Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Chapter eighteen lists the conquests of David. It also lists the tributes and treasures that David captured. Notice that David isn’t hoarding ANY of it. All of it is marked for use in the temple his son would build. David might not be the one to physically build the temple, but he prepared the way for it to be built. In many ways, it was David’s temple and not Solomon’s. It also briefly describes the authority structure of David’s kingdom.

Chapter nineteen describes the defeat of the Ammonites. The king of the Ammonites had died and David tried to show sympathy, but the new king listened to foolish advisors and humiliated David’s envoys. When the Ammonites heard David was mad, they assembled for battle. Since they wanted a fight, David gave it to them and they became his vassals.

Chapter twenty describes the siege and capture of Rabbah as well as the death of Goliath’s brothers. Interestingly, the sin of David with Bathsheeba and Uriah is not mentioned even though this is the period in which it happened. That’s because this is GOD’s highlight reel and He FORGAVE David, so it is like it never happened (Psalm 103:12).

Chapter twenty-one is the record of one of David’s mistakes. David was incited by the devil to take a census in a way not commanded by God. The point of it was so David knew how great his kingdom was, how many men could fight for him. Thing is though, God was his Source. God gave them victory regardless of numbers. It was a sin, there were consequences, but David repented, humbled himself, bought land and bought livestock, and made an altar to worship the Lord with a sin offering.

Chapter twenty-two is David’s instructions to Solomon about the temple. It lists many of the things David had set aside for its construction. But the main thrust of the conversation is David exhorting his son to stay true to God. To keep the Lord first place and to humbly submit to Him by keeping His covenant.

Summary

Key Players: God, the Jews.

Key Verse(s): 1 Chronicles 18:14-17; 19:6-9; 20:6-7; 21:24-26; 22: