Read 2 Samuel 8 – War is a hard topic for me and chapter 8 gives a peek into the harsh realities of it. David has the Lord’s hand of blessing wherever he went (8:6). He conquered Gath, which subdued the Philistines. He conquered Moab and cut them down by ⅔. The remaining ⅓ became subjects to him and paid tribute. He gained victory over the Euphrates River, capturing chariots, charioteers, foot soldiers and horses. The Arameans sent back up support to help King Hadadezer fight against Israel, and David killed 22,000 of them. There are good guys and bad guys in this world, and the truth is, our good guys, like David, need to do some very hard and ugly things to keep it in check. Also, in 2 Sam 7, David was told he could not build the house for the Ark of God, but here in ch 8:17 we see him dedicating the gifts and precious metals to the LORD… which will one day finance the building. David does what he can to serve the LORD with the giftedness given to him by God, and offers it right back in dedication. What gifts, talents and tribute do you possess? It is good to take stock of what you have and do what you can to glorify the Lord as He created you to do.
Judy in the Sky 