God's Wisdom in Turbulent Times
God’s Wisdom in Turbulent Times.
1 Chronicles 11-15
“Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.”
Like Hebrews 11, so in 1 Chronicles 11-15 we find a list of individuals who play a critical role in the establishment of David as king of Israel. Saul had been appointed as the king of Israel; however, his dynasty was short-lived. The writer makes it clear that the reason for the decline and fall of the dynasty of Saul was not because of the Philistines’ victory in the battle, but because of Saul’s rejection of God. Saul not only refused to obey God, but he turned to a medium for advice and counsel. The writer points out that Saul's failure was not military, but spiritual. As the people returned to the land of Israel from the exile, the writer wants to remind them (and us) that our security is not based upon our abilities but our trust and obedience to God and His word. If we reject God’s word and turn to the world for our moral and spiritual guidance, then we will experience God’s judgment.
In contrast to Saul’s defeat, the writer now wants to emphasize that David’s rise to power was a direct result of God’s empowerment and grace. As the chronicler recounts the events and the victories of David’s mighty men, he weaves a thread throughout the narrative. While these men were fearless warriors who achieved great successes, the writer reminds us that these victories were not a result of their physical or military abilities, but rather a result of God’s empowerment (11:9, 14; 12:18, 22, 23, 32; 14:10, 15, 26). Even David faced the discipline of God when he acted rashly without seeking God (13:1-14). Thus, the writer reminds the people returning from exile that if they are to restore the nation of Israel and experience God’s blessing, they must walk in obedience to God and see God’s strength and wisdom at work to achieve victory.
The importance of seeking God and His will and purpose, and walking in obedience to His Word, is equally true for us as well. The key to success in life is not found in our wisdom or the pursuit of our desires. Often, like Saul, we turn to the world and the wisdom of men for guidance and direction. We turn to our culture and popular opinion to determine what is morally right. However, this will always end in tragedy. The key to success in life is pursuing God’s plan and walking in obedience to Him. When we obey God, we experience God’s blessing and guidance. This does not mean that life will always be free from adversity and trials. David and his men still had to fight the battles they faced, but they were given the strength to achieve God’s purpose. Because we live in a fallen world, we still face difficulties in life. The Philistines still invade the land (14:13). Cancer still strikes. We face economic problems and downturns. We still lose our jobs. The promise of God is not the promise of freedom from battles, but the promise that the outcome will be according to His purpose and plan, which is always good and perfect (see James 1). As we encounter life's challenges, instead of turning to the world for its wisdom and counsel, we turn to the pages of Scripture to discover God's wisdom, and we find the foundation for success in life. We live in turbulent times, but God’s word provides the foundation for realizing peace and security.
1 Chronicles 11-15
“Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.”
Like Hebrews 11, so in 1 Chronicles 11-15 we find a list of individuals who play a critical role in the establishment of David as king of Israel. Saul had been appointed as the king of Israel; however, his dynasty was short-lived. The writer makes it clear that the reason for the decline and fall of the dynasty of Saul was not because of the Philistines’ victory in the battle, but because of Saul’s rejection of God. Saul not only refused to obey God, but he turned to a medium for advice and counsel. The writer points out that Saul's failure was not military, but spiritual. As the people returned to the land of Israel from the exile, the writer wants to remind them (and us) that our security is not based upon our abilities but our trust and obedience to God and His word. If we reject God’s word and turn to the world for our moral and spiritual guidance, then we will experience God’s judgment.
In contrast to Saul’s defeat, the writer now wants to emphasize that David’s rise to power was a direct result of God’s empowerment and grace. As the chronicler recounts the events and the victories of David’s mighty men, he weaves a thread throughout the narrative. While these men were fearless warriors who achieved great successes, the writer reminds us that these victories were not a result of their physical or military abilities, but rather a result of God’s empowerment (11:9, 14; 12:18, 22, 23, 32; 14:10, 15, 26). Even David faced the discipline of God when he acted rashly without seeking God (13:1-14). Thus, the writer reminds the people returning from exile that if they are to restore the nation of Israel and experience God’s blessing, they must walk in obedience to God and see God’s strength and wisdom at work to achieve victory.
The importance of seeking God and His will and purpose, and walking in obedience to His Word, is equally true for us as well. The key to success in life is not found in our wisdom or the pursuit of our desires. Often, like Saul, we turn to the world and the wisdom of men for guidance and direction. We turn to our culture and popular opinion to determine what is morally right. However, this will always end in tragedy. The key to success in life is pursuing God’s plan and walking in obedience to Him. When we obey God, we experience God’s blessing and guidance. This does not mean that life will always be free from adversity and trials. David and his men still had to fight the battles they faced, but they were given the strength to achieve God’s purpose. Because we live in a fallen world, we still face difficulties in life. The Philistines still invade the land (14:13). Cancer still strikes. We face economic problems and downturns. We still lose our jobs. The promise of God is not the promise of freedom from battles, but the promise that the outcome will be according to His purpose and plan, which is always good and perfect (see James 1). As we encounter life's challenges, instead of turning to the world for its wisdom and counsel, we turn to the pages of Scripture to discover God's wisdom, and we find the foundation for success in life. We live in turbulent times, but God’s word provides the foundation for realizing peace and security.
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