Focus Chapters:
- 2 Samuel 5:1-3
- 1 Chronicles 11:1-3
- 1 Chronicles 12:23-40
- 2 Samuel 5:17-25
- 1 Chronicles 14:8-17
- 2 Samuel 5:6-10
- 1 Chronicles 11:4-9
- 2 Samuel 5:13
- 2 Samuel 5:4-5
- 2 Samuel 5:11-12
- 1 Chronicles 14:1-2
- 1 Chronicles 13:1-5
- 2 Samuel 6:1-11
- 1 Chronicles 13:6-14
Standout Verse(s):
2 Samuel 5:17-20 NLT
When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold. The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim. So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”
So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “The Lord did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”).
Observation (s):
- When the Philistines launched their attack, David consulted the Lord.
The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim. So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
- Following David’s request, the Lord promised that He would hand over the Philistines to David.
The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”
- Following his victory, David publicly acknowledged and celebrated the role that God played in his victory. He also creates a memorial to commemorate God’s role in his battle.
So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “The Lord did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”).
Application:
We delight in receiving recognition at a local and global level, both by public acknowledgment and the gift of a memorial. We have many different types of rewards and recognition that are publicly given to persons whom we believe have made significant contributions or are deserving. These include the Noble and Pulitzer Prizes and the Grammy and Academy awards.
Following his battle with the Philistines, David readily and publicly recognized God’s role in his victory. He did not take the recognition for himself. He acknowledges that the Lord handed over the Philistines to him, as He had promised. In his moment of recognizing God, David does two things:
- He publicly and proudly declares God’s role in the battle: “The Lord did it!”.
- He names the place of his victory “Baal-perazim“, creating a memorial, that will always be used to remember God’s role in his victory.
Think about how you feel when you are publicly recognized or rewarded for your work. Doesn’t God deserve that similar feeling. Publicly and readily acknowledge God’s role in your victories. Like David, proudly declare: “The Lord did it!”
