2 Samuel 5:17-25 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 5:17-25. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
2 Samuel 5:17-25 (NIV)
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.
18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;
19 so David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The LORD answered him, “Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you.”
20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.
21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;
23 so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.
24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”
25 So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
On verses 17-25: There was a season in David’s life when for 16 months David had allied himself with the Philistines, such that King Achish of the Philistines thought David was fighting for them (1 Samuel 27). So when the Philistines hear that David has now been anointed king over Israel, they must have felt in some ways betrayed and rejected by David. So the Philistines come in full force, spreading their entire army across the Valley of Rephaim to fight David. David inquires of the Lord, gets God’s signal to attack the Philistines, obeys God’s signal, and is victorious over the Philistines (v19-20). David’s men remove the idols that the Philistines left behind (v21) and David attributes his victory to the Lord (v20). When the Philistines spread out across the same valley of Rephaim a second time to attack David (v22), David inquires of God again and gets a new strategy for attacking the Philistines (v23). He implements that new strategy and is successful.
What can we learn from this? The thing I love about David here is that whenever David faced a challenge, even a challenge that he had seen before, David didn’t assume that he knew what to do based on his experience, his anointing or his logic. Rather, David made it a point to inquire of the Lord regarding the situation. Each time David inquired of the Lord, he received a greater confidence and a new and creative strategy to deal with the situation.
Likewise, if you want to be consistently victorious over the enemy’s attacks, it’s about learning to depend on the Lord more than on yourself. Trust God’s wisdom more than your own wisdom. Don’t just assume that you know how to handle the situation based on your experience or smarts. Ask God for wisdom and insight. When you do, you will receive greater revelation, peace, confidence and creative strategies that you wouldn’t have gotten by just depending on yourself.
Father, like David I pray I would not assume that I know what to do based on my experience or smarts. Instead may I depend on You, inquire of You and look to You for help, wisdom, insight and strength. Speak to me today, Lord, and give me revelation and insight into my situation. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
