PHILISTINE ATTACKS (SUMMARY OF AN ADDRESS)
[p. 23] PHILISTINE ATTACKS (SUMMARY OF AN ADDRESS)
2 Samuel 5: 17 - 25; 2 Samuel 6: 1 - 11
It seems to me that the Philistines coming up to seek David would be typical of the false brethren coming in to spy out our liberty in Christ Jesus as referred to in Galatians 2: 4. They were met in stern combat by Paul and their images were taken away by the decree of the apostles and elders. But they come up yet again and have to be met in a new way. “Turn round behind them” would be more like Paul writing to the Galatians and his rebuke to Peter. In each case he took them up on the ground of their own past. There had been a real work of God there which could be counted on. The mulberry-trees would speak of taking advantage of what is favourable in meeting the enemy. Any work in souls is a divine growth and He moves in relation to that. Amongst true believers there is always that to be counted on; the “sound” of marching will be there.
But then there is a third Philistine attack which is more successful than the other two and it comes in where we might have least expected it. When we feel quite sure that we are doing what is right there is often a lack of dependence and of care in making sure that we are going about it in a way that God can support. David was assured that his city was the place for the ark, and he would bring it there. But his way of doing it was not a spiritual way and it brought out that there was an unjudged Philistine element in himself. There may be a Philistine element in that [p. 24] which truly desires to make much of Christ. In Chronicles we get much more of the spiritual exercises of David and the recognition of what is priestly and levitical and of hallowing for this great service. There is a due order in handling what is holy and if that order is not observed some Philistine expedient is almost certain to be adopted.
The ark had never had the honour in Israel that was due to it from the time when the Philistines had taken it. It had been cherished in private but before it could have its public place Zion had to be taken and the lame and the blind removed. All that had in view a place for the ark. It is as the saints occupy Zion and understand what it is to dwell in the city of David in the fulness of what is secured in Christ on the ground of His victory, and from whence the lame and the blind have been excluded, that the exercise can have place in relation to the ark. But how often in Scripture we have the thought of a first which does not answer to the mind of God and then a second which does. I believe this enters into nearly all spiritual exercise. We do not at first understand the holiness of what we are taking in hand to do. We think that what can be done in the way that first suggests itself will do for God. But we have to learn that what is priestly and levitical must take the place of what is Philistine. There are a great many now professedly gathered to the name of the Lord, and most of them, we may admit, have a true desire to honour Him and to provide a place for Him. But if things are not done in a truly priestly and levitical way we may be sure that something of the “new cart” character will be found in evidence. We find that in the house of Abinadab he hallowed Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah (1 Samuel 7: 1), but that hallowed man does not appear in 2 Samuel 6. It was just the absence of that hallowed state that made all the difference between pleasing God and displeasing Him. What strikes one in Philadelphia is that the Lord presents [p. 25] Himself as the Holy and the True, and He speaks of the overcomer as being made a pillar in the temple of His God. The holiness of the position is emphasised. It is possible to have the light of all that is proper to Philadelphia without the state in which alone it can be carried out for the pleasure of God. This is a great exercise for us all. We can only have the ark with us on its own conditions. Even so great a servant as David had to learn this. And even Paul had to learn how deadly the Philistine element was if once allowed a footing. David was afraid, and it is well when such a holy fear comes into the heart. But God gives Him a lesson in grace, as He always does when we are in danger of becoming legal under rebuke.