Series 28
Study 2 WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?
LIVING TRIUMPHANTLY
by Francis Dixon
Key Verse: “We are yours, O David! We are with you…” (1 Chronicles 12:18)
In this chapter David is brought before us as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘great David’s greater Son’. David was God’s appointed and anointed king, but initially only a few accepted him as such; the majority gave their allegiance to Saul, who was rejected by God. They thought they were on the winning side, but it was in reality the losing side. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the rightful king. God has appointed and anointed Him, “and gave him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9) – but only a few accept Him as such; the vast majority reject him.
During his rejection David needed men who would come out boldly and follow him. This is exactly what our King needs today. In this study we shall see the kind of men David needed, and the kind of men and women our Lord needs. What kind of people does our King need today?
1. He needs men who come to Him out of every tribe and nation.
Notice in verses 24-37 the description of the men who came to David out of many tribes. Today, while our King is rejected by the world, the Holy Spirit is calling out a people who belong to Him and are on His side. This is the divine plan – look up Acts 15:14-16, and compare Luke 19:12. Just as the loyal subjects of King David came to him, so the Holy Spirit is calling out men and women today to be the loyal subjects of our Saviour-King – look up Acts 2:47. Do you belong to this company of ‘called out’ ones who have been born again by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:23) and redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:19)? Do you recognise the Lord Jesus as Saviour and King?
2. He needs men who are separated to Him.
Read verse 8. There can be nothing greater in the Lord’s army than for His followers to be truly separated to Him. Our weakness so often is that we are mixed up with the world – look up 2 Timothy 2:4, and compare 2 Corinthians 6:17; Hebrews 13:13. We live in solemn days, and it is a sad thing when Christians become entangled with the world and side with those who in their hearts reject the King. As you read this chapter you will discover that David required men of quality – selected, separated men. Are you one of these?
3. He needs men who are fully trained and equipped for warfare.
Read verses 2, 8 and 38. How foolish to imagine that being a Christian is an easy-going life! The kind of men our Lord wants is indicated by these verses, which speak of soldiers:-
“…they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed…brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear…Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles…men who volunteered to serve in the ranks…fully determined to make David king!”
The warfare in which we are engaged is fierce, and our Enemy is very powerful (Ephesians 6:12), so if we are to be victorious in this spiritual warfare, we must be people who are trained, disciplined and properly equipped. We must know not only how to put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:13-17), but also how to use the two weapons of our warfare:- (1) The Word of God (Hebrews 4:12); and (2) The Prayer of Faith (James 5:15,17,18). And notice, we must be men “who understood the times – see verse 32.
4. He needs men who will be prepared to count the cost.
The warfare in which David’s men were engaged was very costly; but they were prepared for this and were willing to go ahead even though it might mean death. Picture the scene in verse 15: a company of men going over Jordan when the river was in flood! They were men of grit and backbone; and with all the forces of evil that surround us today, with all the difficulties that assail the true servants of God, and with all the efforts of Satan to overthrow the Word of God, Christians are needed who have grit and backbone! They need to be of the Daniel type (Daniel 6:10, 16-24); and the Barnabas and Paul type (Acts 15:26)! It costs to be a Christian today; and maybe before long testing will come to those who until now have known little persecution for Christ’s sake.
5. He needs men of supernatural strength.
Read the second part of verse 8, and verse 21. What mighty men David had in his army! They illustrate the fact that ‘one with God is a majority’ – look up Deuteronomy 32:30. David with his tiny sling, plus God, is a match for any Goliath (1 Samuel 17:50). Gideon and his 300, plus God, is a match for any invading army (Judges 7:22). Peter, plus God, can easily secure his 3000 (Acts 2:4,14,41). How is it that such great victories were achieved by men so weak in themselves? The answer is in verse 18 – ‘the Spirit of the Lord’ – the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:6; Acts 1:8). And the need today is for those who are strong in faith (Romans 4:19-20), and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31).
6. He needs men who are of unquestioned loyalty.
Look at verses 16 and 17, and compare Matthew 11:6. How easy it is to doubt and to fear as we look around us, and how necessary it is that through all these worsening conditions we remain loyal to our King!
7. He needs men who are possessed with one supreme desire.
Verses 23, 33 and 38 make it clear that David’s men had one burning desire, namely TO MAKE HIM KING – and that also should be our desire.
Our King is surely coming, and coming soon. In the light of His coming, and on the eve of His coming, can you look up into His face and say – verse 18?