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Samuel 27 reminds me of how low people can sink when they lose hope.
Depression makes a man look inward, and
Satan loves to get us isolated.
When we are pushed to the point of saying “I give up”, we are
left with two options: trust God completely, or quit honoring God at
all. God never gives up on us; rather we turn our back to God. The
chapter begins, “David
thought to himself…“.
Notice, he does not pray, or even consult with his trusted friend.
“One
of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best
thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines“.
He is literally fleeing to the home of the enemy. It is amazing the
strange places we end up when we turn
away
from
God.
“David
and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of
Maoch king of Gath… Each man had his family with him“.
Not only David is affected, but all of those closest to him are
impacted by his failure to trust God. All of his men and their
families leave the Promised Land and live among the enemy. Before
long he will begin to behave like the enemy.
“Saul
was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him“.
David’s plan worked, but unfortunately that left David in a very
dangerous place. David asked the enemy king, “If
I have found favor in your eyes, assign to me one of the country
towns, that I may live there.” Sadly,
David has more confidence in the walls of the city to protect him
than the hand of God.
But
even this
God
will use to restore a part of the nation. The king gave him the town
of Ziklag “and
it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since“.
Here is a test: in whose eyes are you looking for favor?
While
living in self imposed exile, “David
and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the
Amalekites (all
enemies of Israel)…
he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle,
donkeys and camels, and clothes“.
David has become a thug motivated by fear and self-preservation.
“They
might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’ “.
The Enemy loves to separate us from any standard of righteousness.
When asked by the Philistine king, “Where
did you go raiding today?“;
David simply lied. “Against
the Negev of Judah.”
The king believed David’s deception. And the Philistine king
rightly noted the where this self-centered path of David would
eventually lead if he continued; “He
has become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be
my servant forever“.
If
you have experienced “living with the enemy”, there is hope.
Remember the words of Jesus to the apostle Peter on the eve of his
trial: “Satan
has asked for you, that he may sift you
as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not
fail; and when you have returned to Me,
strengthen your brethren“.
God can not only rescue us from the enemy, but He will use our
experience to encourage others. 1 John 1:9 reminds us, “If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness“.