The Lord Gave Victory


2 Samuel 8:1-18
http://www.esvbible.org/2 Samuel 8:1-18

When we last talked about King David, he had finally come into his role as the leader of God’s people. Now, in one brief chapter, David defeats all of his enemies and truly establishes Israel as the most powerful nation in the entire area. While it is a bloody recounting of victory, David’s position is undeniable and he stands on a firm foundation as God’s man leading God’s people.

A reading of this chapter brings up a rather challenging verse.
And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute. (2 Samuel 8:2)

Two emotions immediately emerge upon reading this verse; puzzlement and horror. Why in the world would David do this odd thing? Moab was part of David’s ancestral past. His great grandmother, Ruth, was from Moab and this is where he had hidden his parents during the years that he was running from Saul.  (see 1 Samuel 22:3–4) There are some who believe that the ruler of Moab had killed David’s parents and he was exacting revenge for this crime. There are also some who believe that David did not actually kill two thirds of the men, but instead simply depopulated the area, thus rendering it harmless. The Hebrew doesn’t really support this interpretation, but it is a little easier to swallow. At any rate, Moab is completely disarmed and no longer poses any threat to Israel.

The key verse in the chapter is verse 6b. “And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.” None of David’s success is because he’s is such a great guy. He has been winning battles against his enemies since Goliath because the hand of the Lord is with him. When we walk God’s path, success is ours. There is a branch of the Church that today preaches that if you will just be generous with God (and by God they mean themselves and their ministries) He will make you rich and successful. This is not the same thing. Here we see a man who is faithful to the Lord, constantly seeking God’s face for direction. We see someone who loves God and wants to fulfill God’s desires for His people. In David’s story so far, what we see is obedience – and this is what God rewards. David’s desire is to do God’s will, so God comes along and grants David victory after victory. David’s obedience wins the day and the same can be said of us.

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