1 Chronicles 14:13–14: “Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, ‘You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.'”

September 2nd, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

After David became king, the Philistines attacked Israel and God told David to go out against them. He defeated the Philistines, but they came against Israel again. When David asked God what to do this time, God told David to circle them and come at them from behind rather than engage them in another frontal attack. The signal for David to spring the ambush was a supernatural sound of marching in the treetops.

We notice that David learned an important lesson, one we all need to learn. We must not presume on the Lord. When we have experienced God’s hand moving in our lives, we become vulnerable to this error. We can easily presume that because God did something one way in the past that He will do it the same way in the future. However, it seems God often changes His methods just so we won’t put Him in a box. We of course remember that God is the Creator of the past, that He still creates now, and that He will continue to create down through the immeasurable eons of eternity. He isn’t restricted to one method or technique to accomplish His purposes.

It is said that Michelangelo entered his studio one day to examine the work of his students. As he came to the painting of one of his favorite pupils, he stood and looked at it for a long time. Then, to the utter surprise of the class, he took a brush and wrote one word, amplius, meaning larger, across the canvas. Michelangelo was not rejecting the work, for it showed great skill and was good as far as it went. But the small size of the canvas made the design appear cramped. It needed to be expanded. God sometimes has to write the word amplius across our lives when our spiritual outlook becomes too confined and our vision too restricted by our small faith.

“LORD, please expand our view of how creative You want to be in our lives this day.”

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1 Chronicles 14 KJV

¹ Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house. ² And David perceived that the LORD had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel. ³ And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters.  ⁴ Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, ⁵ And Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet, ⁶ And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, ⁷ And Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet.  ⁸ And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it , and went out against them. ⁹ And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰ And David enquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand. ¹¹ So they came up to Baal-perazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim.  ¹² And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire. ¹³ And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. ¹⁴ Therefore David enquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. ¹⁵ And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines. ¹⁶ David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer.  ¹⁷ And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.