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 20:1,
"In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins."
To me, chapter 20 of 1 Chronicles is something of a lead up to chapter 21. In this chapter we see the Lord's blessing of David and Israel in the victories he gave. In this chapter the Ammonites and Philistines were soundly defeated by Israel.
I've heard all the sermons about David remaining in Jerusalem at a time when "kings go off to war" and thereby placing himself in a position of not being where he should have that led to the affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband by David. It makes for a good sermon. However, I think something bigger is going on in these chapters.
David and Israel found favor with God by placing themselves squarely in the intentions God had for them. Therefore we read twice in chapter 18 that "The Lord gave David victory wherever he went." Chapter 20 continues that theme, but something changes when the transition to chapter 21 is made.
In chapter 21 Satan rises up against Israel, incites David to take a census of the fighting men, and subsequently, Israel suffers God's judgment. David placed his trust, once squarely in the hand of the Lord who provided him victory, to trusting in his own military strength, represented in the head count of his fighting men.
The lesson here to me is that if we place ourselves in God's hands, in his intentions, finding out what he wants us to do and then doing it, we receive God's blessings. When we ignore or get side tracked from God's intentions for us, putting our trust in other things, we suffer.
There are blessings to be had by taking the effort to find out God's intentions for us and then doing them. And, like a lot in this life, the reverse is true as well.
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.
"In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins."
To me, chapter 20 of 1 Chronicles is something of a lead up to chapter 21. In this chapter we see the Lord's blessing of David and Israel in the victories he gave. In this chapter the Ammonites and Philistines were soundly defeated by Israel.
I've heard all the sermons about David remaining in Jerusalem at a time when "kings go off to war" and thereby placing himself in a position of not being where he should have that led to the affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband by David. It makes for a good sermon. However, I think something bigger is going on in these chapters.
David and Israel found favor with God by placing themselves squarely in the intentions God had for them. Therefore we read twice in chapter 18 that "The Lord gave David victory wherever he went." Chapter 20 continues that theme, but something changes when the transition to chapter 21 is made.
In chapter 21 Satan rises up against Israel, incites David to take a census of the fighting men, and subsequently, Israel suffers God's judgment. David placed his trust, once squarely in the hand of the Lord who provided him victory, to trusting in his own military strength, represented in the head count of his fighting men.
The lesson here to me is that if we place ourselves in God's hands, in his intentions, finding out what he wants us to do and then doing it, we receive God's blessings. When we ignore or get side tracked from God's intentions for us, putting our trust in other things, we suffer.
There are blessings to be had by taking the effort to find out God's intentions for us and then doing them. And, like a lot in this life, the reverse is true as well.
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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