1 Samuel Chapter 29
Last Friday evening service, Pr Chin AQ spoke about David’s path towards kingship. For me, it gave me new insights on how, in God’s training, tempering and honing of David’s faith to become a good king – that David turned from initially relying on man to becoming one who wholly relying on God.
There is a process and time for us to become those who are worthy to reign with Christ.
Today’s passage marks another stage in David’s life towards the throne.
We all know that he was now living in the land of the Philistines. And there he was pretending to attack Israel but instead, was attacking the enemies of Israel. And David was so good in his deception that Achish, the king of Gath trusted David completely and believed that David will be his servant forever (1 Sam 27:12)
In Chapter 28, the Philistines gathered together for war against Israel. And Achish told David that he would be his chief guardian in this battle. David’s reply was interesting.
“Surely you know what your servant can do.”
~ 1 Sam 28: 2 ~
What do you think David meant? What will he do? This became a dilemma for David!
Will he go into battle with the enemy against his own people. The very same peole that he was to be king!
Will he now turn against Achish and cut off another place where he can take refuge in?
What was David going to do?
What will you do if you were David?
This is where I see how God stepped in. In Pr Chin AQ’s sermon, he spoke of how, despite God not stretching His hands out to save or help David, God’s eyes were never away from David. And David has since learned to trust in God in whatever situation he was faced with.
The other Philistines commanders were clearly not as enamoured with David as Achish was. They were suspicious whether this Goliath-slayer would not take this opportunity to strike the Philistines to win back the favour of Saul and Israel?
At this high tension point, God stepped in.
Through the commanders of the Philistine army, David was taken away from making a Hobson’s choice. He was not allowed to go into battle against his own people!
Imagine if David had gone with the Philistine army against Israel. Even if Israel were victorious – there will be no way they will allow David to be their king in the future.
So David returned while the Philistine army headed towards Jezreel.
David in his contemplation in Psalm 32 said this:
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.”~ Psalm 32:8-9 ~
Much of the life of David before this was very much like a horse or mule. He had been impulsive, rushing into battle and being stubborn in trying to rely on men rather than God.
But God’s eyes were always on David. And when David realizes this and allowed God to instruct and teach – his ways became clearer.
The next chapters (including 2 Kings) sees the end of Saul and David’s ascension towards his kingship.
Without God’s watch over David, it would not have happened.
God wants to lead us to reign with him (Rev 20:6) and for that to happen, we may also need to walk a difficult and painful path towards our kingship.
But take heart that our Heavenly Father watches over us. But we need to be sensitive to his teachings and instructions. And not be impulsive and stuboorn like the horse and mule.
May God continue to watch over us.