DEVOTION
2ND SAMUEL
THE LAMP
2 Sam 21:15-22
15 Once again there was a battle
between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight
against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of
the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels
and who was armed with a new [sword], said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai
son of Zeruiah came to David's rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed
him. Then David's men swore to him, saying, "Never again will you go out
with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished." 18
In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob.
At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of
Rapha. 19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of
Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with
a shaft like a weaver's rod. 20 In still another battle, which took place at
Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each
foot — twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21 When he taunted
Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David's brother, killed him. 22 These four
were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his
men.
NIV
Two stories are unfolded
for us in this narrative about these four battles. First, we should focus on
David as he became exhausted in battle. Is this because he has gotten older and
weaker? But the point is that he was referred to as the lamp of Israel. That phrase
was prophetic because Jesus is the lamp or the light of the world, and he came
into this world through Mary, a descendant of David. David was the lamp to
Israel, but Jesus is the lamp unto our feet. Jesus shows us the way. He alone is the only story, the main event since He created all that is created. He is the only story because he came to redeem us,
to reconcile Himself to us, and us to Him. He is the only one who could satisfy
His own justice and restore His creation to the original place it belongs.
However, within this story of His great gift of salvation through the Light of
the world, Jesus, four giants were all defeated. The sons of Rapha refer to giants, such as Goliath. This is a good foreshadowing of areas in
life that can seem to be gigantic, or like a giant that stands before us, or in
our way. But we can overcome any giant, face it down, and destroy it in the
name of Jesus. We have that Light of the world, who stands before us, beside
us, and behind us, watching our back, as he fights the battle for us. There is
no giant we cannot kill, or overpower, overcome, being victories because of Jesus,
the Light of the world, our Lord and Savior, our Redeemer, our God. Let us always
follow Jesus, the Light, the Lamp of the world.
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