I imagine there are a lot of anxious people right now. The first missile strike on Syria a few days ago by Trump and the Deep State came close to triggering a Third World War. Russia was on high nuclear alert, and still is. The Russian people had been warned to prepare themselves to use their nuclear bomb shelters built in the Soviet era during the Cold War. The reckless (and deliberate) warmongering by the élites is today threatening to set off a chain of irreversible events that will annihilate the whole planet. The world has not been in such a dangerous place since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, 56 years ago. And were it not for the restraint of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, we would almost certainly be in an apocalyptic war right now. While the well-prepared and well-ordered Russian civilians are making plans to evacuate to shelters, the dumbed-down American and West European populations are fussing over political correctness and safe spaces, and submitting eagerly to an alien culture determined to destroy them.

We have three choices:

• 1. We can go into denial and pretend nothing is wrong;
• 2. We can grapple with reality and panic; or
• 3. We can grapple with reality and trust in Yahweh.

David knew what it was to trust in Yahweh, even as a fugitive in his early years from jealous and murderous King Saul, even when his son rebelled and seized the kingdom. Yet he could say:

"I will lie down and sleep in shalom (peace),
for You alone, O Yahweh,
make me dwell in safety" (Ps.4:8, NIV).

Picture him on the run. There are rumours everywhere. Each day is fraught with peril. A furious military attack is imminent, but David sleeps peacefully. As soon as his head touches the pillow, he is away in blissful sleep. And yet he's on the run, and in danger.

You can imagine the turmoil of his mind. Wouldn't you be in turmoil if your beloved, handsome and spoiled son had seized your kingdom and forced you into exile? His emotions must have been all over the place. Yet he lay down and fell immediately into a deep slumber.

I'm not quite sure what the inhabitants of Jericho were thinking at night. I would imagine they slept soundly, confident in their city walls, and contemptuous of such a motley, untrained army of refugees from Egypt. I can't imagine they were fretting, not on the second day, or the third, or fourth, or fifth or sixth day either. Those herdsmen just marched around their fortress tooting their horns and then dispersed for 24 hours. They must have thought the Israelites were nuts. Yet something must have been nagging them inside too. Weren't these the chaps who defeated the mighty army of the Pharaoh of Egypt? Didn't the Red Sea part for them? Didn't the Jordan River part for them only recently? Actually, I'm not so sure they slept well. They were probably double-minded. These Israelites didn't look much, and they weren't, but those Caananites of Jericho must have had a healthy respect of their Deity.

David isn't even sleeping on a comfortable bed. He's probably lying on the hard ground on his coat or some kind of thin military matress. He might not even have a tent. The open sky might be his covering. He must have been exhausted from all the forced marching, and trying to dodge Absalom. His limbs must have ached. But he laid himself down in shalom (peace) and sank into a deeply satisfying sleep.

So what was David's secret? Obviously not some sleeping pill, or a tranquiliser, or alcohol. Oh, he had an 'aid', for sure, but it wasn't a material one. His tranquiliser was EMUNAH - FAITH. Outwardly it looked as if he had lost everything, but he trusted Yahweh, and in that trust he found real tranquility.

He didn't flee Jerusalem because he was scared, mind you. He left out of consideration for the lives of the inhabitants and to make sure the holy city would not be exposed to national enemies who might seize the opportunity of a civil war to attack. No. He had, quite simply, put all his spiritual resourses in the hands of Yahweh who had called Him and always sustained Him. David would ensure that Yahweh's will would be done.

I can well imagine that Joshua fell soundly asleep the night Yah'shua (Jesus) appeared to him as the Commander of the Armies of Yahweh. Joshua had experienced miracles all his life and knew Yahweh was trustworthy. He lived by the promise Elohim (God) had given him:

"Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I Myself will be with you" (Deut.31:23, NIV).

Before the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River - a Mark II Red Sea Crossing - Joshua was able to say in confidence to the people:

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow Yahweh will do amazing things among you" (Josh.3:5, NIV).

Yahweh said to him:

"See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven cohenim (priests) carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the cohenim (priests) blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in" (Josh.6:2-5, NIV).

If you believe Yahweh, if you're obedient, then not only will all He says come to pass but you'll sleep easy at nights too. When you lie down at night and have prayed, say to Elohim (God): "I'm going to sleep. Would you take over, please?" And He will.

Comments from Readers

[1] "What another wonderful post! I want this kind of trust...WOE. How refreshing, restful, and PEACEFUL" (DC, USA, 17 April 2018)