20:1 This chapter of Chronicles omits what 2 Samuel 12 highlighted: David's personal crisis. There are times when we are not as present as would benefit us, moments when we allow desire to cleave us from strict adherence to our faith. For David, the desire was literal: a woman. For us, it could be many things. Anytime our eyes have looked sideways for personal gain of wealth, position, possession or power we have stopped looking where we were going and have stumbled off of the path.
We are not fully present because desire has pulled a piece of us into the tempting picture of a future our desire has told us we can have if we only listen to its siren call. In our absence, our faith is teaching a lesson. But we are not going to receive that lecture until later, when we come stumbling back into the classroom: bruised and broken, or having bruised and broken someone else, and are ready to acknowledge our mistakes.
20:2-3 David was absent for part of the battle because of a personal battle. David allowed God to discipline him back onto the path, and therefore he was able to rejoin his prosperous life, wiser and stronger in faith.
20:4-8 Sibbechai, Elhanan , and Jonathan also prospered in the war against the Philistines (as well as many other men). David was king and is the focus of this book, but God strengthens even those of us who appear to be in the background. God built a kingdom, on earth and heaven, and each person in it is blessed by Him.
