Good morning! Today we are continuing our 3-week mini-series on David, a part of the larger series entitled Broken Vessels, an exploration of the lives of key people in the Old Testament. I mentioned last week that there was no way we could have time to cover everything about David in only 3 weeks, and so this week and next we will do some skipping around.
Last week we went up to the point where David, although distraught and exhausted fleeing from Saul, continues to praise the Lord and follows the Lord’s leading and saves the town of Keilah from the Philistines. There was a powerful lesson for us here – that we too, regardless of our circumstances, should continue giving God worship and praise and also that we too, regardless of our circumstances, should continually seek the Lord and strive to do His will, particularly in terms of helping others. For us this means to keep on being salt and light to people, praying for them, giving them the good news of Jesus Christ, and helping them to grow as new believers. David is a model for us in these things.
Last week we went up to the point where David, although distraught and exhausted fleeing from Saul, continues to praise the Lord and follows the Lord’s leading and saves the town of Keilah from the Philistines. There was a powerful lesson for us here – that we too, regardless of our circumstances, should continue giving God worship and praise and also that we too, regardless of our circumstances, should continually seek the Lord and strive to do His will, particularly in terms of helping others. For us this means to keep on being salt and light to people, praying for them, giving them the good news of Jesus Christ, and helping them to grow as new believers. David is a model for us in these things.
Continuing the story, Saul continued to pursue David, even coming to Keilah, from which David and his men had to flee. There continued a cat and mouse game of pursuit, although God continued to keep David safe, at one point even using an attack by the Philistines to force Saul to call off his men (I Sam. 23).
David soon had a chance to kill Saul, but did not, instead only cutting off a corner of his robe. David soon felt remorse for even doing this, as he felt it was not for him to harm “the anointed of the Lord” despite all of the things Saul had done to him, and despite the fact that Saul would have killed David if he had had the chance. David spoke with Saul, and Saul, at least with his words, seemed to express remorse. But he had David promise him in an oath never to harm or his descendents; David agreed and took the oath before the Lord (I Sam. 24).
Now, a question: What is strange about the fact that David did this? It is that he had already made a similar oath with Jonathan (I Sam. 20). This is why David felt remorse after cutting off the corner of his robe. When reading I Sam. 24 it is tempting to conclude that David is a much better person than Saul, because he doesn’t kill him when he had the chance. Well, in general, if you compare yourself with a bad enough person you will come out looking pretty good. But Saul is hardly a role model for David to emulate.
What we actually see here, and why I think Jonathan earlier made Saul promise the same thing, is that David had a problem. He had a problem with his temper and a problem with the desire for revenge. Now, one of the most horrible things Saul ever did was to kill all the inhabitants, including the women and children, of the town where the priest Ahimelech lived, simply because Ahimelech had helped David and rebuked Saul for his vengefulness against David. I want to argue that, apart from the Lord, I don’t think David was much different. And this was a problem!
As believers, we are told specifically that we cannot live this way.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is Mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink." – Rom. 12:17-20
Now, if your response is that this is a New Testament verse and that things were different in the Old Testament, think again: The quote “It is Mine to avenge; I will repay” comes from Deut. 32:35. Keep this in mind as we pick up the story in I Sam. 25.
Then David moved down into the Desert of Maon. A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. His name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings. While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. – I Sam. 25:1-4
So he sent ten young men and said to them, "Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. Say to him: 'Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours! – I Sam. 25:5-6
"'Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my young men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.'" When David's men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David's name. Then they waited. – I Sam. 25:7-9
From David’s message, we can surmise that David’s men had been previously with the shepherds, treating them well, taking nothing. Now, David presumably has hundreds of very hungry men, and the time of sheep shearing was a “festive time,” when there were banquets and feasting. As we will see, David’s men also helped protect Nabal’s flocks, even though Nabal may not have asked for this protection. Notice the emphasis on “David’s name” – David was still a war hero, well-known and well-loved despite Saul’s unceasing quest to kill him. Previously David had risked his life for his people; expecting some food from their overflow seemed to him a reasonable request.
Nabal answered David's servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?" – I Sam. 25:10-11
I hope Nabal was clear; in case you didn’t get it, his answer was “NO!” He also insulted David, his father, and implicitly, his followers. There was probably a fair amount of truth in the “servants breaking away from their masters” when it came to David’s men, because earlier, it says that they were made up largely of “discontents,” men who were “bitter of soul.”
David's men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. David said to his men, "Put on your swords!" So they put on their swords, and David put on his. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies. – I Sam. 25:12-13
So, let’s analyze this response. Did David inquire of the Lord? No. What’s his plan? Kill everyone. He is sending 400 men against one extended family! He is angry, furious. He wants revenge. By the way, did you notice David’s greeting a few verses back? Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours! My, how quickly one’s sentiment changes! Now, I hope you see that David has a real problem with anger and wanting revenge. Is this really any different from what Saul did with Ahimelech? No.
I want you also to see David’s expediency! He doesn’t kill Saul, because he knows Saul is God’s anointed, and he has made personal vows not to touch him. But He has no problem killing Nabal and all his men, because he figures Nabal is a nobody. To put it another way, David thinks he can get away with this. (This is if he is even thinking about God at all; his rage may have blinded him to any rational thinking at all.)
Now, did Nabal do evil? Yes, there were rules of hospitality among desert peoples going back to Abraham and even before; what Nabal said and did was a severe breach of custom and highly offensive. But what David is about to do brings him to a level even lower than Nabal. And this is always true; repaying evil with evil brings you down at least as low as the one who did evil to you. I think of James 1: My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. – James 1:19-20 Returning to our passage:
One of the servants told Nabal's wife Abigail: "David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them. Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him." – I Sam. 25:14-17
From David’s message, we can surmise that David’s men had been previously with the shepherds, treating them well, taking nothing. Now, David presumably has hundreds of very hungry men, and the time of sheep shearing was a “festive time,” when there were banquets and feasting. As we will see, David’s men also helped protect Nabal’s flocks, even though Nabal may not have asked for this protection. Notice the emphasis on “David’s name” – David was still a war hero, well-known and well-loved despite Saul’s unceasing quest to kill him. Previously David had risked his life for his people; expecting some food from their overflow seemed to him a reasonable request.
Nabal answered David's servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?" – I Sam. 25:10-11
I hope Nabal was clear; in case you didn’t get it, his answer was “NO!” He also insulted David, his father, and implicitly, his followers. There was probably a fair amount of truth in the “servants breaking away from their masters” when it came to David’s men, because earlier, it says that they were made up largely of “discontents,” men who were “bitter of soul.”
David's men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. David said to his men, "Put on your swords!" So they put on their swords, and David put on his. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies. – I Sam. 25:12-13
So, let’s analyze this response. Did David inquire of the Lord? No. What’s his plan? Kill everyone. He is sending 400 men against one extended family! He is angry, furious. He wants revenge. By the way, did you notice David’s greeting a few verses back? Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours! My, how quickly one’s sentiment changes! Now, I hope you see that David has a real problem with anger and wanting revenge. Is this really any different from what Saul did with Ahimelech? No.
I want you also to see David’s expediency! He doesn’t kill Saul, because he knows Saul is God’s anointed, and he has made personal vows not to touch him. But He has no problem killing Nabal and all his men, because he figures Nabal is a nobody. To put it another way, David thinks he can get away with this. (This is if he is even thinking about God at all; his rage may have blinded him to any rational thinking at all.)
Now, did Nabal do evil? Yes, there were rules of hospitality among desert peoples going back to Abraham and even before; what Nabal said and did was a severe breach of custom and highly offensive. But what David is about to do brings him to a level even lower than Nabal. And this is always true; repaying evil with evil brings you down at least as low as the one who did evil to you. I think of James 1: My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. – James 1:19-20 Returning to our passage:
One of the servants told Nabal's wife Abigail: "David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them. Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him." – I Sam. 25:14-17
Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Then she told her servants, "Go on ahead; I'll follow you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal. – I Sam. 25:17-19
This reminds me of how Jacob sent camel after camel of presents to Esau ahead of himself.
As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. David had just said, "It's been useless—all my watching over this fellow's property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!" – I Sam. 25:20-22
Do you see another similarity here with Saul? David is making vows, swearing before the Lord, rashly and foolishly. Do you also notice all the “my” and “me” in this passage? David feels personally offended, and this makes him so angry that he will kill everyone in response.
When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She fell at his feet and said: "My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent. – I Sam. 25:23-25
Abigail is a very wise woman, and one who, by experience has learned how to deal with an angry man. She bows (remember that she is no servant but a wealthy wife presumably with plenty of servants of her own) and takes responsibility (a wise thing to do because in that culture a man couldn’t take revenge out on a woman).
"Now since the Lord has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. – I Sam. 25:26-27
I’m probably going to get in a lot of trouble here, but do you notice how she continues to talk as if the problem is already settled? This method of arguing is more often used by women than by men. It reminds me of the situation with Jesus at the wedding in Cana, where Mary tells Jesus “They have run out of wine,” which really means “Do something.” Jesus’ answer basically is NO – His time has not yet come. But in Mary’s mind, the problem is already settled – she tells the servants to do whatever He tells them!
This reminds me of how Jacob sent camel after camel of presents to Esau ahead of himself.
As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. David had just said, "It's been useless—all my watching over this fellow's property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!" – I Sam. 25:20-22
Do you see another similarity here with Saul? David is making vows, swearing before the Lord, rashly and foolishly. Do you also notice all the “my” and “me” in this passage? David feels personally offended, and this makes him so angry that he will kill everyone in response.
When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She fell at his feet and said: "My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent. – I Sam. 25:23-25
Abigail is a very wise woman, and one who, by experience has learned how to deal with an angry man. She bows (remember that she is no servant but a wealthy wife presumably with plenty of servants of her own) and takes responsibility (a wise thing to do because in that culture a man couldn’t take revenge out on a woman).
"Now since the Lord has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. – I Sam. 25:26-27
I’m probably going to get in a lot of trouble here, but do you notice how she continues to talk as if the problem is already settled? This method of arguing is more often used by women than by men. It reminds me of the situation with Jesus at the wedding in Cana, where Mary tells Jesus “They have run out of wine,” which really means “Do something.” Jesus’ answer basically is NO – His time has not yet come. But in Mary’s mind, the problem is already settled – she tells the servants to do whatever He tells them!
Even more wisely, Abigail explains the gifts are for David’s men. If David were to take a vote, what do you think the men would say? Reject the food and go off to fight this family, risking your lives for reasons that aren’t all that clear, or take the yummy food? Take the food, of course!
Please forgive your servant's offense, for the Lord will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the Lord's battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies He will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. – I Sam. 25:28-29
This is just so masterful! She reminds David who He is supposed to be fighting for. She gently implies that to get revenge would amount to wrongdoing. She even uses the word “sling,” reminding David of how he relied on God with a sling once, a long time ago, and God defeated Goliath through him.
When the Lord has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord has brought my master success, remember your servant." – I Sam. 25:30-31
Now she is much more direct, using the words “staggering burden,” “needless bloodshed,” and “avenging himself.”
David said to Abigail, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak." – I Sam. 25:32-34
Now here we have to give David credit. Yes, he has just been masterfully brought to a place of repentance, but many men would still be too proud to recant. But David is very honest here, and – in what I think makes him a “man after God’s own heart” – he praises God for her. These are not empty words – platitudes like Saul used – but the real thing. David understands that God sent her at this time to prevent him from doing a foolish, wicked, and terrible thing because of his uncontrolled anger.
You probably know the rest of the story – the next morning, when Nabal was no longer drunk, she told him all that had happened, and it says his heart failed him, and about 10 days later, he died. David then praised God that God had taken revenge instead of him, and then he asked Abigail to become his third wife, after Ahinoam and Michal. Michal was no longer with him; when David fled, Saul gave her, even though she had been married to David, to another man.
Now, in I Sam. 26, David again gets a chance to kill Saul, but again he doesn’t do it. This had to be a mighty temptation for David, but he has victory over his emotions, his desire for revenge. But where I want to focus is on what happens next. Saul, after being confronted by David, again “repented” and went home…
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." So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath. David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. – I Sam. 27:1-3a
David thought to … who? Himself. Where is God in this discussion? Not here. God has provided for David, but David is tired. Now before we go on, let me remind you that David has been through a lot. But is this happening despite God’s intentions? No! God is allowing it to happen. He intends to use it to refine David, just as today God uses trials and challenges to refine us.
Please forgive your servant's offense, for the Lord will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the Lord's battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies He will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. – I Sam. 25:28-29
This is just so masterful! She reminds David who He is supposed to be fighting for. She gently implies that to get revenge would amount to wrongdoing. She even uses the word “sling,” reminding David of how he relied on God with a sling once, a long time ago, and God defeated Goliath through him.
When the Lord has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord has brought my master success, remember your servant." – I Sam. 25:30-31
Now she is much more direct, using the words “staggering burden,” “needless bloodshed,” and “avenging himself.”
David said to Abigail, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak." – I Sam. 25:32-34
Now here we have to give David credit. Yes, he has just been masterfully brought to a place of repentance, but many men would still be too proud to recant. But David is very honest here, and – in what I think makes him a “man after God’s own heart” – he praises God for her. These are not empty words – platitudes like Saul used – but the real thing. David understands that God sent her at this time to prevent him from doing a foolish, wicked, and terrible thing because of his uncontrolled anger.
You probably know the rest of the story – the next morning, when Nabal was no longer drunk, she told him all that had happened, and it says his heart failed him, and about 10 days later, he died. David then praised God that God had taken revenge instead of him, and then he asked Abigail to become his third wife, after Ahinoam and Michal. Michal was no longer with him; when David fled, Saul gave her, even though she had been married to David, to another man.
Now, in I Sam. 26, David again gets a chance to kill Saul, but again he doesn’t do it. This had to be a mighty temptation for David, but he has victory over his emotions, his desire for revenge. But where I want to focus is on what happens next. Saul, after being confronted by David, again “repented” and went home…
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." So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath. David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. – I Sam. 27:1-3a
David thought to … who? Himself. Where is God in this discussion? Not here. God has provided for David, but David is tired. Now before we go on, let me remind you that David has been through a lot. But is this happening despite God’s intentions? No! God is allowing it to happen. He intends to use it to refine David, just as today God uses trials and challenges to refine us.
One thing that is ironic about this is that in David’s last encounter with Saul, he begs him not to have his blood “fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord.” In other words, David begged Saul not to make him flee Israel. Saul did relent, and went home. And yet, here is David, fleeing Israel anyway.
The other obvious thing here is that David is willing to become used by the Philistines. David living among them will appear to be a victory to the average Joe Philistine. This may even embolden them and make them more likely to carry out future attacks against Israel. But David doesn’t care. He wants out.
When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him. 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?" So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months. – I Sam. 27:4-7
David fleeing for Gath is somewhat like how people today flee from the pressures of their lives. Many Christians leave their spouses and their children for this reason. One thing scary about this passage is that it worked! Saul stopped searching for David. And in the same way, fleeing your spouse may indeed relieve the pressure of a marriage that needs work. But that does not make it right!
What has David really done here? He has put his 600 men and their families into a land that worships false Gods, far from the priests of Israel, far from other godly role models. Perhaps a better comparison today is to the man who, after a bad experience in church, decides to no longer have his family go to any church, to no longer be a part of any Christian fellowship. Does he realize what this will do to his wife, to his children?
Now, David is also less than transparent with his intentions to move out of the capital city. The best way to think of the Philistine kings is as feudal lords. He had every right to know everything David and his men were doing. He had every right to show them around, even to make them fight for him, because he was providing for them. Now Ziklag had been given to the tribe of Simeon when the land was first divided, but then the Philistines had taken it and never given it back. It was far from the center of action for the Philistines, so it was likely deserted, or nearly so. It lay on the border of the Negev desert, in the south. As we will see, this was perfect for what David wanted to do.
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish. – I Sam. 27:8-9
When Achish asked, "Where did you go raiding today?" David would say, "Against the Negev of Judah" or "Against the Negev of Jerahmeel" or "Against the Negev of the Kenites." He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, "They might inform on us and say, 'This is what David did.' " And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. Achish trusted David and said to himself, "He has become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever." – I Sam. 27:10-12
What had happened to David? Achish expected him to lead raids against the Israelites. To his credit (a little), David didn’t want to do this. But to be able to stay here, he had to make it look like he was doing this. Isn’t this how sin works, how it propagates? One act begets another. In David’s case, what he decided to do was to conduct raids on nomadic people in the desert. Unlike the Philistines, who would try to avoid bloodshed and instead bring back the people as slaves, David was forced to kill every man woman and child on his raids so that they wouldn’t find out his secret that he was not actually attacking Israelites. To be clear, David is succeeding, but he is not seeking the Lord, and he is doing this at a terrible cost. This went on for 16 months.
I Chronicles 12 expounds on this time in David’s life. It says that many people were attracted to him and warriors came from all over Israel to join him. He developed a huge army and because of all the plunder from his raids, he became very rich. In a way, he had become king at last, albeit king of a city in Philistine territory instead of king in Israel, as God had told him he was to become. And he had to serve a more powerful king who worshiped false gods. His people had to respect this worship. This was certainly not God’s ultimate plan for David’s life. And his people couldn’t worship the Lord, not really. Sacrifices could only be at the Ark of the Covenant. And how can he talk about living for the Lord with his children when he goes on raids like a pirate, worse than most pirates, slaughtering babies?
And there is another problem – David was becoming known throughout Israel as a deserter as well. When Saul finally died, David didn’t just become king. He became king of Judah, but not of the remaining tribes of Israel. A bloody civil war ensued that lasted seven years. And a result of this civil war, there was always thereafter a kind of identity separation between Judah and what was then called simply Israel. In later years they each had their own king. All of this had its start here. It is sobering to think about how vast the repercussions can be for simply “fleeing from the pressure” of life. There can be consequences for generations!
In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, "You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army." David said, "Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do." Achish replied, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." – I Sam. 28:1-2
Now David is in trouble! The game is up. What can he do? David doesn’t want to fight his own people! And he has made two covenants with God about not fighting Saul. David’s reply to Achish is as politically astute as anything a modern politician has ever said. “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.” It sounds good, but what does it mean?
The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. The commanders of the Philistines asked, "What about these Hebrews?" Achish replied, "Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him." – I Sam. 29:1-3
The other obvious thing here is that David is willing to become used by the Philistines. David living among them will appear to be a victory to the average Joe Philistine. This may even embolden them and make them more likely to carry out future attacks against Israel. But David doesn’t care. He wants out.
When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him. 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?" So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months. – I Sam. 27:4-7
David fleeing for Gath is somewhat like how people today flee from the pressures of their lives. Many Christians leave their spouses and their children for this reason. One thing scary about this passage is that it worked! Saul stopped searching for David. And in the same way, fleeing your spouse may indeed relieve the pressure of a marriage that needs work. But that does not make it right!
What has David really done here? He has put his 600 men and their families into a land that worships false Gods, far from the priests of Israel, far from other godly role models. Perhaps a better comparison today is to the man who, after a bad experience in church, decides to no longer have his family go to any church, to no longer be a part of any Christian fellowship. Does he realize what this will do to his wife, to his children?
Now, David is also less than transparent with his intentions to move out of the capital city. The best way to think of the Philistine kings is as feudal lords. He had every right to know everything David and his men were doing. He had every right to show them around, even to make them fight for him, because he was providing for them. Now Ziklag had been given to the tribe of Simeon when the land was first divided, but then the Philistines had taken it and never given it back. It was far from the center of action for the Philistines, so it was likely deserted, or nearly so. It lay on the border of the Negev desert, in the south. As we will see, this was perfect for what David wanted to do.
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish. – I Sam. 27:8-9
When Achish asked, "Where did you go raiding today?" David would say, "Against the Negev of Judah" or "Against the Negev of Jerahmeel" or "Against the Negev of the Kenites." He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, "They might inform on us and say, 'This is what David did.' " And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. Achish trusted David and said to himself, "He has become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever." – I Sam. 27:10-12
What had happened to David? Achish expected him to lead raids against the Israelites. To his credit (a little), David didn’t want to do this. But to be able to stay here, he had to make it look like he was doing this. Isn’t this how sin works, how it propagates? One act begets another. In David’s case, what he decided to do was to conduct raids on nomadic people in the desert. Unlike the Philistines, who would try to avoid bloodshed and instead bring back the people as slaves, David was forced to kill every man woman and child on his raids so that they wouldn’t find out his secret that he was not actually attacking Israelites. To be clear, David is succeeding, but he is not seeking the Lord, and he is doing this at a terrible cost. This went on for 16 months.
I Chronicles 12 expounds on this time in David’s life. It says that many people were attracted to him and warriors came from all over Israel to join him. He developed a huge army and because of all the plunder from his raids, he became very rich. In a way, he had become king at last, albeit king of a city in Philistine territory instead of king in Israel, as God had told him he was to become. And he had to serve a more powerful king who worshiped false gods. His people had to respect this worship. This was certainly not God’s ultimate plan for David’s life. And his people couldn’t worship the Lord, not really. Sacrifices could only be at the Ark of the Covenant. And how can he talk about living for the Lord with his children when he goes on raids like a pirate, worse than most pirates, slaughtering babies?
And there is another problem – David was becoming known throughout Israel as a deserter as well. When Saul finally died, David didn’t just become king. He became king of Judah, but not of the remaining tribes of Israel. A bloody civil war ensued that lasted seven years. And a result of this civil war, there was always thereafter a kind of identity separation between Judah and what was then called simply Israel. In later years they each had their own king. All of this had its start here. It is sobering to think about how vast the repercussions can be for simply “fleeing from the pressure” of life. There can be consequences for generations!
In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, "You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army." David said, "Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do." Achish replied, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." – I Sam. 28:1-2
Now David is in trouble! The game is up. What can he do? David doesn’t want to fight his own people! And he has made two covenants with God about not fighting Saul. David’s reply to Achish is as politically astute as anything a modern politician has ever said. “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.” It sounds good, but what does it mean?
The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. The commanders of the Philistines asked, "What about these Hebrews?" Achish replied, "Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him." – I Sam. 29:1-3
But the Philistine commanders were angry with him and said, "Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master's favor than by taking the heads of our own men? Isn't this the David they sang about in their dances: "'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?" – I Sam. 29:4-5
One reason the Philistine commanders had every reason to react this way is that just a few years earlier (see I Sam. 14), there were Hebrew mercenaries in the Philistine army, and they all turned on their masters when Jonathan attacked the Philistines. So they have every reason not to trust them.
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. Turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers." – I Sam. 29:6-7
Do you realize that Achish is a much better man than David right now? He is not full of deceit and treachery. He genuinely likes David. He is not killing babies. And he even respects David’s God! What about David? There are no Psalms that indicate they were written during David’s time playing deceiver and pirate while hiding out with the Philistines.
"But what have I done?" asked David. "What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can't I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" – I Sam. 29:8
Doesn’t this just make you groan? David is laying it on really thick! In reality, he must have been rejoicing because he had been let off the hook of his dilemma. Remember how David told Goliath that he was fighting against God and the armies of the living Lord? Now David is pretending to want to fight against these same armies?
Achish answered, "I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go up with us into battle.' Now get up early, along with your master's servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light." So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel. – I Sam. 29:9-11
Does David feel guilt? Each time Achish answers, he gives a greater and greater compliment, all while David has done nothing but deceive him for 16 months. Perhaps David feels great! After all, everything has worked out better than he could have hoped. He doesn’t have to fight Israel, or reveal his deception, and now he can go back to Ziklag and continue as before…
Except that sometimes God intervenes with our plans to continue to sin.
David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. – I Sam. 30:1-2
One reason the Philistine commanders had every reason to react this way is that just a few years earlier (see I Sam. 14), there were Hebrew mercenaries in the Philistine army, and they all turned on their masters when Jonathan attacked the Philistines. So they have every reason not to trust them.
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. Turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers." – I Sam. 29:6-7
Do you realize that Achish is a much better man than David right now? He is not full of deceit and treachery. He genuinely likes David. He is not killing babies. And he even respects David’s God! What about David? There are no Psalms that indicate they were written during David’s time playing deceiver and pirate while hiding out with the Philistines.
"But what have I done?" asked David. "What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can't I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" – I Sam. 29:8
Doesn’t this just make you groan? David is laying it on really thick! In reality, he must have been rejoicing because he had been let off the hook of his dilemma. Remember how David told Goliath that he was fighting against God and the armies of the living Lord? Now David is pretending to want to fight against these same armies?
Achish answered, "I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go up with us into battle.' Now get up early, along with your master's servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light." So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel. – I Sam. 29:9-11
Does David feel guilt? Each time Achish answers, he gives a greater and greater compliment, all while David has done nothing but deceive him for 16 months. Perhaps David feels great! After all, everything has worked out better than he could have hoped. He doesn’t have to fight Israel, or reveal his deception, and now he can go back to Ziklag and continue as before…
Except that sometimes God intervenes with our plans to continue to sin.
David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. – I Sam. 30:1-2
When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David's two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. – I Sam. 30:3-6
Why did they want to stone him? Because he was at fault! This whole scheme was David’s; it was his responsibility. Probably many of the men had some twinges of conscience, some sense that things were not right, but they buried them. But now, it was clear that this all had been a bad idea. How quickly David’s fortunes had changed! All the wealth, gone; possessions, burned; families, stolen. And yet this was not nearly as harsh as David had been to countless nomadic groups! Their families were dead, while David’s, and those of his men, were alive.
Now, I’m going to leave you in suspense until next week (of course, you can always read your Bible to find out what happened), but I want to make a few observations.
1. No matter how far we come spiritually, we all have special areas of weakness that we must watch out for. For David, we saw today the area of anger and revenge. What is your area or areas? Know it! Watch out for it! If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. – I John 1:8
2. Be humble when confronted with your sin. I think of David when confronted by Abigail. Yes, she was masterful in how she presented the case, and we can learn much from her in this. But even when someone is not masterful in how they say it, our response should be one like David’s, open, honest, and humble.
3. Never think that sin doesn’t have consequences. Here I think of David’s experiences with the Philistines. He thought he was getting away with everything. For a time, you too may seem to get away with whatever you are doing. But it can end suddenly, unexpectedly, at any time. In a matter of hours, David went from idolized hero to being someone people seriously wanted to kill.
4. There is no sin that God doesn’t desire to forgive. Remember that God called David a man after his own heart! Even though he did all these things – and we haven’t even talked about Bathsehba! No matter what you have done, forgiveness is available in Christ! I read a wonderful saying in a book by the Puritan Richard Sibbes this week: There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us. If you remember nothing else of this message today, I pray that you would remember this.
Why did they want to stone him? Because he was at fault! This whole scheme was David’s; it was his responsibility. Probably many of the men had some twinges of conscience, some sense that things were not right, but they buried them. But now, it was clear that this all had been a bad idea. How quickly David’s fortunes had changed! All the wealth, gone; possessions, burned; families, stolen. And yet this was not nearly as harsh as David had been to countless nomadic groups! Their families were dead, while David’s, and those of his men, were alive.
Now, I’m going to leave you in suspense until next week (of course, you can always read your Bible to find out what happened), but I want to make a few observations.
1. No matter how far we come spiritually, we all have special areas of weakness that we must watch out for. For David, we saw today the area of anger and revenge. What is your area or areas? Know it! Watch out for it! If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. – I John 1:8
2. Be humble when confronted with your sin. I think of David when confronted by Abigail. Yes, she was masterful in how she presented the case, and we can learn much from her in this. But even when someone is not masterful in how they say it, our response should be one like David’s, open, honest, and humble.
3. Never think that sin doesn’t have consequences. Here I think of David’s experiences with the Philistines. He thought he was getting away with everything. For a time, you too may seem to get away with whatever you are doing. But it can end suddenly, unexpectedly, at any time. In a matter of hours, David went from idolized hero to being someone people seriously wanted to kill.
4. There is no sin that God doesn’t desire to forgive. Remember that God called David a man after his own heart! Even though he did all these things – and we haven’t even talked about Bathsehba! No matter what you have done, forgiveness is available in Christ! I read a wonderful saying in a book by the Puritan Richard Sibbes this week: There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us. If you remember nothing else of this message today, I pray that you would remember this.
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