p. 599 | DAVID AND THE KING OF GATH

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 31, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 38.

DAVID AND THE KING OF GATH.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

BY ELDER S. N. HASKELL.

"AND David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hands. And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath." 1 Sam. 27:1, 2. David had become discouraged, though he should not have been. Had not God promised that he should be king of Israel? Had he not been anointed king? But he had seen the treachery of Saul repeatedly, and often had nearly fallen into his hands, but God had delivered him. This should have encouraged him to still have trusted in God, that he would do it to the end. But David felt that it was of no use to continue as he was going on. When he had previously fled from Saul he had gone to the king of Gath. But at this time he was afraid of Achish, and played the madman before him, and the king said, "Have I need of madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?" 1 Sam. 21:12-15. But now he goes in a different manner than before. He had now despaired of any reconciliation with Saul; and it did seem that he would fall a victim to the king of Israel. He therefore goes again to him whom God had devoted to destruction—one of Israel's bitterest enemies. So with six hundred men under his charge he passed over to the king of Gath.

This move was not in the counsel of God. Even while Saul was seeking David's life, God was working to establish the throne of David.

He was working by his providence to give David the hearts of Israel. Many souls throw themselves into the hands of Satan, because they cannot wait God's time, when God is working for them as rapidly as circumstances will permit. But they do not see how he is working, therefore they cannot trust. God compels none, but deals with all in tender mercy. He offers all the same opportunity of repentance. He works out his plans, although to human eyes they may be veiled in mystery. Finite wisdom cannot comprehend the ways of God. "God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform." David looked to outward appearances and not to the promises of God. He doubted that he would ever come to the throne.

God took over four thousand years to convince unfallen beings of the full nature of the rebellion in heaven that was inaugurated by Satan. It will take seven thousand years to convince the universe that the government of God is just and that Satan should be finally destroyed. But when thus settled it will be settled forever and ever. The law of God will be in the hearts of all his created intelligences. God's government will be vindicated, and rebellion will be forever wiped out of the universe of God. Man is on trial. Eternal principles are involved in every trial that comes upon us, and happy are those who without a murmur can implicitly trust the promises of God.

This very nation to which David had fled was among the worst enemies to Israel and would be to the last. The whole movement was a scheme of Satan to involve David when he would be established king over Israel. He had forsaken his post without a command from the Lord. He did not inquire of the Lord when he was about to take this step, as he had formerly done when driven from place to place by Saul. If he had done this, he never would have gone to the enemies of God for protection. God was dishonored by this step. The Philistines feared David more than they feared Saul and his armies. This move encouraged these relentless foes to oppress Israel. Israel received the impression that he had gone to worship other gods. But this was not true. His motives were misjudged. It was his unwise course that caused them to do it. How much this had to do with the delay of his being king over the twelve tribes during the coming seven years the record does not inform us. But David had not forsaken his God. He did not want to dwell in the royal city, but desired the country place, where he and his friends could worship God unmolested.

Many persons have shown their weakness and tarnished their Christian experience by some foul blot because in the hour of trial they could not await God's time, and even if recovered from the snare of Satan they delayed the blessings which God had in reserve for them. "It is good to trust in the Lord," and put not "trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." Better to say with Job, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him."

But God did not leave David in the snare Satan had set for him. The time came when David found himself in a great strait. He could not make war upon one from whom he had sought and received protection, without bringing upon himself eternal infamy. The time finally came when Achish and Saul were to go to battle against each other. Should David refuse to fight for him who had given him shelter in time of adversity in his dominion, it would bring disgrace upon his name in the sight of all nations, and a dishonor to the principles he professed. Neither could he fight his own people, over whom the Lord had anointed him king. This would be destruction to him, soul and body. His own feelings at this time can better be imagined than described. He was involved, as thousands of souls are when entrapped by Satan. His own planning and scheming were useless. He now reached a point where his military tactics failed. While he chose the living and true God as his God and would worship him, the crisis came:—

"Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek; and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; but David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish. Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which has been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day? And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him, and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men? Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?" 1 Sam. 29:1-5. David was compelled to return.

But while absent his wives and children were taken captives, and those strong warriors "lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep." Even David's chosen few turned upon him as the cause of their calamities. "David seemed to be cut off from every human support, all that he held dear upon earth had been swept from him. Saul had driven him from his country; the Philistines had driven him from the camp; the Amalekites had plundered his city; his wives and children had been made prisoners; his own familiar friends had banded against him and threatened him even with death."

He now reviewed his past life. He saw his mistake and "encouraged himself in the Lord." Calling for the priest, he inquired of the Lord, and was heard, and deliverance was again promised.

But who was it that stirred up the lords of the Philistines to send David back from the army, from the perilous position in which he had placed himself? It certainly was not Satan, for that was not his business; that would be working directly against himself. No, it was the angels of God who were at work to open a door of escape for God's servant. Their eyes had been upon David in all of his ways. They saw the desire of his heart to worship God and him alone. They well knew all the influences that had brought him in the position where he was. This in a most striking manner reveals to us the character of the God that we serve. He does not turn and retaliate when his chosen see their folly and would return to him. He is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.

It is sin that has plunged the human race into their hopeless condition. It is Christ that has opened a way of escape. It is nothing that we can do to lift ourselves out of our lost condition. We are utterly helpless as to strength and wisdom to help ourselves. Then where is our hope?—In our Lord Jesus Christ and in him alone. Two things are essential on our part. First, we must have a willingness and desire to be helped. Second, we must coöperate with the Lord in the open door he has prepared for our deliverance. The pardon has been purchased, freely purchased. The price has been paid. "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." He freely offers his pardon and his grace. It, like the atmosphere we breathe, encircles the earth. His eye is watching every hand of faith which is uplifted for deliverance. To realize our utter helplessness is the first step in our accepting the pardon offered. But, oh, what love, what amazing love! Contemplating the goodness of God in making such provision, should melt the stoutest heart. It should soften the most stubborn spirit. But this is God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." Every circumstance recorded in the Scripture, every line of inspiration, contains treasures of gems, precious gems of knowledge, in showing the character of God, and should it be more critically studied we would see in God more to admire in his dealing with the human family.