Title: Festival of Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:38-40)
Contents When many people gathered in Hebron to make David king, beautiful things happened among them. All the people who had gathered had a three-day feast with David in Hebron. However, the food needed for the feast was provided by bringing each other to serve others. And they could rejoice with great joy because of the fact that David became their king.
1. I was happy that David reigned. During the 40 years of Saul's reign, the people had to endure all kinds of hardships. But now that all the people came to David, there was great joy among them. It is like the joy and beauty of the early church when a person who was under Satan's control comes to the Lord's arms. The kingdom of David is the kingdom under David. The kingdom where Satan reigns has only suffering and sin, but the kingdom where God reigns has righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17). Now the people rejoiced in the realization of a righteous kingdom ruled by David. All the armies really wanted David to be king. The remnant of Israel also wanted to make David king with one heart. This shows that David is not only a fighter, a king of the strong, but also a king of the weak who cannot fight.
2. We were happy that our hearts were united. It wasn't just a few tribes that joined us. From the nearby tribes to the distant tribes, even the tribe of Levi and the people of Saul gathered together. They gathered in Hebron with all their hearts, and with all their hearts they took David as king. Contents that are happy with one heart
(1) They were united under one king and enjoyed stability under a strong government rather than a divided rule.
(2) David was the king chosen by God. The wrath of God, the clouds and the darkness are gone.
(3) Unwavering loyalty to the chosen king.
3. We ate and drank abundantly with David and rejoiced. A total of 330,000 people gathered, but they had enough food to eat and drink for three days. Not only that, but they also carried numerous plants from close and far. This was not by any coercion. Just as the early church rejoiced in mutual aid, they voluntarily brought plants. This joy was expressed through social association. Their three-day feast was not a personal pleasure, but a family, social, and national delight. Verse 38 “all the soldiers” and “the remnant of Israel” all rejoiced. Soldiers and priests, the weak and the strong, men and women, young and old, all classes participated. No one was ousted from this national feast and joy. This suggests the pure and steadfast joy of serving Christ as our King.
4. It was a festival of joy. The people of Israel, who were wandering like sheep without a shepherd, cannot help but rejoice as they have chosen a leader who is after God's heart as their king. Moreover, their joy could develop into greater joy by having a feast of eating and drinking with the leader. Now I was glad that God gave Israel the king I had chosen, and I was glad that I was freed from the cruelty of King Saul. This feast is for joy. But the joy is given to those who please God, and to those who discuss peace. Just as David's throne was built for the people of Israel, so we could not hide our joy, so the throne of Christ will always be full of joy in our lives and souls.