THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

The Books Of Samuel: God's Shift Of Israel From Apostasy Under The Judges To David's Reign

II. 2 Samuel: The Reign Of David Over Israel

X. God's Program Of Delivering Us From Our Enemies

(2 Samuel 22:1-51)

Introduction: (To show the need . . .)

Dealing with enemies is quite a challenge, but we all face them in various realms of our lives:

(1) When the state senate met Monday, and state employee union members packed the halls outside the senate chamber, African-American junior Republican senator George Logan, R-Ansonia, who has family members who are state employees, publicly stated, "'State employee union leaders have an unhealthy grip on some members of this legislature!'" (Daniela Altimari and Matt Ormseth, "Wyman Casts Tiebreaking Vote To Approve Union Concessions Deal," July 31, 2017; courant.com) In response, Lieutenant Governor, Nancy Wyman who presides over the senate, replied, "I know that you're new here and we welcome you here. I'm asking you not to do that again." (Ibid.)

The next morning on "The Talk of Connecticut" radio talk show, co-hosts Brad Davis and Dan Lavallo expressed outrage at the Lieutenant Governor's rebuke, for they claimed that state employee union leaders indeed apply pressure on those senators who are beholding to them to make them vote in ways that squeeze ever more dollars out of taxpayers in the state! Brad and Dan viewed these union leaders as enemies of middle class taxpayers!

(2) We as medical patients face the enemy of big pharmaceutical companies: Jeffrey Kluger's article, "Is Drug-Company Money Tainting Medical education?" (March 6, 2009; time.com) reported that "many professors and instructors" in medical schools "are, legally, on the dole" from "Big Pharma," and that medical "students are beginning to worry that what they're being taught is just as one-sided as what patients are being prescribed."

Several physicians from different medical disciplines have told me of their dislike for man-made medicines.

(3) We believers in Christ face enemies of our faith: the July-August 2017 issue of Answers magazine, p. 42, told how "Peter Huntoon of the University of Wyoming recommended that Christian geologist Andrew Snelling be denied a permit to continue his research at Grand Canyon National Park," explaining that "'(o)urs is a secular society as per our constitution . . . those who represent inappropriate interests should be screened out.'"

Need: So, we ask, "What directive does God offer regarding productively dealing with the enemies we face?!"

I. After God rescued David from defeat from all of his enemies, he authored a psalm about it, 2 Sam. 22:1.

II. This psalm is recorded in 2 Samuel 22:2-51, and it provides invaluable insight that David gained in a life of facing enemies, so we view that psalm for insight on handling enemies we face today:

A. David testified that God was to be trusted to deliver him from his enemies, 2 Samuel 22:2-4.

B. Then, using descriptive language that fit particularly his experiences as a soldier, David explained how God had delivered him from his humanly overwhelming foes, especially his local pagan ones, 2 Samuel 22:5-19:

1. The language pictures God as Lord of the storm, with thick clouds, wind, thunder and lightning in place of the pagan god Baal, whom the region's pagans held was the storm god, Z. P. E. B., v. One, p. 431-433.

2. This contrast between God and Baal is explained in recalling that David's foes often were area pagans, starting with his battle against Goliath, so ascribing to Israel's God the attributes of the false god Baal testified to God's superiority over Baal as seen in God's having given David victory over his pagan foes!

C. David then explained WHY God had delivered him this way in 2 Samuel 22:20-28 as follows:

1. David had [generally, 1 Kings 15:5] lived uprightly, so God delivered him from his foes, 2 Sam. 22:20-21.

2. The cause of David's having lived uprightly rose from his relying on the Holy Spirit's enabling starting at his anointing (1 Samuel 16:13) that he might obey God's Deuteronomy 17:18-20 call for Israel's kings to keep God's written Word conspicuously before his mind that he might obey it precisely, 2 Sam. 22:22-28.

D. Accordingly, David then testified HOW God had delivered him in 2 Samuel 22:29-49 (as follows):

1. The Lord had strengthened David both in his inner as well as in his outer man that he might withstand his enemies in his roles both as a soldier and as Israel's king, 2 Samuel 22:29-34.

2. God had even taught David skills he needed for use in his roles as soldier and king, 2 Samuel 22:35.

3. The Lord had made David great in the view of others so that they might respect him, friend and foe alike, making his task of handling his enemies much easier, 2 Samuel 22:36.

4. God had also given David inner and outer personal stability so he might withstand his foes, 2 Sam. 22:37.

5. Finally, God had caused David's enemies to collapse and fall in defeat before him, 2 Samuel 22:38-49.

E. For all of these blessings, David expressed thanksgiving to the Lord in 2 Samuel 22:50-51.

Lesson: Once God had delivered David from all of his enemies in his calling as a combat soldier and king, he testified of the lessons he had learned in the process: (1) David had learned that God was to be trusted to deliver the believer from all of even his most overwhelming foes (2) PROVIDING he lived righteously, (3) what in turn arose from exposing his mind to God's written Word throughout life. (4) God's deliverance came by way of (a) His strengthening the believer to withstand conflict with his enemies, (b) God's teaching him the skills he needs to face his foes, (c) God's causing others, friend and foe alike, to respect him, making the believer's life easier, (d) God's giving the believer stability in both his inner and outer man to produce peace in his life and (e) God's causing his enemies to collapse and fall before him in defeat. (5) The believer should then thank God for His deliverances!

Application: If facing enemies, (1) may we trust in Christ to be saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit who came upon David at his anointing to empower him for life, John 3:16; Romans 8:9b; 1 Samuel 16:13. (2) Then, relying on the Holy Spirit for power to live uprightly (Galatians 5:16), may we (3) daily expose our minds and hearts to Scripture and apply it (4) to see God help us as we follow the example of David's life (above) in handling our foes.

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message . . .)

We can apply the lessons of this message to each of the issues of concern raised in our introduction:

(1) Regarding the increased financial pressures we will likely face in an increase in taxes due to problems in state government, once we have trusted in Christ and we are relying on the Holy Spirit daily to expose our minds and hearts to Scripture and its application, we can expect God to help us by (a) enhancing our buying power by either increasing our income level and/or revealing less-costly ways to spend our money, (b) by teaching us Biblical principles on being wiser managers of our money, (c) by causing state officials to respect us, (d) by giving us greater stability and (e) eventually causing foes of our economic welfare to be defeated in their harmful efforts.

(2) Regarding the health issue pressures we face that are created by Big Pharma man-made medicines and their renowned negative side effects, once we are right with God and heed His Word, we can expect Him to help us by teaching us to stay healthier by implementing better diet, sleep and exercise practices that provide us greater independence from man-made medicines.

(3) Regarding persecution from enemies of our faith as illustrated in our introduction by the experience of creationist geologist Dr. Andrew Snelling, the same issue of Answers that reported on his being denied a permit to do research in the Grand Canyon (Ibid.), p.60-61 has an encouraging testimony in Mike Matthews' article, "Nine Days Below the Rim." It tells of a raft trip a group of Christians took with Dr. Snelling down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, on which trip God revealed new evidence to the geologist that supports the Genesis Flood!

Mr. Matthew's words tell it best: "[Dr.] Andrew [Snelling] pointed excitedly to a little rock next to the river. It looked like a block cut out of a sand dune, about a foot square, consisting of dozens of sand layers. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it was part of the Coconino sandstone we'd seen earlier in the trip.

"Conventional geologists claim the Coconino sand layers were formed out of wind-blown desert dunes. But creation geologists have studied the rocks directly in the field. They discovered that the sand resembles that on the ocean floor (gentle angles and mixed grain sizes), not steep desert dunes made of fine sand. More intriguing, this rock had formed since the last flash flood deposited the sand the previous year! This was only the first of several times we observed modern rapid processes that could explain the rock layers around us." (Ibid., emphases ours)

Though not granted a permit to do research there, Dr. Snelling took advantage of the opportunity he still had legally to travel down the Grand Canyon's Colorado River on a raft. As he traveled, God arranged for him to make this encouraging, strengthening, edifying discovery of the rock, and this find along with other discoveries on the trip revealed how rapidly the sedimentary rocks of the Grand Canyon were formed at the Genesis Flood versus the theory of evolution. The Lord also arranged for this find to be written up in an article by Michael Matthews, Editor in Chief of Answers, an article that would be circulated in the United States and Great Britain and mentioned on web sites that reach out worldwide! God's truth about the Genesis Flood as seen in the Grand Canyon through Dr. Snelling's eyes was widely reported regardless if he himself was denied a permit to do research there!

To handle our enemies, even humanly overwhelming ones, may we trust in Christ as Savior to be equipped of God to succeed. Then, relying on the Holy Spirit and heeding Scripture, we will see the Lord sustain, help and teach us to respond successfully to our foes as He also causes their efforts against us to collapse as He did for David. Finally, may we express praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for His deliverance!