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.
