Author: Calleen Hough

You can never be too sure

Asking for someone’s advice doesn’t mean you don’t know what to do. One of the reasons it’s a good idea to ask someone for his opinion is so that you will know whether or not you are in agreement about what you are about to do. “David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you…let us bring again the ark of our God to us” (1 Chronicles 13:1,3).

When the Philistines came looking for David after he had been anointed king over all Israel, David could have gathered his troops and immediately went into battle, but instead, “David inquired of God” (1 Chronicles 14:10). David could have assumed that because the Philistines were Israel’s enemy and they were preparing for an attack that he needed to defend himself, but he asked the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines?” (1 Chronicles 14:10).

Sometimes it seems so obvious what we need to do that we don’t want to take the time to ask for confirmation. David knew the Philistines would come after him one way or another. His instinct to fight was what the Philistines were hoping for. They wanted to catch him off guard and intimidate him into fighting on their terms. “And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand” (1 Chronicles 14:10).

David achieved a great victory, but the Philistine army was able to mount a second attack. “Therefore David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees” (1 Chronicles 14:14). David demonstrated that he was depending on the LORD for guidance. No matter what he planned to do, David checked it out with the LORD first.

David’s second inquiry showed that his relationship with the LORD was more than superficial. David trusted in the LORD beyond what would normally have been expected. David knew that every action had a consequence and he did not want to risk making a mistake.

David therefore did as God commanded him; and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer. And the fame of David  went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations. (1 Chronicles 14:16-17)

Extreme Worship

And David danced before the LORD with all his might…And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. (2 Samuel 6:14, 16).

David was approximately 40 years old when the ark of the LORD was brought into the city of David. In the prime of his life, David was probably in excellent physical condition and his body would have been muscular and tanned from years on the battlefield. The image of David leaping and dancing makes me think of a ballet where the male lead dances with not only physical strength, but graceful movement to the music. Wearing only a linen undergarment, David’s dance before the LORD would have been a spectacular sight.

The problem Michal had with David dancing in public was he wasn’t acting like a king. Michal was used to her father’s prideful display of pomp and circumstance. King Saul loved to make public animal sacrifices in order to make himself appear righteous and he wanted the people to view him as a valiant warrior, not a servant of God. In many ways, David and Saul were opposites. The difference was obvious when Michal let David know she despised him because of his unrestrained, public worship.

David described his worship as play when he said, “therefore will I play before the LORD” (2 Samuel 6:21). The word translated play, sâchaq (saw – khak´) means to laugh (7832). David was having a good time. He did not let his position as king of Israel stop him from being the man he truly was, a lover of God and role model of extreme worship.

Don’t be a fool

“Fools because of their transgression and because of their iniquities, are afflicted” (Psalm 107:17). A fool is someone that lives by his own resources (191). The fool believes that he can figure things out on his own and does not rely on godly wisdom.

The problem with fools is they often get into trouble that they do not have sufficient experience or resources to get out of. Teenagers are great examples of fools because they by nature want to be independent and aren’t aware of the risks they are taking.

Transgression is willful rebellion. The person who commits a transgression is trying to break away from authority and establish their independence (6586/6588). Again, teenagers are perfect examples of people who transgress because by nature teenagers want independence, their goal is to break away from their parents’ authority.

Iniquity is in essence the crossing of a line between normal and abnormal behavior. By definition, iniquity is perversion. In some cases, iniquity is not intentional. It can be a trap that someone falls into such as drug addition or prostitution. It could be that transgression leads to iniquity through the gradual decay of a person’s moral character.

To be afflicted means to be bowed down or humbled. It also means to be meek or depressed (6031/6035). The purpose of affliction is not punishment, but discipline. It has the connotation of learning from one’s mistakes. Moses is described as being very meek (Numbers 12:3), probably because of the mistake he made in killing the Egyptian who was mistreating an Israelite slave.

The greatest thing that can happen to a person that is always getting into trouble is to become aware of their need for independence. Independence in and of itself is not a bad thing. It is only when a person turns his back on God and thinks he can make it through life without God’s help that a person becomes a fool.

Your heart’s desire

“For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:9). “The Hebrew system of thought does not include the opposition of the terms ‘body’ and ‘soul’ which are really Greek and Latin in origin. The Hebrew compares/contrasts ‘the inner self’ and ‘the outer appearance’ or as viewed in a different context, ‘what one is to oneself’ as opposed to ‘what one appears to be to one’s observers'” (5315).

A common question asked of children in the United States is what do you want to be when you grow up. It is assumed that while growing up, children can engage in a process that changes or molds them into what they want to be. I don’t know of any studies that have shown how often children grow up and become what they want, but my  personal experience tells me that it rarely happens. When I was asked that question, I didn’t know what to say, but I know what I became was not what I wanted.

I think children have a tendency to dream or maybe even fantasize about what their life will be like when they are grown up. Then, when they are, they compare their dream to reality to measure their satisfaction with life. In my case, my satisfaction level was zero and that is why I decided to kill myself. The problem in my situation was that I didn’t have anything to compare reality with; I didn’t know what I wanted to be, at least I didn’t think I did.

Because God is our creator, he knows the desires of our hearts. He created us to be something and until we do become what we are meant to be, we will never be satisfied. The Psalmist said in Psalm 107:14, “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and break their bands in sunder.” The bands referred to here are restraints or discipline that is meant to keep you going in a certain direction, on a specific course that is not of your own choosing, such as when an animal is harnessed and forced to plow a field.

God’s goal in developing a relationship with us is to satisfy our souls, that which we are to ourselves, the inner self, with goodness. He wants to give us the desires of our hearts. “Therefore he brought down their heart with labour, they fell down, there was none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distress” (Psalm 107:12-13).

God keeps his promises

One of the characteristics of God’s perfection is his reputation. God is not the same as man in that he was not created. He is self-existent, he is entirely self-sufficient and not dependent or contingent upon anything else. Basically, what that means is that he does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and for the rest of eternity. Therefore, his character or attributes are constant and can be relied upon to be the same in every situation.

I believe the reason God took the time to develop a relationship with Abraham was so that he could establish his reputation in dealing with sinful man. Psalm 106 is a confession of Israel’s long history of rebellion and a prayer for God to once again save his people. It says in Psalm 106:8, “Nevertheless, he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.”

God’s ability to do miraculous things is what sets him apart from every other being. That in and of itself is enough to qualify  him to be God, but it is not that he can do a miracle, God can do anything. His power is unlimited. Most people, even those that know God and have a personal relationship with him, are not aware of what God is capable of. God wanted Abraham and the rest of the world to know that he could do the impossible and when he made a promise, it was certain to be kept.

God promised Abraham that his descendants would dwell in the land known as Canaan. He even told Abraham ahead of time that his children would end up in slavery and God would deliver them. He even told Abraham the length of time they would be held in bondage (Genesis 15:13). In spite of the Israelites rebellion and lack of faith, God kept his promise and he will keep his promise to you too.

The miracle of life

“For the LORD commanded the blessing even life for evermore” (Psalm 133:3). The sustainment of life on planet earth is something I think we all take for granted. If God’s blessing were not on his creation, the human race would have become extinct a long time ago.

The miracle of life is that God’s provision is continuous, his resources are never diminished. Beyond the life we have here, God has commanded that eternal life be given to those who accept his son as savior and it is a free gift to all who want to receive it.

The manna that appeared in the desert to feed the Israelites while they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years is a picture of the free gift of eternal life. The manna came from the dew that settled on the ground. It blanketed the earth with abundant nourishment and was available for anyone that wanted to gather it.

The only restriction on gathering manna was that you could only take enough for one day at a time except the day before the Sabbath. When the day was over, the food rotted and had to be thrown away.

The restriction on the gift of eternal life is that it is only available while you are alive on earth. Everyday, the gift is there, waiting to be received. Each day of life provides another opportunity to take it. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Jesus was referred to as the bread of life because like the manna that appeared in the desert, he was able to sustain life indefinitely (John 6:21-40). Jesus explained to his disciples that unity with him meant eternal provision, all who believed would be permanently connected to his Father in heaven whose resources were unlimited and always available.

The miracle of life that Jesus offered was based on a unity that went beyond an external physical or spiritual connection. Jesus said, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Through what we now refer to as communion, it became possible for Christ to dwell or stay in believers.

Jesus differentiated the life he could provide from that provided by the manna by stating that everyone that ate the manna was dead or separated from God (John 6:58). It did not provide a permanent connection.

The unity that David experienced in his kingdom was just a foretaste of the unity believers experience in Christ. Although David knew the LORD, he was not connected to him the same way we are. David did not go to heaven when he died. He had to wait until Jesus was crucified to receive the miracle of eternal life.

Unity of faith

In verse one of Psalm 133, David talked about brethren dwelling together in unity in order to establish a physical basis for community. In verse two of Psalm 133, David explains how unity works from a spiritual perspective. David said, “It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.

When Aaron became the chief priest, his head was anointed with oil as a sign of his consecration to God (Leviticus 8:12). Aaron was the spiritual leader of Israel and was a direct representative of God that lived among the Israelites to remind them of God’s presence in their community. David’s expression of Aaron’s anointing being like brethren dwelling together in unity is intended to convey the point that God’s presence in the community was the source of its unity or what kept the people united.

The oil that was used to anoint Aaron was a combination of olive oil and sweet smelling spices that when combined formed a strong perfume that could probably be smelled from a great distance. The idea behind the anointing was the goodness of God being like a sweet smelling fragrance that affected everyone that came in contact with it.

Paul talks about the unity of the Spirit in Ephesians chapter four. Paul encouraged believers in the city of Ephesus “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…Till we all come in the unity of faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:3,13). Paul’s reference to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ appears to be tied to the anointing of the priests and could clarify why David used the anointing of Aaron as an example of unity.

If you think of the priests’ garments as a representation of God’s holiness imparted to man, the anointing oil running down onto the garments was a picture of Jesus’ death as the atonement for sin. The anointing of the priest was an act of faith that linked him to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. David used this illustration to make the point that the brethren dwelling together in unity during his reign was based on an act of faith. They all believed they were establishing the kingdom of Christ and that one day he would walk in their midst and his presence would affect everyone that came in contact with him.

A common goal

“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). The best example I can think of for brethren dwelling together in unity is the United States. Although some people may think the men who designed our government were brilliant, I believe they had divine inspiration and may have even used Psalm 133:1 as a guide for our country.

Initially, the United States was intended to be a Christian nation. Our pledge of allegiance stated that we were to be one nation under God. The interesting thing about our country is that it is unique in the world. No other country has been able to replicate the way we govern ourselves as independent states with a common federal system linking them together.

The nation of Israel under David’s leadership became a type of United States in that each of the clans or tribes of Israel lived in their own territories and acted independently of each other, but under David’s reign they united and followed him with one heart (1 Chronicles 12:38).

One of the characteristics of unity that is sometimes overlooked or taken for granted is the absence of conflict. The United States’ Civil War was a bloody battle that threatened to split our country in two. Since that time, there have been no such wars within our borders. It is definitely good and pleasant to live in peace, but very difficult to maintain it when there are varying opinions about what is acceptable.

There is more to unity than living within the same borders or the absence of conflict. I believe there is an element of unity that has to do with shared or common goals. You might call it the tie that binds because it is this element that keeps things together and makes it possible for conflicts to be resolved. The common goal of the tribes of Israel was the removal of foreigners from the Promised Land. Only some areas were secure and free from warfare. David gave the people hope that if they fought together as they had when they first entered the Promised Land, they could overcome all their enemies and live in peace.

David was a valiant warrior and his mighty men were the best of the best at defeating strong enemies. His leadership was the key to success when it came to bringing together men of diverse backgrounds. David had a way of finding the common denominator and was able to communicate his vision in a way that enabled complete unity among the tribes. David’s reign lasted a short 40 years. Although he accomplished many important things during that time, the unification of the tribes was probably the most miraculous.

God’s host

“For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host like the host of God” (1 Chronicles 12:22). The word translated host, machâneh (makh – an – eh´) means an encampment (4264). Machaneh is derived from the Hebrew word chânâh (khaw – naw´) which means specifically to pitch a tent (2583). What 1 Chronicles 12:22 is saying is that David’s host and God’s host were covering the same territory.

God’s host consists of superhuman beings including God and his angels (430). We cannot see God’s host, but they are surrounding us to protect us and assist us in warfare. The significance of David’s host and God’s host covering the same territory was that physical and spiritual warfare could be conducted simultaneously. David was tearing down physical and spiritual strong holds at the same time.

It says in 1 Chronicles 12:38,  “All these men of war that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.” A perfect heart is one that has been completely transformed. David’s camp was filled with peace and the men were living in harmony with one another. One way to describe the situation would be heaven on earth, everything was perfect in David’s army.

The supernatural experience of peace that is sometimes felt by believers is a result of God’s presence. As we live our daily lives, we are not always aware of God’s presence, but the evidence that he is among is the peace we feel in our hearts. I believe there was a correlation between the number of men in David’s camp and the number of angels that were surrounding them. Whether it was a one to one correlation or higher, the number of supernatural beings was great enough that all conflict and strife was eliminated. Everyone’s attention was focused on the battle and the defeat of God’s enemies.

The capture of Jerusalem

If there was one event in David’s life that stood out as his greatest moment, it was probably the conquest of Jerusalem. It’s likely that victory over the Jebusites, the people of Jerusalem, was considered impossible because of the strategic location of the city on a rise that was surrounded on three sides by deep valleys.

Jerusalem was the ultimate strong hold or fortress. It had been occupied for approximately 2000 years, since the time of Abraham, and at least two previous attempts to overtake it had failed. After conquering it, David renamed it the city of David (2 Samuel 5:7).

The capture of Jerusalem was probably important to David because he felt God was using him to establish a permanent kingdom on earth. David believed there would be a Messiah and may have known that Jerusalem would be the capitol from which he would rule and reign over his kingdom. Possession of Jerusalem was therefore and integral part of God’s redemptive program for Israel.

It says in 2 Samuel 5:6, “And David went on and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.” The term LORD God of hosts is used several times by David in his prayers for deliverance from his enemies. Although it is possible the hosts David was referring to were troops under his command, it s likely David was asking for help with spiritual warfare.

There are some battles that take involve both physical and spiritual warfare. Jerusalem was a key city in the Promised Land, but it is also described as a heavenly city. In Revelation 3:12, it says, “I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God.”

When Jacob was fleeing from his brother Esau, it says in Genesis 28:11 that he came to a certain place. “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12). The place Jacob came to might have been a portal between the physical and spiritual worlds that enabled him to see what is normally outside of human perception.

One of the unique characteristics of king David was his awareness of the spiritual realm that existed around him. He often spoke to the LORD as if he was standing right next to him. When it says that the LORD God of hosts was with him, I believe it is saying that the LORD God of hosts, super human beings including God and his angels (430), were David’s constant companions.