🛡️ 2 Samuel Chapter 23 – David’s Last Words

💬 What a king says at the end of his life

🌅 Introduction

When a person reaches the end of life,
they often think about
what was really important.
What has remained?
What truly counts?

King David — the shepherd boy who defeated Goliath,
who became king and lived through many hard times —
he too grows old.

And before he goes,
he wants to say something.

His last words are not a complaint,
but a confession:
God was always faithful.

📖 The Bible story

David was now an old man.
He had fought many battles,
had made mistakes —
but again and again he found his way back to God.

Now he may be sitting in his place in the palace,
surrounded by his faithful servants.
He looks out the window.
And he begins to speak:

“These are the last words of David, son of Jesse.
The man who was raised up high,
whom God anointed — the beloved of Israel.”

He remembers:
He did not make himself king.
God did.
God chose him as a child.
God protected him, strengthened him, and guided him.

David says:

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
His word was on my tongue.”

That means:
“I was not perfect.
But I tried
to serve God — as best as I could.”

🌟 Hope in God’s Justice

David does not speak only about his own life,
but also about the kind of king
God desires:

“A good king rules with justice —
in reverence for God.”

Such a king brings light into people’s lives —
like the sun in the morning.
Like light shining on green grass after the rain.

This is how David wants to see his life.
Not only as a warrior —
but as a servant of God.

He says:

“God has made an everlasting covenant with me,
secure and firm in every way.
He is my hope and my salvation.”

At the end of his life,
David is not proud of his battles,
but of God’s faithfulness.

⚔️ David’s Heroes

In the same chapter, we read something else that is special:
the Bible tells us about David’s mighty men.

They were brave men
who fought at his side,
who stayed faithful to him in hard times
and accomplished great deeds.

For example:

• Josheb-Basshebeth,
  who defeated 800 enemies with his spear in one battle.

• Eleazar,
  who kept fighting
  even when everyone else fled —
  and God gave him victory.

• Shammah,
  who defended a whole field against the enemy —
  alone, brave, and faithful.

And many others.

None of them were perfect —
but they stood by David
and trusted in God.

🟣 Summary

At the end of his life, David does not speak of fame or riches.
He speaks of God.
Of a life that was guided.
Of hope, covenant, and trust.
And of people
who stood faithfully by his side.

His last words are a song of faith.

💚 Message for Children Today

You don’t have to be a king
to share God’s Word.
And you don’t have to be strong like a hero
to remain faithful.

What matters is the heart.
A heart that listens to God.
A heart that stays faithful — even when it is hard.

God sees when you are honest.
He knows your courage, your doubts, and your hope.
And He remains faithful — your whole life long.

💭 Thought Starter

🔹 What would you like to be able to say at the end of your life?
🔹 What are you already thankful to God for today?
🔹 Who in your life is like a faithful “hero” — someone who helps you hold on to God?

🧒 👧 👦

💌 Invitation to 2 Samuel – Chapter 24

🧭 When a king realizes he has gone the wrong way

David was a great king — brave, musical, and faithful.
But he also made mistakes.

In this final chapter of the book,
we see David do something
that was not right before God.

But we also learn this:
Whoever repents honestly
may experience how gracious God is. 💛

🔔 Teaser for Chapter 24

David orders a census of the people —
a counting that shows:
he trusts numbers more than God.
And that has consequences.

But then something unexpected happens:
David repents.
He prays.
And God gives him the opportunity
to admit his guilt —
and shows him a way back.

👉 What is the role of the angel of the Lord?
👉 Why is the place where David later offers a sacrifice so special?
👉 And what does all of this have to do with the temple in Jerusalem?

Chapter 24 is the conclusion of a long story —
and it shows us:
God’s grace is greater than our mistakes.