Listen: Joy to the World
Read: 2 Samuel 5:1-12
“Joy to the World” is a beautiful Christmas hymn. The message of this song is unapologetically eschatological in its aim. The song uses the language “let every heart prepare him room” beautifully to connect in our minds the night of Christ’s birth and our world’s need for our King.
Our reading in 2 Samuel is important for us because all the OT is pointing us toward Jesus. David was a king, typifying Christ. Jesus is the greater and truer king, but David is a helpful illustration of Christ for us.
First, we see David, who is already anointed King by God, anointed by men of Israel. Why? Because David was not yet received by his people as King. What didn’t happen is this: David was not made a king by the people of Israel that day. This is a helpful illustration for us. When we receive Jesus as King like the lyrics of our song, we do with Jesus what Israel did with David. We recognize, we submit, and we rightly appropriate Jesus’ divine authority over our lives.
After we have received Jesus as our king, we are now His people. We now are rightly at His command. David, secondly, commanded his people to take Jerusalem. Did David’s men obey? Yes, of course they did, because their King certainly has the right to command them and lead them. Are we submitted to Christ’s rule? When Jesus commands or commissions us to go into all the world and preach the gospel, are we obeying our King?
Thirdly, we notice in 2 Samuel the character of David’s rule. Don’t you see the beautiful picture of Jesus’ Kingly character imitated in David? Look with me; why did David exalt his own kingdom? “For his people Israel’s sake.” Our King, Jesus, exalts His Kingdom for His people’s sake. Let’s be evangelists who work for their King.
Aaron Irlbacher 