Mad man returns
1 Sam 27:1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
David in his heart lost hope. The future King of Israel said in his heart, that someday Saul would kill him. He was walking in fear and disappointment. That is not a time for decisions. He would escape Israel, his beloved nation and people and dwell in the enemies land. He no longer trusted that God had a better place for him in his good land The thought in his head had grown until it took over his heart.
Earlier a desperate and frustrated David pleads with Saul to stop chasing him, putting the blame on others than Saul. Sometimes the blame is within our own hearts. What we meditate on goes into our heart and shapes our life. We give up too soon.
1 Sam 26:19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
...go serve other gods, go into the enemies land where God is not served.
Have you let the words of men put you in bondage in a pagan place where the enemy dwells? Have people kept you from worshipping in God's house? Have your thoughts and fears found their way into your heart? Obey and have faith in God, not men or the fears in your thoughts. David should have heeded his own earlier words of faith, and not the words of a tired and discouraged heart.
Psa 96:4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
Psa 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
1 Sam 27:2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
1 Sam 27:3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.
The last time David went to Gath, he was dragging Goliath's sword, Goliath was from Gath.
1 Sam 21:11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
1 Sam 21:12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
David being recognized as the king of the land pretended to be a mad man. He left in dishonor as a crazy person, not as a mighty man of God and king of his people.
1 Sam 21:13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
1 Sam 21:14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Now he returns again, to a place of dishonor, with 600 men, their households and his two wives. Had he caused all these families to fall into a place of idolatry? Would they be worshipping their God in this land? Had not God blessed him in his own land and kept him from harm? We must keep our faith and not listen to the heart. In the heart is much foolishness.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
1 Sam 27:4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
Saul would no longer seek David now that he was in the enemies land. The devil does not pursue those who are in sin, they are already in his control. When we listen to fear in our hearts and go to the devil's land, we feel the peace of not having the devil attacking us, but it is a false peace. It is surrendering to our fears and not walking in faith.
1 Sam 27:5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
The future king of Israel becomes a servant of his countries enemy King. Both had one thing in common, their fear of Saul. Perhaps David and his men would be allies to defeat Saul? David seeks his own city to dwell in.
1 Sam 27:6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
1 Sam 27:7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
This would be a fortified city in the south of Judah, but in the enemies land. This would be the home for their families.
1 Sam 27:8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
Geshurites were an aboriginal people of Palestine who inhabited the Southwest border of the land. Geshur means bridge.
The Gezrites, Gezer means the precipice, a very steep overhanging place.
The Amalekites, were a nomadic tribe between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. They were historic enemies to Israel. They tried to stop Israel from walking through their land at the time of the exodus from Egypt.
1 Sam 27:9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.
David and his men had become robbers. Stealing and killing the people and stripping them of their valuables. Is this the David who was after God's own heart? No, it was a man who dwelt too long on fear and negative things, the problems with Saul. This negative spirit went to his heart and he gave satan a place in his heart. He was not serving God, but the enemy king and satan.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:..
The protectors of sheep and shepherds became the thieves and the murderers of innocents. Be warned, what we think upon will work it's way into our hearts.
1 Sam 27:10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
David made it seem as if he were attacking Israel to gain favor with the king. The peoples were tribes that were within the land of Israel.
1 Sam 27:11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.
He killed the people that he robbed so they would not come back to testify against David to the Philistine king. He killed to cover his sins. This was perhaps the worst evil in David's life. Later God would reject David's request to build a temple, because he had blood on his hands.
1 Sam 27:12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
King Achish thought that David's raids in his own land would make him an outcast to his own people, a traitor. David had no where to turn but to serve the enemy king.
How many who have called themselves the people of God have entertained negative thoughts, and changed their hearts? How many have left Church, left the word of God, left their service to the Lord and have gone out into the world? How many have been caught up in sin enemies of truth and are serving the world and the devil? Too many. It happened to David, the anointed king and chosen of God and it can happen to you. It all starts with dwelling on negative things. Be careful of your thoughts, for they will go into your heart and you will be servant to them.
1 Sam 27:1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines;...
David needed to be restored.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
David needed hope
Psa 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psa 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
Psa 33:19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psa 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
Psa 33:21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Psa 33:22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Psa 38:15 For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
Psa 38:16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.
Psa 38:17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
Psa 38:18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
David needed to repent
Isa 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
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