If you would, turn to second Samuel chapter eight. Second Samuel eight. Second Samuel seven, David came to God and actually went to Nathan, prophet friend of his, and said, do you think the Lord would want me to build a house for him? And Nathan said, sure. Why not?

And then Nathan decided to go talk to God about it and God said, no. Go back and tell him, I don't need a house from you, but I will make a house of you. Okay? And of your lineage. And, of course, we learn that the seed of David is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who will rule and reign on David's throne forever.

And so it is an important house in regards important lineage in regards to the Messiah. Matthew picked up on that the very first part of his gospel to demonstrate and show all those to whom he wrote that Jesus is the fulfillment of what God said to David in second Samuel chapter seven. We go on chapter eight to read about David's conquest and how God, through David, pretty much fulfilled the conquering of the areas that he told Abraham would be his the land of his descendants. Israel didn't hold on to it for very long because of their sin and idolatry that came not long after David even beginning in the time of Solomon. But but at least for a time, but when Jesus comes, it won't be just for a time.

And so we look forward to that. But David, in his success in conquering, once he conquered, had to govern. And conquering is one thing and his governing is another. There are some leaders that are pretty good at governing and not very good at conquering, and there are some that are very good at conquering and very bad at governing. But David, it would seem, was pretty good at conquering and even better at governing.

So we're going to read a little bit about that and why in our passage this evening. So we'll begin in verse 15 of chapter 18. So I mean, eight. Sorry. Verse 15 of chapter eight.

And David reigned, ruled, governed over all Israel, and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people. That, by the way, is hard to come by in a government. And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was over the host, and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was recorder. And Zadok, the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, were the priests, and Seraiah was the scribe. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were chief rulers.

So we're going to spend the rest of this evening just on those few verses and just point out a few things. First of all, David's reign is generally categorized as a good one. Matter of fact, all other reigns following David in Israel or Judah was compared to whose reign? They were all compared to David's reign. They reigned, ruled in the steps of his father David or not in the steps of their father David.

David's reign is generally considered a good one where judgment and justice were dispensed by David throughout the kingdom. And in generally speaking, for all people, he didn't play favorites. The the there wasn't a whole lot of issue with the poor versus the rich or this or that because justice was fairly evenly distributed throughout the kingdom. So not only was he successful in war but also in administering justice for his people as God ordained government to do. The welfare of people was also important to David.

It's important to God and obviously it was important to to important to the people. In Romans chapter 13, Paul writes this concerning human government. We usually pull this passage out to explain that we, as in the latter verses or in beginning verse here, are responsible to obey the civil government that God has placed over us. But it also indicates what kind of civil government God expects government to be. Okay?

And so Romans chapter 13, let every soul be subject under the higher powers, for there's no power but of God. The powers that that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. So you you better be not be too quick to disobey the government that God has placed over you because you will help be held accountable not only by the government but by also by who? By God.

Okay? If you're looking for a a perfect government, you're not going to find that. So but he continues on. For rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power?

Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. That is the purpose of human government is to provide for the safety and protection of the people by providing some boundaries and restraints to human nature because human nature allowed to just do whatever it wants without boundaries or restraints will always end what? Badly. Okay?

Genesis chapter six. They only did only the imaginations of their heart were only what? Evil continually. The whole civilization went in the toilet. After the flood and after Noah and the Tower Of Babel, God divided up and ordained governments, brought some restraint to that.

And things still went downhill, not as quickly. Okay? Government is a good thing. We need those restraints and we need that protection. And it is ordained of God, particularly government that is there at least in part, for the welfare of the what?

Of the people. To protect them, to provide for judgment and justice. It seems that both David and his son Solomon took very seriously this responsibility as should every leader. The Bible says, God David was a man after God's own heart. Among other things, he cared for the people that he governed, and he wanted to provide for justice.

Also, Solomon, from first Kings I don't think I have that. No. I don't have that up here. From let me find it here. First Kings chapter three.

It's just a few pages over. First Kings chapter three and verses five through nine will read about when God offered Solomon pretty much anything Solomon wanted. Solomon, who of course is the son of David and we would hope that David had some influence upon. Solomon said, thou hast showed unto thy servant David, my father, great mercy. According as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee, and thou hast kept for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day.

And now, o Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a child. I know not how to go or come in, to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people, which thou hast chosen a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between the between good and bad for who is able to judge this, thy so great a people. So we see that expressed in the heart of David's son, Solomon, a desire to rule with judgment and with justice.

Matter of fact, this is also this is oh, it's it's this way. This is a attribute of the reign of the Messiah. This very same formula of governance, Isaiah nine seven. Isaiah nine six says, for unto you a child is born, unto us a son is given. Verse seven, of the increase of his government, Messiah, and peace, there shall be no end.

Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it, to establish it, with what? Judgment and justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Though at times, Israel saw judgment and justice from David and Solomon, it just isn't typically done very well by human government. But one day, when David's descendant, Jesus Christ, comes, returns to earth to rule and reign for a thousand years from David's throne and all into all eternity, there will be judgment and there will be be justice all over the earth for everyone because he is a god of holiness, he is a god of justice, and he is a god of fairness, and he does not play favorites.

And we will see that come to be in his good time. And so we see that also exemplified in the reign of his ancestor David, though not as perfectly as that of Jesus Christ, obviously. David accomplished one of the key things to notice is that David did not accomplish this all by himself. Okay? And so I think this is supposed to say second Samuel, not first.

Second Samuel five ten, and David went on and grew great and the Lord God of host was what? With him. Okay? First thing we need to recognize is that David succeeded in this regard, not only in the conquering but in the governing of this great people with justness, justice, and judgment, with righteousness and fairness because who was with him? Because God was with him.

How did he feed Goliath? Well, it wasn't just the talent and skill that David had with a sling. It was because God was with him. How did he conquer all of these surrounding peoples that were a threat to Israel and bring them under the umbrella of Israel's rule and influence. It was because God was with him.

How was he able to govern this group of people who were were it was not all a homogenous group. They were 12 tribes who didn't always get along very well with one another. There were extended groups, nations outside of those 12 tribes that Jesus that that David conquered and had to govern who were not always friends to Israel, to the North in Syria and the Moabites and the Ammonites to the East and and these places. And But yet, during David's rule, the latter half of David's rule, there was peace. And how was he able to do how was he able to hold that great coalition together that he had?

Well, God was what? God was with him. And we're reminded of this whether we're talking about Moses or Joshua or many other people in the scripture again and again and again, we read that God was with him or her and they weren't doing this alone. And when we succeed in our service for the Lord, when we succeed in the thing that he has called us to, we need to remember to give him the glory. And we need to remember that we don't have to do it alone.

A matter of fact, when we surrender and follow him, we will find that we will be far more successful and fulfilled than when we try to do it alone. We do need him and he is there. He is there. We just sometimes seem to forget that. And that is the first thing we need to notice about David's reign and his success.

But second of all, here in chapter eight of two Samuel, we read about several people that assisted him in this governing. And this is not a a complete list. There are several other people, Ahithophel and a couple of different counselors and and others that obviously served with him that were of great help to him. David surrounded himself with other wise men and women who assisted him in fulfilling the task incumbent upon him. This also demonstrated not only wisdom but also humility on the part of David.

For by wise counsel, thou shalt make thy war, and in the multitude of counselors, there is what? Safety. It is pride that pushes us to say, I do not need your help. I do not need your advice. I do not want to hear your admonition.

I'm going to plug my ears so I don't hear your warning. I can do this what? All by myself. Of course, the Bible says there's a way that seems right unto a man, but they're in there over the ways of death. And so if the only person you listen to is yourself, it was going to end badly.

Okay? We need others. Of course, we need the Lord most of all, but the Lord has put others in our life also that are key to our fulfillment and success in life. We are in this together. We are not alone.

And the wise person recognizes that and so does the humble person that they need others. They need their prayers. They need their their counsel. Sometimes they need their rebuke, they need their encouragement, need their example. We need each other.

David recognized that he needed others. Very quickly, he surrounded himself with a 100 men while he was a fugitive who whose numbers grew. They were not only there to do his bidding, they were there to support him because he needed them in several aspects of his life, not just in fighting off Saul. He had Jonathan in early Jonathan's not mentioned here, but Jonathan was a great friend and counselor to David early on in his life despite the fact that he was the son of the man who was trying to kill David, to keep David from taking his throne, that being Saul, Jonathan became a true friend and a wise counselor to David. Later on, his wife, Michael, helped him and was a counselor to him.

Then his cousins, Joab, Asahel, and Abishai. Joab is mentioned here in the passage. We'll come back to him briefly in a minute. These were his not his cousins, these were his nephews actually. And they were a help to him, a big help to him.

Followed by hundreds of men who followed and fought for him, as I mentioned earlier, David fought and served alongside an incredible group of loyal, wise, and generally godly men. And only with them by his side did he succeed as warrior and king. Not just men, but women. Remember Abigail, who stopped him in his tracks and kept him from doing for something he would have regretted when Nabal, Abigail's husband, had mocked and made fun of David, and David was coming to take him out. And wise counsel from Abigail stayed his hand, he acknowledged.

But he mentions several people here and we'll just take a few minutes just to mention them briefly this evening from chapter eight. First of all, we have Joab. Joab is one of those nephews. Joab became was one of the greatest of David's warriors, not being just a a warrior as in a a great soldier, but he was a great leader and strategist, and he became the commander of all of David's forces. He was granted that first seat, first position, so to speak, when David was coming to take Jerusalem, which was called Jebus at the time, from the Jebusites.

And remember, I'll remember a couple months ago how they took that that city from the Jebusites. They went into a tunnel that was under the city and Joab crawled up the well in order to get into the city and to surprise them. And he was the first one who got up the well and into the city. And David said, whoever that is will be commander of his army. And that was that was Joab who earned that distinction.

And so Joab went on to be an incredible commander, not a perfect one. Sometimes his counsel was right on, sometimes his counsel was not. But generally speaking, he was a loyal and wise commander for David and an important key to his conquering of the people that he would govern. It mentions here next let's see. Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was recorder.

This is a different Jehoshaphat than the one I mentioned this morning who was friends with Ahab, the king of Judah and the king of Israel. This is a different Jehoshaphat. So it must have been that was a fairly common name in Israel. I mean, you know, like John, Jehoshaphat. But anyway, so Jehoshaphat was the recorder, keeper of the state records, possibly royal Herod, bookkeeper, clerk for David.

And he had an important job to record all of those things. And then there was Zadok and Abiathar. These were the high priests during David's reign. Actually, Zadok and Ahimelech, as Zay Ahimelech being the son of Abiathar. Abiathar was friend, helped to David during the early part of his life when he was a fugitive and his son Ahimelech, high priest after.

They both were high priests over time as there was a changeover from Ithamar's line to Eliezer's line. So you just wonder who is Ithamar and who is Eleazar? Well, those were the two younger sons of Aaron. Two older sons died because they brought the wrong incense into the temple. The two younger sons, Ithamar and Eleazar, became the next two high priests and there were two lines that followed down.

Zadok was one and Ahimelech was of the other. And so for a time, there were two high priests in Israel and both were counselors to David. So David was the the civil political ruler of Israel, but he took counsel from the what? From the religious leaders that God had set up in Israel. They were not opponents, they were what?

They were associates and partners. And what a difference that made in Israel. Why? Because David, basically, by asking and seeking the assistance and guidance of Zadok and Ahimelech, was seeking the counsel of who? Was seeking the counsel of God.

He was welcoming God into his decision making process. Several times, he would ask the priests, even we see early in his life, what does God want me to do? And he relied on them to give him wise counsel from the Lord like the prophet Nathan as well. It was always wise of us to seek counsel from who? From the Lord.

And we don't have to go through a priest. There's only one high priest today and that's who? That's Jesus Christ. And so you can go directly to him. However, God does place other people in our life with wisdom and learning that can also be leaders and guides and helpers.

And we need to take advantage of that whether you're sitting in the pure or whether you're the pastor up here. There are still people that when I need counsel, I talk to them. And there are several of those that I look up to at time and talk to at times. And then there is Seraiah who was described. Basically, he is the official secretary, the personal assistant of that's the modern term for for David.

And then there is Benaiah or Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. Again, Jehoiada there's another Jehoiada mentioned later on who was a priest. This is not him. We don't know much about Jehoiada, but we do a little bit about Benaiah. He was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites.

Now these are not groups of Canaanites or something like this. These are group of soldiers. These are the personal bodyguards of David. Okay? They held a a very important role in in protecting David.

If you'll turn to second Samuel twenty three second Samuel 23, we'll read a little bit more about Benaiah. Second Samuel 23 and verse 20. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. So lot of the times, the reason it tells you Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada is like saying, my name is Rick Polar. Okay?

It gives you a little more information to identify who the person is because there were several Beneas probably, like there are several Ricks. Okay? So there's a couple of them here tonight and a Rick Interline and and me. And so that's the way they rather than the last name, it was son of. And so you have Beneath, son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts.

He slew two lion like men of Moab. He went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. He slew an Egyptian, a goodly man, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and slew him with his own spear. These things did Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and he had the name among the three mighty men. He was more honorable than the 30, but he attained not the first three.

And David set him over his what? Over his guard. So that kind of fills us in on the Cherethites and the Pelethites. These were groups that had that were like the secret service of of David's day and helped keep guard over the king. And there were probably several people inside and outside of Israel that would have loved to have taken David out.

And so the guard served a very important role. Among other things, not only was Benaiah obviously an exceptional warrior, but he was a very loyal and trustworthy one. Else, he would not have been given that responsibility to guard the king. And he and the others that did so succeeded in keeping David safe till the day that he died of natural causes and not by assassination, which was often the way kings died in that day, was the next one took them out. And so they did succeed and they were important to him.

And then it mentions here David's sons were chief rulers. Obviously, David had several sons that that served in different functions in his government as he got older, as they grew into adulthood. Some of them were more trustworthy. Some of them were more wise. Some of them were more godly than others.

Some of them served him well, and some of them betrayed him as we'll see later. But the point being is this, David didn't do this by himself. He recognized that he needed a whole lot of people helping with different areas of the governance of his kingdom. And he appointed, generally speaking, wise, trustworthy people to fulfill those roles. He trusted them.

He gave them authority. He delegated. And that is one of the reasons that he what? That he succeeded. That is one of the reasons that he succeeded.

Now, some of you have never heard of Seraiah or Benaiah, but all of you sitting here tonight are familiar with David. Moses did not minister alone, but with his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam, with Joshua. He took advice from his father-in-law. He appointed a 100 others to help him judge the people. He recognized that he could not do it, what?

Alone. He needed others to help and others did help. It's a two way street. Abraham did not travel alone either. His wife Sarah, his nephew Lot, and other servants, which even went to battle with him when necessary.

We all know who Abraham is. May not be quite as familiar with his servant Eliezer or many unnamed servants and friends that followed with him, that served with him, that helped to make Abraham the success that that he was. Paul rarely traveled or ministered alone. We we kind of put Paul on a pedestal and and so we should in a manner of speaking because God used him greatly to reach many with the gospel to be to establish churches all over Europe, and to write many of the scriptures that we have in our Bible. However, Paul was just a man that surrendered to the Lord and ministered with others.

And Paul hardly ever ministered or traveled by himself. First, there was Barnabas, and then there was Silas, and Timothy, and Titus, and Gaius, and Aristarchus, and Priscilla, and Aquila, and the list goes on of the associates that traveled and ministered with the apostle Paul. God was with him. But one of the ways God was with him was that God put people brought people into his life that were of great assistance to him that could minister with him. And what a difference what a difference it made in his ministry because it was never hardly ever Paul by himself.

It was a group around him. Others that chose to join him and others that he trained. We need each other's help in the ministry, in life. God doesn't expect us to do this all by ourself, and we need to recognize that we do need each other. Whether you're the guy standing in the pulpit or the person down in the pew, we need each other.

We need godly counsel. We need assistance. We need friends. Proverbs eighteen twenty four, a man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Ecclesiastes four twelve, and one prevail against him, two shall withstand him and a three four threefold cord is not quickly broken.

That is a metaphor used in regards to having assistance and friends and doing things together and not just by your what? By yourself. You're much easier pickings for the enemy if you're all alone. But if there's two of you, then it's harder. If there's three of you praying together, ministering together, encouraging one another, it's even harder for the enemy to get to you.

One of the reasons accountability, confess your faults one to what? Another and pray for one another. Because if we keep it all to ourself, we are handicapping ourselves. We need to be willing to bring others and willing to let them in to know we're not perfect. Guess what?

They're not either. And we need the prayers and support of others. And the more of that we have, the stronger the cord is and not so easily broken. Proverbs twenty seven twenty seven, iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his of his friend. You wanna be a sharper instrument in the hand of the Lord?

Well, you need to be sharpened. And one of the ways we're sharpened is by friends, by assistance, by others who are not only willing to support us and be there for us, but also to tell us the truth and not just always what we want to to hear. We need those people and we need to be open to that counsel and we need to seek that support in ministry and in life. In Hebrews 10, the writer of Hebrews says this, and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. Not just yourself, but that you're there for other people well, to provoke them, to help them, to encourage them, to spur them on.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Sometimes, Christians, it seemed, get into things in their life and you look at it and maybe at times you look at your own life and say, how in the world did I get here? How did this happen? Most oftentimes, you'll find that when that's the case, you were trying to go it all by your, what, self. And a lot of times, those are the people whose doors I knock on that haven't been to church for five years.

And some of them really are Christians, but they're struggling. They're distracted by the world because they haven't taken advantage of the fellowship that they need that God has given us to help us together to serve the Lord and to do the right thing. David allowed others to sharpen him and he became a successful leader and not just a warrior. He therefore, as a humble leader, accepted the counsel of others, and it enhanced his leadership. As a wise person, he surrounded himself with wise counsel, and he recognized that he did not need to go it alone early in his life.

And so we too should recognize the same thing. Don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together. Obviously, tonight, I'm preaching to the choir for the most part, unless you're watching this on video, because you're here and you see how needful that is. Hopefully, just out of duty because, hey, we're supposed to be in church, but because you want to be around the people of God. And so let's this year, look for more opportunities to be that person to help somebody else and to let other people in to be a help to us.

Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for the example of David this evening. Thank you, Lord, for those you put in his life. Lord, thank you for those you've put in in our lives. Lord, help us not to be stubborn, self willed, self righteous.

Help us, Lord, to see there are areas that we need to grow, things we need to change, counsel that we need, help in your service, and to allow others and to look for others that will encourage us along the way and be wise counselors in our lives. And help us, Lord, to look for those whom we can be wise counselors too. And help us, Lord, not only to think about ourselves, but to consider one another. And that is one of the reasons that we're here and that we are part of a a family, a body of Christ. Lord, thank you for this opportunity and thank you, Lord, for the example of David.

May you have your way and your will in our lives. May we be open to that counsel and guidance from wherever it may come. In Jesus' precious name, we do pray. Amen.