David’s Victory & Escape

12. August 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Our text today deals with David fighting one of the many battles against the enemies of Israel while he is on the run.

Let’s look at the story:

I Samuel 23:1 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” 2 he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!” 4 Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6 (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has handed him over to me, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10 David said, “O Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will.” 12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will.” 13 So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

As you can see in our text, David’s men were afraid.  If you remember from a prior lesson that David’s army was made up of men that were in debt, discontented, distressed and just overall dysfunctional.  These are the men that came to David while he was in the cave at Adullum and they were becoming his army. 

It is so fascinating how you can see the hand of God in all this and how God was using the time in David’s life while he was on the run in fear of this life to mold him into a great king and to build a phenomenal army for  Israel. 

Though David’s men were afraid, David got word from the Lord that God would give him victory over the Philistines and David’s men trusted him and followed him into battle and they were victorious.

King Saul got word that David was there at Keilah and David inquired again of the Lord and God told him that Saul was coming and that the people of Keilah would turn him over even though he had saved them but for fear that they would lose their lives, they would give David over to Saul.  David was able to flee before Saul arrived and when Saul heard that he had escaped he never entered the land.

It is amazing how David risked his life and the life of his men to save this town and yet they would have given David over to Saul because of fear of what would happen to them when the Philistines would have destroyed them if David had not intervened.

These people were not necessarily evil people but fear of loss of family and loss of family can cause people to lose loyalty to save their own life.  It is easy to judge when we’re on the other side but when faced with the situation, we may be surprised what decisions we may make.

 Be encouraged!

God Bless!!!!!!!

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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