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102Sa008.mp3
Commentary
2 Samuel 8
In the very beginning, when the Israelites had settled into the Promised Land, the land of Canaan, each of the twelve tribes had their own territories. God told the People to leave some of the heathen nations so that they can maintain the land that is left over, until the People were multiplied enough to take over the remaining countries. This process could take a very long time and God knew that the People were very impressionable, as we are designed that way. God also knew that the heathen practices were likely to influence the People, if they didn't keep their focus on God at all times. It was the responsibility of the People, as individuals and as a whole, to abstain from the ways of the heathen nations.
This very same concept is true today, wherever you are in the world. All that exists belongs to God. When we are responsible enough, and when our needs warrant it, God will supply for us, that which is being maintained by the heathen society. We don't refer to the unbeliever as heathens in our time today, but the unbeliever is maintaining that which is God's, even if they don't realize it. I am sure the nations that inhabited Canaan before the Israelites arrived didn't think of themselves as heathens or unbelievers. I imagine they all thought each had the correct god, the right way and that each thought they deserved the land they inhabited. Sure, they feared the Israelites, that is understandable. The Israelites had proven to be more than capable of defeating and maintaining their claims on the nations so far. They had God to fuel their victories. God was their strength. God owns everything, and will not be denied. Maybe some of the heathen nations had an idea that maybe they don't have the right God, and that the Israelites do.
I think it's reasonable to assume that the heathen nations still wanted to keep their land and their lives. They certainly fought to keep it. Some nations understood their disposition and wisely agreed to or proposed treaties, or agreements, at least to preserve their lives. They would have to agree to peace, and ideally, to honor our God. It was not always this way, however. Over a period of time, us believers had become slack in our standards for such agreements until such a time not unlike now. You see, we don't have to agree to allow these nations to practice heathen and immoral lifestyles. We don't have to tolerate it in our own countries. We allowed it for so long that we actually consider it immoral to forbid their immorality.
In today's times, we don't even gather the spoils of war, like they did back then. We spend our money defending or defeating countries, but we do not take their resources the way they did in David's time. It's different now, and there are different ways we experience God's will in our lives. God has not changed any, but we sure have. We can benefit from being true believers. We can prosper. We can have God's provision, no matter the origin of the source. It's all Gods in the first place. The idea is to win people over to believe in God, while respecting their free will of choice. Or job today is to present our best case, primarily by being an example of God's blessings and might. We learn how to live His way, just as the Israelites learned His way for us. We do this more on an individual level now. This makes church all the more important. There is strength in numbers. The evidence is written all throughout the Bible. The evidence is in our experiences, The evidence is in the results.
Saturday, October, 16, 2010 - 9:00 PM
