2 Samuel 2:4b-7 – A lifestyle of thanks-living

David’s first act as king of Judah was to commend the people of Gilead-jabesh. He applauded them for their courageous deed of taking down the mutilated body of Saul from the wall of Beth-shan and gave it a proper burial. Remember how the Philistines had killed Saul’s three sons and severely wounded Saul, who later committed suicide on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines did not know that Saul was dead until they came out to strip the goods from the dead bodies of those they had slain. It was then that they discovered the dead bodies of Saul and his sons. So they stripped Saul of his robe and cut off his head. They then did a deplorable thing by hanging the king’s mutilated body and those of his three dead sons on the wall of Beth-shan. When the people of  Gilead-jabesh learned of what they did to Saul, some of their valiant men came to retrieve the bodies. They had to do so in the cover of night at great risk to themselves. When they had taken the bodies down, they cremated them and gave Saul a decent burial. The people of Gilead-jabesh did these to reciprocate what Saul had done to deliver them from the threat and impending strikes of the Ammonites recorded in 1 Samuel 11.   

By this time, after he was made king by the house of Judah, we surmised that the people of Gilead-jabesh would have also learned of how David had handled the news of Saul’s death. They must have realized how David respected the dead king and how affectionately he felt about his death. So there is no indication that they rejected the king of Judah’s commendation. David did not only commend them for what they did but also promised to treat them kindly. He had two reasons for doing it. He did it to endear himself to them and at the same time to inform them that the people of Judah had made him their king. 

These few verses tell us that showing gratitude is a noble thing. People are often defined by their attitude of gratitude. Remember, it is not our aptitude that determined our altitude. It is our attitude that defines our altitude. Like David, when we develop an attitude of gratitude, there is simply no telling of how high we will soar for God. So let us start a life of thanksgiving. But better still, develop a life of thanks-living.  

2 Samuel 2:1-4 – Moving in God’s timing

David was once the commander of Israel’s fighting force. He had led them into many victories over the Philistines. Besides, he was the one who had killed Goliath and was greatly admired over Saul. It was this that caused him to fall out of favor with Saul. Naturally, one would have thought that with Saul and his sons dead, David could easily take over the throne of Israel. But this was not the case. Second Samuel 2:1 seems to suggest that the dust had somewhat settled, and David had time to think about what he had to do next. Remember, he was already anointed privately by Samuel to be king of Israel. Any lesser person would have just taken the liberty and proclaimed himself as a king.  But not for David. He moved gingerly and bid God's time.

Timing is critical. Knowing God’s calendar for one’s life is important. It will ensure that we do not move ahead or hold-up God’s agenda for us. Here David did the right thing, he consulted the LORD. He not only inquired whether he should move to one of the cities of Judah but also asked where the LORD wanted him to move to. The indication of the LORD was for him to move to Hebron. This place had many precious memories. In Genesis 13:18 we are told that Abraham, the patriarch settled at the oak of Mamre in Hebron and there he built an altar to the LORD. It was also here that Genesis 23 tells us Sarah died and was buried in the cave of Machpelah. In Joshua 14:13, this city was given by Joshua to Caleb for an inheritance. So this was the place that the LORD told David to move to. Therefore David with his wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, and the families of his men moved there and dwelt in that city. It was here that the men of Judah came and anointed him as king over the house of Judah. Meanwhile, in 1 Chronicles 12, we are told that more people came to Hebron and joined David.  Here the stage was set for him to begin the next phase of his journey.  

These four verses tell us how needful it is to move in tandem with God’s timing. Knowing God’s purpose for one’s life is important, but acting according to His timing is equally important. David knew God’s purpose for his life, so he took the time to seek His direction so that he could move at the right moment to the right station. Like David, we need to be wrapped up in God’s purpose and to move according to His time. Know also that before we can arrive at where we should be, there will be a period of preparation. While waiting for the moment to arrive, we must seize every opportunity to hone our skills and be equipped. And to remain in the centre of God’s will at all times.     

2 Samuel 1:17-27 – Learn to e forward-looking

David was deeply affected by the defeat of Israel. He mourned the death of Saul, the many fellow Israelites, and especially his good friend Jonathan.  He not only chanted a dirge but instructed it to be written so as to instruct the children of Judah. To David, this was a great calamity. Israel had fallen and her people slain. For David, the thought of that had increased his anguish. The way Israel and her royalties were treated was a great dishonor to God.  

David was concerned about the shame inflicted on Israel spreading all over the land of Philistines. He was concerned about how Israel, and especially her God, would become a subject of ridicule and the laughing stock of the Philistines. We who love God truly can understand the sentiment of David. Just to think of the name of God we love being dragged through the mud by the inconsistencies of believers. That should disturb us greatly. Hence it behoves us to act wisely. We must learn to think before we act. There is a need to be careful in the way we go about living life. Any dishonorable conduct and its consequence will bring great disrepute to God.  

This elegy was David’s tribute to Saul and especially Jonathan. To him, both Saul and Jonathan were Israel’s fallen heroes. Notice that he said nothing negative about Saul. Some have concern that David was not being truthful in his eulogy of Saul. However, we need to know about truth-telling. We can always choose to highlight the positive points of someone and not to dwell on his negative. A wise man knows the right thing to do at the right time. For David, it was a moment to bring healing and reconciliation and not to discredit a person and further divide. David chose to highlight Saul’s good point rather than detailing his failures. The Biblical principle to remember is this: always speak what is edifying not what will destroy and divide.   

David began by eulogizing Saul and ended up focusing on Jonathan. He recalled the friendship and how deeply they loved each other. In the surmounting pressures of life, we need to make time to think and treasure people whose friendship we treasure. Now in Jonathan’s death, David felt it even more. His tender words were left for Jonathan. So he said:

“I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me.
Your love to me was more wonderful
Than the love of women.
“How have the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!”

David’s elegy of Saul and Jonathan leaves us much to learn. Firstly, we must not carry a past hurt into the present. Let the past be a thing of the past. If not, one will remain bitter even long after that person who had hurt us is gone. Learn to find closure to all our hurts in life. Secondly, David probably had resolved the issue and had found a place in his heart to forgive Saul. Instead of gloating over the past, like David, we should leave the past behind, to live peacefully in the present, and gloriously for the future. Thirdly, David’s approach to his ordeal tells us how we should engage our minds. We should learn to engage our minds to think positively. Take the word of Paul in Philippians 4:8 seriously. “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Live forward in life and not backward!

2 Samuel 1:17-18 – Don’t be ensnared by negative memory

Israel was defeated in her battle with the Philistines at the valley of Jezreel. Many including Saul, his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, were killed and their bodies found on Mount Gilboa. Of all those who died in that battle, Saul and Jonathan were the two persons who affected David most. We note that in life, there was no love lost between him and Saul but now in death, he felt deeply for him. At best most would not talk about it, and at worst they would gloat over it. But David was different. He was not only a magnanimous man but also a very affectionate one. He set aside what Saul did to him and spoke only of him gloriously here. Of course, needless to say, we would expect him to feel even more emotional about Jonathan’s death. For he was his bosom friend, whose soul was knitted to his as one. Having dealt with the Amalekite who brought the news of their death, David then went into mourning.

According to verse 17, David chanted a lament about Saul and Jonathan’s death. The words of the chant were captured in verses 19-27. David not only chanted the dirge himself, but he also instructed that the chant be taught to the children of Judah. It was a funeral song poetically written.  This kind of writings is commonly known as a dirge. Before we go into the dirge, let us consider why it was written and where it could be found. David wanted the future generation of Judah to remember and eulogize Saul and Jonathan. So he had this written and recorded in a book known as the book of Jashar.

What is the book of Jashar?  It was most likely a book that contained compilations of songs written in praise of the heroes of Israel. This book was also mentioned in Joshua 10:12-13, where the sun stood still at Aijalon for Joshua to finish off the Amorites. We are now told that this song of the bow, the dirge David wrote concerning the death for Saul and Jonathan, was also found in this book. Today this book is no longer found.

We understand if David only eulogized Jonathan but why Saul? All we can say is that David has shown himself to be a magnanimous man. Death had already taken everything from Saul. What good would it be to talk about his failures. Herein is something for us to emulate. Let the happy memory of Saul stay and the bad memory of what he’d done be buried in the grave with him. Dwelling on it would only bring a snare. No matter how badly we have been treated by someone, remember his good points but let the matter rest, and then move on with life.

2 Samuel 1:11-16 – Don’t be done in by your own words

The Amalekite who brought the news of Saul’s death must have thought he had done David a favor. But David was in no mood to celebrate. The Amalekite considered the death of Saul good news. But to David, what he heard was bad news. Whatever Saul had done to him in the past, his death did not bring him comfort. He felt even more deeply for Jonathan whom he loved deeply. And his compassion was also for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel. So grief-stricken was he when he heard of the devastation that he went into mourning. He took off his clothes and tore them. When his men saw what he did, they also followed suit. They all mourned and wept until evening. 

It was foolishness for that Amalekite to expect a reward at the expense of Saul’s death. He had no idea how deep a trouble he had gotten himself into. Calling him, David asked him again who he was. By now, he had seen enough of David’s initial reaction to his reports to surmise he was in deep trouble. He could see how deeply affected David was about the whole incidence. So when asked again by David who he was, he quickly toned down. Notice how proudly he announced in verse 8, saying “I am an Amalekite.” He now quickly changed to “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.” 

By this time, it was already too late. There was no way out for him. The next question David asked was both rhetorical and dreadful. David asked him, “How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?” We can recall the number of times David spared Saul when he had the opportunities to finish off the king, but he did not. What made the Amalekite thought that he could get away from what he did and still be rewarded? Calling on one of his young men, David pronounced a death sentence on that Amalekite, and he was killed instantly.

The man had implicated himself by his own testimony. He had confessed to killing the LORD’S anointed. If only he had told the truth, he would not be in such a predicament. How many times we have seen people who had stupidly implicated themselves with the needless things they said. The Lord Jesus counsels us in Matthew 12:36-37 to be careful with what we say. For “…every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.” So be careful of what we say!

2 Samuel 1:1-10 – Live truthfully

The opening verse of 2 Samuel brings us back to Ziklag where David had returned from rescuing his wives and his people’s family from the Amalekites. While pursuing the Amalekites, he probably did not have the luxury of time to think about the battle between Saul, Israel, and the Philistines. But now that he had returned to Ziklag for two days and was more settled, his mind must have gravitated to the battle between Israel and the Philistines. Then verse 2 said, “On the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and dust on his head. And it came about when he came to David that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.” He was an Amalekite and his disheveled appearance indicated that he was mourning and confirmed that he had indeed come from the battle between Israel and the Philistines.

Naturally, David was anxious to know what had taken place. It’s not too much to think that David must have imagined the worst. He immediately fired a salvo of questions about what had happened at the battlefront. David was told three things. Firstly, that Israel was badly defeated. Secondly, many from Saul’s camp was left dead. Thirdly that Saul and his son Jonathan were killed. Not believing the man wholesale, David sought verification to what he had said. So he asked, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 

The Amalekite then went on to describe the final moment of Saul. There seems to be a contradiction. According to 1 Samuel 31:4-7, Saul was severely wounded and requested his armor-bearer to kill him, but the latter refused. Not wanting to be made a sport by the Philistines, Saul fell on his own sword himself, meaning, he committed suicide. After which the armor-bearer killed himself. Here the Amalekite’s account suggests that he was the one who had killed Saul at the dying king’s request. His account was that he happened to be at Mount Gilboa when the heavily wounded Saul was leaning on his spear, at the brink of death. With the chariots and horsemen of the Philistines pursuing closely, Saul on seeing the Amalekite called out to him and inquired who he was. He wanted to ascertain that he was not a Philistine. On learning that he was not a Philistine, he then asked the Amalekite to kill him. Seeing that Saul would not survive the ordeal, the Amalekite said he acceded to the request and killed him. He then took his crown and bracelet and brought them to David. Was he telling the truth? It appears that David did not doubt his account.

This Amalekite probably had exaggerated to gain David’s favor. Why did he do what he did? Firstly, he was an Amalekite, and David had just dealt with the Amalekites who had raided Ziklag and plundered his city. He must have imagined David would be less forgiving to another Amalekite. Hence, he had to say something that would win him over. He thought the killing of Saul would be a good starting point. Secondly, he thought that David would treat Saul like an enemy and would be glad when told that he had killed Saul. He thought he would be deemed as doing him a favor. Thirdly, he could be hoping to get a reward from David for killing Saul. Fourthly, by bringing the crown and bracelet of Saul to David, suggests that he knew David would be the next king. What better way to get into the future king’s good book but by getting rid of his enemy for him? It shows how little the Amalekite knew David.

David’s careful interrogation of the Amalekite shows us that in dealing with any matter in life, we need to ascertain all facts before we act. We must never act on assumptions. This was also where that Amalekite was wrong. He assumed that he would gain David's favor by describing how he had taken out Saul when he did not. He did not know that David was a loyal man. He had refused to kill the king when he had the opportunity. So why should he reward someone who dared to touch the Lord’s anointed? What is needful in life is to live truthfully. So be truthful, say what we mean, and mean what we say. Anything more will become a needless overstatement and a lie!     

Introduction to 2 Samuel

The book of 2 Samuel continues where 1 Samuel left off. These two books were originally one book titled after the Prophet Samuel, who ordained the first two kings of Israel. Although these books were named after Samuel, he was not the likely author. These books themselves gave no indication of who had written them. But whoever the author was, he seemed to have access to the records of the lives of Samuel, Saul, and David. References in the 1 Chronicles indicate some people who had provided records for the compilation of these books. First Chronicles 27:24 speaks of the book of the chronicles of King David. Then in 1 Chronicles 29:29 we are told of the records of Samuel the seer, the records of the Prophet Nathan, and the records of Gad the seer.  It was probably their records that had provided the materials for the compilation of 1 and 2 Samuel.

In 1 Samuel, Saul started off the period of the monarchy as the first king of Israel. Though he started well, he was rejected early into his reign because of his failure to obey and keep the instruction which God gave to him through Samuel, the prophet. He was mainly a man after man’s heart. Because of the fear of man, he was snared. In 1 Samuel, we see the description of his failures and the events that led to his downfall and death. This book also gives us glimpses of the slow but meteoric rise of David as the second king of Israel. Though ordained as king, it took David much struggles and pain to finally ascend the throne. It was a tough and arduous journey for him, and in 2 Samuel we will see how he made it to the throne finally.

As we journey through the book of 2 Samuel, we will see more of the life and ministry of David. Under his reign, Israel reached the pinnacle of her golden years. But it was not without its attending struggles. In this book, we will see David’s leadership skills and decisiveness, but we will also see his moral failings and how they affected the course of his life, his family and his reign.  The frank and honest description of his life, his successes, struggles and failures lend authenticity to the book. There are many lessons to glean from his life. So, let us  approach our contemplation of this book with an open and receptive heart. And as we do, the same Spirit who had inspired the compilation of this book will surely illuminate our heart and mind and lead us to the God we love. We must then like David face them squarely and take steps to close rank with Him to fulfil the plan He has for our lives.    

 

1 Samuel 31:11-13 – About leadership and gratitude

In the verses leading up to this moment, we were told that Saul and his sons were killed in the battle with the Philistines. Then when the Philistines discovered Saul and his sons’ bodies on Mount Gilboa, they cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his garment and took his weapon to place it in the temple of Ashtaroth. The dead, headless and naked body of Saul and those of his sons were then taken and hung on the wall of Beth-shan. Here we are given a glimpse of the cruelty of the Philistines. Then verses 11-12 describe for us a poignant moment. We need to get to the backdrop to appreciate what the people of Gilead-jabesh had done. 

First Samuel 11:1-11 described a sticky situation the people of Gilead-jabesh encountered. The Ammonites led by Nahash came and besieged the city. Despite the willingness of the people of Gilead-jabesh to compromise and serve them, the Ammonites threatened and belittled them. When Saul heard of what the Ammonites did, his anger was kindled. He managed to rally 300,000 men of Israel and 30,000 men of Judah and came to the rescue of that city. He was able to destroy the Ammonites and foiled their threat. Since then the people never forgot what Saul had done for them. So now when the people of Gilead heard of what had happened to Saul, they felt they had to do something.

So verse 12 tells us that  “all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.” They had to do it in the night and under cover of darkness. Though it was done so stealthily, it was a display of courage on their part considering the cruelty of the Philistines. They gave Saul and his sons a decent cremation at Jabesh and buried their remains under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, Furthermore, they went into a fast for seven days supposedly to mourn for Saul and his sons. To bury Saul under a tamarisk tree was perhaps the most appropriate place. For during his lifetime, we read many a time that he would rest underneath a tamarisk tree. So now his remains would forever rest under a tamarisk tree. The people of Gilead did all these to show their gratitude for what Saul had done for them.

The death of Saul shows us how flawed the foolish demands of the people of Israel were. They rejected God and wanted a king like all the nations, who would go out into battle for them. They had placed their hope in the power of a human and was disappointed. Remember, human leaders come and go, but God will always be on the throne. When we allow Him to reign in our lives, He will never disappoint us. It is wise for us to make Christ our King and let Him reign in our lives. One other side lesson we can learn from these concluding verses is about gratitude. What the people of Gilead-jabesh did for Saul, reminds us to be people of gratitude. We must learn to reciprocate the good deeds that others had shown to us. Remember one good turn deserves another. Be grateful people!

1 Samuel 31:7-10 – Live to bring glory to God

Saul and his three sons died in the battle and their bodies were laid at Mount Gilboa. It was a sad day indeed. When the Israelites on the other side of the valley saw what happened they all fled and abandoned their cities. So the Philistines came and occupied their cities again. Israel’s territory fell into the hand of the Philistines. Meanwhile, the Philistines combed through Mount Gilboa the next day. Their intention was to strip whatever that was valuable from the dead bodies of people they had killed. As they did, they stumbled upon the dead bodies of Saul and his three sons. Perhaps this was when they realized that the king of Israel had been killed.

To discover Saul must have been a real deal for them. What they did next was heart-breaking. They cut off Saul’s head and stripped him of his armor and took away his weapon. This was what David did to Goliath, the Philistine’s champion whom he defeated earlier. So it was like a tip for tap when they did that to Saul. So there on the hillside of Gilboa laid the headless naked body of Saul. Israel was completely beaten.

Then the Philistines brought what they reckoned as good news to the house of their idols and the people. Perhaps they announced with glee the news of Saul’s death. It was depressing to read this passage. They not only cut off Saul’s head but also took his weapon and placed it in the temple of Ashtaroth, the female counterpart of Dagon their god. The message was clear, the god of Philistines had defeated the God of Israel or so it seemed. They were sorely mistaken. Who could ever defeat the true God of Israel? The defeat of Israel was working out God’s purpose and the Philistines didn’t know it. Verse 10 then tells us that they fastened the body of Saul and his sons in the place called Beth-Shan. They had publicly humiliated Saul, his sons, and practically all of Israel.

What the Philistines did to Saul is a sad scene. It reminds us that what become of us can either bear a wonderful testimony to God or bring disgrace to His name. As God’s people, whatever we do and what becomes of us will affect the name of God. It behooves us, therefore, to be careful about how we live. We must live it in such a way that will cause His name to be praised and not otherwise. 

1 Samuel 31:4-6 – Let’s make our life count

Saul was shot by the arrow of an archer and seriously wounded. He did not want to die at the hands of the enemy, so he turned to his armor-bearer and requested saying, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” What a tragic scene! David was once his armor-bearer but he was nowhere in sight now, all because of the king’s jealousy and hatred. Saul would not be in such a tragic fate had he been more discerning and less self-serving. But he could not bear the thoughts that David was preferred more than him.

At this point, he accepted that death was calling on him, but he was afraid of being killed by the Philistines whom he despised. He now asked his armor-bearer to take his sword and finish him, but the latter was not willing for he was greatly afraid. So, Saul took his own life and died by his own hand in utter failure. In verse 5 we are told that when his armor-bearer saw what Saul did, he also killed himself with his own sword.

Had Saul taken his anointing more seriously, his death would certainly be more palatable and less traumatic. Regardless of how one dies, death is a tragic word. It reminds us of the failure of mankind. It is a judgment as a result of man’s sin. Saul’s death once again brings the grim reminder that God’s words never fail. He told Adam not to partake of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, saying the day he ate of it, he would surely die. Adam did not take God’s Words seriously, and death became his and every mankind’s portion since. What should we do with such a grim prospect? Today, if we look at the tombstone on every grave, we will not miss this line: The date of birth of the deceased, followed by a dash, and then the day that person died. What’s important on this line is not the date of birth or the date of death but the dash. It signifies the duration of one’s life. It is important because what we do with the duration of our life matters. We either leave a rich legacy behind or we leave behind a string of disappointments and undischarged obligations for those dear to us to pick up. The choice is ours to make. Will we like Joshua of old who said with deep conviction, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Will you?!

1 Samuel 31:1-3 – Our actions can affect people dear to us

First Samuel 30 described David’s struggle and triumph. We saw how he was sent back from following the Philistines to the valley of Jezreel for the war with Saul and Israel. Then when he returned to Ziklag, he found the place raided, his wives, his people's families and all their goods taken by the raiders, leaving the city to burn. Despair fell upon him and his men and together they wept till they had no more strength. Being the man that he was, nothing could take him down forever. So he arose, asked Abiathar for the ephod and ascertained that they should pursue the marauders. He and his men then went after the raiders and caught up with them and recovered everything. They were even able to bring back spoils of the Amalekites, which the latter had taken from the other places. Then he had to deal with the issue of the distribution of the spoils to those 200 men who did not go all the way in pursuing the Amalekites. Turning to 1 Samuel 31, the author of the book narrates the final tragic hour of Saul.

While all those things were happening to David, Saul was going through his own set of struggles. He wished he could hear from God, but the silence of God was deafening. So he was driven to seek a necromancer at Endor so as to speak to Samuel. The last words of the Prophet remained the same as those he had said while he was alive. He told Saul that his kingdom would be torn from him and be given to David. And that he and his sons would die in the battle that night. Israel would be given into the hands of the Philistines. This closing chapter of the book then narrates for us the closing scene of his life.

The chapter opens by describing the defeat of Israel. The fight was taking place in the valley of Jezreel and many Israelites fled before the Philistines. They were pursued to Mount Gilboa where many were slain and their bodies were lying all over the mount. Verse 2 then tells us that “the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul.” Jonathan, as we know, was very close to David. Though he was the heir apparent, he recognized early that God had earmarked David for the throne. He was not envious but instead tried to pave the way for David. So three of Saul’s sons died on Mount Gilboa. The focus then shifted to Saul in verse 3 where we are told that he was hit by an arrow from an archer. He was pathetically all alone, badly wounded and was in distress. 

Obviously, it was God who had brought about two contrasting outcomes. David experienced triumph while Saul had to experience utter defeat. As sure as Samuel’s last words were, Saul’s three sons died in the battle that night. This is perhaps the best way to ensure that there is absolutely no dispute to the throne. The deceitful heart of Saul came to an end. Tragically what he did not only affected himself but his sons as well. This is a grave warning to us. The effect of one’s sin does not limit to oneself alone. Its effect would often find its way into the lives of others, especially those who are near and dear to him/her. We must carefully consider our steps, for what we do can affect the lives of our loved ones drastically.

1 Samuel 30:26-31 – Be a generous giver

David had shown himself a remarkable man. Troubles could not keep him down. He had learned to take the bull by the horn and bounce back quickly each time. We saw how he was treated by Saul, but he got up and get on with life. Then he had to face the rejection by the Philistine commanders and lords and returned home to see his wives taken and his town razed by fire. After some lamenting, he also got up and moved on. We also saw how his own people threatened to stone him. Yet he was able to inspire them to go after the raiders and got back everything and more. When some in his camp behaved in a way that threatened the unity and harmony among his people, he took control and dealt with it swiftly.

In this passage before us, we see another aspect of David, his winsome generosity. He distributed some of the spoils he got from the Amalekites to his friends. He was not only gaining their friendship but was proving himself to be a generous person. He was also showing himself to ultimately become a king who would not just take from the people as the Prophet Samuel instructed in 1 Samuel 8:10-18. Instead, he was here proving himself to be a  generous person who would give. Many of them were friends such as the elders of Judah. So from 1 Samuel 30 and all that had happened to David, we saw in him the kind of person who was destined for the throne. A man of great strength who would bounce back from his problems quickly. One who would seek God, listen to Him and then act as instructed. Not only that, but he also showed how decisive he was to take steps to save his people. Furthermore, he was also magnanimous and would treat all, even the unacceptable among them, equally. And now in sending some spoils to his friends, he showed himself as one who cherished old friends and acquaintances and had them at heart.

No one can deny that David had great depth and was fit to be the king. His success did not make him a proud person but instead made him dependent on God even more. He was able to astutely read situations and make the right decisions. He was truly fit for the throne. We learn from him what we need to do if we are to be people whom God can use. We need to stay focused on the call of God and stay true to the mission. We must cultivate selflessness and be the generous person as David was.  

1 Samuel 30:21-25 – Kingdom principles to adopt

We now returned to the 2oo men of David who were left behind at Besor. They couldn’t go all the way with David to pursue the Amalekites because they were too exhausted. They had traveled from Aphek after the Philistines commanders sent them back. Immediately on reaching Ziklag and saw the devastation, like the rest, they all wept until they felt their strength left them. Then shortly David rallied them to go after the Amalekites. All the intensive traveling had exhausted them. Midway in pursuing the Amalekites, they were too tired to go on, so they were left at Besor. David and the rest of the 400 then went on and pursued the raiders all the way, and destroyed them except for 400 who escaped on their camels and donkeys. Everything of theirs was recovered. They even took all the booty that the Amalekites had raided from the other lands.    

In 1 Samuel 30:21-25, David and his 400 men, after rescuing their families and recovering their goods, came back and met the 200 who were left behind at Besor. It would not be stretching our imagination too far to think that they would be anxiously awaiting news of the outcome. They must have heaved a sigh of relief when they saw David and the band returning. The line in verse 21 that says “David approached the people and greeted them” speaks volumes about this leader. The people meant the 400 plus the 200 who were left behind at Besor. David honored all his men, everyone who came to join him. No wonder he was so well respected.

Like in all companies of people, there are bound to be troublemakers. So it was no different in David’s band of men. These troublemakers refused to share the spoils with the 200 who were left behind. In verse 22, they said to David “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.” Those troublemakers were described as wicked and worthless men. They were very self-centered and not accustomed to unity. They didn’t have the corporate unity in view. They only had an interest in themselves and it was placed above the interest of the group.

But David was a capable leader. He sought unity. So he responded saying, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.” David was a magnanimous man. He even called those wicked and worthless men, “my brothers.” He has shown himself to be one who would make peace rather than further divide. He insisted that those who stayed behind were also entitled to a share of the spoils. See how he referred to them as given by the LORD. David had established a norm of how to demonstrate equality in the community.

Here are three lessons from David’s wise actions. Firstly, like our Lord Jesus, he was not ashamed to identify with the seemingly unacceptable in order to reach them. We should emulate this principle. We must not write people off just because they do not share our sentiment. With God’s grace and wisdom, we can seek to win them over for God. Secondly, David recognized that the spoils they had gained were God-given. We need to recognize that everything we have in life comes from God. They are not ours. They are God’s and we are stewards of His resources. As such we must use them for His glory. Thirdly, David shows us that as people of God we must not allow self-centredness to overtake our life. Being self-centered makes us myopic and ungracious.  We can choose to be Kingdom people and live magnanimously for our God. There’s more than enough because He is the supplier!

1 Samuel 30:16-20 – Stay alert at all times

Having secured the help of that Egyptian, David and his 400 men went after the Amalekites who had raided Ziklag. When they came to the place where the raiders were, they found them carelessly spread out all over the camp. They were busy reveling, eating, drinking and dancing and completely caught up in rejoicing over the booty they had taken from the land of Philistines as well as the land of Judah. So involved were they with their carousing that they were not aware of the presence of David and his men and oblivious of the looming dangers. The Amalekites had shown how careless they were. They had no idea that David and his men were sent back to Ziklag by the Philistines. So verse 17 tells us that “David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.”

David’s victory here once again shows us that God always keeps His words. He told David to pursue the raiders and assured him that he would overtake the marauders. Everything God said to David came to pass. He and his men found the Amalekites and carried out such a mighty slaughter and recovered everything. David rescued Ahinoam and Abigail his wives and took back everything that the Amalekites had taken. Verse 19 describes it this way: “Nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back.” Their victory was so complete that they even took all the loots that the Amalekites had taken from other places.   

Verse 20 seems to suggest a change of attitude in David’s men. When they first saw Ziklag up in flames and their families and goods were taken, they wanted to stone David. But now they wanted to reward David with all the cattle. David had taken all the sheep, but the cattle the people drove ahead and said, “this is David’s spoil.” In other words, their anger with David had abated and they even took all the cattle and intended to give the cattle to David as a reward. 

One key lesson to glean from this account. The Amalekites were careless to let down their guard and gave David and his men the advantage. From the way they responded to their success we learn about something we should not do after a successful exploit. We must not be like them and let our guard down after a victory. All of us will constantly overcome some areas of weakness in life and when we do, we need to make time to guard those achievements. Bear in mind that those areas we have successfully overcome may return to trouble us if we don’t take the pain to guard our achievements. The Amalekites became vulnerable because of their carelessness. Peter warned us to stay alert, for the enemy, the devil, prowls around like a lion seeking to devour those who let their guard down. Peter also tells us to stay sober and alert for the purpose of prayer. When we have achieved a spiritual victory, remember we have only gotten one step closer to accomplishing our goal. There are many more battles in our spiritual journey that we will have to fight. So stay alert and be vigilant!

1 Samuel 30:11-15 – The need to collaborate with God

In our spiritual journey, seeking God’s guidance is just one part of the equation, following what He has revealed is another. David had sought the direction of the LORD, and it was now left to him to act upon what He had revealed. Like David, God expects us to collaborate with Him. We need to seek God so that we can move in the right direction, but acting and moving in that direction is our responsibility. Faith is active. It requires that we act on what we believe God has shown us. We need to know that we are saved by grace through faith, but the working out of our salvation with fear and trembling is our responsibility. As we responsibly work with God and work out what we need to do, then God in His part will bring about spiritual growth.   

Here we see David illustrating it for us. Having given the green light by God to pursue, he still had to make the decision about where to start and which way to go. So they headed south. Midway, David still had to decide to leave behind 200 exhausted men at Besor. Like David, the outcome of our spiritual journey is promised. But meanwhile, we need to be disciplined and work on the process toward the outcome. Receiving Christ and being justified in Him is only the first step. Having to move in tandem with God through the process of sanctification towards the ultimate state of glorification, are steps that we need to take incrementally in collaboration with God.

As David did his part, soon something turned up that would become key to his mission to rescue his people. They stumbled onto an Egyptian who was left behind by his master, an Amalekite. He was sick and the master did not want to be burdened by him, so he abandoned him. Here he was, sick, starving and parched, for he had not eaten or drunk for three days. David and his men then nourished him. When he was better they interrogated him and discovered that the Amalekites had been raiding “…the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire”. So now we see that Achish’s thought that David was the one who had made himself a stench to the Israelites was wrong. It was the Amalekites who were raiding the Israelites camp. What they did contribute to Achish’s trust of David. But the last clue that the Amalekites were the ones who had burned Ziklag was critical to David. So he asked the Egyptian to bring them to where the Amalekites were. That Egyptian was smart to make him promise, saying, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”

The lesson: God always works in collaboration with us. While it is true that He is for us, but taking steps in tandem with His leading is our responsibility. In our journey and in everything we do, remember to seek God for guidance. When He shows us what we need to do, be sure to be obedient and act on them. Taking action is our part!

1 Samuel 30:7-10 – Relying on God absolutely

The stark contrast between Saul and David was in the way they each approached their distress. The former resorted to the power of the dark world whereas the latter turned to his God. When confronted by problems and in distress, Saul sought a medium, more precisely a necromancer, to seek the dead Prophet Samuel for guidance. David was also in distress. His two wives were captured by the Amalekites. His property was seized, and his city razed. All the families of his men also share similar misfortune. They were beside themselves and were angry with David. They had the intention of stoning him with stones. This meant that they were seething with extreme anger and wanted to take it out on him. But their intention did not affect David. He chose a different action. He turned to the LORD his God for strength and comfort. Like David, the one clear advantage for us believers when we are in distress, we also have the LORD whom we can turn to. We can seek the advice of well-meaning friends or qualified people, but they must never be our first option. God must always be our first option. He is our best help in times of trouble. Our Lord, with whom we have a vibrant relationship, is always there 24/7 and we can trust Him. What a friend!

We are told in verse 7 that unlike Saul, David turned to Abiathar, the lone surviving member of the family of Ahimelech, the priest. He had escaped from the slaughter of the priests by Saul at Nob. David said to him, “Please bring me the ephod.” The Ephod was part of the priest’s garment that carried the Urim and Thummim. Though the passage does not tell us how David used the ephod to consult God, we guess that it was these Urim and Thummim that he used to seek guidance. David wanted to know if he should pursue the marauders and if he should do it, would he overtake them. The Lord gave the affirmative for both his questions. God’s answer was, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all.” This could well be the exact same time that Saul was seeking direction from a medium in Endor. Amazingly, both had very different answers.  

David immediately obeyed. So he went with his six hundred men to pursue the raiders. Some distance away from Ziklag, they came to the brook at Besor. We are told here that 200 of his 600 men stayed there. They were tired and weary from their travel from Aphek after Achish had dismissed them. So the 200 remained behind at Besor while David and the 400 went on to pursue the raiders.

In times of trouble, the question we must ask is: how will we respond if we were in David’s shoes? Will we just sit around and resign to our despair in distraught? David here teaches us something. God is always ready to guide us in our steps. The issue is, will we turn to Him and trust Him? And when we do, He will certainly show us His ways. Then, will He find in us a person like David, who would swiftly respond and obey immediately?!    

1 Samuel 30:1-6 - God is our strength in trouble

In God’s providential care for David, He shielded him from what was coming. It was not a coincidence that the Philistines commanders should demand that David and his men returned to Ziklag. It was a divine design to save David from a needless involvement. Remember, God had already revealed that He was going to give Israel into the hand of the Philistines and that Saul and his sons would die in that battle that night. All would soon come to pass that night. If David had been in the battle, he would be caught in an embroil that was going to see his people defeated and fallen into the hands of the Philistines. So unknown to David, God had graciously removed him from the needless entanglement. Hence, the only way to see it is that the commanders not wanting David’s involvement was by divine design. Isn’t this the experience of many believers too? How often we have heard of believers missing a disaster because they were taken out of an assignment for no justifiable reason. They were disappointed at first because they thought they were being by-passed. Later they were glad that they were removed because if not they would have been caught in that disaster. This is the goodness of God.

So David and his men hurried back to Ziklag, while the army of the Philistines and their lords set their face toward Jezreel valley for a showdown with Saul and his army. First Samuel 30:1-6 describe for us what happened when David and his men returned home to Ziklag. It took them two days, so verses 1 and 2 said that “…David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.” David and his men returned home to discover what the Amalekites had done to their homes. Besides attacking the Negev, the Amalekites also raided Ziklag. They had plundered the possessions of David and his men and carried away their women and children, killing none but set fire to Ziklag. Remember David and his men had been troubling the Amalekites. So this could be a retaliation from them.

The first reaction from David and his men when they saw their city razed, was to lift up … their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. David did not see this coming. He didn’t know who did this to his people and the city. But from his activities, he would certainly have suspected that the Geshurites, the Girzites or the Amalekites had done this. For in his earlier activities in 1 Samuel 27, David and his men had been giving trouble to these people. David must have also deduced from what he saw that there was no bloodshed for no one was killed. The Amalekites probably plundered for economic reasons. They could make a tidy sum from the booty and also from selling the people they had taken captives into slavery. David was in deep distress for his two wives Abigail and Ahinaom were taken captives, and he was being blamed for what had happened. Furthermore, he was in danger of being stoned by his own people. For everyone had lost their family and were embittered toward David.

But David was a different man. When troubles besieged him, he knew who to go to. Of course, it was his God whom he would run to. Verse 6 tells us that he strengthened and encouraged himself in the Lord his God. It is easy to seek a scapegoat to pin blame in times of trouble. But David’s action here has set for us an example. The first person we should go to in times like these is God. He alone can give us the strength to face what’s ahead. Paul knew this. So he boldly declared, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” No matter how draining it can be from what we are facing now, we need to know that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Seek shelter in Him for He had promised us, saying, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” And so we rest in Him and trust Him for the next step to take.

1 Samuel 29:8-11 – Nothing happens to us by chance

The Philistine commanders’ objection to the presence of David and his men joining them has presented him with the best opportunity out of his predicament. It was an unsolicited solution out of his tricky situation. He could now be free from any accusation of betraying Israel. It was an opportunity that anyone would have jumped at. Therefore, it was astounding to hear all these words David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 

David made it looked as if he was so disappointed that they should mistrust him. He protested and insisted on his innocence. He took advantage of the situation to make Achish feel even worse. Or was it? The whole situation could be seen from another angle. In the light of the God he served, and Israel and King Saul whose life he refused to take, suggested that David might have another plan up his sleeves. He crafted his words with two ways of interpreting it. It appeared to Achish as if he was for the Philistines and yet his intention was another. He could possibly have planned to turn on the Philistines in the midst of the battle and fight for Israel. So he was truly disappointed that his plan was foiled. But he didn’t realize that God had another plan. For that very night, God had already told Saul through Samuel what He was going to do. He had pronounced the defeat of Israel and the death of Saul and his sons. That was the plan of God. If we could see the whole situation in a proper light, David’s faithfulness to God, King Saul and the people of Israel had never been in question. Amazingly, the affirmation of his integrity was given by Achish who said to him, “I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God.”

Achish then sent David and his men back in compliance with what the lords of the Philistines wanted. The chapter then closed by saying that “David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.” Remarkably, David was delivered by divine providence. So he was not engaged in the battle in which Saul met his death. Though we are not explicitly told that God was behind all these, but there’s no way to see otherwise but that God’s handprints were over everything.   

These verses teach us about divine providence. How could God allow David to be sneered upon by his own people even before he took the throne? Imagine what would be said of him if he had been involved in a battle where Saul’s dynasty fell. So everything we see here did not happen by chance, it was the outworking of divine providence. These events highlight for us that what Romans 8:28 says is true. No matter what happens to us, like Paul, we can say with full confidence and conviction that, “…we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called to His purpose.” Thanks be to God!

1 Samuel 29:6-7 – Be a team player

The apprehension of the commanders of the Philistines was not baseless. Who would want to have people of the nation they were fighting with to be at their rear? What’s worst was the fact that these people were not led by an incompetent man but David who had slain Goliath and was touted as better than Saul. So they had every right to be angry with Achish who brought David and his men along and would even try to justify and defend him. They all wanted David and his men to return. Since most of them felt that way, Achish couldn’t help but had to send them back.   

What’s astonishing was that Achish was on David’s side even in such a time. He felt awkward to explain to David. So he began diplomatically. Calling David, he said, “As the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day….” He told David in no uncertain term that he trusted him completely and felt that he was upright. This tells us how capable David was at his game. He had acted so astutely that Achish was completely sold to him. He did not even detect a hint of disloyalty in David. Notice how Achish even swore by David’s God. He only saw in David total integrity since the day he came to him. Now comes the difficult part of broaching the issue with David. He said it was the other lords who disapproved of David fighting along with them. His excuse was that he had to submit to the voice of the majority and urge David to return to Ziklag.

From a spiritual perspective, we know that God was helping David. From the leadership point of view, Achish was a weak leader. He would not be in such a predicament had he been more discerning. He should have questioned David’s intention. But he did not and instead allow David and his men, people from the opposite camp, to live among them and now to fight alongside them. A strong and discerning leader would have been more cautious. Achish was also gullible. He took David’s words hook, line and sinker. He probably was too laid back to care about checking the facts to find out what David and his men were doing. He did not and only took David in his words. We also see in Achish that he was not a team player. He could have told David to return to Ziklag without implicating his fellow lords. If he were a good team player, he would have communicated the corporate decision without betraying the rest of the decision-makers. Achish should have been seen standing as one with the Philistine lords in their decision. But he was not a team player. He tried to make himself look good to David at the expense of the rest of the Philistine lords. A non-team player tends to act this way. They have no regard for corporate decisions. Such a leader would communicate a hard corporate decision as if he was not part of the decision making. To have such a leader is dangerous to the organization. The overall plan of the organization could be sabotaged. We are disciples of the Lord and working in His kingdom. We must stand as one. Once we have agreed with the corporate decision of the church, we must live by it and run with it. Let’s not agree on a thing corporately then communicate as if we are not with the decision just to gain acceptance and popularity. This shows a lack of integrity. 

1 Samuel 29:1-5 – God has a way of delivering His own

The time for Saul’s rule as king was coming to an end and David’s destiny was coming to pass. God’s silence and perhaps Saul’s own foreboding had driven him to seek a medium for direction. God allowed Samuel to return and speak to Saul one last time reiterating his looming tragic end. What was said to Saul was not new, but a repeat of what Samuel had told him when he was alive. Firstly, Saul was told that God had rejected him as king. Secondly, for his disobedience with regards to the Amalekites, he was told that his kingdom would be removed from him and be given to his neighbor, David. Thirdly that God would give Israel into the hand of the Philistines. Fourthly, he foretold Saul and his sons’ death, saying “…tomorrow you and your sons will be with me”, before emphasizing their defeat by the Philistines.

While 1 Samuel 28 described Saul's mission to seek guidance from a medium at En-dor and the outcome, 1 Samuel 29, brings us back to David’s predicament. He and his men had been living among the Philistines. So long as the Philistines were not going on a large-scale war with Israel, David and his men could remain neutral. But now the situation had changed. The Philistines were coming together at Aphek to launch an all-out attack on Israel, to win the battle decisively. The army of Israel was camping at Jezreel located at the foot of Mount Gilboa.  

Now, the Philistine lords were moving by troops of 1oo and 1,000 to Aphek and David and his men were following in the rear with Achish and his troop. As they were moving along, the commanders of the Philistines raised the question of the presence of a group of Hebrews among them. Good sense will tell us that that’s not a good battle strategy. No fighting force would like people from the nation they were attacking to be in their midst. So the commanders raised their apprehension. Achish came to the defense of David and his men and personally vouched for them. But the commanders would have nothing of it. They were angry with Achish and insisted that David and his men be sent back to where they were assigned i.e. Ziklag.  

The commanders were more perceptive and appeared to have better sense than Achish. Why? Firstly, they took David’s reputation seriously. In Israel, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands,” was a common refrain. So why should they trust him now. Secondly, they anticipated what would happen if David and his men turn tail and decided to fight for their adversary in the battle. Good thinking.

Could this be God’s intervention to help David out? Very much so. Because had David gone with the Philistines, he would be seen as fighting for the enemy of Israel and be labeled a traitor by his people. He would be blamed for Saul’s death even though he might not be the one who had killed him. He was delivered out of this situation so that he would not be entangled in a needless predicament. Isn’t it true that if we are God’s and rightly connected with Him, He will never leave us in a lurk? He will not allow us to be placed in an untenable situation when there’s no way out. God is faithful, with every trial, He will provide a way of escape. Trust Him!