Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 23:27-28, But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!” 28 Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; so they called that place the Rock of Escape.
When I read these verses all I can think of is Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” David probably thought he would be safe amongst his own people in Ziph. Yet, it turned out that they were more interested in finding favor with King Saul than they were in helping David. Sadly, we will find in this life that people are more interested in their own self gain than they are in helping us in our time of need. However, in spite of their feeble attempts to betray David for their own gain, God’s providence prevailed. One important note about what was happening here is found in Psalm 54. This is the Psalm that David penned while hiding in the wilderness of Ziph. It reads, “Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength, 2 hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 Strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life; they have not set God before them. Selah 4 Behold, God is my helper; the LORD is with those who uphold my life. 5 He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth. 6 I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your Name, O LORD, for it is good. 7 For He has delivered me out of trouble; and my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.” God’s providence was at work, but we must not overlook that fact that David was also in prayer. The fact of the matter is that God may choose to answer our prayers for deliverance from the evil attempts of others by His providence. If we recall, Saul was not very responsive to the people’s cry in Keilah when the Philistines were attacking them (23:1). It was David who came to their rescue. By Saul’s response to the news that the Philistines had invaded the land, it would appear that there was some personal loss at stake if he continued to pursue after David. God used Saul’s own selfishness and greed, along with the Philistines’ hatred of Israel, to deliver David from Saul and his men. Let us keep in mind that the Philistines we not friends of David. They were his enemy also. Nonetheless, God used the actions of his enemies to deliver him from a situation that many of us would consider “too close for comfort”. After David and his men fled to the Wilderness of Maon, we read this in verse 26, “Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. So David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were encircling David and his men to take them.” How often have we found ourselves in situations that seemed to be closing in on us? Did we faint or did we pray? Did we give up or did we seek, more fervently, after the only One who could deliver us? We know from Psalm 54 that David continued more fervently in prayer. The result of such trust and faith was that God’s answer came by way of His providence. No matter how hopeless our circumstances might seem to us, they are nothing for our LORD. He simply used the actions of David’s enemies and Saul’s own selfishness and greed to deliver David out of the hands of the one who should have appreciated David’s service to him, but instead was neglecting his duties as king to pursue one who was not his enemy. God’s justice and providence will always prevail against those who make themselves our enemies, and seek our hurt, simply because we choose to follow after and serve our Lord and Savior.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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