In the Course of Time

In the Course of Time
Words of Faith 1-29-25
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2025
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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2 Samuel 8:1-18
[1] In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines. [2] David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought tribute. [3] Moreover, David fought Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control along the Euphrates River. [4] David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses. [5] When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. [6] He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. [7] David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. [8] From Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze. [9] When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, [10] he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze. [11] King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: [12] Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah. [13] And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. [14] He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. [15] David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. [16] Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; [17] Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; [18] Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David's sons were royal advisers.

God had promised as part of His covenant with David that He would give Israel rest from all her enemies... but that would take a while. David began taking the territory God had promised, but this required some battles. In the course of time... the victories would eventually come.
First, the Philistines, Israel's perennial enemies for more than 125 years, were attacked and defeated. Next, the Moabites were defeated. Then, the Arameans fell to David and supplied him with chariots for future battles.
But before David could return, the Aramean troops of Damascus attacked him and his men. Again, David prevailed, but not before slaying 22,000 of the enemy. He established an occupation force in Damascus, making it a client state to Israel, required to pay tribute. Finally, he returned to Jerusalem triumphantly, bringing gold shields and much bronze as trophies of conquest.
Having witnessed David's remarkable military successes, the Aramean king of the city-state Hamath decided to capitulate without struggle and become a vassal of Israel. All the spoils from these campaigns were dedicated to the service of the Lord. Finally, David gained far-flung fame by defeating an Aramean army of 18,000 in the Valley of Salt, a marshy plain south of the Dead Sea.
The creation of an empire, though still small in comparison with the great powers of today, required the creation of a bureaucracy to administer its affairs-- a military commander, record keeper, secretary, and a leader of the elite troops. David's own sons were made royal advisers.
A kingdom is not made in a day. It was in the course of time that battles were fought and territories were won so that God's reigning presence was expanded.
There is a powerful picture for us here. God will expand our influence... in the course of time. God will expand His sovereign presence through us, but these things do not come without work. Victories do not come without battle. No one could have had more divine support than David, yet the promise God had for him required time, effort and a fight. The big truth is that these things will be yours, in the course of time.

Father God, help me trust Your timing and sovereign plan. Help me be ready for the battles. Help me see Your hand at work around me and in front of me. Help me walk in the victory You have planned for me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2025
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2025 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.