Apparently this is a highly debated chapter in scripture. Many believe David had given up and made a bad (or at least selfish) decision here to head back to Gath. And that he was giving up. I just don’t see evidence of that. And it seems like weird timing to do that after such a cool scene and seemingly victorious effort in chapter 26. Instead I see some great insight to the heart and mind of David… and even more so, the fruit of a journey of faith.
“But David thought to himself, "One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand." (1 Sam 27:1)
It didn’t say God led him or told him. It simply tells us David “thought to himself” (more closely translated ‘said in his heart’). And he was right, Saul stopped his pursuit. Verse four says, “When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.”
Typically when I hear that inner voice, especially when it turns out to be right, I attribute it directly to hearing God. I wonder if in this scripture we don’t see the result of David being so close to God, so used to hearing His leading, and knowing His heart so well, that he began to think and in this moment choose His way without even hearing it. Maybe that’s the journey. Maybe it’s ours too.
Weird thought that is not a theological claim, simply a weird thought: It makes me wonder that if we don’t make the right decisions or have the right faith attitudes, if God doesn’t always take us the way of some form of trial until we eventually learn the right things that increase our decision making ability and/or faith attitudes. Each time David waited on God, it left him inches from Saul, which was a part of His refining plan. Once his faith was at a place in which he intuitively made the right decision, he found peace. If we remember, Gath was the place God led David in the first place. But then, instead of acting civil and being the man God he was, he acted insane.
He had now come full circle. Physically and Spiritually.
This time, David was armed with a greater level of God’s wisdom. And his faith was stronger. Immediately he took a humble posture before Achich. He let him know he was no threat to him and his intentions were pure.
“Then David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” vs. 5
And Achish gave David what he requested. Once at a place and under an authority in which David felt he must act crazy. Now, under a different strategy, he lives as a welcomed citizen. I’m not going to take this so far as to wonder if he’d of acted this way the first time if all the following experiences were unnecessary, but it most certainly makes me think about God’s refining through our experiences.
I’m so encouraged today to see God’s leading and David’s maturing as he literally learned to “flee” eminent danger in the Lord, take major risks in the Lord, remain faithful under any circumstance in the Lord, and eventually find a season of peace through it.
David went through it all. He experienced it all. God took him there. He didn’t become bitter or negative, never expressed (to our knowledge) confusion instead he held the banner high and led others through his trial. Oh yeah, and eventually he would become King of Israel and his lineage would be that of Jesus.
Lord, I say often that I know your plan is bigger than mine. I’m reminded this morning how true that really is. I know that it’s not about me. Literally nothing is. Nothing corporate and nothing personal. If our pursuits are right, it’s always about you and your Glory, not ours. You are amazing. Your ways are divine. Thank you for your greatness. Amen.
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Okay, I can't leave this alone. I continued my study to see if the Spirit would show me I was wrong in thinking it was a good move and that it was really a bad "throw in the towel" moment for David. I'm glad I did. I feel like I have a ton of clarity after reading forward.
ReplyDeleteSo here is where we are in chapter 27: After the decision to go back to Gath, we know that David is enjoying favor (being no threat to the Achish in Gath) and he is even convinced that David is no good to the Israelites. So we must move one to see what happens.
On the other side of the border (In Chapter 28), God seems absent from Saul. As a result Saul is seeking guidance to why God is no longer speaking to him. He cannot hear from God and since he no longer had any spiritual advisors, he seeks out a “Witch” to be a spiritual mediator. In it… he ends up communicating with Samuel… weird… but here is the reply, and it affirms that God is with David and his neighbor/partners:
16 Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? 17 The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. 19 The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines."
This shows us that the LORD was certainly with David partnering with the Philistines, this essentially says over and over that “The Lord has taken away from Saul and given to David”.
The amazing part is that David STILL never raises his hand against Saul, even while he was willing to fight against Saul’s army…. Simply amazing. Here’s how that happens: God uses the Philistine rulers to keep him from doing it! Check out Chapter 29:6-7. “6 So Achish called David and said to him, "As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until now, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don't approve of you. 7 Turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers."
So David and his men were sent away. Probably a pretty good hit to the morale of such warriors. But when they returned, they saw total destruction had taken place while they were gone. I thought for sure, If I was wrong about my thoughts of chapter 27, if he had been in err in going to Gath, this is the judgment about to finally come on David. In Chapter 30 it’s recorded that “3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive... “
But then we see that this was not a punishment. Check out the end of verse 3 vs. 8, “But David found strength in the LORD his God…8 and David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" "Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."
It just seems like the move to Gath so far was right, at least the Lord was still with him… he’s now in the middle of phase 2 in the three phase journey of becoming King of Israel.. Phase 1 was the running from Saul. Phase 2 is where Saul dies and David becomes King of Judah. Phase 3 will be when David becomes King of all Israel… both the southern and northern Kingdom.
So in Chapter 31 it shows that the attack on Saul resulted in the way God’s ultimate prophecy occurred… that they would all lose their life on the same day. It seems to be the fulfillment of judgment on Saul and Israel. “ 1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; … 3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically… 6 So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.”
In 2 Samuel 1 David hears of their death and laments.
2 Samuel 2 David is crowned king of Judah. The Kingdom of Israel was divided. They went to war and Judah overcame them.
The ending of the initial pursuit was not easy though. Check out the 2 sam 2: 26-28 “26 Abner called out to Joab, "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers?" 27 Joab answered, "As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued the pursuit of their brothers until morning. 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.”
The significance of this? I think they were beginning to think about their ultimate connection together (eventually under David, surely they respected him, and certainly they evidence here their reminder that they are indeed all family)… while more fighting would occur in the next chapters, the seed was being planted for their union again.
In 2 Samuel 3, the fighting picks up again: “1 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
It all comes together in Chapter 5: ‘1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, "We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.' " 3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
Thus reuniting the Kingdom of Israel under the head of David. Wow.
So in looking back at 1 Samuel 27, I just can’t see where the move back to Gath was a “retirement” as Matthew Henry calls it or any type of form of giving up. It seemed like a good decision to me. It seemed to me to be two things:
(1) After picking up the sword of Goliath, Gath was the first place David went in his flight. I did look back at the scripture and I didn’t necessarily find any reference that God specifically led David there although he went without reservation. Why would he go there? It was said of Gath that it was there that, “God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites”. David blew this first opportunity, got scared (it was early in his journey) and acted crazy… it’s interesting that he got a second shot. That’s the first thought I have, the second is that…
(2) It served as the catalyst for movement into the next phase of motion towards the events that led to David’s Kingship over all of Israel. If he would have just kept running… what God would that do? He had to eventually stop and face Saul. He couldn’t do that alone (especially if He could not be the one to have the blood of Saul on his hands), thus a partnership with the Philistines seems necessary. Could this have been entirely outside of God’s “perfect” will, but in His Grace, He saw it through as part of His “permissive” will? It’s possible… truly… but the following scriptures seem to support very little to no indication of that. David became “ready” during the loop between the first and second trips to Gath. His strength, faith, ability, and mind grew up.
The thing that amazes me about David is his lasting faith. Talk about going through trials. David always comes back to God. God always comes back to David. That is the faith that goes the distance. How many times do we, I, get shaken and start to think maybe we are not doing it right? David is an example of truly living out your thoughts and feelings. If I truly love God with all my heart, strength, mind and soul then no matter what storm comes up, I should have faith that God will not leave me. I am not there yet. I still get my feelings upset and I get angered and I take my focus off of God. I keep wanting to know the plan, know the plan. What's going on with this and that God? I need to do more letting go and letting God. Stop worrying about the day to day stuff and focus on my relationship with Him and the rest will work itself out through that relationship.
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