OF ALL NATIONS
2 Samuel 8:10 Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass: 11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued; 12 Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
Christ, Not David
When we study the Old Testament it will only be a dry history lesson of long ago happenings in an ancient nation, unless we can find Christ revealed in them! Meditate on these scriptures. Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
1Cor. 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. This last verse informs us that the physical, literal providences recorded in the lives of the Old Testament characters were laid out by God in order that we might have example and admonition! The Amplified Bible relates this word, “admonition” to mean, “to fit us for right action by good instruction!”
Therefore, to study David is to study Christ! In fact, according to the Holy Spirit’s first Christian message on the day of Pentecost, by the Apostle Peter, David himself knew that God’s promises to him were to be fulfilled in Christ! Acts 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. David well knew the promise of God that there would not fail of a son of his loins to sit upon his throne forever, would be fulfilled in the Messiah! We must quit looking at national Israel and look unto Jesus! 2 Cor. 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. The “him” in this verse refer to “the Son of God, Jesus Christ!”
Christ Introduced
Matt. 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Have you ever really considered how the Lord Christ is introduced to us in this first verse in order in our New Testament? He is shown as being the offspring of both Abraham and David. Let us consider this.
In our passage listed above we have the reference of David’s dedication of all the valuable materials that were obtained for the building of the temple, (mostly as spoils of war), Of All Nations! Therefore we see that David’s kingdom, for a short period of time, represented Christ’s world wide kingdom! Rev. 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Consider these verses concerning the extent of David’s kingdom, and that which it effected for him personally. 2Sam. 8:12 Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men. I know that we usually skip over all these names, but just consider them for this point.
And the point is that David was only fulfilling that which God promised to Abraham! So the Lord Jesus’ conquering the nations to restore the dominion that the first Adam lost is prefigured by David, as prophesied unto Abraham! Now listen at this list of nations given to Abraham by God.
Genesis 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. Remember that it was the Jebusites who inhabited the city we now know as Jerusalem, the city of David!
This revelation was given to Abraham as he literally stood in the midst of the halved pieces of animal sacrifices, which represented Calvary! (Gen. 15) This experience, as well as that of the attempted offering of Isaac on Mt. Moriah (same as Mount Calvary), caused Abraham to understand his life by the vision of his “son,” Jesus Christ, the Messiah! John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
The Purpose of Nations
We surely are well aware that the purpose of nations is to provide the segment of people, in places and times before appointed, to whom the Lord Christ would send forth his conquering gospel! Having regain the sceptre that Adam lost to Satan, Christ, having all Heaven’s and Earth’s authority mounted his white horse, going forth to conquer the souls of his elect, and to subdue all mankind under his rule! Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord,
Deuteronomy 32:7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. 8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
The Apostle Paul conveys to the church that “all things” are hers, even “the world!” (1 Cor 3:21-23).
And all this is to be done, as previously stated, by gospel power, not by social or political efforts, or works! For those who seek to extend Christ’s kingdom by physical force are not doing so, as they are not Christ’s disciples! John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Besides, no human being can enter into Christ’s kingdom, by whatever means exacted upon him! 1Cor. 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. One can only see and enter the kingdom as a new spiritual man, created by the Holy Ghost! John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Out of Every Nation
Psa. 72:1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
Here David, “being a prophet,” offers up to God his prayerful petition for “the king’s son,” whom we have already seen in Matthew 1:1 to be Christ! He rightly prophesies in the Spirit that Christ shall have “all nations serve him!” And we read of this in the Apostle Paul’s writing of Christ to the Philippians. Phil. 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
And then in the Apostle John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ we read in Rev. 5:9, And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
David also writes in the spiri,t and for the purposes of Christ in Psalm 18:39, For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. 43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
And we read of Christ in the Revelation 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Rev. 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Be assured, dear reader, that Christ purchased all the souls of all those elected in him before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:4, Acts 20:28). And none of them shall ever perish. But he also “bought” the right of dominion over every other soul born to mankind! 2Pet. 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Pastor Gene Breed
