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The Beginning of the End
News had come to Jerusalem about the death of Nahash, king of
the Ammonites, who had shown kindness to David when he was a
fleeing from Saul. Wanting to express his appreciation of the favor
shown him in his distress, David sent a message of sympathy to
Hanun, son of the Ammonite king.
Hanun’s counselors misinterpreted David’s message. They “said
to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you think that David really honors your
father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather
sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to
overthrow it?’” They could not comprehend the generous spirit that
inspired David’s message. Believing that his counselors were right,
Hanun regarded David’s messengers as spies and loaded them with
scorn and insult.
God permitted the Ammonites to carry out the evil purposes of
their hearts so that their real character might be clear to David. It
was not His will that Israel enter into an alliance with this heathen
people.
Knowing that David would certainly punish them for this insult
to Israel, the Ammonites prepared for war. Those living in the region
between the Euphrates river and the Mediterranean Sea joined with
the Ammonites to crush Israel.
The Hebrews did not wait for the invasion. Under Joab they
advanced toward the Ammonite capital. The united forces of the
enemy were overcome in the first battle, but the next year they
renewed the war. David, knowing how much depended upon the
result of this conflict, went onto the battlefield himself, and by the
blessing of God inflicted a defeat so disastrous that the Syrians,
from Lebanon to the Euphrates, not only gave up the war—they also
became subject to Israel.
The dangers that threatened the nation with destruction proved
to be the means by which it rose to greatness. Commemorating his
deliverance, David sang:
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Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
It is God who avenges me,