The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Chronicles 18:6b, 13b,
"The Lord gave David victory wherever he went."
This phrase is used twice in this chapter. The chapter recounts the military victories David enjoyed and is careful to point out exactly who it was that brought the victory."The Lord gave David victory wherever he went."
It was not the weakness of Davids military adversaries that brought his victories. It was not because David's military adversaries failed to forge alliances against him that brought his victories.
This phrase is used twice in this chapter. The chapter recounts the military victories David enjoyed and is careful to point out exactly who it was that brought the victory.
It was not the size of David's army that brought his victories. It was not David's military equipment that brought his victories. It was not David's superior planning, it was not David's superior strategy, it was not David's superior tactics that brought his victories. It was not David's superior "intel" that brought his victories.
It was not the weakness of Davids military adversaries that brought his victories. It was not because David's military adversaries failed to forge alliances against him that brought his victories.
"The Lord gave David victory wherever he went." The Lord brought the victories!
Does God still do that kind of thing today? I am fully persuaded that he certainly does. There is no question in my mind about it. To review the amazing military victories Israel has had since they returned to Palestine in 1946, something has been afoot that cannot be discounted. The Lord has had to have had his hand it them.
However, it is not simply that Israel is God's covenanted people that they have been given victories. After all, Israel was defeated in 70 AD by Rome. The Bar Kochva Revolt ended in another defeat in the following century.
Why victories at certain times and not others?
Concerning David's victories, I believe there were two important factors that brought the Lord's victories. The first being David's faith. As we read of David's predecessor, King Saul, we see the Lord did not always bring the victory. Under David's rule, the nation fared much better. Secondly, it was in the interests of the Lord's agenda of the redemption of mankind that the Lord brought David his victories. The Lord intended to use the nation in his preparation for the eventual coming of the Lord's atonement for the sins of mankind.
Likewise, many of us feel strongly that the Lord has brought Israel her victories today in preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ - the next major event in the divine calendar.
Were we to find our victories in this life as David did, we might consider these two factors. A person of faith who is squarely in the pursuit of God's agenda. If we place ourselves there we just may find the Lord's victories just as David did his.
As a person of faith, just exactly how do I fit into what the Lord is doing in my world today? Do I know what that is? Am I fully aware of the agenda the Lord is pursuing in our world today? Am I studying the Scriptures to find those things out? And, speaking of faith, how healthy is that in my life today? Does my life manifest a confidence in the Lord? How convinced am I of God's ability to do what he has promised? Just how persuaded am I of what the Lord tells me in the Scriptures of what it is he is doing today?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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