2 Sam. 5:22-25                THE SOUND OF A GOING

Intro: Ill. The Context - David has just taken the throne of Israel. The Philistines think that the new king and his divided monarchy will be easy pickings, so they attack Israel, v. 17-18. David seeks the Lord’s will for the battle; he follows the Lord, and God gives Israel a great victory, v. 19-21. The Philistines are not totally defeated, so they come up against Israel once again. David turns to the Lord once more for leadership, v. 22-23a. Instead of telling David to attack, God commands David to lead Israel in a flanking maneuver. They are to move around the Philistines and wait by a stand of mulberry trees, v. 23b. When David hears “a sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees” he will know that it is time to attack.

      The phrase “a sound of a going” literally means “the noise of marching”. It refers to the clank and clatter of an army on the move. It speaks of the pounding of feet and the rattle of equipment. The ancient Jewish rabbis taught that this sound was the angelic host marching to the battle. Others believe that God is simply saying that He will send a wind to stir the tree tops to let David know that it is time to move.

      I want to focus in on the wind in this passage. We all know that wind can be either beneficial or harmful. Good winds cool hot summer days. Good winds scatter seeds upon the earth. Good winds help dry the earth after times of floods. The phrase “a fair wind” is used to refer to times of peace, blessing and calm.

      Harmful winds, on the other hand, can do tremendous damage to people and property. We have all seen the devastation caused by the winds of tornados and hurricanes. The phrase “an evil wind” is used to speak of a time of hardship, trouble and turmoil.

      The wind in these verses signaled the arrival of the Lord in a time of trouble. Often, you and I find ourselves trapped in windy seasons of life. When the winds of adversity and affliction blow against our lives, our tendency is to become filled with anxiety and fear. I want to show you that the winds of live should not fill us with fear, but with faith. Let me show you some of the blessings of the winds of our lives. I want to take these verses and preach on the thought “The Sound Of A Going”.

 

  I.                           THE WIND SIGNALS HIS PRESENCE

A.  The sound of the wind was the signal that God was present with His people to lead them to victory, v. 24.

B.  Often, the Bible uses wind to picture the presence of God.

·         God rides the winds – 2 Sam. 22:11, “…He was seen upon the wings of the wind.” Psa. 104:3, “Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:”

·         God showed up in Eden in the wind – Gen. 3:8, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:”

·         God showed up in the winds of a storm on Galilee – Mark 6:48-51.

·         God showed up in the winds of a storm in Paul’s life – Acts 27:14-25.

C.  The wind may be blowing in your life, but it does not mean that God has forsaken you. The very thing you fear may be the thing that proves His presence. (Ill. Heb. 13:5; Matt. 28:20) (Ill. Gen. 28:15; Deut. 31:6, 8; Josh. 1:5; 1 Sam. 12:22; Psa. 37:25, 28; Isa. 41:10, 17)

 II.                             THE WIND SEALS HIS PROMISES

A.  The wind was the sign that God would give His people victory, v. 24. When they heard the wind, they knew the Lord was leading them to victory.

B.  When the Lord is moving with His people and His people are moving with Him, victory will always be the result, Rom. 8:34. His presence with you is His promise of victory to you! He comes with you to lead you through the storm to the calm on the other side, Ill. Isa. 43:2; 1 Cor. 15:57; Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14.

C.  The wind may be blowing, and the outcome may seem in doubt right now, but we are to put our faith in the God Who rides the winds to give us victory in His time and in His way. (Ill. Paul – 2 Cor. 1:8-10) It may look like defeat is in the wind, but God will always keep His promises to His people! No wind, regardless of how foul it may be, can deter the God of Heaven from keeping His promises to you! (Ill. His promises – presence, peace, provision, forgiveness, grace, blessing, joy, etc. – Rom. 4:21.)

 

III.                          THE WIND SHOWCASES HIS POWER

A.  When the wind came, the Lord came; when the Lord came, victory came, v. 25. God led David and his man to a great victory by His awesome power.

B.  When the winds of adversity blow into our lives, we can be assured that God will show up in power in His time.

·         God used wind to dry up the waters after the flood, Gen. 8:1.

·         God used wind to bring the plague of locusts on Egypt, Ex. 10:13.

·         God used wind to part the Red Sea, Ex. 14:21. He stopped that wind to drown the Egyptian army.

·         God used wind to blow quail into the camp of Israel, Num. 11:31.

·         God used wind to teach Elijah about the presence of God, 1 Kings 19:11.

·         God used wind to teach Peter about faith, Matt. 14:22-33.

C.  The winds that are sent into our lives do not come to destroy us. It may appear that they will, but God sends them to teach us about His purposes and His power in our lives, Psa. 37:25; Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor. 4:17. God is not trying to hurt you, but to grow you! It is in the storm that you meet the Master of the sea! (Ill. Widow of Zaraphath; Elijah; David; Disciples; 3 Hebrews; Daniel; Mary and Martha; Mary, Mary Magdalene, John, etc.)

 

IV.                        THE WIND STRENGTHENS HIS PEOPLE

A.  When the wind came, David was to “bestir” himself, v. 24. “Bestir” means “to be decisive, to take action.” The presence of the wind declared the presence of the Lord and the absolute promise of victory for Israel. David was to go on for God when the wind began to blow.

B.  Instead of living in fear of the winds of adversity and affliction, we should consider them to be blessings in disguise. When the winds begin to blow, they merely remind us God is near; God is working; and victory is just around the corner! (Ill. Psa. 27:1) For me, that casts the winds in a whole new light.

C.  The greatest time to serve God is not in the calm day. His glory shines best in the midst of the tempest. Learn that the battle and the storm belong to the Lord, 1 Sam. 17:47.)

 

Conc: Need shelter, strength and support in the winds of life? Come to Him!