As any good king would, David sent emissaries to the new Ammonite king to express his condolences for the loss of the king’s father. The youthful king listened to his military chiefs that convinced the new king that David was spying and that the emissaries were coming for preparation to attack. The king humiliated David’s emissaries and sent them back in complete shame. That was a big mistake.
After the humiliation, rather than admit he was wrong, the new king hired mercenaries to take on Israel. So David sent his entire army and with God’s leading destroyed the armies and ended any thought of coming against Israel again. three more nations were now subject to Israel. What an odd way for diplomacy to impact the kingdom.
Once again, God did amazing things with unfortunate circumstances. David had a great heart. He sent his men in good faith. But, when the enemy turned a kind gesture into a war, God responded in the way a Father cares for his children. David’s men recovered and David’s kingdom was avenged and strengthened.
In our lives, like David’s, we must live in a way that reveals God in our lives. Kindness, generosity, and empathy should be part of our humble focus on God. When, however, the world responds selfishly, we must not be surprised nor unprepared. We live lives seeking God and allow him to lead us through the series of unfortunate circumstances. knowing that the Lord is still large and in charge. We can never give up, lose hope or become like the world. Instead, we live focused upon God and his leadership and trust God will make things right. It worked for David and it will work for us!
God Bless You
In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. 2 David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.
When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, 3 the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.
5 When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”
6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.
7 On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. 8 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.
9 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 10 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites.11 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. 12 Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”
Walking With God 