Peggy Noonan ends her biography of Ronald Reagan, When Character Was King, with an epilogue about a three-year-old little boy wondering through the White House with a plastic sword early on a Saturday morning. She writes that when he was asked what he was going to do with that sword, he said, “I want to fight bad men.” And then she ends with these words, “The little bodies of children are the repositories of the greatness of a future age. And they must be encouraged, must eat from the tales of those who’ve gone before, and brandished their swords, and slayed their dragons.”¹

At first glance it appears that this epilogue is completely non-related. Maybe she had started writing about a boy in the White House, failed to find a good place to put it, and so tacked it on to the end of her Reagan biography. After all, the epilogue is only a page and says nothing at all about Ronald Reagan. It only talks about little boys, plastic swords, and slaying dragons. However, if you think about why she wrote this biography it makes perfect sense and is a perfect ending. She did not write this sketch of Reagan to be his end-all biography. She suggests that such a task would take 800 pages rather than the mere 300 some odd pages that comprise her work. She wrote this to highlight a man’s character in hope that others might be called to respect and emulate such character. That’s why she ends with the story of the little boy. Her hope is to provide boys like him yet another model of what courage, faith, and integrity look like. Thus, the epilogue is not some tag-on of a neat story, but an intentional focusing of the reader on what is her desire for the book. What appears at first glance to have little to do with the rest of the book is actually a summary of her hope for the book itself.

2 Samuel 21-24 is much like that. These chapters form the epilogue of 1-2 Samuel. And at first glance, they appear simply to be some last minute add-on to the books as a whole. Perhaps the author had some really good stories he had failed to be able to work into the narrative, and so he just threw them all together in these last four chapters just so that we would know of them and be able to incorporate them into our re-telling of the events of David’s reign. But a closer look at the structure of the stories defies the notion that this was a haphazard act at all. There is a clear structure to this epilogue. The section is framed by two stories of dealing with a king’s sin so that disaster in the land is dealt with (21:1-14; 24:1-25). Then, as we move in from both sides we find the stories immediately following the opening story and immediately prior to the ending story is are accounts of David’s mighty men and their deeds and battles with the Philistines (21:15-22; 23:8-39). And finally, at the center of the epilogue are David’s words: a psalm thanking God for his faithfulness and David’s last official words, trusting God’s faithfulness will continue (22; 23:1-7). Thus, clearly the author has saved these stories, exploits, and writings not simply as some last-minute add-on but to make an intentional message as he ends his writing of 1-2 Samuel. And not unlike Peggy Noonan’s biography of Reagan, I think we will find that what first appears as some unrelated last-minute add-on will show itself to be quite central to the message of the book as a whole as we look more closely. In fact, I believe these four chapters will show us why the author composed these books to begin with.

Therefore, this morning I want us to look at what is communicated in each of these sections, looking at the corresponding sections together (i.e. the stories of disaster and atonement, David’s mighty men, and David’s psalm and last words) and then try to arrive at the overall message of the epilogue and how we should apply this text to ourselves.

First we see that …

Dealing with sin is necessary to avert the Lord’s judgment on the land (21:1-14; 24:1-25)

As aforementioned, the epilogue for 1-2 Samuel begins with a story of disaster in the land as the Lord’s judgment against sin, and the people’s sin being dealt with. Let’s look at the first of these stories first. It takes place in 21:1-14.

This section begins with the author speaking of a three year famine in the land, which occurred, “in the days of David,” showing that this didn’t happen immediately after the events of chapter 20. So David sought the face of the Lord and the Lord said to him, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death” (21:1). The Gibeonites were that group of people in Joshua 9 that deceived the Israelites into thinking they had come from a distant country and with whom Israel had made a covenant to spare them. But Saul, however, had broken that oath that had been sworn in Yahweh’s name. Thus, Yahweh’s name was at risk of being discredited, and so there was a famine in the land.

Therefore, David went to the Gibeonites and asked them what could be done to make atonement. They point out that it is not a matter for them to be able to execute (I think that’s the meaning of verse 4). They are not able to do anything. So David asks them outright, “What do you say that I shall do for you?” (21:4). Their answer: “Let seven of his sons be given to us, so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord” (21:6).

David agrees, but he will not touch Mephibosheth. Saul may have broken the covenant of Israel, but David will not break his. He does, however, take seven other sons from Saul’s line and hands them over. They are put to death and their bodies hanged for all to see.

Then, Rizpah, whose sons had been among the seven went and stayed by the bodies, fending off birds and beasts from devouring the bodies until David heard of it and took their bones, along with the bones of Saul and Jonathan, and buried them. Then we read, “And after that God responded to the plea for the land” (21:14).

It is a sad and gruesome scene, but atonement had to be made for Saul’s sins, and it was made with the blood of his sons, a painful loss for Rizpah, and a painful reminder of the seriousness of sin.

The section ends with a similar story in chapter 24. In this final chapter of the book we find that the Lord’s anger is again against Israel. We don’t know why. We simply read in 24:1, “Again the anger of the Lord as kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’” Therefore, David gets Joab to do a census in which he comes back and reports that there are 800,000 valiant men in Israel who drew the sword, and 500,000 in Judah (24:9). And immediately “David’s heart struck him” so that he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly” (24:10).

No doubt such a section of verses raises a number of questions. We’ve already mentioned that we could ask why the Lord was angry in the first place. We might also ask why the Lord didn’t just punish Israel instead of using David’s sin as a platform for judgment. Then, we might wonder how it is that we are to understand the Lord “inciting” David to do something that is evil and for which he would be judged. And, finally, we might wonder why conducting the census was a sin.

Answering these questions, I would say that we have no idea over what the Lord was angry and why God decided to use David’s sin as a platform for judgment (the text doesn’t tell us, so we should assume it is not necessary for us to know). I would add that for the Lord to incite David probably simply means that God withdrew his restraining gracious hand from David and allowed David to carry out the full sinful desire of his heart. And in regards to why the census was sinful, I could only guess that either David was doing so as a subtle way of shifting his reliance from being on God to on his army or he was counting individuals in the army who were not of age. However, both are speculative. Therefore, we move on to the focus of the chapter – dealing with David’s sin.

After David’s sin, Gad comes to David with three options from the Lord for judgment. Either shall years of famine shall come to the land (i.e. the exact judgment they suffered for Saul’s sin), they will flee three months from before their foes, or three days of pestilence shall be in the land. David responds, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man” (24:14). By this, David is saying he does not want option two, but will let the Lord decide, and he trusts in his mercy.

Verse 15 reads, “So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel.” And 70,000 Israelites had died when the Lord “said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, ‘It is enough; now stay your hand’” just as the angel had arrived at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. (24:16). Then David cried out to the Lord not to let others suffer for what he had done but to let him and his house suffer (24:17).

What happens next shows that the sin was not yet atoned for. Yes, the Lord had stopped the judgment, but there still must be atonement. This is why Gad comes to David with the news to raise an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah to atone for men’s sin. Therefore, David comes to him and declares his intent to “buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people” (24:21). And after refusing it as a gift, David buys it from Araunah for fifty shekels of silver, and the text ends, “And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel” (24:25).

These stories bracket our text, focusing on the atonement necessary for sin. And in both cases it is a costly sacrifice. In chapter 21 it is the blood of seven of Saul’s sons. It is a gross and horrifying and sad scene. Atonement is costly. In chapter 24 it is the slaughter of animals and fifty shekels of silver. Again, atonement is gross and costly. It never means anything less than the shedding of blood.

So why does the author conclude with these episodes in David’s reign? I think it is to remind us that though there may have been sin that has occurred and has been apparently ignored along the way, no sin is passed over without the shedding of blood, without atonement being made. I think it is a reminder to us that though we’ve watched David move along and his life filled with sin, God is not one who simply ignores sin. If David’s sin has seemed to have been ignored or God seemed to forgive without great payment it is because he knew there would be atonement to come. And ultimately neither Saul’s sons or the blood of bulls and goats would suffice. Rather, David and we need the shed blood of Christ.

I believe one reason the author ends the book focusing on atonement even for David’s sin is to remind us that we need one different than David to bring about our salvation. We need one who himself did not need atonement but one who could make atonement for us. We need David’s great Son, Jesus of Nazareth.

And that’s exactly what he did. When Jesus died on the cross he took the punishment that we deserved for our sins, receiving God’s full wrath. And it was gross, bloody, and sad. There was nothing pretty about it. He was beaten and was hanged in a much worse fashion than any of Saul’s sons, drowning in his own blood. And women were weeping and children turning away. He was rejected and despised. Even as it is hard to look at Gibeah and Rizpah weeping for her sons, it is hard to look at Golgotha and see Jesus being crucified.

But it is also precious, for in that act our sins are paid for, our punishment removed, and God’s wrath averted. In that is our forgiveness. That’s what our author wants us to look to as we read through 1-2 Samuel. He wants us to see that we need one greater than David. He wants us to see our need for one like us who is so unlike us to come and atone for our sins. We need David’s Son, Jesus of Nazareth.

From there, as we move closer to the middle section of the epilogue, we see in the second and next to last section that …

Through David’s mighty men, God destroys Israel’s enemies (21:15-22; 23:8-39)

The second and fifth sections of the text are parallel stories as well in which the author shares for us the names and exploits of David’s mighty men. In 22:15-22, he tells us of a time when David was threatened by a giant named Ishbi-benob and that Abishai “attacked the Philistine and killed him” (21:17). Then, seeing that David’s life should not be at risk, his men forbade him from going out to war again.

The author also tells us of a man named Sibbecai striking down Saph, one of the giants, Elhanan striking down Goliath the Gittite giant, and Jonathan striking down a giant with twenty-four fingers and toes. All in all, this section tells us of David’s men striking down Israel’s enemies, the Philistines.

In 23:8-39 we find more of the same. The section begins by describing three of David’s mightiest men. It tells us of Josheb-bashebeth who killed 800 men at one time, Eleazar who once fought so long after the Israelites had fled that his hand clung to the sword, and Shammah who once stood his ground in a plot of lentils when the Israelites had fled and struck down the Philistines to win a victory. We then read of an episode where David was in the cave of Adullam, surrounded by the Philistines, and said to himself, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate” (23:15). It was nothing more than a soldier in a bunker saying, “I sure wish I had some home-cooking.” Yet David’s men took him seriously and risked their lives, breaking through enemy lines, to go and bring David a cup of water from that well.

David’s response? He cries, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” (23:15). He knew that only the Lord was worthy of such sacrifice. But these were the kind of men David was surrounded by.

Finally, the text lists thirty some odd men who fought alongside of him, including Abishai who killed 300 men in his days of battle and Benaiah who once killed a lion in the snow and took a handsome Epytian’s weapon from him and killed him with it. The section ends with the list of David’s mighty men and where they were from.

So why would the author give us these two sections? Is it just so that we might have some great stories to tell young boys? No. He’s reminding us of a couple of things. First, I think he’s reminding us that the Lord honors those who seek to honor his Anointed King. These men fought alongside and for David, and now the Lord is honoring them by mentioning their deeds in these two sections.

Second, he’s reminding us that God is committed to delivering his people from the hands of their enemies. The Lord had said in 2 Samuel 3:18 that by David’s hand he would save his people from the hand of the Philistines. In 21:15-22 and 23:8-39, we see how God went about doing that.

And for us that might not seem that great. We see the significance of atonement from the first and last sections, for we need that. But we don’t see the connection with God saving his people from their enemies. However, we only need to remember that salvation is constantly pictured in the Bible in images of God crushing his enemies so that his people might be delivered from their grasp. As much as an image of atonement for our sins makes us think of salvation, anyone steeped in the Old Testament would remind you that the destruction of God’s enemies so that his people are delivered should as well. We see it in the proclamation of Genesis 3:15, in the Exodus, over and over in the book of Judges, and here in our text. These weren’t simply exploits. This was the Lord working salvation through his king. In fact, in 23:10 and 12 both say that “the Lord brought about a great salvation that day” (literal translation). God had brought salvation to his people through servants of the king.

In the same way, it shouldn’t be difficult for us to remember the enemies which hold us captive as well. Because of our sin we are held captive by Satan and death. But I believe the author doesn’t merely want us to be reminded that we have enemies as well, but also that we need another besides David to come. For when the author ends the list of David’s mighty men, look who is last on the list. We see his name in 23:39: “Uriah the Hittite.”

That name conjures up memories for us, doesn’t it? Even as we are delighting in David and his mighty men delivering Israel the author leaves us remembering David’s own sin. Why? Could it be that the author wants us to see a greater enemy and greater captivity than any Philistine might bring? He wants us to see that David himself was captive to sin as well, in need of the work of Christ.

Even as the first and last sections of our text remind us that there must be a greater atonement to come, the second and fifth sections remind us that there must be another conquering King to come. We need one who is like us yet without sin to come and destroy for us Satan, and sin, and death. And that’s what Jesus did on the cross. Yet again the author is focusing us on Jesus.

Finally, in the middle sections of our text we see that …

God has been faithful to his servant and David trusts he will be faithful to the end (22:1-51; 23:1-7)

The middle of the epilogue, indeed the focus of the epilogue, is the writing of David. In chapter 22 we read of a psalm written by David and in 23:1-7 we read of David’s last official words. Let’s first look at 22.

Chapter 22 is divided into four sections. In the first, verses 2-4, David begins extolling God as his delivering and the one worthy to be praised. Then, in verses 5-20 he explains why he says this. He had been in distress and a desperate situation. Death was all around him. His very life had been threatened, and so he called out to the Lord (5-7). Then, God heard and moved heaven and earth to come to his servant, sending his enemies scattering (8-16). And, finally, God took David, drawing him out of the water, rescuing him from the strong enemy who was too mighty for him. And all of this because God delighted in him (17-20). In these first twenty verses David praises God because when he was in a desperate need God rescued him.

In verses 21-31 David answers why God rescued him. He states that it is because he had “kept the ways of the Lord” (22) and so God dealt with him according to his righteousness (21). It was because “I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt” David states, that the Lord “has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight” (24-25). Finally, David declares, “This God – his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him” (31). David knows that God rescues him for he is righteous. Now, David is not deceived into thinking he’s perfect. He’s well aware that he has sinned. But he knows his heart is turned toward God, that he has dealt with his sins, and that God had credited his faith as righteousness, even as he had Abraham. He knows that God has rescued him, in short, because he belongs to God.

Finally, in verses 32-51 David notes that all good things in his life have come from God. God has trained his hands for war (35), equipped him with strength for battle (40), delivered him from strife with his own people (44), brought foreigners to obey him (45-46), exalted David over his enemies (49)and shown steadfast lover to him forever (51).

Chapter 22 is David’s praise of God for his faithfulness in his life. It is David looking back and seeing all that God has done and thanking and praising him for it. He is praising God for his faithfulness in bringing salvation to him.

Then, in 23:1-7 we have David’s last words. But unlike chapter 22, David’s last words do not look back; they look forward. He makes clear in verses 1-3 that the words he is speaking are not his own but God’s. Then he declares in verse 3 that one is coming who will rule justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, dawning like the morning light, like the sun, and bringing life to the earth (3-4).

But how can David be so sure? David declares in verse 5, “For he has made with me an everlasting covenant.” David knows that God will establish this great King because he made a covenant with him to keep his Son as King forever. And David knows he is coming to bless his people (3-5) and to judge the wicked (6-7).

What does the author want us to see in this middle section? I think it is just as David declares: just as God has been faithful in bringing salvation to this point, there is still God’s work of salvation to come.

And having the privilege of living on this side of the death and resurrection of Christ we know the one who is this just King and how he has redeemed us. It is Jesus of Nazareth, through his death, burial, and resurrection. And yet we too still look forward to full salvation, looking to the day when Christ will return. But may we, with the faith of David, thousands of years ago still speak with surety, for he told David that he would have a Son who would reign as King forever. And that Son is coming back to reign. His name is Jesus.

So why does the author give us this epilogue?

Is the epilogue then simply some add-on that doesn’t fit with the rest of 1-2 Samuel? No. In fact, it is showing us what 1-2 Samuel is all about. It is not primarily about Samuel, or Saul, or David. It is about telling us that there is one to come – one who will atone for our sins, deliver us from the captivity of our enemies, and one who will reign as our just and righteous King. That’s what 1-2 Samuel are about. The epilogue is no add-on, rather it is the author’s way of telling us what all of the previous chapters were about – Jesus. He’s making sure we don’t leave these books focusing our eyes on the wrong king. For the original readers, it was one to come. For us, it is the one who has come. Again, his name is Jesus.

Therefore, as we see that the Lord has been faithful to his covenant promise may we live to trust him today. Let us reflect on his past faithfulness, trust in what he’s promised to do, and walk in faith. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Amen.

¹Peggy Noonan, When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan (New York: Viking Penguin, 2001), 327.

FOCUSING OUR EYES ON THE ONE TO COME