“David’s men said to him, ‘Look, we’re already afraid here in Y’hudah. How much more, then, if we go to Ke‘ilah to fight the armies of the P’lishtim!’ David consulted Adonai again; and Adonai answered him, ‘Set out, and go down to Ke‘ilah, because I will hand the P’lishtim over to you.‘”-1 Samuel 23:3-4
Upon David’s first inquiry to the Lord about whether he should attack the Philistines or not, God clearly said YES, go and attack them.
So David was confident and rarin’ to go.
But the fugitives from Saul who were now with David in the Woods of Hereth didn’t feel the same way.
I can understand why they were afraid.
I mean think about it.
They had barely escaped with their lives from a murderous king, and now they were to all of a sudden transform themselves into a group of ferocious warriors to fight the battle-hardened Philistines?
“Are you freakin’ kidding me?” is what was probably going through their minds.
Because of their doubts and fears, David went back to Avyatar, and again through the Urim and Thummim asked the Lord if they should attack the Philistines.
God’s answer came back loud and clear:
“Set out, and go down to Ke‘ilah, because I will hand the P’lishtim over to you.‘”
Well, that settled the matter.
David told his men to stop quaking in their boots because Adonai had just reaffirmed they were to attack Ke’ilah.
And true to God’s word, what followed afterward was a great slaughter of the Philistines at Ke’ilah.
Now a couple of points here.
Again, remember David was inquiring of the Lord through the Urim and Thummim.
Even though quotations surround the Lord’s answer, don’t think God spoke in an audible voice when He told David to go down to Ke’ilah and attack the Philistines
The editor of 1st Samuel was paraphrasing.
The stones didn’t speak.
They communicated by maybe one stone lighting up and the other not…or maybe both stones began glowing.
Again, Urim and Thummim only responded to binary questions where the answers were either a YES or a NO.
David asked, “Will we be victorious?”
God answered YES.
Alrighty, so what’s today’s takeaway?
Simple.
Sometimes you need reassurance concerning God’s Will…
Like David’s men did…
But once you’ve gotten that reassurance…
It’s time to stop dilly-dallying, get off your butt, and take VIGOROUS and FEROCIOUS action…
To their credit, David’s men did exactly that…
And they achieved a great victory.
Too many folks out there keep “seeking” God’s Will after He has made His Will known to them…
They keep seeking proof, prayer, and counsel over and over and over again.
For crying out loud, stop that nonsense man!
Look, when God has made His Will clear to you…
You don’t need any more proof, prayer, or counsel homie…
You only need one thing…
And that’s ACTION.
Ya feel me here?
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“In the same way,
faith by itself,
if it is not accompanied
by action, is dead.”
-James 2:17
“Do not merely listen
to the word,
and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.”
-James 1:22
“Whatever you have learned or
received or heard from me,
or seen in me—
put it into practice.
And the God of peace
will be with you.”
-Philippians 4:9
“Therefore everyone who
hears these words of mine
and puts them into practice
is like a wise man who
built his house on the rock.”
-Matthew 7:24
“Now that you know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them.”
-John 13:17
“Dear children, let us not love
with words or speech
but with actions and in truth.”
-1 John 3:18
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