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Tuesday 9 July 2013

2 Samuel 8 - David starts to reign

Although chapter 8 obviously comes after chapter 7, chronologically the events may well have happened before. For at the start of chapter 7 it says God had given David rest from his enemies, and here we read of David attacking the Philistines and others. However, it reads as simple victories and David is on the offensive, so maybe this counts as having rest, also it says "in the course of time". 
The Moabites get treated rather badly, with rather summary and random execution of a number of them. What are we to make of these sorts of passages? Well the Moabites were receiving judgement for their sins, and the Bible reports but does not commend what David did (though it isn't condemned either).
Various others were involved in battles with David, but all lost and David extended his rule. David also took gold and bronze as part of the plunder.
Tou heard about all this and decided that trying to make peace with David was a wiser option than going to war and losing. So he sought peace and offered gold, silver and bronze as gifts. David accepted these gifts and dedicated them to the Lord.
The Edomites were less wise and suffered a massive defeat and became subject to David. 
So David ruled, and did so with justice and righteousness. David is a type of the messiah, and indeed we see here a picture of what God intended in Genesis when He told us to fill the earth and subdue it. We were created to rule with righteousness. We will see more of this, but we should also remember (and will see) that David is only a type, only a dim picture of Christ.

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