#437 I Am Going To Regret That

But David thought to himself, “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. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”

2 So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maok king of Gath. 3 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal.4 When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

6 So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. 7 David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months.

8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) 9 Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.

10 When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.” 11 He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12 Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.” 1 Samuel 27 NIV

We look at present circumstances, like Abraham could not see Isaac afar off so he held up Ishmael. David has been anointed, it has been prophesied even by his enemies, he will be king, to God's glory and of His volition. Does David's stumbling here, his lack of faith, somehow thwart God's plan? Can God not work all things together for His good purpose even if David goes for a time into the land of doubt? God is sovereign and has nothing to learn, look at His plan from the beginning. David, on the other hand, will have to reflect on this time, what is required of us in such partnerships? Sure, Saul left off chasing him, and David was somewhat wise in removing himself from the city, the courts, for they had been a place of jealous rage elsewhere. Achish is no friend to Israel though, and since he blesses David with sanctuary, David feels obliged to reciprocate. When he goes out on his raids and pays his homage to this king, the king ask where he has raided, and David lies. First off God has said thou shalt not, and that is enough or should be for any man, but we often have ears that can't hear, we justify ourselves in respect of our current situation. It helped David's body when Michal assisted his escape, but her words damaged his reputation. If David is making these raids then he stinks in his own land to his own people, and so what might this evil king expect of him? He should have told the truth, for those he went after were judged already. He did the right thing, but for the wrong reason, and then he would not tell the truth of it for his concern shifted to how he stood before man. God will not let Achish have him for life though, for even as David has chosen a way, God will direct his path. 

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1: 9-14