4. (1 Sam 30:16-20) David routs and spoils the Amalekites and wins back everything
When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back. So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, "This is David's spoil."
When he had brought them down: Though left behind, the Egyptian knew the course which the Amalekites had taken, and thus he was able to bring David and his men quickly to them.
They were spread over all the land: The Amalekites were secure and careless as they celebrated their successful raids across the Negev. They were now almost to their border, and their biggest enemies (the Philistines and the Israelites) were in the north fighting their own battle. Additionally, they believed David and his men were fighting in the Philistine-Israel war in the north. Who could disrupt this time of great feasting?
Eating and drinking and dancing: The literal Hebrew is "keeping festival". Like all joyous celebrations, spontaneous singing and dancing breaks out as the wine makes its way through their veins. Of course, no celebration is complete without an abundance of delicious food.
David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day: "From the twilight" can mean either the evening twilight or the morning twilight. Examining the Hebrew word nesep and noting in other places in Scripture such as Job 7:4 and Psalm 119:147, it is translated as "dawn", it is best to believe David and his men fought from early dawn to after sunset of the same day.
David and his men, being much fewer in number than the Amalekites, may have intentionally delayed their attack until the early morning hours. As most celebrations become quite rambunctious as the night grows strong, the Amalekites early in the morning would be heavy with sleep, food and drink. David and his men making a surprise attack on the Amalekites would have been greatly unanticipated. David and his men still seething with anger and fiery from the loss of their city and loved ones would have bravely fought the numerous Amalekites. When David and his men started attacking, it would have been mass confusion. And perhaps like other battles in which God fights for His people, Amalekites may have unintentionally slaughtered each other in the chaos.
Four hundred men who rode on camels: A band of fugitives equal to the size of all David's men managed to escape the surprise attack. Although we are not told the size of the Amalekite forces, noting that 400 men escaped helps us imagine the total number of Amalekite soldiers must have been very great.
David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken: Everything that the enemy raided, David took back. God gave him a complete victory because David "strengthened himself in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6), David "inquired of the LORD" (1 Samuel 30:8), David did what God told him to do, and David showed unexpected kindness and care to others.
God's promise was proven true. When David inquired of the LORD, God promised "You shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all" (1 Samuel 30:8). The promise was exactly fulfilled. However, it was only fulfilled because David was a man of action. He did not sit passively back and say, "All right God, You fight and deliver us from our plight." The LORD fulfilled His promise, but He used David's actions to do so. God's promise did not exclude David's cooperation. Rather, God's promise involved David and his men being faithful and obedient. David had to trust that God would defeat the Amalekites, but he had to march into battle as if it all depended on him.
This is David's spoil: It is not that David claimed the spoil for himself, but the soldiers, who of late were so incensed at David that they spoke of stoning him, now upon David's success magnified him and triumphantly celebrated. It is as if his men are saying, "David purchased these items by his valor and conduct. He may dispose of them as he pleases." God gave David even more than what He had promised him. David received the spoil from the Amalekite raids beyond what was taken from Ziklag. This was God's rich abundance of grace blessing David.
Some wonder why David was allowed to keep the spoil of the Amalekites when Saul was expressly commanded to not keep anything from that nation (1 Samuel 15:1-3). Moreover, Saul was judged by God for not obeying that command (1 Samuel 15:13-23). The answers are simple. First, David had no specific command from God to destroy all the spoil from the Amalekites as Saul did. Second, David recovered what the Amalekites took from others, although David recovered far beyond what was taken from Ziklag. Third, David was not acting as the king of Israel representing the LORD'S nation as Saul was. Simply put, the rules in this case were different for David than they were for Saul.
C. The spoil from the battle is divided
1. (1 Sam 30:21-25) The spoils are distributed equally among those who fought and those who stayed by the baggage
When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except every man his wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart." Then David said, "You must no do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike." So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statue and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
We will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered: As much as David has turned back to the LORD, many of his men seem to have no regard for God. It was God who had given them the victory. It was God who had given them the spoil. Now, in their selfishness, the men claim the spoil as theirs and not the LORD'S. This scene has played out many times over in history. Acts of greed and heartless covetousness often deprive many of their rewards.
You must not do so, my brothers: Using his authority to overrule their intentions, David manages this volatile situation with much grace and kindness. As ruthless and wicked as some of the men were, David politely reminds them that they are brothers--not only brothers in the same nation and brothers in the same land of Israel, but they were also brothers as fellow soldiers.
What the LORD has given us: It is as if David is saying, "When God has been so good to us, why ought we not share in God's rich abundance? He has blessed us. We must share in God's spoil with all who participated in this victory."
For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his shall be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike: David declared an important principle here: the supply lines are just are important as the soldiers. God will reward both soldiers and those who stayed behind equally. Many people serve God in invisible ways. Often, they are behind-the-scenes doing a vital aspect of the LORD'S work. God will reward those working on the front lines as well as those serving in hidden ways.
He made it a statue and an ordinance for Israel to this day: David having practiced this act of kindness during his reign of king made it a rule to follow for all kings after him. It is interesting to note that in the war with the Midianites, Moses orders half the spoil should belong to the combatants and half to the congregation who remained in the camp. ("You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers' households of the congregation take a count of the booty that was captured, both man and of animal; and divide the booty between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation" Numbers 31:26-27.) This enactment by David was in the same spirit as that done by Moses.
2. (1 Sam 30:26-31) David mends strained relationships
Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the Negev, and to those who were in Jattir, and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa, and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites, and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Borashan, and to those who were in Athach, and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David and his men were accustomed to go."
He sent some of the spoil: To have made it worthwhile to have sent presents to all the places listed, the spoil from the Amalekites must have been ENORMOUS!!! Moreover, this is just some of the spoil. David and his men kept some of the booty acquired for their own personal gain.
Bethel: Not the famous city by that name, but it was probably the Bethul of Joshua 19:4 which is mentioned as lying near Hormah and Ziklag.
Ramoth of the Negev: Located in the south country, it was assigned to the tribe of Simeon.
Jattir This city belonged to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:48) ad was one of the cities assigned to the priests (Joshua 21:14).
Aroer: A city located south of Hebron.
Siphmoth: Nothing is known about this city.
Eshtemoa: A priestly city (Joshua 15:50 and Joshua 21:14). It is now called Es Semua and is located about nine miles south/southwest of Hebron.
Racal: Nothing is known about this city.
The cities of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites: They were located in the south of Judah, but their exact located is unknown.
Hormah: Called Zephath by the Canaanites (Joshua 12:14), it was assigned to Judah (Joshua 15:30) and transferred to Simeon (Joshua 19:4).
Borashan: Meaning "cistern of Ashan", this is the same as the city of Ashan, Simeonite city in the Negev originally given to Judah (Joshua 15:42 and Joshua 19:7).
Attach: Mentioned nowhere else in the Bible.
Hebron: It is one of the most ancient known cities in the world. It is now called El-Khalil which means "friend of God", owing to Abraham's residence there. During the early years of David's rule, Hebron was the residence and royal city of David. Beneath the building of the present Mosque of Hebron is the famous Cave of Machpelah, where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and his wife Leah are buried. Hebron is located about 20 miles south of Jerusalem, situated in a narrow valley surrounded by rocky hills whose sides are clothed in vineyards.
All the places: It is evident that David's outlaw life must have lasted for some time and have proved an important factor in preparing the men of Judah to welcome him as their king. The instances above indicate that is was during this time period that he gained many of the faithful friends who afterwards filled offices of trust in his kingdom.
In conclusion: David knew that his time among the Philistines strained his relationships with God's people. Now, David knew he must do whatever he could to put things right again. So, he sent some of the spoil to the leaders in over 13 cities. This is the final step in David's getting things right after his time of backsliding among the Philistines.
Things David did to turn back to God:
1. David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
2. David inquired of the LORD.
3. David believed God's promise.
4. David did what God told him to do.
5. David showed unexpected care and kindness to others.
6. David saw it as the LORD'S victory.
7. David shared the reward with others.
8. David did what he could to mend relationships.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Sunday, June 10, 2018
1 Samuel Chapter 30 Part One (verses 1-15)
DAVID IN VICTORY AGAIN
A. David's distress
1. (1 Sam 30:1-2) Ziklag is plundered by the Amalekites
Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.
On the third day: This is the third day after King Achish had dismissed David and his contingent from the ranks of the Philistine army. The dismissal could hardly have taken place at Shunem, in the Jezreel Valley, for Shunem is some ninety miles from Ziklag. Achish and his men had marched from Gath along with David. Somewhere in Philistia, after the whole force had been gathered into one, David and his men were told to leave the Philistine army.
The Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev: This was partly in retaliation for the raids David and his men made on the Amalekites, and this partly took place because the Amalekites heard that the Philistine and Israeli armies had left the southern country and had gathered in central Israel for battle. The southern part of Judea (called the Negev) was left void of any military presence. It was the perfect time for the Amalekites to attack.
Overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire: This was an act of revenge. Ziklag was known to be the home of David and his men. While the other cities in the Negev were simply plundered, Ziklag was completely ransacked and burned to the ground.
They took captive...without killing anyone: When the Amalekites attacked, there was no one left in Ziklag to resist the invasion. David--never imagining a sudden invasion--had marched with his entire force into battle with Achish. The Amalekites did not kill any of their captives, which were women and children. The number of women and children probably was significant as we are told in 1 Samuel 27:3 that David's men brought their household with him into the Philistine territory. Women and children possessed a good market value and would be carried off and sold into slavery. Egypt was the most likely destination for the Amalekite's captives as Egypt was its neighbor.
There is a touch of irony in all this. David brought about this exact same calamity on other cities. In 1 Samuel 27:8-11, we read about David's time among the Philistines. David made his living as a bandit, robbing cities and "whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man nor woman alive." The Amalekites, it seems, were more merciful than David in sparing the women and children.
2. (1 Sam 30:3-6) David and his men come upon the empty, burned-down city
When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now David's two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
When David and his men came to the city: As they came within a few miles of the city, the hearts of David and his men must have brightened. As soldiers, they had been discouraged they had not been allowed to fight with the Philistines. But, they knew that they were coming home. Home meant family and familiar surroundings. But, that bright thought quickly turned to pain and grief.
It was burned with fire: Even off in the distance, David and his men saw that something was wrong. The smoke rising from their city was not the smoke of cooking fires. No, the smoke was much too black. Perhaps, they wondered why no one had come to greet them afar off as they came near the city. Where were their wives and children? But, when they came to the city and saw it was a pile of rubble with no voice of any any survivor, it seemed that everything was lost.
For all the people were embittered: David's men's great sorrow turns from grief to rage. David was the one they felt responsible for the situation. David was their leader; David left the city unguarded as he followed Achish into battle. David now finds himself on the verge of being stoned and without a friend in the world.
All was lost. At this point, David had no one to support him. No one in Israel could help him. The Philistines did not want him. His family was gone. All he owned was gone. Every support was gone except the LORD.
David strengthened himself in the LORD: As dire as the future looked for David, he did what a man after God's own heart should do--he sought the LORD. It is easy for us to seek comfort in the company of our family and friends. But, when we encounter turbulent times, we should always seek the LORD. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path."
How did David strengthen himself in the LORD? At this time of total loss, David now saw the love of the LORD in the rejection of the Philistines. If God had not sent him back home, it would have been months and months before he would have returned to Ziklag, and the situation would have been far worse. This was a precious expression of God's love.
David could remember God's past deliverances. He could say, "This is a terrible place to be. But, I remember all the times God delivered me from my enemies. It God did it before, He will do it again."
B. David wins back what was lost and more
1. (1 Sam 30:7-8) David inquires of the LORD
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them" And He said to him, "Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all."
David inquired of the LORD: In 1 Samuel 30:6, we read that David strengthened himself in the LORD. Now it was time to do something with that strength from the LORD. All the time David spent among the Philistines, we never read of him seeking God in anyway. It seems when David left Israel, he also left behind his relationship with the LORD.
Please bring me the ephod: David sought God with the help of the priest, Abiathar. An ephod was a special apron that priests wore to cover their clothing. It is likely that this was not just any ephod. This was the ephod of the high priest, which had the breastplate of judgment attached to it (Exodus 28:15). The breastplate had in it a pouch with two stones known as the Urim and Thummin (Exodus 28:30). When David inquired of the LORD, it is most likely that he asked Abiathar to use the Urim and Thummin.
Shall I pursue this band: At one time, David would have not bothered to even ask these questions. He would simply do what it because when a soldier is attacked, he attacks back. But in returning from his backsliding, David brings everything before the LORD. Nothing is done without consulting God.
He said to Him: In some instances, God answers slowly. However, this situation required great haste for David and his men. God at once gives David an answer to his inquiry. So gracious is our God that he considers even the degree of our necessities and accommodates us accordingly.
Pursue, for you will surely overtake them: God gave David something to do ("pursue"). Then, God gave David a promise ("you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all"). When God gives us something to do, He also gives us a promise.
2. (1 Sam 30:9-10) David pursues the Amalekites who conquered Ziklag
So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained. But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred men who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.
So David went: Immediately on receiving the answer of the LORD, David started his rapid pursuit. God told David to "pursue", and David did exactly that. Obedience to the LORD is often that simple.
He and the six hundred men who were with him: David's men were almost at a place of mutiny against him ("the people spoke of stoning him" 1 Samuel 30:6). But now since "he strengthened himself in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6), since he "inquired of the LORD" (1 Samuel 30:8) and since he did what God told him to do, David's men are back on his side again.
Seeing David leading his six hundred men must have been a magnificent sight. Instead of the men hoping to align themselves with the Philistines and fight against their own people, now David and his men were on a mission from God. When one is walking in God's will, there is not an army on earth which can defeat you.
The brook Besor: The Hebrew word is nachal which means a ravine with a stream at the bottom. The brook Besor is mentioned here only and has not been identified with any certainty.
Two hundred men who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind: This might have discouraged David that one third of his men could not continue. But, David did not let this stop him. Instead, he allowed the one third to stay behind guarding the supplies and lightening the load of the other 400 men. David continued being full of faith in the LORD.
Although David and his men were setting out to battle a very large Amalekite army, God reduced David's army. Often, when we are in pursuit of fulfilling God's will, God takes away the little bit of strength we have and dwindles it down to almost nothing. It is only with God's strength can we fight our battles and defeat our enemies. When we rely on our own strength and power, we can easily claim the victory as our own. But, when God places us in overwhelming odds and delivers us, it is much easier to see what God has done for us.
3. (1 Sam 30:11-15) David and his men befriend a helpless Egyptian
Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. David said to him, "To whom do you belong? And where are you from?" And he said, "I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago. We made a raid on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire." Then David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this band?" And he said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band."
They found an Egyptian in the field: As David and his men pursued the Amalekites, they came across a collapsed man in the wilderness. It would have been easy and logical to ignore this slave because David and his men had a much greater mission in pursuing the Amalekites. But David showed kindness and compassion to this slave by offering him food and drink. For their compassion, God soon rewards David and his men with an unexpected blessing.
An Egyptian: The Amalekites were a nomadic people. Their wanderings would have taken them to the frontiers of Egypt. Hence, there was a great probability that in one of their raids, they had acquired Egyptians as slaves.
Three days and three nights: This is a significant amount of time in which the Amalekites had a lead on David. It seems the Amalekites were very swift and quick in their plunderings. The cruelty of the Amalekites to their slaves was the cause of their ultimate dislike among the surrounding nations. Thankfully, through the Amalekites neglect of this slave, David and his men were able to obtain valuable information. The cruelty of the Amalekites set the stage for this Egyptian slave to be willing to give up his master's position in hopes of trading his essential information for his own freedom.
We made a raid: The Egyptian gives David a vivid description and scope of the invasions the Amalekites made on the surrounding lands and ultimately ending with the complete destruction of the city of Ziklag.
The Cherethites: These were a Philistine people dwelling in the south along the sea coast. Some have suppsed that the name "Crethites" which represents the Hebrew more accurately, came originally from the island of Crete. Capthor is identified with the home of the Philistines (Amos 9:7) and may have been identical with the island of Crete.
Swear to me by God: The Hebrew here for God is elohim which simply means "gods" and was commonly used among the pagans.
I will bring you down to this band: The Egyptian's accurate knowledge of the route taken by the Amalekites and his clear account of the raids shows that this Egyptian was a person of no ordinary abilities. He most likely was a merchant or trader who knew the land well and was captured in some border feud.
A. David's distress
1. (1 Sam 30:1-2) Ziklag is plundered by the Amalekites
Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.
On the third day: This is the third day after King Achish had dismissed David and his contingent from the ranks of the Philistine army. The dismissal could hardly have taken place at Shunem, in the Jezreel Valley, for Shunem is some ninety miles from Ziklag. Achish and his men had marched from Gath along with David. Somewhere in Philistia, after the whole force had been gathered into one, David and his men were told to leave the Philistine army.
The Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev: This was partly in retaliation for the raids David and his men made on the Amalekites, and this partly took place because the Amalekites heard that the Philistine and Israeli armies had left the southern country and had gathered in central Israel for battle. The southern part of Judea (called the Negev) was left void of any military presence. It was the perfect time for the Amalekites to attack.
Overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire: This was an act of revenge. Ziklag was known to be the home of David and his men. While the other cities in the Negev were simply plundered, Ziklag was completely ransacked and burned to the ground.
They took captive...without killing anyone: When the Amalekites attacked, there was no one left in Ziklag to resist the invasion. David--never imagining a sudden invasion--had marched with his entire force into battle with Achish. The Amalekites did not kill any of their captives, which were women and children. The number of women and children probably was significant as we are told in 1 Samuel 27:3 that David's men brought their household with him into the Philistine territory. Women and children possessed a good market value and would be carried off and sold into slavery. Egypt was the most likely destination for the Amalekite's captives as Egypt was its neighbor.
There is a touch of irony in all this. David brought about this exact same calamity on other cities. In 1 Samuel 27:8-11, we read about David's time among the Philistines. David made his living as a bandit, robbing cities and "whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man nor woman alive." The Amalekites, it seems, were more merciful than David in sparing the women and children.
2. (1 Sam 30:3-6) David and his men come upon the empty, burned-down city
When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now David's two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
When David and his men came to the city: As they came within a few miles of the city, the hearts of David and his men must have brightened. As soldiers, they had been discouraged they had not been allowed to fight with the Philistines. But, they knew that they were coming home. Home meant family and familiar surroundings. But, that bright thought quickly turned to pain and grief.
It was burned with fire: Even off in the distance, David and his men saw that something was wrong. The smoke rising from their city was not the smoke of cooking fires. No, the smoke was much too black. Perhaps, they wondered why no one had come to greet them afar off as they came near the city. Where were their wives and children? But, when they came to the city and saw it was a pile of rubble with no voice of any any survivor, it seemed that everything was lost.
For all the people were embittered: David's men's great sorrow turns from grief to rage. David was the one they felt responsible for the situation. David was their leader; David left the city unguarded as he followed Achish into battle. David now finds himself on the verge of being stoned and without a friend in the world.
All was lost. At this point, David had no one to support him. No one in Israel could help him. The Philistines did not want him. His family was gone. All he owned was gone. Every support was gone except the LORD.
David strengthened himself in the LORD: As dire as the future looked for David, he did what a man after God's own heart should do--he sought the LORD. It is easy for us to seek comfort in the company of our family and friends. But, when we encounter turbulent times, we should always seek the LORD. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path."
How did David strengthen himself in the LORD? At this time of total loss, David now saw the love of the LORD in the rejection of the Philistines. If God had not sent him back home, it would have been months and months before he would have returned to Ziklag, and the situation would have been far worse. This was a precious expression of God's love.
David could remember God's past deliverances. He could say, "This is a terrible place to be. But, I remember all the times God delivered me from my enemies. It God did it before, He will do it again."
B. David wins back what was lost and more
1. (1 Sam 30:7-8) David inquires of the LORD
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them" And He said to him, "Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all."
David inquired of the LORD: In 1 Samuel 30:6, we read that David strengthened himself in the LORD. Now it was time to do something with that strength from the LORD. All the time David spent among the Philistines, we never read of him seeking God in anyway. It seems when David left Israel, he also left behind his relationship with the LORD.
Please bring me the ephod: David sought God with the help of the priest, Abiathar. An ephod was a special apron that priests wore to cover their clothing. It is likely that this was not just any ephod. This was the ephod of the high priest, which had the breastplate of judgment attached to it (Exodus 28:15). The breastplate had in it a pouch with two stones known as the Urim and Thummin (Exodus 28:30). When David inquired of the LORD, it is most likely that he asked Abiathar to use the Urim and Thummin.
Shall I pursue this band: At one time, David would have not bothered to even ask these questions. He would simply do what it because when a soldier is attacked, he attacks back. But in returning from his backsliding, David brings everything before the LORD. Nothing is done without consulting God.
He said to Him: In some instances, God answers slowly. However, this situation required great haste for David and his men. God at once gives David an answer to his inquiry. So gracious is our God that he considers even the degree of our necessities and accommodates us accordingly.
Pursue, for you will surely overtake them: God gave David something to do ("pursue"). Then, God gave David a promise ("you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all"). When God gives us something to do, He also gives us a promise.
2. (1 Sam 30:9-10) David pursues the Amalekites who conquered Ziklag
So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained. But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred men who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.
So David went: Immediately on receiving the answer of the LORD, David started his rapid pursuit. God told David to "pursue", and David did exactly that. Obedience to the LORD is often that simple.
He and the six hundred men who were with him: David's men were almost at a place of mutiny against him ("the people spoke of stoning him" 1 Samuel 30:6). But now since "he strengthened himself in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6), since he "inquired of the LORD" (1 Samuel 30:8) and since he did what God told him to do, David's men are back on his side again.
Seeing David leading his six hundred men must have been a magnificent sight. Instead of the men hoping to align themselves with the Philistines and fight against their own people, now David and his men were on a mission from God. When one is walking in God's will, there is not an army on earth which can defeat you.
The brook Besor: The Hebrew word is nachal which means a ravine with a stream at the bottom. The brook Besor is mentioned here only and has not been identified with any certainty.
Two hundred men who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind: This might have discouraged David that one third of his men could not continue. But, David did not let this stop him. Instead, he allowed the one third to stay behind guarding the supplies and lightening the load of the other 400 men. David continued being full of faith in the LORD.
Although David and his men were setting out to battle a very large Amalekite army, God reduced David's army. Often, when we are in pursuit of fulfilling God's will, God takes away the little bit of strength we have and dwindles it down to almost nothing. It is only with God's strength can we fight our battles and defeat our enemies. When we rely on our own strength and power, we can easily claim the victory as our own. But, when God places us in overwhelming odds and delivers us, it is much easier to see what God has done for us.
3. (1 Sam 30:11-15) David and his men befriend a helpless Egyptian
Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. David said to him, "To whom do you belong? And where are you from?" And he said, "I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago. We made a raid on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire." Then David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this band?" And he said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band."
They found an Egyptian in the field: As David and his men pursued the Amalekites, they came across a collapsed man in the wilderness. It would have been easy and logical to ignore this slave because David and his men had a much greater mission in pursuing the Amalekites. But David showed kindness and compassion to this slave by offering him food and drink. For their compassion, God soon rewards David and his men with an unexpected blessing.
An Egyptian: The Amalekites were a nomadic people. Their wanderings would have taken them to the frontiers of Egypt. Hence, there was a great probability that in one of their raids, they had acquired Egyptians as slaves.
Three days and three nights: This is a significant amount of time in which the Amalekites had a lead on David. It seems the Amalekites were very swift and quick in their plunderings. The cruelty of the Amalekites to their slaves was the cause of their ultimate dislike among the surrounding nations. Thankfully, through the Amalekites neglect of this slave, David and his men were able to obtain valuable information. The cruelty of the Amalekites set the stage for this Egyptian slave to be willing to give up his master's position in hopes of trading his essential information for his own freedom.
We made a raid: The Egyptian gives David a vivid description and scope of the invasions the Amalekites made on the surrounding lands and ultimately ending with the complete destruction of the city of Ziklag.
The Cherethites: These were a Philistine people dwelling in the south along the sea coast. Some have suppsed that the name "Crethites" which represents the Hebrew more accurately, came originally from the island of Crete. Capthor is identified with the home of the Philistines (Amos 9:7) and may have been identical with the island of Crete.
Swear to me by God: The Hebrew here for God is elohim which simply means "gods" and was commonly used among the pagans.
I will bring you down to this band: The Egyptian's accurate knowledge of the route taken by the Amalekites and his clear account of the raids shows that this Egyptian was a person of no ordinary abilities. He most likely was a merchant or trader who knew the land well and was captured in some border feud.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
1 Samuel Chapter 29
THE PHILISTINES REJECT DAVID
A. The Philistine rulers object to David's presence among the Philistine army
1. (1 Sam 29:1-3) Achish defends David before the Philistine leaders
Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish. Then the commanders of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him from the day he deserted to me to this day?"
Now the Philistines: The narrative of 1 Samuel 28:1-2 is resumes with a further description of the armies before the battle.
Aphek: The name Aphek was a common one and was given to several places in Israel. It signifies a fort of a stronghold. This Aphek was most likely situated in the Plain of Jezreel, perhaps in the neighborhood of En-dor.
The spring which is in Jezreel: This was probably the present-day Ain-Jalud, which translates as the Fountain of Goliath. It was traditionally regarded as the scene of David and Goliath's famous battle. It is located less than two miles southeast of Zerin. It is a very large fountain, flowing out from a cavern, which forms the base of Mount Gilboa. It spreads out into a pool about 40-50 feet in diameter. A stream large enough to turn a mill flows eastward down the valley.
And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by: The orderly advance of this great military nation is described. The word "lords" is a different term used than the word "princes". There were five princes who ruled over Philistia. Achish was the prince over Gath. Beneath the princes were other chieftains (i.e., "lords") who has great control over the princes.
David and his men: David, in return for Ziklag and the surrounding land given to him by the prince of Gath, seems to have owed military service to Achish. Besides David's notable appearance, the rest of David's men were probably easily recognizable due to their different military attire and weaponry.
David is among the Philistines because when he was discouraged, he left the people of God and the land of Israel, and he cast his lot with the Philistines instead (1 Samuel 27). David now finds himself in a place he should never have been--among the ungodly and ready to fight against God and His people.
What are these Hebrews doing here: The Philistine leaders could see what David was blind to. David started to think and act like a Philistine, and he was ready to fight with them against the people of God. But, the Philistine leaders could see that this was not right, even when David could not see it. The Philistine leaders knew who David really was. He was a Hebrew and part of God's people. David seems to have forgotten this, but the Philistine leaders knew this well. David would have never slipped into this sinful place if he had remembered who he was and the destiny God promised him.
These days or rather these years: This expression used is one which emphasizes the length of time David and his men have been with Achish. Achish was stressing the length of time David and his men's long standing relationship with Achish, which was conducted with the utmost fidelity to Achish.
I have found no fault in him: It is a sad thing to have a Philistine ruler defend David so confidently. David identified himself so much with the ungodly that Achish knew he had David in his pocket. Hearing these words from Achish should have grieved David. To hear a pagan leader say, "David has been with me" and "I have found no fault in him" and "he deserted to me" should have been a wake-up call to David. It is as if a non-believing coworker insisted to others that you were not a Christian because they saw how you lived your life in a godless fashion.
Moreover, it is important to note that Achish was not making this up and had reason to believe David would fight with him. David said as much in 1 Samuel 28:1-2, "Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, 'Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.' David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, 'Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.'"
2. (1 Sam 29:4-5) The Philistine leaders reject David
But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man go back, that he may return to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in battle he may become an adversary to us. For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men? Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"
Would it not be with the heads of these lords: That is, of the Philistines. The Philistine commanders reasoned wisely that David and his men would turn in battle against the Philistines. It is highly likely that it was God suggesting these thoughts into the Philistine commanders' minds. For by these means, David and his men were delivered from a great strait into which David had lead his men. There was no way out for David if the expedition would have continued. Either he would have had to fight against his own people or he would have had to break his alliance with the Philistines and ultimately kill the Philistines. By the same Providential incident, David was sent back in time to recover his wives and the wives and children of his men from the Amelekites, which would have been irrevocably lost had David gone to battle with the Philistines. Despite David's bad decisions, God delivers David from much harm.
Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances: The faith-filled victory over Goliath seems like a distant memory for the back-slidden David. But, the Philistines remember this well. The song of David's victories came back to haunt him.
B. David heads back to Ziklag
1. (1 Sam 29:6-7) Achish tells David to go home
Then Achish called David and said to him, "As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords. Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines."
As the LORD lives: This seems a strange oath for an idolatrous prince to make use of, but it may have been the equivalent of the real oath of Achish. Another theory is Achish may have used the traditional oath formula of the Israelites to appeal to David, whom Achish looked upon to have been falsely injured by the Philistine lords.
Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords: David thought he could not be happy or at peace in the land of Israel (1 Samuel 27:1). Now, he finds that his Philistine friends will not accept him either. David, it seems, has no home. He is trying to live in both worlds, but ultimately, he has found no home or peace in either place.
No doubt, the Philistine rejection greatly stung David's pride. Not many people like rejection. But, God would use this rejection of the ungodly in David's life. Many people are hesitant to live openly for Christ Jesus because they are afraid of the rejection of the ungodly. How much better would it be to live our lives completely for the LORD, and to trust that if the ungoldy reject us, God will use it for good. In many ways, David was in the worse place for any believer in God. He had too much of the world in him to be at peace with God, and he had too much of the LORD in him to be at peace with the world. God spoke to David through this; David had to open his ears and hear God's message.
2. (1 Sam 29:8-10) David appeals to Achish
David said to Achish, "But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" But Achish replied to David, "I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us to the battle.' Now then arise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart."
David said to Achish, "But what have I done?": David's words seem to have a falseness to them, and again, David lies to Achish. It has been suggested that David deliberately aroused suspicion among the Philistine leaders in order to bring about his dismissal from the Philistine army. David needed to keep his loyalty act up in order to continue living in the Philistine city of Ziklag. However, David could not fight with the Philistines and kill his own people.
Like an angel of God: Again, this is a simile Achish may have borrowed from Hebrew thought in order to be courteous and respectful to David.
3. (1 Sam 29:11) David returns to Ziklag, and the Philistine army prepares to meet Saul
So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
To return to the land of the Philistines: No doubt, David and his men rejoiced at their escaping the terrible alternative of either turning traitors to the kindly man who had so hospitably received them in their distress, or of appearing in arms with the Philistines when they came into battle with Saul and the Israelites.
A. The Philistine rulers object to David's presence among the Philistine army
1. (1 Sam 29:1-3) Achish defends David before the Philistine leaders
Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish. Then the commanders of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him from the day he deserted to me to this day?"
Now the Philistines: The narrative of 1 Samuel 28:1-2 is resumes with a further description of the armies before the battle.
Aphek: The name Aphek was a common one and was given to several places in Israel. It signifies a fort of a stronghold. This Aphek was most likely situated in the Plain of Jezreel, perhaps in the neighborhood of En-dor.
The spring which is in Jezreel: This was probably the present-day Ain-Jalud, which translates as the Fountain of Goliath. It was traditionally regarded as the scene of David and Goliath's famous battle. It is located less than two miles southeast of Zerin. It is a very large fountain, flowing out from a cavern, which forms the base of Mount Gilboa. It spreads out into a pool about 40-50 feet in diameter. A stream large enough to turn a mill flows eastward down the valley.
And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by: The orderly advance of this great military nation is described. The word "lords" is a different term used than the word "princes". There were five princes who ruled over Philistia. Achish was the prince over Gath. Beneath the princes were other chieftains (i.e., "lords") who has great control over the princes.
David and his men: David, in return for Ziklag and the surrounding land given to him by the prince of Gath, seems to have owed military service to Achish. Besides David's notable appearance, the rest of David's men were probably easily recognizable due to their different military attire and weaponry.
David is among the Philistines because when he was discouraged, he left the people of God and the land of Israel, and he cast his lot with the Philistines instead (1 Samuel 27). David now finds himself in a place he should never have been--among the ungodly and ready to fight against God and His people.
What are these Hebrews doing here: The Philistine leaders could see what David was blind to. David started to think and act like a Philistine, and he was ready to fight with them against the people of God. But, the Philistine leaders could see that this was not right, even when David could not see it. The Philistine leaders knew who David really was. He was a Hebrew and part of God's people. David seems to have forgotten this, but the Philistine leaders knew this well. David would have never slipped into this sinful place if he had remembered who he was and the destiny God promised him.
These days or rather these years: This expression used is one which emphasizes the length of time David and his men have been with Achish. Achish was stressing the length of time David and his men's long standing relationship with Achish, which was conducted with the utmost fidelity to Achish.
I have found no fault in him: It is a sad thing to have a Philistine ruler defend David so confidently. David identified himself so much with the ungodly that Achish knew he had David in his pocket. Hearing these words from Achish should have grieved David. To hear a pagan leader say, "David has been with me" and "I have found no fault in him" and "he deserted to me" should have been a wake-up call to David. It is as if a non-believing coworker insisted to others that you were not a Christian because they saw how you lived your life in a godless fashion.
Moreover, it is important to note that Achish was not making this up and had reason to believe David would fight with him. David said as much in 1 Samuel 28:1-2, "Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, 'Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.' David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, 'Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.'"
2. (1 Sam 29:4-5) The Philistine leaders reject David
But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man go back, that he may return to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in battle he may become an adversary to us. For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men? Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"
Would it not be with the heads of these lords: That is, of the Philistines. The Philistine commanders reasoned wisely that David and his men would turn in battle against the Philistines. It is highly likely that it was God suggesting these thoughts into the Philistine commanders' minds. For by these means, David and his men were delivered from a great strait into which David had lead his men. There was no way out for David if the expedition would have continued. Either he would have had to fight against his own people or he would have had to break his alliance with the Philistines and ultimately kill the Philistines. By the same Providential incident, David was sent back in time to recover his wives and the wives and children of his men from the Amelekites, which would have been irrevocably lost had David gone to battle with the Philistines. Despite David's bad decisions, God delivers David from much harm.
Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances: The faith-filled victory over Goliath seems like a distant memory for the back-slidden David. But, the Philistines remember this well. The song of David's victories came back to haunt him.
B. David heads back to Ziklag
1. (1 Sam 29:6-7) Achish tells David to go home
Then Achish called David and said to him, "As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords. Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines."
As the LORD lives: This seems a strange oath for an idolatrous prince to make use of, but it may have been the equivalent of the real oath of Achish. Another theory is Achish may have used the traditional oath formula of the Israelites to appeal to David, whom Achish looked upon to have been falsely injured by the Philistine lords.
Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords: David thought he could not be happy or at peace in the land of Israel (1 Samuel 27:1). Now, he finds that his Philistine friends will not accept him either. David, it seems, has no home. He is trying to live in both worlds, but ultimately, he has found no home or peace in either place.
No doubt, the Philistine rejection greatly stung David's pride. Not many people like rejection. But, God would use this rejection of the ungodly in David's life. Many people are hesitant to live openly for Christ Jesus because they are afraid of the rejection of the ungodly. How much better would it be to live our lives completely for the LORD, and to trust that if the ungoldy reject us, God will use it for good. In many ways, David was in the worse place for any believer in God. He had too much of the world in him to be at peace with God, and he had too much of the LORD in him to be at peace with the world. God spoke to David through this; David had to open his ears and hear God's message.
2. (1 Sam 29:8-10) David appeals to Achish
David said to Achish, "But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" But Achish replied to David, "I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us to the battle.' Now then arise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart."
David said to Achish, "But what have I done?": David's words seem to have a falseness to them, and again, David lies to Achish. It has been suggested that David deliberately aroused suspicion among the Philistine leaders in order to bring about his dismissal from the Philistine army. David needed to keep his loyalty act up in order to continue living in the Philistine city of Ziklag. However, David could not fight with the Philistines and kill his own people.
Like an angel of God: Again, this is a simile Achish may have borrowed from Hebrew thought in order to be courteous and respectful to David.
3. (1 Sam 29:11) David returns to Ziklag, and the Philistine army prepares to meet Saul
So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
To return to the land of the Philistines: No doubt, David and his men rejoiced at their escaping the terrible alternative of either turning traitors to the kindly man who had so hospitably received them in their distress, or of appearing in arms with the Philistines when they came into battle with Saul and the Israelites.
Sunday, May 27, 2018
1 Samuel Chapter 28 Part Two (Verses 11-25)
3. (1 Sam 28:11-14) To the medium's surprise, Samuel appears
Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" And he said, "Bring up Samuel for me." When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul." The king said to her, "Do not be afraid; but what do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth." He said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe." And Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
Bring up Samuel for me: Why did Saul want to see Samuel? Considering the times Samuel strongly rebuked Saul (such as in 1 Samuel 15:22-29), we might think that Samuel was the last person Saul would want to see. However, Saul knew Samuel was a man of God. When God is not answering, Saul (like the rest of us) seek out the next best thing--someone on good terms with God. Before Saul slipped deep into sin, Samuel was Saul's mentor and guide. In desperate times, Saul tries to circumvent God by communicating with Samuel via a medium.
When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice: Nothing is more clear from the narration than that the woman of En-dor saw something she had never dreamed of seeing. What ever did appear that night was different from anything she had seen before. Whether or not she was an impostor matters little in the story. On this memorable occasion, the medium was evidently amazed and appalled at the success of her enchantments. Now Samuel really appeared from the world beyond; the medium was completely stunned. In addition, the medium was probably very familiar with the presence of demonic spirits, but the presence of the Holy Spirit was unfamiliar to her. The presence of the Holy Spirit may have seemed terrifying to her.
Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul: There is much uncertainty as to how the medium, who at first did not recognize Saul, now suddenly recognized Saul. It might be possible that Samuel revealed the presence of Saul to the medium. Samuel, being very familiar with Saul, saw straight through Samuel's disguise and talked to Saul as Saul. A similar story is seen with the prophet Ahijah, though blind by age, saw through the disguise of the wife of Jeroboam. ("Jeroboam said to his wife, 'Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people'" (1 Kings 14:2). "When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, 'Come in wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message'" (1 Kings 14:6).)
I see a divine being coming up out of the earth: The word rendered "divine being" is the Hebrew word elohim. It literally means "gods". It is often used as a name for God. In Hebrew, the plural can be used for the singular to emphasis the huge magnitude of something. When the medium said she saw an elohim, she did not mean that she saw God, and she did not mean that Samuel was deified. Instead, she means she saw some grand supernatural rising out of the ground, which she calls elohim, without attaching any exact meaning to the term.
And Saul knew it was Samuel: This seems to be a genuine, but strange, appearance of Samuel. Some may say it is impossible for Samuel to reappear in some way, coming from the world beyond to this world. However, Moses and Elijah also came back from the world beyond back to this world when they appeared with Jesus at the Transfiguration. ("Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sin, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him" (Matthew 17:1-3).)
The medium at En-dor had no power over Samuel. Moreover, no incantation can avail over any departed human disembodied spirit. Samuel really came, but it was not because the medium called for him. Samuel appeared because God had a special purpose for it. God allowed this strange appearance because it accomplished two things. It re-confirmed the coming judgment on King Saul. It also taught the medium a powerful lesson about the danger of her occult practice. When we close out ears to God, He will find unusual, and perhaps uncomfortable, ways to speak to us. God warns the disobedient king about his approaching death. This gives Saul an opportunity to make peace with his Maker, if he so chooses to do so.
C. Samuel speaks to Saul
1. (1 Sam 28:15-18) Samuel tells King Saul why the LORD will not speak to him.
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do." Samuel said, "Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary? The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day."
Why have you disturbed me: Samuel's words would be in the mouth of anyone who left the place of comfort and blessing in the world beyond to come back to the earth. Samuel would rather be back where he was. This is an indication to us of the reality of the world beyond. Though Samuel passed from this world, he was in a real place. Properly speaking, Samuel was not in heaven. Jesus explains in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) that before the finished work of Jesus on the cross, the believing dead went to a place of comfort and blessing known as Abraham's bosom.
I am greatly distressed: Saul explains his problems to Samuel. First, the Philistines are making war with Saul. But worse than that, Saul knows that God has departed from him, and God is no longer answering Saul. Saul then reveals why he called Samuel, that Samuel may reveal to Saul what he should do.
Either through prophets of by dreams: It is suggested in the Talmud that Saul omitted all mention of the Urim and Thummin from shame at having murdered the priests.
Make known to me what I should do: Saul is asking for guidance when his course of action is clear--he has to fight the Philistines. What Saul rally wants is reassurance that all will be well and the he will win the battle.
The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me: Essentially, Samuel is confirming what God has already told Saul. The message of the LORD to Saul is surprisingly consistent, no matter which strange way God chooses to bring the message. The test for any spirit encounter or angelic revelation is its faithfulness to the Bible's message. It does not matter what kind of encounter one has with a spiritual being..."even if an angel from heaven [or Samuel himself!] preach any other gospel to you...let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8).
As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek: Samuel called Saul's mind back to what happened in 1 Samuel 15. In that chapter, Samuel told Saul, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of your, who is better than you...For He is not a man that He should relent" (1 Samuel 15:28-29). In the years since the events of 1 Samuel 15, Saul thought that perhaps the LORD would change His mind. However, Samuel reminds Saul that the LORD has not changed his mind at all. God's word to Saul did not change from the time He first said it until the time it was fulfilled. Perhaps Saul thought that time would change God's mind, but time never changes God's mind. one our repentance and turning back to God may change God's mine...but never time.
It is interesting to note that the abundant sin that Saul committed since 1 Samuel 15 (i.e., killing the LORD'S priests and seeking to continually kill David) are not mentioned as reasons for God taking the kingdom from Saul and giving it to David.
When the medium saw Samuel she said he was "wrapped with a robe". The "robe" was probably the mantle which would have identified Samuel as a prophet. In 1 Samuel 15:27, when Samuel announces that God will take the kingdom away from Saul, Saul grabs Samuel's robe in desperation and tears it. The Hebrew word used for "robe" in 1 Samuel 15:27 is meheel the same word used in 1 Samuel 18:24. It might be that when Samuel appeared before the medium and Saul that he wore this same torn robe to remind Saul that "the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David."
2. (1 Sam 28:19) Samuel tells Saul about his fate
Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!"
Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel...into the hands of the Philistines: Three cursing judgments, which were to come directly upon Saul, are contained in the prophet's words. 1) Utter defeat of the army of Israel. 2) The violent death of Saul and his two sons in the course of the impeding war. 3) The defeat of Israel's camp.
In 1 Samuel 28:15, Saul asks to know what he should do. Samuel never tells him what to do because it was too late to do anything. All Samuel told Saul was what would happen. God's judgment was already in motion. Before this time, Saul had plenty of time to repent. But now, time has run out. We can never assume that we will have as much time as we want to repent. The desire and opportunity to repent are gifts from God. If we have the desire and the opportunity to repent today, we must seize upon it. One never knows if there will be a tomorrow.
Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me: The Hebrew word rendered "tomorrow" (machar) does not necessarily mean the next day, but it can mean some time in the near future. In saying, "you and your sons shall be with me," Samuel does not pronounce Saul's final judgment. Samuel uses a mild expression applicable to all, good and bad. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story about the rich man and Lazarus. They both go to the same place; however, there seems to be a fixed chasm between the place where the righteous and the place where the unrighteous go. Lazarus is safe and secure in Abraham's bosom while Lazarus suffers great torment. By using these milder words, Samuel mildly states Saul's future with death. This encourages Saul to repent while he still has time.
D. Saul's reaction and departure
1. (1 Sam 28:20) Saul reacts with fear and a loss of all strength
Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food at all day and night.
Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground: Struck to his heart, Saul falls straight to the ground as if the archers of the Philistines had already hit him. It was not just that Samuel told Saul that he would die in battle before the Philistines, but far worse to Saul was the knowledge that the LORD was his adversary. Fighting against the Philistines is one thing, but how can one fight against God? There was no hope for Saul to win his battle against the LORD.
2. (1 Sam 28:21-25) The medium comforts Saul
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrifies, and said to him, "Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way." But he refused and said, "I will not eat." However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; and she took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. She bought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.
The woman came to Saul: The story is completed in these concluding verses in the natural and unaffected way. The medium, though a grievous sinner, is struck with a woman's pity for the stricken king. With kind words and still kinder actions, she does her best to help King Saul recover from his death-like swoon. It is a sad note when a practitioner of the occult comforts the King of Israel. But, the two of them wee of the same kind--each lived in rebellion to God, and each was under judgment from Him.
So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed: The "bed" was probably a divan or cushioned seat, which usually runs around the walls of rooms in Eastern dwellings.
Unleavened bread: Like the Israelites fleeing Egypt after God struck down all the firstborn, there was no time to be lost at this meal. In haste, the medium quickly prepares a meal, making unleavened bread because there was no time for the bread to rise.
And they ate: The supper Saul ate that night was like the last meal of a man on death row...a man awaiting execution in the morning.
Then they arose and went away that night: Saul left the En-dor medium resigned to his fate. In twenty-four hours, Saul and his sons would be dead. Although Saul was desperate to find out the future, in the end, knowing what was to come was a crushing blow. God's word stood, and it could not be altered. For many years, Saul had disobeyed God and seemed to have escape punishment. Now, facing a huge Philistine army, Saul knows he will die...and he will bring about the deaths of his sons too. What a sad and tragic ending to a man who once possessed the Spirit of God. As Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Oh how pride and arrogance greatly destroyed Saul, a man once endowed with Divine gifts which enabled him to become the leader and King of Israel.
Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" And he said, "Bring up Samuel for me." When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul." The king said to her, "Do not be afraid; but what do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth." He said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe." And Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
Bring up Samuel for me: Why did Saul want to see Samuel? Considering the times Samuel strongly rebuked Saul (such as in 1 Samuel 15:22-29), we might think that Samuel was the last person Saul would want to see. However, Saul knew Samuel was a man of God. When God is not answering, Saul (like the rest of us) seek out the next best thing--someone on good terms with God. Before Saul slipped deep into sin, Samuel was Saul's mentor and guide. In desperate times, Saul tries to circumvent God by communicating with Samuel via a medium.
When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice: Nothing is more clear from the narration than that the woman of En-dor saw something she had never dreamed of seeing. What ever did appear that night was different from anything she had seen before. Whether or not she was an impostor matters little in the story. On this memorable occasion, the medium was evidently amazed and appalled at the success of her enchantments. Now Samuel really appeared from the world beyond; the medium was completely stunned. In addition, the medium was probably very familiar with the presence of demonic spirits, but the presence of the Holy Spirit was unfamiliar to her. The presence of the Holy Spirit may have seemed terrifying to her.
Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul: There is much uncertainty as to how the medium, who at first did not recognize Saul, now suddenly recognized Saul. It might be possible that Samuel revealed the presence of Saul to the medium. Samuel, being very familiar with Saul, saw straight through Samuel's disguise and talked to Saul as Saul. A similar story is seen with the prophet Ahijah, though blind by age, saw through the disguise of the wife of Jeroboam. ("Jeroboam said to his wife, 'Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people'" (1 Kings 14:2). "When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, 'Come in wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message'" (1 Kings 14:6).)
I see a divine being coming up out of the earth: The word rendered "divine being" is the Hebrew word elohim. It literally means "gods". It is often used as a name for God. In Hebrew, the plural can be used for the singular to emphasis the huge magnitude of something. When the medium said she saw an elohim, she did not mean that she saw God, and she did not mean that Samuel was deified. Instead, she means she saw some grand supernatural rising out of the ground, which she calls elohim, without attaching any exact meaning to the term.
And Saul knew it was Samuel: This seems to be a genuine, but strange, appearance of Samuel. Some may say it is impossible for Samuel to reappear in some way, coming from the world beyond to this world. However, Moses and Elijah also came back from the world beyond back to this world when they appeared with Jesus at the Transfiguration. ("Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sin, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him" (Matthew 17:1-3).)
The medium at En-dor had no power over Samuel. Moreover, no incantation can avail over any departed human disembodied spirit. Samuel really came, but it was not because the medium called for him. Samuel appeared because God had a special purpose for it. God allowed this strange appearance because it accomplished two things. It re-confirmed the coming judgment on King Saul. It also taught the medium a powerful lesson about the danger of her occult practice. When we close out ears to God, He will find unusual, and perhaps uncomfortable, ways to speak to us. God warns the disobedient king about his approaching death. This gives Saul an opportunity to make peace with his Maker, if he so chooses to do so.
C. Samuel speaks to Saul
1. (1 Sam 28:15-18) Samuel tells King Saul why the LORD will not speak to him.
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do." Samuel said, "Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary? The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day."
Why have you disturbed me: Samuel's words would be in the mouth of anyone who left the place of comfort and blessing in the world beyond to come back to the earth. Samuel would rather be back where he was. This is an indication to us of the reality of the world beyond. Though Samuel passed from this world, he was in a real place. Properly speaking, Samuel was not in heaven. Jesus explains in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) that before the finished work of Jesus on the cross, the believing dead went to a place of comfort and blessing known as Abraham's bosom.
I am greatly distressed: Saul explains his problems to Samuel. First, the Philistines are making war with Saul. But worse than that, Saul knows that God has departed from him, and God is no longer answering Saul. Saul then reveals why he called Samuel, that Samuel may reveal to Saul what he should do.
Either through prophets of by dreams: It is suggested in the Talmud that Saul omitted all mention of the Urim and Thummin from shame at having murdered the priests.
Make known to me what I should do: Saul is asking for guidance when his course of action is clear--he has to fight the Philistines. What Saul rally wants is reassurance that all will be well and the he will win the battle.
The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me: Essentially, Samuel is confirming what God has already told Saul. The message of the LORD to Saul is surprisingly consistent, no matter which strange way God chooses to bring the message. The test for any spirit encounter or angelic revelation is its faithfulness to the Bible's message. It does not matter what kind of encounter one has with a spiritual being..."even if an angel from heaven [or Samuel himself!] preach any other gospel to you...let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8).
As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek: Samuel called Saul's mind back to what happened in 1 Samuel 15. In that chapter, Samuel told Saul, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of your, who is better than you...For He is not a man that He should relent" (1 Samuel 15:28-29). In the years since the events of 1 Samuel 15, Saul thought that perhaps the LORD would change His mind. However, Samuel reminds Saul that the LORD has not changed his mind at all. God's word to Saul did not change from the time He first said it until the time it was fulfilled. Perhaps Saul thought that time would change God's mind, but time never changes God's mind. one our repentance and turning back to God may change God's mine...but never time.
It is interesting to note that the abundant sin that Saul committed since 1 Samuel 15 (i.e., killing the LORD'S priests and seeking to continually kill David) are not mentioned as reasons for God taking the kingdom from Saul and giving it to David.
When the medium saw Samuel she said he was "wrapped with a robe". The "robe" was probably the mantle which would have identified Samuel as a prophet. In 1 Samuel 15:27, when Samuel announces that God will take the kingdom away from Saul, Saul grabs Samuel's robe in desperation and tears it. The Hebrew word used for "robe" in 1 Samuel 15:27 is meheel the same word used in 1 Samuel 18:24. It might be that when Samuel appeared before the medium and Saul that he wore this same torn robe to remind Saul that "the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David."
2. (1 Sam 28:19) Samuel tells Saul about his fate
Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!"
Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel...into the hands of the Philistines: Three cursing judgments, which were to come directly upon Saul, are contained in the prophet's words. 1) Utter defeat of the army of Israel. 2) The violent death of Saul and his two sons in the course of the impeding war. 3) The defeat of Israel's camp.
In 1 Samuel 28:15, Saul asks to know what he should do. Samuel never tells him what to do because it was too late to do anything. All Samuel told Saul was what would happen. God's judgment was already in motion. Before this time, Saul had plenty of time to repent. But now, time has run out. We can never assume that we will have as much time as we want to repent. The desire and opportunity to repent are gifts from God. If we have the desire and the opportunity to repent today, we must seize upon it. One never knows if there will be a tomorrow.
Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me: The Hebrew word rendered "tomorrow" (machar) does not necessarily mean the next day, but it can mean some time in the near future. In saying, "you and your sons shall be with me," Samuel does not pronounce Saul's final judgment. Samuel uses a mild expression applicable to all, good and bad. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story about the rich man and Lazarus. They both go to the same place; however, there seems to be a fixed chasm between the place where the righteous and the place where the unrighteous go. Lazarus is safe and secure in Abraham's bosom while Lazarus suffers great torment. By using these milder words, Samuel mildly states Saul's future with death. This encourages Saul to repent while he still has time.
D. Saul's reaction and departure
1. (1 Sam 28:20) Saul reacts with fear and a loss of all strength
Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food at all day and night.
Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground: Struck to his heart, Saul falls straight to the ground as if the archers of the Philistines had already hit him. It was not just that Samuel told Saul that he would die in battle before the Philistines, but far worse to Saul was the knowledge that the LORD was his adversary. Fighting against the Philistines is one thing, but how can one fight against God? There was no hope for Saul to win his battle against the LORD.
2. (1 Sam 28:21-25) The medium comforts Saul
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrifies, and said to him, "Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way." But he refused and said, "I will not eat." However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; and she took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. She bought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.
The woman came to Saul: The story is completed in these concluding verses in the natural and unaffected way. The medium, though a grievous sinner, is struck with a woman's pity for the stricken king. With kind words and still kinder actions, she does her best to help King Saul recover from his death-like swoon. It is a sad note when a practitioner of the occult comforts the King of Israel. But, the two of them wee of the same kind--each lived in rebellion to God, and each was under judgment from Him.
So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed: The "bed" was probably a divan or cushioned seat, which usually runs around the walls of rooms in Eastern dwellings.
Unleavened bread: Like the Israelites fleeing Egypt after God struck down all the firstborn, there was no time to be lost at this meal. In haste, the medium quickly prepares a meal, making unleavened bread because there was no time for the bread to rise.
And they ate: The supper Saul ate that night was like the last meal of a man on death row...a man awaiting execution in the morning.
Then they arose and went away that night: Saul left the En-dor medium resigned to his fate. In twenty-four hours, Saul and his sons would be dead. Although Saul was desperate to find out the future, in the end, knowing what was to come was a crushing blow. God's word stood, and it could not be altered. For many years, Saul had disobeyed God and seemed to have escape punishment. Now, facing a huge Philistine army, Saul knows he will die...and he will bring about the deaths of his sons too. What a sad and tragic ending to a man who once possessed the Spirit of God. As Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Oh how pride and arrogance greatly destroyed Saul, a man once endowed with Divine gifts which enabled him to become the leader and King of Israel.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Feast of Weeks
Introduction
The Feast of Weeks (also known as Shavuot and Pentecost) will be celebrated this year from sundown on Saturday, May 19 to sundown on Sunday, May 20. Described in Leviticus 23, the Feast of Weeks is the second of the three pilgrim feasts which required all Jewish males to travel to Jerusalem to observe (Exodus 23:14-7, Exodus 34:22-23, and Deuteronomy 16:6). The Feast of Weeks derives its name from the fact that it starts seven full weeks (exactly 50 days) after the Feast of Firstfruits. Since the festival takes place exactly 50 days after Firstfruits, it is also known as Pentecost, which means "fifty" in Greek.
Each of the three "solemn feasts" (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks and Feast of Tabernacles) required all Jewish men to travel to Jerusalem to attend the festival and offer sacrifices. All three of these feasts required that a first fruit offering be made at the temple as a way of expressing thanks for God's abundance. The Feast of First Fruits (celebrated during the eight-day Feast of Unleavened Bread) included the first fruit offerings of the barley harvest. The Feast of Weeks was the celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles involved the first fruit offerings of the olive and grape harvests.
Since the Feast of Weeks was one of the harvest feasts, they were to "present an offering of new grain to the LORD" (Leviticus 23:16). This offering was to be "two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah" which were made "of fine flour...baked with leaven." The offerings were to be made of the first fruits of that harvest (Leviticus 23:17). Along with the wave offerings, they were also to offer seven first year lambs that were without blemish along with one young bull and two rams. Additional offerings are also prescribed in Leviticus and other passages which outline how this feast is to be observed.
This time of celebration in Hebrew is known as Shavuot, which means "weeks". This is one of three separate terms that are used in Scripture to refer to this important festival. Each name represents an important aspect of this holiday. Besides being called the Feast of Weeks in Leviticus 23, it is also called the "Day of the Firstfruits" (Numbers 28:26) and the "Feast of Harvest" (Exodus 23:16).
Additionally, the festival of Shavuot marks the culmination of the redemption, sometimes call Atzeret Pesach, or the Gathering of Passover. Since the Exodus from Egypt was intended to lead to the revelation of God's words on Mount Sinai, the goal of Passover is the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people. God took the Jews out of Egypt so that they would be His own treasured people, holy and separated from the pagan cultures around them.
According to Jewish scholars: The new moon of Nisan marks the start of sacred time, Passover remembers the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, the first day of Unleavened Bread remembers the Exodus from Egypt, the seventh day of Unleavened Bread remembers the crossing of the Red Sea, the counting of the Omer recalls the days before the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, and Shavuot remembers the giving of the Torah exactly seven weeks after the Exodus.
The Biblical background of Shavuot
The book of Exodus tells us how Moses was sent by God to Egypt to be a deliverer of Israel. Pharaoh did not heed Moses' appeals to set the people of Israel free from their slavery. Thus, the stage was set for a showdown between the God of Israel and Egypt's false gods.
After repeated demonstrations of the glory and power of the LORD, God told Moses that He would bring a final harsh plague that would cause Pharaoh to relent and allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. In God's final plague, all the firstborn in the land of Egypt would be killed--except for those who observed what God called the Passover.
The LORD commanded on Nisan 10 that the heads of each household select an unblemished young male lamb to be offered as a sacrifice to the LORD. On the afternoon of Nisan 14, a family member was to slaughter the lamb and smear some of its blood on the sides of the doorframe. The lamb was then to be roasted and eaten with unleavened bread (matzah) and bitter herds (maror). This meal was to be consumed in haste since those observing Passover would quickly leave Egypt the next morning (Nisan 15) as they began their Exodus. The LORD also required that only matzah was to be eaten for a week after the Passover meal (from Nisan 15 to Nisan 21).
At midnight on Nisan 15, the LORD killed all the firstborn who did not place the blood of the lamb upon their door frame. Those who trusted in the LORD were "passed over" from the angel of death. Pharaoh and most of the Egyptians experienced death in their households. They begged the Israelites to leave Egypt. After 400 years in Egypt, 600,000 adult males along with women, children and a mixed multitude departed Egypt with a wealth of gold and silver which the Egyptians had given to them.
As soon as the Jews left Egypt, a fiery pillar of cloud appeared before them, leading them from Rameses to Succoth and then southward into the desert (Exodus 12:20-21). But after the Israelites left, Pharaoh had a change of heart. He decided to summon his army and chase the Israelites to enslave them again (Exodus 14:4). Six days later, on Nisan 21, the Israelites were trapped--they had the Egyptian army behind them and the Sea of Reeds before them. The pillar of cloud moved behind the Israelites and stood between them and the Egyptians. Moses then stretched out his staff before the sea, and it miraculously parted so that the Israelites could walk through it. When the Jews had safely crossed to the other side of the sea, the Egyptians tried to follow after them. However, Moses again stretched out his staff, and the waters came crashing down upon them, drowning the Egyptian army.
After 45 days in the desert, on the new moon of Sivan, the Jews reached the desert of Sinai and camped near the mountain where Moses had first been commissioned (Exodus 19:1). During the previous weeks, the Israelites had become more and more reliant upon the LORD. Therefore, their hearts and minds became more and more ready to receive the instruction (Torah) from God before entering the Promised Land.
Moses ascended the mountain, and there God commanded him to tell the leaders that if they would obey the LORD and keep His covenant, they would be the LORD'S "kingdom of priests" and "holy nation". After delivering this message, the people responded by proclaiming, kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh ("all that the LORD has spoken, we shall do"). Moses then returned to the mountain and was told to command the people to sanctify themselves before the LORD descended on the mountain in three days. The people were to abstain from worldly comforts and not touch (under the penalty of death) the boundaries of the mountain.
On the morning of the sixth of Sivan, exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, all the children of Israel gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai, where the LORD descended amidst thunder, lightning, smoke, fire and the blast of the shofar. The LORD then declared the foundation of moral conduct required of the people, the Ten Commandments.
The sound of the shofar grew louder and louder until terror gripped the hearts of the people. The LORD then uttered, "I am the LORD Your God who took you out of Egypt." As the LORD began speaking the second commandment, the people began falling back in fear. They begged Moses to be their mediator before God. The people then stood afar off while Moses alone drew near to God.
As mediator of the covenant, Moses later reported to the Israelites all the words of the LORD. The people responded in unison, kol hadevarim asher diber Adonai na'aseh ("all the words which the LORD has said, we will do.") Moses wrote down the words of the covenant, built an altar at the foot of Mount Sinai with twelve pillars (one for each tribe of Israel) and ordered sacrifices be made to the LORD. He took the sacrificial blood from the offerings, threw half upon the altar and read the covenant to the people. The people ratified the covenant with the words, kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh v'nishma ("all that the LORD says, we will do and obey"). Upon hearing their ratification, Moses took the other half of the sacrificial blood and threw it on the people saying, "Behold, the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words" (Exodus 24:8).
Next, Moses, Aaron (and his sons Nadav and Avihu), and seventy elders of Israel ascended Mount Sinai to eat a "covenant affirmation meal" between Israel and the LORD. It was there that the elders beheld the awesome glory of the God of Israel, under whose feet was "a pavement of sapphires, like the very heaven for clearness" (Exodus 24:9-11).
After returning from the mountain with the elders, the LORD commanded Moses to go back up to receive luchot ha'even (the tablets of stone) inscribed with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12). He remained on the mountain for a total of 40 days and 40 nights learning Torah while the Israelites waited for him at the camp below (Exodus 24:13-18).
The Agricultural Background
When the Israelites began to settle the Promised Land, the meaning of Shavuot was transformed into an agricultural holiday that celebrated the LORD'S provision for His people. Exactly seven weeks after the barley harvest is Shavuot, which is the start of the wheat harvest. There are seven species of fruits yielded in Israel: barley, wheat, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. As soon as the Jewish farmer saw the first sign of fruit ripening in his field or orchard, he would tie a string or ribbon around it to designate it as the first fruit.
Later, the farmer would pick the fruit, place it in a basket woven of silver and gold (the poor used wicker baskets made from willow branches) and set off for the Temple in Jerusalem to observe either the Feast of First Fruits (for the barley harvest), the Feast of Weeks (for the wheat harvest) or for the Feast of Booths (for the fruit harvest). The baskets would be placed on oxen adorned with garlands of flowers. As the pilgrims neared Jerusalem, the grand procession became a parade with folks singing and dancing.
At the temple, each family would present the basket of first fruits to the priest to be put before the altar while reciting the following passage:
Timeline of Giving the Torah
1. Nisan 1: The start of the sacred year
On the first of Nisan, two weeks before the Exodus, the LORD showed Moses the new moon and commenced the divine lunar calendar. This is called Rosh Chodashim.
2. Nisan 15: Passover
Two weeks later, God was ready to deliver the Israelites from their bondage. Earlier that night, the Israelites ate the Passover meal and covered their doorposts with the blood of the lamb. At midnight on Nisan 15, the LORD sent the last of the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, killing their firstborn.
3. Nisan 20: Pharaoh traps the Israelites
Pharaoh's army traps the Israelites against the Sea of Reeds. The glory of the LORD intervenes and prevents the Egyptians from attacking.
4. Nisan 21: The parting of the sea
The following day, the LORD commands Moses to order the Israelites to march into the waters of the sea. The waters part, and the children of Israel walk across dry land in the midst of the sea. When the Egyptians attempt to follow, the waters rush back and drown them. The Israelites celebrate their deliverance with the Song of the Sea in praise to the LORD (Exodus 15:1-18).
5. Sivan 1: Arrival at Sinai
The Israelites finally arrive at the desert of Sinai (Exodus 19:1) where Moses was first commissioned.
6. Sivan 2: The Day of Distinction (Yom HaMeyuchas)
On this day, Moses ascends Mount Sinai. God tells him to tell the people: "You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:2-7).
7. Sivan 3-5: Three days of preparation
On Sivan 3, the LORD instructs Moses to set boundaries for the people around the mountain in preparation for giving the Torah three days later (Exodus 19:9-15).
8. Sivan 5: The covenant offered
On Sivan 5, Moses made a covenant with the Jewish people at the foot of Mount Sinai at which the people declare, "All that the LORD has spoken, we shall do and hear" (Exodus 19:8).
9. Sivan 6: The giving of the Torah
On Sivan 6, exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, the LORD reveals Himself on Mount Sinai. All Israel hears the LORD speak the first two of the Ten Commandments. Following this initial revelation, Moses re-ascends Sinai for 40 days to receive the remainder of the Torah. This date coincides exactly with the Feast of Shavuot.
Feast of Weeks and the Messiah
Like all the other feasts, the Feast of Weeks is important in that it foreshadows the coming Messiah and His ministry. Each and every feast signifies an important aspect of God's plan of redemption through Christ Jesus. Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb and rose from the grave on the Feast of Firstfruits. Following His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending into heaven (Acts 1). Fifty days after His resurrection, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within the disciples and empower them for ministry. The Holy Spirit arrived on the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost).
The spiritual significance of the Feast of Weeks are numerous. Some see the two loaves of leavened bread offered during the Feast of Weeks as a foreshadowing of the time when Messiah would make both the Jew and Gentile to be one in Him (Ephesians 2:14-15). This is also the only feast where leavened bread is used. Leaven in Scripture is often referred to symbolically as sin. The leavened bread used in the Feast of Weeks is thought to be representative of the fact that there is still sin within the assembly (body of Messiah) and will be there until Messiah returns.
The Feast of Weeks (also known as Shavuot and Pentecost) will be celebrated this year from sundown on Saturday, May 19 to sundown on Sunday, May 20. Described in Leviticus 23, the Feast of Weeks is the second of the three pilgrim feasts which required all Jewish males to travel to Jerusalem to observe (Exodus 23:14-7, Exodus 34:22-23, and Deuteronomy 16:6). The Feast of Weeks derives its name from the fact that it starts seven full weeks (exactly 50 days) after the Feast of Firstfruits. Since the festival takes place exactly 50 days after Firstfruits, it is also known as Pentecost, which means "fifty" in Greek.
Each of the three "solemn feasts" (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks and Feast of Tabernacles) required all Jewish men to travel to Jerusalem to attend the festival and offer sacrifices. All three of these feasts required that a first fruit offering be made at the temple as a way of expressing thanks for God's abundance. The Feast of First Fruits (celebrated during the eight-day Feast of Unleavened Bread) included the first fruit offerings of the barley harvest. The Feast of Weeks was the celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles involved the first fruit offerings of the olive and grape harvests.
Since the Feast of Weeks was one of the harvest feasts, they were to "present an offering of new grain to the LORD" (Leviticus 23:16). This offering was to be "two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah" which were made "of fine flour...baked with leaven." The offerings were to be made of the first fruits of that harvest (Leviticus 23:17). Along with the wave offerings, they were also to offer seven first year lambs that were without blemish along with one young bull and two rams. Additional offerings are also prescribed in Leviticus and other passages which outline how this feast is to be observed.
This time of celebration in Hebrew is known as Shavuot, which means "weeks". This is one of three separate terms that are used in Scripture to refer to this important festival. Each name represents an important aspect of this holiday. Besides being called the Feast of Weeks in Leviticus 23, it is also called the "Day of the Firstfruits" (Numbers 28:26) and the "Feast of Harvest" (Exodus 23:16).
Additionally, the festival of Shavuot marks the culmination of the redemption, sometimes call Atzeret Pesach, or the Gathering of Passover. Since the Exodus from Egypt was intended to lead to the revelation of God's words on Mount Sinai, the goal of Passover is the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people. God took the Jews out of Egypt so that they would be His own treasured people, holy and separated from the pagan cultures around them.
According to Jewish scholars: The new moon of Nisan marks the start of sacred time, Passover remembers the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, the first day of Unleavened Bread remembers the Exodus from Egypt, the seventh day of Unleavened Bread remembers the crossing of the Red Sea, the counting of the Omer recalls the days before the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, and Shavuot remembers the giving of the Torah exactly seven weeks after the Exodus.
The Biblical background of Shavuot
The book of Exodus tells us how Moses was sent by God to Egypt to be a deliverer of Israel. Pharaoh did not heed Moses' appeals to set the people of Israel free from their slavery. Thus, the stage was set for a showdown between the God of Israel and Egypt's false gods.
After repeated demonstrations of the glory and power of the LORD, God told Moses that He would bring a final harsh plague that would cause Pharaoh to relent and allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. In God's final plague, all the firstborn in the land of Egypt would be killed--except for those who observed what God called the Passover.
The LORD commanded on Nisan 10 that the heads of each household select an unblemished young male lamb to be offered as a sacrifice to the LORD. On the afternoon of Nisan 14, a family member was to slaughter the lamb and smear some of its blood on the sides of the doorframe. The lamb was then to be roasted and eaten with unleavened bread (matzah) and bitter herds (maror). This meal was to be consumed in haste since those observing Passover would quickly leave Egypt the next morning (Nisan 15) as they began their Exodus. The LORD also required that only matzah was to be eaten for a week after the Passover meal (from Nisan 15 to Nisan 21).
At midnight on Nisan 15, the LORD killed all the firstborn who did not place the blood of the lamb upon their door frame. Those who trusted in the LORD were "passed over" from the angel of death. Pharaoh and most of the Egyptians experienced death in their households. They begged the Israelites to leave Egypt. After 400 years in Egypt, 600,000 adult males along with women, children and a mixed multitude departed Egypt with a wealth of gold and silver which the Egyptians had given to them.
As soon as the Jews left Egypt, a fiery pillar of cloud appeared before them, leading them from Rameses to Succoth and then southward into the desert (Exodus 12:20-21). But after the Israelites left, Pharaoh had a change of heart. He decided to summon his army and chase the Israelites to enslave them again (Exodus 14:4). Six days later, on Nisan 21, the Israelites were trapped--they had the Egyptian army behind them and the Sea of Reeds before them. The pillar of cloud moved behind the Israelites and stood between them and the Egyptians. Moses then stretched out his staff before the sea, and it miraculously parted so that the Israelites could walk through it. When the Jews had safely crossed to the other side of the sea, the Egyptians tried to follow after them. However, Moses again stretched out his staff, and the waters came crashing down upon them, drowning the Egyptian army.
After 45 days in the desert, on the new moon of Sivan, the Jews reached the desert of Sinai and camped near the mountain where Moses had first been commissioned (Exodus 19:1). During the previous weeks, the Israelites had become more and more reliant upon the LORD. Therefore, their hearts and minds became more and more ready to receive the instruction (Torah) from God before entering the Promised Land.
Moses ascended the mountain, and there God commanded him to tell the leaders that if they would obey the LORD and keep His covenant, they would be the LORD'S "kingdom of priests" and "holy nation". After delivering this message, the people responded by proclaiming, kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh ("all that the LORD has spoken, we shall do"). Moses then returned to the mountain and was told to command the people to sanctify themselves before the LORD descended on the mountain in three days. The people were to abstain from worldly comforts and not touch (under the penalty of death) the boundaries of the mountain.
On the morning of the sixth of Sivan, exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, all the children of Israel gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai, where the LORD descended amidst thunder, lightning, smoke, fire and the blast of the shofar. The LORD then declared the foundation of moral conduct required of the people, the Ten Commandments.
The sound of the shofar grew louder and louder until terror gripped the hearts of the people. The LORD then uttered, "I am the LORD Your God who took you out of Egypt." As the LORD began speaking the second commandment, the people began falling back in fear. They begged Moses to be their mediator before God. The people then stood afar off while Moses alone drew near to God.
As mediator of the covenant, Moses later reported to the Israelites all the words of the LORD. The people responded in unison, kol hadevarim asher diber Adonai na'aseh ("all the words which the LORD has said, we will do.") Moses wrote down the words of the covenant, built an altar at the foot of Mount Sinai with twelve pillars (one for each tribe of Israel) and ordered sacrifices be made to the LORD. He took the sacrificial blood from the offerings, threw half upon the altar and read the covenant to the people. The people ratified the covenant with the words, kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh v'nishma ("all that the LORD says, we will do and obey"). Upon hearing their ratification, Moses took the other half of the sacrificial blood and threw it on the people saying, "Behold, the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words" (Exodus 24:8).
Next, Moses, Aaron (and his sons Nadav and Avihu), and seventy elders of Israel ascended Mount Sinai to eat a "covenant affirmation meal" between Israel and the LORD. It was there that the elders beheld the awesome glory of the God of Israel, under whose feet was "a pavement of sapphires, like the very heaven for clearness" (Exodus 24:9-11).
After returning from the mountain with the elders, the LORD commanded Moses to go back up to receive luchot ha'even (the tablets of stone) inscribed with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12). He remained on the mountain for a total of 40 days and 40 nights learning Torah while the Israelites waited for him at the camp below (Exodus 24:13-18).
The Agricultural Background
When the Israelites began to settle the Promised Land, the meaning of Shavuot was transformed into an agricultural holiday that celebrated the LORD'S provision for His people. Exactly seven weeks after the barley harvest is Shavuot, which is the start of the wheat harvest. There are seven species of fruits yielded in Israel: barley, wheat, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. As soon as the Jewish farmer saw the first sign of fruit ripening in his field or orchard, he would tie a string or ribbon around it to designate it as the first fruit.
Later, the farmer would pick the fruit, place it in a basket woven of silver and gold (the poor used wicker baskets made from willow branches) and set off for the Temple in Jerusalem to observe either the Feast of First Fruits (for the barley harvest), the Feast of Weeks (for the wheat harvest) or for the Feast of Booths (for the fruit harvest). The baskets would be placed on oxen adorned with garlands of flowers. As the pilgrims neared Jerusalem, the grand procession became a parade with folks singing and dancing.
At the temple, each family would present the basket of first fruits to the priest to be put before the altar while reciting the following passage:
A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and
sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great,
mighty and populous. And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us
and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,
and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression.
And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And He brought us into this place
and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And behold, now I bring
the first of the fruit of the ground, which You, O LORD, have given me. And You shall
set it down before the LORD Your God and worship before the LORD Your God.
(Deuteronomy 26:5-11)
After the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., the agricultural aspect of Shavuot could no longer be observed. The Talmudic sages later re-connected this festival with the giving of Torah at Mount Sinai. Shavuot came to be called "The Season of the Giving of the Torah". To this day, it has become customary to stay up all night studying Torah. While this custom is wonderful, Jewish law prohibits afflicting or torturing yourself on a holiday. So, it you are tired, it is better to go to sleep.
Timeline of Giving the Torah
1. Nisan 1: The start of the sacred year
On the first of Nisan, two weeks before the Exodus, the LORD showed Moses the new moon and commenced the divine lunar calendar. This is called Rosh Chodashim.
2. Nisan 15: Passover
Two weeks later, God was ready to deliver the Israelites from their bondage. Earlier that night, the Israelites ate the Passover meal and covered their doorposts with the blood of the lamb. At midnight on Nisan 15, the LORD sent the last of the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, killing their firstborn.
3. Nisan 20: Pharaoh traps the Israelites
Pharaoh's army traps the Israelites against the Sea of Reeds. The glory of the LORD intervenes and prevents the Egyptians from attacking.
4. Nisan 21: The parting of the sea
The following day, the LORD commands Moses to order the Israelites to march into the waters of the sea. The waters part, and the children of Israel walk across dry land in the midst of the sea. When the Egyptians attempt to follow, the waters rush back and drown them. The Israelites celebrate their deliverance with the Song of the Sea in praise to the LORD (Exodus 15:1-18).
5. Sivan 1: Arrival at Sinai
The Israelites finally arrive at the desert of Sinai (Exodus 19:1) where Moses was first commissioned.
6. Sivan 2: The Day of Distinction (Yom HaMeyuchas)
On this day, Moses ascends Mount Sinai. God tells him to tell the people: "You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:2-7).
7. Sivan 3-5: Three days of preparation
On Sivan 3, the LORD instructs Moses to set boundaries for the people around the mountain in preparation for giving the Torah three days later (Exodus 19:9-15).
8. Sivan 5: The covenant offered
On Sivan 5, Moses made a covenant with the Jewish people at the foot of Mount Sinai at which the people declare, "All that the LORD has spoken, we shall do and hear" (Exodus 19:8).
9. Sivan 6: The giving of the Torah
On Sivan 6, exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, the LORD reveals Himself on Mount Sinai. All Israel hears the LORD speak the first two of the Ten Commandments. Following this initial revelation, Moses re-ascends Sinai for 40 days to receive the remainder of the Torah. This date coincides exactly with the Feast of Shavuot.
Feast of Weeks and the Messiah
Like all the other feasts, the Feast of Weeks is important in that it foreshadows the coming Messiah and His ministry. Each and every feast signifies an important aspect of God's plan of redemption through Christ Jesus. Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb and rose from the grave on the Feast of Firstfruits. Following His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending into heaven (Acts 1). Fifty days after His resurrection, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within the disciples and empower them for ministry. The Holy Spirit arrived on the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost).
The spiritual significance of the Feast of Weeks are numerous. Some see the two loaves of leavened bread offered during the Feast of Weeks as a foreshadowing of the time when Messiah would make both the Jew and Gentile to be one in Him (Ephesians 2:14-15). This is also the only feast where leavened bread is used. Leaven in Scripture is often referred to symbolically as sin. The leavened bread used in the Feast of Weeks is thought to be representative of the fact that there is still sin within the assembly (body of Messiah) and will be there until Messiah returns.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
1 Samuel Chapter 28 Part One (Verses 1-10)
SAUL AND THE SPIRIT MEDIUM
1. (1 Sam 28:1-2) David takes sides with the Philistines against Israel
Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men." David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
The Philistines gathered their army camps for war: This was a war on a much larger scale than had been carried out previously by the Philistines. This was no ordinary raid of border incursion, which seemed to be the frequent form of attack during King Saul's reign. Since the Philistines' defeat in the Valley of Elah, which followed the single combat between Goliath and David, no such Philistine army had been gathered.
And Achish said to David: As a vassal, David was bound to accompany his lord to war. Achish, supposing that David had on his own accord made war upon Judah, probably assumed that the invitation was one in which David desired. David had lied to Achish, telling him that he had raided the people of Israel. Now, David is forced to live the lie.
You shall know what your servant can do: David's answer is ambiguous. He is placed in a dilemma. It seems as though he must either fight against his own nation or appear false to his lord, Achish.
I will make you my bodyguard for life: It seems Achish had been won over by David's career and generous character. Achish seems to take no notice of David's ambiguity. At once, Achhish appoints David to one of the most distinguished appointments in the army--the King of Gath's bodyguard. In the ancient East, the bodyguard was a highly important position. Often, the king did not carry his own weaponry. Instead, the bodyguard carried all the military equipment and was the person responsible for protecting the king. The bodyguard had to be extremely trustworthy to the king. If the bodyguard decided to flee, the king would be completely unarmed and open for direct attack by his enemies.
A. Saul's distressing situation
1. (1 Sam 28:3-5) Saul's fear at the attack from the Philistines
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
Now Samuel was dead: In 1 Samuel 25:1, we are first told about Samuel's death. This statement here is repeated to give an introduction to the strange and sad story which follows. Now that Samuel has passed away, there seems to be a spiritual void in Israel.
Saul had removed from the land: Saul's expulsion of the soothsayers he probably did early in his reign, when he was closer to God and following His commands.
Mediums; The Hebrew word is oboth. This signifies the demon or spirit is supposed to speak through the necromancer. It is generally rendered in the Greek Septuagint as "ventriloquist" because the spirit was supposed to speak from the necromancer's belly.
Spiritists: These are more closely connected with wit and wisdom. The exact equivalent of the Hebrew would be "a knowing one". One who is supposed to possess a knowledge of the future by mysterious means.
The Mosaic law concerning these people is clear and decisive. "You shall not allow a sorceress to live" (Exodus 22:18). "Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them" (Leviticus 20:27).
The Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem: The Philistine army had penetrated into the heart of Israel, marching across the Valley of Jezreel. They took up a strong position on the south-western slope of the mountain range called Little Hermon. Shunem is located about 20 miles north of Aphek, the most northerly Philistine city.
Shunem: This village is located opposite Mount Gilboa. The broad deep valley of Jezreel lays in between Shunem and Gilboa and overlooks the whole western plain of Carmel. Shunem is the home of Abishag, a young girl who became King David's nurse at the end of his life (1 Kings 1:3). It is also the hometown of the woman who entertained the prophet Elisha and whose dead son Elisha raise back to life (2 Kings 4).
Gilboa: Saul's position was only a few miles distant from the camp of the Philistines. From the high ground, Saul and his camp could plainly see the whole Philistine army. Mount Gilboa is the name given to a range of lofty hills, rising 1500 feet above the sea and consist of white chalk.
When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid: There is no doubt that Saul would have been greatly terrified when he viewed his enemy's ranks from afar. They were far more numerous than he had probably expected. But the real reason for his trembling was that God had forsaken Saul. Many of the well-known Israelite warriors had, during recent events, taken service with Saul's dreaded enemy, David. Saul knew that David was now a vassal to King Achish. We might imagine Saul, as he stood on the while chalk hills of Gilboa, gazing on the long lines of the Philistine tents pitched on the opposite hill of Shunem, wondering if his old friend, David, was there with his mighty men following.
2. (1 Sam 28:6) God will not speak to Saul
When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
When Saul inquired of the LORD: Many have asked, "how was the inquiry to the LORD made?" since King Saul massacred the priests from Nob. The high priest, or at least the priest in possession of the sacred ephod and the breastplate with the Urim and Thummin was in the camp of David. It has been suggested by eminent Bible scholars that after the murder of Ahimelech and the flight of Abiathar to David, Saul moved the national sanctuary from Nob and established it at Gibeon. It is at Gibeon, during the first year of David's reign, where we find the Tabernacle with the son of Ahitub, Zadok, acting as the high priest. This might account for the frequent reference in the time of David to two priests--Zadok and Abiathar. Zadok might have been the high priest appointed by King Saul and was for a considerable time in charge of the Tabernacle. Abiathar, who fled from Nob with the ephod and Urim was acknowledged by David as the high priest when the kingdom was eventually restored under one king. Zadok and Abiathar seemed to have divided the honors and responsibilities of the high priesthood. (Please see 2 Samuel 8:17, 2 Samuel 15:24, 2 Samuel 15:29, 2 Samuel 15:35, 1 Chronicles 15:11 and 1 Chronicles 18:16 for more details.)
We can imagine Zadok inquired of the LORD for Saul. Some suppose an Urim and Thummin may have been made in imitation of the ancient ones Abiathar possesses. But, as the texts states, Zadok received no answer.
The LORD did not answer him: This silence demonstrates that God will not always answer everyone who seeks him. King Saul had rejected and is currently rejecting God's previously revealed will. Since Saul did not care to obey in what he already knew, God will not give him more to know. At the very least, Saul knew that God did not want him to hunt David, hoping to kill him. Saul had said as much in passages as 1 Samuel 24:16-20 and 1 Samuel 26:21. Yet, Saul disregarded what he knew. If we want God to guide us, we must follow what guidance we already have from Him. When we reject the word of the LORD, we can still be comforted by the fact that He speaks to us. As we continue to reject His word, He may stop speaking to us until we come to accept His will.
B. Saul consults a spirit medium
1. (1 Sam 28:7-8) Saul seeks out a medium
Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor." Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, "Conjure up to me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you."
Seek for me a woman who is a medium: The determination of Saul to find out the future proves how obstinate and self-willed he was. He wanted an answer, simply to know what was about to happen, and he did not want to receive guidance and counsel from God.
Traditionally, this woman is known as "The Witch of Endor". It be appropriate to call her a witch, but it more accurate to call her a medium or a necromancer--one who makes contact with the dead. The Hebrew word for medium is ob. It has the idea of mumbling or speaking with a strange, hollow sound, as if one were "channeling" with a dead person speaking through them. The Hebrew word has in mind the sound the channel makes as they speak. The English word medium, has in mind the concept of a channel: they stand in-between the world of the living and the dead and communicate between the two worlds.
En-dor: En-dor was only a short distance away from Mount Gilboa. It was on the north of the Hill of Moreh and was accessible despite the Philistine forces close by. En-dor was located four miles northeast of Shunem, and thus, it was dangerously close to where the Philistines were camped.
Two men with him: Jewish tradition speaks of the two men who accompany Saul as Abner and Amasa. It further mentions the medium at En-dor as the mother of Abner. If this is true, it would account for her having escaped the general pursuit of spiritists and mediums mentioned above. Moreover, it would also explain why the medium was so well-known by Saul's servants.
Saul disguised himself: The disguise and the time chosen for the expedition served a double purpose. The king would, he thought, be unknown in the darkness and disguise when he came to the medium's dwelling. Additionally, Saul needed to pass close to the Philistines whose army lay between him and the village of En-dor. A disguise and cover of darkness would prevent Saul from being recognized by the Philistines.
As Saul sought the medium, he brought upon himself a curse. God said in Leviticus 20:6: "And the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people."
Conjure up to me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you: Saul asks he medium to channel the deceased prophet Samuel. He did this because he wanted to know what God might say to him. Saul is like a man going to a palm reader to hear the will of God.
2. (1 Sam 28:9-10) Saul answers the suspicions of the medium
But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?" Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you from this thing."
You know what Saul has done: The law, enacted by Saul in his earlier days, made the practice of these dark arts a capital offense. Sorcerers and mediums, no doubt, had been often hunted down by informers. Even if the medium was in the company of her near relatives, still the act of summoning the dead was a capital offense. She may, too, by enhancing the peril in which she stood, have sought to extort a larger present from the stranger who ask for her aid.
Saul vowed to her by the LORD: Saul's oath in the name of the LORD reminds us that spiritual rhetoric means nothing. As certainly as the LORD lives, Saul was in complete disobedience and darkness. This is the last time Saul uses the name of the LORD in the book of 1 Samuel, and he uses it to swear to a medium that she will not be punished. Although Saul might have been able to screen the medium from any punishment in this world, he could not prevent her from eternal punishment from violating Torah.
1. (1 Sam 28:1-2) David takes sides with the Philistines against Israel
Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men." David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
The Philistines gathered their army camps for war: This was a war on a much larger scale than had been carried out previously by the Philistines. This was no ordinary raid of border incursion, which seemed to be the frequent form of attack during King Saul's reign. Since the Philistines' defeat in the Valley of Elah, which followed the single combat between Goliath and David, no such Philistine army had been gathered.
And Achish said to David: As a vassal, David was bound to accompany his lord to war. Achish, supposing that David had on his own accord made war upon Judah, probably assumed that the invitation was one in which David desired. David had lied to Achish, telling him that he had raided the people of Israel. Now, David is forced to live the lie.
You shall know what your servant can do: David's answer is ambiguous. He is placed in a dilemma. It seems as though he must either fight against his own nation or appear false to his lord, Achish.
I will make you my bodyguard for life: It seems Achish had been won over by David's career and generous character. Achish seems to take no notice of David's ambiguity. At once, Achhish appoints David to one of the most distinguished appointments in the army--the King of Gath's bodyguard. In the ancient East, the bodyguard was a highly important position. Often, the king did not carry his own weaponry. Instead, the bodyguard carried all the military equipment and was the person responsible for protecting the king. The bodyguard had to be extremely trustworthy to the king. If the bodyguard decided to flee, the king would be completely unarmed and open for direct attack by his enemies.
A. Saul's distressing situation
1. (1 Sam 28:3-5) Saul's fear at the attack from the Philistines
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
Now Samuel was dead: In 1 Samuel 25:1, we are first told about Samuel's death. This statement here is repeated to give an introduction to the strange and sad story which follows. Now that Samuel has passed away, there seems to be a spiritual void in Israel.
Saul had removed from the land: Saul's expulsion of the soothsayers he probably did early in his reign, when he was closer to God and following His commands.
Mediums; The Hebrew word is oboth. This signifies the demon or spirit is supposed to speak through the necromancer. It is generally rendered in the Greek Septuagint as "ventriloquist" because the spirit was supposed to speak from the necromancer's belly.
Spiritists: These are more closely connected with wit and wisdom. The exact equivalent of the Hebrew would be "a knowing one". One who is supposed to possess a knowledge of the future by mysterious means.
The Mosaic law concerning these people is clear and decisive. "You shall not allow a sorceress to live" (Exodus 22:18). "Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them" (Leviticus 20:27).
The Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem: The Philistine army had penetrated into the heart of Israel, marching across the Valley of Jezreel. They took up a strong position on the south-western slope of the mountain range called Little Hermon. Shunem is located about 20 miles north of Aphek, the most northerly Philistine city.
Shunem: This village is located opposite Mount Gilboa. The broad deep valley of Jezreel lays in between Shunem and Gilboa and overlooks the whole western plain of Carmel. Shunem is the home of Abishag, a young girl who became King David's nurse at the end of his life (1 Kings 1:3). It is also the hometown of the woman who entertained the prophet Elisha and whose dead son Elisha raise back to life (2 Kings 4).
Gilboa: Saul's position was only a few miles distant from the camp of the Philistines. From the high ground, Saul and his camp could plainly see the whole Philistine army. Mount Gilboa is the name given to a range of lofty hills, rising 1500 feet above the sea and consist of white chalk.
When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid: There is no doubt that Saul would have been greatly terrified when he viewed his enemy's ranks from afar. They were far more numerous than he had probably expected. But the real reason for his trembling was that God had forsaken Saul. Many of the well-known Israelite warriors had, during recent events, taken service with Saul's dreaded enemy, David. Saul knew that David was now a vassal to King Achish. We might imagine Saul, as he stood on the while chalk hills of Gilboa, gazing on the long lines of the Philistine tents pitched on the opposite hill of Shunem, wondering if his old friend, David, was there with his mighty men following.
2. (1 Sam 28:6) God will not speak to Saul
When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
When Saul inquired of the LORD: Many have asked, "how was the inquiry to the LORD made?" since King Saul massacred the priests from Nob. The high priest, or at least the priest in possession of the sacred ephod and the breastplate with the Urim and Thummin was in the camp of David. It has been suggested by eminent Bible scholars that after the murder of Ahimelech and the flight of Abiathar to David, Saul moved the national sanctuary from Nob and established it at Gibeon. It is at Gibeon, during the first year of David's reign, where we find the Tabernacle with the son of Ahitub, Zadok, acting as the high priest. This might account for the frequent reference in the time of David to two priests--Zadok and Abiathar. Zadok might have been the high priest appointed by King Saul and was for a considerable time in charge of the Tabernacle. Abiathar, who fled from Nob with the ephod and Urim was acknowledged by David as the high priest when the kingdom was eventually restored under one king. Zadok and Abiathar seemed to have divided the honors and responsibilities of the high priesthood. (Please see 2 Samuel 8:17, 2 Samuel 15:24, 2 Samuel 15:29, 2 Samuel 15:35, 1 Chronicles 15:11 and 1 Chronicles 18:16 for more details.)
We can imagine Zadok inquired of the LORD for Saul. Some suppose an Urim and Thummin may have been made in imitation of the ancient ones Abiathar possesses. But, as the texts states, Zadok received no answer.
The LORD did not answer him: This silence demonstrates that God will not always answer everyone who seeks him. King Saul had rejected and is currently rejecting God's previously revealed will. Since Saul did not care to obey in what he already knew, God will not give him more to know. At the very least, Saul knew that God did not want him to hunt David, hoping to kill him. Saul had said as much in passages as 1 Samuel 24:16-20 and 1 Samuel 26:21. Yet, Saul disregarded what he knew. If we want God to guide us, we must follow what guidance we already have from Him. When we reject the word of the LORD, we can still be comforted by the fact that He speaks to us. As we continue to reject His word, He may stop speaking to us until we come to accept His will.
B. Saul consults a spirit medium
1. (1 Sam 28:7-8) Saul seeks out a medium
Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor." Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, "Conjure up to me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you."
Seek for me a woman who is a medium: The determination of Saul to find out the future proves how obstinate and self-willed he was. He wanted an answer, simply to know what was about to happen, and he did not want to receive guidance and counsel from God.
Traditionally, this woman is known as "The Witch of Endor". It be appropriate to call her a witch, but it more accurate to call her a medium or a necromancer--one who makes contact with the dead. The Hebrew word for medium is ob. It has the idea of mumbling or speaking with a strange, hollow sound, as if one were "channeling" with a dead person speaking through them. The Hebrew word has in mind the sound the channel makes as they speak. The English word medium, has in mind the concept of a channel: they stand in-between the world of the living and the dead and communicate between the two worlds.
En-dor: En-dor was only a short distance away from Mount Gilboa. It was on the north of the Hill of Moreh and was accessible despite the Philistine forces close by. En-dor was located four miles northeast of Shunem, and thus, it was dangerously close to where the Philistines were camped.
Two men with him: Jewish tradition speaks of the two men who accompany Saul as Abner and Amasa. It further mentions the medium at En-dor as the mother of Abner. If this is true, it would account for her having escaped the general pursuit of spiritists and mediums mentioned above. Moreover, it would also explain why the medium was so well-known by Saul's servants.
Saul disguised himself: The disguise and the time chosen for the expedition served a double purpose. The king would, he thought, be unknown in the darkness and disguise when he came to the medium's dwelling. Additionally, Saul needed to pass close to the Philistines whose army lay between him and the village of En-dor. A disguise and cover of darkness would prevent Saul from being recognized by the Philistines.
As Saul sought the medium, he brought upon himself a curse. God said in Leviticus 20:6: "And the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people."
Conjure up to me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you: Saul asks he medium to channel the deceased prophet Samuel. He did this because he wanted to know what God might say to him. Saul is like a man going to a palm reader to hear the will of God.
2. (1 Sam 28:9-10) Saul answers the suspicions of the medium
But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?" Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you from this thing."
You know what Saul has done: The law, enacted by Saul in his earlier days, made the practice of these dark arts a capital offense. Sorcerers and mediums, no doubt, had been often hunted down by informers. Even if the medium was in the company of her near relatives, still the act of summoning the dead was a capital offense. She may, too, by enhancing the peril in which she stood, have sought to extort a larger present from the stranger who ask for her aid.
Saul vowed to her by the LORD: Saul's oath in the name of the LORD reminds us that spiritual rhetoric means nothing. As certainly as the LORD lives, Saul was in complete disobedience and darkness. This is the last time Saul uses the name of the LORD in the book of 1 Samuel, and he uses it to swear to a medium that she will not be punished. Although Saul might have been able to screen the medium from any punishment in this world, he could not prevent her from eternal punishment from violating Torah.
Sunday, May 6, 2018
1 Samuel Chapter 27
DAVID FLEES TO THE PHILISTINES
A. David joins with the Philistine leader, Achish
1. (1 Sam 27:1) David's discouraged decision
Then David said to himself, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand."
David said to himself: The sad story of 1 Samuel 27 begins with something David says to himself. He may have never said it out loud; he may have never said it to anyone else; he may have never said it to God. But, David said this in his heart. What we say in our heart has a tremendous power to shape our thinking, our actions and even our future.
Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul: These are David's true feelings. His heart, tired of trusting God for his continued deliverance, became very discouraged. In his grief and discouragement, David forgot God's past deliverances. David allows his sad heart to direct his path.
Into the land of the Philistines: Convicted that there is no place left in Israel to hide, David seeks refuge in a heathen land. The circumstances of this flight into Philistia are entirely different from those related in 1 Samuel 21:10 and following verses. Back in chapter 21, David was a single fugitive. However, he was quickly recognized as the slayer of Goliath and narrowly escapes from the hands of the Philistines. Now, he is an outlaw leader of a band of stoic warriors. He is welcomed as an ally. David is able to enter Achish's service as a chieftain.
There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines: David decides to leave Israel and live among the idol worshiping Philistines. David was so discouraged that he thought there was nothing better for him in Israel and among God's people.
Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel: Before, David trusted in the LORD to protect him from the hand of Saul. Now, David gave up trusting in the LORD and instead left the promise land, left the people of God and found "protection" among the Philistines.
Saul then will despair: Saul will not despair if David leaves Israel. Saul will not despair if David forsakes the people of God and joins the ungodly. It is David who is in despair, not Saul. Saul could never drive David to the Philistines. If Saul told David, "You must leave the people of God and go live among the Philistines," David would never do it. But discouragement and despair are more powerful enemies than Saul. Discouragement and despair will drive David to do something that Saul could never make him do.
2. (1 Sam 27:2-4) David goes over to Achish, the leader of Gath
So David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's widow. Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.
The six hundred men: This was the original number of David's men. They seem to still form the nucleus of David's force, but the total number of people traveling with David was probably far larger. These six hundred men each had their households. David's discouragement and despairing heart did not only affect himself; he led six hundred men with their household out of Israel to live with the ungodly.
Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath: This seems to be the same Achish to whom David fled back in 1 Samuel 21:11 and is identical with Achish, son of Maachah mentioned in 1 Kings 2:39. This would imply that Achish reigned for over 50 years in Gath. The whole of Philistia subsequently fell under King David's rule. It seems, however, that he permitted, even after the conquest, for Achish to remain in his old city of Gath. This most likely was David's pay back to the king form his kindness.
And David lived with Achish at Gath: David's reception by the Philistines seems to have been one of hospitality. There was a wide difference between the circumstances of this and David's former visit to Gath. Previously, David was a fugitive. Now, David was the head of an army of well trained soldiers. Such a guest might be of the greatest service to the Philistines in their perpetual wars with Saul. We have no record of any Psalms David wrote during this time. This was not a high point in his spiritual life. He seems to not have written any sweet Psalms unto the LORD.
Now it was told Saul: This short statement tells us that up to the moment when Saul heard that David had fled to Gath, he had not ceased to pursue David and to seek his life.
B. David becomes a bandit
1. (1 Sam 27:5-7) David receives the city of Ziklag
Then David said to Achish, "If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?" So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
Why should your servant live in a royal city with you: The real reason why David wished a separate residence was that he might conduct forays and other affairs apart from the supervision of his Philistine friends. The Philistines had one purpose in welcoming David and his band--to help them defeat Saul. Achish trusted that through David's assistance powerful military attacks would be made against Saul's southern kingdom. At this time, the Philistine nation was preparing for a grand effort against Saul which culminated in the battle of Mount Gilboa. David had quite another purpose in mind. David intended to attack the nomadic enemies of Israel whose homes where in the deserts to the south of Israel.
Now David and his 600 men and their families live in a completely new situation. They live in a fortified city, a formal place of defense. But apart from God, they are not safe in this city.
Ziklag: One of the cities in the Negev (or south country), it was originally assigned to Judah (Joshua 15:31), but then was transferred to Simeon (Joshua 19:5). Ziklag was either never occupied by the Israelites, or it was reconquered by the Philistines. Its site has not been identified, but it was probably somewhere west or northwest of Beersheba.
Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day: This note from the hand of the compiler indicated that the book of 1 Samuel was composed after the separation of the kingdom of Judah from the kingdom of Israel, but it was compiled before they were carried away as captives to Babylon.
2. (1 Sam 27:8-9) David's new occupation--a roving bandit
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.
The Geshurites: This was a tribe dwelling south of Philistia near the Amalekites.
The Girzites: It is believed they were the remains of a once powerful race dispossessed by the Amorites.
The Amalekites: These were the remnant of that once powerful tribe that Saul was supposed to completely destroy (1 Samuel 15:8).
David has not totally turned against God and His people. For now, David only attacks the enemies of Israel.
And did not leave a man or a woman alive: The reason for these brutal acts is to leave no captive alive to tell King Achish, who was under the delusion that David's feats of arms were carried out at the expense of David's own countrymen. At this, the Philistines were rejoicing when they heard David was burning his only bridge of retreat.
He took away the sheep...: These expeditions were made partly to occupy David's men, but they were done primarily to obtain subsistence. They also seem to have brought David great renown. In 1 Chronicles 12:1-22, we read of warriors from distant tribes coming to David to swell his forces. Even though David attacked the enemies of Israel, David was nothing more than an armed robber and murderer. He killed all the people of the village, took the spoil and did it without the approval or guidance of God. He was now fighting wars for profit instead of for God's honor.
3. (1 Sam 27:10-12) David lies to Achish
Now Achish said, "Where have you made a raid today?" And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites." David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, "Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, 'So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'" So Achish believed David, saying, "He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever."
And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah...": The answer David gives to his sovereign lord, the King of Gath, was simply a falsehood. David had been engaged in distant forays against the old Bedaween enemies of Israel, far away in the desert which stretched to the frontier of Egypt. But, David represents these conflicts as raids against his own countrymen.
The Jerahmeelites: These were descendants of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:9; 1 Chronicles 2:25-26). They were one of three large families of Judah which sprang from Hezron. They settled on the southern frontier of Judah.
The Kenites: This was a tribe who were in alliance with the Israelites. ("Saul said to the Kenites, 'Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt'" (1 Samuel 15:6).)
David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath: In David's raids, David killed all the men and women so his lie to Achish would not be exposed. Much later in his life, David will have a far more notorious season of sin with Bathsheba, in which David kills Bathsheba's husband to cover his sin. Though that later event is far more famous, the root of sin that nourished it began many years before in 1 Samuel 27. Here, David killed these men and women to cover his sin. The roots of sin must be dealt with, or they will come back with greater strength.
So Achish believed David: Achish felt he was in a good place. David seemed to be trapped in a spider web, and Achish was the spider. Achish believed that David had now alienated his own people. It all looks pretty dark for David, but David had not and could not alienate himself from God.
A. David joins with the Philistine leader, Achish
1. (1 Sam 27:1) David's discouraged decision
Then David said to himself, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand."
David said to himself: The sad story of 1 Samuel 27 begins with something David says to himself. He may have never said it out loud; he may have never said it to anyone else; he may have never said it to God. But, David said this in his heart. What we say in our heart has a tremendous power to shape our thinking, our actions and even our future.
Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul: These are David's true feelings. His heart, tired of trusting God for his continued deliverance, became very discouraged. In his grief and discouragement, David forgot God's past deliverances. David allows his sad heart to direct his path.
Into the land of the Philistines: Convicted that there is no place left in Israel to hide, David seeks refuge in a heathen land. The circumstances of this flight into Philistia are entirely different from those related in 1 Samuel 21:10 and following verses. Back in chapter 21, David was a single fugitive. However, he was quickly recognized as the slayer of Goliath and narrowly escapes from the hands of the Philistines. Now, he is an outlaw leader of a band of stoic warriors. He is welcomed as an ally. David is able to enter Achish's service as a chieftain.
There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines: David decides to leave Israel and live among the idol worshiping Philistines. David was so discouraged that he thought there was nothing better for him in Israel and among God's people.
Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel: Before, David trusted in the LORD to protect him from the hand of Saul. Now, David gave up trusting in the LORD and instead left the promise land, left the people of God and found "protection" among the Philistines.
Saul then will despair: Saul will not despair if David leaves Israel. Saul will not despair if David forsakes the people of God and joins the ungodly. It is David who is in despair, not Saul. Saul could never drive David to the Philistines. If Saul told David, "You must leave the people of God and go live among the Philistines," David would never do it. But discouragement and despair are more powerful enemies than Saul. Discouragement and despair will drive David to do something that Saul could never make him do.
2. (1 Sam 27:2-4) David goes over to Achish, the leader of Gath
So David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's widow. Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.
The six hundred men: This was the original number of David's men. They seem to still form the nucleus of David's force, but the total number of people traveling with David was probably far larger. These six hundred men each had their households. David's discouragement and despairing heart did not only affect himself; he led six hundred men with their household out of Israel to live with the ungodly.
Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath: This seems to be the same Achish to whom David fled back in 1 Samuel 21:11 and is identical with Achish, son of Maachah mentioned in 1 Kings 2:39. This would imply that Achish reigned for over 50 years in Gath. The whole of Philistia subsequently fell under King David's rule. It seems, however, that he permitted, even after the conquest, for Achish to remain in his old city of Gath. This most likely was David's pay back to the king form his kindness.
And David lived with Achish at Gath: David's reception by the Philistines seems to have been one of hospitality. There was a wide difference between the circumstances of this and David's former visit to Gath. Previously, David was a fugitive. Now, David was the head of an army of well trained soldiers. Such a guest might be of the greatest service to the Philistines in their perpetual wars with Saul. We have no record of any Psalms David wrote during this time. This was not a high point in his spiritual life. He seems to not have written any sweet Psalms unto the LORD.
Now it was told Saul: This short statement tells us that up to the moment when Saul heard that David had fled to Gath, he had not ceased to pursue David and to seek his life.
B. David becomes a bandit
1. (1 Sam 27:5-7) David receives the city of Ziklag
Then David said to Achish, "If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?" So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
Why should your servant live in a royal city with you: The real reason why David wished a separate residence was that he might conduct forays and other affairs apart from the supervision of his Philistine friends. The Philistines had one purpose in welcoming David and his band--to help them defeat Saul. Achish trusted that through David's assistance powerful military attacks would be made against Saul's southern kingdom. At this time, the Philistine nation was preparing for a grand effort against Saul which culminated in the battle of Mount Gilboa. David had quite another purpose in mind. David intended to attack the nomadic enemies of Israel whose homes where in the deserts to the south of Israel.
Now David and his 600 men and their families live in a completely new situation. They live in a fortified city, a formal place of defense. But apart from God, they are not safe in this city.
Ziklag: One of the cities in the Negev (or south country), it was originally assigned to Judah (Joshua 15:31), but then was transferred to Simeon (Joshua 19:5). Ziklag was either never occupied by the Israelites, or it was reconquered by the Philistines. Its site has not been identified, but it was probably somewhere west or northwest of Beersheba.
Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day: This note from the hand of the compiler indicated that the book of 1 Samuel was composed after the separation of the kingdom of Judah from the kingdom of Israel, but it was compiled before they were carried away as captives to Babylon.
2. (1 Sam 27:8-9) David's new occupation--a roving bandit
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.
The Geshurites: This was a tribe dwelling south of Philistia near the Amalekites.
The Girzites: It is believed they were the remains of a once powerful race dispossessed by the Amorites.
The Amalekites: These were the remnant of that once powerful tribe that Saul was supposed to completely destroy (1 Samuel 15:8).
David has not totally turned against God and His people. For now, David only attacks the enemies of Israel.
And did not leave a man or a woman alive: The reason for these brutal acts is to leave no captive alive to tell King Achish, who was under the delusion that David's feats of arms were carried out at the expense of David's own countrymen. At this, the Philistines were rejoicing when they heard David was burning his only bridge of retreat.
He took away the sheep...: These expeditions were made partly to occupy David's men, but they were done primarily to obtain subsistence. They also seem to have brought David great renown. In 1 Chronicles 12:1-22, we read of warriors from distant tribes coming to David to swell his forces. Even though David attacked the enemies of Israel, David was nothing more than an armed robber and murderer. He killed all the people of the village, took the spoil and did it without the approval or guidance of God. He was now fighting wars for profit instead of for God's honor.
3. (1 Sam 27:10-12) David lies to Achish
Now Achish said, "Where have you made a raid today?" And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites." David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, "Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, 'So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'" So Achish believed David, saying, "He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever."
And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah...": The answer David gives to his sovereign lord, the King of Gath, was simply a falsehood. David had been engaged in distant forays against the old Bedaween enemies of Israel, far away in the desert which stretched to the frontier of Egypt. But, David represents these conflicts as raids against his own countrymen.
The Jerahmeelites: These were descendants of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:9; 1 Chronicles 2:25-26). They were one of three large families of Judah which sprang from Hezron. They settled on the southern frontier of Judah.
The Kenites: This was a tribe who were in alliance with the Israelites. ("Saul said to the Kenites, 'Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt'" (1 Samuel 15:6).)
David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath: In David's raids, David killed all the men and women so his lie to Achish would not be exposed. Much later in his life, David will have a far more notorious season of sin with Bathsheba, in which David kills Bathsheba's husband to cover his sin. Though that later event is far more famous, the root of sin that nourished it began many years before in 1 Samuel 27. Here, David killed these men and women to cover his sin. The roots of sin must be dealt with, or they will come back with greater strength.
So Achish believed David: Achish felt he was in a good place. David seemed to be trapped in a spider web, and Achish was the spider. Achish believed that David had now alienated his own people. It all looks pretty dark for David, but David had not and could not alienate himself from God.
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