We see in David a type of the Lord Jesus, in his conflicts and victories, and as in a thousand things beside, so also in the spoil. To him as a warrior against evil the spoils of war belong. Jehovah saith, "I will divide him a portion with the great; and he shall divide the spoil with the strong" (Isa. 53:12). We may say of him, "Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey" (Ps. 76:4).

• Even thus is Jesus the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10).
  
• Within us he has wrought a great deliverance. He has overcome the strong man, taken from him all his armor, and divided his spoils (Luke 11:22). He can say with Job, "I plucked the spoil out of his teeth" (Job 29:17).


• We had lost all by sin, but Jesus has restored it: "Then I restored that which I took not away" (Ps. 69:4). "David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away" (verse 18).


• Our very selves were captive; he has set us free."David rescued his two wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them" (verses 18-19).


• Our eternal heritage was forfeited; he has redeemed it (Eph. 1:14). The prey is taken from the mighty. "David recovered all."


• Our enemies have been made to enrich us, and to glorify his name. "Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2:15). Now is fulfilled the promise,"They that spoil thee shall be a spoil" (Jer. 30:16).

• As Jesus has made us more safe than we were before the fall, so has he also made us more rich.

  1. The exaltation of humanity to kinship with God. This was not ours at the first, but it is acquired for us by the Lord Jesus.

    Election, sonship, heirship, spiritual life, union to Christ, espousal to Jesus, fellowship with God, and the glory of the future wedding-feast--all these are choice spoils.

    As ransomed persons we are bound to our Redeemer by special ties. "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price" (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

  3. Our singular condition as creatures who have known sin, and have been delivered from it, comes by our Lord Jesus Christ. Our perfection will be that of voluntary agents, who will for ever abhor the evil from which they have been saved, and love the good unto which they have been wedded by the grace of God. This belongs not to the angels.

  4. Our resurrection, which is a gem not found in the crown of seraphs, comes by our risen Lord (2 Cor. 4:14).
  5. Our relation to God, and yet to materialism, is another rare gift of Jesus. We are kings and priests unto God on behalf of the universe; the sanctification of mind and matter is consummated in our favored persons.
  6. Our manifestation of the full glory of the Lord. Our experience will declare to all intelligent beings the choicest wisdom, love, power, and faithfulness of God (Eph. 3:10).

    Truly all these things make us cry, "I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil" (Ps. 119:162).

  l. Our hearts are his alone for ever. Hence, all that we have and are belongs to him. "This is David's spoil"--the love and gratitude of our lives (! John 9:19).
  2. Our special gifts. Our tithes and dedicated things are for him. Let us give plentifully (Mai. 3:10). Abraham gave Melchizedek the tenth of the spoil (Gen. 14:20).
  3. Our homage as a Church is to him. He is Head over all things to his Church. It is his reward to reign in Zion.
  4. Our race must yet bow before him; all thrones and powers acknowledge his supremacy. This also is our David's spoil.

Notabilia

(1) Sin contracts no guilt that grace does not more than remove, (2) sin deforms no beauty that grace does not more than renew, (3) sin loses no blessedness that grace does not more than restore. --Outline of Sermon on Romans 5:20, by the late Charles Vince

In 1741, at the Northampton Assizes, a poor Irishman was sentenced to death for murder. Dr. Doddridge believed him innocent, and so exerted himself in his behalf that a respite was obtained. Nothing could be more touching than the poor fellow's expressions of gratitude. He said, "Every drop of my blood thanks you, for you have had compassion on every drop of it. You are my deliverer, and you have a right to me. If I live I am your property, and I will be a faithful servant."

We all remember the poem of "The man of Ross." Every good thing in the place came from him. Ask who did this or that, "The man of Ross," each lisping babe replies.

Even so, as we survey each blessing of our happy estate, and ask whence it came, the only answer is, "This is Jesus' spoil The crucified hand has won this for us."

A Pastor in Cumberland has formed in his church a Good Intent Society, composed of poor persons who have no money to give, but yet desire to do something for the Lord Jesus. These give one hour in the week to some charitable work, or to some labor by which they earn a few pence which is given to the service of the Lord. Each one, according to her several ability, does something distinctly for Jesus. These people find a blessing in so doing. Should we not each one regularly and systematically set aside a portion for our Lord and Savior, and say, "This is David's spoil"?