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1 Samuel chapter 30, we're going 
to take up verses 9 to 31 this evening. 1 Samuel 30 verses 9 
to 31, but I'll start reading in verse 1 so we can review a 
bit of the previous section. Beginning in chapter 30 at verse 
1, 1 Samuel, now it happened when David and his men came to 
Ziklag on the third day that the Amalekites had invaded the 
south in 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 Jezreelites, 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 in the Lord his 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. So David went, he and the 600 
men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those 
stayed who were left behind. But David pursued he and 400 
men, for 200 stayed behind, who were so weary that they could 
not cross the brook Besor. Then they found an Egyptian in 
the field and brought him to David. And they gave him bread, 
and he ate, and they let him drink water. And they gave him 
a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. So when 
he had eaten, his strength came back to him, for he had eaten 
no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights. 
Then David said to him, to whom do you belong and where are you 
from? And he said, I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an 
Amalekite. And my master left me behind 
because three days ago I fell sick. We made an invasion of 
the southern area of the Karathites in the territory which belongs 
to Judah and of the southern area of Caleb. And we burned 
Ziklag with fire. And David said to him, can you 
take me down to this troop? So he said, swear to me by God 
that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands 
of my master, and I will take you down to this troop. And when 
he had brought him down, there they were, spread out over all 
the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the 
great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines 
and from the land of Judah. Then David attacked them from 
twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them 
escaped, except 400 young men who rode on camels and fled. 
So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, 
and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, 
either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything 
which they had taken from them. David recovered all. Then David 
took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those 
other livestock and said, this is David's spoil. Now David came 
to the 200 men who had been so weary that they could not follow 
David, whom they had also made to stay at the Brook Besor. So 
they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with 
him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them. 
Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David 
answered and said, because they did not go with us, we will not 
give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for 
every man's wife and children, that they may lead them away 
and depart. But David said, my brethren, you shall not do so 
with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and 
delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. For who 
will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down 
to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies. They shall share alike. So it 
was from that day forward. He made it a statute and an ordinance 
for Israel to this day. Now when David came to Ziklag, 
he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, 
saying, here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies 
of the Lord, to those who were in Bethel, those who were in 
Ramoth of the south, those who were in Jatir. those who were 
in Aroer, those who were in Sifmoth, those who were in Eshtimoah, 
those who were in Rakal, those who were in the cities of the 
Jerameelites, those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 
those who were in Hormah, those who were in Koroshan, those who 
were in Athok, those who were in Hebron, and to all the places 
where David himself and his men were accustomed to rove. Amen. Well, as we look at this particular 
chapter, we see that it goes from tragedy to triumph. At the 
end of the chapter, we see David being able to not only share 
this spoil with the 200 men that they left at the brook, but David 
was able to send gifts or presents from the spoil to the cities 
in Judah who had been friendly toward him. It starts off very 
bleak, and it ends very positively. Remember last week, we saw specifically 
in chapter 30 verses 1 to 8. David had been in a dilemma with 
the Philistines when the Philistines asked David to march with them 
against Israel in battle. Of course, David could not do 
that as the one who was destined to the throne in Israel. And 
so ultimately what happens when they gather together at Aphek 
on the way to the battle, there is a military parade. When the 
lords of the Philistines see David, and they see his men, 
they say that they do not want him to participate with them 
in the battle against Israel. So David and his men are off 
the hook, and they travel the 60 miles back to Ziklag. When they get to Ziklag, we see 
what happens in chapter 30. They return, their houses have 
been burned, their cities have been burned, their families have 
been taken, and all of the people weep. They wept until they couldn't 
weep anymore, according to verse 4. Verse 5 indicates that it 
wasn't just the men who had their families taken, but also a Hinnoam 
and Abigail. David's wives were taken as well. 
In verse 6, David's own men pick up stones and want to stone him. 
They figure, blame him. They figure, take him out. Must 
have been his problem. Wouldn't necessarily return their 
families, but it would have made them feel better to stone David 
with stones. And David's response is to find 
his remedy and his help in the living God. In verse 6b, we see 
that David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. And the 
three ways that a man strengthens himself in the Lord his God, 
according to this particular chapter, is, in the first place, 
the experiential knowledge of God. He strengthened himself 
in Yahweh, his God. He was able to say, God is mine, 
as that man McLaren said. He could no longer say my city, 
he could no longer say my possessions, he could no longer say my family, 
but he could still say My God. The second way that David strengthened 
himself in his God was through a rehearsal of the promises of 
God. If you remember back in chapter 
23 at verse 16, Jonathan strengthened David's hand in the Lord God, 
specifically by rehearsing God's promises to David as a means 
of encouragement. David knew that as a tactic, 
we must believe that that is one of the means by which he 
strengthened himself in the Lord as God. And then the third way 
was a use of the means of grace. Verse 7, David said to Abiathar 
the priest, Ahimelech's son, please bring the ephod here to 
me. David used the priesthood. David 
appealed to the living God. David sought his help and his 
remedy in God. and that is precisely what he 
did when tragedy hit. When he got to what appeared 
to be the last straw, which wasn't going to be the last straw, nevertheless 
he finds his strength in the living God. And from the remainder 
of the chapter we see that God undertook on his behalf and God 
blessed it and turned that tragedy into triumph. So we're going 
to look at three things tonight in 30 verses 9 to 31. First, 
the providence of God in verses 8 to 15. Secondly, the power 
of God in verses 16 to 20. And then thirdly, the provision 
of God in verses 21 to 31. We could structure it according 
to the Amalekites. We could say the pursuit of the 
Amalekites, verses 8 to 15, the victory over the Amalekites, 
verses 16 to 20, and the plunder of the Amalekites in verses 21 
to 31. But because this is theological history, I believe that our narrator 
wants us to understand something of God in this passage. So we'll look at it, the providence, 
the power, and the provision of God in bringing aid to David 
at a very low and difficult time in his life. Notice in the first 
place, with reference to the providence of God, David and 
his men pursue. David seeks out Abiathar. He 
inquires of the Lord. He asks specifically in verse 
8, shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them? And the 
divine response in 8b is, he answered him, pursue, for you 
shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. Before 
we actually begin this pursuit, isn't that a blessed thing? When 
God gives us a promise, and testifies that it will come to pass, we 
then step out in faith. We're not to question God. We're 
not to wonder if he's really telling us the truth. When God 
the Lord makes us a promise, that is something that we can 
indeed step out on in faith. Remember when the spies went 
out to survey the promised land in Numbers 13 and 14. What happens 
when the spies return? Ten spies whined, grumbled, and 
complained, but two spies, Joshua and Caleb, said, let's go take 
the land at once. Why? Because God had already 
promised that he was going to give the land to the nation of 
Israel. Joshua and Caleb's faith is admirable, 
They walked by faith in the promise of the living God. Those ten 
spies had the same promise, but they didn't walk by faith in 
that promise. Those ten spies had the same 
word, and yet they whined and grumbled and complained. So often 
that is the case with God's people today. We're all given the same 
promises. We're all given the same word. 
We all have the same 66 books. God testifies concerning certain 
realities in our lives, and there are some people who take him 
at his word and they walk by faith. Others choose not to believe 
that word, and they struggle, they whine, they complain, and 
they grumble. We need to learn from David, 
we need to learn from those two spies that went out on that reconnaissance 
mission. When God the Lord makes a promise, 
that promise is good, that promise is sure, that promise does not 
fail, it does not falter, it does not fall. So notice this 
pursuit in verses 9 and 10. They go as far as the brook Besor. This was probably about 12 to 
15 miles south of Ziklag. Remember, David doesn't know 
specifically that it was the Amalekites that burned Ziklag. He may have had his hunches, 
he may have had his suspicions, but they probably didn't write 
on the smoldering ash, the Amalekites were here. They probably didn't 
leave a calling card they probably didn't give any indication whatsoever 
that they were the ones responsible for having destroyed Amalek. Today, obviously, if something 
like that happens, it's on the news, it's in the headlines, 
it's on Facebook, it's all over Twitter, social media knows everything. Just as soon as something occurs, 
hey, did you hear the Amalekites destroyed Ziklag? We would know 
it quicker than you could blink. But David at this point doesn't 
know. He suspects the invasion came from the south, so they 
depart Ziklag down into this particular area at the Brook 
Besor. Notice as they get there, 600 
accompany David and 200 remain there at the Brook. Note the 
text. David pursued, he and 400 men. 
For 200 stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not 
cross the Brook Besor. I mean, these men were hammered. 
These men were tired. These men were worn out. And 
these men were certainly disheartened at the reality that their city 
and their houses were now burned, and that their families had been 
abducted by an invading enemy. So on the one hand, we ought 
to say, you know what, dudes, you ought to go with David and 
his men. But on the other hand, we ought to realize that I would 
probably be in a similar situation, being so weary that we couldn't 
even cross the Brook Besor. Now notice the specific act of 
providence in verses 11 to 15. Then they found an Egyptian in 
the field. I mean, isn't that lucky? Isn't 
that a wonderful occurrence? I mean, didn't that just happen 
to be the case for that? I mean, as we've studied 1 Samuel, 
haven't we seen conspicuously God's providence throughout? 
Never once has the author said, now what I'm about to write to 
you is an account of God's providence. Never once has the author given 
us a marginal note to indicate to us, hey, I want you to observe 
God's providence. But every step of the way, the 
author has announced with great clarity that this is indeed God's 
providence. David and his men suffered great 
loss. They don't know where the enemy 
is that had engaged in this particular act. Verse 11, then they found 
an Egyptian in the field, and they brought him to David. So 
he is found. And then he is cared for. Notice 
that David doesn't say, we're going to hold this bright light 
over you, and we're going to wave these raisin cakes before 
you. We're going to bring this water 
in front of you. And if you talk, then you get 
to have these things. No, the care preceded the talk. Some suggest that what David 
does here is simply feeds this man in order to get the information. But the text is conspicuously 
the opposite. David, in a messianic way, is 
showing kindness and compassion to the downtrodden and poor, 
just like Jesus passing through Jericho when all the multitudes 
would tell those two men to be quiet He doesn't have time for 
you. He doesn't want to hear you. 
When those two men say, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us, 
Jesus stops, and He goes to them, or He has them come to Him, and 
He says, what would you have me to do? He shows compassion 
and mercy and kindness, and others have observed that David is truly 
messianic here in chapter 30. So we see they bring him to David, 
and they gave him bread, and he ate, and they let him drink 
water. They gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters 
of raisins. So when he had eaten, his strength 
came back to him. For he had eaten no bread nor 
drunk water for three days and three nights, Then David said 
to him, to whom do you belong, and where are you from? He shows 
the kindness. He shows the care. He shows the 
concern. Now that this Egyptian has his 
strength back, David questions him. David's not a fool. He's certainly a man of care, 
and of compassion, and of kindness. But he wants to find out who 
did in Ziklag. And this is what he does. He 
asks the man specifically, to whom do you belong, and where 
are you from? And the servant says, I am a 
young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite, and my master 
left me behind because three days ago I fell sick. Now this was cruel, wasn't it? 
I mean, that was just a barbarous thing for this Amalekite master 
to do. Unbeknownst to this Amalekite 
master, when he in this barbarity left this Egyptian to die, it 
would prove his own undoing. Look at God's providence in that 
regard. This man, with a carelessness 
and a wickedness against his own servant, abandons him to 
die, and that is the occasion that God the Lord is going to 
use to highlight or to alert rather David and his men so that 
they can go and clean house on the Amalekites. John Gill says 
concerning this particular action which was very barbarous and 
cruel to leave him at all when they had camels with them and 
no doubt carriages for their arms provision and spoil and 
men. I mean they weren't lacking at 
this point were they? In fact when we get to verse 
16 they're having a great party. I mean, they're whooping it up. 
They're drinking, they're singing, they're dancing. That is what 
verse 16 says. This was a celebratory party 
because the Amalekites had cleaned house in the south of Judah and 
in Philistia. They had no, you know, lack in 
terms of providing a few niceties to this particular servant. Gil 
goes on to say, and more so to leave him without anybody with 
him to take care of him and without any food. Was he capable of eating 
any? But so it was ordered by the 
providence of God that should be left to the instrument of 
the just ruin of his master and of the whole troop. The cruelty 
of his master was the occasion of his own undoing. It truly 
is an amazing picture of God's providence. And we need to appreciate 
in this particular instance, this was crucial information. David had to have this. If David 
didn't meet this Egyptian, if this Egyptian had not told him 
his tale concerning the Amalekite, David and his men would not know 
who to go after to recover their families. Remember, this isn't 
just, I want to go and find my lost marbles. These are wives 
These are children. These are people that David and 
his family love, or David and his men love. So this was absolutely 
essential information that God in his good providence provided 
to David through this Egyptian. Very often, God's ways are not 
our ways. We can all testify. But we must 
also testify that his ways are always calculated to do good 
for those who love him and to those who are the called according 
to his purpose. They happen to meet an Egyptian. They happen to run into the one 
man who can alert them to where these invaders are. so they can 
go and make good on this particular situation. So David asks specifically 
in verse 15, can you take me down to this troop? The Egyptian 
says, swear to me by God, now in the mouth of an Egyptian that 
might have been swear to me by gods, that you will neither kill 
me nor deliver me into the hands of my master and I will take 
you down to this troop. So that brings us, secondly, 
to the power of God. Again, it's the victory over 
the Amalekites. But everywhere in chapter 30, 
God gets the credit for the victory. Everywhere in chapter 30, from 
the announcement in verse 8, after David calls for Abiathar 
and wants to seek God through the ephod, God tells him, pursue 
and you will recover. In verse 23, David indicates 
that deliverance this day came from the Lord. Verse 26 indicates 
that these gifts given to the friends in the cities of Judah 
have come as a result of the direct intervention of God Most 
High. So the victory over the Amalekites 
in verses 16 to 20 is the power of God displayed. Now notice 
in verse 16, as I've already indicated, they're partying. 
What this is, they are partying. They are enjoying the fruits 
of their labors. They have burned cities. They 
have stolen people. They have in their possession 
wives and children that they're no doubt going to sell into slavery. I mean, these are bad characters. 
These are bad men. And now they are rejoicing and 
dancing because of all the great spoil which they had taken from 
the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. Notice 
what is conspicuously absent as well. They didn't post a guard. They had nobody on watch. I mean, 
that's a tactical error of major proportion. We can probably understand 
why they knew or they believed or they perhaps had intel that 
the Philistines would be busy fighting Israel over at Gilboa. And they might have had intel 
that suggested that David and his men would be with the Philistines 
fighting Israel at Gilboa. So what would that effectively 
do with southern Judah and with Philistia? It would open it up 
for the taking. The Amalekites would go in, engage 
in their particular endeavors. So by the time they get to verse 
16, it had been done, it had been in the bag. They thought, 
you know, this was a This was a good gig. We don't need to 
post any guards. Everybody ought to drink. Everybody 
ought to dance. Everybody ought to celebrate. 
Well, that was a tactical blunder because note in verse 17, the 
attack. Then David attacked them from 
twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them 
escaped except 400 young men who rode on camels and fled. Now, David obviously is named, 
but David and his 400 men. David, obviously, is named, but 
as I said, the rest of the chapter and the rest of the Bible indicates 
that salvation and deliverance come from God. It was God who 
brought this to pass. It was God's providence in putting 
that Egyptian there. It was God's providence in giving 
David that compassion to feed him and care for him so that 
he gives them the intel that they need. It was God's providence 
that the Amalekites had this idea that they were untouchable 
and they would not post a guard during their party. It was God 
who was in absolute control every step of the way. While David 
attacks, the victory is from God most high. It indicates at 
the end of verse 17, not a man of them escaped except 400 young 
men who rode on camels and fled. You know what this should tell 
us? That David and his 400 men were formidable. They were Hardcore 
warriors. I mean, if the escapees total 
the number that David had, what does that indicate in terms of 
the Amalekite forces that they no doubt slayed there at that 
particular party? They're drinking and dancing 
and waking up with knives in their throats. They're drinking 
and they're dancing and they're waking up, not at all. They're 
drinking and they're dancing and God's servant, David, the 
king of Israel, goes as a battle-proven warrior to destroy these Amalekites. When the men who actually escape 
number what you have chances are or statistics are that you 
have a very strong force of men that were able to obliterate 
a great deal of Amalekites and spill a lot of their blood on 
that particular battlefield. Now before you say, well that 
seems a bit harsh speaking about their blood, spill. These men 
just stole their families. These men just burned down their 
houses. These men just burned Ziklag 
to the ground and were drinking and dancing in celebration as 
a result. It is right for David and his 
400 men to repay on these enemies of God most high what they justly 
deserve. Now notice, in verse 18, so David 
recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away and David rescued 
his two wives. Notice the two verbs used in 
verse 18. He recovered and he rescued. Go back to verse 8. Two verbs, 
not exactly the same, but similar. Pursue for you shall surely overtake 
and without fail recover. So just as God promises in verse 
8, So it comes to pass in verse 18. And in case we miss verse 
18, verse 19 underscores the totality of God's promise by 
telling us, nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or 
great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken 
from them, David recovered all. Isn't that beautiful? He strengthened 
himself and Yahweh is God and he recovered all. You see the 
blessed link in this particular chapter? Brethren, when trial 
hits, do not run to the world for your remedy. When trials 
come, do not run away into wherever for remedy. Strengthen yourself 
in God. I'm not suggesting that every 
time we strengthen ourselves in God, He will always repay 
us twofold for whatever we lost. That health, wealth, and prosperity 
formula, that's not what I'm suggesting. But what I am saying 
with absolute conviction is that when the people of God strengthen 
themselves in their God, He is always faithful to them, to bring 
them through trial, to bring them through Tragedy. To see 
them to the very end. We must believe that as God's 
people. We are reformed. We believe in 
the sovereignty of God. Also called Calvinism. Often 
times Calvinism have a doctrinal appreciation for sovereignty. 
But as soon as tragedy hits, we forget all that and we whine 
like little girls. We need to man up like David 
and strengthen ourselves in the Lord our God, refresh ourselves 
in the promises of God. We need to use the means that 
God has ordained and we need to be faithful. in that place 
that God will see us through to the very end. Again, we may 
not move from the tragedy to the triumph that David experiences 
in this particular chapter, but we will always move from tragedy 
to triumph, if not in this world, in the world to come. We are 
heading to heaven above. We are going to glory. We are 
going to Emmanuel's land. That is promised to all the people 
who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. We ought not to be a 
people that are faithless in light of this God. We ought to 
be a people that are faithful, and persevering, and enduring, 
and standing fast, and fighting on, and getting up to soldier 
along another day. David, or the men of David, wanted 
to stone David. They wept, they blame shifted, 
David strengthened himself in his God. We learn from that, 
that strengthening ourselves in our God isn't crying, and 
it isn't blame shifting. Now I'm not saying we can't cry, 
I am saying we shouldn't blame shift. But weeping, in and of 
itself, is not strengthening oneself in his God. It is when 
David turned himself to his God, to his promises, and to his means, 
that's when this strength occurred. And God answers through the ephod, 
God answers through Abiathar, and come to verses 18 and 19, 
David recovered all. The Lord our God is faithful. The Lord our God is good. The 
Lord our God comes through for his people, and David is a living 
testimony of that. Now notice in verse 20, I think 
this text or this particular verse is a little bit difficult, 
but I think the idea is, is that not only did David recover all, 
all that they had lost in terms of their family and in terms 
of their possessions, but he took what they had recovered. 
He took what they had taken. He took what they had in their 
possession. I think that's the emphasis there 
in verse 20. So David recovers all. Then David 
took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those 
other livestock and said, this is David's spoil. Now let's come 
thirdly to the provision of God in verses 21 to 31. In the first place, the distribution 
to the 200 men. Remember those 200 fellows that 
were too weary to cross the brook Besor? Well, they go back to 
the Brook Besor according to verse 21. Now, David came to 
the 200 men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, 
whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. Notice the 
text here. They made them to stay there. 
And then dropping down in verse 24, It says specifically, so 
shall his part be who stays by the supply. So they were too 
weary to cross the brook Besor, but they still served a particular 
function. You see, for David and those 
400 men to be combat ready and savvy, to be able to go out and 
destroy Amalekites, they couldn't be laden down with all the stuff 
they did have. They had to go, they had to be 
quick, they had to go under the cover of night, and they had 
to do business with the Molokites. So the 200 men guarded the stuff. The 200 men guarded the property. The 200 men actually did serve 
a purpose. So verse 21, they return. In 
the middle of the verse, so they went out to meet David and to 
meet the people who were with him. And when David came near 
the people, he greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless 
men of those who went with David answered and said, because they 
did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that 
we have recovered, except for every man's wife and children 
that they may lead them away and depart. These are sons of 
Belial. It's not the entirety of the 
400 men. It tells us, then all the wicked 
and worthless men of those who went with David answered and 
said. So among that 400, you had this group, these sons of 
Belial, these worthless men, these scoundrels. They said, 
we don't want to share the loot with the 200 that stayed behind. 
You kind of get their process, don't you? Not me, man. I think 
we should just share. Just enter in with a sinner here 
for a moment. You can kind of get their process. 
As far as they're concerned, we did the heavy lifting. We 
cut Amalekite throats. We killed Amalekite soldiers. 
We had to risk our lives going into close hand battle. So these 
men, these 400 said, we don't want to give them except for 
every man's wife and children. We don't want to be saddled with 
their wives and children. Let them have their own wives 
and children and let them flee and depart. Let them go, David. Let them go away from us. We don't want to share with them 
these particular things." Now, again, there's something of the 
messianic character of David in this response. When I say 
messianic character, I mean his typical significance. He's functioning 
like the Messiah. He's functioning like His greater 
Son. He's functioning with that kindness, 
compassion, but as well with a great deal of wisdom, and a 
great deal of ingenuity, and a great deal of ability and competency. Remember what's happening here, 
brethren. We've already got the announcement 
in chapter 28 through the facility of the witch at Endor. Saul knows 
he's going to die. All that has to happen for Saul 
is in the next chapter, him dying. Saul is effectively out of the 
picture. Who's the next king? It's David. You see, when we read 1 Samuel, 
we need to understand that David is being prepared. David is being 
groomed. David is being made the man that 
he's going to be when he functions as the king in Israel. And so 
we want to see how David responds to this particular statement 
from these sons of Belial. And his answer is actually five-fold. And I won't go through this in 
great detail. But notice, in the first place, 
in verses 23 to 25, the warmth expressed by David. He doesn't 
say, you worthless men, you need to be quiet, you need to shut 
your mouths. No, look at how he addresses 
that. He addresses the wicked and worthless men of the 400 
in verse 23 by saying, my brethren, That's gracious. That's compassionate. That's the way that you do business. It's the way Stephen responded 
when he was called upon before the Sanhedrin. He says, my brethren 
and fathers. He doesn't say, you worthless 
wicked men. I'm going to just call down the 
judgment of God upon you. There is a kindness and a tactfulness 
that we are to engage in when we deal even with those who object 
to us. We need to conduct ourselves 
always in the orbit of Christian ethics. We're not supposed to 
scream and yell and fight and rage and yell and have tantrums. David responds in a very effective 
way with, my brethren, he wants to win them. These 400 men are 
still bloodied with Amalekites. These are profitable men. These 
are men that you want in your employ and in your armory and 
in your battlefield when you do ascend the throne. You don't 
want to alienate them. You don't want to send them away. 
You want to convince them by sound argument that they ought 
to fight with you and fight for you and agree with your decision 
in this regard. Notice, secondly, his theological 
argument. And this is the bulk. that we'll 
spend our time on. Notice in verse 23, David said, 
My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given 
us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop 
that came against us. He argues theologically. He argues concerning what God 
has done. God has given, therefore we give. God has delivered, therefore 
we show kindness. Davis makes this comment with 
reference to the spoil as given by God. He says, David's theology 
determines his viewpoint and stands behind his directive of 
verse 24. David is going to assert authority. In verse 24, David's going to 
say, we're going to give those 200 men their share. I mean, 
David is going to assert that authority. But again, the theological 
argument, he acknowledges the grace and deliverance of God. 
So Davis again. David's theology determines his 
viewpoint and stands behind his directive of verse 24. It is 
a theology of grace that keeps its eyes riveted on Yahweh's 
giftiness. It is his theology of grace that 
dictates the way he deals with others. He says the troublemakers 
function on a philosophy of works that is always impressed with 
its own contributions. We will not give them any of 
the plunder we have liberated. The latter makes sense and sounds 
logical, provided one never lifts his eyes to look to the hills 
to ask where his help has come from. But David knew better. 
This is not plunder we have recovered, he insisted, but what Yahweh 
has given us. The difference between grace 
and works is a difference between worship and idolatry. The man, 
inebriated with the thought that all he has is Yahweh's gift, 
finds himself repeatedly on his knees, adoring, thanking, praising. But if we do not grasp grace, 
we plummet into idolatry, for that is the inevitable corollary 
of self-sufficiency. I think that's perceptive. Robert 
Bannoy says concerning this statement, what the Lord has given us, he 
says, it should be clear to any observer of human behavior that 
prosperity and success are powerful stimulants for pride and self-sufficiency. That makes sense, doesn't it? 
He goes on to say, it is equally clear that a spirit of humility 
flourishes in the prosperous and successful person only when 
that individual success is consciously placed in the context of grace. It is God who gave us this. Of course these men at Besor 
are going to get a share. Vannoy says it is living by grace 
that encourages graciousness. That's what David is doing here. 
He is living by grace and that encourages graciousness. So he acknowledges the spoil 
was given by God. He acknowledges that deliverance 
was provided by God. Notice in the third place, David 
sets forth a challenge. Verse 24, for who will heed you 
in this matter? Who's going to agree with you? 
Who is going to step on your side? We serve a God that is 
full of love and grace and bounty. He has given us these things. 
Certainly we give them to these men as well. Then David asserts 
his authority in verse 24b. But as his part is who goes down 
to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies. They shall share alike." One 
wonders if perhaps the Apostle Paul would have that in his mind. Maybe not, I don't know, but 
in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, when he's dealing with the whole 
issue of spiritual gifts, the Apostle says that it takes all 
of the parts of the body to make the body function. You can't 
say, oh, I'm an eye. I have great prestige. Oh, I'm 
just a little toe. I have no usefulness in the body. No, without a little toe or without 
an eye, you don't have a full body. You have to have all the 
small pieces to make up a body. You have to have all the parts 
to make the whole. And if the men who stay at the 
Brook Besor, under David's leadership, get the same benefit as the 400 
men who waited in the battle with the Amalekites, then perhaps 
we ought to appreciate afresh what Paul says in 1 Corinthians. 
There is no insignificant part in the church. There is no small 
part in the church or an unimportant part in the church. You say, 
well, all I ever can do is pray. Bless God Almighty that He has 
His prayers. I'm reminded of Spurgeon. Someone 
once asked, what is the secret of your success? I think it was 
Spurgeon. My people pray for me. That's it. You know, when 
I'm out there preaching, we have a handful of people in the basement 
that are praying. That's the secret for success, 
prayerful people. You know, how often times do 
we underestimate prayer? Well, all we can do now is pray. That is one of the most wretched 
things that we can possibly say as believers. Well, all I can 
do now is pray. I mean, what is that? All I can 
do now is pray? We have the ear of the High King 
of Heaven and we're going to actually say, all I can do is 
pray? We get the blessed obligation 
or privilege to go before the High King of Heaven. Whatever 
it is, whatever small part, it makes up the whole. And under 
David's leadership, he said these 200 men at Besor were able to 
share alike. And then it was a policy enacted 
by David in verse 25. So it was from that day forward, 
he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. There 
is precedence in numbers 31, 25 to 27. You can look at that 
later on your own. You see, that's how David responded 
to these 200 or to these worthless men among the 400 concerning 
the 200 men that had remained at Besor. This is messianic. 
This is wisdom. This is a man that we want on 
the throne in Israel. Remember, in 1 Samuel, we're 
seeing the decline of Saul and the rise of David. One of the 
purposes that 1 Samuel was written was to encourage the people of 
God, who at that time was functioning as a theocratic monarchy, that 
they were to submit to and honor their king on earth. And this 
displays for us the wisdom and the ingenuity, the graciousness 
and the kindness of the king elect in Israel. Now notice the 
distribution to the friends in Judah. verses 26 to 31. The intention of David is stated 
in verse 26. The cities are listed in verses 
27 to 31. But Gill makes this very perceptive 
comment on verse 26. Notice, excuse me, now when David 
came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of 
Judah to his friends saying, Here is a present for you from 
the spoil of the enemies of the Lord. Some say that David was 
simply trying to grace the wheels. David was simply paying bribes. David was simply throwing out 
dough to the cities in Judah so that they would want him to 
be their king. That's not it. That's not what 
David is doing. However, what David is doing 
helps in that particular cause. It's probably a combination of 
things that is moving David in verse 26, and I think John Gill 
nailed it. He said concerning this distribution 
of gifts to his friends in Judah, he says, such as had been kind 
to him when he sojourned among them. so that this was a piece 
of gratitude. It was Thanksgiving. David had 
been done a solid by his friends in the cities of Judah. So when 
David comes into great spoil from Yahweh, when he gives to 
his men and there's leftovers, David sends it to these cities 
in Judah as a thank you. Thank you, brethren, for showing 
kindness and compassion to me when I was having to flee from 
Saul, when I was being hunted like a dog, when I was being 
persecuted for my position. But then Gil does go on to say, 
as well as of policy in him to make his way to the throne the 
easier. So it wasn't just that he was 
gracing the palm or gracing the wheels, but nevertheless, David 
is harmless as a dove, but he is wise as a serpent. It certainly 
isn't going to hurt him in his accession to the throne. to have 
these men in these cities of Judah happy towards him? I mean, that's going to help 
everything. David knows he's been anointed 
in chapter 16. David knows that he's heading 
for the throne. David suspects that Saul probably 
doesn't have a whole long time. left on this earth, and so David's 
time on the throne is coming. So back to Gil, as well as of 
policy in him to make his way to the throne the easier. He 
perceiving the time drawing on for the expiration of the kingdom 
in the family of Saul. That's for sure. We know that 
as soon as we finish this chapter, Saul and his family expire. And 
then Gil also indicates, and besides, some in those parts 
he sent of the spoil to might have been sufferers by the Amalekites 
so that it was but a point of justice to restore to them what 
had been taken from them. So gratitude, policy, and justice. David is a wise man. David is 
a sound man. David is a good man in this particular 
instance. The only city I want us to highlight 
on is in verse 31. Hebron. Hebron is a key city. When we get to 2 Samuel chapter 
2, it is in Hebron that he is made the king over Judah. Not yet Israel as a whole, but 
over Judah. So Hebron is a key place in 2 
Samuel 2, verses 1 to 4. So that's the exposition. Just 
a couple of observations before we close. In the first place. the providence of God. I hope 
we've banged that nail several times so that we get it. But 
remember, I just want to rehearse a few things that we have seen 
in 1 Samuel. We are coming to a close, God 
willing, in two weeks. There'll be no Bible study next 
Wednesday night. The following Wednesday night, hopefully, we'll 
finish chapter 31. But just consider the amount 
of providence we have seen. And this is just in the Saul, 
starting with Saul. We're not even going back to 
the very beginning. The providence of God was seen in identifying 
King Saul through lost donkeys. Who would have ever thought lost 
donkeys would provide the occasion for the king? or for the election 
of a king in Israel. As well, how does David meet 
Saul? It's because of David's musical 
ability and Saul's madness. Again, as you move through this 
book, I mean, if you were not a theist, if you were not a Christian, 
if you were not a believer in God, you would have to believe 
in luck. I mean, there's just a lot of 
things that fall right into place. Well, we know that because God 
governs all his creatures and all their actions. God is working 
all things out according to his own immutable plan. It is according 
to God's decree that all this takes place. As well, how does 
David come to the Valley of Elah in order to slay the Philistine 
giant? He comes as a result of having 
delivered cheese and finding out how his brothers are doing. 
I mean, he woke up that morning carrying his wheels of Gouda 
to the battlefield to ascertain how his brothers were doing so 
he could report back to Jesse. And the next thing you know, 
he's cutting Goliath's head off with Goliath's own sword. And 
then people are singing and dancing about his victories. I mean, 
again, that providence is amazing. The deliverance of David through 
Saul's family members. Remember back in 1 Samuel 19 
and 20? It is Michael, who's later on 
not a big fan of David. Nevertheless, make sure he escapes. 
Chapter 20, Jonathan. assists David in escaping from 
Saul? As well, how does David end up 
with Abiathar the priest? Now, all these providences aren't 
necessarily what we might call sunny providences. Some of them 
are dark. and difficult and gloomy to be 
sure, but God still works his purposes out through those as 
well, and I think we learned that in 1 Samuel. It was through 
Saul's murderous rage against the priests at Nab. Well, one 
of them was spared, and that one ended up with David. That 
one had the ephod by which David had access to the very presence 
of God Most High. As well, we have God delivering 
David by Philistines in both chapters 23 and 29. I mean, imagine that. David is 
delivered by the Philistines. In chapter 25, who is the deliverer 
there for David? Who keeps David from shedding 
blood in a way that is not sanctioned by Yahweh? It is Abigail. as Davis calls her, a savior 
in skirts. But even more so, it was the 
servant of Abigail that said, your husband is a knucklehead, 
and he has caused us a great deal of grief. That's what put 
Abigail on the track to do the right thing and to restrain David's 
hand. God the Lord uses these means. And as well, the recovery of 
family through an abandoned Egyptian. I mean, aren't God's ways amazing? It's real exciting, too, isn't 
it? Isn't it wonderful? I mean, sometimes people treat 
the Bible as if it's a systematic theology. It's not. I mean, there's 
systematic theological treatments. There's Romans, to be sure. But 
much of the Old Testament, especially these historical books, are narrative, 
daily life in the lives of God's people. How does God work? It's 
amazing, it's exciting, it's absolutely breathtaking when 
you take a panoramic view and see each and every step of the 
way God the Lord has everything under control. And of course 
we move from 1 Samuel, we look at our lives in that same panorama 
and we say every step of the way God has had everything under 
control. when I have fretted, when I have 
feared, when I have, you know, lost it, when I have, you know, 
responded poorly. God's nevertheless been there 
to overrule my madness and folly, and nevertheless He brings good 
out of it. How many times can you and I 
testify of a Romans 828 situation? How many times could we say, 
you know what? Paul was right. Paul said God 
does cause all things to work for good. We often think it means 
just the good things. But I've seen God work in good 
things. Actually, we probably don't even 
value it when he works through good things. because we already 
think they're good things. When it's the bad things, or 
the difficult things, or the trying things, God comes through 
and blesses. We can praise God for what we 
have in Him. Secondly, we need to appreciate 
the deliverance came by God. I don't want to rehearse this 
too much. Verses 8, 23, 26. Thirdly, the grace of God and 
the graciousness of David. I thought that Vannoy quote was 
great. It is living by grace that encourages graciousness. 
If we are a people that truly appreciate God's free Grace, 
I mean, it's in the name of our church. How ought we to be toward 
one another? How ought we to be toward those 
men who stayed at the brook Besor? Should we say, you know what? 
You didn't go to battle with us, so off with you. Go. We don't 
want you here. No, we should give them some 
of the spoil. We should divvy up the loot. 
We should give them those things for their benefit and for their 
happiness. And then the final thing, I didn't 
point it out, I just read it. But you may notice something 
at the end of verse 26. Now, when David came to Ziklag, 
he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, 
saying, here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies 
of the Lord. Now, as far as we are concerned, 
the Amalekites were an ancient people, a marauding people, a 
roving people, a raiding people. They bothered Philistines. They 
bothered Israelites. They were the enemies of God 
most high. What does that indicate? Remember 
when Paul is on the road to Damascus and he meets Jesus? And Jesus 
says, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. What does Jesus 
indicate? Jesus identifies with his church. Jesus identifies with his people. Jesus is right there when Stephen 
is getting stoned to death. Jesus is in the midst of his 
lampstands. So Jesus says, I am Jesus whom 
you are persecuting. Look at how God identifies with 
Israel in the Old Testament. I think, again, Davis just nailed 
this. I was just wanting to worship 
the Lord after reading this. He says, but because they are 
Israel's enemies, They are Yahweh's enemies, and 
because they have mangled his flock, they must deal with its 
shepherd. We do not merely have an ancient 
altercation here between Israel and Amalek. Rather, this conflict 
is symptomatic of the greater war. There are Yahweh's people 
and Yahweh's enemies. There are two kingdoms, the kingdom 
of God and the kingdom of this world. There are two humanities, 
the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. And here 
in 1 Samuel 30, God's enemies have been trounced. This victory 
then is not an episode but a promise, a scale model scenario of how 
it will be when Yahweh makes the Davidic Messiah's enemies 
his footstool, Psalm 110.1. He says, God's victory here is 
encouraging, for it is both preview and pledge of final victory. Amen. That is a wonderful place 
in which to stop as we consider the reality that God will indeed 
deal with his enemies. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank you for your providence as it is recorded for us in Holy 
Scripture. And we thank you for your good 
providence in our lives, God. Help us to have eyes of faith. Help us to realize that you cause 
even the bad things to work for good, to those who love you, 
to those who are the called according to your purpose. Help us to rehearse 
the promises of God in Bible reading and in prayer and church 
life. Help us to feed our souls on 
those things that you have purposed for our good. We thank you as 
well that what this has in store for us or what this tells us 
concerning the future when the Lord Jesus Christ will indeed 
subdue all of his enemies and will bring us into that everlasting 
kingdom. God, this is such a blessed encouragement 
and I pray that we would be helped and blessed by it, that you would 
cause us to walk by faith, knowing that this one who has laid his 
life down and taken it up again and raised again, we will have 
everlasting life with him. Go with us now, we pray, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.