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.
Showing posts with label obedience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obedience. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
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).
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).
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Basic Training
Reflections on 1 Sam. 23:1-13
David had been a military leader in Saul’s army, and now he was the leader of a band of men who had been in distress or in debt (1 Sam. 22:2). This band now had officers, seasoned soldiers from the tribes of Gad, Benjamin, and Judah (1 Chron. 12:8-18). When David heard that the Philistines were harassing the people of Keilah, David began training his men to become the nucleus of the army that God would use to free the Israelites from their enemies.
DAVID’S TRUST. David’s training was not merely in the use of weapons or in winning strategies. He also trained his men to follow the will of God whether it was to trust his command to attack a formidable enemy or to withdraw from a seemingly safe position. On this occasion, David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” We don’t know how David inquired of God, but perhaps he asked Gad, the seer who had recently advised him to return to Judah from Moab (1 Sam. 22:5). God answered, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” David’s men were terrified. They said, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” When David heard this, he inquired of the Lord again, and God assured him of victory. David persuaded his men to trust God despite their fears, and God gave them victory. Instead of hiding in the wilderness, they now could live in the comfort and safety of a city.
SAUL’S WISHFUL THINKING. When Saul learned that David was residing more or less permanently in a walled city, he was ecstatic. He declared confidently, “God has given him into my hand.” Why was he so confident? It was because it appeared to him that God was helping him because David had “shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” Despite his own disobedience to God’s commands, despite his massacre of priests, Saul still saw God “speaking to him” in the circumstances of life and giving him hope. Instead of listening to the very words of God, Saul gave more attention to a message he erroneously imagined to be from God. So, Saul prepared to attack David in Keilah.
DAVID’S OBEDIENCE. When David heard that Saul was preparing to attack him in Keilah, he again inquired of the Lord. Abiathar, a priest who had escaped Saul’s wrath in Nob, had joined David in Keilah, and David asked him to bring the ephod, which contained the Urim and Thummim, devices by which priests could determine the will of God (Lev. 8:8; Num. 27:21). God revealed to David that Saul would indeed attack Keilah, and that the men of Keilah would surrender David to Saul. So David again taught his men an important lesson. Even when God had recently given them victory, and even though they were now enjoying the comforts of city life, they were to follow God’s leading and return to hiding in the wilderness. They might never understand why God had them save a town only to abandon it, but they would learn that doing God’s will would assure them of God’s favor and blessing.
David had been a military leader in Saul’s army, and now he was the leader of a band of men who had been in distress or in debt (1 Sam. 22:2). This band now had officers, seasoned soldiers from the tribes of Gad, Benjamin, and Judah (1 Chron. 12:8-18). When David heard that the Philistines were harassing the people of Keilah, David began training his men to become the nucleus of the army that God would use to free the Israelites from their enemies.
DAVID’S TRUST. David’s training was not merely in the use of weapons or in winning strategies. He also trained his men to follow the will of God whether it was to trust his command to attack a formidable enemy or to withdraw from a seemingly safe position. On this occasion, David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” We don’t know how David inquired of God, but perhaps he asked Gad, the seer who had recently advised him to return to Judah from Moab (1 Sam. 22:5). God answered, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” David’s men were terrified. They said, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” When David heard this, he inquired of the Lord again, and God assured him of victory. David persuaded his men to trust God despite their fears, and God gave them victory. Instead of hiding in the wilderness, they now could live in the comfort and safety of a city.
SAUL’S WISHFUL THINKING. When Saul learned that David was residing more or less permanently in a walled city, he was ecstatic. He declared confidently, “God has given him into my hand.” Why was he so confident? It was because it appeared to him that God was helping him because David had “shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” Despite his own disobedience to God’s commands, despite his massacre of priests, Saul still saw God “speaking to him” in the circumstances of life and giving him hope. Instead of listening to the very words of God, Saul gave more attention to a message he erroneously imagined to be from God. So, Saul prepared to attack David in Keilah.
DAVID’S OBEDIENCE. When David heard that Saul was preparing to attack him in Keilah, he again inquired of the Lord. Abiathar, a priest who had escaped Saul’s wrath in Nob, had joined David in Keilah, and David asked him to bring the ephod, which contained the Urim and Thummim, devices by which priests could determine the will of God (Lev. 8:8; Num. 27:21). God revealed to David that Saul would indeed attack Keilah, and that the men of Keilah would surrender David to Saul. So David again taught his men an important lesson. Even when God had recently given them victory, and even though they were now enjoying the comforts of city life, they were to follow God’s leading and return to hiding in the wilderness. They might never understand why God had them save a town only to abandon it, but they would learn that doing God’s will would assure them of God’s favor and blessing.
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