2 SAMUEL EIGHT
2 SAMUEL EIGHT
JT We had David’s military prowess before us earlier and this chapter affords us a general view of it. The details of some of these conquests are given later in the book, but the great features of his military exploits are seen here, and the object in view, namely, subjugation of territory and of persons. In Joshua’s time the conflict and battles were rather for extermination,
[p. 66] so that we have to consider the difference. The word ‘subdue’ is one of the key words of David’s reign. It has a force bearing on ourselves as under grace, not for extermination, but for subjugation. “And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them”.
Rem I think you were saying previously that verse 1 of chapter 7 chronologically anticipates this chapter.
JT Just so, “from all his enemies”. So that the chapters are not exactly chronological, they are in moral sequence, I suppose.
Ques Is David a type of Christ here? “He must reign until he put all enemies under his feet”, 1 Corinthians 15:25.
JT Subjugation is the thought. Extermination is the leading thought of Joshua’s conquests because there enemies are typical of wicked spirits or principles, whereas here actual persons are in question, and God is not exterminating persons until they are wholly committed to evil principles.
Rem Yet he takes the territory when he goes out after it. He apparently secures the persons for himself. “And David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus”, verse 6: “And he put garrisons in Edom”, verse 14.
JT Quite so. Territory is involved. He went to recover his dominion by the Euphrates; he was pushing his conquests to the utmost limits of the territory promised to Israel, but he was not clearing the territory of its inhabitants as in Joshua’s time, he subdued them.
Rem In Joshua’s time the enemy would occupy divine territory.
JT They are wicked spirits in heavenly places. Iniquity had come to the full. Israel had in fact to wait for the iniquity of the Amorites to be full. With David it is subjugation of the territory and of the persons [p. 67] in it.
Ques Is this the effect of the gospel on ourselves?
JT It is more than that because you have results. They brought gifts in verse 2, and then we have gifts again in verse 6. And then “David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer”, verse 7; and in verse 10, “he brought with him vessels of silver, [p. 77] and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze. Them also king David dedicated to Jehovah”. So that it is one line of thought throughout the chapter, the result for God in the way of gifts or spoils.
Ques Is it more in line with the epistle to the Romans?
JT I think it is subjugation and something accruing in subjugated persons; some give gifts and others have things taken from them, so that God has something “dedicated to Jehovah”. Romans enters into it, but the first great thought is the power of the capital that David has taken out of the hand of the Philistines, the power to hold the saints in subjugation. “The power of the capital”, verse I, is the great point to see in the chapter.
Ques. What is that?
JT The allusion is to organised power centred in the capital or metropolis.
Ques Is it significant that David took the head of the giant there? He was of Gath!
JT It seems as if Gath was the leading town or city of the Philistine country. The king lived there in David’s earlier time. It would therefore allude to an organisation of the enemy to hold the saints in captivity. The power of the capital would mean a combination, an organisation, as the most potent means of opposing God. But He has had recourse to organisation too. The world became organised, and that was when it became most powerful against God. Matthew has the idea of two, whether for good or for evil: it alludes to power or centralisation. I suppose the capital would mean centralisation. “... Let us [p. 68] build ourselves a city and a tower”, Genesis 11:4, Babel, that was, and the people had to be scattered abroad.
Ques How does the thought of extermination work out?
JT It works out in Joshua, the inhabitants were all to be exterminated. There it is a question of Satan’s representation. It was a developed thing, there was no salvation for that at all. But under David it was not that. There was no thought of the iniquity of any of these countries becoming full, but of taking the territory and the people, taking them as subdued, so that it applies to ourselves. The gospel is for the obedience of faith among the nations; Romans 1:5.
Ques In regard to ourselves, does the thought of extermination also apply?
JT The application of extermination would be in putting to death the evil principles that are in us.
Ques Is there different treatment of the Philistines? “He smote the Philistines, and subdued them”; and with Moab, “he smote the Moabites, and measured them”.
JT It is a remarkable thing. He “measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive”. That seems to me to fit in with Romans 7, two lines for death and one full line for life. I believe Romans develops these thoughts.
Rem “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, Romans 3:23. That would suggest measure.
JT I think so. Romans 3 brings in the law. Both Jew and Gentile are brought in under sin, a sort of line. Jew and Gentile had been tested and brought in guilty by measure. One of the two lines would be the law. There is a line which determines [p. 69] their fate, whether for death or for life. The “much more”, I think, in Romans 5 is the “one full line”.
Ques Do the Philistines represent an organised body against the truth?
JT I think that is what is meant. There are two words used: “Metheg-ha-ammah”, or the power of the key of the capital. It is one word in the Authorised Version, but there are two ideas, not only the capital, but the key to it. If it be the rule of heaven or of principalities or powers in the heavenlies the key implies the way to get to it. The Lord Jesus says that He has the key of David, and the keys of Hades and of death. The word ‘power’ would be the way of getting at the thing, the great power of it, to be exerted either for good or for evil. If David got it he would use it for good. Christ has taken the power of influencing men from the devil and He is using it for good.
Ques Do the Philistines represent some aspect of this world?
JT It could easily be shown what the Philistines are, and the Moabites, and the Syrians, and the Ammonites, and so forth; but this point of the capital or metropolis is of the greatest importance for young Christians especially. It is not simply Satan personally, but the organisation he has, his allies, a regular coterie of powerful intelligencies under his control. Satan is said to be “the prince of this world”, (John 12:31) “the prince of the power of the air”, (Ephesians 2:2) and so forth, so that the idea of organisation enters into his mode of opposition to God.
Ques Is Paul attacking that element in Corinthians from the outset, gifted, powerful persons in cliques?
JT Just so. You mean, I apprehend, that it begins with parties. Some say, “I am of Paul”, etc. Paul used only his own name and that of Apollos to illustrate what was there. He was alluding to [p. 70] local leaders. Satan would bring the saints into bondage through them.
Rem In the end of Matthew the Lord says: “All power has been given me”;(Matthew 28:18) then He organises them and sends them out in relation to what is good, to make disciples.
JT Matthew deals with two, whether for good or evil; that is where the assembly comes in. What power there is!
Ques Is the last paragraph of this chapter in moral sequence to the first?
JT You mean it is David’s regime, David is governing. It is a complete system of government with departments, his cabinet, in modern language.
Rem And supersedes what was holding control in the first paragraph: “... delivered us from the authority of darkness”, Colossians 1:13.
JT That is very good. It is remarkable how the saints may be brought into it as influencing for good.
Rem Your suggestion about Satan’s organisation is helpful. If this world is organised, its politics, its citizenship, etc., God will not bring us out of that to be left idle or to have nothing to do; there is a great regime in which to have part.
Ques Were the gifts in this chapter brought willingly?
JT The thought of gift in the anti-type would be: “present your bodies a living sacrifice”, Romans 12:1. Those who were once enemies are now subdued. God has so become known to us in Christ that we yield ourselves to God. This matter of organisation is worth following up. God brings us into His system of things and puts us into office according to that for which we are fitted. “And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was chronicler; and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was scribe; and Benaiah the son of [p. 71] Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers”, verse 16 - 18. I think we have the suggestion of each believer being brought into the system that God has. According to Romans we yield ourselves to God as alive from among the dead, instruments to God. Each has his place so that God carries on with the same principle for deliverance as that with which Satan carries on for captivation.
Rem In the beginning of the Acts you have the organisation working properly. The apostles respected Peter. If the apostles recognised Peter there was no difficulty about his preaching at Pentecost.
JT They recognised his place. These converts discerned that the apostles were something different. They said: “What shall we do, brethren?” (Acts 2:37).
Rem The apostle Paul speaking to Timothy says that he was appointed a preacher and an apostle. Would that be his position in this cabinet?
JT Quite so. He uses the word ‘minister’ in speaking to Agrippa, who would understand him, not simply ‘bondman’. He was appointed a minister, a dignified office. God appointed him to be that.
Rem That scripture in which Paul says: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief”, 1 Timothy 1:15, would be like a gift of a subdued Philistine; it enriches the assembly, does it not?
JT I think we ought to pursue that, that each of us might get into his mind the idea of being brought into a new system, and taken on according to what he is able to do. “Why stand ye here all the day idle?”(Matthew 20:6) Satan does not allow his votaries to be idle.
Ques Is not this idea of subjugation a certain process with me, until I arrive at the perfect and acceptable will of God?
[p. 72] JT Romans is the doctrinal development of all this so that the believer is subdued as “garrisoned”. “Garrisoned” is another good word of the chapter, meaning there is power to hold things, like the Spirit in us, shedding abroad the love of God. We are held and then we present our bodies to be used in the system. Romans 6 shows how the members are holy instruments of righteousness, and then in chapter 12 our bodies are presented, so that everyone is subdued, garrisoned, used, and gives gifts.
Ques Is it not remarkable that Romans anticipates priesthood amongst us, whereas if we think about what is levitical we have to go to Corinthians? I was wondering whether the idea of priesthood understood by us would help us to be taken on for service, for work.
JT You will notice that there are two priests here. There is one military, man, one chronicler, one scribe, but there are two priests, showing that there are more priests needed than any other official.
That is one brother and one sister, so to speak. You could hardly get a sister to be military, but two priests would mean that more of these are needed. Sisters are brought into the priesthood. Generally speaking every bit of levitical service is clothed in priestly service. We have prayer at the beginning and ending of our meetings, two prayers for one sermon. And how many before the gospel! The two in the priestly office here is a suggestion. It is what is now needed, and these meetings for prayer in the houses before the gospel are used of God. I suppose those of us who preach know that. A brother is waiting on the Lord for a word and the brethren are praying downstairs; well he will get it more quickly. This is practised all over the world now, very largely, and God blesses it.
Rem And it is generally more effective in the house, too, the volume [p. 73] is greater.
JT What you bring out of your house is a great thought in the Scriptures. It must be a baptised house, of course, that is, where the Lord’s death is recognised; you cannot get anything save on that principle, the death of Christ.
Ques I was wondering whether baptism must underlie all this.
JT Romans stresses that. The principle is in chapter 6. Corinthians is the collective thought.
Ques What would you do in a mixed household where the head of the house is not with us?
JT That is an abnormal condition, but of course, if the head is ready to kneel down and pray you can do that. If he does not do that he is hardly a Christian at all.
Ques Why are these two lines to be put to death?
JT It seems to be that God gives full testimony to His judgment, “... that thou shouldest be justified”, Romans 3:4. And there is one full line for life. Romans 7 is a great line for inward state that has to be judged.
Rem The thought of prayer in regard to Paul is significant, his whole service is built up on that preliminary priestly service.
JT Just so, following on the Lord in Luke. He was all night in prayer to God (Luke 6:12), and He went up into the mount of transfiguration to pray, not to be transfigured. Think of a man going up that high mountain to pray! And as He prayed His countenance was changed, showing what heaven thought of His praying.
Rem Toi, king of Hamath, respects David. He is already subjugated, he sent his son to congratulate David on having smitten Hadadezer. Hadadezer must have been a very quarrelsome man.
Ques Is it like a soul delivered from the power of the world, and in the sense of his liberation from it he yields something to the [p. 74] Lord?
JT He is released, from Hadadezer’s quarrelsome power over him; many Christians are like that. “And Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to inquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him”, verse 10. David is in his mind. He evidently has a sense of gratitude to David.
Rem This man had territory to which he had no right; verse 12 speaks of “the spoil of Hadadezer”. How like the enemy! He has taken over territory that does not belong to him. Toi had been affected by that.
Ques These vessels are of silver and gold and bronze. Is that the idea today, as vessels of mercy we fit into this organisation?
JT I think so. That is Romans, each believer is constituted useful for the tabernacle. “Them also king David dedicated to Jehovah”, vessels for His use. Metals, too, were evidently needed.
Rem If we read Chronicles we should be impressed with the amount David gave to the house.
JT These would be included in the great abundance of 1 Chronicles 22, but then David had his own private gold that he gave besides.
Ques Concerning prayer, the Lord went up into a mountain at one time and at another into the desert to pray. Would the place have something to do with it?
JT Quite so. In the desert you are away from all that would minister to the flesh. The mountain is moral elevation. And then the duration of His prayer is mentioned too, “all night”.
Ques All these nations have been enemies to Israel. They are all now subjugated to David and garrisons are put into these places. Would the local assembly in each place be garrisoned?
JT Take us here in New York tonight, for example. We are composed of brethren from Germany, Ireland, England, Scotland, and many other nations. We were all “enemies in mind by wicked works”, (Colossians 1:21) every one of us, and the Lord has taken us on and He has put garrisons, the Holy Spirit, in us. We each bring and give material dedicated to God.
Ques What does gold and silver metal as distinct from the vessels suggest?
JT I think that metals are generally material. Vessels, of course, are already made, ready for use, but metals would be potential material. God has to form us in view of use, it is material for something. Gold would be seen in any brother or sister whom God would use to set out Himself, what He is in holiness and righteousness in testimony. Silver, I think, would mean that we are vessels of love, I believe silver carries with it the thought of love. Whatever the metal may be it is a potential thing.
Rem The apostle seems to have been called a “vessel”, Acts 9:15.
JT That is a remarkable thing. He is the only one, I think, alluded to in that way. In general the metal would be potential material in the assembly. The work of God in a number of persons in a town as at Corinth would be potential to the position, and then God works in detail and forms vessels out of them.
Rem It is “much people” rather than many people; Acts 18:10.
Rem The Lord said to Paul, “I have much people in this city”, Acts 18:10. I suppose the Lord had a garrison in mind, the houses of Stephanas, Chloe and others.
JT I think the “much people” is a question of a holding in a town or territory. A man owning an oil field has a holding of value, but the thing has to be worked. In Corinth the Lord had potentially a great holding, and He wanted to get out of it all possible. Of the household of Stephanas, the apostle looking backward says, “I baptised also the house of Stephanas”, 1 Corinthians 1:16, as much as to say, That [p. 76] house is going to be used in that way, as a sphere of operations in Corinth. It is useable, not any longer a potentiality, but useable. The house of Chloe was useable too. She had something that was of great service to the testimony.
Rem The oil field of itself is not much good unless you have the machinery to get out the oil.
Rem Vessels would suggest what is at hand and ready to be used. Timothy was ready to be used.
JT Quite so. Paul took him up at once because he was well reported of by the brethren in the district.
Ques In view of there being “much people”, would not Paul stay there until the material was useable?
JT Quite so. He stayed eighteen months, the longest period spent anywhere except for Ephesus. It is a question of potentiality in a place, what God can get out of it. What has He in your town? There must be one vessel with which to start.
Ques Would this have any connection with Jeremiah 18?
JT You might bring that in. The allusion there is to display. The potter was making a vessel and it was marred and he made another. That goes on, I suppose, in every meeting. A good many had to be made over again in Corinth. Romans 6 shows how you dedicate yourself and Romans 12 is a holy vessel dedicated on the principle of sacrifice.
Rem I was thinking of that. The war was over with Hadadezer. I suppose when a war is over the spoils and the dedicated things begin to come forward.
JT You can see that with Toi, king of Hamath; he has the kind of spirit that suggests a volume of dedicated things: “Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to inquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him; for Hadadezer was continually at war with Toi. And he brought with him vessels of silver,
and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze”, verse 10. He has David in his mind in the sense of gratitude to him. He is already long subjugated and he brings with him the vessels. “Them also king David dedicated to Jehovah, with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated of all the nations that he had subdued: of the Syrians, and of the Moabites, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of the Amalekites”, etc. That is a great paragraph for this question of dedicated things.
Ques Would Luke parallel this with the woman who was made straight?
JT Luke is full of this, full of the idea of glorifying God. She glorified God. Take the case of Peter’s wife’s mother, “standing up she served them”, Luke 4:39, the result was immediate.
Rem Of the woman in Luke 13 it says that she was a daughter of Abraham, as if she were a vessel. Satan had subjugated her for eighteen years, and now she is released.
Rem Luke perhaps rises to a higher level than we realise. The idea of glorifying God is seen throughout the book, especially with the leper; Luke 17:15.
JT There are immediate results for God in every case. It is very beautiful, the line of glory in Luke, “glorifying God”.