Baal-perazim

Instead of relying solely on his military experience, he sought God's guidance.

Verse 10 says, "And David inquired of God, 'Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?'" God instructed David to attack, and he promised him victory, and David obeyed, and Israel defeated the Philistines at Baal-perazim.

Verse 11 says, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a bursting flood." David recognized that God was responsible for the victory, and although David and his soldiers fought the battle, the Lord delivered their enemies into their hands.

The Philistines abandoned their idols during their retreat, and David did something interesting.

I will certainly hand them over to you.

So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there.

The Lord did it, David exclaimed.

He burst through my enemies like a raging flood.

Discernment requires genuine openness to an answer we may not prefer.

David defeats the Philistines and names the place Baal-Perazim, explaining that the Lord has broken through his enemies like a breaking flood.

The verbal root is parats, to break through, burst out, or spread forcefully.

The victory was decisive, and David attributes it to God.

And the Lord said to him, "Yes, I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.

So David came to Baal Perazim and defeated them there.

And he said, 'The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.'" Let's take it apart for a second.

David is under attack.

David wasn't operating here out of presumption.

When he attacked the Philistines, he was operating out of faith because he heard from the Lord, "Yes, David, go, and I'm gonna give them into your hand." Let's see what happens in the next verse.

"So David," in verse number 20, "came to Baal Perazim and defeated them there." Do you see? True faith will produce results, victory.

"The Lord," David said this after he defeated them, "The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters." So David said here, 2 Samuel 5:20, "The Lord has gone before me like the breakthrough of waters." So David says, "The Lord went before me and gave me victory like the breakthrough of waters." Now notice, beloved one, the corresponding verse to this.

I'm just gonna read it, and then we'll talk about it a little bit.

He says, "Then the Philistines went and made a raid on Valley of, of Rephaim, and David inquired of God, 'Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?' The Lord said to him, 'Go up, for I will deliver them into your hands.' So they went up to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there.

Then David said, 'God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.' Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim." And the thing is, is what I wanted to show you, and, and, and, uh, and that was on the King James Version.

The, uh, New Living Translation says this, "The Philistines arrived made a raid in the valley.

So David asked God, 'Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?' The Lord replied, 'Yes, go ahead.

'God did it,' David exclaims.

'God did it.

He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood.' So they named that place Baal-perazim, which means the Lord who bursts through." It's about time for you to get a burst through.

He produces a way when there seems to be no way, and so you need to get to know Him as the God of the breakthrough.

You know, I did a study one time years ago on the various names of God, and, uh, and, and each name reveals a part of His character.

For instance, I want you to listen to this.

Psalm 9 and verse 10 makes this statement: "And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee." If you know God's name, then you will put your trust in Him.

But God, uh, has several names, and the Bible reveals those, and many of them, uh, you will learn just simply reading from the King James.

Some of them, you have to, you have to, uh, uh, read some of the, uh, manuals in Hebrew.

And you will notice that the various names of God will reveal His character.

For instance, Elohim, that means Creator of all, Majestic Ruler.

Give me verse 20.

So David went to Baal-perazim and David defeated them there.

Talking about the...

Let's go up.

This is where the God of the breakthrough gave them a great victory.

This is where God helped them defeat an enemy almost twice their size." Every one of us should have some Baal-Perazims.

We should have places where we can look back and say, "That's where the God of the breakthrough did something amazing in my life.

That's where God healed me.

Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand? And the Lord said to David, Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.

And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there.

And he said, The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.

Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.

And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.

And David enquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up to the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into my hand?" And the Lord said unto David, "Go, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thy hand." Verse twenty.

And David came to Baal-perazim.

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 Baal-perazim.

And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

So it was a victorious battle.