1. “The Life of David – 18” SURVIVING SUCCESS 2 Samuel 8:1-14 06/28/2009 Dr. Dane Boyles

2. SURVIVING SUCCESS Can we have it all in life?
The question is, what happens to our soul when we are gifted with success?
Is there a price to be paid?

3. SURVIVING SUCCESS
David was drawn into the most productive venture in history.
But what happened to David’s soul when at last he had it all?
Our text today, from the book of 2 Samuel, tells the story of his massive conquests abroad (8:1-14).

4. SURVIVING SUCCESS New Heights of Success Abroad (8:1-14)
1 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines. (2 Samuel 8:1)

5. 2 Samuel 8:2
2 David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought tribute.

6. 2 Samuel 8:3
3 Moreover, David fought Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control along the Euphrates River.

7. 2 Samuel 8:4
4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

8. 2 Samuel 8:5
5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.

9. 2 Samuel 8:6
6 He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

10. 2 Samuel 8:7-8
7 David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.
8 From Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

11. 2 Samuel 8:9-10
9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,
10 he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze.

12. 2 Samuel 8:11-12
11 King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued:
12 Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13. 2 Samuel 8:13-14
13 And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

14. SURVIVING SUCCESS
What is so striking in the description of the battles is the stark brevity with which they are catalogued.
When a few details are given to linger over, even then the focus is not on the battle, but on its aftermath.
From the west the narrator turns south-east, to Moab.

15. SURVIVING SUCCESS
The Aramean defeat opens the door for conquest and resettlement to the far north.
With the acquiescence of Tou, king of Hamath, David’s influence goes all the way north to the Euphrates River.

16. SURVIVING SUCCESS The Reason for David’s Success (8:6, 14)
6 The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. (2 Sam. 8:6)
If we have any success in life, credit is due to God alone.

17. SURVIVING SUCCESS David’s Response to Success
But the question that this text leaves us with is this: How does this tidal wave of success affect David’s soul?
David’s Response to Success
Holy Devotions (8:4, 11).

18. 2 Samuel 8:4, 11
4 He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
11 King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued:

19. SURVIVING SUCCESS
In the face of success, David does what a good king is supposed to do (Deut. 17:16): He refuses to place his trust in the spoils.
This is the center of the text.
Abrasive Emotions (8:2)

20. 2 Samuel 8:2
2 David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought tribute.

21. SURVIVING SUCCESS
This wave of success lands David on dangerous ground.
David lines the Moabites on the ground and measures them off with a rope to determine who lives and dies.

22. SURVIVING SUCCESS Yes, David made a name.
But was that the result of the pure gift of God, or was some of it of David’s own making?

23. “The Life of David – 18” SURVIVING SUCCESS 2 Samuel 8:1-14 06/28/2009 Dr. Dane Boyles