“Violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.” 2 Samuel 7:10-11
David was given the difficult calling of completing the work Joshua had started but did not finish (Josh. 13:13, 15:63, 16:10, 17:13). Enemies remained embedded. And they rose up throughout the time of the Judges. That was how it remained for about 400 years, and God says that it was his purpose to bring this to an end (2 Sam. 7:11).
Driving out the enemies was hard and miserable work. This is not the kind of work any leader wants to do. But it had to be done, and until the time of David, no one else had been able to do it.
Matthew Henry says, “God would not suffer [David] to proceed because he had appointed other work for him to do, which was enough for one man, namely, managing the wars of Israel.” David had to fight the battles so that Solomon could enjoy the peace in which he was able to build a great temple for God.
This speaks directly to a frustration that many leaders face today. You start out, like David, wanting to do something great for God. But you find, to your disappointment, that much of your time is spent dealing with unresolved conflicts.
A fruitful tree flourishes because someone did the hard work of digging a hole in the ground. The great work of Solomon could not have been accomplished if the hard work of David had not been done first. David subdued the enemies and established peace. Only when that work was done could the temple of God be built.
What kind of “hard work” are you facing in your ministry, home, or workplace?
