2 Samuel 10

David had the power of life and death in his hands as the king of Israel. People in Israel and beyond the borders of the Promised Land, were afraid of this man who was so greatly blessed by God.

When David sent sincere condolences to Hanun, the new king of the Ammonites, on the occasion of the death of his father, David's sympathy was misinterpreted by those who advised the Ammonite leader. They treated his emissaries of kindness as spies who were sent in preparation of a military attack. Exposing them to disgraceful ridicule, they brought upon themselves David's wrath rather than receiving the sympathy that the king had intended to express.

Once they became aware of their danger, instead of coming to David with sincere repentance, they gave in to their fears and prepared for the fight ahead by securing the help of their Syrian allies. David sent Joab and the mighty men of Israel against the combined forces of the Syrians and the Ammonites. When the opposing forces came into contact with each other, Joab saw that his position was not advantageous. He saw that the enemy troupes were split into two camps, one in front of his men and the other coming against them from behind.

What now? Joab spoke of the Lord God of Israel. Splitting his own forces into two groups, he addressed His men, “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him.”

As Jesus leads us in the battle of victorious love, will we be overwhelmed by sin and despair?

The cities of Israel were not their cities because of their superior military abilities. They had come to them as the gift of God. They were the cities of Yahweh, the Great King over every power seen and unseen. If it seemed good to the great I-AM, Israel would be victorious. If it seemed good to David's God to give these cities to these enemies who had wrongly rejected David's kindness, then some of the cities in Israel would go to the Ammonites. The battle was the Lord's.

Your strength in the battle of despair today is not in your own faith, but in the faith of the true Commander who has already won the decisive battle against evil through His death on the cross. That victory of Jesus for you was manifestly displayed through His resurrection from the dead. Your strength is in His faith and not in your own. Those who see that may find it easier to place their trust in Him as they face the challenges of a dark day. May the Lord do what seems good to Him. We are His, and He is trustworthy.

When Joab and the fighting men of Israel faced the combined strength of the Syrians and the Ammonites, both of these nations that had defied Israel fled in fear. This would have been a good moment for a humble repentance before the King of Israel. Instead the Ammonites looked to find their strength in amassing a larger alliance of Syrian forces to fight with them against David.

This time the enemies of David did not all escape with their lives. Thousands of Syrians died, and the people who lived became David's servants.

With episodes such as this in the military history of Israel, it is not surprising that those who were awaiting a future Son of David as Messiah expected to find someone who would win glorious victories for them. A man who died on a cross did not sound like the powerful king they had hoped for. Many did not have the eyes of faith by the Holy Spirit to see the power of the mercy of God in the death of Jesus. When God's greatest emissary of peace died they rejected Him as weak and they resented His call to them to follow Him in the way of dying love.

But now, after the passing of so many centuries, how weak does the love of Christ look? The message of the cross has been preached throughout the earth, and billions have found the power of God in Him. Enemies that David could never have defeated with the sword have been destroyed by the strength of the dying love of Christ. How many millions upon millions of men and angels in heavenly realms can see with their eyes what you and I have come to believe with our hearts? Jesus is the Lord of glory. His weakness is stronger than David's strength. His foolishness is wiser than David's wisdom.

Jesus has the power of life and death in His hands. Choose life. Receive His ambassadors who come to you today in peace.