The Invisible Hand
Opening Prayer
Lord, in Your inscrutable providence keep me from becoming my own worst enemy.
Read 1 Samuel 29:1–11
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.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
“Enough that blessings undeserved have marked my erring track; That wheresoe’er my feet have swerved, his chastening turned me back” (John Greenleaf Whittier, 1807–1892).
This episode continues the story from 1 Samuel 28:1,2 in which David joins the Philistine forces to fight Israel. David’s situation is awkward (1,2). If he joins the battle, he will be fighting against God and his people. If he refuses, he will immediately stir up Achish’s suspicion. David simply has no way to escape! This dilemma is eventually resolved by the Philistine commanders, who mistrust David, instructing Achish to send him back to Ziklag (3,4). They base their argument on the song of the Israelite women: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (5; 1 Sam. 18:7). They remember David’s towering reputation as a Philistine killer. David’s dismissal from the army reveals more divine providence than sheer luck, although God is hardly mentioned.
David’s dilemma is not an accident. Austin O’Malley rightly states, “A lie has no legs. It requires other lies to support it. Tell one lie and you are forced to tell others to back it up.” David’s false loyalty and overall deception in chapter 27 have landed him in this terrible situation. His talent for deceit is clearly revealed when he outwits Achish (3,6,9; 1 Sam. 27:12). However, David is finally trapped by his own predicament, from which he cannot save himself.
Amazingly, the mistrust of the Philistine commanders plays into God’s plans, leading to the remarkable deliverance of David from doing the unthinkable. We see God’s compassion behind this narrow escape. God graciously keeps him from killing Saul and the Israelites. Furthermore, he allows David ultimately to rescue Ziklag’s inhabitants, who had been captured by the Amalekites (1 Sam. 30). The world may admire David for his opportunistic nature, but we worship the true hero behind David—the Almighty, whose plan prevails despite human errors.
Apply
Reflect on our calling under God to be truthful and compassionate believers. Are there places where we put self-interest before righteousness?
Closing prayer
O Lord, Your ability to turn our mistakes into Your advantage causes me to reflect on just how capable You really are in guiding me through this life.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.