2 Samuel 23:5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure… Now there are three parts of this last prophecy of David:, The first of them concerns the subject of all prophecy and promises, that he had preached about and declared, and that is Christ himself, in the third and fourth verses. The second of them concerns himself, as he was a type of Christ (ver. 5.) The third part concerns Satan and the enemies of the Church, in opposition unto the kingdom of Jesus Christ. I. A GREAT SURPRISAL AND DISAPPOINTMENT; "Although my house be not so with God." I have looked that it should be otherways, saith he, that my house should have a great deal of glory, especially that my house should be upright with God; but I begin to see it will be otherwise. The best of the saints of God do oftentimes meet with great surprisals and disappointments in the best of their earthly comforts: their houses are not so with God. The reasons hereof why it may be thus, are: 1. Because there is no promise of the covenant to the contrary. There is no promise of God secures absolutely unto us our outward comforts, be they of what nature they will, be they in our relations, in our enjoyments, in our persons, of what kind they will, why yet we may have a surprisal befal them in reference to them all; because there is no promise of God to secure the contrary, therefore it may be so. 2. Sometimes it is needful it should be so, though we are apt to think the contrary; and that for these three reasons:(1) To keep continually upon our hearts a due awe of the judgments of God; of the actings of God's providence in a way of judgment; which otherwise we should be apt to think ourselves freed from. (2) It is needful to keep us off from security in ourselves. (3) They are sometimes actually needful to awaken the soul out of such deep sleep of present satisfaction, or love of this world, which nothing else will do.That which we should learn from hence, by way of use, is: 1. Not to put too great a value upon any contentment whatever we have in this world, lest God make us write an "although" upon it. 2. Let us be in an expectation of such changes of Providence, that they may not be great surprisals unto us. II. THAT THE GREAT RESERVE AND RELIEF FOR BELIEVERS, under their surprisals and distresses, lies, in betaking themselves to the covenant of God, or to God in His covenant. "Although my house be not so with God." Why do they so? 1. They do it because of the author of the covenant. 2. The second reason is taken from the properties of the covenant; what kind of one it is: and they are three. It is an everlasting covenant. His a covenant that is ordered in all things. And it is a covenant that is sure. (1) It is the great relief of our souls, because it is "an everlasting covenant." How is this everlasting? It is everlasting in respect of the beginning of it; it is everlasting in respect of the end of it; and it is everlasting in respect of the matter of it. (2) The second property of this covenant is, "That it is ordered in all things." What is order? Order is the disposition of things into such a way, such a relation one to another, and such a dependence one upon another, as they may all be suited to attain their proper end. This is order. Now, saith he, this covenant is ordered. These are the heads of the glorious order of this covenant, that gives it its life, beauty, and glory. Its projection was in the wisdom and love of the Father. It had a solemn confirmation in the blood of the Son: hence the blood of Christ is called "the blood of the covenant." But when all this is done, how shall this covenant be executed? That is the work of the Holy Spirit.He hath undertaken two things. (1) To assure our souls of all things on the part of God. And (2) to undertake on our parts to give us hearts, that we shall love Him, and fear Him.There is an addition of order, in reference to the matter of it, here expressed. (1) It is ordered in all the things "of grace on the part of God."(2) It is ordered in reference unto sin. There was a great deal of glory and beauty in the first covenant; but there was no order taken about sin; that, if any sin came in, the first covenant was gone and broken, and of no use any more. (3) The last property of this covenant is, that it is sure. It is "ordered in all things, and sure." If it had not been sure, it would not have been a relief unto us.The springs of the security of this covenant are two: 1. The oath of God; 2. The intercession of Christ. ( J. Owen, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. |
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