David's First Loss
DAVID'S FIRST LOSS (1 Samuel 29-30)
LET us always remember this point, that spiritual loss can be fully recovered. However great your loss may be and whatever its cause, it can be recovered, and in fact, in recovery we receive much more than we have lost. However, we must be willing to obey God's Word and His divine laws which no man can change, nor can they be changed by wealth, education or position. What is more, these laws are applicable to everybody.
We have seen already that David suffered much loss. Even though he was a good, wise and kind king, and a man after God's own heart, he was deceived by the devil on four occasions and suffered four great losses, but with the help of God, and by his grace he recovered all, Let us look at the causes for the four losses, and then see how he recovered all that he lost.
The first is in 1 Samuel 29:1-4. David wanted to join the army of the Philistines against Saul. Saul was David's enemy and tried to kill him on several occasions because God had chosen David to be king instead of Saul. For many years Saul was trying to kill David and David was running here and there seeking shelter. At last he found shelter with the king of the Philistines,
The Philistines, led by their princes, gathered together and went to battle against Saul. David went with them, but the princes of the Philistines became suspicious and said: 'He is a Hebrew and what if he leaves our army and joins Saul's?' Only Achish, the king, trusted David. He said, 'I have known David very well for many years. He has been staying with us for such a long time, we can surely trust him.' The other princes of the Philistines did not believe David and he was compelled to go back, very sad and disappointed.
He was sad because he thought: ‘Saul, my enemy, has been trying to kill me all these many years. I have done him no harm. Even though I could have killed him on two occasions, I spared him and yet he wants to kill me.’ At last he had joined the army of the Philistines who were going up against Saul to battle. David knew that Saul had been anointed king by Samuel and though Saul had been disobedient to God's Word, yet he was still God's anointed. That is why God had not allowed David to touch Saul, but David had become impatient. He was tired of suffering, so he was saving in his heart, 'l have done no harm to Saul and yet he wants to kill me. I have no shelter or place to stay; 1am depending on my friends for my home, food and clothing. How long can I suffer? There is a limit to everything.’
That is how we also argue in our hearts when our suffering goes on for a long time. We say, 'How long can I suffer? After all, 1am a human being. I am not an angel. I am not a supernatural being. Look at poor me, for the last so many years I have been suffering so much. Tread my Bible and do everything I can to please God, lam not doing anybody any harm, and yet God does not look on my affliction.’
That is how we start murmuring. We have doubts and fears and we begin to use the wrong weapons to overcome our trials. But David was a man of God. He knew God. He had experienced God's intervention on many occasions, and he always went to God for help and consulted the Lord before he went anywhere. He knew also how to find the will of God.
In 1 Samuel 3:1-10 we see how David consulted the high priest to find God's will before going anywhere. In the Old Testament the high priest with the help of the stones of the Urim and Thummim was able to find God's will, so any person having any matter upon his heart consulted the high priest. He would go to him and say: "Please find out God's will for me in this matter."
Now David knew that on many occasions God had been with him to help him, yet on this occasion, without consulting God, he had joined the Philistines. Rather than depend upon the Lord he had become impatient to take revenge upon Saul, and was saving in a human way: ‘I have suffered so much at the hand of Saul. Even though I have been anointed king, yet here I am living in caves without shelter and home and food. I am not going to watt any longer.’ So he had decided to join the army of the Philistines.
When David and his men returned to Ziklag they found their houses burnt. They found their women and children gone and their stuff looted by the Amalekites. All this was due to David's failure, He ought to have consulted God before going to the Philistines, but had been depending upon his own wisdom and strength at that time. When he came back, he found that all the huts had been burnt and that the enemy had taken away their stuff and the women and children as captives, So they all began to weep, and they wept loudly and long. They wept till they could weep no more, so great was their sorrow.
David's men even wanted to stone him. When troubles come, even our friends become our enemies! (t Samuel 30:6). David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, ‘They were his soldiers, but because of their trouble they wanted to stone their leader! David was left alone. The Philistines did not want him, and now his own men were saying, ‘We will stone you. He was alone, quite alone. He had lost his wives and children -— everything. Then suddenly he came to his senses (verse 6). Underline these words, and one day they will help you when you are forsaken by your dear ones, and when even those whom you Jove forsake you. David encouraged himself ta the Lord. He came to his senses and said, 'O God, forgive me for my failures, for not finding Your will before I joined the Philistines, Lord, forgive me. Now I have nobody to be my friend or to sympathise with me.'
Then David sent for the priest, Abiathar, and asked him, ‘Please, find out God's will for me. What shall we do? Shall we go against our enemies the Amalekites?’ God said, 'Yes, go.’ Again he said, ‘Now, Lord, if we go, will we recover all that we have lost?" And God said: (verse 8, last part) ‘Without tail, without fail, you will recover all,’
God spoke and David believed God and they went after the Amalekites. In the field they found an Egyptian lying on the ground, sick, so they gave him some food and water. He was revived and David asked him, ‘Who are you?’ He said, ‘I am one of the servants of the Amalekites and on the way I fell sick and my master left me in the field and they are gone.’ With the help of that man David found the place where the Amalekites were encamping, and they were eating and drinking and dancing with joy. Suddenly David and his men came upon them and recovered their wives and children, and stuff, and also spoiled the Amalekites. The spoil was so great that they were able to pay in full all the debts they had incurred. As we had seen earlier David also sent gifts and presents to all the people with whom he had been staying.
We read in the next chapter 31:3-6 about the battle of the Philistines against Saul. In that battle Saul died. When David had tried to kill Saul, God would not allow him to die so, because Saul was God's anointed.
Now Saul and his sons had been killed in the battle. There had been no need for David to fight against Saul. Unknown to David, God was working on his behalf. God had chosen David for a great and high service. He was not only God's king but had been chosen by God as a prophet. He was not only God's prophet, but one who had also received from God His heavenly plan. That is why he had to be refined in many refining fires. We as believers have also been chosen by God for a very high and lofty purpose and that is why we too have to go through extreme suffering to be ready for that calling. It is for us to find out God's will for our lives.
In the Old Testament, people had to go to the high priest, but now God Himself is our High Priest. He is our Saviour, our Lord, our King, our Friend, and also our Advocate.We can go to Him at any time. The priest was given two stones, the Urim and the Thummim, but now the Lord Jesus Christ has put in us these two stones — divine light and divine truth. According to Psalm 43:3 when we go into the house of God to find God's will, His light and His truth, as the indwelling Christ in our heart, will lead us.
He is our truth and our light and our guidance. But many believers do not exercise their rights. Without consulting God they go to somebody else for advice. Same believers make their own plans and use their own brains. They think much more of their friends and their worldly wisdom, Rather than be governed by God's will they are governed by worldly wisdom. Thus, in business and marriage and other matters they make mistakes and when you question them: ‘Why did you not wait for I God's will?’ they reply, 'How long could I wait? I have
I waited for so many years. My hair is becoming grey, and who will marry me if I wait too long? No! no! this; won't work! I have waited, and waited, and I can wait; ho longer.’
That is the reason why many are suffering today.
i They have neglected God's will and lost God's plan, - and hence are suffering heavy loss. One day, like David, ' they will weep til they can weep no more, and even I their friends will forsake them. Everyone will leave. them. Then they will know what it costs to forsake - God's will, and to fail to seek His guidance.
Be sure to find God's will. Please de not go with the Philistines, whether they are uncles, aunts, or relations. Do not use your worldly wisdom for any matter, whether they be family matters or church matters, Otherwise, be prepared to weep and weep, and to lose even your intimate friends.
Finally, David came back to God. Oh! thank God for the humility and meekness with which he came to God and encouraged himself in the Lord. David enquired from the Lord, and the Lord spoke to David. Then David recovered all and much more than he had lost. It was a blessed day. He and his men rejoiced and the women and children rejoiced. They got back their household stuff, and David was also able to pay every debt.
Now you can prove for yourself, that not only will God recover your losses, but your sorrows will be changed to joy when you come back to the Lord. Do I not depend on the Philistines and your friends but learn - to put your trust in Christ alone. Learn to enquire of God in every situation, seek to know His will, to hear His voice and to obey Him, and though the situation may be impossible, still obey I Him.
Chapter 4