Example of God’s Blessing in Our Lives ( 1 Chronicles 14)

This Podcast is part of a 10-year project to complete an in-depth, daily study of the entire Bible, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. 

Episode Notes: 

If you’ve ever wondered what God’s blessing really looks like in the life of a believer — not in theory, not in abstraction, but in real, lived experience — then 1 Chronicles chapter 14 is a chapter you don’t want to miss. Because tucked inside this short but compelling chapter is a portrait of David at his best: a man walking in step with God, listening to God, depending on God, and experiencing God’s blessing in unmistakable ways.

 And here’s the remarkable thing: the blessings in David’s life in this chapter are not random. They’re not accidental. They’re not mysterious because they flow from very specific choices David makes… Choices that you and I have to make all the time.

 1 Chronicles 14 shows us:

 How God blesses a life that seeks Him,

How God blesses a life that obeys Him,

How God blesses a life that consults Him,

And how God blesses a life that honours Him.

 This chapter is filled with examples — practical, personal, spiritual examples — of what God’s blessing looks like when a believer walks closely with Him, and it’s a chapter that quietly asks each of us:

 Do you want God’s blessing in your life?

So today, we’re going to explore this chapter together.

We’re going to see how God blessed David, and God blessed David.

And we will also discover how those same principles apply to us, right now, in our own lives, in our own homes, in our own walk with the Lord.

So, let’s open our Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 14….

Transcript

Example of God’s Blessing in Or Lives ( 1 Chronicles 14)

 Transcript: 

If you’ve ever wondered what God’s blessing really looks like in the life of a believer — not in theory, not in abstraction, but in real, lived experience — then 1 Chronicles chapter 14 is a chapter you don’t want to miss.

Because tucked inside this short but compelling chapter is a portrait of David at his best: a man walking in step with God, listening to God, depending on God, and experiencing God’s blessing in unmistakable ways.

And here’s the remarkable thing: the blessings in David’s life in this chapter are not random. They’re not accidental. They’re not mysterious because they flow from very specific choices David makes… Choices that you and I have to make all the time.

1 Chronicles 14 shows us:

How God blesses a life that seeks Him,

How God blesses a life that obeys Him,

How God blesses a life that consults Him,

And how God blesses a life that honours Him.

This chapter is filled with examples — practical, personal, spiritual examples — of what God’s blessing looks like when a believer walks closely with Him.

It’s a chapter of answered prayer.

It’s a chapter of divine guidance.

It’s a chapter of victory over enemies.

It’s a chapter of God enlarging, strengthening, and protecting His servant.

And it’s a chapter that quietly asks each of us:

Do you want God’s blessing in your life?

Then walk the way David walked in 1 Chronicles 14.

So today, we’re going to explore this chapter together.

We’re going to see how God blessed David, and God blessed David.

And we will also discover how those same principles apply to us, right now, in our own lives, in our own homes, in our own walk with the Lord.

As Christians, we often speak about God’s blessing. We say things like, “May the Lord bless you,” or “God has blessed me this week.” But what does God’s blessing actually look like? What form does it take? How does it show up in the life of a believer?

The list is long, but 1 Chronicles 14 gives us a beautiful snapshot of what God’s blessing looked like in the life of David. His blessings can also become examples for us, patterns we can observe, and principles we can apply.

So, let’s open our Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 14….

Before we dive in, let me give a quick overview of this chapter:

God blessed David and his kingdom because David had honoured God by seeking to bring the Ark into Jerusalem. The Chronicler records three incidents of divine blessing in this chapter:

1.     God gave David favour in the eyes of neighbouring allies (vv. 1–2).

2.     God increased David’s household by giving him many children (vv. 3–7).

3.     God gave David victory over his enemies, the Philistines (vv. 8–17).”

That’s the outline of the chapter; now let’s walk through it together in detail.

Blessing #1 — Prominence (1 Chronicles 14:1–2)

Verse 1:

“Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and masons, and carpenters, to build him a house.”

After David was established as king over all Israel, Hiram, the king of Tyre, a neighbouring nation, sent skilled workers and valuable materials to build David a royal palace. This was the beginning of a long and close friendship that would continue into Solomon’s reign.

In the ancient Near East, building a royal palace was essential. It authenticated the reign of a new king. It signalled stability, legitimacy, and honour. And here, a foreign king, a respected king, honours David by helping him build his palace.

Verse 2:

“So, David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.”

David sees this as confirmation, and he recognizes that God Himself has elevated him to prominence. He understands that his influence, his honour, his recognition, even from foreign nations, is a blessing from the Lord.

So, the first blessing in this chapter is prominence. God gives David influence, honour, and recognition beyond Israel’s borders.

And sometimes God does that for His people today. He expands their influence., He may enlarge their platform, and He gives them favour in unexpected places.

Not for their sake, but for His people’s sake.

Blessing #2 — Prosperity (1 Chronicles 14:3–7)

Verse 3:

“Then David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begat more sons and daughters.”

Now, let’s talk about this carefully. In the ancient world, a large harem was considered a symbol of royal splendour. It was part of the cultural expectation of kingship. But, and this is important, we know that God, once the Law was given, forbade polygamy.

Deuteronomy 17:17 says clearly: “The king shall not multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away.”

So, David’s actions here were not in line with God’s command. He succumbed to the custom of the day, and he had multiple wives — and in doing so, he sinned.

The Chronicler records the fact but does not comment on the sin. But Scripture is clear: Multiple wives was forbidden.

Let me give you the fuller context from Deuteronomy 17 (summarized):

Israel would one day ask for a king, and God would choose that king, but he said the king must be an Israelite, not a foreigner.

He must not multiply horses; he must not rely on military might.

He must not multiply wives — they will turn his heart away.

He must not multiply silver and gold — he must not trust in wealth.

And we know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon multiplied wives, and indeed it will later say that they turned his heart away from the Lord.

So, what do we do with this passage?

We acknowledge that David’s multiplication of wives was wrong. But we also acknowledge that God blessed David with children, not because of the polygamy, but in spite of it. God blessed David’s household because David’s heart, overall, was inclined toward the Lord.

The Chronicler’s point is not to justify polygamy. The point is to show that God blessed David’s family, even though David was imperfect.

And that’s a blessing we can relate to. God blesses imperfect people.

God blesses flawed people. God blesses people who stumble, but whose hearts are turned toward Him.

In other words, kings were not to multiply:

Pleasure (wives),

Possessions (silver and gold),

Power (horses).

And those three categories, pleasure, possessions, and power, are the very categories of temptation John describes in 1 John 2:

The lust of the flesh,

The lust of the eyes,

And the pride of life.

The specifics Moses gave in Deuteronomy 17 match the universal temptations John describes centuries later.

So, here’s the question:

If God forbade polygamy, and if David multiplied wives, why did God bless him so richly?

Let’s grapple with that and try to understand God’s grace toward David.

An appreciation of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in the Old Testament is critical to understanding this apparent inconsistency.

In the Old Testament, the Spirit’s ministry was primarily empowering and enabling God’s chosen servants to win military victories and deliver His people. The Spirit came upon individuals for specific tasks.

In the New Testament, the Spirit’s ministry is primarily transforming, conforming believers to the image of Christ.

That’s a helpful distinction. Because God’s purposes for Israel and the church are different.

In the Old Testament, God manifested His glory through the nation. Through kings, institutions, and national identity. In the New Testament, God manifests His glory through the lives of individual believers and through the church.

So, God was more merciful with David’s polygamy in view of His purposes then. Today, under the fuller, more personal revelation of Christ and the apostles, God requires a higher degree of personal holiness.

A third point is the progression of revelation.

Old Testament saints had some revelation about marriage; Genesis 2:24 and Deuteronomy 17 make God’s ideal clear. But they did not have the full teaching of Jesus and the apostles:

Matthew 5

Matthew 19

1 Corinthians 7

Ephesians 5

Colossians 3

1 Timothy 3

Titus 1

Hebrews 13

1 Peter 3

All of these passages give us a fuller, richer, clearer picture of God’s design for marriage.

And greater privilege in that more individual revelation in how we should live our lives always results in greater responsibility.

David’s understanding of God’s will was not as comprehensive as ours. God held him accountable, but not in the same way He holds us accountable today.

The bottom line, however you slice it, the biblical reality is this:

God’s ideal has always been one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24).

Old Testament kings often violated that ideal, but Deuteronomy 17 explicitly forbids multiplying wives.

And 1 Chronicles 14 records David doing exactly that. So David clearly violated God’s ideal. And yet — God blessed him anyway.

That’s grace. That’s mercy, and that’s God’s kindness toward imperfect people.

Verse 4 lists the names of David’s children born in Jerusalem — thirteen sons in total. The first four were sons of Bathsheba. Now remember, 2 Samuel 11 reminds us that David’s relationship with Bathsheba began in sin…. But even here, God’s grace shines.

Two of Bathsheba’s sons appear in the genealogy of Jesus:

Nathan — ancestor of Mary

Solomon — ancestor of Joseph

Think about that. God took a relationship that began in sin… and wove it into the lineage of the Messiah…. Amazing grace.

So, what have we seen so far?

God blessed David with prominence and favour from a foreign king.

God blessed David with prosperity, children, legacy, and lineage.

God blessed David with grace, blessing him despite his imperfections.

Now we come to the third blessing in this chapter — popularity, or more precisely, victory.

 Blessing #3 — Popularity and Victory (1 Chronicles 14:8–12)

Verse 8:

“When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up to search for David…”

David’s rise to power attracts attention — and opposition. The Philistines attack. But David does something crucial:

Verse 10:

“David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?’ And the Lord said, ‘Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.’”

David seeks God’s guidance, and God answers.

David obeys, and God blesses.

Verse 11:

“So they went up to Baal‑perazim, and David defeated them there.”

David says:

“God has broken through my enemies like a breakthrough of water.” So, they name the place Baal‑perazim — “the Lord of breakthroughs.”

Verse 12 adds:

“And when the Philistines left their gods there, David commanded that they be burned with fire.”

A century earlier, the Philistines captured the Ark of God. Now they abandon their own idols in panic — and David destroys them, exactly as the Mosaic Law commanded (Deuteronomy 7).

This is God’s blessing — victory, protection, guidance, and honour.

We’ve seen one Philistine raid already, and David’s victory over them. But the Philistines were not easily discouraged.

Verse 13:

“Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley.”

They come back for a second attack. They regroup. They try again. And David responds exactly as he should.

Verse 14: 

“Therefore David inquired again of God…”

This is important…. David doesn’t assume that yesterday’s guidance is sufficient for today’s battle. He doesn’t say, “Well, God told me what to do last time, so I’ll just repeat that.” No, he goes back to the Lord. He seeks fresh guidance for a fresh situation.

And God gives him a completely different battle plan.

“You shall not go up after them; circle around them and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.”

This time, God instructs David to set an ambush. Israel is to wait until they hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, a sign that the Lord Himself has gone ahead of them.

When the leaves rustle, that’s the signal: God has already struck the Philistine camp. Now Israel must move.

This is a powerful lesson. Just because God guided you one way yesterday does not mean He will guide you the same way today.

Different circumstances require fresh dependence. Different battles require fresh wisdom, and different challenges require fresh prayer.

David understood that, so, he sought the Lord again, and God blessed him again.

Verse 16:

“So, David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer.”

Once again, obedience leads to victory. And verse 17 gives us the result:

“Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.”

David’s popularity, and prominence came from God’s favour. His prosperity came from God’s grace. His popularity, his reputation, his influence, his fearsome standing among the nations came from God’s victories.

The Philistines had dominated Canaan since Saul’s death, but now David brings them under control and the nations take notice.

David’s fame spreads.

David’s influence grows.

David’s leadership is respected.

And the Lord Himself brings the fear of David upon all the surrounding nations.

Summing Up the Chapter.

This is a short chapter — but a rich one.

Because David honoured the Lord by bringing the Ark to Jerusalem (chapter 13)…

And because David sought the Lord for guidance (chapter 14)…

And God blessed him with:

·         Prominence — favour from a foreign king

·         Prosperity — children, legacy, household

·         Production — a growing family and future lineage

·         Popularity — victory, influence, and national respect

These were the ways God blessed David in the Old Testament.

But what about us?

What applies to us today?

Let’s make an important distinction.

 Old Testament Blessings vs. New Testament Blessings.

In the Old Testament, God chose Israel as a nation. He gave them land. He promised that if they obeyed Him, He would bless them materially:

·         Physical protection,

·         Physical provision,

·         Physical prosperity,

·         Abundant crops,

·         Peace in the land.

Old Testament blessings were material. But in the New Testament, God’s blessings are primarily spiritual.

Acts 3:26 says:

“God sent His Son to bless you by turning every one of you from your iniquities.”

The first and greatest blessing of the New Testament is forgiveness, received simply by trusting Jesus Christ for salvation.

Paul adds in Ephesians 1:3:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

Not some spiritual blessings. Not occasional spiritual blessings. Every spiritual blessing.

James 1:25 says:

“He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it… this one will be blessed in what he does.”

Obedience brings blessing.

Not material blessing — but spiritual blessing.

And what do those spiritual blessings look like?

Galatians 5 tells us:

·         Love,

·         Joy,

·         Peace,

·         Longsuffering,

·         Gentleness,

·         Goodness,

·         Faith,

·         Meekness,

·         And self‑control.

Would you like to live a life of peace?

Would you like to experience joy?

Would you like to walk in love?

These are the blessings God gives to those who trust and obey.

So what do God’s blessings look like?

In the Old Testament — material.

In the New Testament — spiritual.

But the pathway is the same in both:

Trust and obey. For there’s no other way to be blessed in Jesus but to trust and obey….

Outro:

As we opened today’s episode, we asked a simple but important question: What do God’s blessings actually look like in our lives? And 1 Chronicles 14 has shown us the answer through the life of David.

God blessed him with prominence — favour from a foreign king.

God blessed him with prosperity — children, legacy, lineage.

God blessed him with protection — victory over enemies.

God blessed him with popularity — influence among the nations.

But as we’ve seen, those Old Testament blessings were material, tied to Israel’s land, their national identity, and God’s covenant with them.

For us, in Christ, God’s blessings are spiritual. Forgiveness, peace, joy, love, patience, gentleness, strength, and the fruit of the Spirit. And the pathway to those blessings is the same today as it was for David:

David honoured the Lord — and God blessed him.

David sought the Lord — and God guided him.

David obeyed the Lord — and God strengthened him.

And those same principles shape our lives today.

A Look Ahead — When Devotion Is Despised

But next time, we’re going to step into a chapter that shows us the other side of devotion, the side we don’t always talk about.

Because in 1 Chronicles 15, David brings the Ark to Jerusalem the right way, with reverence, obedience, and joy. But not everyone is pleased. Not everyone celebrates. Not everyone approves.

In fact, some despise him for it.

And that’s where this chapter speaks directly into our world, a world where choosing to obey God’s Word often invites misunderstanding, criticism, or even contempt.

Next time, we’ll explore:

Why devotion to God sometimes provokes hostility,

How to navigate a world that despises obedience,

And how to honour the Lord even when others don’t understand.

If you’ve ever felt the sting of being mocked for your faith…

If you’ve ever been misunderstood for choosing obedience…

If you’ve ever wondered how to stand firm when others don’t approve…

Then 1 Chronicles 15 has a word for you.

So, I hope you’ll join me for that journey.

Until then. May you walk in the blessings God gives, the obedience He desires, and the joy He delights to pour out on those who trust Him.