First Samuel chapter 29. Remember, chapter 29 picks up after chapter 28 verse 2. If we were looking at chronology, we would see 28, 2 to 29, 1 to 11. Probably after 29, 1 to 11, comes 28, 3 to 25, and then comes 31, or the latter part of chapter 30, and then chapter 31.
The point is, in chapter 28, this consultation with the medium happened on the eve of the battle with the Philistines. So what the author does is he ends his section in 27 and 28 by showing us David's dilemma in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 28. He then tells us that Saul himself has a dilemma, and it's far worse than David's. But 28, the Saul consulting the medium at Endor, goes with the battle with the Philistines in chapter 31.
Now that everybody is sufficiently confused, we'll pick up reading in chapter 29 at verse 1, and we'll read to chapter 30, verse 8. Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines, passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, But David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. Then the princes of the Philistines said, what are these Hebrews doing here?
And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me these days or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me. But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him. So the princes of the Philistines said to him, make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him.
And do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men? Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another and dances sang? Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.' Then Achish called David and said to him, Surely, as the Lord lives, you have been upright, and you're going out and you're coming in with me in the army as good in my sight.
For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless, the lords do not favor you. Therefore, return now and go in peace that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines." So David said to Achish, but what have I done? And to this day, what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you?
That I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord, the king. Then Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines have said, he shall not go up with us to the battle. Now, therefore, rise early in the morning with your master's servants who have come with you.
And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart. So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. and the Philistines went up to Jezreel. Now it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day that the Amalekites had invaded the south and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great. They did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.
So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire. And their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives, Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, the widow of Nabal, the Carmelite, had been taken captive.
Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself, and the Lord is God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, please bring the ephod here to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
So David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. Amen.
Introduction and Overview
So let's look at these two sections under two considerations.
Divine Deliverance from the Philistines
First, we have the divine deliverance from the Philistines in chapter 29, verses 1 to 11. And then we have the distressing discovery at Ziklag in chapter 30, verses 1 to 9. And as we look at chapter 29, we need to recall again the dilemma that David faced from chapter 28, verses 1 and 2. Essentially what had happened, as we recall, David was fearful that Saul might catch him once again.
So at the beginning of chapter 27, he goes into Philistine country. He calls, or he reaches out to Achish. Achish says that David and his family can live, David and his men can live in Ziklag. So David and his men and their family settle in Ziklag, and they're there for about a year and four months.
And while David is there, remember that he goes on raiding campaigns. And he goes specifically against the enemies of Israel. And he slaughters all of the persons that are in those cities so that none of those persons will be able to go back and report to Akish what is happening. What Akish thinks is happening is that David is serving Akish.
That David is dealing with the enemies of the Philistines. Now, don't doubt the enemies of the Israelites were probably just as much enemies to the Philistines as well. But David is operating in this particular situation, killing the enemies of Israel. Akish thinks that he's a wonderful servant.
Akish says then to David, according to chapter 28, verses 1 and 2, that he wants David to join him. in his battle against Israel. Now certainly for a man that is going to accede the throne of Israel, this is not a good move. For David to go against Israel as he is supposed to be the one that takes the throne of Israel will certainly not look good. So David's dilemma is a real one according to 28, 1 and 2.
As I said, 28, 3 to 25 highlights a bigger dilemma Saul has no word from the Lord God Almighty. Because Saul is facing the battle with the Philistines, he wants guidance. And because God is silent to him, Saul seeks out this witch at Endor to get a word from outside of himself. And essentially that word is, he's going to die in battle tomorrow, he and his sons.
Again, that goes with chapter 31 and that is precisely what takes place with this battle against the Philistines. So if we look at 28.1-2, 29.1-11 picks up that particular narrative. So we're left scratching our head after 28.2, what's going to happen to David? How is he going to escape from this particular situation?
How is he going to make his way back to the place where he ought to be? And that's what chapter 29 answers. It is the resolution to David's dilemma. The first thing we ought to consider with reference to this resolution is
Philistine Lords Object to David
the objection by the Philistine lords to David's presence. in verses 1 to 5. Essentially what we have is the gathering at Aphek. Remember I said this is the way we know something of the chronology. In chapter 28, they are at Shunem.
Chapter 31, they are at Shunem. Shunem is further north. Between Shunem and between Gath is Aphek. This is sort of a staging area.
The Philistine armies are en route from Philistia They stop in Afak to make sure that everything's in place and in order to review the troops, as we'll see in just a moment, before they make their way up to Shunem. And then they battle with Israel at Philistia. So the geography here indicates something in terms of the chronology. Vanoy says concerning this particular battle.
He says, from Aphek it was their plan to go further north to Shunem and then to challenge Israel for control of the strategically important valley of Jezreel. So that's the Philistines endgame. So they're here. at Aphek, and then there's this military parade. Notice in verse 2.
And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. This is something typical. You want a survey? You want to make sure everybody's got their stuff and everybody's ready to go to battle?
It is a time for the lords of the Philistines to review the troops before they enter into Shunam and into battle against Israel. Now notice the question posed by these lords. Verse 3, then the princes of the Philistines said, what are these Hebrews doing here? You can understand their consternation.
They are going to fight against Hebrews. They do not want Hebrews on their side because it may be the case that those Hebrews on their side will turn against them. Something similar happened back under Jonathan's reign, or Jonathan's command rather, back in chapter 13. There was an instance where there were Hebrews in the land that were with Philistia, but then when Saul blew the trumpet, according to 13.3, throughout all the land, saying, let the Hebrews hear.
Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines, and the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal. Essentially, what these Philistine lords feared was that these men that were in their very ranks would turn against them. Now notice the response by Achish. Interestingly enough, Akish defends David four times in this brief chapter, in verses 3, 6 and 7, and then again in 9 and 10.
Notice the way that he defends David in 3b. This is probably not the most wise way to proceed. And Akish said to the princes of the Philistines, is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel? that probably didn't alleviate the Lord's concerns. They probably weren't chomping at the bit to allow David to continue in their ranks.
Perhaps Achish had lapsed there and didn't phrase it in a way that would be endearing in terms of David. But nevertheless, he affirms that David had in fact been a faithful servant. Again, operating under the information that he had in chapter 27, He believed that David was, in fact, submissive to his particular rule in Gath, but in Ziklag particularly, where David and his men lived. He says, who has been with me these days of these years, and to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.
If you have your New Covenant ears on, A man says this concerning David's greater son. He says it three times in Luke's Gospel in Luke 23. Pilate says this concerning David's greater son. I find no fault in him.
Three times he affirms the holiness of the Lord Jesus. Well, Akish says essentially the same thing here. concerning David. So the objection, and now notice the objection made by the lords in verses four and five. But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him, probably at Achish, not David necessarily.
They're angry at Achish. So the princes of the Philistines said to him, make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle. Lest in the battle he become our adversary, for with what could he reconcile himself to his master, Saul, king of Israel, if not with the heads of these men? Their logic is impeccable.
In terms of military strategy, this makes absolutely no sense to have David on your side. So they're angry with Akish, and then they offer two arguments as to why David ought to be sent packing. This first one in verse 4 indicates a military strategy. We do not want him with us.
The second is a historical argument, and it comes from verse 5. Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another, and dances sang? Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. Remember this was the song the women sang when David came back. victorious from the valley of Elam.
It was this song that so irritated Saul, king of Israel, provoked him to envy, rage, and malice against David. But as well this song was sang in Philistia in chapter 21, that instance when David went to Gath and he ended up feigning madness, drooling on his beard, they saw, identified, and said that this is that particular man. It seems that everybody in Philistia happened to be humming this particular tune. And as a result, the lords of the Philistines said, we do not want him on our side.
What better way for him than to turn against the Philistines, lop off these heads, bring them back to Saul, the king of Israel, and make good with his master. Now, the Philistines aren't always portrayed as the brightest bulbs in the chandelier, but these lords of the Philistines are acting quite wisely in this particular situation. Now, notice
Achish Instructs David to Depart
Achish's discussion with David in verses 6 and 7. He gives David instruction. Then Achish called David and said to him, surely as Yahweh lives. Isn't that intriguing?
There's two references to God in chapter 29. They're both on the lips of Achish. He refers to Yahweh here and he refers to God later. as David having been an angel of God. Why does Achish swear in the name of Yahweh?
Well, we don't really know for sure. For a polytheist, it wouldn't be uncommon to swear in the name of a whole host of gods. It may be the case that David had a positive influence on Achish. When Akish saw David acting with integrity and faithfulness and all those sorts of things, it may have endeared David's God to Akish.
I'm not suggesting that he's converted. I'm not suggesting that he is going to proselytize into Israel. But it is intriguing that the only two references to God in chapter 29 is from the lips of Akish. Now that's not to say God is absent from chapter 29.
God is conspicuously present in his providential dealings to deliver David from the hand of the Philistines. But he tells David, as the Lord lives, you have been upright. and you're going out and you're coming in with me and the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless, the lords do not favor you.
Therefore, return now and go in peace that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines." This is the answer to David's dilemma, isn't it? I mean, certainly David's probably wondering after verse 2 of chapter 28 How am I going to get out of this? David knows full well that he cannot join the Philistines to march against Israel. Now some suppose that David did have it in his mind to turn against the Philistines on the battlefield.
We simply do not know that. Probably a better interpretation to see that this is, in fact, a dilemma for David that he has to get out of. So verse 8 is quite alarming or quite shocking. After Akish says, we just want you to leave, and the lords of the Philistines don't want you here, you should just go now, what should David do?
David should just go now, shouldn't he? You ever given your kid instruction and they want to say something in response? And you want to basically say, I told you to go. I feel like in some ways, as we're reading this chapter, we're at verse 7 saying, David, just go.
David, this is God's out. David, salvation has come from the Philistine lords in this particular instance in your life. Praise God, from whom all Philistine lords flow. Just run.
But David says in verse 8, But what have I done? And to this day, what have you found in your servant, as long as I have been with you, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my Lord, the King? It is intriguing, isn't it, that David uses its ambiguous statement at the end, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my Lord the King. Is he speaking about Achish or is he speaking about Saul?
David Samora says the phrase my master may refer either to Achish or Saul. On the surface it refers to Achish and he takes it as meaning such. But the reader may suspect that it actually refers to Saul. He says, the judgment of the Philistine lords was probably very wise.
And I suspect that that is an accurate description of these Philistine lords. Now notice, Akish then gives some reassurance to David in verses 9 and 10. And Akish answered and said to David, I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines have said he shall not go up with us to the battle.
Now, therefore, rise early in the morning with your master servants who have come with you. And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart. Remember we noticed something in 28 when Saul went and consulted that medium at Endor? When did Saul go?
He went at night. This is the time when wicked deeds are engaged in. I'm not saying all we ever do at night is sin, but there's certainly this darkness-light motif that the Bible clearly presents. So in 28.8, when Saul disguised himself, he went by night, to seat this witch at Endor.
And then notice in verse 25 of chapter 28, So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night. Now David finds deliverance and it's in the morning and in the morning light that he departs from this difficult situation. Davis says there is a striking contrast between the endings of chapters 28 and 29.
The reader well remembers how the last line of chapter 28 breathed despair as it told how Saul and companions trudged off into the darkness. But it is not night at the end of chapter 29. David walks away in the morning, saved by the Philistines who would destroy Saul. Not that David knew nothing of darkness, but David's night was not like Saul's night.
He knew the tale of the mercy of God. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. So Saul, at the end of 28, trudges off in darkness. David, at the end of 29, marches out in the morning light.
You see God's goodness and his kindness in his dealings with David. David had a real dilemma. March with the Philistines against Israel. David, probably at the time, did not know how he was going to get out of that particular dilemma.
How does God deliver David? The same way that He delivered him back in chapter 23, via the Philistines. Salvation is from the Philistines in 23 and in 29. Verse 11 summarizes and says, So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Let's refresh ourselves in 23. Remember back in chapter 23, David was facing battle with Saul, or Saul rather was gaining on David, and Saul and his men were basically circling the mountain where David and his men were. And in 23-27, but a messenger came to Saul saying, hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land. Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines, so they called that place the Rock of Escape.
You must marvel at God's providence. In chapter 23, it was the announcement that the Philistines had invaded Israel that called Saul and his troops off of David. Here in chapter 29, it's a military parade. It's a normal, standard operating procedure. at the staging place prior to the time when they get to shoot him, when they engage in battle against the Israelites, David and his men bringing up the rear, and then these Philistine lords spying David and the Hebrews and saying, we don't want him with us.
It was because of that, under the providence of God, that David is released from this particular dilemma. David is a free man in this regard to return back to Ziklag.
Providence Behind David's Deliverance
The Lord God moved the hearts of the Philistine lords to send David back. The Lord God once again used the Philistines to save David, to spare him from this difficulty of facing Israel on the battlefield. And the Lord's ways are truly past finding out. Brethren, we would have never come up with this particular narrative.
We would have never, ever come up with such a thing. Paul says, concerning God in Romans 11.33, his ways are past, finding out. He delivers David via Philistine. Remember in the Nabal instance, how does he deliver David there?
As Davis says, he sends a savior in a skirt by way of Abigail to keep David from engaging in bloodshed over Nabal. But the genuine hero, the unsung hero, ultimately in the Nabal account, is the servant who tells Abigail that her husband is a fool. It was the servant who reported everything that was going on. The point is that all of these details, all of these things that we could read right past them and not give them any focus or attention, is the providence of God overruling all things for the glory of God and for the good of His servant, His King-elect in this instance.
Davis comments on this whole instance in chapter 29. He says that God can make the enemy serve us as a friend. God not only prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies, but also has the knack of making the enemies prepare the table. That's our God.
The Lord Most High so works things out to protect his servant, to protect his anointed, to ensure that ultimately he will be on the throne in Israel. So that is the divine deliverance from the Philistines. Now
Distressing Discovery at Ziklag
notice, secondly, the distressing discovery at Ziklag. I mean, David had it rough, didn't he? You think you've got troubles? You think you've got trials, I'm not discounting them, I'm not suggesting that you do not, but let's just remind ourselves where we have been with David, this king elect in Israel.
We see in chapter 16 that the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him. He is anointed by Samuel. Samuel is the kingmaker in 1 Samuel. The Spirit of the Lord comes upon him in chapter 16.
Chapter 17, he has a massive victory in the Valley of Elah. Remember, he cuts the head off of Goliath. He walks it to Jerusalem. David is the man.
He's a national hero. He is a man who fears the Lord God Almighty. People are singing his praises. Everybody loves David according to the narrative.
Chapter 18, we have the resentment by Saul and covert attempts by Saul to exterminate David. Remember, in chapter 18 he does it covertly. He wants to give his daughter to David. Not so that David can live happily ever after and produce lots of grandchildren for Saul, but because he puts as the test for David that he go and collect 100 foreskins from Philistines.
Saul concluding, obviously, that when David goes and tries to take those foreskins, the owners of said foreskins are not going to take to this kindly. and they are going to try and destroy David. This is a means by which Saul wants to exterminate David. David goes and takes 200 foreskins and brings them back and secures marriage to Michael. So it is a covert attempt on his life In chapter 18.
Chapter 19, it is over. He is on the hunt. He is on the run. He is on the pursuit.
He is seeking to destroy David. This is confirmed in chapter 20 by Jonathan. Remember, Jonathan and David. They have this covenant together.
David wants to find out if Saul really does want to murder him or destroy him. And remember the sign was those arrows that went past David. This confirmed for David what he already suspected, is that Saul, in murderous rage, wanted to destroy him. We have David's escape from Saul in chapters 21 to 23.
David is being hunted like a dog. I'm just reminding us of all of this just to bring us to the point of chapter 30 here. David is being hunted like a dog, chapters 21 to 23. He goes to the cave of Adullam.
He ends up leaving his family in Moab so that they will be safe from Saul's rage. David witnesses the slaughter at Nob in terms of the priests at Nob, the 85 men who lost their lives and their families because Saul in his murderous rage was trying to get at David. We see more in terms of David and Saul confrontation, David graciously, kindly, and lawfully sparing the Lord's anointed at every step. of the way. We see the opposition by Nabal.
Not only does David have to deal with an envious, rebellious, wicked, murderous king, but he's got to deal with a real scoundrel by the name of Nabal. And then he's got this dilemma with the Philistines in chapter 28. Certainly you would think that David gets some time off now, don't you? You would think that David's earned a bit of rest.
David should get some time on the beach. David should get some time with his two wives, with Ahinoam and Abigail. He should just get to chill. I mean, this man has been hunted like a dog.
He's been pursued and almost brought to the point of death. And then we get to Ziklag in chapter 30.
The Scene at Ziklag
Notice the discovery at Ziklag. We're just looking at the first nine verses because they're very instructive for us here. The first place, remember the context. Now, the distance between AFAC and Ziklag would have been about 60 miles, and it would be about a three-day journey.
What do you think these men and David are thinking about on that three-day journey home? They're probably thinking about their wives. They're probably thinking about their children. They're probably thinking about the comforts of a good meal, Nice bet.
They have come basically face to face with a very difficult dilemma in being asked to march against Israel. So their mindset is such that they want some time at home to relax. This is no longer a raiding campaign. This is a journey home.
Now notice the situation as they return to Ziklag. Verse one, it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day that the Amalekites had invaded the south and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire and had taken captive the women and those who were there from small to great. They did not kill anyone but carried them away and went their way. So the Amalekites had invaded the south and Ziklag.
That's David's city. The Amalekites had burned Ziklag with fire. Imagine that. You've returned home.
You've faced dilemmas. You've been hunted like a dog. You just want to lay down and rest. You just want to throw your arms around your wives, if you're David.
You just want to kiss your children on the head. And you want to eat some lamb and cheese and relax. and you come home to find Ziklag burned and you come home to find your family gone. Now it says that the Amalekites didn't kill them. The Amalekites took them because the Amalekites would sell them into slavery.
It's not that they spared their lives because they were noble, virtuous humans. No, Amalek had a history of being wretched toward Israel. Back in Deuteronomy chapter 25, verses 17 to 19, they had interfered with Israel. Remember, Saul was supposed to exterminate Agag and all the Amalekites according to chapter 15.
David, one of his raiding campaigns, was against Amalekites. Certainly it doesn't mean that he exterminated every single Amalekite because there's enough of a contingency of Amalekites here to attack Ziklag and to lead off all of the wives and the children. So we already know this, verses 1 and 2. This is author or narrator, telling us the situation.
Now we get to see David's discovery in verse 3. So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire, and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Davis says, here is a sobering and disturbing picture for God's people. He says, are there not times when you think it cannot get any worse?
Really, think about this for a moment. Don't you ever get to that point? Maybe you haven't. You've probably met Christians that have gotten to this point.
I just don't think I can take any more. I just don't think I can handle anymore. I think if anybody was at the point of saying that, it probably at least could have been David. I mean, just look at what we sketched briefly.
Just think about what we have seen briefly in terms of David's life. He has been on the run. He has been hunted. even when he goes to Ziklag in chapter 27. We understand why.
We understand why he seeks solace and safety in Philistia. Maybe it wasn't the wisest or the bestest decision, but we understand it. He's tired. He's weary.
He's caring not only for his own family, but for 600 men and for their families. They're hungry. They're thirsty. All those things that come upon a man.
He goes to Philistia to try and get some safe haven for a time. And here he is spent. Davis says, here is a sobering and disturbing picture for God's people. Are there not times when you think it cannot get any worse?
And 1 Samuel 30 says, yes, it can. You see, this isn't what we typically like, is it? We don't like 1 Samuel 30s in our lives. We like, after a period of trial, a period of rest.
After a period of tribulation, we want a session of comfort. After a period of hardship, we want to relax. Well, what the author is telling us, in no uncertain terms, is that that's not always God's way. God has other purposes, God has other means, God has other things at His disposal that He is working out in our lives.
Davis says, there are times when you conclude that your present trouble is the last straw. You simply cannot take any more. Then comes Ziklag, the last straw after the last straw. And Davis here in his commentary recites or cites again what I quoted earlier. that text in Psalm 50.
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. You get to Ziklag and then you say, and yes, then disaster follows in the afternoon. You see, God's ways are not our ways, brethren. We think that we ought to get equal payment of comfort and rest and safety and solace after we have gone through a period of suffering.
And the Lord God, as David says in this particular instance, 1 Samuel 30 says, yes, it can get worse. Be careful when you counsel believers. Be careful when you encourage the saints. I mean, I'm not saying look to Ziklag and see how miserable your lot's going to be, but we don't know what God has in store for his people.
We don't know that everything's going to be all right tomorrow. But we ultimately know that God holds tomorrow, and whatever we go through, he will be with us. And that is the point of Ziklag. As we move through the narrative, David gives us a strategy on how to deal with the Ziklags in our lives.
How to deal with our Goliaths in the Valley of Elah? No, just kidding. That's not how we deal with that passage. But this certainly holds out information to all of God's people that when the last straw isn't the last straw, and the last straw isn't the last straw, and the trials come in waves rather than in ripples, David's tactic in this particular chapter is something the people of God certainly need to imitate in their lives.
So we see the discovery, everybody's gone that is near and dear to them, everything is burned that they presently own, and they are in a bad state. So
Weeping and Blame at Ziklag
what's the response in verses 4 to 6? Weeping. It's a good response, isn't it? What do you do when you come back to Ziklag and your wives are gone, and your children are gone, and your houses are burnt?
Not much else you can do but to weep, isn't it? I mean, this is real. This is what it is. This is God's holy word and an honest depiction of what befalls the people of God.
This is a perfectly legitimate and consistent response to tragedy and to trials and to difficulty. If you need to fall on the floor and cry your eyes out, God is okay with that. That is what we find in verse 4. It says, then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep.
They cried themselves out. They no longer had the energy to weep. to produce tears and to sob and to agonize and to groan. I mean, that is the extent of their suffering. And verse 5 seems to want to underscore the extent of their suffering by indicating that it wasn't just his man, but Ahinoam and Abigail are gone.
They put their filthy Amalekite hands on the wives of the king-elect of God's Israel. This is a bad situation facing David and his men. And notice what else goes on with reference to this response. There is weeping and now there's blaming.
This happens, doesn't it? Verse 6, let's kill David. That seems to be a legitimate response to this problem in Ziklag. So now you're David.
He's suffered along with these men. He suffered long before these men. Remember, he didn't pick up the bulk of these men until chapter 22 in the cave of Adulla. David had since chapter 18 of problems before that.
So from 18 to the men in cave of Adullam, David had issues. He picks up the men from the cave of Adullam, he's got issues. And probably lots of them are those Adullamite men. Because they were the discontent, the indebted, and the distressed.
They probably weren't the most well-adjusted specimens in society. I'm not saying they were the worst guys as well, but I mean, even if they were the best guys, commanding 400 men is not an easy task. No doubt there's going to be issues. So David suffered before them, David suffered with them, and now David suffers from them.
They want to kill him. They want to stone him. They want to put David to death, according to verse 6. David was greatly distressed, not only because he lost his wives, not only because he's looking at ashes that used to be his bed, but because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, and every man for his sons and his daughters.
They turned against him. In this distress, in this misery, in this trial and woe, David gets another wave thrown upon him by virtue of the fact that his own men now want to kill him. So that brings us to the remedy in verses 6b to 8.
David Strengthened in the Lord
Notice, but David strengthened himself and the Lord is God. Isn't that glorious? Isn't that beautiful? We haven't heard about David and God in the last couple chapters.
I'm not saying David apostatized. I am saying that about Saul, not David. But there's been no communion with God language up to this point for a while in David's career. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
What does this mean? How does a man strengthen himself in the Lord his God? Well, there are several, or at least a few, suggestions in this particular passage.
Strength Through Knowledge of God
In the first place, the believer finds strength in the experiential knowledge of God. Notice what the text conspicuously says. David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. John 20, 28, Thomas said, my Lord and my God.
Galatians 2, 20, the Apostle Paul says, who loved me and gave himself for me. David didn't have just a cognitive understanding of the God of Israel. David knew the God of Israel experientially. It was his God.
True strength in God comes by knowing God. Alexander McLaren said this, David could no longer say my house, my city, or my possessions, but he could say my God. David strengthened himself in the Lord, his God.
Strength Through the Promises of God
Secondly, the believer finds strength in the promises of God. How do we know that's what's going on here? Turn back to 23.16 for just a moment. Chapter 23, verse 16.
Jonathan is speaking to David and in verse 16, then Jonathan saw son arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. Brethren, just by way of a sideline note, if you ever take the time to strengthen a fellow believer's hand in God, it may be the impetus for that believer, when he's on his own someday, to strengthen himself in his God. You see, the beauty and the blessing of Christian fellowship and brotherhood is such that we spur on our brothers to strength in God. So that when they're away from us, and when they fall into various trials, or when they end up in a zig-zag, perhaps they'll recall, there was a time when Jonathan strengthened my hand in God.
And he did it in this particular way, and so I'm going to do it in this particular way. How does Jonathan strengthen David's hand in God? It is by rehearsing the promises of God to David. Notice in verse 17 of chapter 23, And he said to him, Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you.
You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that. So how does the believer strengthen himself in his God? By first, knowing his God.
Secondly, by believing the promises of God. And
Strength Through Means of Grace
thirdly, by using the means of grace. How does David strengthen himself in the Lord his God? Look at verses 7 and 8. He uses the means of grace.
He calls to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son. Please bring the ephod here to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. So David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue this troop?
Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them. And without fail, recover. all. He used the means of grace.
He calls for the priest. He asks for the ephod. He seeks direction from Yahweh. You see, all of this zig-zag disaster highlights for David his absolute dependence upon his God.
So he seeks his God, he asks for direction, and lo and behold, the remainder of chapter 30 is God providing deliverance yet again, yet again for His servant David. This is a beautiful display of what believers ought to do when they hit what they thought was their last straw that turns out to be just a series of straws in an unfolding of difficult providences. David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. So God provides direction.
The Lord willing, next Wednesday, we'll take up this counterattack upon the Amalekites and how David conducts himself in there. But
Conclusion: Trials and God's Grace
I just want to conclude with a few thoughts, and then we'll close. In the first place, if this has not been emphasized enough, let me emphasize it again. There are continual trials in the lives of God's people. It's just the way it is.
Jesus learned obedience through suffering. Certainly the sons that he brings to glory are going to learn obedience through suffering. We have a lot of rough edges. We have a lot of hardened places on us.
And the Lord God uses trial and uses difficulty to pare those things off and to conform us unto the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. The presence of trials are promised by Jesus in John 16.33. I mean, and in the final words of Jesus to his disciples in the upper room discourse, he tells them, in this world, you will have tribulation. You see, Jesus doesn't hide this truth from us.
Notice that 1 Samuel 30 is in our Bibles. God doesn't say, or God doesn't move the author to say, well, you know, don't put that in, because David was having a really rotten string of luck there. And we don't want the reader to think that the Christian life looks like that. We don't want them to think that Ziklag actually occurs.
No, God tells us what occurs in the Christian life. You know what you're getting into when you sign up with reference to the cross. And brethren, may I just make one more plug for the Old Testament. Isn't this the Christian life fleshed out?
I mean, our Ziklags aren't David's, I'm going to tell you right now. that we will never return to a burned home and an abducted family. But brethren, this is the Christian life lived out in day-to-day situations. As well, the persistence of trials are witnessed in the life of David. So Jesus doesn't just say that in John 16.33 and leave us to scratch our heads and say, well, what do you mean?
I mean, certainly we have the account of Paul. Paul knew his trials, and Paul knew his share of suffering, but so does David. The Lord provides that which his servants can handle. We need to take that from this passage.
I don't think I could handle a ziklag, but if God sends a ziklag, He's going to send the grace to deal with a ziklag. You see, we need to understand that. God gives the grace requisite for the situation that we are facing. If you or I were David, we might have just kept on weeping.
Verse 4 might have been a whole lot longer. And he wept and he wept and he wept. When we got to verse 6 and they were ready to throw stones at us, we might have just said, go ahead, I'm a miserable wretch and I deserve it. What does David do?
David strengthened himself and the Lord is God. You see, the Lord gives the grace that is requisite at the time of the situation that we need. And then the Lord provides deliverance to his people from their trials. It's an intriguing follow-up to this event.
They found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. This Egyptian happens to know it was the Amalekites. Remember, David didn't know at this point it was the Amalekites. Do you think they wrote on what used to be garages, the Amalekites were here?
Ha ha, we got you. David and his men don't know it's Amalekites. You and I know it because we have 1 Samuel 30. But up to this point, David and his men don't have a clue.
They have rubble and they have the absence of family and comfort. That's it. And they happen upon this Egyptian. Remember God's providence throughout 1 Samuel.
This Egyptian that they don't first press for information. He first feeds him and gives him water. He sustains the life of this Egyptian. One man says we see the messianic character of David. fully revealed in chapter 30 here.
He's strengthening himself in Yahweh as God. He's showing kindness and care to sojourners and to strangers. And he's gracious in the dispensing of goods and all those things. David, Messiah, has returned in 1 Samuel 30.
Not that he was absent, but in those instances, there were some situations there that were a bit difficult to get one's mind wrapped around. And then the response to trials are to strengthen oneself in God. Just think about that. I love that McLaren quote.
David could no longer say, my house, my city, or my possessions, but he could say, my God. We may not be able to say, my house, my city, my family, my health, my this, my that, but there is the fact that we can always say, my God. As well, we need to understand the contrast between Saul and David. We've seen a little bit of it in terms of the morning in chapter 29 and the night in chapter 28.
But notice chapter 30. What does David have recourse to that Saul does not? Yahweh. David can call upon the Lord.
David can call a Biathar. Saul can't call a priest because he's murdered them all. got Abiathar out into safety. So David has access to the priest, to the ephod. David gets the word of God.
Robert Alter says, there is an antithetical contrast here between David, who has priest and ephod to convey to him God's oracular counsel, and Saul, who frustrated in all his attempts to discover God's intentions, resorts to forbidden necromancy. So appreciate this contrast between the two men. David's dilemma, 28, 1 and 2. David's salvation, 29.
David's strength, 30. Saul's dilemma, he's going to battle Philistines in chapter 31. And he has no word from the Lord. So he seeks out the witch at Endor and ultimately hears from Samuel that he will die the next day in battle.
It is obvious we have the rise of David, the decline of Saul. And that's not because of military savvy or political ability, but because of the relationship the one sustains to God and the other has rejected. Well, let us close in a word of prayer.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we pray that you would help us to take these lessons and apply them in our lives. God, certainly our trials are not like what David faced at Ziklag. Certainly there are trials and tribulations in the Christian life. There are seasons of weeping and wailing over such things.
But God, even that's not strengthening ourselves in the Lord. We need to use the means that you've provided. We need to recall and rehearse the promises of God. We need to realize that you are our God and that we are your children.
We ask that you would go with us now and watch over us in the remainder of this week We pray that you would bring us together on the Sabbath day, that we may worship you in spirit and in truth. And we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.