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!