Israel vs the Ammonites & the Syrians…
This narrative should connect with anyone who has tried to do a good turn and had it blow up in your face.
David extends a polite gesture to the neighboring king of Ammon and it triggers war.
Recall that the Ammonites are descendants of Lot by his incestuous relationship with his daughter. They settled in the orange spot:
Keep in mind that the boundaries of these nations were in flux a lot. They would fight and territory would be lost and gained.
Ammon was a neighboring Semitic kingdom (descended from Shem). It would be in everyone’s best interest for there to be peace between them and Israel. Saul had fought with the Ammonites and King Nachash before he was even crowned king, (see 1 Sam. 11). It was basically his first big leadership role. It was a story rather like the Alamo in American history. Only instead of the Mexican Army killing or capturing everyone, Saul arrives in the nick of time with reinforcements and they defeat the Ammonites. And Ammon seems to have left Israel basically alone after that.
King Nachash (which means King Serpent) has died and his son Hanun (meaning: Favored) ascends to the throne. Perhaps Hanun feels like he has a score to settle. David sends an official envoy to pay his respects to the memory of his neighbor, King of the Ammonites.
The advisors to the new king suspect David’s men of ulterior motives and persuade Hanun to send them back to Israel in disgrace. The advisors to King Hanun make me think of this…
The Ammonites realize they have poked a hornet’s nest so they hire mercenary soldiers from 4 Syrian principalities to form a confederation against Israel.
Joab and Abishai and the Mighty Men along with Israel’s most elite warriors face down the opposing coalition on two fronts. And the Ammonites and Syrians retreat.
So they regroup and bring in even more troops from further away. So David musters the whole army of Israel and leads them into battle himself. It looked something like this:
This battle turned out to be a blessing. David captures a LOT more land and brings a LOT more tribute money. Perhaps we can draw from this some encouragement.
- The Enemy might pick a fight but that doesn’t mean he’s going to win it.
- Bring it on. More enemies just means more territory I’m going to win.
It was battles like this that made it possible for David to expand the kingdom. Here is a map of Israel before and after the reign of David:
When we I fight spiritual battles (I’ll speak for myself), I usually haven’t thought about the purpose. Maybe I’m just too busy swingin’ a sword to think beyond the moment. In the moment, the purpose is just survive today. But with a few victories under one’s belt, you get a moment to breathe and look around and see territories conquered.
I think the ungodly nations around Israel could serve as an illustration of the things in the sinful nature that must be conquered – the self-centered behaviors of the flesh. As we conquer them and bring them under the Dominion of the LORD we expand. Our souls are enlarged. We have more internal resources and experience from which to draw to share with others.
And some of those enemies will disappear in a cloud of dust into the sunset. And they’ll be too smart to come back and bother you again.
“And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Syrians were not willing to save the Ammonites anymore.”
1 Chronicles 19:19 ESV
PSALM 20
This celebratory psalm begins with 7 blessings in the first 5 verses. It sounds like a list of things you’d want God to do for you if you were headed into a big battle like Israel was against the Ammonite-Syrian Confederation.
- May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
- May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
- May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!
- May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices!
- May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!
- May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!
- May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!
This is the blessing formula. If you want to bless someone – like a friend, or your children, or your spouse – this is a good start.
A blessing is a desire-filled prayer declaration for a good thing to happen.
It isn’t a plea, like, “Dear Lord, please give my friend wisdom and help.”
Nope. If I turned the above plea into a blessing it would be like: “May the LORD give you wisdom and help!”
The difference is subtle but there is a noticeable shift in attitude. The first feels like it is from beneath and aimed up. The second feels like it is beside and spreading out.
Does that make any sense? That’s the best way I can describe it.
A plea kneels with clasped hands while a blessing stands with hands outstretched.
Anyone can lift up a plea, but only those who know their God can confidently pronounce blessings.
It might be that pronouncing blessing is a way we can partner with the LORD in His work. He wants to bless. And we come into agreement with Him. But we must first come OUT of agreement with the opposite of the blessing – which is a curse.
A curse is just like a blessing, (May so and so happen), but the thing anticipated is negative or untrue rather than good and true. And many times we believe lies and anticipate negative and adjust our behavior to go along with those beliefs. In that way, we can effectively come under the sway of a self (or other) imposed curse.
Moses told Israel that there were only 2 options: the blessing or the curse.
If you’re stuck in something that is weighing down your soul, your first step is to come out of agreement with the lies. Break the curses. Renounce them. Did you know that in the early church people were required to say that they “renounced the Devil and all his works” at baptism?
Here’s a powerful word: “Disavow.” Through prayer and reflection we identify the lies we have believed. We call them what they are – lies. And we disavow them. To disavow something is the opposite of a vow. It is to formally break an agreement. Imagine the opposite of wedding vows. It’s basically a divorce.
It’s time to divorce the curses and receive the blessings.
And those blessings – God does not require favorable circumstances to bring them about. He doesn’t need chariot and horses or tanks and fighter jets to win the battle.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.”
Psalm 20:7-8 ESV
I promise you, God can do more in 5 minutes if we will fully trust Him than man can do in 5 years with a lot of effort.
Those who trust in the might of this world will “collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.”
May you rise and stand upright today, my friend, as God Almighty through His Holy Spirit gives you victory.
🤔 Do you think they noticed that you just ended with a blessing over them?
😑 Well, if they didn’t, I’m sure they can’t miss it now. Thanks, Captain Obvious.
😃 Ooo… Captain, huh? Does this mean I get a medal?
😏 Sure. Why not? For distinguished valor in making sure no reader is left behind, I hereby promote you to the rank of Captain.
🎖️🫡
To The Reader 