Preparing for Battle

Preparing for Battle

“A sound in the mulberry trees, and it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees then you shall advance quickly. For then the lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”  (2 Samuel 5:24 NKJV)

 

Whenever I have sat with eyes closed in the shade of a leafy tree on a warm summer’s day and heard the wind rustle the leaves overhead, I am reminded that God rides the wings of the winds.  “He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.   He makes winds his messengers.”  (Psalm 104:3-4 NIV).  Feeling the caress of the little zephyrs against my cheek and brow makes me know there is nothing quite as peaceful and comforting.

            Although, I have never recognized the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, I know that it has happened many times in my life, just as it did in David’s time.  The Philistines were the greatest enemy of Israel and were constantly at war with them.  When they heard that David was made king over Israel, they went after him.  They set up camp in the Valley of Rephaim and prepared to do battle.

David knew what was happening, so he prayed and asked God what he should do.  The Lord told him he would deliver the enemy into his hands.  Then he gave David these instructions, “Don’t attack them from the front, but circle around and attack from the rear.  When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, act quickly, for the Lord will go before you.”    David followed the Lord’s directions and drove the Philistines out of the land.

This scripture is a paradigm of the attack by the enemy [Satan] against a child of God.  When we become God’s children, by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, we become royalty and part of the household of God.  Then the enemy sets out to destroy us, the same as the Philistines did King David.  Each of us must come up against the Philistines [the enemy] throughout our life.

In Psalm 84:6, we read about walking through the Valley of Baca, meaning Valley of Weeping.  This place of trials and sorrow is in actuality thought to be the Valley of Rephaim. 

The mulberry trees spoken of in scripture were actually a type of balsam trees.  Going back to Psalm 84:6, the word, “Baca” has another meaning and it is the Balsam Tree [see TLB]!  This means the enemy sets up the battle in the valley where the balsam tree grows.  It is not coincidental that God showed us the Valley of Weeping and the Valley of Battle (Rephaim) are one and the same.  

These balsam trees are a type of fir tree with branches spreading outward.  The sound of marching in the tops of the trees was that of angelic armies of God going ahead into battle.  These angelic armies going ahead were not unusual; we find them throughout the Bible.  What is unusual in God’s eyes, is Christians no longer believe it.  Most of us go into battle against the enemy under our own power.  God has not changed, nor has he deserted his children.  What was available two-thousand years ago, is still available to us.  His angelic armies have not been defeated, but are still in the midst of the battle.

             “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” (James 4:2 NIV)

When going through battles, we need to be on our knees before the almighty God, crying out to him for direction, then listening for the answer.  How often we tell God, “If you will do it this way, or that way…..”  We should be praying, “God, give me direction and I’ll do as you say!”  Perhaps then, we would hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees. 

There are times when we feel like David did when he was just a small shepherd boy and God called him to go out and slay Goliath, a giant the Philistines sent out.  His heart must have quaked with fear and he must have felt very small in the shadow of Goliath, yet he went forth proclaiming, “The battle is the Lords!”  David heard the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees.

Had we been there and examined David, we would have seen a small boy, who went up against a giant, as none other was willing to do.  He had no physical weapon such as a sword or knife - only his homemade slingshot.  What made him stand out in a crowd?  God said, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Sam. 16:7 NKJV)

Perhaps you feel very small and weak, without the ability to battle an enemy that seems unapproachable.  Remember, you are not going into battle alone, nor on your own strength and intellect.  There are three things that will give you victory in any battle. 

·       Praying for direction and help at the beginning of the battle.

·       Praying for endurance and wisdom during the battle.

·       Praying prayers of thanksgiving after the victory.

Each time we go through a raging battle, we must be refreshed, with our body and spirit 

healed. 

            The battle was before me, O God.

I asked you for direction and you gave it to me.

I asked you for strength to complete the battle

And you strengthened me.

I heard the sound of your angelic hosts

Going before me into battle.

I ran quickly to fight at your side.

 

Now I am battle-weary, O God.

Heal me with the Balm of Gilead.

Refresh me with pools of refreshment.

May I always listen for the sound of marching

In the tops of the mulberry trees,

Knowing with certainty,

The battle is the Lords!

 

 

[It is interesting to note, in our country, we have a tree called the balsam poplar.  This tree gives off an aromatic resin which is called the Balm of Gilead. In Israel, resin was gathered from a type of evergreen tree and was famous for its cosmetic and medicinal healing qualities.]