Title: Quench Not the Light
Text: 2 Samuel 21: 15-22
Date: February 19, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
2 Samuel 21: 15: Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel;
We will look at this passage today as an allegory of Christ’s victory as our King and of the believer’s warfare.
The Philistines represent the believer’s enemy. Israel represents God’s people, the believer and our brethren.
God put a difference between the nations else there would have been no Philistine and no Israel. Every inhabitant of every nation is all alike sons of Adam, fallen in sin, conceived in sin, with hearts which are enmity against God. Such was the case with every elect child of God as we were born the first time.
Likewise, God puts a difference between his child of grace and our enemies when God gives us a new heart of the Spirit of God. Those born of God are made to know that we are God’s chosen people, his chosen nation, his chosen Israel, chosen out of every nation, kindred, tongue and tribe under heaven.
Now, in Christ the believers warfare is accomplished!
Isaiah 40: 2: Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.
Hebrews 9: 26:…now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 10: 10: By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once.
1 John 3: 5: And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Revelations 1: 5:…Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
But as long as we are in this body of death, those born of God are in a constant warfare between flesh and spirit.
Galatians 5: 17: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Notice how the Philistines kept coming up against Israel.
2 Samuel 21: 15: Moreover the Philistines had YET WAR AGAIN with Israel;… 18: And it came to pass after this, that there was AGAIN a battle with the Philistines at Gob:….19: And there was AGAIN a battle in Gob with the Philistines,… 20: And there was YET A BATTLE in Gath,…
We are enlisted as soldiers fighting the good fight under Christ our Banner, led forth by the Captain of our Warfare. But there is no furlough in the fight of faith! The flesh continues to lust against the spirit till the end of our earthly pilgrimage. And our enemies are mighty and well-armed. Note the picture of the strength of the enemy in our text.
2 Samuel 21: 16: And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword…[they were giants]… 20:…was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
What and who is this giant and powerful enemy? Philistine means “foreigner”. Satan invaded the garden like a foreigner. Adam sinned against God and sin entered like a foreigner. Sin is the enemy to the child of God, the invader, the immigrant. Also, because sin entered the world and death by sin this world is our enemy—we are dead to this world and this world is dead to us—we are strangers and foreigners to this world and this world is a strange and foreign land to the believer
1 John 2: 15: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Mark 4: 19: And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
So what is the believer’s strength for this warfare? Christ is our Strength. The grace of God is our sufficiency. Our battle is not with carnal weapons
2 Corinthians 10: 3: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Our armour from head to toe is of God, Truth, Christ’s righteousness, the gospel wherein our hearts are made to rely upon Christ only by the Spirit of God.
Ephesians 6: 13 …whole armour of God,…your loins girt about with truth,…the breastplate of righteousness; 15:…feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16:…the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17: the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
I. COURAGE IN THE WARFARE
2 Samuel 21: 15:…and David went down,
This warfare lasts until the end. David was old. David is a type of Christ our King—the Ancient of Days. We cannot win the least battle against sin, against our fleshly lusts, against this world, unless Christ is present in Spirit to fight with us.
But notice that though David was old he took no ease from this fight nor was given ease. In the strength of youth he fought one giant, in the weakness of old age he fought four. And he went down in person. He fought for the good of his kingdom. May God strengthen us to be a servant of Christ as was David even until the end.
Psalm 71: 18: Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
2 Samuel 21: 15:…and David went down, and his servants with him…
Brethren need brethren in this fight. Brethren, we are in this fight together. David needed his brethren and his brethren needed David.
Philippians 1: 27: Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
2 Samuel 21: 15:…and fought against the Philistines:
The fight of faith is a real fight. We are not complacent in this warfare. This warfare against our sin and the cares of this world is one we must fight against with all might as we are strengthened by our Lord. Paul told Timothy: “war a good warfare;” (1 Timothy 1: 18), “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (1Ti 6:12) “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”(2 Timothy 2: 3). Stir up the gift that is in you by the grace of God.
Ye fearful saints fresh courage take,
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break,
With blessings on your head
II. STRENGTH FOR THE BATTLE
2 Samuel 21: 15:…And David waxed faint—
We know what it is to wax faint. David’s desire, like ours, was to fight strong. But his body could not keep up.
Matthew 26: 41: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Did the Lord tell his apostles to, “Run?” No, the Lord said, “Watch and pray.”
Ephesians 6: 18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance
That is what David did. He held his ground. I hear David’s heart in:
Psalm 73: 26: My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
David fainted and we faint, but not so our LORD God—God is the Strength of the believer.
Isaiah 40: 28:…the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?. 29: He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30: Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
2 Samuel 21: 16: And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
No enemy will take advantage of the Lord’s child. This giant Philistine was aware that he had an advantage. He was strong and well-armed. He turned to slay David. But God was on David’s side.
The enemies of God’s people often appear to us very sure of success against us, but nothing will separate us from our Savior:
Psalm 144: 10: It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
This is the same promise to you and I brethren:
Isaiah 54: 7: No weapon formed against thee shall prosper. The heritage, and the righteousness of the servants of the LORD, is of the LORD.
2 Samuel 21: 17: But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him,[David] and [David] smote the Philistine, and killed him.
We admire the courage in Abishai. He was faithful to his King. In order, to save his King’s life, he bravely risked his own life. It takes great courage for a believer to uphold the honor and glory of our Redeemer, to stand with a fallen brother, in the face of giants who would like to destroy us and the name of our Lord Jesus forever. Lord, make us like David and his servants.
But we see Christ in the comfort David received. Christ Jesus the Son of God came down to the battle as we see here in David. As God he needed nothing. But in the form of a servant, Christ was pressed down in his agonies in Gethsemene like as David was faint. In faithfulness to God Christ cried unto him that was able to save him from death. And he was heard (Hebrews 5: 7). The LORD sent an angel strengthening our Redeemer like Abishai comforted David (Luke 22: 43). After which, Christ met our enemies head on, defeating every one—that is how we know that it was David who arose and smote the Philistine and killed him after he was comforted of Abishai.
Therefore, being touched with the feelings of our infirmities, Christ comes in Spirit to comfort us in every time of need. This is how we are strengthened as we go through this warfare between flesh and spirit.
III. OUR ASSURANCE OF CERTAIN VICTORY
2 Samuel 21: 17: Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
David was the light of Israel in the sense David was their King and Leader and Captain in the Warfare. But he is a picture of Christ the King, who is our Light.
Believers are like the servants of David. Our chief request is that Christ our Light be with us always--“quench not the light of Israel.” Believers in Christ’s army can fight the good fight so long as we have Christ our Light. But Christ must fight the fight and win the victory for us else we have no Light.
Notice that this is the same request which Peter made of Christ when he rebuked our Lord who told him he was going into the battle of the cross to accomplish our warfare.
Matthew 16: 21: From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22: Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23: But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Satan would have had no greater delight than that Christ Jesus not go to the cross for thre Christ crushed his head.
Notice these battles took place at Gob which means pit (verse 18) and at Gath which means winepress (verse 20). We were in Gob—in the pit—spiritually dead in sin and drinking of the broken cisterns of our own will and works. But God in eternity past found a ransom for our souls in our Surety Christ Jesus.
Job 33: 24: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
Yet, in order to defeat the giants of our sin and Satan, Christ had to come Gob—this pit of corruption called the world. Christ had to pay the ransom price by going to Gath (winepress) to defeat the giant of the law and the giant of the wrath of God who said “the soul that sinneth must surely die.” So Christ went to the cross and like wine is pressed out of the crushed grape he bore God’s fury alone in our room stead.
Revelation 19: 15…he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
By paying the ransom we owed—by going into the heat of the battle on our behalf—by putting the sin of all his elect children away, justice is satisfied and we are righteous in Christ Jesus. Satan’s head is crushed.
Hebrews 2: 14: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
He comes to each of his children in the season of love and gives us a new heart and declares to us what he has “made us”.
Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved….2:6: And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Colossians 1:12: Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Revelations 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Corinthians 5: 21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Christ is our Victory. By Christ our King we sing:
Psalm 30: 3: O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
So Christ is the Light of our heart, the Strength of our soul, to go forth in every battle and by faith obtain the victory. Notice, the picture here in how each of these servants of David went forth and fought and slew the giant: Sibbechai, Elhanan, and Jonathan.
2 Samuel 21: 18: And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant. 19: And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20: And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21: And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.
Yet, it was not by their hand alone that these giants fell, but they each fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
2 Samuel 21: 22: These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
Our enemies fell by the hand of Christ our King and because each of his children were in Christ—his hand is our hand—when our enemies fell by the hand of Christ, it the same as them falling by our hand. His righteousness is our righteousness. His holy faithfulness is our holy faithfulness.
As we fight this fight of faith, all of our enemies—like the servants of David before these giants--are greater than us. But that is how God manifests that all the glory is his in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1: 17:…God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;…29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
2 Corinthians 12: 9: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Believer, are you faint by reason of sin; or, from the opposition of your enemies; the world, the flesh, and our adversary the devil?
Live upon the fullness of Christ JESUS himself. He brings with him all his promises, which are yea, and amen. Depend upon upon Christ, every word of his promise he shall fulfill.
Romans 8: 37: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
And the GOD of peace will bruise Satan, under your feet shortly (Romans 16: 19-20).
Amen!