1 Samuel 29:1

The events of this chapter apparently took place before Saul's visit to the witch of En-dor. Saul was killed the day after that visit (ch.28:19). The battle in which he was killed came only after David defeated the Amalekites, as recorded in chapter 30:16-20.

But where, may we ask, was the man after God's own heart during this sad hour of Israel's shame? Up to now he has been the deliverer of the people from their enemy. He was the champion who went down into the valley of Elah. He took his life in his hands and faced the whole Philistine army with nothing but his own weakness and faith in God's almighty power. He had "slain his ten thousands" when Saul at his best had slain but thousands. We find him here outwardly linked with the very enemy he had so often defeated. If Saul's final overthrow traces directly to his sparing of Amalek, David's outward link with the enemies of God traces just as directly to one step. He left the inheritance of the Lord and took his case out of God's hands.

David, however, accepted Ziklag, and instead of remaining a homeless stranger in the cave of Adullam, he becomes a citizen in the land of the Philistines. Nor does he now act the madman, as before: no; he now plays the part of an outright deceiver. He wages war on the Geshurites and Gezrites, and then lies about it. He does not want to lose his self-chosen place of protection again. Then Achish proposes that he act as ally to the Philistines. David has gone so far down this unhappy road that his answer is, "Surely you shall know what your servant can do."

Here, then, we have a strange contradiction. A king of Israel is about to become bodyguard to a Philistine, and to draw the sword against the armies of the living God. Was there ever anything like this? The slayer of Goliath, servant to a Philistine!

But God overruled the matter, and solved the difficulty into which David's unbelief had plunged him. Nor was it merely a dilemma, but indeed a horrible sin. What would this have done to his own spirit, if that grace had not cut it short? That grace held him in with bit and bridle and, one might almost say, drove him out by the spears of the Philistines.

A Philistine could never rely on a Hebrew to help against Hebrews. In a word, the men of this world can never place full confidence in one who has once been decided for the truth of God. A believer who has lost communion and gone back to the world may go a long way. But the world will never regard or trust him as one of themselves. They will suspect him, just as the Philistines suspected David.

Not so long ago he had struck down his ten thousand Philistines. In this he was at one with Saul, who had struck down his thousand. Why should he be for Achish today rather than for Saul? Having no clear-cut position in regard to the world can only produce conclusions like these. Our very faithfulness in the past is turned against us.

Poor David! God permitted all this to show that in bringing him to the throne all was grace. He is set aside for a certain time, like Saul.