This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the
books of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for
COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
1SAMUEL
1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.
3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?
4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?
5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
David has been asked by King Achish to protect him in battle, and it seems that David and his men are going to do just that.
6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.
11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Achish kindly compliments David, and then tells him and his soldiers to leave before the first light of day. And Achish indicates that he may go "in peace." There will be no retribution, and probably will be a sigh of relief at David's departure.
Now. Let us consider chapters 28 and 29 together for a moment.
From these two chapters, and this conclusion about the two men, let us determine one thing for ourselves as Christians. That one thing is that we are: to give all that we are to Christ and become all that HE wants us to be.
Please continue to follow along with us in daily Bible study.
CHAPTER 29
Being an honorable man, David has allowed himself to be put, as we would say, "between a rock and a hard place."
David had moved there with those who were "uncircumcised" and now is suffering for his sin. If he goes to battle, he will be an enemy to Israel, and will never be able to be their king. If he does NOT go to the battle he will not fulfill his allegiance to Achish. Then he would be dishonored and probably killed.
Either way, David is in TROUBLE! And it's because he has allowed himself to become involved in a partnership with unbelievers.
BUT -- God tells us that "the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord" (Psalm 37:23).
It is GOD Who causes the other Philistine lords to become indignant at David's presence. They are stirred to anger and express fear that David will become their enemy during the battle. This probably made Achish THINK! David was going to be his FIRST line of defense. And the thought of David even possibly turning on him was enough to make him shudder.
We have two men - both are sinners, saved by grace.
God leads Saul into a battle from which he cannot escape.
But God directs David away from the battle and grants him safety.
WHY?!
I believe that we could safely say it was because David was PURSUING a love relationship with God, while Saul was RUNNING from the same relationship.
David wanted to follow God and His will, while Saul wanted to do his own thing!
THEN, even though we might have trouble because of our own sins at times, we can abide confidently in the "shadow of HIS wings."
See what Psalm 17:5-9 says (written by David).
"Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about."