When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. - 1 Chronicles 14:8

Today's Scripture Reading (July 6, 2025): 1 Chronicles 14

A time of transition can be difficult. At that moment, between what was and what will be, we often find that what was has lost all of its power, and what will be is not yet fully formed. Transition is frequently a time of weakness, and it is precisely when our enemies believe they have the advantage. It is why armies of the past often sought to assassinate the leaders of their enemy nations. The death of a leader would automatically throw their adversaries into a time of transition, opening up an opportunity to attack their opponent at a time of perceived weakness. For this reason, governments in transition usually try to maintain an image of strength. They go overboard, attempting to let their enemies know that they still possess the ability to do whatever is needed to defend the nation. Sometimes, they are even willing to deny that they are in a period of transition, insisting that a deceased national leader is still alive until a new leader has been installed and is ready to lead the nation.

David has ascended to the throne of Israel. However, his ascension has come at the cost of two national leaders: Saul and his son, Ish-Bosheth. Both have died, and with their deaths, the nation's hopes and dreams have perished. At least part of the nation is unsure about what David will truly bring to the country. Therefore, it is a time of transition and weakness for the country.

It is at this time that the Philistines choose to make another attempt to destroy their enemy, Israel. Once again, they decide that this is the time to commit all their military strength to defeat their enemy. Specifically, the Philistines believed that Israel no longer possessed the strength needed to defend themselves, and if they could kill David, the nation would cease to exist. So, they mustered their forces in an all-out attempt to get to David. When David caught wind of what they were trying to do, he prepared to meet them. There is a slight discrepancy between this passage in Chronicles and the passage in Samuel (2 Samuel 5:17). Chronicles states that David prepared to meet the Philistines. In contrast, Samuel indicates that David went to a stronghold, a secure place, where he placed himself out of their reach as he assembled the government that would rule over the nation. While the two passages seem to contradict each other, it is quite possible that this was how David needed to meet the Philistines at this time: from a position of strength, not weakness.

The Philistines became a reminder to David that, although the struggle with Saul was over and the civil war between David and Ish-Bosheth had ended, the struggle had not yet finished. The internal battle of Israel might have ended, but there would always be an external struggle and a reason for David to trust in God for the nation's defense rather than in his ability as a king and the great general of Israel.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 6

See also 2 Samuel 5:17