The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went
Wed, 23 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.
1 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.
3 David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath, as he went to set up his monument at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze. With it Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.
9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, 10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had often been at war with Tou. And he sent all sorts of articles of gold, of silver, and of bronze. 11 These also King David dedicated to the LORD, together with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines and Amalek.
David is God’s anointed king over His people. God has promised to greatly bless David, and to always have a son on David’s the throne. In today’s text, we see God fulfilling His promise as He grants victory over the surrounding nations and brings them into submission to David.
What do we learn from this?
God grants the victory over the Israel’s perennaul enemies the Philistines and the Moabites. He defeats the king of Zobah, and the Syrians. All these success come as the people are united under God’s anointed ruler of His people.
As a result of these military victories, Tou, king of Hamath comes to David with gifts of tribute. He willingly submitts himself to God’s anointed ruler rather than fight.
We see here a picture of Psalm 2, as the nations learn they have the option of being smashed or of willingly submitting to God’s anointed king.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Where is Christ in this passage?
David’s victories in this text were just a picture of what is still to come.
The process of bringing the whole world into submission to God’s anointed will come to its completion as the kings of the earth are either crushed or learn wisdom and submit themself to the kingship of Jesus Christ, the great son of David who is the fulfillment of God’s promises.
