1 Samuel Chapter 27
In our last three devotionals of 1 Samuel, we discussed how to know what the will of God is, including the importance of remaining committed to the will of God, regardless of what we face. We see such a commitment David has to fulfilling God’s will in 1 Samuel 27 too.
Here, David’s desperation is palpable. The threat of death by Saul’s hand looms so large, David determines to flee to the land of the Philistines! Yes, David hides amongst Israel’s enemy, whose foremost soldier David had once defeated, and whose armies David later defeated again!
With his six hundred men and their families, David moves to Gath, one of the chief cities of the Philistines (the birthplace of Goliath) and where Achish, the son of the king of Gath, lived. After, David requests to move away. I imagine this would be to have more freedom. Achish grants him the city of Ziklag.
Commitment to God’s Will
During the one year and four months that David dwells in the land of the Philistines, he goes raiding, leaving neither man nor woman alive and plundering as he goes. David, who refused to kill his enemy Saul, and stopped himself from killing Nabal, now kills these people.
It seems irreconcilable, but this is where it gets interesting.
David’s targets are the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites.
Digging deeper, we see that the Geshurites—along with the Philistines, in fact—were people whom the Lord had promised to drive out from the land (Jos 13:2), but the Israelites had not worked with God in faith to achieve this.
The Amalekites were marked for destruction by the Lord for their sins, but Saul and his armies had not destroyed them all despite it being God’s command (1 Sam 15:18-19).
The Girzites are not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, but being the inhabitants of the land (1 Sam 27:8), it is likely that where they dwelt was also promised by God to be given to the Israelites.
What do these tell us?
Despite existing outside his comfort zone and in threatening circumstances, David continued to have God’s will and desires on his mind.
David had not achieved his promised kingship here, but he did not say, I’ll wait till then. David dwelt in temporary housing, just as an exchange student might spend a year abroad before returning home, but he did not say, I’ll wait till I’m home. David dwelt among his enemies, but he did not say, I’ll wait till I settle this problem.
It’s easy for us to push off doing what God desires of us, especially when we don’t seem to live in peaceful circumstances. I enjoy more stability and peace in my life than David did then, yet I don’t have as strong a resolve to do God’s will as David.
Commitment against Compromise
In David’s fervour to do God’s will, he deceives Achish, the son of the king of Gath. David hides the truth of his raids, lying instead that he is raiding Judah and David’s friends, the Kenites, and the Jerahmeelites (1 Sam 30:27). This causes the Philistine Achish to believe that David is on his side, which seems to work in David’s favour.
Perhaps we think that we can be like David and excuse ourselves for resorting to such means to achieve God’s will, while protecting ourselves. But does David’s good pursuit of God’s heart validate his lie? That is the question that we have to ask ourselves honestly when faced with these choices.
Although God does not punish David here, it does not make his lying right.
Navigating life, particularly sticky situations we might encounter, requires a commitment to God’s will and work. This includes a commitment to not compromise on His commands.
Feeling strengthless in this is normal, but we can renew ourselves in God. We can ask God continually to give us wisdom, strength and love to commit fully to Him, for He has first committed fully to us.