Trouble, Mercy and Atonement

Text 1 Chronicles 21 Time 03 03 21 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

We come this evening to 1 Chronicles Chapter 20. It is a difficult chapter in some ways and raises some questions for us, perhaps. However, it is full of relevant teaching for us if we are willing to look to God for his help. It contains the story of how David decided to number the people in a census, an act disapproved of by Joab and condemned by God. It leads indirectly, however, first to punishment but then to the beginnings of what would be the Temple in Jerusalem.

There us an argument for saying that at the centre of the chapter is verse 14 So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead. So here is a terrible event right at the heart of what we find here. That makes us feel a little uncomfortable perhaps but it is the case that this terrible event is surrounded by acts of mercy. Both in verses 13 and 15 the idea of mercy is prominent. In verse 13 we read that David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands." Then in verse 15 it is And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The Angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. The other verses can also be matched in this way. For example verses 2-4 Joab’s objection and David’s insistence and verses 23-25 Araunah’s objection and David’s insistence; verses 5, 6 Journey and tally, verses 20-22 Journey and purpose. If we see verses 29, 30 as a footnote the climax of the chapter is verses 26-28 and the idea of atonement. David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.

The footnote (29, 30) explains that The tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon unlike the ark. But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

So here in 1 Chronicles 21 we have three common and often repeated ideas that we find throughout Scripture – fall, mercy and atonement. Whatever difficulties we may have with things in this passage, we must not miss these fundamental matters.

We can roughly divide the story up into three parts by asking three double questions

1. Who incited David to make trouble and take a census of Israel and what was wrong with it?

Two questions then

1. Who incited David to take a census of Israel? In the parallel passage in 2 Samuel 24 we read that the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, Go and take a census of Israel and Judah. Here, however, it says that Satan incited David to do it. Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

So here it is, one of those many contradictions that we are told the Bible contains. But is it a contradiction? Not really. Rather, it is an insight into what happened. It is clear that God permitted Satan to act as he did and David to act as he did in turn. The writer of 2 Samuel is simply acknowledging in a very bald way that it is God who was behind all this, as he is behind everything. When we accept the sovereignty of God we accept that he is in absolute control of all things, nothing omitted. It is not always possible to trace directly why things happen but we know that always at the back of every event is the sovereign and all-powerful God. We also know that Satan will miss no opportunity, if he is allowed, to try to harm God's people.

2. What was wrong with numbering the people? The other question is what exactly is wrong with numbering the people. It is clear that the act was wrong (even Joab can see that, verses 2-4 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are." But Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?" The king's word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem.) but it is not immediately apparent in what way it was wrong. A number of suggestions have been made. We can mention some four theories.

1 David omitted to collect the atonement money mentioned in Exodus 30. It seems likely that this was a one off event revived later on, however.

2 David acted with wrong motives. He was being proud and self-sufficient in acting as he did.

3 David was planning further invasions – something either lacking in wisdom or contrary to God’s will.

4 David was failing to trust in the Lord. It can be argued from 1 Chronicles 27 that he was planning to carry out a census among those below the age of 20 thus enabling him to ascertain the future strength of his army. This shows a lack of faith as the future is in God’s hands not man’s.

There is no way of knowing whether any of these theories is right. The fact is that it does not say why this act was wrong. All we know is that it was wrong. There is a mystery here again, one we must humbly accept.

The rest of what is said in verses 1-4 is pretty straightforward. The king speaks to Joab about numbering the people. Joab objects but is over-ruled. He goes throughout Israel and then returns to Jerusalem. There is more detail in 2 Samuel.

2. What did Joab do, thinking the command repulsive and what did God do, thinking it evil?

1. What did Joab do? Joab was so convinced that what David was doing was wrong that he decided to frustrate David's plan and purpose. In verses 5 and 6 we read that Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah. But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king's command was repulsive to him. We often see this where people plan evil and try to carry it out but they are frustrated for various reasons. We should be thankful to God for his providence in this area.

2. What did God do? We then read, much more importantly, in verse 7 that This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel and no sooner had the deed been done than (we read in verse 8) Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing." God hears his prayer and Gad the Seer is sent to him. Verses 9,10 The LORD said to Gad, David's seer, "Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.'"

David is given a choice from three by Gad (11, 12)

So Gad went to David and said to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Take your choice:

three years of famine,

three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you,

or three days of the sword of the LORD - days of plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.' Gad saysNow then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me."

I think we are best to understand verse 13 as David rejecting the middle option of three months fleeing from one’s enemies and leaving to God the choice from three years of famine or three days of plague. Verses 13, 14 David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands."

The upshot was that (15) the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, (ie the third day or maybe sooner) and 70,000 of the people died. So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead.

In verse 15 mercy comes in powerfully as mentioned - And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand.

We are told that The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Verses 16, 17 probably contain a flashback to what had happened. David (had) looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown. David said to God, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd, have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? LORD my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people."

We are then told that (18, 19) Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the LORD. This we will come to in a moment.

The thing to hold onto here is David’s realisation that God is a God of mercy. This is typical of him. One writer speaks about having your best theology in your darkest moments. That’s how David was. We ought to be the same. Sadly, we tend to think of God’s wrath as being the norm and his mercy the exception Instead, we ought to see, as David saw, that mercy is in fact the norm with God. That is why David is willing to cast himself upon a God who has shown such frightening wrath.

Dale Ralph Davis tells the strange story of a toddler falling into the gorilla enclosure in an Illinois zoo and being rescued by a female gorilla (seven year old Binti). As he says, we are grateful but would not want to trust another child to Binti. Don’t we sometimes think of God like that too? Do we have a distorted gorilla view of God’s mercies?

3. What was the surprising sequel to this story and what does it teach us about atonement?

The last thing to focus on is the sequel to the story and a reminder of something that lies at the very heart of the Christian faith – atonement through sacrifice. Without a proper understanding of these verses at the end we will miss something important. What happens in verse 15 is that God’s hand is stayed. There still needs to be an act of atonement before the wrath is entirely removed. The end of the plague is most intimately tied into the sacrifice that follows.

It is described for us in verses 20-23. While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground. David said to him, "Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price." When we read how the Gentile Araunah said to David, "Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this." that may be a traditional way of bargaining rather than a genuine offer. Certainly David replies (24) to Araunah "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing." So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of golf for the site.

And so we end the chapter more or less with an atoning sacrifice Verses 26-28 David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. God provides an altar and so atonement can be made and his mercy is revealed in the midst of wrath. Isn’t this a clear pointer to the cross and to what Christ has done? Isn’t this the heart of the faith?

Fighting, Forgiveness and Victory

Text 1 Chronicles 20 Time 24 02 21 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

I'd like us to look this evening at 1 Chronicles 20, the next chapter in the book. You will notice that the chapter is very short - only 8 verses. When you look at the parallel passage in 2 Samuel the same material is covered in two chapters and 58 verses. In fact there are several chapters in 2 Samuel after this that are simply not replicated in 1 Chronicles. There are reasons for this and there are lessons to learn even from what is missing.

As we have often said, we who are believers today are in a battle, a war, a spiritual one. It lacks the physical dimension that we see here but it means to say that there are lessons for us to learn from passages like this one about the spiritual battle that we face.

There are three things to say, firstly in connection with the first three verses and the defeat of the Ammonites and then, thirdly, in connection with the other five verses and what is said of the defeat of these Philistine giants.

1. Learn from what is said here of David's defeat of the Ammonites

Firstly, we read that (1) In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. We are told how 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. Ammon was to the east of the Jordan just north of Moab. Relations were always quite fractious. This current spat you remember had arisen when David tried to show kindness to the Ammonite king Hanun, following the death of his father Nahash. David's sincerity had been doubted and it had led to a major diplomatic incident and eventually a war in which Ammon was roundly defeated. Here we learn that the Ammonite capital Rabbah was taken in this war.

It reminds us of the victories over sin that we know in our lives from time to time. In verse 2 we read how David took the crown from the head of their king - or perhaps their idol - its weight was found to be a talent of gold, (over 100 lbs or 50 k) and it was set with precious stones - and it was placed on David's head. David points forward to Christ and this is a reminder that every time we experience victory over sin, Christ is exalted and he gains a crown as it were.

We also read that He took a great quantity of plunder from the city and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labour with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem. This is a reminder of Christ's advancing kingdom and the way that when he is victorious, sin is defeated and we begin to live as we should in his service.

2. Learn from what is not said here of David's defeat of the Ammonites

In the music hall era at the beginning of the 20th century there was a performer called Marie Lloyd who was always being complained about by respectable people for what she sang. The thing with Marie Lloyd is that when people tried to examine her songs for scandal, it was hard to find it. It was not so much what she sang as the way she sang it, or, as someone once put it, it was not what she left in but what she left out that made the difference. What you leave out can be as important as what you put in.

Or to give another illustration, Claude Debussy the French composer famously said of music that it is not the notes but the silence between the notes that makes it. And, of course, it is true that the space between notes, the intervals, is almost as important as the notes themselves.

I say this because the difference between 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles here is that in 2 Samuel we have the sordid tale of how because David remained in Jerusalem instead of going out to battle, as it says here, he fell into adultery with Bathsheba and when he tried to cover up his sin, he made things worse by having her husband murdered.

We can learn from the way the writer handles things a number of things.

1. Generally speaking, the Bible is very frank about the sins of the saints. It lets us know that Noah got drunk, Abraham told lies, Moses was a murderer, Paul and Barnabas argued after Mark let them down and David was an adulterer and a murderer. We too ought to acknowledge that the best men fall. None are perfect.

2. However, there is a reticence about speaking of such sins. It would have been perfectly fair for the writer to have mentioned David's adultery and his other sins at this time but he does not. He draws a veil over it. That same sort of reticence is found in other places. Take Mary Magdalene for example who I think it is clear was a prostitute before her conversion and was the same person as the Mary of Mary and Martha and Lazarus. However, it is not spelled out too clearly. We have to piece it together. We should show the same reticence in speaking about the sins of others.

3. Beyond that there is surely something even greater and that is to do with what happens to our sins after we have confessed them to God and forsaken them. I think we can be pretty confident that they will never be mentioned again.

In Isaiah 43:25 God says to his people I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Jeremiah 31:34 No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Do you remember ever as a child doing wrong and being told that you would be punished but then not being punished because your mam or dad forgot? Sometimes you thought they had forgotten but then they remembered but rarely they really had forgotten. Well, here God deliberately forgets!

Do you know that children's song?

Gone, Gone, Gone, Gone! Yes, my sins are gone.

Now my soul is free, and in my heart's a song;

Buried in the deepest sea;

Yes, that's good enough for me. 

I shall live eternally,

Praise God! My sins are GONE!

No man can forgive you though some priests may claim they can. Only God can do it and he will if you look to him.

3. Learn from what is said here of victories over Philistine giants

The third and final thing I want to say concerns the three giant Philistines mentioned in verses 4-8. There we learn of war with the Philistines and three particular situations. In each case we are told of a Philistine (Sippai, Lahmi brother of Goliath and an unnamed giant) and the person who killed the giant (Sibbekai the Hushathite, Elhanan son of Jair and Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother). There are some other details too and it is noted that these men descended from Rapha. So

Verses 4-8

In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subjugated.

In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod.

In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot - twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him. These were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

The tallest family in the world at the moment measures an average of 201.18 cm (6 ft 7.20 in), achieved by Sjoerd Zegwaard, Janneke van Loo and their children Dirk, Rinze and Sjoerd H (all from the Netherlands) as verified in Weesp, Netherlands, on 13 October 2019.

Polydactyly is apparently

• Most often in the right hand and left foot
• Most often in hand over feet
• Twice as common among men
• It the USA it occurs today in 1 in 1000 births in the general population
• Among African Americans it occurs 1 in 150 births
• There was a report of a family called Da Costa and all 15 had 24 digits.

It is interesting that though we read of giants on the Philistine side, we learn of none on Israel's side. Nevertheless, these giants were defeated and they were defeated by ordinary men, trusting in the Lord. That is the way for us to be victorious too.

Matthew Henry comments "In the conflicts between grace and corruption there are some sins which, like these giants, keep their ground a great while and are not mastered without much difficulty and a long struggle: but judgment will be brought forth unto victory at last."

One of these giants taunted Israel but he was defeated in the end. God's enemies cannot stand. When their time comes they will fall.

Duty, Victory and Certainty

Text 1 Chronicles 19 Time 10 02 21 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

1 Chronicles 19, like 2 Samuel 10, tells the story of how David in an act of diplomatic kindness sent a delegation to Hanun, King of the Ammonites, following the death of his father. We are told (2) how David thought, I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. The word used is the word for covenant love used often in the Old Testament. Whether David and Nahash had entered formally into a covenant we do not know but David had been shown kindness, probably when he was on the run from Saul, and he felt under an obligation to do something in return. However, David’s act of kindness is misinterpreted and Hanun is convinced that David has hostile intentions. Therefore, the delegation is sent back greatly humiliated with its manhood disfigured and uncovered. This leads to a major war, the Ammonites hiring 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers and many others. Initially Joab and Israel’s army are victorious but the Ammonites and their allies regroup with even more re-enforcements from the other side of the Jordan. This time, under David himself, Israel wins another great victory. It is all very compressed but it is very vivid and one gets a sense of crisis as the story rapidly proceeds and changes in the situation come along.

If we want to divide the chapter up it is worth looking out for the phrase saw that or similar words

NB (This insight is from Dale Ralph Davies)

6 When the Ammonites realised that they had become obnoxious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maakah and Zobah ....

10 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.

15 When the Ammonites realised that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem …

16 After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers ...

19 When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David …

Although some feel that David is too good to be true here it is surely better to see these chapters as establishing how faithful David was in his relationships with others before we come to the tragedy of his adultery with Bathsheba. It is not too much to say that David is both a great example to us here and a type of the Saviour who was to come, the Lord Jesus Christ. Further, in the battle scenes Joab, perhaps surprisingly, is an example to us of true faith about the future.

We want to say three main things from the passage.

1. It is your duty to show kindness to those outside the church as well as those within

A W Pink takes the view that David should never have been showing kindness to the Ammonites in the first place. They were the descendants of Ammon son of Lot following his incest with his daughter. They were certainly a cruel and wicked people on the whole and thoroughly bad. In Deuteronomy 23:3-6 Israel is told that No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation. For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.

But here there is not a hint of disapproval, however, and it is surely right that David be commended for his act of kindness. He is a model for us. We can learn three or four practical things from his example.

1. When others, believers or not, face trouble we should be sympathetic. Verse 1 In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. David thought, I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash. David did nothing too grand. He simply showed sympathy. In some ways it was very formal but it was an act of kindness nevertheless and stands as an example to us. Do we have the same spirit? Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

2. We should never forget the kindnesses of others towards us. It seems that the chief thing that prompted the at of kindness on David’s part was the kindness that he had received from Hanun’s father. David thought, I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash because his father showed kindness to me. We should never forget an act of kindness but always be ready to do what we can to repay good with good. Romans 13:7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour.

3. We should not be surprised when even the most innocent acts of kindness are misread and rejected. Verses 2-4 So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David's envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him, the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven't his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?" So Hanun seized David's envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

Of course, it would be naïve to suppose that simply showing kindness will lead to sweetness and light. Here the whole attempt backfires. Clearly the Ammonites are looking for an excuse to quarrel but it is a warning to us. Romans 12:17, 18 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Sometimes it is not possible, however.

4. It is foolish to suppose that a few more little acts of kindness will soon make the world a better place. Perhaps we can expand on this in this way. Sometimes we get people saying this sort of thing and perhaps we start thinking it ourselves at times. It is all very well but the reality is that the whole world is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19) who has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see (2 Corinthians 4:4). We ought not to forget that At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. How did we live? We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. (Titus 3:3).

2. In the Lord Jesus Christ ultimate victory is certain

I suppose we can see some parallels with the Lord Jesus simply in the thought of his kindnesses to people, which are so often misunderstood and rejected. We say with Paul (Romans 2:4) Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realising that God’s kindness leads you towards repentance? However, the main thing here is the parallel with Psalm 2. We make four points under this second heading.

1. The forces that gather against the Lord’s anointed are many and varied. Here it is the Ammonites aided by all sorts of others. Verses 6, 7 When the Ammonites realised that they had become obnoxious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maakah and Zobah. They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maakah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle. Others are mentioned too in 2 Samuel.

The names and the preferred weapons change down the years but the same basic intent remains the same. The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters. We should expect such opposition. It is nothing new. When I was growing up the great enemy was modernism, now it appears to be postmodernism. Other isms will follow, no doubt.

2. Even when defeated, they regroup and come again. Here we read of a great victory over this first group. However, they regroup and try again, this time supplemented by more Arameans. Verse 16 After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer's army leading them. This again is always the way with those who oppose the Lord and his anointed. It is nothing new. Modernism hasn’t gone away, it is simply regrouping for another attack if that is allowed.

3. Nevertheless, the Lord will ultimately overcome them. This is the great lesson to take from what happens here. Firstly, David sends out Joab with the entire army and even though they are surrounded, with armies on both sides, they are able to (13) Be strong, and ... fight bravely for their people and the cities of their God. They knew The LORD will do what is good in his sight and so they fought until the LORD gave them victory as the Arameans fled and the Ammonites did the same and were routed.

When they regroup and come again, King David himself, the saviour of his people, leads his army out and there is a great victory for Israel. It points to the ultimate victory that Jesus Christ himself will bring about at the end of time. 17, 18 When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him. But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army.

4. In the end they will be subject to the Lord, afraid to rebel again. In verse 19 we read that When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore. A day is coming when all who have not yet kissed the Son will have to sue for peace. They will bow the knee before Christ and acknowledge his Lordship. Such a realisation ought to give us confidence and courage.

3. Victory is certain but we must do our duty, looking to the Lord confident everything is in his hands

Finally, I want us to concentrate on what we read in verses 6-14 about Joab and the victory he leads over the Ammonites. I think it has something to teach us about the balance between the fact that victory is certain and the fact that we have to do our duty.

1. Expect opposition. We have already made this point but it is worth underlining.

2. Be ready to fight. In the light of this, the King commissions Joab to go and lead the fight. Whether we are pastors or not we need to be ready to take a stand.

3. At times we will be under great pressure. Verse 9 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

4. We need to recognise our situation. Verse 10a Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him.

5. We need a strategy. Joab’s strategy was to lead the best men against the Arameans and have the rest under Abishai fight against Ammonites. 10b, 11 so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites. When there are multiple enemies, we cannot all be doing the same thing.

6. We need to be committed to co-operation. In verse 12 we read of an important part of the strategy. Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. That is the sort of way in which we should be working together in our day too.

7. Above all, look to the Sovereign Lord. We tend to think of Joab as hard-headed, a pragmatist and not one who was particularly godly. Here, however, he is spot on when he makes the order of the day (13) Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight. That sums it up – fight bravely, be strong but we are in the Lord’s hands ultimately not men’s. It is the Old Testament precursor of 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. It is what lies behind the famous order attributed to Oliver Cromwell "Trust in God and keep your powder dry". Is this how you conduct yourself? It ought to be.