Here’s what you should know about history.
Every era has a feature that guides its choices.
This is especially so for a nation’s leaders.
After the 9/11 attacks on American soil, US government policy centered on one thing:
How to deal with extreme Islamic enemies.
This involved conflicts with Iraq and Afghanistan, and tension with Iran and North Korea.
This struggle also caused serious border security issues with Mexico, focusing on stopping terrorists, fighting the drug trade, and protecting the economy.
It also impacted America’s relationship with Israel because their existence bothers countries they’d like to strategically ally with but at the drop of a hat could turn on them.
Japan, where I’m living now, is in the same boat.
They’re concerned about regional threats, particularly from China, North Korea, and Russia.
Japan is wary of China’s military activities near the disputed Senkaku Islands, North Korea’s frequent missile tests that often pass over Japanese territory, and Russia’s increasing military presence in the region.
In response, Japan has made some serious moves to strengthen its military but still heavily relies on the US military presence, especially against the larger powers like China or Russia.
Without American military might on its side, Japan would be in big trouble, and this sushi-eating nation knows it.
So when we apply this same geo-political analysis to David’s era in 2nd Samuel, we find the Arameans had gained control of territory along the eastern side of the Tigris River and even gained a foothold over some parts of Assyrian territory near the Euphrates River.
We’ve dug up many records detailing this long conflict between the Arameans and the Assyrians dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries B.C. (the time of Samuel, Saul, and David).
Let me express this situation in a way that will make it crystal clear to you.
The ongoing conflict between the Assyrians and the Arameans was just as key to this period as the battles between Israel and the Philistines.
This conflict defined that era for Assyria.
It dominated most of their attention and energy, not to mention shaped their policies and priorities.
What did this mean for King David and Israel at the time?
Since Assyria had spent over a century fighting the Arameans, both sides had put most of their resources into building strong armies.
Now here’s the thing, and pay attention to this homies, because this is key.
A nation’s army is used for more than to just defend a country.
It is also used to control people…
OR CONQUER OTHER NATIONS TO CREATE AN EMPIRE.
Nations who have naively been ignorant of this fact have suffered colonization by stronger nations.
See, history shows that when a military is built up, it’s usually used for other purposes.
It’s rare for it to just be disbanded
So David and Israel’s senior leadership were well aware that while Assyria and the Arameans were busy fighting each other, the conflict could end at any time.
And when it did, the nation that emerged as the victor might wanna use their powerful army to take over more land and grow their influence.
So this is the big picture you wanna be cognizant of homies.
As David was in the process of assuming the throne, the political situation in Mesopotamia was as tense as a sumo wrestler balancing on a unicycle.
Since the Arameans were putting tremendous pressure on both Assyria and Babylonia, these three advanced nations had built strong, experienced armies.
Both Assyria and Babylonia had developed a culture focused on war, with national policies centered around military power.
So here’s the takeaway coming to me today.
The situation I’ve just described has been the way of nations since time immemorial.
The history of mankind has always been about one nation building up its military power and then threatening its neighbors.
When there is peace between certain nations, it’s only because they’re locked in a stalemate that’s kept in check by mutual military power.
Not a pretty or peaceful place to be if you ask me.
However, the Bible speaks of a Messianic age when this will not be our reality.
We’re told of a time when the world’s armies will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
This will be a time when the lion will lie down with the lamb.
The prophet Isaiah says during this era…
“Nation will NOT take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.”
-Isaiah 2:4
And then we’re told when Messiah comes…
“I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea and
from the River to the ends of the earth.”
-Zechariah 9:10
These verses assure us that when Messiah comes, peace will prevail, and the instruments of war will be transformed into tools for peace and productivity.
But alas, we’re not there yet.
And how ironic, that to get this peace, Armageddon, the war to end all wars, will have to take place.
What can I say?
May Yeshua return soon.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away.”
-Revelation 21:4
This is one of the reasons that Yeshua was not accepted as the Messiah when he came- the expectation that the Messiah would be a conquering King who would free Israel from Roman control.
The people expected a Rambo, but what they got was a Ghandi.
The Talmud tells us to expect the Messiah to come twice- first as Yeshua ben Yosef, the suffering servant Isaiah talks about, then again as Yeshua ben David, the conquering king.
But, the Talmud wasn’t written until a couple of hundred years after Yeshua.
Yup. Amen!