Vers. 1-12.-The Christian campaign. As "David smote the Philistines and aubdued them," so we, engaged in a holy warfllre, must live to smite and to subdue tho enemies of God. Our Christian life cannot be fully represented under any one image, but if it can be said to be one thing more than another, it is a long spiritual campaign. Wo ask what are- I. 'fHE ENEMIES WBOH WE BAVE TO BLAY. These are not visible Philistines, :r.foabites, Syrians, such as presented themselves against David, sword in hand. 'l'he adversaries of our souls and of God are: 1. Invisible spiritual forces (Eph. vi. 12). 2. Evil things embodied in the outer world. In (1) ungodly men, who deliberately tempt us to depart from rectitude; and (2) unfaithful Christian men, whose tone or type of character is lower than our own, and who, unwittingly to themselves and imperceptibly to us, draw us down towards their own spiritunl level; (3) unchristian institutions. 3. Evil forces within our own soul. A man's worst foes are those of the household of bis own heart ---his own tendencies to pride, to self-will, to indulgence, to worldliness. II. THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE. David's weapons on his fields of battlo wcro sword and shield, spear and bow, war-cha.riots and horses. "The weapons of our war- fare are not carnal, but mighty .. , to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Cor. x. 4). They are: 1. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 2. The force uf Christian sympathy and zeal. 3. The co-operation of single-minded, earnest men. III. OUR HOPE OF SUCCESS. David looked to (l) his own generalship; (2) tho support of his "micrhty men; " (3) the valour and discipline of his troops; but especiiilly and mainly to (4) the presence and power of the living God. We look to (1) the perl'ect fitness of the truth we yreach for the hearts aud wants of men ; (2) the presence a.nd power of the Almighty Spirit of our God. He it is who" causeth us to triumph." IV. THE BPOILB OF VICTORY. These in David's wars were towns (vcr. 1), subjects (vers. 2, 6), gifts (vers. '.l, 6), chariots and horse~ (vcr, 4), gold and brass (vers. 7, 8), political 304 THE FIRST IlOOK OF THE CHRONIULES. [cu. xvm. 1-17.
all!ance (vers. 9, 10). Other spoils than these are the reward of victory in the Christian strife. They are: 1. Regenerated human souls, "He that converteth a sinner" etc. (Jas. v. 20). "What is our crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye," etc.? (1 Cor. ii. 19). Those whom we have been the means of enlightening and redeeming are the spoils we "brini home," the crown we wear. 2. Faculties and forces restored to their rightful me. David took "very much brass wherewith Solomon made the brazt>n ~ea," etc. (~er. 8), for the house of the Lord (ver. 11; 2 Cbron. iv. 12, 15, 16). Thus were the possessions ot the enemy made to contribute to the service of Jehovah. It is the tr.iest of all triumphs when we succeed in so changing the spirit of men that the time, the thought, the money, the energy which they had given to the service of sin they now devote to the cause of Christ and to the well-bein~ of the world.-C.
Vers. 11-17.-God's preserving kindnes,. The key-note of this chapter is the passage, "Thus the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went" (vers. 6, 13). We may let the other verses of the text take their tone from this. I. Gon's PRESERVING Kr.-DNEss TO DAVID. This was manifested in various ways: God preserved him from: 1. Injury in battle. He was neither slain nor wounded by the darts that must have been levelled at him by many a foe. 2. Defeat in war. He was never beaten by any enemy he encountered, and, finally, all his foes submitted to his rule. 3. Serious mistakes in public policy. Solomon, his brilliant son, com- mitted a mo_st serious error iJ?, overtaxing his people; and Rehoboam, his grandson, started on his royal career with a fatal blunder (2 Chron. x.). But David had been thus far preserved from taking any step which endangered his own position or enfeebled his kingdom; hence he was delivered from: 4. Disloyalty on the part of his subjects. " Executing judgment and justice among all his people" (ver. 14), placing competent men at the head of the different departments of the state (vers. 15-17), he was secure of the attachment of his people, and "reigned over all Israel" without (at this time) any danger of rivalry or disturbance. 5. Special spiritual perils. David was exposed to the peculiar danger of kings, and very particularly to the peril of complacency and self-glorification. He had risen from the sheepcote to the throne, had enlarged and magnified the Hebrew kingdom, had attained to considerable distinction in the world (so far as it was known to him), and he must, as a fallible man, have been under a strong temptation to glorify himself and take great credit for enterprise and sagacity. From this "the Lord preserved David." The human sovereign laid his victorious position at the feet of the Divine King. He did not apply the spoils of war to the embellishment of his own house, but" dedicated them unto the Lord" (ver.11). But he did something more and better than this: he ascribed his successful career-witness his psalms of thanksgiving-to the good band of his God upon him. He gave God the glory. Thus" the Lord preserved him whithersoevcr he went," even when he went far along that" slippery place "-prominence, power, success in battle. II. Gon's PRESERVING KINDNESS TO us. We have to bless God as our Creator, Provider, Father, Redeemer; we have also to magnify him as our continual Preserver. He preserves us. 1. In life; both in the retention of our being (Job x. 12), and in tho continua.nee of our existence on earth. 2. In health; in freedom from disease, iu deliverance from mental failure, in the possession of "heart and hope." 3. In favourable circumstance; saving from overwhelming loss and from crushing disappoint- ment, and (often for very long periods together) from saddening bereavement. 4. In spiritual integrity. When other things had gone, David could find unspeakable con- solation in the thought, "As for me, thou upholdcst me in mine integrity" (Ps. xli.12). And whatever may betide; though God should remove health, treasure, kindred, friends, from the path on which we walk, yet if ho is maintaining us in his fear and in the love of our Redeemer, if he is delivering us from the shipwreck of the soul (1 Tim. i. 19), and sustaining us by the upholding power of his Holy Spirit (Ps. Ii. 12), then may we exclaim, not in the accent8 of d4!8pondency like the broken patriarch (Job vii. 20), but in the joyous and thankful tones of a successful spiritual warrior," ·what shall I do unto thee, 0 thou Preserver of men? "-C. Vers. 1-5, 12, 13.-David's wars. '!'his chapter opens with an account of David's wars, followed by a succession of brilliant victorie8, Followi11g on the previous :m. xvm. 1-17.] THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHIW:N'ICLES. 30;3