A Word about Famous Last Words

Today I want to share a word about Famous Last Words, as I comment on 2 Samuel 23:1-7. 

This Scripture reads: 

Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, son of Jesse, the oracle of the man whom God exalted, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the favorite of the Strong One of Israel: The spirit of the LORD speaks through me, his word is upon my tongue. The God of Israel has spoken, the Rock of Israel has said to me: One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of God, is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land. Is not my house like this with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. Will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away; for they cannot be picked up with the hand; to touch them one uses an iron bar or the shaft of a spear. And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot.

Famous Last Words?

When we think of famous last words, we often remember the words of great personalities and how profound, profane, or inane those words might be. We have no need that such a list be repeated here; a cursory search of the internet will produce a long one; a search I did produced 844,000,000 results!

Of course, in contrast to the last words of a famous person, we also use the term “famous last words,” to express doubts about the veracity, competence, or character of the person to who we are referring. In this case, instead of a fawning admiration of the person, this phrase becomes a sarcastic criticism of the person involved.

In the case of David’s last words, we can address both issues. 

David was, arguably, the best king of Israel, and while he definitely has feet of clay, he was also called a man after God’s own heart. Which is pretty heady stuff, let me tell you! I know of no person who could ever imagine being given such a compliment, so it would be natural that we should consider David’s last words seriously. They might contain real truth and powerful insights that can bless our lives!

And they do, but in an unexpected way. Let me explain.

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing:

One might imagine that David would recount all his great military victories, or his feats of derring-do as a young man, but he didn’t. 

One might imagine that David would recount how he had expanded the borders of the nation of Israel to their greatest extent and how he had created Jerusalem as a national capital and focal point, but he didn’t.

One might imagine that David would recount his love for Jonathan and his faithfulness to Saul, even though the first king of Israel had hunted him down to kill him, but he didn’t.

One might imagine that David would recount his own sins and failures, and beg God and those he offended for forgiveness, but he didn’t

No, David’s focus wasn’t on himself, his personality, or his achievements. Instead, David’s focus was on God, the God who called him, the God who directed him, the God who empowered him, the God who corrected him, and the God who was about to receive him into His own bosom.

One wag has said that “the main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing!” David did just that; he kept his God the main thing in his life. 

David knew who had made him what he was, and he was determined to give God the praise, glory, and adoration that He deserved as he uttered these words with his last earthly breaths.

Words for Us:

The take away for us is not found in the poetic language that David used, but instead it is the object of his devotion. 

David’s God is the same today as He was during the reigns of the kings of Israel, and He is still working in our lives today in the same way, if we just allow Him to do so.

Davids’ last words were spoken in praise of His God and Ours. Who will we be praising with our last breaths?

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt