I enjoy reading through the life of David because so much of his life is relatable to situations of our own. He is a great example of a man with a true heart after God and an understanding of the true mercies and grace of God.
In 2 Samuel 5 we see two similar situations in David’s early life as king of his conflict with the Philistines. Both times the Philistines came up against David and both times he faithfully went before God to ask not only for a word of assurance of victory, but first of all, permission to face off with the enemy. We should be choosing our battles with the knowledge that the victory is already in God’s hands. WE shouldn’t be going after something if it is not in God’s timing or will.
The first situation was simple; God granted favor and David saw an easy victory. When our walk is young in the Lord, He surely tries to encourage us with small victories. But what I really want to talk about is the second battle. Just as before, David went before God, which is a great example of recognizing our place. Easy victories can boost our confidence so that we think we can handle situations without having to go before God because we’ve faces similar situations before, but our walk with Jesus is not an easily learned formula, it is a growing relationship, built precept upon precept, here a little, there a little. David was right in his decision to go before God because if he didn’t he would have missed the specific instructions to ensure the victory. God told David to go to down to the Mulberry trees, wait, and watch for God to move. The “mulberry tree” in the Hebrew translates to the weeping tree. God was sending David to a place of weeping, sorrow. This is where we should really take heed. As I have learned, our afflictions can be boiled down to three causes: Satan, ourselves, and God. If you are giving yourself to Jesus everyday, keeping your heart right, then Satan can be easily bound (resist the devil and he shall flee). We are also subject to the repercussions of our own actions, reaping what we sow. God is always merciful, but sometimes whatever you started just has to cycle out, or go full circle. It’s the third cause that we tend to forget or deny and that is the hand of God. More than not we blame Satan, in a sense glorifying him, giving him a lot of honor where it is not due. Mark 4:17 says: affliction and persecution arises for the word’s sake. It’s our affliction that works in us the glory of God (2 Cor. 4:17). He is purging the things from us that are not of Him to make more room for His presence in us. Even if Satan’s hand is in it, who’s to say that he isn’t acting under the permission and will of God, as in Job’s situation. We have to believe that as His children, He has our best interests at heart, not for our own glory, but for His glory. The intention of bringing David to a place of sorrow was merely God’s chosen path to a predestined victory.
Once in that place, David was instructed to just wait and watch. It’s so easy to get discouraged in the place where we’re at because not only is our soulish man being pressed, but the timing is rarely what we think it should be. Remember the words of 1 Cor.: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” The perspective of our situation may be different than that of God’s but He knows us better than we know ourselves. No matter what our view is, God would never ask anything of us that we were incapable of, maybe not of our own accord, but through Him: Luke 18:27 - But he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. The place of sorrow is bearable because God wants us to see it through. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” It’s not the affliction that tries to outdo us, it’s the temptation to veer from the affliction. The priests were meant to bear the burden of the ark. We aren’t to be loosed of the afflictions, but made strong enough to bear them and eventually overcome them. God is not looking for strategists, always planning and scheming their way out, He’s looking for overcomers, who will see it through to the end, even if it is a place of sorrow.
What was David to do while he waited? Watch! He was watching for the move of God, through the mulberry trees, aka; his sorrowful situation. A sure sign of our victory being close at hand is the movement of God in the midst of our situation. But the only way that is possible is if our eyes are toward Him (Colossians 3:2 - Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.). David’s eye s had to be kept up, off of his enemy and surroundings. This can be hard when things seem to be closing in. Can we keep our mind set toward the things of God’s heart rather than the onslaught of the things of this world? I don’t care what great revelation of the word you may have, or how many years you have walked with Jesus, when it comes down to it, can you still hold to the simple truth of obedience in your situation. God moves in a wind through the treetops, an easy thing to miss if your eyes stray for but a moment. Our human nature is to keep a watch on the enemy, but David’s place of sorrow was not the enemy’s doing at all, it was all God’s plan.
The most encouraging part of this word is the fact of seeing God move. Not only do you know that it is a sign of near victory, but because you’re waiting on God to move first, it means that He is going before you. What greater shield against the enemy than the almighty power and glory of our God! All David had to do was follow that movement to victory. Every time I read this story in the Bible, it’s encouraging because it is such a great example of God’s intentions behind our suffering and afflictions. We could easily live “the good life” and God would love us regardless, but we truly have the heart of God, then we know that His heart is that all would share in all that He has. The suffering and victories are not for ourselves, but out of our love for God and for the sake of those around us.
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