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[0:00] I was told at the beginning of this chapter, chapter 23, that these are the last words of David.

[0:12] Whether they were the actual last words he spoke is doubtful because the story of his life goes on in subsequent chapters.

[0:23] It's felt more likely that these were the last inspired words that David ever spoke. Years ago we used to put more importance upon the last words that someone uttered.

[0:44] If you read biographies of folk who lived in bygone days, very often when it was known that the person, the father of the household perhaps, was coming to the end of his days, then the family would gather round his bed and everyone would be attentive to listen to what the father had to say before he finally passed from this earthly scene.

[1:25] Great attention was given to the last words that a person spoke. We seem to have lost that today for some reason.

[1:39] It doesn't seem to matter very much whether what someone says are his last words or whether they were spoken much earlier on in his life.

[1:51] But it does seem as if the spirit of God here is giving emphasis to these words of David.

[2:04] Emphasizing that they are his last words, that they are important words, they are words which God wants us to consider.

[2:17] I wonder what you think of the life of King David. Was it a glorious and successful life?

[2:28] Or was his life a tragedy? You can answer the question both ways. He was a great king. Some would say the greatest king Israel ever had.

[2:43] Taken from just being a shepherd boy and made the king of Israel. And in the New Testament, the apostle Paul says that David was a man after God's own heart.

[3:01] He wasn't just a great warrior, a great soldier, which he was, but he was a man after God's own heart. So in many ways he had a glorious and successful reign.

[3:17] But in another sense he had a very tragic reign. No, he himself was guilty of adultery and murder.

[3:28] His sons grew up to live dissolute lives.

[3:40] And three of them came to grief in their prime. And David here seems to reflect his sorrow.

[3:55] In verse 3, he describes the kind of king that God expects to rule over his people.

[4:08] He says, he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God. Two things there are required of a monarch, a ruler.

[4:24] Or equally to a president of a republic or whatever form of government we have. Two things are required.

[4:34] One is equity in justice, so that all people are treated fairly and rightfully.

[4:46] But the second thing is that they should rule in the fear of God. And that is where so many come short. Many human rulers and leaders and monarchs and politicians seek to rule justly, as well as they are able.

[5:07] But they feel, or they completely neglect, the need to rule in the fear of God. But David says in verse 5, Although my house be not so with God.

[5:24] He recognized that he had not lived up to this standard. He had not ruled as he should have done. And at the end of the verse also he says, Although he make it not to grow.

[5:42] God had not prospered his own family as he would have liked. As David would have liked. His family came to grief and to shame.

[5:58] Solomon, of course, lived a, had a very successful and glorious reign. But after him, the house of David seemed to go down and down in power and importance.

[6:13] But what does David say when he meditates upon this fact? He doesn't give up. He doesn't hang his head in sorrow.

[6:27] But he says, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant. Ordered in all things and sure.

[6:39] For this is all my salvation and all my desire. He recognized that God had established with him a covenant.

[6:53] Which surpassed everything on the human and the physical level concerning David's actual reign.

[7:03] This was something spiritual and something enduring that would go on and on.

[7:15] An everlasting covenant. Listen to what the writer A.W. Pink has to say about this point.

[7:26] Pink says, in 2 Samuel 23, we are permitted to gaze upon the other side of the picture.

[7:37] That is the other side of David's life. The most blessed and refreshing one. Here the spirit of God brings before us. Not the man of war, but the man after God's own heart.

[7:50] The one who had found favor in his eyes. And had been loved with an everlasting love. And thus the representative of his chosen people.

[8:02] Here we listen to the holy breathings of the saint. And the scene becomes to us a gate of heaven. As the believer draws near to the end of his wilderness journey.

[8:17] Like David, he reviews the Lord's goodness. He dwells upon the amazing grace. Which lifted him from the dunghill. And made him to sit in the heavenlies in Christ.

[8:31] And while he laments the spiritual condition of some near and dear to him. And his own failure to grow in grace as he fought. Yet he finds unspeakable comfort.

[8:43] In the fact that God made with him an everlasting covenant. David speaks of a covenant.

[8:59] That covenant is what is called in scripture the covenant of grace. I'd like us to think about that for the remaining few moments we have this morning.

[9:13] I feel that the subject of the covenant of grace is a neglected subject these days.

[9:23] It might be mentioned in passing. But there is not a great deal of emphasis placed upon it. At one time it was considered to be the very core of the reformed faith.

[9:42] The faith that came out of the reformation. The very core of our protestant heritage. But now as I say.

[9:54] It has rather become neglected. The Westminster Confession of Faith of course. Has a whole chapter on the covenant of grace.

[10:09] It says the distance between God and the creature. Is so great. That although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their creator.

[10:21] Yet they could never have any fruition. In him as their blessedness and reward. But by some voluntary condescension on God's part.

[10:33] Which he hath been pleased to express. By way of covenant. It goes on. For man by his fall. Having made himself incapable of life.

[10:46] By that covenant. That's the covenant of works. The Lord was pleased to make a second. Commonly called. The covenant of grace.

[10:59] The word covenant. Occurs. 250 times. In the Old Testament. And 33 times. In the New Testament. Either translated as covenant.

[11:11] Or as testament. So it's something about. Upon which scripture speaks. Very frequently. And therefore something.

[11:23] That we should pay. Great attention to. Excuse one more quotation. If I may. From an American professor.

[11:35] Who is. Still living today. Professor Hanko. Says. A study. Of this subject. Will show us. That the truth. Of the covenant.

[11:46] Pervades. The whole. Of scripture. It is not. An exaggeration. To say. That not only. Does the covenant. Of grace. Run like a golden.

[11:57] Thread. Through the whole. Of scripture. But that it is. In fact. The scriptures. Dominant. Theme. And if this truth. Is the scriptures.

[12:08] Dominant. Theme. It is also. The fundamental. Truth. Of all. Theology. Well. David tells us.

[12:19] Five things. About. The covenant. Of grace. In this. Verse. The first thing. He tells us. Is that the covenant. Is divine.

[12:31] In origin. Yet. He says. He. That is God. Hath made. With me. An everlasting.

[12:43] Covenant. God. Has made. The covenant. Now the problem. With. The subject. Of the covenant. Of grace.

[12:54] Over the years. Has. Is that it is. Being compared. With what we would call. A contract. And people. Have. Said.

[13:06] That. The covenant. Is equal. Or the same. Thing. As a contract. Now we may. Talk of a contract. When it's made. Between two.

[13:17] Human parties. We. Enter into. A contract. When we. Buy or sell. A house. Buy and sell. A car. Or. Some other. Article. Even.

[13:29] Our marriage. Vows. May be. Termed. A contract. Because. They're. Between. Two. Equal. Parties. But. When we. Consider.

[13:40] Spiritual. Things. The parties. Are. Wholly. Unequal. On. The one. Hand. Is man. The dust.

[13:51] Of the earth. On. The other. Hand. Is. The creator. Of the world. God. Almighty. To say.

[14:03] That. God. And man. Can strike. A bargain. If you like. So that. If God. Keeps. His side.

[14:13] Of the bargain. All is well. And if man. Keeps. His side. Of the bargain. Again. All is well. That. Is. Clearly. Of no.

[14:26] Help. Or assistance. To fallen. Human. Nature. Because man. Is. Absolutely. Bound. To fail. To keep.

[14:37] His side. Of any contract. It's just. Pride. On the. In the. On the part. Of the human. Soul.

[14:50] That believes. That he can. Enter into. A sort of. Contract. With God. And come out. Still afloat. Still with his. Head above. Water.

[15:02] No. The covenant. Of grace. Is. A covenant. That God. Himself. Establishes. And he. Imposes it.

[15:14] Upon his. Creation. Now. Some people. Don't like. That word. Impose. Perhaps. It would be better. If we say. Bestow. He bestows.

[15:24] His covenant. Upon. His people. And the psalmist. Tells us. That he makes them. Willing. In the day. Of his power.

[15:36] So that God's people. Readily. And. Willingly. Come. To God. And embrace.

[15:48] The covenant. Which God. Bestows. Upon. That is the way. The covenant. Works. Covenant.

[15:59] Is bestowed. Sovereignly. And man. Is made. Most. Willing. He. Doth. Persuade.

[16:10] And enable. Us. To embrace. Jesus. Christ. Freely. Offered. To us. In the gospel. Says. The catechism.

[16:22] Second thing. That David. Tells us. Is that this covenant. Is personal. God. He says. Made. With me.

[16:33] An everlasting. Covenant. He made it. With me. Now. That. Is. A. Wonderful. And a.

[16:44] Comforting. Consideration. It's all. Very well. If God. Made. A covenant. With the children. Of Israel. En masse.

[16:57] It's all. Very well. If God. Makes. A covenant. With his. Church. In the days. In which. We live. Collectively. Which he does. But that.

[17:08] Doesn't really. Thrill. My soul. What. Thrills. My soul. Is the thought. And the consideration. That God. Makes a covenant. With me.

[17:20] Personally. It's wonderful. To read. Of the way. Our savior. When he was. In the world. He. Preached. To the.

[17:32] Multitudes. Sermon. On the mountain. And other. Great. Sermons. He did. But he also. Dealt.

[17:43] With. Individual. Men. And women. Blind. Bartimaeus. Zacchaeus. Mary Magdalene. And all the others.

[17:55] Who we know so well. His disciples. Peter. And James. And John. He called them. Individually. By name. The wonderful thing.

[18:06] About our Christian faith. Is that God. deals with us. Individually. He deals with you. And he deals with me. It would be of no.

[18:20] Consequence. Whatsoever. If he just dealt with us. As a mass of. People. Know what. My soul needs.

[18:31] Is for God. To deal. With me. Has he dealt. With you. With you. Yourself. Can you. Say.

[18:42] Can you. Testify. Yes. God. And I. Have met. We have. Come together.

[18:53] We have. Conversed. He has done. Something. For. My soul. The covenant. David says.

[19:04] Is. Personal. Thirdly. The covenant. Is. Everlasting. He has made. With me. An everlasting. Covenant. Human.

[19:17] Contracts. Last. For a. Certain. Length. Of time. A number. Of years. A period. A term.

[19:30] But then. They. Come. To an end. And they're discarded. Forgotten. What God does. Lasts.

[19:42] Forever. It is. Eternal. It is. Everlasting. That means. It was.

[19:54] Conceived. In eternity. Even. Before. God. Created. The world. In which you. And I live. God. Established.

[20:05] His covenant. Even. Then. The covenant. Of grace. And the gospel. Of Jesus. Christ. Is not. God's way out.

[20:16] Of a dilemma. When Adam. Fell. In the garden. Of Eden. God. Had to scratch his head. And think. Well. How am I going to get out of this.

[20:27] Tricky. Position. No. God. Had. Conceived. Of his covenant. Even.

[20:38] Before. He. Created. This. Present. World. And the covenant. Will go on. Into eternity. Future. It will be.

[20:48] Finally. Consummated. In. Eternity. Which is. Yet. To come. So. Glorious. And.

[20:58] So. Wonderful. Is. This. Covenant. Of grace. Which. God. Has. Made. With. His. People. Covenant.

[21:11] Is. In. Operation. Today. God. Is. Fulfilling. Working. Out. This. Covenant. Of. Grace. As. He. Takes. His. People.

[21:21] Into. That. Covenant. He. Makes. The. Covenant. With. Them. In fact. The. Scripture. Teaches. Us. That. He. Binds. Himself.

[21:33] To. His. People. By. Covenant. We. So. Often. Tend. To. Think. In. Terms. Of. On.

[21:44] A. Human. Level. With. Regard. To. The. Gospel. We. Talk. About. Accepting. Jesus. As. Our. Savior. Or. Trusting. In.

[21:54] Jesus. That. Is. All. Very. Well. But. What. David. Is. Here. Showing.

[22:04] Us. Is. That. In. The. Gospel. God. Takes. The. Initiative. And. God. Comes. To. Us. Firstly. And.

[22:15] Primarily. And. God. Reveals. Himself. As. A. Saving. And. A. Covenant. Keeping. God.

[22:30] Because. Of course. The. Covenant. Is. Everlasting. It. Cannot. Be. Broken. It. Cannot. Fail. It.

[22:42] Cannot. Cease. If. God. Has. Made. His. Covenant. With. You. Then. Nothing. In. Earth. Or. In. Heaven. Can.

[22:53] Break. That. Covenant. And. Can. Cause. You. Or. I. To. Fall. Out. Of. His. Covenant. Arms. If. You. Like. To.

[23:04] Fall. Out. Of. His. Grace. And. Then. Fourthly. The. Covenant. Is. Specific. In.

[23:15] Its. Terms. And. It. Is. Absolutely. Dependable. David. Says. This. Covenant. Is. Ordered.

[23:25] In. All. Things. And. Sure. Ordered. In. All. Things. And. Sure. Covenant.

[23:36] The. God. Draws. Up. Is. Not. Wishy. Washi. It's. Not. Something. That. Is. Uh. Ethereal. Covenant.

[23:49] Is. Rock. Solid. It. Is. Ordered. In. All. Things. What. Is. The.

[24:03] The. Details. If you like. Of. The. Covenant. Which. God. Makes. With. Man. Well. God. Covenants. To.

[24:13] Pardon. Sinners. On. The. Basis. Of. The. Merits. Of. His. Own. Son. The. Lord. Jesus.

[24:24] Christ. He. Promises. For. His. People. That. He. Will. Forgive. Them. Their. Sins. And. Grant.

[24:34] Them. Eternal. Life. And. He. Makes. Them. His. Sons. And. His. Daughters. That. Is. The. Basis.

[24:45] Of. The. Covenant. Of. Grace. Again. The. Confession. Brings. That. Out. Clearly. It. Says. He. Freely. Offers.

[24:55] Unto. Sinners. Life. And. Salvation. By. Jesus. Christ. Requiring. Of. Them. Faith. In. Him. That. They. May. Be. Saved. And.

[25:06] Promising. To. Give. Unto. All. Those. That. Are. Ordained. Unto. Eternal. Life. His. Holy. Spirit. To. Make. Them. Willing. And. Able. To.

[25:17] Believe. And. Of. Course. The. Basis. Of. Work. Of. Christ. See.

[25:28] God. Doesn't. Come. To. Us. And. Say. Well. I. Will. Pardon. Your. Sins. If. You. Do. Something. Or. Other. Turn. Over. A. New. Leaf.

[25:38] Live. A. Better. Life. Start. Tending. Church. Or. Whatever. Such. A. Foundation.

[25:49] Is. A. Foundation. Of. Sand. God. Covenant. Is. Built. Upon. A. Foundation. Of. Rock. That. Rock. Is. His. Own. Son. And.

[26:01] He. Builds. His. Covenant. Upon. The. Lord. Jesus. Christ. Another. Aspect.

[26:11] Of. The. Covenant. Is. That. It. Is. The. Renewal. Of. Fellowship. Between. The. Creator. And. The. Creature. You.

[26:21] Know. That. When. Adam. Sinned. The. Fellowship. Which. He. New. In the. Garden. Of. Eden. That. Was. Broken. And. There. Was. Separation. Between.

[26:33] God. And. Man. In. The. Covenant. Of. Grace. There. Is. Renewal. Of. Fellowship. This. Is. Most. Clearly. Brought. Out. When.

[26:46] God. Spoke. To. Abraham. And. God. Said. In. Genesis. Chapter. 17. I. Will. Establish. My. Covenant. Between.

[26:57] Me. And. The. And. Thy. Seed. After. The. In. Their. Generations. For. An. Everlasting. Covenant. To.

[27:08] Be. A. God. Unto. The. And. To. Thy. Seed. After. The. Covenant. Here. Again. God. Promises. That. He. Will. Establish. The.

[27:19] Covenant. And. He. Makes. It. With. Abraham. And. With. His. Seed. After. Him. We.

[27:29] Have. Not. Time. To. Go. Into. This. Passet. Of. The. Subject. This. Morning. But. It. Is. Most. Important. That. God.

[27:40] Establishes. His. Covenant. Not. Just. With. His. People. But. With. Succeeding. Generations. With. Their. Children. With. Their. Seed.

[27:52] I. Would. Suggest. To. You. That. The. Sacrament. Of. Infant. Baptism. Is. Meaningless. Unless.

[28:03] It. Unless. It. Is. Based. Upon. The. Covenant. Of. Grace. The. Fact. That. God. Takes. Into. His. Covenant. Not.

[28:14] Just. Us. As. Believers. But. Also. In. His. Mercy. And. His. Kindness. Our. Children. And.

[28:24] Our. Children's. Children. Subsequent. Generations. And. The. Covenant. Is. Absolutely.

[28:35] Sure. Covenant. Is. Boarded. In. All. Things. And. Sure. That. Is. It's. Dependable. You. Can. Put. Your. Trust. In. Something.

[28:46] That's. Built. Upon. A. Rock. House. Built. Upon. A. Rock. Won't. Fall. As. We. Know. So. Well. From. The. Story.

[28:56] Which. Our. Lord. Told. In. The. New. Testament. Covenant. Is. Sure. Because. It's. Made. By. God.

[29:08] And. It. Is. Based. Upon. The. Work. Of. Christ. And. There's. A. Wonderful. Assurance. That. Even. Our.

[29:18] Sins. And. Our. Failures. Do. Not. Cancel. The. Covenant. Of. Grace. Because. We. May. Think. Or. You. May. Think. Well.

[29:29] It's. All. Very. Well. To. Say. That. This. God. Establishes. This. Covenant. But. I. Know. That. I. I. Know. That. I. Know. That. Even. As. A. A. Christian.

[29:41] I. Fail. I. Don't. Keep. God's. Commandments. All. The. Time. In fact. I'm. All. Too. Conscious. Of. My. Failures. Listen.

[29:53] To. The. Words. Of. The. Psalmist. In. Psalm. 89. Where. He. Says. There. If. His. Children. Forsake.

[30:03] My. Law. And. Walk. Not. In. My. Judgements. If. They. Break. My. Statues. And. Keep. Not. My. Commandments. Then.

[30:14] I. Will. Visit. Their. Transgression. With. The. Rod. And. Their. Iniquity. With. Stripes. Nevertheless.

[30:25] My. Loving. Kindness. Will. I. Not. Utterly. Take. From. Him. Nor. Suffer. My. Faithfulness. To. Fail. My. Covenant. Will. I. Not. Break.

[30:36] Nor. Alter. The. Thing. That. Is. Gone. Out. Of. My. Lips. God. Says. There. That. If. We. Sin. Against. Him. Then. We.

[30:47] Shall. Be. Chastised. And. We. Probably. All. Know. Something. Of. What. It. Is. To. Receive. Chastisement. From. Our. Loving.

[30:58] Heavenly. Father. But. He. Says. Nevertheless. Even. So. Even. Though. David. Had. Committed. Adultery. And. Murder.

[31:09] My. Loving. Kindness. Will. I. Not. Utterly. Take. From. Him. My. Covenant. Will. I. Not. Break. That.

[31:20] Covenant. Is. Sure. And. Finally. David. Says. Here. That. This. Covenant. Is. All. My. Salvation. And.

[31:30] All. My. Desire. There. Is. Nothing. Else. That. David. Delighted. In. Other. Or.

[31:41] Above. The. Covenant. Of. Grace. It. Is. All. His. Salvation. God. In. The. Covenant. Of. Grace. Provides.

[31:52] All. That. You. And. I. Need. We. Don't. Need. Anything. Else. There. Is. Nothing. Lacking. In. Salvation. We. Can't. Think. Of. Anything. Else. That.

[32:02] If. We. Could. We. Would. Ask. God. To. To. Salvation. As. It. Were. The. Gospel. Contains. All. That.

[32:13] We. Need. The. Forgiveness. Of. Our. Sins. Renewal. Of. Fellowship. With. God. The. Promise. Of. Eternal.

[32:23] Life. The. Blessings. Are. Innumerable. And. They. Are. All. Our. Desire. We.

[32:35] Desire. Nothing. Else. Rather. He. The. Lord. Jesus. Christ. Is. All. Our. Desire. Isn't. He. He.

[32:47] Is. The. Rose. Of. Sharon. And. The. Lily. Of. The. Valley. He. Is. All. Together. Lovely. This. Is. My. Beloved.

[32:58] And. This. Is. My. Friend. Is. He. Your. Beloved. Is.

[33:10] The. Lord. Jesus. Christ. All. Your. Desire. Does. He. Mean. More. To. You. Than. Any. Other. Human. Being. Does.

[33:22] He. Mean. More. To. You. Than. Your. Job. Than. Your. Health. Than. Your. Friends. Than. Your. Family. Than. Life. Itself.

[33:32] In. This. World. Do. You. Think. In. These. Terms. Do. You. Say. With. David. Yet.

[33:43] He. Made. With. Me. This. Ever. Last. Covenant. Ordered. In. All. Things. And. Shore. For. This. Is. All. My. Desire.

[33:54] All. My. Salvation. And. All. My. Desire. May. God. Grant. That. Might. Be. The.

[34:06] Thought. And. The. Testimony. Of. Each. One. Of. Us. And. Let.

[34:16] A.W. Pink. Have. The. Last. Word. That. Everlasting. Covenant. Is. So. Ordered. As. To. Promote.

[34:27] The. Glory. Of. God. The. Honor. Of. The. Mediator. And. The. Holiness. And. Blessing. Of. His. People. It. Is. Sure. Because.

[34:37] Its. Promises. Are. Those. Of. Him. Who. Cannot. Lie. Because. Full. Provision. Is. Made. In. It. For. All. The. Failures. Of. Believers. And.

[34:48] Because. Its. Administration. Is. In. The. Hands. Of. Christ. For. This. Is. All. My. Salvation. David. Rightly. Traced. His. Salvation.

[34:58] Back. To. The. Everlasting. Covenant. Alas. So. Many. Today. Are. Ignorant. Of. This. Inexhaustible. Well. Of. Comfort. It.

[35:10] Is. Not. Enough. Says. Pink. That. We. Go. Back. To. The. Hour. When. Even. To. The. Cross. Where. The. Savior. Prayed. Paid. The. Price. Of.

[35:20] Our. Redemption. It. Is. To. The. Everlasting. Covenant. We. Must. Look. And. See. There. God. Graciously. Planning. To.

[35:31] Give. Christ. To. Die. For. His. People. And. Impart. The. Spirit. To. Them. For. Quickening. And. The. Communicating. Of.

[35:41] Faith. This. Is. All. Suffices. Containing. As. As. It. Does. A.

[35:51] Draft. Of. All. Salvation. Acts. Of. The. Father. The. Son. And. The. Holy. Spirit. May. God. Bless.

[36:02]  This. Word. Shall. We. Pray.