1 Chronicles 12

In this chapter, we are given more details about David’s ascent to the throne and his inaugural celebration. Verses 23-37 provide a list of all the warriors from the twelve tribes of Israel who made their way to Hebron to show their support for David’s anointing and recognize him as their new king.

One of the interesting things to me was that this inaugural celebration finally took place about seven years after the death of Saul. That’s why verse 29 says "from Benjamin, Saul’s tribe—3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then." This says a lot about David’s character. Even before Saul’s death, David himself had many opportunities to kill him and open the door for his ascension to the throne. But he didn’t do that.

Not only didn’t he do that, but even after Saul’s death, David didn’t just take over the kingdom. Instead, he waited for the agreement of his people. He didn’t force his reign on the Israelites, but waited until they were willing to make him king.

This made me think about community. Here was a "community" of people who came together to anoint David king. Yet, this was not the action of some collective organism, but tens of thousands of individuals who responded to what God was doing among them. I think this is a significant point, because it’s important to understand how God relates to individuals and community.

God believes in community. In fact, He exists in a community—a community of three individuals, that is. A lot of people talk about communities and individuals as if those things are in competition with each other, but the truth is, a true community is only made up of individuals. But they are individuals who have come together, united with a purpose—just as in the case of David’s inauguration.

The prefix com- is a Latin prefix that actually means with or together. And that is how the community of God’s kingdom works. It is individuals who come together in the unity of a common purpose or belief. And that sort of community can’t be brought about through force or coercion. At its strongest, it is developed on the foundation of the choices of individuals who agree.

That’s how God can be both into community and individual free will. As each individual heart responds to and embraces the Spirit, each will become one with all other hearts who have also responded to and embraced the Spirit—leading to an eternity of peace and harmony in God’s everlasting kingdom.

So, are you going to be one of the multitude who join together to enthrone God, just as the Israelites joined together to enthrone David? Nothing would please God more than to know that you—His precious, one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable individual—are part of that great and glorious community!