Keep on Shining

In the biblical record of king David's last words, he said in 2 Samuel 23:3-5:  "The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: 'He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. ⁴ And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, like the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain.' ⁵ "Although my house is not so with God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; will He not make it increase?"  David considered the calling of God to rule justly in the fear of the LORD.  As the sun rises and scatters darkness with light, Proverbs 20:8 illustrates the impact of a righteous king:  "A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his eyes."

David freely acknowledged he and his house had not risen to the height of holiness God called them to.  He and his house were guilty of coveting, adultery, murder, rape, deception and insurrection, grave sins despite receiving the revelation of God and His word.  David realised the enormity of God's grace to him and his house, that God had made with him an everlasting covenant with all assurance.  There was nothing more David could have wanted or asked for, for in God David was satisfied and secure forever.  Any good David had done could never excuse his failings, but his faults were all overcome by God's goodness, mercy and grace.

The KJV rendering of 2 Samuel 23:5 is quite different at the end:  "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."  What was it God did not make to grow for David?  It was not God's covenant, for it was eternal, secure and unchanging.  It was not David's desire, for his desire was fully satisfied by God and his goodness.  This goes back to the ruler described who is like the "light of the morning when the sun rises" on a morning without clouds.  When the sun first emerges over the horizon with a fiery glow, it is not as bright or hot as when it shines directly overhead.  As king David advanced in age, his glorious influence to uphold justice in the fear of the LORD did not continue to grow.  Marred by sinful scandals and disorder, the light of the house of Jesse dimmed.

Though David's light did not increase toward the end of his life, he remained faithful to the LORD and continued to trust and praise God continually.  Even as the sun rises and sets, humanly speaking our light will rise and be extinguished at the time known by God.  In this world filled with darkness and sin, God did for us what even a man after God's own heart could not do:  to come as the Light of the World in the person of Jesus Christ and bring salvation through the Gospel.  When Simeon held Jesus in his arms, he praise God for the salvation God prepared for all and in Luke 2:32 said Jesus was "...a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel."  Jesus said a city on a hill shall not be hidden, and having received Him we are to let our light shine before all so they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

At the end of his life David was not fighting giants on the battlefield, but he continued to praise and acknowledge the goodness of God to him.  He continue to shine for the LORD even when his body could not remain warm and he relied on assistance of others for his health and survival.  Though none of us are righteous in ourselves and have fallen short of God's glory due to sin, let us be those who continue to shine bright because of the everlasting covenant God has made with us.  Jesus is our salvation and song, and may our light that glorifies God be made to increase by God's grace even as the day grows long and the evening of our lives draws nigh.