1 Crônicas 20

1 Crônicas 20

Wiersbe - Chronologists calculate that David was about fifty years old at this time. (ED: AND HAD BEEN THE KING FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS - IS THIS A "MIDDLE AGED" CRISIS?). It’s true that David had been advised by his leaders not to engage actively in warfare (2 Sam. 21:15–17), but he could have been with his troops to help develop the strategy and give moral leadership. Whatever the cause, good or bad, that kept David in Jerusalem, this much is true: “Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do.”2 Idleness isn’t just the absence of activity, for all of us need regular rest; idleness is also activity to no purpose. When David was finished with his afternoon nap, he should have immediately moved into some kingdom duty that would have occupied his mind and body, or, if he wanted to take a walk, he should have invited someone to walk with him. “If you are idle, be not solitary,” wrote Samuel Johnson; “if you are solitary, be not idle.” When David laid aside his armor, he took the first step toward moral defeat, and the same principle applies to believers today (Eph. 6:10-18+). Without the helmet of salvation (Eph 6:17+), we don’t think like saved people; and without the breastplate of righteousness (Eph 6:14+), we have nothing to protect the heart. Lacking the girdle of truth (Eph 6:14+), we easily believe lies (“We can get away with this!”), and without the sword of the Word (Eph 6:17+) and the shield of faith (Eph 6:16+), we are helpless before the Enemy (ED: ALL THREE ENEMIES! the world, the flesh and the devil). Without prayer we have no power (Eph 6:18+). As for the shoes of peace, David walked in the midst of battles for the rest of his life. He was safer on the battlefield than on the battlement of his house! (Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament ) Gene Getz points out, “Though David was certainly subject to the same routine mistakes all human beings make, for 20 years (AS KING OF UNITED ISRAEL) he had lived a Godly life, relatively free from serious mistakes such as he had made in the past. As king of Israel he had brought security and safety to his people. At no time in history had Israel demonstrated so well, to the outside world, their commitment to God and to each other. This dynamic, in Israel, was definitely a reflection of David’s leadership. It was following this significant period of success in his brilliant career as king of Israel, demonstrating wisdom, justice, and righteousness, that David committed the most unwise, unjust and unrighteous act of his life.” (Borrow David: God's Man in Faith and Failure) Walton - Military campaigns, while seldom officially declared, came predictably in the ancient Near East with the end of the winter rains. A period of several months was then available during the spring season, prior to the harvest, when every able-bodied man was needed to work in the fields. Many of the Assyrian and Babylonian royal annals include the notation that a military campaign began in either the first month (Nisannu) or the second month (Aiaru) of the year (the period from March-May). (IVP Background Commentary) Warren Wiersbe - You start on the path to sin when you neglect duty. David was in more danger in Jerusalem than with his army on the battlefield. He laid aside his armor (Eph. 6:10ff.+), allowed his eyes to wander, and lust took over (James 1:14–15+).(Borrow With the Word) John Davis adds, “The greatest victories are sometimes annulled by foolish mistakes. David’s unparalleled success had made it possible for him to enjoy all the comforts of royal life. No longer did he need to be in the field of combat since capable leadership was provided by Joab, and there were no more immediate serious threats to the kingdom. It was in these circumstances that David’s greatest failure occurred. It was tragic in this manner. However, it is well known that Satan is most effective in his approaches when the believer is comfortable and successful.” Warren Wiersbe - It is easy to see how David got into this sin: (1) he was self-confident, after enjoying victories and prosperity; (2) he was disobedient, staying home when he should have been on the battlefield; (3) he was idle, lying in bed in the evening; (4) he was self-indulgent, giving freedom to his desires when he should have been disciplining himself; and (5) he was careless, allowing his eyes to wander and yielding to the “lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes” (1 John 2:16). The Christian soldier must never lay aside the armor (Eph. 6:10ff). (Borrow Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament) And Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it. Rabbah was the chief city of the Ammonites, now called Amman, the capital of Jordan. The parallel passage is different than first Chronicles because it stops in 2Sa 11:1 with this word - and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. Do you see the difference in 1Ch 20:1? In 2Sa 11, the "but David..." is followed by the sordid story of sin, then confession and repentance in 2Sa 12. It is not until after David confessed and repented of his sins that we read that David "went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it." (2Sa 12:29). Can you see the principle? When David sinned and covered up, neither he nor Israel prospered (Pr 28:13), and all general Joab could do was besiege the city of Rabbah. David's coverup was evil in the eyes of the LORD and He could not bless him, until he confessed. THOUGHT - We all have "cities like Rabbah" (so to speak) in our life, enemies that we have fought against and "besieged," for some time, but which we have never fully conquered. Could one of the reasons we have not been able to defeat our "city of Rabbah" be that we are concealing unconfessed sins which are quenching (or grieving) the Holy Spirit and short-circuiting the flow of His supernatural power which is necessary to defeat the enemies? F B