The thief comes
1 Sam 30:1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;
The city was left defenseless and the enemy came and burned it to the ground. When leadership is out in the world, trying to please the king of the world, the enemy comes into the homes and plunders, taking family members captive. Christian leaders beware, while you are seeking prosperity and promotions, the enemy may sneak in. Do not leave your home space unguarded. Put God first and then your family.
1 Sam 30:2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.
Oh no, why was this happening to David and his men. Aren't they already full of sorrows? Now all was taken from them. The devil is a thief and a destroyer. What will they do now?
1 Sam 30:3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.
1 Sam 30:4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Who will comfort them, as they cried. All were in the seem terrible sorrow, no loved ones, all were taken. David was reaping what he had sown. He had raided cities, stripping them of their valuables and had spared no lives.
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.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
1 Sam 30:5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
1 Sam 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
All who took pleasure in following David in the good times, now turned on him and blamed him for all that had happened. Their response was to accuse him and threaten to stone him. But? David reacted differently. He did not accuse or receive accusations, he began to call upon the LORD. He encouraged himself in the LORD. We must not look to others for encouragement, blaming others for our lack. We should encourage ourselves in the LORD. It took all of this for God to get David's attention. Now David was seeing how weak and blind he was. The LORD had not left him, it was time to walk in his truth and his light. God is merciful.
Deu 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Restoration
1 Sam 30:7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
1 Sam 30:8 And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
David is finally seeking the LORD's direction He has been acting on his own thoughts since coming among the Philistines. God spoke restoration of it all. If David had self pity, depression, accusations, and doubt, he would not have acted on God's word. The LORD had gotten David's attention. He was full of grace, for none were killed of the families.
1 Sam 30:9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
He went, there was no hesitation, he was obedient to the Lord's direction, a quality of character that all servants of God should have. God wants us to have his character. We are to walk in truth, obeying all things that he commands. With David were the six hundred brave men, who earlier were ready to stone David because of their grief. A lesson here, we together should take our grief and sorrows to the LORD and seek his direction. Then we will be victorious, because we are in God's will for us. He will go before us, as with David, for he knows all and has all power.
1 Sam 30:10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.
David did not loose his enthusiasm because two hundred of his men were weary and staid behind. He and four hundred men went forth, with the LORD. When the LORD's will is known, we should not hesitate if some fall behind. Not all are hearing the LORD and receiving strength through faith. There will always be those who do not follow a new direction of the LORD. Some hear another voice, a negative voice saying you are too tired, it can't be done, you will fail, what's the use? We cannot allow the negative words to cancel what God has spoken to us.
1 Sam 30:11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;
1 Sam 30:12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
David was walking with the LORD again, he showed compassion on a starving man. He could have been bitter because two hundred had been too weary to follow, but he takes compassion on a lone Egyptian. Always we should have time for those in need, especially for those who need the LORD. Even if all you may have led to the LORD before have left, still we have a heart for those in need. We are to have the character of our merciful Lord.
1 Sam 30:13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.
Who do you belong to? Ask this of yourself. Do you belong to your family? Are you of a particular people or race? Who do you serve? Are you serving the world, the flesh and the devil, or the Lord. The question now is, it doesn't matter who you were, it is who you will choose and serve when Jesus comes to you. David as a type of Jesus has shown compassion on this stranger, now the stranger must respond to grace. Jesus has a new way and a new life for you. The Egyptian has a chance for change.
1 Sam 30:14 We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
We, shows that he was active with the Amalekites in destroying these cities.
1 Sam 30:15 And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.
The Egyptian receives new hope and joins with David in battle with the enemy. When we come to God, we leave behind our former master, the devil and serve God. Through Jesus we overcome the work of the enemy. Through Jesus we are restored and blessed with more than we had lost. We receive the things only God can give to us.
1 Sam 30:16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
Be prepared, for after a victory comes an unexpected battle.
1 Sam 30:17 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.
David attacked them at twilight, the word for twilight also means dawn. So he attacked them when they were weakened and hung over from too much food and strong drink. From dawn until the evening, only four hundred young men escaped upon camels. God did not do the work for them, they had to put forth effort. Sometimes he does the work, other times he wants us to put the effort forth while trusting in him. I suppose this is a close as we can get to the saying, "God helps those who help themselves," sometimes we are required to give our best effort to achieve what God has promised.
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
There is an intensity of spiritual warfare when we take back that which was stolen from the enemy.
1 Sam 30:18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.
1 Sam 30:19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.
As the LORD had promised earlier, all was recovered, wives and family and possessions, nothing was missing.
1 Sam 30:20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.
David received additional flocks and herds as his additional spoil.
1 Sam 30:21 And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.
1 Sam 30:22 Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.
Some of the men who went to battle were called wicked men and men of Belial, because they wished to punish those left behind. They were acting as Lords, when it was LORD who had gone before them. They were accusers, they had self pride, were selfish and greedy. They were not willing to share what God had provided.
1 Sam 30:23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.
David had a different heart. He was to share the victory with all, he was being a good steward of the Lord's blessings. Even though they were not in the battle, they were with us. They guarded the supplies and held them up in prayer. Those who are at home are equally rewarded with the missionary, for taking care of the supplies and support and for their prayers.
1 Sam 30:24 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.
1 Sam 30:25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.
David made sure that none were left out. He cared for all the people.
1 Sam 30:26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD;
1 Sam 30:27 To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir,
1 Sam 30:28 And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa,
1 Sam 30:29 And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites,
1 Sam 30:30 And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach,
1 Sam 30:31 And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.
David sends gifts to the elders of Israel, from all of his spoil.
Luke 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luke 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
David was sharing the spoil and mending broken relationships. This would make him more welcome when it came time for him to return as king of Israel. People remember gifts and they remember when they have been cheated. It is always good to give a little. David a type of Christ, giving gifts unto man. David gave material gifts, Jesus would give spiritual gifts.
Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
David was restored in spirit to God. He was restored in his family and possessions and he was restoring his relationships. God would give him all that was promised. Restoration and blessings only come from trusting and obeying the Lord.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Superragman@aol.com
1 Samuel Chapters
1Samuel 31
1Samuel 1 Table of Contents
Eaglewings Ministries
Eaglewings Daily Bible