David overcame a four-front war by defeating the Philistines, the Moabites, Hadadezer king of Zoba, Arameans, and the Edomites. The author of Hebrews describes his conquest of these kingdoms as an act of faith.

Summary: 

After God’s promise to build a house for David, David defeated and subdued many surrounding nations, including the Philistines, the Moabites, Hadadezer king of Zoba, Arameans, and the Edomites. Internationally, David defeated the nations on the west, east, north, and south because the Lord helped him to achieve victories wherever he went (2 Sam 8:6 and 14). Domestically, David reigned over all Israel by administering justice and righteousness. 

Non-discriminatorily Defeating Enemies around the Border by Faith 

The table below summarizes David’s exploits against his surrounding nations. To the west, he subdued the Philistines and took their major cities. To the east, David defeated the Moabites and they became David’s servant, bringing tributes. To the north, David attacked Hadadezer as well as Arameans, who came to help Hadadezer. David installed a military presence around Damascus. To the south, he defeated the Edomites and they brought tributes to David. 

Table 1: Summary of David’s Exploits against Surrounding Nations

Defeating Enemies by Faith: Fulfilling Promise of 400 year-old

… David  and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises…put foreign armies to flight.

Hebrews 11:32-34

The author of Hebrew makes a statement that it was by faith that David “conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness,” and “put foreign armies to flight.” The statement by the author of Hebrew matches the details of 2 Samuel 8 very well. Then, what does it mean that David conquered kingdoms by faith? I believe David’s actions were considered faith because they were aligned with God’s promises, and David acted in full dependence and partnership with God. 

More specifically, David’s conquest and subjugation of His enemies was in some way an extension of God’s promise and command that would go all the way back to Joshua. God said to Joshua that “Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates — all the Hittite country — to the Mediterranean Sea in the west (Joshua 1:4),” which was much more than the Isrealite territory and includes all the land that belonged to David’s enemies in 2 Samuel 8: Philistines, Moab, Edom, Hadadezer, Arameans, and Hammath. As David ousted the Jebusites to fully conquer Jerusalem to fully claim God’s inheritance, so did David defeated the external enemies around Israel. 

Defeating Enemies by Faith: Overcoming Four-front war

Although we do not know the exact details and timing of these wars (against Philistine, Moab, Aram, Edom), that David was able to defeat his enemies in all four-fronts is noteworthy.

Let’s compare David’s exploits with what Germany tried to do during the first and second world wars. In the first world war, Germany developed a plan to overcome a two-front war risk posed by France to the west and Russia to the east. The Schlieffen plan was to make a swift campaign on the western front to defeat France, then to redirect the troops to the Eastern front to subsequently defeat Russia. The plan failed as the German offensive came to a standstill at the Marne (a river in France) and the Russians mobilized quicker than the Germans envisioned. At the start of the second world war, Germany used blitzkrieg (a term used to describe a method of offensive warfare designed to strike a swift, focused blow at an enemy using mobile, maneuverable forces, including armored tanks and air support) to swept through France, Poland, Norway, Belgium, and Holland and France with astonishing speed and force. However, German forces’ blitzkrieg proved less successful against Soviet defenses, and Germany eventually re-postured itself into a defense war. 

Even formidable German forces  in two world wars were not able to overcome the two-front war. However, David was able to do it – by the power of the LORD his God. Something for us to note in our mind. 

God’s Faith in David: David’s Name to be Great 

It is said David made a name for himself. Was this a statement that David was elevating himself? 

No. Back in 2 Samuel 7, God promised that he would make David’s name great like a great man on the earth. This statement does not indicate that somehow David fell into arrogance, but instead shows a fulfillment of God’s promise to lift up the name of David. 

Defeating Enemies by Faith: Following the LORD’s command wholeheartedly

Another sign of David’s faith in God was how he treated the horses when he captured 1,700 of them. A rational way is to have these stolen horses to be spared and used for future war against adversaries. However, David hamstrung most of the horses (1600 out of 1700) and left only 100 for chariots. When Joshua defeated the Northern coalition forces in Canaan, he also hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire (Joshua 11:9). Likewise, David followed the command of the LORD in Deuteronomy to not rely on chariots or horses (Deuteronomy 17:16), but only on the LORD God for the battle against adversaries. 

Defeating Enemies by Faith: Through Mighty Warriors 

The LORD helped David achieve great victories wherever he went (2 Samuel 8:14). This statement does not necessarily mean that the LORD God gave victories to David in a supernatural way all the time. God often works through people – this time, God provided David through many competent, loyal warriors. 

One of the key reasons for David’s victory was his mighty, loyal warriors. Although 2 Samuel 8 does not describe David’s warriors in detail, 2 Samuel 23:8-36 lists and highlights all the mighty warriors, 37 in total and their exploits. We need to notice that it was not David alone who made these great exploits. These exploits were accomplished with his competent, mighty warriors who were loyal to David. The meaning of the LORD helping David includes the LORD’s empowerment of David through his mighty warriors. God often manifests His power via His people. 

Nation that Administers Justice and Righteousness

While defeating external nations around Israel, David ruled Israel internally by administering justice and righteousness. What does it mean by ruling by administering justice and righteousness? It probably means that David governed the nation by the two major commandments stated in the Law of Moses: 1) loving God; and 2) loving neighbor as yourself. Loving God was reflected in the worship system that David established by organizing the Levites (2 Samuel 6 and 1 Chronicles 15-16). Loving neighbors can be practiced by implementing detailed rules and regulations laid out in the book of Moses (from Exodus to Deuteronomy), which comprises moral, social, and business ethics. One of the concrete commands that practice caring for neighbors is in Leviticus 19:9-10, which states not to gather all the gleaning and not to go over the vineyard a second time to pick up graves. These commands were given to share the wealth that God promises to bless the Israelites in a way to protect the dignity of the poor, widows and orphans. A nation that administers justice and righteousness provides a way for the poor to live while protecting their dignity. 

Be Victorious Christian!

Externally, David defeated the enemies by conquering them. Internally, David administered justice and righteousness to his people. David used the power that the LORD God gave him appropriately. He used power to defeat the external threats and to defend his people. This kind of appropriate use of power is called “meekness.” 

Jesus demonstrated the pinnacle of meekness. For us, He died on the cross to save us. To His enemy, Satan, He crushed its head. Likewise, for those of us, who have power, intellect, wealth, let us use them meekly, in the way in which Jesus and David used.