Sun., Dec. 12, 2004 Fish, Wine, & Oil (Tone 3)
Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of Christ
Kellia: 2 Samuel 8:1-15 MT (2 Kings 8:1-15 LXX) Epistle: Colossians 1:12-18 Gospel: St. Luke 14:16-24
2 Samuel 8:1-15, especially vs. 6: "Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus; and the
Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went." The
present passage demonstrates the policy of Israel's ancient king, David, to extend the borders of his nation to encompass all
the lands which the Lord had initially promised to His People in the days of the Prophet Joshua: "from the wilderness and
this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea toward the going
down of the sun shall be your territory" (Josh. 1:4). This ancient policy concerns present-day Syrians, Lebanese, and
Palestinians with regard to modern Israel. The Book of Judges discloses that the people of Israel did not fulfill what the
Lord required in order for them to receive the Holy Land: to "make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land" and to
"break down their altars" so that only true religion would flourish throughout the whole country (Jdg. 2:2). Rather, for
several hundred years, they "went after other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them" (Jdg.
2:12), and the Lord "gave them over to plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the power of their enemies
round about, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies" (Jdg. 2:14). Then how they longed for a strong leader,
anointed of the Lord, to gain victory "wherever he went" (2 Sam. 8:6).
The Book of First Samuel (1st Kings LXX) describes how God raised up the great Prophet Samuel, who "judged Israel all
the days of his life" from his home in Ramah administering "justice to Israel" (1 Sam. 7:15-17). It also reveals that when
Samuel grew old, the Lord directed him to "hearken to the voice of the people" in their desire for a king and at the same
time solemnly to "warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them" (1 Sam. 8:7,9). As the Lord
directed, Samuel anointed the two men who were to serve as the nation's first kings: Saul the son of Kish (1 Sam. 10:1)
and, when Saul proved disobedient to the Lord, then David, the son of Jesse (1 Sam. 16:12,13).
The Second Book of Samuel reveals that David was a strong ruler who meted out both tough justice and gracious mercy.
Today's reading provides a glimpse into the methods he used to extend the borders of Israel out to those limits which God
had promised to Joshua centuries before. It is an account of the use of uncompromising warfare to assert national
sovereignty, with the goal of subduing Israel's neighbors, incorporating territories which God intended to be part of greater
Israel, and administering "justice and equity" to all of the People.
The Philistines, an aggressive sea people established along the coastal plain of Palestine, were the first major nation to be
subdued by David. The battles with them described in earlier chapters (2 Sam. 5:17-25) reveal how David asserted Israel's
national supremacy. Other nations also were subdued by King David: "Edom, Moab, the Ammonites [and] Amalek" (vs.
12).
David's method of "subduing " surrounding nations also included incorporation, as with the Moabites (vs. 2), and making
other nations into his kingdom's satellites, first defeating them in battle, then receiving "tribute" from them (vss. 2,6), and,
as necessary, garrisoning troops of his own army in their lands (vss. 6,14). He also systematically eliminated the capacity
of other nations to compete with Israel militarily (vss. 2,4,5,13).
Finally, the text reports that "David reigned over all Israel; and...administered justice and equity to all" (vs. 15) The
description of his administrative apparatus follows (2 Sam. 8:16-18). O Lord, guide the leaders of the lands where Thy
People dwell, all their civil servants and armed forces, that we may be delivered from tribulation, wrath, danger, and
necessity.
