2 Samuel 23:3-5 Deathbed Truth

2 Samuel 23:3-5

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 morning, 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.

There is so much here, and I am sure I cannot remotely do it justice.

The Bible says these are among the last words of David. I assume that means the last words recorded in the Word of God, but I think it would be fair to say these are the thoughts of a man who knew he was on his last breath—his deathbed, if you will. These are important words. They are reflective, they are somber, but they are also filled with faith and thankfulness.

David said, “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” I notice that he did not say “over Israel.” The God of Israel is the God of the world. Rulers over men—not just over Israel—must be just, and they must rule in the fear of God.

Only those who are just and fear God are qualified to rule.

• It is the ultimate good for mankind.
• It is the ultimate glory of God.
• It is the will of God that it be so.

It will be the eventual culmination of all things.

That the ruler is just: upright, righteous, straight.
That he rules in the fear of God: flowing from his submission to God.

My first thought is, Wait a minute! I don’t think we’ve ever had one of those. The United States has had a few men who approached it. Those who knew him thought Washington was such a man. Even the king of England thought so when he heard that Washington stepped down as General of the Army after winning the War for Independence.

I believe the founders of our country sought this ideal. That is why they expressed so clearly that the leaders of our nation ought to be Christians.

Oh, how far we have gotten from that ideal.

But then David says the most profound and honest thing: “Although my house be not so with God.” He knew that even his own family did not measure up.

And that is where this passage really becomes amazing. Rather than lamenting, David turned to God—to His covenant and to His gracious promise of salvation.

I look around our world today and cannot find a ruler even remotely close to being just, or to ruling in the fear of God. But I tell you what I can find. I can find a God whose promises are just as real today as they were in David’s day. I can find a salvation that is as efficacious now as it has ever been. And I can find a hope that will carry me into eternity, and a reason to expect that God’s will shall one day be done “on earth as it is in heaven.”

#LastWordsOfDavid #RulingInTheFearOfGod #AnEverlastingCovenant #HopeBeyondFailure #GodsPromisesAreSure

Deathbed Truth: David’s Last Words Explain Why Good Leaders Are So Rare Today

If this passage from David’s last words stirred your thinking, I invite you to visit marvinmckenzie.org for Bible studies, teaching resources, and ongoing encouragement rooted in God’s Word.

I’d also like to hear from you—do you believe it’s still possible for leaders to rule in the fear of God, or are we living in a time when our only true hope is the Lord’s everlasting covenant? Share your thoughts in the comments. Your perspective may help someone else think more clearly—and biblically—about the times we’re living in.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7000 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

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2 Samuel 23:3-5 Deathbed Truth

2 Samuel 21:2 (KJV) Religious Zeal Isn’t the Same as Knowing God

2 Samuel 21:2 (KJV)

And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)

The story of the Gibeonites dates all the way back to the days of Joshua (Joshua 9). About three hundred fifty years later, Israel demanded a king of their own choosing and anointed Saul.

We know Saul to be a man with a spiritual bent, as all Israelites would have been at that time. But he was not a man of God. Religious people who do not know the Lord or His character often do things in the name of the Lord that are actually opposite the Lord’s will.

Joshua had made a covenant with the Gibeonites. Saul either neglected to search the Scriptures to see that this covenant had been made, or else he did not view the biblical principle of covenant faithfulness as a serious matter. Smith’s Bible Dictionary describes it this way: “In a fit of enthusiasm or patriotism, [he is supposed] to have killed some and devised a general massacre of the rest.”

As I observe a shift—certainly not for the better—in the opinions of the American people toward God, I see some similarities between Israel in Saul’s day and Americans today. We are a people prone to believe in God and even to claim that our God is the God of Christianity. That does not mean the majority of Americans are, or ever have been, Christians.

We have a great deal of religious zeal, but it has seldom been according to the knowledge of God.

That zeal has led to countless unmentionable atrocities in the name of Christ. It has happened in America in general. It has happened within religious denominations. It has even happened in churches I believe are sincerely connected to Jesus Christ.

Zeal—but not according to knowledge.

This has led to the removal of God’s hand of blessing. It is obvious today that our country, and indeed our churches, no longer enjoy the same hand of blessing we once had.

I also notice that the zeal of Saul led not to the slaughter of Israel as a nation, but to the destruction of his own family.

God’s work was still moving forward. God had not abandoned His people, nor had He turned His back on them. David was still king, and God’s own covenant—the one we all ought to pay close attention to—was still in effect. David’s house would bring forth the Saviour, Jesus Christ. But the offspring suffered.

We ought to be all in, sold out to the Lord. But we must take care that we have a genuine relationship with Christ—one in which we are learning His character. Zeal for the Lord, without a true knowledge of the Lord, leads only to disaster.

#ZealWithoutKnowledge #BiblicalCovenant #LearningGodsCharacter #ReligiousButLost #ScriptureMatters

Religious Zeal Isn’t the Same as Knowing God (King Saul Proved It)

If this message challenged you, don’t let it stop here.
Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more Bible-centered teaching that focuses on knowing God—not just being religious.

I’d also like to hear from you in the comments:
Where have you seen zeal without biblical knowledge cause harm—either in the church or in our culture?
Your response may help someone else recognize the difference between passion for God and truly knowing Him.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7000 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Samuel 21:2 (KJV) Religious Zeal Isn’t the Same as Knowing God

2 Samuel 20:5 (KJV) Not Ahead—Not Behind

2 Samuel 20:5 (KJV)

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

Recently I heard a message on the danger of rushing ahead of the Lord. That stirred a question in my mind: does the Bible also warn about lagging too far behind God?

Most examples I found pointed to fear and unbelief—people holding back because they did not trust God to bless or use them. I’ve seen that firsthand. Some are afraid to teach a Sunday school class or step into the pulpit because they fear saying something wrong. Others hesitate to move forward with building or missions projects because of the cost.

Years ago, David Gibbs of the Christian Law Association warned pastors that if we claim to be a ministry of faith, we ought to do something that actually requires faith.

Amasa gives us a sobering example. He had once been Absalom’s general. After Absalom’s death, David forgave Amasa and even gave him Joab’s position. When a crisis arose, Amasa was told to assemble the army—promptly.

But he tarried.

Why he delayed isn’t stated, but the delay mattered. David turned back to Joab, who seized the opportunity to eliminate his rival.

I’m not certain all the lessons that should be drawn from Amasa’s death, but I do know this: over the years I’ve learned to give assignments to people I trust to act when action is needed. Some people simply never move with urgency.

Yes, it’s dangerous to get ahead of God. But it can also be harmful to stay behind Him too long. I’ve seen a few people wait longer than I expected, only to take a giant step forward when the time was right. Sadly, I’ve seen far more cases where procrastination caused real damage.

Timing matters. Obedience delayed can become obedience denied.

#DelayedObedience #TarriedTooLong #FaithRequiresAction  #TrustAndTiming #FollowingGodNow

Not Ahead—Not Behind: Learning God’s Timing from a Costly Biblical Mistake

If this message challenged you, don’t just scroll past it. God’s timing matters, and delayed obedience has real consequences.

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💬 Join the conversation in the comments:
Have you ever seen a moment where waiting helped—or where waiting hurt? Your experience may help someone else recognize God’s timing before it’s too late.

Like, share, and subscribe if you want teaching that stays anchored in Scripture and speaks to real life.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7000 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Samuel 20:5 (KJV) Not Ahead—Not Behind

2 Samuel 19:22 (KJV) Strength Without Violence

2 Samuel 19:22 (KJV)

And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

I am reminded of a New Testament passage:

Luke 9:53–56 (KJV)
And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

There are always those who want to strike first and ask questions later. Neither David nor Jesus were of that nature. Though some could argue that both would have had just cause to settle matters against their detractors—and that both had the authority to do so—neither demonstrated such a spirit.

Our text tells us why.

“…do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?”

David knew his position. He had no reason to lop off heads or destroy those who had taken the other side in the contest. Only those who possess something they ought not have are eager to fight to defend it. David knew the kingdom had been given to him by God. It was God’s to keep or God’s to take away.

Jesus had this same confidence. The Bible says:

John 13:3 (KJV)
Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

Jesus also said:

John 10:17–18 (KJV)
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Such confidence inclined Him to peace, not violence.

When we are confident in our relationship with God, we have no reason to be defensive—even in the face of cruel attacks against us and our faith.

Of course, we know David was willing to strike when it was necessary and just. He never fought to defend himself, but he fought without hesitation for his nation. That was the role appointed to him by God.

We also know that Jesus will one day strike. He came as a Lamb the first time, but the Bible warns that He will return as a Lion.

The longsuffering and grace of God must never be mistaken for weakness or delay.
The right time to be reconciled to God is today.

#ConfidenceInGod #SpiritOfGrace #BiblicalLeadership #StrengthUnderControl #GodGivenAuthority

Strength Without Violence: The Difference Between Godly Authority and Defensive Anger

If this message helped you see biblical strength more clearly, don’t scroll past it. 

Visit marvinmckenzie.org for trusted Bible teaching, resources, and studies designed to help believers stand with confidence and grace.

Join the conversation below: Where have you seen the difference between godly authority and defensive anger—either in Scripture or real life? Your comment may help another believer more than you realize.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7000 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Samuel 19:22 (KJV) Strength Without Violence