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Prosperous Reign of David
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was ready to submit to the will of God. How often those who are
no longer as young and strong as they once were cling to the hope
of accomplishing some great work that they are not fit to perform!
God’s providence may declare that they are to prepare the way for
someone else to accomplish it. But instead of gratefully submitting
to divine direction, many draw back as if offended. If they cannot
do the one thing they want to do, they will do nothing. Many try
without success to accomplish a work of which they are incapable,
while what they might do lies neglected. And because of this the
greater work is set back.
In his covenant with Jonathan, David had promised that he would
show kindness to the house of Saul. Remembering this, the king
asked, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that
I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” He was told of a
son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth, who had been lame from childhood.
The nurse of this child had let him fall, making him a lifelong
cripple. David now invited the young man to come to the palace,
and gave him the private possessions of Saul for the support of
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his household; but beyond this, the son of Jonathan was to be the
constant guest of the king. Mephibosheth had been led to cherish a
strong prejudice against David as one who had no right to the throne,
but the monarch’s continued kindness won the heart of the young
man. Like his father Jonathan, he felt that his interest was one with
that of the king whom God had chosen.
After David had been established on the throne of Israel, the
nation enjoyed a long period of peace. The surrounding peoples
soon decided it would be wise to end open hostilities, and David held
back from aggressive war. At last, however, he made war against
Israel’s old enemies, the Philistines and Moabites, and defeated
them.
Hostile Nations Plot Against David
Then a vast alliance of surrounding nations formed against David.
Out of this came the greatest wars and greatest victories of his reign
and the biggest increases of his power. He had done nothing to
provoke this hostile alliance. Here are the circumstances that led to
the formation of this alliance: