Conquest and Administration

1 Chronicles 18:1-17

    1 After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines. 2 Then he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought tribute.
    3 And David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his power by the River Euphrates. 4 David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.
    5 When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought tribute. So the LORD preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from Tibhath and from Chun, cities of Hadadezer, David brought a large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze Sea, the pillars, and the articles of bronze.
    9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10 he sent Hadoram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou); and Hadoram brought with him all kinds of articles of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David also dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold that he had brought from all these nations—from Edom, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek.  12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 He also put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went.
    14 So David reigned over all Israel, and administered judgment and justice to all his people. 15 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Shavsha was the scribe; 17 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers at the king's side.

The conquests of king David enabled his administration over the people of God with judgment and justice.  The battles were fought and won by God’s power and enabling wisdom, resulting in great victories and strengthening of his kingdom.  In the process, David gathered the raw materials for his son Solomon to use in construction of the temple later, mostly the bronze, silver, and gold from the conquered nations given into his hands.  The spoils were dedicated, or set apart, for the LORD and His use.  Through all this, it is written that the LORD kept David in all and everything he did, because the king did it to serve his sovereign King and Lord.  We find that God’s work done according to God’s way never lack God’s supply and care to finish the tasks given and glorify Him by it all.  Do we then fight the good fight of the gospel of faith and grace in Christ with His righteousness, wisdom, enabling, and strength?  Or do we fight in the carnal substitutes of our own supposed wisdom (which is but reasoning apart from God’s word), which are poor and ineffective weapons indeed?  We can wage personal battles as Saul did for his own ends, or do battle in the war of grace as we are led by the Spirit of God according to His word as the man after God’s own heart did.  May we learn to discern (Hebrews 5:24) and follow godly examples (Hebrews 13:7) which imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1) and follow His word in His way for His needed supply of grace (James 4:6) and providence in the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7).  In these things we therefore find victory in Christ in the world and the administration of His word and will within the church.