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21 July 2007
2 Samuel 5 v 17-25
When the Philistines heard that David had been made king over Israel, all the Philistines went to look for him. But when David heard the news, he went down to the stronghold. The Philistines came and camped in the Valley of Rephaim. David asked the LORD, "Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?"
The LORD said to David, "Go! I will certainly hand them over to you."
So David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines there. David said, "Like a flood of water, the LORD has broken through my enemies in front of me." So David named the place Baal Perazim. The Philistines left their idols behind at Baal Perazim, so David and his men carried them away.
Once again the Philistines came and camped at the Valley of Rephaim. When David prayed to the LORD, he answered, "Don't attack the Philistines from the front. Instead, go around and attack them in front of the balsam trees. When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act quickly. I, the LORD, will have gone ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army." So David did what the LORD commanded. He defeated the Philistines and chased them all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
Some people just don't seem to learn. The Philistines know that David, the new king, killed off their champion Goliath years earlier and cut off his head. Some of those in the Philistine army might even have seen it happen. But here they are again, thinking they can take out God's man and about to get another thrashing.
What is so amazing about this passage is that they still don't get it. David has beaten them at Baal Perazim and then we read, 'once again the Philistines came and camped in the Valley of Rephaim'. Anyone would think they like getting beaten up! Why else would they line up all over again? They seem like addicted gamblers who believe, despite all they been through, that this time their luck really will change.
The trouble is, although its easy to mock the Philistines, you can see them alive and well today. People who can't move on from the past but who want to fight old battles, tell people about old hurts, people stuck in an old conflict and still looking for justice or revenge. People without the grace or the sense to forgive and get on with their life.
Life is messy. We all get hurt along the way. Terrible and unfair things happen. But we can move on from our history if we forgive and shift our focus from yesterday to tomorrow. There is nothing sadder than a person who can not move on from a past hurt, because they are allowing what was done to them to keep on hurting them. We must forgive and change our focus from past hurts . . . the Philistines show what the alternative looks like.
Jesus, you forgave as you suffered on the cross. Today, right now, please help me forgive those who've hurt me and help me change my focus away from past hurts. Amen
Written by David Booker
2 Samuel 5 v 17-25
When the Philistines heard that David had been made king over Israel, all the Philistines went to look for him. But when David heard the news, he went down to the stronghold. The Philistines came and camped in the Valley of Rephaim. David asked the LORD, "Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?"
The LORD said to David, "Go! I will certainly hand them over to you."
So David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines there. David said, "Like a flood of water, the LORD has broken through my enemies in front of me." So David named the place Baal Perazim. The Philistines left their idols behind at Baal Perazim, so David and his men carried them away.
Once again the Philistines came and camped at the Valley of Rephaim. When David prayed to the LORD, he answered, "Don't attack the Philistines from the front. Instead, go around and attack them in front of the balsam trees. When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act quickly. I, the LORD, will have gone ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army." So David did what the LORD commanded. He defeated the Philistines and chased them all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
Some people just don't seem to learn. The Philistines know that David, the new king, killed off their champion Goliath years earlier and cut off his head. Some of those in the Philistine army might even have seen it happen. But here they are again, thinking they can take out God's man and about to get another thrashing.
What is so amazing about this passage is that they still don't get it. David has beaten them at Baal Perazim and then we read, 'once again the Philistines came and camped in the Valley of Rephaim'. Anyone would think they like getting beaten up! Why else would they line up all over again? They seem like addicted gamblers who believe, despite all they been through, that this time their luck really will change.
The trouble is, although its easy to mock the Philistines, you can see them alive and well today. People who can't move on from the past but who want to fight old battles, tell people about old hurts, people stuck in an old conflict and still looking for justice or revenge. People without the grace or the sense to forgive and get on with their life.
Life is messy. We all get hurt along the way. Terrible and unfair things happen. But we can move on from our history if we forgive and shift our focus from yesterday to tomorrow. There is nothing sadder than a person who can not move on from a past hurt, because they are allowing what was done to them to keep on hurting them. We must forgive and change our focus from past hurts . . . the Philistines show what the alternative looks like.
Jesus, you forgave as you suffered on the cross. Today, right now, please help me forgive those who've hurt me and help me change my focus away from past hurts. Amen
Written by David Booker
