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 12:38,
"All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel."
The first king of Israel was Saul. Saul turned out to be one who did not place his faith and trust in the Lord. This is on full display as we read in account after account how Saul allowed his circumstances to dictate his decisions and actions, rather than trust in the Lord.
Unlike Saul, the Lord found David to be a man after his own heart. Not a perfect man, but a man fully given to faith and trust in the Lord. Paul quotes God as saying of David, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22. God determined to replace Saul with David over his people Israel. David would lead the nation into what the Lord desired Israel to be in that day.
The replacing of Saul with David was an action the Lord chose to take. His choice had consequence relative to what the Lord's purposes were with Israel at that time. My point being here that the Lord's decision and action in replacing Saul with David had its origin in heaven with an eventual impact on preparing the nation for her coming Messiah.
With this heavenly spiritual accomplishment in mind, I note this morning the proximity of military might fielded by the Lord and exercised by David to bring it about. This chapter lists various fighting men made available for David to exploit to bring about the Lord's intended purposes.
The church all too often today fails to see how military might and activity brings about the Lord's purposes. Instead, an unfounded assumption that our God wants all nations to live in peace and behave themselves precludes the ability to see what the Lord may be doing on the world stage today and in the future.
I question the wisdom and the supposed insight in the efforts of various denominations, etc. in establishing what a "just war" might be and how military might should be exercised. Particularly when the defined criteria often appears to fail to take into account the many uses of military might by the Lord in days passed and in days to come (just read John's Revelation!).
In laying the circumstances God desired for the coming of his Savior for the world and his atonement for mankind, and the resulting gospel enterprise launched, the Lord not only provided Koine Greek as a common language many cultures could communicate with (courtesy of Alexander the Great's military), and Roman roads for the apostolic expansion of the gospel (brought by Rome's military), the Lord also used the Roman occupation of Palestine for his purposes during Jesus' earthly ministry and following - an occupation that was brought through the military might of Rome.
We see sinful mankind with his nefarious use of military might pursing evil. We also find the Lord, his purposes, his accomplishments, and military might often working together. I am quite certain this is just as true today as it was in David's day as well as the upcoming days we read of in the book of Revelation.
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel."
The first king of Israel was Saul. Saul turned out to be one who did not place his faith and trust in the Lord. This is on full display as we read in account after account how Saul allowed his circumstances to dictate his decisions and actions, rather than trust in the Lord.
Unlike Saul, the Lord found David to be a man after his own heart. Not a perfect man, but a man fully given to faith and trust in the Lord. Paul quotes God as saying of David, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22. God determined to replace Saul with David over his people Israel. David would lead the nation into what the Lord desired Israel to be in that day.
The replacing of Saul with David was an action the Lord chose to take. His choice had consequence relative to what the Lord's purposes were with Israel at that time. My point being here that the Lord's decision and action in replacing Saul with David had its origin in heaven with an eventual impact on preparing the nation for her coming Messiah.
With this heavenly spiritual accomplishment in mind, I note this morning the proximity of military might fielded by the Lord and exercised by David to bring it about. This chapter lists various fighting men made available for David to exploit to bring about the Lord's intended purposes.
The church all too often today fails to see how military might and activity brings about the Lord's purposes. Instead, an unfounded assumption that our God wants all nations to live in peace and behave themselves precludes the ability to see what the Lord may be doing on the world stage today and in the future.
I question the wisdom and the supposed insight in the efforts of various denominations, etc. in establishing what a "just war" might be and how military might should be exercised. Particularly when the defined criteria often appears to fail to take into account the many uses of military might by the Lord in days passed and in days to come (just read John's Revelation!).
In laying the circumstances God desired for the coming of his Savior for the world and his atonement for mankind, and the resulting gospel enterprise launched, the Lord not only provided Koine Greek as a common language many cultures could communicate with (courtesy of Alexander the Great's military), and Roman roads for the apostolic expansion of the gospel (brought by Rome's military), the Lord also used the Roman occupation of Palestine for his purposes during Jesus' earthly ministry and following - an occupation that was brought through the military might of Rome.
We see sinful mankind with his nefarious use of military might pursing evil. We also find the Lord, his purposes, his accomplishments, and military might often working together. I am quite certain this is just as true today as it was in David's day as well as the upcoming days we read of in the book of Revelation.
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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