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"The Thin Line Between Failure And Success" • 11.01.15 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro
- The people of Israel have finally recognized
and annointed David as King. Israel is united behind God's choice for the first
time in their history and will flourish nationally.
- David's first order of business had been to
select Jerusalem as his capital. It had been an ideal choice given it's
imposing geography and manifold defense structures.
- Safe inside the walls of Jerusalem, one would
surmise that the dangers are past. Once in Christ, we assume the same safety,
but are often ignorant of dangers within and enemies without!
- Our text today will feature a tale of David's
failure and success and will serve as typical vignettes available from any
Christian life. Let's look, beginning at verse 13 and David's Failure.
Text
•
II Samuel 5:13-16 : "And David took more concubines and
wives from Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. Also more sons and
daughters were born to David. Now these are the names of those who were born to him in
Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg,
Japhia, Elishama,
Eliada, and Eliphelet." : These verses really rain on
the parade! God has established David as the King and engineered a treaty with
the heathen King of Tyre.
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David has even had a state of the art house built for him and yet, in light of
all this blessing from God, he takes more concubines and wives from Jerusalem!
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Even here in English, you can see the emphasis is clearly on the concubines,
who were kept by Kings to provide children, but were mostly kept to provide
continuous sexual pleasure.
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These concubines might have been left behind by the former Jebusite King and
thus, were absorbed into David's harem. Is this merely a show of strength?
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That will eventually prove to be a weak argument, as David will soon reveal a
heart that is plagued by the lust of the flesh, one of three categories of sin
that plague every believer.
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In chapter 3:2-5, we noted the names
of the six women, who had borne David six sons. We aren't given any new names
here, other than the children who were borne to David.
-
I Chronicles 3:5 tells us that
Bathsheba brought 4 of these children into the world, so in total, perhaps
there were as many as 5 additional, unnamed concubine wives.
- David produces 11 more male children adding
to the 6 that he already has, not including the daughters that were born to him,
as only male children are listed to point to his added strength.
-
As with most of his Hebron sons, these will make little impact on the world
scene save Solomon who will be the next King of Israel and Nathan whose line will
trace directly to Christ.
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We have pondered David's polygamy before, but the fact that he does this
troubles us and we wonder about the explanation.
-
We could "buy" this if this were a "novice" and uninformed
believer, but that is not remotely the case! David is a seasoned believer in
the Lord.
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He has the benefit of a clear scriptural mandate from Deuteronomy 17 for a man of his position, prohibiting him from
multiplying gold, horses and wives.
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Additionally, here is a man who has acknowledged God's work on his behalf, both
in the wilderness where God delivered him and in Jerusalem, where God
established him.
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After all of that, David still gives preference to the culture that he lived in
and yields himself to the lust of
his flesh, the desire to satisfy physical desires, or passions.
-
As I mentioned earlier, every person in Christ will deal with one of three
general categories of sin. David's embodies the first and I John 2:16 names the other two.
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The Apostle John notes the lust of the eyes referring to a desire to own that
which one sees but does not have. It's the desire for possessions.
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Third, there is the pride of life, which is the desire to be superior to
others, or a desire for position!
When you listen to Eve's response in the garden of Eden, can we not see all
three?
•
Genesis 3:6 : "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the
flesh), that it was pleasant to the eyes, (lust of the eyes) and a tree desirable
to make one wise, (pride of life) she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her
husband with her, and he ate." : Eve exhibits a failure for
each category and thus we all have that same rebellious disease and penchant
for sin within us.
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How could a godly man fail so radically? He was a godly man who also had a
corrupt nature. What is illustrated here in David's life is clearly taught to
us by Paul in Romans 7.
-
Paul explains in that chapter that our flesh continues to exist even after we
have been endowed with God's Spirit.
•
Romans 7:21-23 : " I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who
wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my
members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to
the law of sin which is in my members." :
That warfare between our Spirit and our flesh continues throughout our lives,
without ever decreasing.
-
Time, maturity, wisdom and willpower will not extinguish the flame of our
flesh! The only solution is to employ the truth of Romans 6.
•
Romans 6:11-14 : "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin,
but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do no let sin reign in
your mortal body, that you should obey it's lusts. And do not present members
as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as
being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to
God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law, but
under grace." : We are to live in the reality that
our sin has been nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ! We are to add up the
facts of scripture and live our lives in that light!
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Additionally, we are to put down with all vengeance any sinful attitude or
temptation and instead, present our whole being unto the Lord for His use.
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David here is leaving the door wide open for his flesh to eat him alive! He is
presenting, making himself available and accessible to his lusts. Note also
when this happens.
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He is established in his Kingdom. He has a safe and solid cedar home. He has
access to the safest city and the strongest fortifications.
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He is no longer looking over his shoulder, wondering where the next attack
could come from. He is at ease and it's here where he is in greater danger than
ever before!
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David makes the mistake of relating physical security with spiritual security.
As with most of us, at his most blessed, he is the least careful with his life
and his choices.
-
Many see physical blessing or a settled life, as a mark of having "made
it." The struggle was worth it all if we end up in a nice cozy condition.
When that happens, the person gets soft spiritually.
-
As David lets his guard down in one realm, he lets his guard down in the other!
While there is apparent success, something wicked this way comes!
˚
"The seeds of our future
failure are most often sown during our successes."
Charles Spurgeon
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Whatever can be said of David's action here, it must also be said that God's mercy
won the day. He did not strike him down or even remove him from being the King.
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That truth is also a bit disturbing as we observe it in others and most
comforting as we assess our own lives before God. God doesn't immediately judge
a sinful action forcefully.
-
That bothers us as it concerns a man like David. Why did God let him make that
choice? Why did he not turn him away or keep him from sinning?
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The fact is that with the temptation, David had plenty of grace to keep him. He
had God's explicit command. He already had several wives and children.
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I have no doubt that he would have had several unknown, unnamed and unspecified
people who stood and questioned his behavior as it was happening! Why? Because
that's God's grace!
-
I Corinthians 10:13 tells us plainly
that no temptation can overcome the believer and that with every temptation,
God provides a way of escape!
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Every person who is honest with themselves can look back after they have sinned
and seen the dozen or so offramps that they ignored on the road to their
present sin!
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And finally, please understand that God's inaction neither speaks of an
impotent or dispassionate response. God is not lacking in power or concern!
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God's kindness in not issuing judgment in the moment of our action is a merciful
and gracious invitation to repent and experience His cleansing power before we
ruin ourselves!
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This is what eventually distinguishes David and every believer since, from the
worldling.
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As great a sinner as David was, he was an equal in the remorse and repentance
required of a godly person! Only a
person filled with God's Spirit experiences remorse and repentance.
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That will not be the case with the natural man, whose inclination to sin will
only be defended and protected!
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Despite this truth of David's eventual repentance, when grace is ignored, the
result will be the brutal consequences of sin that bring shame and disgrace
into our lives!
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Truly, if we are to understand the lesson here, we would be wise to identify
where we are tempted to and tolerant of sin and rectify that immediately by
cutting off those sources!
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Now, the author turns our attention to David's Success. Look at verse 17.
•
II Samuel 5:17-19 : "Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king
over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard
of it and went down to the stronghold. The Philistines also went and deployed
themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. So David inquired of the Lord, saying, 'Shall
I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?' And the
Lord said to David, 'Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into
your hand.'" : The Philistines have been awfully
quiet durin David's 7 year tenure in Hebron. Now, they are back with a vengeance!
Why?
-
First, Israel had involved itself in a civil war. They were fighting each
other. When that is happening, the enemy has no need to attack!
-
Experience has confirmed this tale: The greater the unity within a body of
believers, the greater the attack from the enemy! It's inevitable.
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Second, remember that Hiram had initiated a treaty with David by sending
materials and personnel to build David a cedar house.
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Given Tyre's strong defenses off of the mainland, the Philistines would have
sought to attack the ally with the "weaker" position, in that Israel
was confined to a land position.
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Does it hurt a relationship when one person within it allows themselves to be
weakened? This is something to ponder spiritually and to consider scripturally.
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Who did the Amalekites attack? The old and tired at the back of the line? (Deut. 25:18)
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Where did the fires of judgment first hit the people of Israel in the
wilderness? With those on the outskirts of the camp? (Numbers 11:1)
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Who were the first tribes to go into captivity? Those that remained on the eastern
side of the Jordan! (I Chronicles
5:25,26) Don't believe that your spiritual weakness only matters to you!
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Third, remember that David drew great benefit from living within Philistia's
borders for a year and four months. He had them believing that he was allied
with them!
- It's very likely that
they are angry at his betrayal of the Philistine nation. Now that David is the
King over a united Israel, they came up to search for this national leader who
betrayed them.
-
There is a big difference between a regional ruler and a national King! David
has a much bigger target on his back.
-
Spiritually, we can also know that when greater responsibility in the Kingdom
is conferred, the enemy notices and responds! The target is more clearly seen
near the frontline!
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The Philistines thought to capture David who immediately went into the
stronghold. This had worked well for the Jebusites for centuries.
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Undeterred, the Philistines set themselves in battle array in the expansive
Valley of Rephaim, just southwest of Jerusalem.
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With the enemy stationed and ready for battle, David has the option of
remaining in the stronghold and taking up a defensive posture.
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David could simply have waited while the enemy expended their resources in an
attempt to extract him. David chose instead to go on the offensive and prepares
himself for battle.
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Do you notice that word "so" in verse 19? It is a word of progression. When you are faced with your enemy
lined up for battle against you, what is your first progressive action?
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"So, I recklessly run out with all my might?" "So, I panic and
call all of my friends?" "So, I spend valuable time venting all my
feelings on social media?"
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I love the fact that David's "so" was informed by the intimacy that
he experienced with the Lord! He inquired of the Lord!
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We might say that he spent diligent, focused time before the Lord seeking to
understand the Lord's direction for his very next move!
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David goes before the Lord and asks if he should engage the Philistines and if
he would see victory over them. Note the specificity. He wisely leaves nothing
to chance.
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The Lord responds to David! In spite of his fleshly indulgence, God still
speaks to David and gives him the definitive word that he would
"doubtless" deliver them! There is no question.
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God will deliver them into David's hand and that's what happens! Verse 20.
•
II Samuel 5:20,21 : "So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there;
and he said, 'The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a
breakthrough of water.' Therefore he called the name of that place Baal
Perazim. And they left their images there, and David and his men
carried them away." : Baal Perazim means "Master of
the breakthrough." As David went out, the Philistines fell before him to
the right and to the left, God driving them from one side to another.
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Like water rushing through and creating a channel, this was a complete
landslide victory.
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Many of the Philistines escaped, but without the representations of their gods.
Heathen armies often carried these into battle. It's sad when your god can be
left behind somewhere!
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I remain convinced that David's victory was not merely for the sake of Israel
or David. The Philistines had continued to trust in their false gods, in spite
of God's repeated dominance over them.
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God is even here, still trying to convince them that He is the only God worth
trusting! That is His purpose in allowing such a crushing defeat.
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David's men carried their idols away and I
Chronicles 14:12 tells us that they burned them. What will the Philistines
do in response? Sadly, they will not learn their lesson.
• II Samuel
5:22-24 : "Then
the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of
Rephaim. Therefore David inquired of the Lord, and He said, 'You shall
not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the
mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops
of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will
go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.'" : You have
to wonder what the Philistines were thinking.
-
Once they regrouped and reforged some new idols for themselves, they decided
that they would give it another go, in the very same valley! What does this
tell you about your enemy?
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He's relentless. He won't simply go away after a defeat and he will count on
you to respond the same way each time. Why do I say this?
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Philistia has some advantage in setting up in the same valley. They have
learned something from their defeat, otherwise, they would not likely have
ventured this play.
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A foolish person would see the same situation and merely follow the procedure
that had previously procured victory! Why not? The Philistines could not have
been stronger?
-
Our tendency might be to simply repeat our previous pattern, to trust in our
instincts and our history. That is the essence of presumption! Consider the
people of Israel after the battle of Jericho.
-
With one lopsided victory to their God's credit, they decided, without seeking
counsel from that victorious God, to approach the smaller city of Ai with only
a few troops.
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Had they sought counsel, God would have informed them of the sin that was in
their camp and the 30 men that lost their lives, would have lived to see Ai
taken, God's way!
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A more blatant example comes from the life of Samson, who got closer and closer
to sharing the truth of the source of his strength with Delilah, until he did.
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When Delilah woke him up that last time, he presumed that he would simply get
up as before and defeat the Philistines only to discover the Spirit had left
him!
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Presumption kills! Prescription brings life! This action by David reminds us of
that! Are we so arrogant to believe that any victory over any foe is based on
our ability to conceive of a battleplan?
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May we take this to heart! Inquire of the Lord! What would He have us do now!
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David asked and the Lord kept him from going up in the same way that he did
before. This time, David's army was to circle around the enemy.
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There were to hide amongst the mulberry trees that were part of that valley at
that time. They were to position themselves there and then listen for a cue.
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They were to listen for the sound of marching, literally, a "going"
near the tops of the mulberry trees. What would be creating that sound?
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It would be the Lord of Hosts leading His angelic troops out before David's!
"Well, if God's going to do it, I'll just wait here!" No. Look at the
instruction!
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When you hear the sound, advance quickly for THEN the Lord will go out before
you! I admit that it's a mystery and that there are few satisfactory answers!
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God can do it all Himself. He has no need of our "service" or
"wisdom" but He invites us to particpate with Him as He wins our
battles for us! You have to love the KJV here.
•
II Samuel 5:24 (KJV) : "And let it be, when thou hearest
the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt
bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host
of the Philistines." : What is required here in
this battle sequence? First, they needed to be in the right position ordered by
God!
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Second, they needed to be quiet enough to hear or perceive the sound of God's
movement.
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Third, they needed to be instant in cooperative action, if they were going to
see the Lord's work on their behalf!
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How many are putting themselves in position on a daily basis, praying for God
to give them victory and advertising their faith loudly enough for it to be a
known reality?
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How many are waiting with intent, listening to and understanding the deeper
struggles that even the most basic conversations convey?
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But more than anything, how many are instant in action, seeking to bestir
themselves when they hear the wind of God's grace moving? "Bestir
thyself!"
•
II Samuel 5:25 : "And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back
the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer." : When David did so, at the
Lord's command, notice that it was David who drove the enemy back from Geba to
Gezer!
-
This will be Philistia's final major offensive against Israel. They will soon
fade from the picture entirely.
Conclusion
- As we close, there is no shortage of application.
As Christians, we are in a prime position to fail or succeed. Our sinful nature
never dies, but it needn't control our lives either.
- Our enemy never quits, but when we are
submitted to the Lord, he needs not ever win!
- Inquire of the Lord. Keep yourself ever
before Him, seeking His heart for every action. That's the turning point upon
which every story ends in failure or victory.
- Today, if you have failed, know that Jesus
Christ has not. Your failure only serves to highlight His favor. Jesus is the
Savior for the sinner, not the successful!
- Jesus died for your failure, absorbing God's
wrath in His body, so that there is none left for you! Jesus rose to afford
justification before God to all who would believe.
- Jesus lives now to intercede on your behalf,
giving His Spirit to lead you away from sin and lead you toward Himself. Would
you confess your sin and repent?
- In Christ, you'd find forgiveness of your
sin, a life that is pleasing to Him, joy in your experience and peace before
the God of the Universe!
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