Question 32 - Are these not sure mercies of David?

Acts 13:34 NKJV - "… I will give you the sure mercies of David”

1 Chronicles 20:3 NKJV - "And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. So David did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem."

2 Samuel 12:31 NKJV - "And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem."

Answer:

                When ambassador of very powerful country visits another country as the messenger to give help, if they would have dishonored him as it was in 1 Chronicle 19th chapter, what would have happened to that country?

                Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me”. So, David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut of their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away”.

                We cannot dishonor the messengers according to the rules of kingship. The quality of the messengers and their duty are to improve friendship between two countries. So they can help one another. If such messengers are dishonored, it is equal to dishonoring the king, king ship and people of that country.  Are we going to keep quiet if ambassadors of our country dishonored like this?

                The same happened to the country of Ammonites according to the covenant as in 1 Chronicles 20:3. So, the king David gave terrible punishment to them. This has become a strong lesson from David to the kings of the world to respect messengers in spite of all differences.