Wednesday, June 2, 2010

June 2

2 Sam. 5:17-25

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 19David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?’ The Lord said to David, ‘Go up; for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.’ 20So David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. He said, ‘The Lord has burst forth against my enemies before me, like a bursting flood.’ Therefore that place is called Baal-perazim. 21The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

22 Once again the Philistines came up, and were spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 23When David inquired of the Lord, he said, ‘You shall not go up; go round to their rear, and come upon them opposite the balsam trees. 24When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then be on the alert; for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.’ 25David did just as the Lord had commanded him; and he struck down the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.

BLOG DISCUSSION QUESTION: David seemed to have the LORD on his side. Such is the claim of some when current battles are fought. What do you think about that claim?

2 comments:

Pastor Jerry said...

MMMMMMM.........no one else wants to stick out their neck on this one???????

Pastor Jerry said...

this isn't the only place in the Bible where people did something in which they were sure that God was on their side. But there were also places in the Bible where the people were sure that God was on their side.....and he was not...the whole book of Amos is about such a situation.

Whose side is God on?....John 3:16....for God so loved the WORLD.

It is easy to dismiss the trivial statements of those who say that God is on their side when they win a ping pong game.....or race.... a little more difficult to determine upon whom does God's favor more fully fall when cultures clash, when values collide, and when people of good will stand on both sides of a fence.

When one faces another and is certain that God stands with them, the certainty of their convictions may magnify their myopic vision of themselves.