God’s Word for You

1 Chronicles 14:8-12 David defeats the Philistines

by Pastor Timothy Smith on Tuesday, January 2, 2024

8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up—all of the Philistines—to search for David. Now David heard about it and went out to face them.  9 The Philistines came and raided the Valley of Rephaim. 10 So David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” The LORD answered him, “Go, I will give them into your hand.”  11 So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and he defeated them there. He said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like water breaking through.” That is why the place is called Baal Perazim. 12 The Philistines left their gods behind. David gave the command, and they burned them in the fire.

The Valley of Rephaim was part of the natural border between Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 15:8, 18:16), southwest of Jerusalem. They did not actually assemble or camp in the valley, but sent a raiding party there to tug David’s beard and get him to come out and fight. But David was neither a brand new king (he had already reigned for more than seven years) nor a green soldier. He knew exactly what they were trying to do, since it was probably just what he did on many occasions. But he set aside his own military experience, as well as the new responsibility of national policy as king, and he inquired of the Lord. The Philistines were just over the ridge that overlooks the Valley of Hinnom below Jerusalem’s southern wall. It was time to throw everything at God’s feet.

Whether David simply prayed, or whether he asked the high priest to use the Urim and Thummim, is not described, either here or in 2 Samuel 5:18-19 (the parallel account). But David received an answer, either through a prophet such as Nathan, one of the chief priests (Zadok or Abiathar), or through direct speech from God to the king himself or through a dream. But David had his answer. The Philistines were trying to coax him out to war? Go to war.

The details of the battle are given by David’s own description: “like water breaking through.” Whatever defensive line the Philistines had, David smashed through. There is even the mention in verse 11 that David’s attack was from the undesirable low ground, attacking uphill toward the Philistine lines. But like a tsunami crashing through hills, streets, roads, and dikes, David’s men could not be stopped. The Philistines dropped their god-statues and ran. The name that the place received, Baal Perazim “Master of the Breaches” was still remembered in Isaiah’s time, two hundred years later: “The LORD will rise up as he did on Mount Perazim” (Isaiah 28:21).

David’s men found the Philistine gods lying here and there on the battle field among dead and wounded soldiers and discarded spears and pieces of armor. The king would allow no souvenirs. Just as the Philistines had once captured the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4:11), so now David captured the idols of the Philistines, abandoned by the men who carried them (2 Samuel 5:21). The Lord’s infinite wisdom reached out from Mount Sinai and Mount Nebo, four hundred years in the past, and commanded them: “Burn the images of their gods with fire, and do not covet the silver and gold on them or take it for yourself, so that you are not snared by it, because it is an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 7:25).

With this trouble that came through the Philistine attack, God was teaching, encouraging, strengthening, and guiding his people and David the king.

Here was consolation and comfort, the gospel in action, to show that David’s sin in mishandling the ark was forgiven. God did not give the battle over to David’s enemies, but gave the enemy into the hands of David. “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsake those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10).

Here was God exhorting and urging David and the nation to continue to trust in him. The ancient Clement reminds us: “God says, ‘While you are still speaking I will say, Here am I’ (Isaiah 58:9). This great saying is the sign of a promise: For the Lord is saying that he is more ready to give than we are to ask. Let us then accept such great goodness, and not begrudge ourselves the gaining of such benefits” (2 Clement 15:3-5). “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble; he cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7).

Here was God showing his great goodness and might, giving the victory of Israel so close to Jerusalem and even, it seems, over undesirable ground (uphill). He was displaying his power to save in all circumstances, for he even promises victory over the grave, over all of the devil’s temptations, and anything the fallen world might set up against his holy people. “You will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 39:18).

Here was God putting his strength on display so that we will trust in him for more than earthly victories, but also and especially the victory of the cross and the resurrection. “From the belly of the grave I cried out, and you heard my voice” (Jonah 2:2). “The ropes of death entangled me. The walls of the grave hemmed me in. I found distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord!” (Psalm 116:3). “Today I make my words known to you—yes, to you, so that your trust will be in the Lord” (Proverbs 22:19).

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith

 

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