1 Chronicles 14:8-17--Philistines Defeated

1 Chronicles 14:8-17
English Standard Version

Philistines Defeated
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up, and I will give them into your hand.” 11 And he went up to Baal-perazim, and David struck them down there. And David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. 12 And they left their gods there, and David gave command, and they were burned.

​13 And the Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley. 14 And when David again inquired of God, God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; go around and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 15 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 16 And David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. 17 And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

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I try to avoid tying my journal articles about the Scriptures to current events, but this passage has much to do with a current event that I think can't go without mentioning.  In the second century A.D., after the destruction of the Temple and the Diaspora (where Jews and Christians were scattered over the entire world under threat of extermination), the Romans named the Promised Land Syrian Palestine in a poor attempt to name the land after who they believed to be Israel's archnemesis historically--Philistia (the Philistines).  The word Palestine did not exist before that time, and as we will see here, the Philistine people were completely defeated by the LORD as the LORD empowered David to do so.  Saul was also instrumental in their defeat, but the victory would not go to him because of his sin of pride and rebellion.  Therefore, there are no ancient "Palestinian" people who have claim to the Land--the covenant of Genesis 12, Numbers 34 and Ezekiel 47 (it's much larger than anyone things of what we call "Israel" today, and is about the same size as The New Jerusalem that will come out of heaven--see the map that I posted in my journal article about that when I studied the Book of Revelation).   All that to say that the best enemy that Rome could find to associate themselves with from the Old Testament was one that was completely defeated and destroyed--there is history there to show what happens to any people or nation that rises up against the LORD and His people.  It does not end well for them.  Let us take heed that we don't imagine that because we have greater numbers in our military, or we have "giants" on our side, or we have better technology that somehow that we have the means by which to defeat God and His plans and purposes.  No, He has chosen His people and the Land He has given them, and He has blessed them, and nothing can stop that!  Period!  Full stop!  Those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed!  it is part of the Abrahamic Covenant that is irrevocable.

Now to today's text.  Two different battles are described here where David won great military victories over Philistia.  He did not run head-long into battle without consulting the LORD for permission to go to war and for tactics on how to go to war.  The first battle, the LORD told him to make a direct assault, but in this second battle, he was told to wait and set an ambush, and to wait until he heard the sounds of the angelic warriors of the LORD's army rushing into battle ahead of them.  The hosts of heaven went into battle ahead of Israel and defeated their worst and greatest enemy (according to the Roman Empire's study of Israel's history).

Because the LORD used David to defeat every enemy nation, everyone was eager to make peace with Solomon and refused to go to war with him.  David was a man of war that was not allowed to build the Temple, but Solomon enjoyed the peace and prosperity that came at the cost of the victories that his father fought for--including much of the material used for making the Temple that came from spoils of war.

We should not be afraid to point people to passages like this one as well as Genesis 12, Numbers 24, and Ezekiel 37 when anyone makes an "ancient" claim to the Land.  The Canaanites, Jebusite, Perezites, Amorites, Ammonites, Moabites, Philistines and everyone else that lived there was defeated (if not completely destroyed) and their land was taken from them by military defeat, which is an acceptable means for taking the Land.  Soon we'll see that during Solomon's reign, the kingdom of Israel ALMOST reaches the boundaries of what is promised in the covenants mentioned, but even when Israel was at its largest size that we can draw geopolitical boundaries for, it still didn't reach the boundaries of everything God had promised to them--we'll have to wait for the fulfillment of the covenant when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords reigns for that to be fully realized as His Kingdom is one without borders and His dominion is everlasting.  There will be no enemy that can stand up against Him as He speaks, and His enemies are destroyed before Him.  I look forward to that day when Israel receives all that has been promised to her and all of the enemies of LORD and His people are destroyed so that there is no proper reaction other than to break out in worship for how great and powerful and mighty and awesome and good and holy the LORD is!  He is the one who sits on the throne and marches out to war and fights for His people.  He is above all else and worthy of all worship and honor and praise, forever and ever!