"17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold. 18 The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim. 19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”
20 So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “The Lord did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”).21 The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.
22 But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim. 23 And again David asked the Lord what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” the Lord replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar[p] trees. 24 When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the Lord is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” 25 So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon[q] to Gezer.” 2 Samuel 5:17-25
David is such a great example here of how to ask and obey God's guidance. The first time the Philistine's spread out in the valley of Rephaim, David simply asks God for strategy - then obeys. Then later in this passage, the Philistines line up again in the same valley and David goes straight back to God for guidance and obeys the different orders. Most of us would just do another repeat of what worked last time, but not David. He goes back to God for new marching orders. What an intimate and deep relationship he had with God!!
Lord, help me to be so close and so dependant on you that when I am faced with decisions - and situations I've had victory over in the past - I come first to you. Help me to ask and obey Lord with complete trust in your voice and your plan. Amen
2 comments:
I had not noticed that - great thought!
We see both the good and bad in David in this passage. At the beginning of Chapter 3 we see David engaging in polygamy, against God's instructions. He indulged in the desires of the flesh - and he would reap huge consequences for this down the line!
Another who reaped consequences was Paltiel - we may feel a bit sorry for him at the loss of his wife Michal. But he never should have married her in the first place, as she was married to David!
There are always consequences to sin.
2 Samuel 5:9&10
David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces[c] inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
David's strength and power were from God, He didn't do it by himself, God helped him. A good reminder for us that everything is from God, we can't do things ourselves.
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