Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20061126.htm

1 AND 2 CHRONICLES: GAINING DIRECTION OUT OF THE AIMLESSNESS OF APOSTASY
Part II: Gaining Direction From God's Work In The Reign Of David, 1 Chronicles 10-29
G. Finding Blessing In Yielding To God's Agenda For Us
(1 Chronicles 18:1-20:8 with 17:4, 8-10)
  1. Introduction
    1. In our previous lesson, we learned that we need to yield to the agenda God has for our lives if we would enjoy God's blessing in our works in life, especially if the God's agenda for us differs from our own.
    2. Proof that yielding to God's agenda is the path of blessing comes from noting how richly blessed David was in his efforts to do God's will in the realm of his many military campaigns (as follows):
  2. Finding Blessing In Yielding To God's Agenda For Us, 1 Chronicles 18:1-20:8 with 17:4, 8-10.
    1. The events in 1 Chronicles 18:1-20:8, the victories David experienced in his reign, occurred before David expressed his wish to build a temple for God in 1 Chronicles 17:1, cf. The Wycliffe Bible Com. , p. 381.
    2. As such, this record of David's military campaigns reveals the fulfillment of God's will for his life, for, in 1 Chronicles 17:8-9, God revealed He had subjected David's enemies unto him to settle Israel as a nation.
    3. In the process, David acquired much wealth as spoils of war that were later used for the building of the temple under Solomon, and these facts are detailed in the record of those wars in 1 Chronicles 18-20:
      1. As it was thus God's will (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:8-9), David overcame Israel's main foes, the Philistines, defeating them as far as Gath, 18:1. This war arose because the Philistines initiated conflict with David, 1 Chron. 14:8, 13, and each time they came against him, the Lord gave him victory, 14:8-16.
      2. As it was thus God's will (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:8-9), David subjugated the Moabites, 1 Chron. 18:2.
      3. As it was thus God's will (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:8-9), David subjugated the Arameans of Zobah; he dismantled much of their military might and left a hundred chariots so they could only defend themselves from a foreign attack, 1 Chronicles 18:3-4; Bib. Know. Com., O. T., p. 608.
      4. As it was thus God's will (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:8-9), when the Arameans of Damascus came to help Zobah, David defeated them, put his own garrisons of soldiers in the area and made these other Arameans servants to pay him financial tribute, 1 Chronicles 18:5-6a NIV; Ibid.. God was with David wherever he turned in these campaigns, explaining his repeat successes, cf. 1 Chronicles 18:6b.
      5. As it was thus God's will (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:8-9), David took decorative shields of gold and much brass from the defeated Arameans, bringing these to Jerusalem where much of these materials were used in the later construction of the temple under Solomon, 1 Chronicles 18:7-8.
      6. As it was thus God's will (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:8-9), when Tou, king of Hamath, a longtime enemy of the Arameans heard how David had defeated them, Tou brought congratulatory gifts to David, 1 Chron. 18:9-10. These gifts and all his silver and gold spoils of war David dedicated to God, including the victories he gained over Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines and Amalek, 19:11.
      7. As it was thus God's will (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:8-9), Abishai under David killed many Edomite foes, put defensive garrisons in Edom and made the Edomites pay tribute to David so that God preserved not only David, but also his fighting men with him wherever they also turned, 1 Chron. 18:12-13, 14-17. [Also, Elhanan the son of Jair of David's men and a nephew of David's, Jonathan the son of Shimea, had also gained great personal victories over large, great Philistine warriors, 1 Chronicles 20:4-8.]
      8. As it was thus God's will (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:8-9), when the Ammonites abusively mistreated a peaceful delegation David had sent to them (1 Chron. 19:1-4), David mustered his forces for battle, 1 Chron. 19:5-6a. The Ammonites hired Arameans from Mesopotamia, but they were all defeated by David, 1 Chron. 19:6b-15. When these Arameans in turn appealed to their forces on the other side of the Euphrates River, David defeated them as well, so the Arameans finally stopped trying to fight against him, 1 Chron. 19:16-19! As for the Ammonites, David destroyed their capitol, much of their military might and took great spoil from them [that was later used in the temple], 1 Chron. 20:1-3.
Lesson: Since God's will for David meant he was to defeat his many military foes and take much spoil from them for the later construction of the temple under Solomon, God GREATLY, CONSISTENTLY aided David and his men who served with him wherever they turned in all of their military campaigns.

Application: May we STAY with GOD'S plan FOR us, for ONLY THERE can we be SURE of success!