1 Samuel - Chapters 27-30

David spared King Saul's life and realized he couldn't trust him. He went to live among the Philistines, acting as their friend while secretly supporting Israel. Saul, desperate for guidance, consulted a medium and was told he and his sons would die in battle. Meanwhile, the Philistine commanders didn't trust David and sent him away. When David returned to his city, he found it raided and his family taken captive. With God's guidance, David rescued them and shared the plunder with his men and the elders of Judah. The story highlights the importance of obedience and finding strength in the Lord. I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at dab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are covering chapters 27-30 of 1 Samuel. Yesterday ended with David's last encounter with King Saul. David once again spared Saul's life when he could have killed him, but David did not want to lift his hand against the Lord's anointed leader of Israel. He was waiting for the Lord's way and the Lord's timing, but at this last encounter it was made clear to David that he could not trust Saul, and he could not go home until Saul was dead. So chapter 26 ended with verse 25, Then Saul said to David, May you be blessed, my son David, you will do great things and surely triumph. So David went on his way and Saul returned home. Now if you remember when David first had to run for his life from Saul in chapter 21, David went to Achish king of Gath in Philistine country. He thought it might be safer to live among the quote enemies of Israel because Saul would not go after him there. But the problem was they knew the saying, Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands and this made David afraid. He decided to act crazy by making markings and drooling down his beard. Chapter 22 verse 1 says David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Now that David knows he is not safe in Israel he decided to go back to Gath. Chapter 27 verse 2 says So David and the 600 men with him left and went over to Achish son of Moak king of Gath. One commentator I read made comment that since the word Achish is used quite often with regards to the Philistines it may mean the word Achish is similar to the term Pharaoh in Egypt. That may be why this time in chapter 27 it says Achish son of Moak. This may be the son of the other ruler from years back or someone totally different. But it does not seem to be the same man as with David's first encounter. This time David his men and their families were welcomed. Verse 4 says When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath he no longer searched for him. Then David spoke to Achish and asked if perhaps they could move to a different town and David said quote Why should your servant live in the royal city with you? This pleased the king and he gave David Ziklag and then there is an added phrase quote and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since end of quote. I don't know if you remember but I've explained how this Philistine land which was part of the land promised by the Lord to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would go back and forth between ownership. In Joshua chapter 13 verse 3 the Jews had not yet taken Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. At the beginning of Judges 1 verse 18 it says the men of Judah also took Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron. Each city was its territory. But by the end of Judges they had lost it and it was Philistine land again. It seems that this is the reason that all the Bible maps show that the Jews never took the Gaza strip. So now that David has the city of Ziklag it would always stay with the kings of Judah which was David's tribe. Verse 7 tells us David and his men stayed for one year and four months in the Philistine territory. Ziklag is south of Gath almost on the southern border. So while David is there he's like a double agent. His heart is with Israel yet he acts like a friend to the king of Gath. He and his men would go off to war against Israel's enemies like Gusharites, Gurzites, Amalekites. He'd kill everyone in the city so that they could not report back to the Philistines. And then David would bring plunder to Akish and say he attacked Judah. This so enchanted Akish that he thought David would be his forever servant. The problem came when the Philistines were planning on attacking Saul and Akish wanted David to stand by his side because David had become his bodyguard for life. What will David do? Chapter 28 verse 3 instantly changes the scene. Saul is scared and now that Samuel is dead who will he seek wisdom from? Verse 6 tells us that Saul inquired of the Lord but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. The Urim is what the priest used to receive answers from the Lord. But the Lord had stopped talking to Saul because Saul had stopped listening and obeying the Lord. What's the king to do? He went to a medium which he had expelled from the land. Leviticus chapter 20 verse 6 warns I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them and I will cut him off from his people. His men found one and Saul went in disguise to her and he asked her to bring up Samuel. Then F. Bilbrick Jr. said in his commentary Saul laid aside his royal robes for a humble disguise and sought one last desperate means to receive a favorable word from the Lord. When the woman saw Samuel she screamed and said why have you deceived me you are Saul. Saul told her she would not be harmed. He asked what do you see? It seems that Saul could not see Samuel but he was able to speak to him. Samuel said to Saul why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? Saul explained his dilemma and Samuel told him in death what he had told him in life and verse 19 says the Lord will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines. Saul collapsed. The women and Saul's men made sure he ate food and then he left that night. Many people ask was it really Samuel? I'd like to share with you abbreviated insights found in Robert D. Bergen's commentary about this issue. Quote first the text said she saw Samuel, second the medium reacted to the appearance of the sight and it was unexpected for her, third Samuel alluded to their previous discussions and fourth what he said in death is the same thing he said in life. Chapter 29 now switch back to David and the Philistines. Akish wanted his right hand man David to be with him when they attacked the Israelites but the other Philistine commanders were afraid that David would turn on them. This had happened in chapter 14 verse 20 and 21 quote those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with him to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. They even quoted that old song that the ladies had sung Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands. Even though Akish trusted David he sent him away. David was shrewd in asking but what have I done verse 8 Akish affirmed his trust but said it needed to be this way. Verse 11 says 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. Chapter 30 tells us it took them three days to get back to Ziklag and when they arrived they found it was raided the women and children were taken captive and the city was burned. They all wept and then the men turned on David. Verse 6b says but David found strength in the Lord his God. In contrast to Saul when David inquired of the Lord the Lord answered him and told him he would overtake the enemy and succeed in the rescue. All 600 men started the pursuit but 200 became exhausted and David allowed them to stay behind to watch over their stuff. David and the 400 men kept going and they found a sick Egyptian on the way. David inquired of him and he had helped with that invasion but was left behind because of his sickness. David gave him food. The Egyptian was able to guide them to the camp but he made David swear that they would not kill him or that they would not hand him over to his master. When they found the Amalekite camp they were partying because of their successful raids with both the Philistines and Judah. David and his men fought these unsuspected Amalekites. Most died but 400 young men got away on camels. David noticed quote nothing was missing young or old boy or girl plunder or anything else that had been taken. Verse 19 David and his men not only brought back everything that was taken of theirs but all the other stuff that the Amalekites had raided. Verse 22 is interesting it says but all the evil men and troublemakers among David's followers said because they did not go out with us we will not share with them the plunder we recovered however each man may take his wife and children and go. Not everyone on David's team was godly which reminds us that not all of Saul's men were ungodly. This reminds me of what the Lord's warrior told Joshua before the first attack in the promised land Jericho. Joshua asked are you for us or against us? Joshua chapter 5 verse 14 the commander of the army replied neither. Ladies the Lord is always for the individual soul who will come to him. David stood up for the men who had stayed behind to guard the stuff and said that everyone will share alike. Then David went above and beyond because he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah with the words quote here is a present for you from the plunder of the Lord's enemies. Verse 26 it listed various cities and then verse 31 added and to those in all the other places where David and his men had roamed. It was a thank you gift for their hospitality but it also was a way of forming allegiance when the time came for David to be king. Ladies are you the individual soul who comes to the Lord? One thing we see with King Saul we can disobey so much and turn our back so many times that there is a time we will not hear anymore. As Christians we should take that warning to heart. So today if you hear his voice please don't harden your heart it never turns out well. Instead let's be women who hear and obey and find strength in the Lord our God like David. Until next time and thanks so much for listening.