WORLDLY SUCCESS
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Opening Prayer
Mighty God, thank you for the work of your Spirit that has drawn me to faith and continues to sanctify me. As you abide in me, give me a heart growing in its desire to do good.
Read 1 CHRONICLES 14
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
David’s House and Family
14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2 And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.
3 In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada[a] and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; 10 so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”
11 So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.[b] 12 The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire.
13 Once more the Philistines raided the valley; 14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 15 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
17 So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear him.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 14:7 A variant of Eliada
- 1 Chronicles 14:11 Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What do you feel is your greatest weakness?
The chronicler lays it on thick! David is showered with gifts from King Hiram (v. 1); his kingdom is ‘highly exalted’ (v. 2); he demonstrates power by expanding the number of his wives and children (v. 3—dubious in our estimation, but that was then!); and he easily overcomes the enemy, the Philistines, as God leads him—in great detail (vv. 8–16). What a king! It all sounds too good to be true! Indeed, in David’s time Israel’s territory stretched for some three hundred miles, with a great king, the best of armies, and an immense reputation. By the chronicler’s time that was all gone, pared down to almost nothing. So why did he keep on about the greatness of the past in his sermon? Wilcock reminds us that some of the most outstanding Old Testament characters, like Daniel, living in exile with no land of their own, fearlessly declared that the Most High (not Babylon or Persia) was sovereign over all. Wilcock stresses that the power of God, that made David so successful, was revealed in another way in the exile, when David’s descendants no longer had any power of their own.1
Paul also discovered that the Lord’s power is made perfect in weakness.2 This is so encouraging for us, who often feel weak when faced with an unbelieving world that scorns our faith one minute and is indifferent the next. As the chronicler’s readers discovered, we do not need to be successful, just faithful.
Bearing all this in mind, how do these verses speak to you? How important are earthly trappings for you and for your sense of self- worth? If things are going well for you, how do you see God’s power at work? If you are struggling and feel stripped of earthly wealth and success, how do you see God’s power at work?
Apply
Talk to God honestly about your answers to the above questions.
Closing prayer
Lord God, no matter what are my circumstances, help me to know that you are at work; help me to remember that you deserve honor and praise, that you use all things for your glory.
1 E.g., Dan 5:17–21; Michael Wilcock, The Message of Chronicles (IVP, 1987), 81. 2 2 Cor 12:9
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