I SAMUEL 29 lesson # 29 SOVEREIGNTY SOMETIMES SAVES US FROM OURSELVES
I. Introduction: Setting the Scene: Two Episodes Before Crisis.
Note: We have noted that these chapters are out of order in two ways. First, they are chronologically out of order. For instance, chapter 28:3-25 takes place after chapter 29. We know this because in 28:4 the Philistines are in Shunnen and in 29 they are still in Aphek. Shunem is Northwest of Aphek closer to where the battle actually took place. In 27:1-28:2 King Achish and David are in Gath and in 29:1-11 they are mustering with all the Philistine forces in Aphek. Afterwards, they are camped, ready the night before battle, in Shunem in 28:4 (Davis, pp. 152-153).
Second, the natural way to tell David’s story is to move from 27:1-28:2 with David in a pickle between blowing his cover with Achish and being forced to fight against Israel, to the resolution of that pickle, found in 29:1-11. The author breaks his story of David’s tough plight in two in order to tell us of Saul’s personal crisis with anxiety and fear.
Q Why does the author do this?
An = To place the two men’s troubles side by side. David is caught between being a traitor to Israel or a traitor to King Achish, while Saul is caught without God (Davis, p. 153). The author is both comparing the men and contrasting them as well (Davis, p. 159).
Note: In 29, our author now completes the story of David’s crisis.
II. The Enemy Pulls David Out of a Fix. I Samuel 29:1-11.
A. The Troops Muster in Philistia. I Samuel 29:1-2.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 29:1-2.
Q Do you remember what the phrase “going in and going out before us” means?
An = It means to go on a military expedition. It probably comes from the ceremony of the troops passing in review, in front of the Leadership (and the people), as they march to war. They would repeat this then when they triumphantly returned. This is what is happening here. The troops are passing in procession. Human beings mark the significant times in their lives with ceremony.
Q Does the military have a lot of ceremony? If so, why?
An = Most wars imply the death of many people and so is wrapped in great ceremony. Every culture has it war parades, war dances, ceremonial marching, blowing of horns, carrying of colors, flags, war paint, etc.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 28:1-2.
Q Who wants David in the battle against the Israelites?
An = King Achish. He is even making David part of his bodyguard.
Q What does David intend to do? Is he going to betray the Philistines or turn and fight against Israel and ruin all chance of being King?
An = The text is carefully ambiguous. We are not sure if David is going to prove just how good he is to this new King (like he did with Saul) and enjoy the appreciation he richly deserves or if he means he will show how loyal he can be to his people in a pitched battle and Achish will see just how great an enemy he really is. The text is curiously silent on David’s real motivations.
B. Dialogue Between the Philistine Lords and Achish: Rejection of David. I Samuel 29:3-5.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 29:3-5.
Q Does Achish trust David? What is his reasons for doing so?
An = David has been with him for quite a while now, and he has been faultless in Achish’ eyes. What Achish does not know is that David has been deceiving him about his real actions. He thinks David is attacking Israelite towns or their allies and David is actually attacking the enemies of his people (I Samuel 27:8-11).
Q Why do the Philistine Lords not want David in their ranks? What is their reasoning?
An = In typical biblical pattern the Philistines are shown to be giving their reasons in a legal or “court” form. They build a solid case against David. In verse 4 they talk of his motive to betray them: to get back in Saul’s good graces and then the means of how to do that by killing them during the battle. In verse 5 they bring up the issue of David’s character: he is famous for fighting in the same ranks with Saul. They did not see the song as a threat to Saul or a comparison to Saul (as Saul did) but as an indication that the two men fought together. What is more is that David is famous for fighting effectively.
Note: If someone was trying to make a case against someone’s loyalty the Philistine commanders have done an excellent job: they have said David has the motive, means, and ability or character traits to do us real harm.
C. Dialogue Between Achish and David. I Samuel 29:6-10.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 29:6
Q What does Achish tell David?
An = That he has complete confidence in David. He praises David, or he is giving David an apology.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 29:7-10
Q What is the problem listed for David coming to the battle with King Achish?
An = The distrust of the Philistine Lords. Three times Achish will say the problem is with the distrust of the Philistine Lords: 6e, 7b, 9.
Note: This is so different from how David was treated in Israel (or at Church) because of the jealousy of Saul. King Saul was trying to sink David and the commanders of Israel and the people were favorably disposed to him.
Q What is repeated twice in verses 7 and 10?
An = David is commanded to leave.
>>>> Re-read I Samuel 29:8.
Q Is David sincere?
An = David appears to be upset. Actually, he has dodged a bullet here, but he appears to be insulted. We just do not know. He appears loyal to Achish. After all, Achish is what Saul should have been. Often this happens. People find in the non-christian world what they should have found in the church.
Q What would have happened if David had fought in the battle?
An = He might never have been king of Israel. He might have never won over the people, especially Northern Israel, whom he had trouble winning over anyway.
III. Application: I Samuel 29:11.
A. God’s Apparent Absence.
Q How many times is God and His action mentioned in the story?
An = Achish, the pagan King, uses the Israelite Name for God to swear that he likes what David has done (29:6 and maybe 29:9, see Davis, pp. 161-162). We hear nothing of God’s goodness, love, judgment or power. So basically God does not appear to be involved in this chapter at all. It appears that David has extra-ordinary luck! Or does he?
Note: The Holy Spirit does not make everything so obvious in I Samuel nor in our lives. He is active and working, but we often see Him only when we look back.
Q Has God ever done something for you in a situation, but when it was happening, He seemed to not be involved?
An = God is always there, but not always explicitly known.
B. God’s Use of Unusual Tools.
Q What does this story mean? Why is it told?
An = Many times God helps us in our predicaments with the most unusual of means. He can very easily use pagans as believers. Twice, I Samuel 23:19-28 (Davis, p. 163) and here God has used the Philistines as the means of David’s deliverance.
Q Has God ever helped you by means of non-believers?
C. God’s Mercy Despite Our Mistakes.
Q Do you know of any of God’s best servants who have spent time away from the Christian fold for awhile, but God brought them back?
Note: David got himself in this mess by running to Philistia because of the harassment of Saul. God kept him alive for years in Israel, but David got weary and left Israel. David did some sneaky things to survive and almost got his entire career ruined by his deception. However, God saved David through the Philistines.
Q Was David saved by his cunning or by God’s hidden sovereign protection?
Note: It is wise to recognize His mercy. It is often humbling. It brings true humility and humility brings about contact with reality.
D. Two Endings: I Samuel 29:11.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 29:11 and then 28:25.
Q What time of day did Saul depart and what time of day did David depart?
An = David leaves in the morning, saved from a great dilemma, whereas Saul leaves at night horribly still stuck in his. Both men experience difficulties. As Davis points out, both men knew the night, “But David’s night was not like Saul’s night” (Davis, p. 166).
Note: The believer will suffer bad times and often feel abandoned, but despite his lows he can know that God is indeed with him if he has tried to obey.
>>>> Have all turn to Psalm 30 and have someone read 30:2-5. Re-read Psalm 30:5.