If you read much of David’s life you stand in awe of how on every decision he went before the Lord and sought God’s advice. That made him dangerous. The King who stands self-sufficient is a fool. But a leader who seeks God is a force to be reckoned with.
David wasn’t a self-made man, self-sufficient, independent, etc… Those values which are upheld. Instead he humbled himself and depending on the Lord’s wisdom. His ways are higher than man’s ways and David recognized this.
After David’s death the men of Judah came and anointed David king over the house of Judah (2 Sam 2:4). Then making it official, the elders of Judah anointed him King (2 Sam 5:3). It wasn’t just a ceremony of coronation but actually the blessing of God on David’s life to lead Israel.
When the Philistines, Israel’s enemy, heard David was anointed, they came to make war against David. It would be easy to assume that David would fight back. But first he sought the Lord and the Lord said to go against them. It was a decisive victory.
Then the Philistines came again. So David again sought the Lord. This time the Lord told him to make an assault from the rear instead of a frontal assault. But first to wait until they heard marching in the tree tops. As this was “the Lord will have marched out ahead of you” (2 Sam 5:24).
That’s really astounding. The Lord went ahead of them in battle to win. Was it angels? Was it fighting demons? We don’t know. But profoundly the Lord sent his heavenly troops to battle for David.
But what again is amazing is how much David took seriously the seeking of the Lord. He didn’t seem that some actions were obvious. He didn’t assume. He sought.
And that’s powerful.
