
  2. Learning From The Last Formal Address On Leadership By A Veteran In Spiritual Leadership
    1. To show the importance of this final public address, a formal introduction is supplied as follows:
      1. David is formally introduced in 2 Samuel 23:1 NIV: he is described as the son of Jesse, a man who was elevated to greatness in his rule by God as the anointed of the God of Jacob, a man who was the sweet psalmist of Israel.
      2. Well, as David begins to speak, he in turn gives a formal, honorary introduction of God to show what he had to say was built upon the God's statements to him on the matter, cf. 2 Samuel 23:2 NIV.
      3. David then briefly described God's greatness in typical formal introduction: God was the God of Israel, the Protective Rock upon whom the nation owed its origin and sustenance, 2 Samuel 23:3a NIV.
    2. Accordingly, the address itself highlighted the great importance of a human ruler's RESPECTING God so as to RULE JUSTLY over others, 2 Samuel 23:3b-4 NIV:
      1. David reported the Lord had told him that if a leader rules justly over men, ruling in a healthy respect for the Lord, there are certain blessings that automatically flow out of his oversight, 2 Sam. 23:3b NIV.
      2. David then reported these resulting blessings God shared with him in high imagery as follows:
        1. Rulers who lead out of a healthy respect of God, ruling justly over men, provide real hope for the nation's future like the morning light of the sun that dawns over the eastern horizon, 23:4a NIV.
        2. Rulers who lead out of a healthy respect of God, ruling justly over men, provide a hope that leads to a lack of fear and fulness of joy like a cloudless morning, 2 Samuel 23:4b NIV.
        3. Rulers who lead out of a healthy repsect of God, ruling justly over men, provide motivation and nourishment to the hearts of their subordinates that leads to great national productivity, 23:4c NIV.
    3. David then applied this Word from God relative to leadership, showing the contrast between his application of it and the failure of other men to apply it as follows, 2 Samuel 23:5-7 NIV:
      1. Applying this divine oracle to himself, David claimed due of his obedience to God led by his respect of God, his lineage would enjoy eternal blessing via the Davidic Covenant, 23:5 NIV and 7:1-17 NIV.
      2. However, worthless men who did not respect God and who then did not rule men justly would have just the opposite experience, a lack of God's blessing as follows, 2 Samuel 23:6-7 NIV:
        1. In contrast to the peaceful, hopeful productivity of the rule of a godly man, wicked rulers who did not respect God and thus did not rule justly would be like thorns that are thrown away, 23:6a NIV.
        2. This would occur because such men were not teachable, but selfishly fierce, so, like thorns that have to be handled by painful, forceful and lethal weapons, they would have to be destroyed by other rulers in war, 2 Samuel 23:6b-7 NIV.
Lesson: In his final formal address as king, an address focusing on what it takes to be blessed in an oversight position, David announced (1) GOD was the Variable that made all the difference. (2) Thus, to the DEGREE that a ruler (a) respected God so as to (b) rule justly over men, he enjoyed God's blessing of seeing subordinates be hopeful, joyful, motivated and productive. (3) Yet, to the DEGREE a ruler (b) did not respect God so as to (b) rule unjustly over others, he LACKED God's blessing of seeing subordinates be hopeful, joyful, motivated and productive, and he himself would become so unyielding in trying to keep order that he would need to be removed by a forceful downfall.

Application: Since we know from Deuteronomy 17:18-19 that the ruler's RESPECT for God originates from his daily exposure to Scripture, WE know the KEY to enjoying God's blessing in oversight is to be an overseer who is IN the SCRIPTURES as a WAY of LIFE!