Dare To Be David

Good day to each of you reading the column on Dare to be a David.

Before we get to the subject, let’s enjoy a bit of church humor – In the foyer of a church, a young boy was looking at a plaque with the names of men and women who had died in various wars. He asked the pastor, “Who are these people?” The pastor said, “Those are members from our church who died in service.” The boy asked, “The early service or the second service?”

Six-year-old Ned’s mother was looking through an old family Bible when an oak leaf fell out. Ned said, “I guess that must be Adam’s shorts.”

A trooper pulls over a priest and immediately smells alcohol on his breath. The next thing he notices is an empty wine bottle lying on the passenger seat. “Have you been drinking?” the officer asks. “Just water,” says the priest. “Then why do I smell wine?” The priest looks at the bottle and shouts, “Good Lord! He’s done it again!”

Q. How can you make God laugh? A. Tell him your plans.

When my son, William, was young, we belonged to a small country church. On Communion day, deacons would pass around the “bread and juice.” One Sunday, we attended a church out of town that was more formal. What our church called bread and juice, this one referred to as elements, a word William didn’t understand. As Communion began, the pastor said, “If the deacons will come forward, the elements will pass among us.” William was suddenly excited, and I didn’t know why. Then he leaned toward me, whispering something that caused me to burst out laughing. With all eyes on us, I took him by the hand, and we made a hasty exit. All the way to the car, he protested. “Mom, we’re going to miss the circus. The pastor said the elephants were going to pass among us!”

I hope you enjoyed the above jokes—I just love a child’s humor as well as their innocence. It is like a breath of fresh air.

I am sure that the COVID-19 virus has been stealing the front pages, but the United States has been dealing with the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan war has been going on for 20 years and has cost the lives of 2,442 US troops, six DOD civilians, 3,936 US contractors, and 1,144 allied troops – so says the business insider. As for the cost, according to the business insider, the war in Afghanistan has cost $2.26 trillion, and the bill will keep rising even after last US troops leave.

As you let the above numbers sink in, turn to 1 Chronicles 14:8-17 (Smith & Goodspeed) – “Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed King over all Israel, all the Philistines came up in search of David; and when David heard of it he withdrew before them; so the Philistines came on and made a raid on the valley of Rephaim.

Therefore David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou deliver them into my hand?” Then the Lord said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.” So they came up to Baal-perazim and there David defeated them; and David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the bursting of water through a dam.”

Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim. They also left their gods there, and David gave the command and they were burned. Then the Philistines made another raid in the valley. Accordingly, when David inquired again of God, God said to him, “Do not go up after them; go around to their rear and come at them opposite the balsam trees; and when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone forth before you to overcome the camp of the Philistines.”

So David did as God commanded him, and they put to rout the camp of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. Thus David’s fame went out into all the lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him on all the nations”.

I call your attention to the above verses, for this is the only path to utilize when waging war with a nation or multiple nations.

When reading these verses, please notice the following points:

The Philistines initiated contact with David and not vice a versa for the Philistines came in search of David.

What did David do? He retreated and did not confront the Philistines.

The Philistines, in return, attacked and raided on the valley of Rephaim. In essence, the Philistines started the war.

David inquired of God—He did not attack—He inquired of God.

Result: God delivered them into the hand of David.

David gives God the full credit – It was God, who has broken through our enemies and has utilized me and the army to defeat them.

David had the Philistine gods that were left, burned.

The Philistines, not learning their lesson, made another raid.

David did not attack but inquired of God on what he should do?

God, and not David, hath gone forth to overcome the Philistine camp.

God laid out the plan and David routed the Philistine camp.

And the result: The Lord brought the fear of David on all nations.

This is a perfect example of seeking God first in all matters including the matters of war and human lives.

Unfortunately, the leaders of America did not seek or inquire of the wisdom of God beginning with the Korean War or as some have said, the Korean conflict. If you look at the Korean war, the Vietnam war, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Iran war or Persian Gulf war and the Afghanistan war, be honest, and look at the outcome of each of these wars.

Trillions of dollars lost, thousands of lives lost, thousands of families losing their loved ones and for what outcome? Did the Lord bring fear on all nations? Did our leader or leaders at the time inquire of God? Did our leaders order the foreign gods to be burned or destroyed?

David was a man after God’s own heart and though he had his faults, he always tried to glorify God and utilized the ask method—Ask, Seek and Knock.

Throughout the Bible, God has raised leaders of nations, like David, to ask, seek and knock before waging war and the results: God has gone forth before you to overcome the camp of the Philistines. So, David did as God commanded him, and they put to rout the camp of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. Thus David’s fame went out into all the lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him on all the nations.

It is my prayer, and hope yours is too, that if and when we face another war, then we will have David making decisions on the fate of our country. Only then will God bring fear of him upon all the nations.

May you bless God in all that you say and all that you do.