Who Is Caring For Whom?
Have you ever seen the movie, The Avengers? I'm not typically into superhero movies, but there's a particular scene in this one I could watch over and over again. A group of heroes has teamed up against the bad guy: Loki. At one point, there was a standoff between the Incredible Hulk (you know, the big, angry green guy) and Loki. As the Hulk begins his attack, Loki cries out incredulously, "Enough! You are--all of you are beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by…" At this moment, Hulk grabs Loki by the feet and slings him around like a limp rag doll, beating the enemy's body repeatedly against the stone floor. As Loki lies in stunned silence, Hulk walks away and mutters, "Puny god!"
I imagine that's how David must have felt after defeating the Philistine army. It was bad enough that the Philistines had to literally carry their gods into battle for protection and assured victory, but what happened next was sad albeit a little comical. Let's look at the passage we've been studying.
“But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.”
Talk about puny gods. First, these idols were carried into battle by men. Second, they were left behind by these same men. And in their vulnerable state, they were destroyed. What kind of god is that?
The Philistines, no doubt, felt they had the upper hand. They had the element of surprise. They had chosen the battlefield. They probably outnumbered and “outgunned” the army of Israel (which was typically the case). And, they had not one, but many gods to ride into battle with them. What could go wrong? With multiple gods on their side, surely they would win, right?
What they didn't realize is that no number of false gods could equal the one true God. So, they went to battle and lost. . .badly. Many were killed. Many more, I imagine, retreated. But in the end, all that was left was Israel's victorious army and all of the Philistine gods lying in the dust, unseeing, unhearing, unknowing, and uncaring.
As David and his men collected the images, I imagine David smirking as he thought about their puny gods and His almighty One. Yes, I'm sure there were words of praise and adoration proclaimed as the flames lifted toward the sky, destroying the very things that were supposed to offer protection and direction.
Friends, aren't you glad that our God doesn't need our help? Doesn't it bring you comfort to know that you don't have to care for his needs, transport Him from place to place, and protect Him from harm? Aren't you glad we don't serve a puny god? We can depend on Him. He sees all, hears all, understands all, and best of all, He cares. He has our best interest in mind and at heart. And we never have to worry about Him running off and leaving us to fight the battle alone. He has promised He will never leave us or forsake us. That's not to say we'll never feel alone or abandoned, but that's a topic for another day.
Today, let's focus on the fact that God is faithful. He is good. He is powerful. He is limitless. No matter what we face, we don't face it alone, and God is able to make it right. He is the God of all gods and Lord of all lords. He is the one, true God. And because of that, we'll never have to wonder who is caring for whom?
“Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.”
“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
“Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.”
“Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?”