Power Forward

Reflections on 1 Chronicles 27:1-34

When the leaders of Israel assembled in Jerusalem, David gave Solomon the reins of power which would enable him to rule Israel. David was able to give Solomon a kingdom and the glory that attended that kingdom because God had blessed him.

A large population is a king's glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined. -- Proverbs 14:28 NIV

OFFICIALS OVER THE ARMY. The army he transferred to Solomon was divided into twelve divisions. Each division, which consisted of 24,000 soldiers, was on duty one month during the year.

OFFICIALS OVER THE TRIBES. The thirteen officials over of the tribes of Israel were put under Solomon's authority. Two tribes, Gad and Asher, were omitted for unknown reasons bringing the number to ten. To these ten, three were added: officers over Levi, Aaron, and the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead.

OFFICIALS OVER THE ROYAL PROPERTY. Officers over the David's property were put under Solomon's command. His lands included vineyards, fields of olive and sycamore-fig trees, and pastures in the plains of Sharon and the valleys. His herds included camels, donkeys, sheep, and goats. He also had storehouses in Jerusalem and outlying districts. There were also officers over the field workers and over David's sons. David's remaining counselors were also turned over to Solomon.

Success Planned for the Successor

Reflections on 1 Chronicles 22:2-19

One responsibility of leadership is to prepare the way for a successor. Although it appears David was slow to designate Solomon as his successor, he had prepared the way for him.

PLAN AND CHARGE. David had wanted to build a house for the Lord, but God had forbidden him because he was a man of blood and war. Still, God promised that his son Solomon would be a man of peace and that he would build a house for God. When Solomon had been appointed king, David called him in and charged him to build a house for the Lord. David prepared the way for his successor by giving him a clear objective.

INEXPERIENCE. David may have been slow to designate Solomon as co-regent because Solomon was young and inexperienced. Solomon could not have been born much earlier than halfway through David's 40-year reign (he was born after the conquest of Ammon), but he did have a son before he became king (cf. 1 Kings 11:42 and 1 Kings 14:21), so he was probably about 20 years old. At that age, he would not have had the same experience in managing any of the royal property as brothers who were 10 to 15 years older (Absalom had had charge of sheep and sheep shearing; 2 Samuel 13:23). This may account for David's apparent reluctance to name a successor.

PREPARATION. Because David was passionate about his dream and because Solomon was young, David had already enlisted many of the laborers (stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and men skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron) and donated materials (cedar logs, bronze, iron, silver, and gold) needed for building the temple.

BLESSING. After David instructed Solomon to build the temple and told him the preparations he had already made, he blessed his son wishing the Lord to be with him and to give him discretion, understanding, and success. Finally, he charged him to obey the Lord, to be strong and courageous, and never to be afraid or discouraged.

Decisive Action

Reflections on 1 Kings 1:32-40

When David learned that Adonijah had proclaimed himself king, he acted promptly and decisively. After reaffirming his promise to Bathsheba, he called in three trusted men to execute his plan.

THE KING'S MULE. David commanded that Solomon be placed on his own mule and ride through the city accompanied by his own servants. Passage through the city would attract the attention of the expectant citizens, and riding on the king's mule would assure them that Solomon had David's blessing.

GIHON SPRING. Solomon's procession ended at Gihon Spring. Because Gihon Spring was nearer the city than En Rogel where Adonijah was celebrating, the news of Solomon's anointing would gain the attention of Jerusalem more quickly than Adonijah's earlier but more distant celebration.

PUBLIC ANOINTING. Zadok the priest anointed Solomon with the oil from the sacred tent showing that Solomon was God's choice rather than man's choice. Nathan the prophet and Benaiah, who was of the priestly family as well as a commander (1 Chronicles 27:5), were present to confirm God's choice. The public responded with shouts of "Long live King Solomon" and music and rejoicing that shook the ground.

DAVID'S THRONE. After the anointing, the procession returned through the city gathering larger crowds as it went, and Solomon took his seat on the throne of his father David. Although Adonijah made the first move to claim the throne, Solomon was the first to sit on the throne. In this case, possession was more than nine-tenths of the law because God had chosen Solomon. Solomon's initial humility and the peace that would predominate during his reign were symbolized by the mule he rode that day. God rejected the pride and war symbolized by Adonijah's chariots and horses.

David Informed of a Problem

Reflections on 1 Kings 1:11-31

Most of us don't like problems that come to us when we are exhausted. David was weak and weary from advanced age, but a problem was developing again within his own household about who would follow him as king. He was unaware of the problem, so Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba found it necessary to inform him. PROMISE. Through Nathan, God had promised David a son whom the Lord would love and establish on David' throne (2 Samuel 7:14-16). Later, Nathan identified Solomon as that son and gave him the name Jedidiah, which meant "loved of God" (2 Samuel 12:24-25). David then had promised Bathsheba that her son Solomon would be the next king (vv. 13, 17). This promise was also known within the family and by Adonijah, who ominously failed to invite Solomon to the party he was throwing near En Rogel Spring just outside the city walls.

EXPECTATION. Although David had expressed his intention about the throne within his family, he had never made a public announcement about which son would follow him as king. Because David's health was failing, the nation was anticipating such an announcement at any moment (v. 20; Accordingly, the public assembly in 1 Chronicles 29:22 could not have already happened.)

SHOCK AND DANGER. With David's health failing and the nation in expectation, Adonijah decided to preempt the king and proclaim himself as David's successor (vv. 13, 18, 25). With the support of a significant portion of the government, namely Joab the army commander and Abiathar the priest, Adonijah would surely treat Solomon and Bathsheba as criminals because he would see them as endangering his rule and authority (v. 21).

Though weak and weary, David needed to act decisively. He would because he was still a leader at heart.

Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important quality in a good leader.
-- Gen. George S. Patton

King of the Mountain

Reflections on 2 Samuel 5:17-25; 1 Chronicles 14:8-17

Because of his higher position, the king on the mountain enjoys a great advantage over his rivals.  However, the rivals are more numerous and with time can dislodge the king at the top.  But then, the new king on the mountain suddenly finds that his allies have turned against him.  His success does not bring rest.  Instead, it invites attacks from all sides.  David's elevation to the throne over all Israel antagonized the Philistines, who like David had been counted enemies by Saul's house.  They were troubled because David had become their chief rival.  They gathered their forces and marched toward Jerusalem from the southwest.  They occupied the fertile Valley of Rephaim (Isaiah 17:4-6) midway between Bethlehem, where they had established a garrison (2 Samuel 23:14), and Jerusalem.  Before the Philistines gained complete control of the countryside around Jerusalem, David took a small force to Baal Perazim, where he could observe the movement of Philistine troops between Philistia and the Valley of Rephaim.

THE LORD BREAKS FORTH.  Although David was accompanied by brave and proven soldiers, he inquired of the Lord before attacking the Philistines.  After receiving God's approval, David attacked the Philistines near Baal Perazim with such suddenness that they abandoned their idols.  David and his men carried off the idols (2 Samuel 5:21) and burned them (1 Chronicles 14:12) according to the Lord's command (Deuteronomy 7:5, 25).  After the battle, David noted that the Lord had "broken out against my enemies before me.  Still, one battle seldom wins a war, and the Philistines returned with reinforcements.

THE LORD GOES IN FRONT.  Again David inquired of the Lord, and God instructed David to circle around the Philistines and attack "in front of the balsam trees," that is, probably from the cover of a wooded area in a guerrilla style ambush.  The "sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees" signaled that the Lord had "gone out in front" of them "to strike the Philistine army."  Perhaps as the trees hid David's men from the sight of the Philistines, so the sound in the treetops masked the sound of his men as they moved into position.  Since David had circled around behind the Philistines, they could not flee down the valley westward when they were attacked.  Instead, they had to go north over the hills five or six miles to Gibeon and then westward 15 miles to Gezer on the border of Philistia.

Twice the Philistines had attacked, twice David inquired of the Lord, twice the Lord had led the way, and twice David and the Israelites won the victory.  When Israel sought the Lord's will and obeyed his command to destroy the idols in the land, the Lord blessed Israel and gave them victory.

Obedience and Blessing

Reflections on 2 Sam. 5:6-10 [1 Chron. 11:4-9]

David desired in his heart to fulfill God’s purposes as stated by Moses. Even while in Ziklag to avoid Saul, David was destroying the Amalekites in accordance to God’s command (Deut. 25:17-19), and God blessed David. When David became king of all Israel, David continued to pursue the will of God, and God continued to bless him.

MOVING THE CAPITAL. David needed a capital that was more centrally located, not associated with Judah alone, and more defensible than Hebron. Jerusalem was an ideal site. It lay between the two most powerful tribes of Ephraim to the north and Judah to the south. Although it was in territory assigned to Benjamin (Josh. 18:16; 18:28), it bordered Judah (Josh. 15:8), which was the base of David’s power. Furthermore, Jerusalem was quite defensible because on three sides it could be approached only by ascending a steep hill. The major obstacle to making it his capital was that it was still in the hands of the Jebusites.

UNFULFILLED MANDATE. The Jebusites were “inhabitants of the land,” a phrase that often described the people, including the Jebusites, whom the Israelites were to drive out (Ex. 23:31; Num. 33:52; and Deut. 7:1). Although Jerusalem belonged to Benjamin, the Benjamites had never driven them out (Judges 1:21). Consequently, David was not merely achieving a personal ambition when he conquered Jerusalem, but he was fulfilling God’s mandate to possess the land promised to Abraham’s descendants.

CONQUERING JERUSALEM. Conquering Jerusalem was no easy task. The Jebusites were so confident of their defenses that they tried to insult David by boasting that even the blind and the lame could defend the city against David. David resolved to defeat the insolent “blind and lame” inhabitants. He scouted the city’s defenses and discovered that the city obtained its water from a source outside the city walls through a narrow shaft in the rock upon which the city was built (2 Sam. 5:8). Having discovered the passageway, he called for a volunteer to enter the city through the water shaft and promised the command of the army to the man who first entered the city. Joab accepted the challenge and enabled David’s army to capture the city (1 Chron. 11:6).

BLESSED OF GOD. After David conquered the city, he lived in the fortress (stronghold) and built up its supporting terraces (Millo) and city walls while Joab took charge of rebuilding the rest of the city (1 Chron. 11:8). David did not conquer and beautify the city by his own ingenuity and strength. Rather, he did so because “the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him” (2 Sam. 5:10).

The Inauguration

Reflections on 2 Sam. 5:1-5 [1 Chron. 11:1-3]

THE INAUGURATION
In the United States, inaugural activities begin with the president-elect attending a morning worship service. He then proceeds to the Capitol, where he takes the oath of office required by the Constitution. Following that, there is a luncheon, parade, and finally in the evening, an inaugural ball. The inaugural activities culminate a selection process, they focus both on the president’s promise to uphold and defend the Constitution and on his appointment to preside over the government, and finally they celebrate fresh leadership in fulfilling the hopes and dreams of the nation. Although the times were different, David began his reign over all Israel in a similar way.

SELECTION. For a long time, the leaders of Israel had wanted to make David their king (2 Sam. 3:17) because even while King Saul had been alive, David had been the most successful military commander against their enemies (2 Sam. 5:2). So, the leaders of Israel went to Hebron determined to make him king (1 Chron. 12:38). Nevertheless, they did not select David merely because he was successful. They also chose him according to the guidelines of Mosaic Law:

You may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
-- Deut. 17:15

When all Israel came to David in Hebron, they affirmed that they were the same “bone and flesh,” that is, they were brothers. Furthermore, they cited evidence that God had chosen David: the Lord had told David that he would be shepherd and prince over Israel (v. 2). Hence, what happened in Hebron was the culmination of a selection process that included both Israel and God. After Solomon, there is no record of the people seeking the Lord’s choice for king. The next king chosen of God was Jesus.

COVENANT. When all Israel came to David in Hebron, he made a compact or covenant with them (2 Sam. 5:3). The exact nature of the covenant is not known, but Samuel wrote the regulations concerning the kingship on a scroll when Saul was anointed (1 Sam. 10:25). Samuel’s regulations were probably based on Deut. 17:14-17 and designed to prevent the abuses Samuel foresaw in a kingship (1 Sam. 8:10-18). The covenant between David and Israel may have included some positive aspects as well because God had designated David to be “shepherd of my people Israel” (v. 2). One positive aspect, related to shepherding, would be that he promised to lead, tend, and defend Israel with compassion. Another positive aspect, related to Israel being God’s people or flock, would be that he agreed to be faithful as a steward of God. No other covenants between the king and the people are mentioned until Joash became king in 2 Kings 11:17. Today, Christ, a descendant of David, reigns as the Good Shepherd over God’s people on the basis of a new covenant.

ANOINTING. David had previously been anointed both privately and again in the presence of the elders of Judah. This third time, he was anointed in the presence of the elders and leaders of all Israel. Anointing signified more than selection. It signified consecration or devotion to serving the Lord with undivided purpose and energy. Today, Jesus is God’s anointed, and Jesus reigns with undivided purpose and energy until God’s will is accomplished on earth.

CELEBRATION. 1 Chron. 12:39-40 tells us that Israel’s leaders remained in Hebron for three days eating and drinking because there was great joy in Israel when David was anointed king. The bounty and joy shared at this three-day feast were a foretaste of God’s blessings that would follow in a faithful Israel ruled by a king who had a heart like God’s.

Political Favors

Reflections on 2 Sam. 4:1-12

Politicians often publicly disassociate themselves from political action groups that operate illegally and slander their opponents, but they secretly welcome that help and even reward the lawbreakers when they win an election. David was not that kind of man.

FAVORS LOST. Baanah and Recab were from Beeroth, a town belonging to the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:17) in the territory of Benjamin (Josh. 18:25) near Saul’s hometown. Sometime before this, the Gibeonites had fled Beeroth, possibly when Saul killed many of them (2 Sam. 21:1-2). After they fled, Saul may have given their lands to Benjamites such as the father of Baanah and Recab (cf. 1 Sam. 22:7). Whatever favors they had received from Saul and from Ish-bosheth as captains of his raiding bands, they no longer expected those favors to continue.

NEW FAVORS EXPECTED. Baanah and Recab knew Ish-bosheth had no real power without Abner and that the people were eager to make David king. They were sure that Ish-bosheth would lose the throne and probably his life also. Why not make the best of a bad situation? Accordingly, they went to the royal residence and found Ish-bosheth sleeping at midday. They killed him, cut off his head, and took it to David hoping to win a reward when they presented the evidence of his rival’s death. They obviously expected to win David’s favor when they reminded him that Ish-bosheth’s father had tried to kill him. David would surely be impressed that they had acted as God’s agents in avenging “my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring” (v. 8). They confidently awaited new favors from the new king.

JUST REWARD. Their reward was not what they expected because David was not a man whose judgment could be impaired by political favors. He did not need the help of lawless men. He had the help of the Lord who had delivered him out of every adversity (v. 9). Accordingly, David not only disassociated himself from these men who murdered his rival, but he also gave them their just reward. He executed the men who thought that favors could be purchased with wickedness.

End Game

Reflections on 2 Sam. 3:28-39


In chess, the end game begins when the opposing armies have been depleted and one or both kings begin to face repeated threats to their safety. So it was in Israel. There were two kings, and over a period of two years, David’s forces had gained strength while Ish-bosheth’s had weakened. Ish-bosheth was in serious danger of losing his authority over the northern tribes because his military commander, Abner, had decided to deliver those tribes to David.

BIG BLUNDER. The northern tribes sent Abner to David as an emissary to propose making David their king. An agreement had apparently been reached between David and Abner when Joab murdered Abner to satisfy a personal desire for revenge. Suddenly, the allegiance of the northern tribes was no longer assured. They could not be sure that David would treat them justly or that there would be no further bloodshed. Joab’s action seemed to guarantee that hostilities would continue.

DAMAGE CONTROL. David had to assure the northern tribes that he would treat them justly, so he had to deal with Joab. David could not punish him for exercising his legal right to avenge the blood of his brother, but Joab’s motive had been evil, and his method devious. Therefore, David could and did heap upon Joab the curses that God placed on those who did not keep the law (compare 2 Sam. 3:29 with Lev. 26:14-39 and Deut. 28:15-68). Then David shamed Joab by forcing him to participate in the funeral for Abner, while David lavished great honor upon Abner both in burying him in the royal city and by composing a lament for him. Thus, David assured the northern tribes that he and his kingdom were innocent of the blood of Abner, and that evil would not be tolerated even when it was not punishable by law. He and his kingdom would abide by both the letter and the spirit of the law.

TURNING WEAKNESS TO STRENGTH. This section ends with David saying something that is understandable but perplexing when read in the KJV or NIV. He said that though he was king he was actually weak and that Joab and Abishai were too hard for him (v. 39 KJV) or stronger than he was (NIV). The statement is understandable in that David’s hands seem to have been tied in dealing with Joab and his brother, but it is perplexing because it would be unsettling to the northern tribes. How could they hope for security under David if Joab was stronger than the king? While there may have been a hint of frustration in David’s statement, he may have been saying something much more profound. The English Standard Version translates verse 39 this way:

And I was gentle today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. The Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!

David was assuring the northern tribes that he was not a severe or cruel monarch like the sons of Zeruiah would have been. God would repay them. Instead, he had conducted himself with gentleness and compassion toward Abner, his former enemy, and he would deal with the northern tribes with the same gentleness and compassion (see Bergen, 1996, p. 315). God would bless that gentleness, so David turned weakness to strength. Everything David did pleased the people.

We often forget that gentleness is stronger than severity. Jesus said, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5 NASB). Jesus, our king, is a gentle monarch. Matt. 12:18-21 (NIV) says of him,

Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he leads justice to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope.

Changing Allegiance

Reflections on 2 Sam. 2:1-7

After receiving news of Saul’s death, David inquired of God whether he should return to Judah. God told him to go to Hebron, which was located in the hill country about 15 miles south of Bethlehem. As a city of refuge (Josh. 20:7) and a city designated for priests (Josh. 21:13), Hebron was probably the leading city in Judah at the time. When David arrived in Hebron, the men of Judah gathered there and anointed him a second time making him king over the house of Judah. When David finally became king of all Israel, he had been anointed three times. What was the significance of each anointing?

CHOSEN OF GOD. At God’s command, the prophet Samuel anointed David privately the first time. David had not yet reached adulthood, and he was not proclaimed as king to Israel. The anointing did, however, signify that God had chosen him to replace Saul as king (see 1 Sam. 16:1-13).

RECOGNIZED BY THE ELDERS OF JUDAH. When David went up to Hebron from Ziklag, the men of Judah anointed him as king. This probably was not merely a declaration of their choice as king, but a recognition that God had chosen him to be their king (see 1 Sam. 25:30).

BROADER RECOGNITION SOUGHT. Although David was chosen of God to be king of all Israel, he did not seek to subdue the other tribes through force of arms. Instead, he sought their favor. One of David’s first official acts as king was to promise to show the people of Jabesh Gilead the same kindness Saul had as king, and announced that Judah had already anointed him. He introduced this offer by praising them for taking the bodies of Saul and Jonathan down from the walls of the Philistine outpost at Beth-shan and giving them a proper burial. Eventually, David did win the favor of the rest of Israel and was anointed a third time when all Israel recognized him as the king God had chosen (2 Sam. 5:1-3).

GOD’S CHOICE IGNORED. The three kings over united Israel, Saul (1 Sam. 10:1), David (1 Sam. 16:13), and Solomon (1 Kings 1:39), were anointed privately as an indication of God’s choice. After these three, a private anointing occurred only once when Jehu was appointed to destroy the house of Ahab (1 Kings 19:16; 2 Kings 9:6; 2 Chron. 22:7). Gradually, tradition (publicly anointing the oldest son of the king in Judah) and expediency (publicly acknowledging the strongest rival in Israel) became the norm, and little consideration was given to the kind of person God would want to be king.

God's choices don't depend on human recognition. God chose many prophets whom men persecuted, and he chose Jesus whom they killed. Jesus chose twelve apostles without seeking men's recognition, and God gave special spiritual gifts to some people according to his own will (Heb. 2:4). Although God's choices don't depend on human recognition, God does desire our recognition of his chosen leaders. The apostles told the brothers in Jerusalem to choose seven men whom God had filled with the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3). These leaders upon whom God had bestowed his favor were chosen by men to care for the widows in the church. Similarly, elders are chosen from among those whose lives are demonstrations of God's workmanship (1 Tim. 3:1-7). How we recognize leaders should never become a mere tradition. Instead, we should seek and recognize those whom God has chosen.

Generous in Victory

Reflections on 1 Sam. 30:21-31

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works.
-- Titus 2:7a

The Egyptian led David and his men to the Amalekites who had raided their village. It was evening, and the Amalekites were celebrating their victories with drunken revelry. David led the attack against them, and the battle raged for a whole day. In the end, they saved the lives of all their families, recovered their own possessions, and took an enormous amount of additional plunder. Despite the victory, trouble was brewing.

CREDIT WHERE DUE. When David returned after the victory to the men who had remained at the brook Besor, certain troublemakers among his soldiers wanted to cut the quitters loose and send them away. The troublemakers wanted to take all the credit for themselves and destroy the group that David had assembled, but David did not let them (1 Sam. 30:22). First, he gave credit to God. The plunder was the gift of God, and God had both protected them and given them victory (v. 23). Second, he gave credit to those who stayed behind. Even though they did not participate in the battle itself, they had protected the supplies that were left behind while pursuing the enemy (1 Sam. 30:24). Accordingly, it was appropriate to share both the joy and the blessings of God with those who stayed behind. David did not allow wicked men to bite and devour one another. David maintained a spirit of unity and a bond of peace.

FRIENDS REWARDED. David still had enemies in Judah. Recall that several towns in Judah had either been ungrateful or spiteful toward David. Among them were Keilah (1 Sam. 23:12), Ziph (1 Sam. 23:19), Maon (1 Sam. 23:25), and Carmel (1 Sam. 25:2). Though these had forced him to flee Judah, David also had those in Judah who had befriended him while fleeing from Saul (1 Sam. 30:26-31). At his first opportunity, David acknowledged and strengthened them. Among them were the inhabitants of Hebron where he would soon be proclaimed king over the whole tribe of Judah. Godly leaders are grateful to all who help them.

David showed himself a godly example to his men not only in recovering from tragedy and in pressing the attack during battle, but also in being generous in victory. Just as God permitted the Israelites to keep the plunder from Ai after devoting all of the initial plunder of Jericho to destruction (Josh. 6:17-18; 8:2), so God allowed David to keep and distribute plunder from the Amalekites though the initial plunder taken by Saul was to have been devoted to destruction.

A Godly General

Reflections on 1 Sam. 30:7-20

Enduring setbacks while maintaining the ability to show others the way to go forward is a true test of leadership.
– Nitin Nohria

David could not have faced a greater tragedy than the one he discovered when he returned to Ziklag, and it was multiplied by 600 when including his men. They were all so overwhelmed that they wept until they lost their strength. Then, in their despair, David’s men found it easy to make him a scapegoat for what happened, and they talked of stoning David. After finding strength in the Lord, David showed the signs of godly leadership which put his men to work in the constructive effort of regaining their families.

1. DAVID INQUIRED OF THE LORD (1 Sam. 30:8). Despite David’s vast knowledge of the region, he knew it was a slim chance that he could find their families before they had been abused, sold, or killed. He needed God’s direction, and he sought it. God said to pursue, and God promised that he would overtake the Amalekites and rescue their families.

2. DAVID GAVE HIS MEN DIRECTION (1 Sam. 30:9). David’s men were talking of stoning him as if that would somehow atone for their loss, but they knew it really wouldn’t. Setting out in pursuit of the Amalekites, however, gave them real hope of recovering their loss.

3. DAVID SHOWED MERCY TO THE EXHAUSTED (1 Sam. 30:10). David did not allow tragedy to harden his heart. He did not chastise the men who could not cross the brook Besor as weaklings. He understood their exhaustion after marching more than 40 miles in less than three full days, and on the third day discovering that their families had been taken captive. He assigned them the task of guarding the luggage so that the remaining men could travel more quickly.

4. DAVID SHOWED KINDNESS TO OUTSIDERS (1 Sam. 30:11 ff.). David didn’t have time for interruptions from strangers, and it would have been quite natural to be suspicious of a foreigner in time of war. David could have isolated himself in own little group, but David remembered the Law, which commanded that the Israelites show kindness to aliens (Lev. 19:34). When he found a hungry, thirsty Egyptian in the desert, he took time to offer him food and water. When he did so, he found the guide God had sent to lead him and his men to their families. David’s leadership reminds us of Jesus. When faced with opposition, Jesus sought the will of his Father, and found strength in him (Luke 22:42-43). He gave people a new direction, a new purpose in life. He offered forgiveness to those who opposed him and mercy to those who abandoned him. Jesus showed kindness to outsiders: to publicans and sinners, to the sick and disabled, to a Roman centurion and a Samaritan woman. Those people, in turn, changed the world.