Calvary Chapel Auckland: Teaching

NOW THEN, DO IT

Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, "In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you. Now then, do it! For the LORD has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.' " (2 Samuel 3:17-18)

David was God's anointed king - yet not recognized as so by the people of Israel. Some supported a man named Ishbosheth, a son of the former king Saul. One of the supporters of Ishbosheth was named Abner - he was the chief of Saul’s armies when the former king was alive, and now he threw his support behind Ishbosheth - for a time. Then he turned against Ishbosheth and agreed to support David.

Once he came over to David’s side, Abner had a missionary zeal on David's behalf. That's when he communicated with the elders of Israel about recognizing David as king. It is significant that this word came from Abner regarding David instead of from David himself. Though he was the rightful king, David would not reign over Israel until they submitted to him freely. He never moved an inch without an invitation. This is an illustration of Jesus' lordship in our life. He is in fact King of Kings of Lord of Lords. But He chooses (for the most part) to exercise His sovereignty only at our invitation. We could say that the reign of David illustrates the reign of Jesus in the lives of many people:

- Some do not invite Jesus to rule over anything
- Some invite Jesus to reign over a small area - like "Hebron"
- Some give Jesus reign over everything He has authority over - which is everything

Abner is a good example of someone who eventually surrendered to God’s king. Now he wants to influence others to surrender to God’s king. He said to the reluctant people of Israel, "Now then, do it!" Because of the word the Lord spoke of David and because it was so right to do, this was something that should be done now. In this sense, it is very much like our commitment to follow Jesus - we should be told, "Now then, do it!"

Charles Spurgeon has a wonderful sermon on this text titled, "Now Then, Do It." In this sermon he shows how the same principles of Israel’s embrace of David as king apply to our relationship with Jesus. "The Israelites might talk about making David king, but that would not crown him. They might meet together and say they wished it were so, but that would not do it. It might be generally admitted that he ought to be monarch, and it might even be earnestly hoped that one day he would be so, but that would not do it; something more decided must be done."

Spurgeon continued: "The sooner it is done the better. Until the deed is done, remember you are undone; till Christ is accepted by you as king, till sin is hated and Jesus is trusted, you are under another king. Whatever you may think of it, the devil is your master."

Abner knew that the Lord called David to be king. He said, "For the Lord has spoken of David." The fact that Abner - who was a general, not a Bible scholar - knew these prophecies and the fact that he could ask the leaders of Israel to consider them means that these prophecies of David were widely known. Sadly, they were not widely obeyed - most of Israel was lukewarm and unenthusiastic in their embrace of David as king. In this regard David prefigures his greater Son. Jesus fulfilled all manner of prophecy regarding the Messiah, yet He was rejected by all but a remnant of Israel.

Our acceptance of rejection of the King says more about us than it does about King Jesus. Knowing all we know about who Jesus is and what He did for us, we should recognize Him as King - and do it now. "Now then, do it!"