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David is in his late 20s. He’s been hunted by Saul, the king of Israel, for years. Saul has attempted to kill David thirteen times. David is supposed to be the next king of Israel, but Saul’s incessant desire to murder David is going to prevent that. David’s last hope is to leave the country where Saul won’t chase him.
David rightly sees no end to Saul’s hatred for him. David understands Saul will not quit hunting him until either he or Saul are dead. David sees his only option at this point is to leave the country and reside in enemy territory. David chooses familiar enemy territory. He goes to Gath because he’s been there before. David undoubtedly learned a few things from the first time he went to Gath in 1 Samuel 21.
David and his 600 men go into enemy territory; it’s a place he’s been before. He’s received by an old acquaintance who happens to be a Philistine prince named Achish. Achish sees an opportunity in David. Here is probably Israel’s best military man, but will probably be seen as a traitor in Israel. Achish sees an opportunity to use David. But David has plans of his own.
David is still trying to serve God. He knows God’s call on his life is to be a shepherd of Israel and to fight the Lord’s battles. But he can’t have Achish know what he’s doing. David asks Achish if he can be moved away from the Philistine metropolis of Gath. He politely asks to be moved away with his 600 men because it would be in everyone’s best interest. Achish agrees and sends them to Ziklag. What David doesn’t tell Achish is he wants to put some distance between them so Achish will not know what he’s doing.
David continues to fight battles for his nation. He continues to fight God’s enemies. He continues to do what God’s called him to do. But when Achish asks him what he’s been doing, what battles he’s been fighting, David controls the information to Achish. Now, he may be lying to Achish, I can’t tell, but he’s certainly misleading Achish. And David isn’t leaving any witnesses.
Achish believes he now has a superstar military man on his team. And David wants him to believe that. But all the while David continues to fight battles for the Lord, for Israel, for Saul.
David finds refuge behind enemy lines (vss 1-4)
- When I study, I’ll read over and over the chapter or verses I’m preaching on until I get an understanding in my mind of what’s happening. Then after I’ve got a theme laid out and some supporting thoughts I may go to commentaries or other sermons to see how others have preached it. Everyone I checked out said this chapter is about David’s failure. And I couldn’t disagree more. But because literally, everyone I listened to or read said the same thing, either I have no idea what I’m reading in this chapter, or everyone’s copying off each other and maybe they got it right? But if you’ll allow me to, I’d like to make the case for David’s faithfulness, not infidelity here.
- It had to be that David would eventually be driven out of his own country because that’s the way the Spirit of God works in this world.
- A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
- Jesus himself was protected as a child when Joseph and Mary escaped to Egypt at God’s instruction. The LORD said, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
- David is in Philistine country, but he is not a Philistines. He is in Philistine country, but not of the Philistines.
- A child of God is in the world but not of the world.
- Serving God you learn the art of living in enemy territory.
- I’m saying it was going to have to happen this way. When Israel’s leadership was bad, there wasn’t any room for the Spirit of God to do the work of God. And it was the strangers that became a source of help to faithful Israelites.
Creating distance so God’s work can continue (vss 5-7)
- What sounds like a reasonable request is David’s plan to continue serving the LORD while behind enemy lines.
Contend for the faith (vss 8-12)
- Notice who David fights against in the 16 months he lives with the Philistines. He fights against the Geshurites, Gezrites, and Amalekites. These are all the enemies of God. These are all enemies of Israel. These are all nations the LORD told Israel to destroy because they filled God’s promised land with wickedness.
- David finds a way to continue to serve God under these adverse conditions. He is skillful when it comes to the work of the LORD. David finds a way to serve God. David is resourceful when it comes to serving God. He is industrious Because his heart is set on serving God.
- He fights the LORD’s battles against the LORD’s enemies. David then controls the information that gets back to his potentially hostile hosts so they don’t know exactly what he’s doing.
- The LORD is not critical of David.
- Are we more critical than God is? People talk about David’s lapse in faith here, but I don’t see it. I see someone doing what they can to serve God under threat of death constantly. You and I have betrayed the LORD for MUCH less than that.
- But if someone you loved, maybe your child for instance, was doing everything they could to bless you and help you and care for your life, and a situation came up where being honest would put everyone’s life in danger. If they hid the truth for the sake of your protection, you would probably be grateful, not critical. I sort of think the LORD has the same view. That faith justifies the sinner and loving God covers a multitude of sins. Maybe I’m making the LORD too human?
- But how many missionaries travel to countries hostile to Christianity and on their paperwork they don’t say “Missionary” they say “English Teacher”?
- Do what you can.
- That’s going to be the motto for everyone who serves the LORD faithfully. Different seasons in life and you’ll be able to do different things. Different money situations in life and you’ll only be able to do what you can. Getting older and you’ll only be able to do what you can.
- Serving God is not a competition between you and someone else. It’s not a competition between you and your wife or your husband. People have different gifts. People are at different times in their lives. One thing we can all do is we can do what we can. David did exactly that.
- I can’t do what I can’t do, but I can do what I can.
