October 27, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Enemies or Friends?

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are my Eternal Companion, my compassionate friend, my unseen strength. I bless Your name.

Read 1 Samuel 29:1-11

For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

[1] The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. [2] As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. [3] The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.” [4] But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? [5] Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: “‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?” [6] So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you. [7] Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.” [8] “But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” [9] Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ [10] Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.” [11] So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“May God himself … sanctify you … May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless … The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Thess. 5:23,24). Thank God for his timely interventions.

Most people, at some stage in life, find themselves in a situation where one deceit, even if started with good intentions, leads to another and they arrive at a point they never intended. Good-hearted Achish’s innocent trust, arising from David’s deceit, put David in the position where he was expected to take part, with Achish, in a major Philistine assault on Israel. To do this was surely unthinkable. Alternatively, to go with the Philistines and then turn against them at the last minute could have done huge damage to them, but it would also almost certainly have led to the death of David and his troops. It would also have been a complete betrayal of David’s agreement with Achish, and keeping agreements, even with foreigners, was always seen as important. It seemed as if there was no way out of the situation David got himself into. Again, the writer tells us the story without comment. We as readers are left to decide about all the moral questions.

The situation was resolved in a quite unexpected way. The other Philistine commanders, more worldly wise than Achish, were suspicious of David and insisted he be sent packing. The decision was taken out of his hands. Was David disappointed or relieved? We are not told. Is it possible that God himself had intervened and solved David’s dilemma? We are not told that either, but I have often either experienced or heard of situations that seemed insoluble but where something completely unexpected happens which changes the whole picture. The email or phone call or check arriving out of the blue may be a coincidence, but I thank God for such coincidences! David was outside of Israel at this time, but he was by no means outside of God’s concerns or God’s power.

Apply

Where in your life right now are you “between a rock and a hard place” and you don’t know what to do? How does your faith help you decide?

Closing prayer

Lord, sometimes I get myself into situations that leave me between a rock and a hard place. Thank You for the times You have provided an unexpected solution.

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