David's Victories Series

Scripture

Second Samuel 7 is a wonderful chapter. It first describes God’s amazing promise that he will build an eternal kingdom for David. Then we read of David’s marvelous prayer in response to God’s promise to him. Second Samuel 8 shows us how God’s kingdom was established under David.

Let’s read about David’s victories in 2 Samuel 8:1-18:

1 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

3 David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17 and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary, 18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests. (2 Samuel 8:1-18)

Introduction

Jesus taught his disciples a prayer that we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” It should be called “The Disciples’ Prayer” because it is a prayer that is prayed by the disciples of Jesus. The prayer has an introduction, six petitions, and a conclusion. The second petition is, “Your kingdom come.” Question 102 in The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What do we pray for in the second petition?” The answer is, “In the second petition, (which is, thy kingdom come) we pray, that Satan’s kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.”

We tend to think that the kingdom of which Jesus spoke began with Jesus. However, the kingdom of which Jesus spoke really began with David. That is the promise that God made with David (that we call the Davidic covenant) in 2 Samuel 7:16: “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” David’s victories in 2 Samuel 8 show us that God was establishing his kingdom under David. Dale Ralph Davis notes, “But the kingdom teaching of 2 Samuel 8 transcends the immediate historical situation—it describes what will always be true when God’s kingdom is present and when it comes in its final form. So 2 Samuel 8 is both report and preview, both history and prophecy.”

Lesson

Second Samuel 8:1-18 shows us how God’s kingdom was established under David.

Let’s use the following outline:

1. The Conquests of the Kingdom (8:1-6, 13-14)

2. The Spoils of the Kingdom (8:7-12)

3. The Administration of the Kingdom (8:15-18)

I. The Conquests of the Kingdom (8:1-6, 13-14)

First, notice the conquests of the kingdom.

Second Samuel 8 summarizes the conquests that took place during David’s reign. The victories in this chapter are not necessarily in chronological order nor is it a list of all of David’s victories (as we will later learn about further victories).