GOD’S WORD FOR YOU
1 CHRONICLES 18:3-6
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3 David also struck King Hadadezer of Zobah on the way to Hamath, while he went to extend his dominion to the river Euphrates. 4 David took a thousand chariots from him, along with seven thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for a hundred chariots. 5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Arameans. 6 Then David put garrisons in Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became subject to David, and paid tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.
Verse 3 might mean that the King of Zobah was on his way to “extend his dominion” (my translation), or “set up a monument” (ESV), or “establish control” (EHV). The phrase is “set up his hand” in Hebrew. Whatever the idiom mean, David caught him before he could do it, so that his “hand” never quite got “set up.” A sizeable fighting force fell into David’s hands: a thousand chariots, 7,000 mounted warriors, and 20,000 “men on foot.” David hamstrung ninety percent of the chariot horses, leaving enough animals to pull the chariot-ambulances of wounded men home again. Another army of Arameans tried to come to the aid of the King of Zobah, but David struck them, too. He occupied Damascus with a fighting force and messengers.
David now had two buffer states to his north. Zobah was a city-state in the north that had given Saul trouble in David’s younger days (1 Samuel 14:47). The Arameans of Damascus spoke a language similar to Hebrew yet different enough that many Hebrews could not understand it (Isaiah 36:11) the same way many English-speaking people cannot understand German, or Spanish-speaking people cannot understand Portuguese.
David also had won victories in the east and west. God would give him victory in the south as well (verses 12-13).
The tribute David collected helped to pay the soldiers who were stationed at these outposts. The victory was used by David for his own tactical advantage, which is yet another way that David surpassed Saul. But for all his military genius, David kept his heart set securely on the Lord. When David sinned he went to God for forgiveness; he didn’t give up or turn away. He turned his shame into repentance.
The buffer states such as Aram, Damascus, and Zobah, are an illustration of the buffers God sets into place around his church. The usefulness of a buffer is that it can prevent certain outside attacks from coming, or at least the buffer state might slow down an attacker giving the central nation (Israel) a warning. In the case of the true church, other denominations and, to a certain extent, the government act as buffers. We are by no means in fellowship with them, no more than David was on anything like friendly terms with Hazazezer of Zobah. For example, the government of the United States has made a law (the First Amendment) saying that the government shall not prohibit the free exercise of religion. So if a church group makes a nuisance of itself and causes the government to step in for some reason, we are reminded to keep ourselves to the work of the gospel, and not do whatever other task that the nuisance group was taking on. Usually these things have to do with failing to love one’s people, or greed for money, power, or influence.
The government is also a buffer that helps us to remember to keep in our own lane. We are not called by God to try to make laws that will force people to seem more Christian. This does nothing at all to save souls. Only the preaching of the word of God changes hearts. So if the buffer states around us– other denominations, for example– attempt to impact laws that might make our country seem more Christian, more pious, and more moral, then let them try. But we will content ourselves with proclaiming Christ crucified for our sins.
But we also do not want to involve the government in the work of the church. As Professor Lyle Lange explains: “If the state interferes with the church, what will happen? Christ will be replaced as the head of the church by the governing authorities. The state is not concerned about making people disciples for Christ. Its mission is to provide for the temporal welfare of its subjects. Thus, if the state runs the church, the church’s mission will be lost… Can the church comment on what is going on in society? The church is charged to proclaim the whole counsel of God’s Word. Thus, when the state permits what God forbids, such as abortion, assisted suicides, divorces for unscriptural reasons, the church must proclaim what God has to say about the issues. The church will not, however, become a political group that has as its goal to change the patterns and structures of society by lobbying for legislation.”
Our Lutheran Confession states: “One should not mix or confuse the two authorities, the spiritual and the secular. For spiritual power has its command to preach the gospel and to administer the sacraments. It should not invade an alien office. It should not set up and depose kings. It should not annul or disrupt secular law and obedience to political authority. It should not make or prescribe laws for the secular power concerning secular affairs” (Augsburg Confession).
The heavenly Zion has rivers “no mighty ship will sail” (Isaiah 33:21), and ships of state, governments and other earthly authorities will cease forever. But until that time, both Church and State have work to do. For the government is not evil, but is an authority established by God (Romans 13:1). Pray that God would continue to bless both the ship of the Church and the ship of State as each vessel navigates our fallen world under God’s protection, God’s guidance, and God’s blessing.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
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Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, New Ulm, Minnesota
God’s Word for You – 1 Chronicles 18:3-6 Buffer states