David Flees to the Philistines

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

1 Samuel 27:1-12
1 Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.”
2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow.
4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him.

In our last post, we watched as the existing king of Israel and the future king of Israel faced off after some very embarrassing circumstances for Saul and Abner, along with some very good logic provided by David, the future king.

During the discourse, Saul confessed his sin towards David, and invited him home. (How sweet!)

David, on the other hand provided an argument to Saul of the current situation that was unanswerable, much like the Son of David often provided to those who sought His life!

During this speech of David, and in the middle of one of his claims, he mentioned that if men had stirred up Saul to persecute David, the end result, which was horrendous to David, would be that

1 Samuel 26:19 ….they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in the heritage of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

The men who had stirred up Saul was intending to drive David from the God he loved, from the temple where he sought the Lord, and into a land that was foreign and without the God of Israel.

In our passage today, we find that David refused the kind offer of Saul to return to Israel, and it’s general populace, (along with being within Saul’s grasp at any moment), but that he left the nation completely, knowing Saul was not to be trusted at all, that his words were to be rejected.

So we find David resorting to Achish, king of Gath, in the land of the Philistines.

Now if you have a good memory, this isn’t the first time David has went to Achish. Early on in David’s fleeing from Saul, David showed up at Achish’s doorstep, seeking some refuge of a type. For a brief reminder consider reading 1 Samuel 21:10-15, or Life of David – 12.01 and 12.02

This time, David flees Israel to enter the land of Dagon, the fish god, bringing his 600 men, with their families into pagan territory.

This strategy of David is not uncommon for those who follow the Lord, disappearing for a time to allow their enemies to be taken care of.

Did not the parents of Jesus go into pagan territory to keep the future King of Israel, and Savior of the world safe from a wicked king in Israel? David removed himself from Saul’s grasp, and in doing so, would never interact with him again.

What turmoil David must have endured, for we know that he literally cut himself off from his family, for he had lost his wife Michal to Saul’s instability, he lost access to his best friend Jonathon, all of the relationships he has forged while fighting for Israel under Saul’s kingship were done, other than those he was now traipsing into foreign land. Certainly a time of David’s life that offered him the temptation to despair.

On top of all his turmoil, he would no longer enter the temple, no longer be where the Lord resided, and to be before Him. He would be amongst weak, foreign, lifeless god’s who mocked the True God and His followers.

David’s strategy worked, for we see in the 4th verse, Saul no longer sought David, since he had fled to Gath.

Could we conclude that when David claimed the men that forced him to the land of other gods, that in reality, those men, or that man was to be cursed for doing so?

Let’s reread 1 Samuel 26:19

1 Samuel 26:19 Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant…. if it is men, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in the heritage of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

David was delivering Saul his own curse, in that Saul was the reason David fled his nation, and had entered Philistia, a land that was rife with other gods.

Saul intent may have been to corrupt David, but we know that he came out of Philistia stronger and more passionate for the will of God than when he entered. We shall see David enter struggle after struggle, disappointment topped with despair, but he came out of the land of the Philistines ready to reign and to bring glory days to the nation.

What man planned for evil, God used for good. Does that sound familiar? Very much so, for God orchestrates our lives through the good and the bad, to bring about His will.

The best example of this is of course the Lord Jesus, for He entered the worst possible condition, that is the taking of His life, the violent removal from the land of the living, to only arise to greater glory, greater authority and greater power.

He did not stay in the land of the dead, but arose to provide entrance into the land of the living for all His followers.

May we give thanks to our Son of David, no matter our own situation. If it be difficult, look to Him, for He is orchestrating the good even as we follow Him.

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