Daily Devotional for Sunday, December 24

David the Destroyer

“And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more,” 1 Chronicles 19:19.

Around twenty thousand French civilians were killed during the invasion of Normandy. Let that sink in. These were noncombatants. These were the French, the ones the Allies were attempting to liberate as they beat back and destroyed the German Army. War is horrible. Even when a war is just, the consequences are horrific and destruction follows. As David fought the battles that God set before him, there was much destruction. The numbers killed recorded in verse 18 are shocking. Even though these were the enemies of Israel and had set themselves as the enemies of God, the number killed was staggering. David was a man of war. No wonder God later told him that the Temple would be built by his son. However, we find two reactions to David’s dominance in this section. In verse 19, the combatants saw they were defeated and surrendered to David, and in verse 16, the combatants saw they would be defeated, but

they continued to fight and were destroyed.

We find here a lesson that was also taught in Psalm 2—God is a mighty King and Conqueror. All nations and all peoples have set themselves against Him and His kingdom. He will put down all of His enemies. Their defeat is certain, but He allows a surrender. He makes a way for peace: “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him” (verse 12). God is a Conqueror, but through His Son, there can be peace.

REFLECTION: The holiness of God will finally deal with all sin, but the grace of God provides a way of escape. Our surrender to Him is our victory with Him.

Jason Rutherford