DAVID’S RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD - Episode 3
One time Saul was out pursuing David, when he took shelter in a cave, the same cave where David and his men were hiding. David secretly snuck up on the sleeping Saul and cut the skirt off his robe.
“And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, my lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself” (I Samuel 24:5-8).
David had his chance to kill his adversary, but he didn’t take it. Instead, he showed Saul how he was not looking to harm him.
“And David said to Saul, wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: And some bade me kill thee: But mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed” (I Samuel 24:9,10). Even after Saul was rejected by God, David still considered him appointed by God. Therefore David would refuse to strip Saul of the kingship. He figured it was God’s place to do that.
A little later, Saul was again delivered into David’s hand. David took Saul’s spear and water cruse while he slept. The next morning, David hollered from an adjacent hill at Abner, Saul’s general, chiding him for not protecting his king. Then he shows them the spear, and Saul repents for dealing falsely with David (see 1 Sam. 26:5-25)
. He bid David to come home, but David decided to go his own way.
David and his men went home to Ziklag.
“And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; and had taken the women captives, that were therein: They slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (I Samuel 30:1-6). Then David did the right thing. He asked a priest to inquire of God.
This is serious, should the secretary decide this for himself? No, better to ask.
“And David enquired at the Lord, saying, shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, pursue: For thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men: For two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor” (I Samuel 30:8-10). The Lord said: you got too much help, son.
What was the outcome? David then met an Egyptian that had provisions and had escaped from the Amalekites. Then the Egyptian led them to the camped Amalekites.
“And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: And there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: And David rescued his two wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all” (I Samuel 30:17-19).
Can you imagine? David recovered all! That is God working for us. 