Vian Baptist Church 2Samuel 23:1-7 “Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morn—————– ing, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.”
There is a blessing and a warning in these verses. The blessing is simple. David was used of God to leave a permanent record behind for us to read.
“The LORD spake by me…” That has meaning beyond what men think it is. It validates the fact that God uses men to speak pr write what He wants men to know. Peter knew this: 2Peter 1:20-21 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
I find it fascinating that today’s scholars have so much of a problem accepting this as fact. Textual Critics became a thing in the 1800 s when Westcot and Hort decided to critically examine the Scriptures. These lost men had no clue to the spiritual meaning of scripture and set themselves up as experts on what the scripture should say instead of what it did say.
The people and institutions that print new “bibles” year by year do not realize they are destroying the spiritual portion of Scripture in favor of an easy reader bible. The Word of God commands us to “study to shew thyself approved” (2Timothy 2:15).
That is an indication of the complexity of the spiritual component of Gods Word to man. God did not deliver to us the comic book version of the Bible, but He was revealing part of His thoughts for us to learn from.
The second part…the warning is about the men of belial. Belial is men that are great wickedness. The first mention is in Deuteronomy 13:13 and the last mention is in 2Corinthians 6:15. Not one word about them is positive, The warning “they cannot be taken in hand” literally means they are thorns that will always be with us. I believe the reference to fire to deal with them is a mention of their eternal destiny.
If we are always going to have wicked men around us we would be wise to have a plan to cope with them. The Apostle Paul tells us how. Ephesians 6:10-17 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” Since men of Belial are ungodly men, they will seek to destroy anything that would condemn them. First they will try to destroy the Scriptures.
Once they have cast doubt on them in the minds of men, they can begin on the doctrines we hold.
From destroying the doctrines, they are able to destroy the church. They want to introduce doctrines that are contrary to Scripture. Remember, Scripture is God revealed Will for mankind. There are many more men of Belial in the world today. Wickedness runs throughout our world and threatens to overcome Godliness.
We are not weak if we are close to God and believe His Word. 2Corinthians 10:4-5 “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” Davids blessing and David’s warning are both still in force today. Scripture is indeed the Word of God and men of belial still hate it and you, if you are a Christian.
