1 Chronicles 18

CHAPTERS 1820THEME: David’s warsAt this point somebody is going to say, “You have been emphasizing that Chronicles is God’s viewpoint. How can wars be fitted into this interpretation?” Because that is a question in the minds, I am sure, of many folk, let me make some preliminary statements. In the New Testament James, in a very practical manner, asked the question: “From where do wars come?” He not only asked the question, but he gives the answer: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not” (Jas_4:1-2). In other words, the background of war is the sinful heart of man. It is very easy to protest wars, but we will never get rid of wars by protesting. Protesting may bring a single war to an end, but another one is sure to start, because the basic problem is in the sinful heart of man. The Lord Jesus came into our world and this is what He said, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils” (Luk_11:21-22). Why did He say that? Because there are enemies abroad. We do not live in an ideal situation. The Millennium has not come yetnor is man able to produce it. The Prince of Peace is the only One who will bring peace to this earth. Until He comes, we will do well to keep our powder dry. Immediately after man sinned, God said to Satan, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed …” (Gen_3:15). Friend, you cannot remove that. There are going to be wars until sin is removed from this earth, until all wickedness is removed. Wars are the symptom. The disease is sin. It is sin that is the problem. David is becoming a man whom God has blessed and as a result there are enemies round about. As long as he was a little petty king, a tribal king, they paid very little attention to him. God lets us know that He took note of the fact that even David’s kingdom was in a world where there was war. Since you and I live in that kind of a world also, we do well to keep locks on our doors. Crime at home and abroad is the result of sin in the heart of man. Now let’s look at David’s wars. The nations mentioned here were the perpetual enemies of Israel and always attacked when the nation was weak.

1 Chronicles 18:1

Why did David get rid of the horses? Because God had told His people that their king was not to multiply horses or wives. Later on, his son Solomon really went into the horse business, but David did not. These were the spoils of war. I think by the time David died, Israel had cornered the gold market. The gold was there in Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 18:7

You see, the materials out of which Solomon constructed the temple were accumulated by David. Then we see that the king of Hamath sent gifts of appreciation to David for his victory over a mutual foe.

1 Chronicles 18:11

David is given the victory over all of these old enemies of Israel which had fought against them when they were weak. You see, in order to become a king over that land, there were enemies to be driven out. The child of God in our day has enemies also. In Eph_6:11 we are told to “Put on the whole armour of God….” Our enemy doesn’t happen to be a flesh and blood enemy. Our enemy is a spiritual enemy. That is the point Paul is making in Eph_6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” This is the situation in which you and I find ourselves. This idea that the Christian can sit down and twiddle his thumbs, that he can compromise with everything that comes along, is entirely wrong. As Christians, we need to stand for what is right. I once heard a country preacher down in Georgia say, “A lot of people, instead of standing on the promises, are sitting on the premises.” Unfortunately, that is true. We have spiritual enemies that must be overcome.