David Bahn – Reflections

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These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 1 Chronicles 11-12, 2 Samuel 5, Psalm 119:49-72.

1 Chronicles 11:1-10

Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. ² In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’” ³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

⁴ And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. ⁵ The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. ⁶ David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab … went up first, so he became chief. ⁷ And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. ⁸ And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. ⁹ And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him.

¹⁰ Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

There is clear overlap between 1 Chronicles 11 and 2 Samuel 5, especially in David’s anointing as king and his capture of Jerusalem. Chronicles retells these events briefly, but then expands the picture. Chapter 11 turns to David’s mighty men, and chapter 12 adds what Samuel does not – a wide-ranging account of people from all the tribes who came to support him. Where Samuel tells the story, Chronicles highlights the unity of God’s people and the Lord’s hand at work.

The benefit of having both accounts is the perspective they provide. Samuel shows David as he was – both faithful and flawed. Chronicles shows David as the Lord used him – as part of his larger saving purposes.

And that broader picture is especially evident in the way each account speaks of David’s mighty men.

Even here the emphasis differs. Samuel reports their deeds; Chronicles highlights their role in God’s larger work through David. And I have to admit, I have a special place in my heart for David’s mighty men – because that’s what I called the elders at St. John, where I served as senior pastor for the last 16 years of my full-time ministry.

Over time, that group of men changed significantly. They moved from being a board to whom I was accountable to a group marked by prayer, encouragement, and mutual conversation and support. When we shifted to a policy-based governance model, the Board of Elders – as a board – went away. But the elders themselves did not. In fact, God allowed us to recruit many more, until there were about 40 men serving in that role. And yes, I called them David’s Mighty Men.

I do not presume to place myself on the level of King David. And these men were not called to go to war – except perhaps in the spiritual sense. But their support and encouragement meant more than I can say. One of the greatest gifts was our time together in prayer. Often the first 20 to 40 minutes of our meetings were spent almost entirely in prayer. As a pastor, I knew I could count on them – to stand in the gap, to lift me up, and to pray for the people of our congregation. They were a great blessing.

And in truth, we all need that. We need mighty men or wise women to walk with us in faith. God never intended us to be alone. From the beginning, he said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” We need one another. And in his grace, God gives us a community of people – redeemed by Christ, called to love and support one another in life and in faith.

Whoever those people are for you – mighty men or wise women – receive them as the gifts of God they are. Listen to them. Join them in prayer. Seek their guidance. Receive their support. Who says only King David can have such people in his life? Not God; that’s for sure!

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Chronicles (we’ll get to 2 Samuel later this May in our reading program).