BUT DAVID FOUND STRENGTH IN THE LORD HIS GOD

1 Samuel 30:1-31

Key verse 1 Samuel 30:6

David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

We can find strength in many places. For example, we can find strength in ourselves. We can build up our strength and our muscles. We can discipline ourselves and tell ourselves, “I can do it.” We may find strength from others. So when others are around we are strong, but no one is around we are weak. We may find strength in music. Don't you listen to music when you exercise? It can really get you going strong. But David found strength in the Lord his God. And he found this strength in the time of his great distress. We’re never short of a distressing moment. So we can learn today about finding strength in the Lord our God. 

First, let’s look at his situation, his great distress. 

Look at verses 1-6.

[1] David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, [2] and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. [3] When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. [4] So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. [5] David’s two wives had been captured---Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. [6] David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

David and his men were sent home from the war and found their city burned down and their families taken. They were caught unawares.

First, it says that they were overcome with grief. Verse 4 says that David and his men “wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.” They completely exhausted themselves from weeping until they couldn’t weep anymore. Have you ever seen a child cry until they fall asleep? 

Second, it says that the men became bitter in spirit and blamed David for what had happened. They were were talking of stoning him. (It also mentions that David lost his two wives. He thought having two was better, although God did not make man to marry two wives. But he ended up with double trouble in losing both of them).

These men had all come to David voluntarily. He didn't recruit anyone. They found security and hope in him. But now they were bitter. The previous passage says that they had lived in Ziklag for 1 year and 4 months. Do you remember why they moved there? David had thought to himself, "The best thing I can do is live in the land of the Philistines." But he was living a lie the whole time. He pretended to be the servant of the local king. He raided other peoples, including Amelakites, not leaving anyone alive, to keep his cover and supply his men. They almost had to go out and fight against their own people in the war. David had decided all of this on his own without consulting the Lord. And finally after all that effort and doing what he thought best, he lost everything. He almost lost his life. It was not the best. This is in hindsight. But God has foresight. So, we always must pray for what to do and where to go. 

They were so powerless and hit that they couldn’t do anything. So they did what they could do, which was to blame someone. It’s easy to blame others when the situation isn’t good. We want to hold someone responsible, even when it is not helpful at all to cast blame. In their case, blaming David wouldn’t bring their families back or bring their city back. Blaming others is not helpful. It just makes us bitter and resentful and divided and violent. 

This was probably David's lowest point up till then. He was not just distressed, but “greatly” distressed. David could have been so depressed and condemned himself. He could have said to himself, "Yes, you’re right! If I only I had done things differently..." 

When we hit a low point like this, we often find the easiest thing to do is to give up and write ourselves off. We pity ourselves and think about all the things that we could have done differently. Unless, of course, you’re really great and don’t make these mistakes. In my case, I know all my mistakes too well. When I think about them I fall into this pit of despair and self condemnation. I think of all the things I could have done differently. And  it gets so bad that I just want to lie down in a hole. Pitying ourselves and condemning ourselves is a never ending pit that is not helpful.

But what did David do? He did not let himself fall into this pit of despair. The end of verse 6 says, "But David found strength in the Lord his God." This is a big "but". His situation was going one way, but he found strength and turned it around. 

David’s actions tell us that we must not dwell on the past in despair. It is not helpful. We cannot change what has happened. But we can control what we do right now. And we need to focus on what we can do, rather than what we can’t do. 

We can learn here about finding strength in the Lord. 

Look again at verse 6. “But David found strength in the Lord his God.” 

David didn't find strength in himself. He didn't find it in his men. He didn't find it in a favorable circumstance. He did not find strength after getting the promise of victory or the direction in prayer. He didn’t find strength after the situation changed for the better. But he found strength in the Lord his God. This strength then was independent of the situation, but wholly dependent on the Lord.

This tells us there is strength in God that is stronger than anything in this world and in us. He is full of all that we need. The situation really may be going in one way, but God has strength to give to us and turn it around. We may be weak or empty. But he is strong and has life. In fact, he is overflowing with these things so that he can give them to his children when they seek him. God gives strength even when we don't have any. He has full supply for all of our needs. When we find strength in him first we can turn situations from pits of despair to victories.

David had to admit he was weak and then seek out the Lord. He didn’t rely on being the Giant Killer. He didn’t rely on killing his tens of thousands. But he went to the Lord. He didn't give up under the excuse that he was weak at that moment. It's okay to find ourselves as weak because we are. Then we can go to the Lord who is strong. We mustn’t use our weakness as an excuse to stay in a bad position, but use it as your excuse to seek the Lord! 

It was after he found strength in God that the situation was turned around. He spent a year and a half pretending to be someone else's servant. But now he was moved to turn to the Lord. He made the Lord his God again. He was the Lord's servant. This event was very helpful to David.

When we read the psalms we can find examples of how David went to the Lord and found strength. One interesting thing is that he learned to rebuke himself. You may be good at rebuking others. But are you good at rebuking yourself? It works better than condemning yourself or excusing yourself. 

Look at Psalm 42:5. 

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

He rebuked his own soul. He didn't excuse himself saying, this is just how I feel, please understand me. Although he really was downcast and disturbed, he did not let himself remain there. He knew that God is his savior and God. He knew that he would praise God. So he must put his hope in God then, at that very moment. He didn't blame. He didn't say he would wait for it to pass and see if he feels better. But right at that moment he could do something, and he rebuked himself saying, put your hope in God! Stop being downcast and praise God.

For this reason we learn to find strength in him. That is what we can do today. We know that there is a source of strength in the Lord. He has enough for us when we go to him. So, to go to him, we seek him. We come weak and needy and humble and seeking. 

Next, let’s think about the last part of the key verse, the phrase, “his God.” It is very graceful. It shows God’s faithfulness. The Lord was his God and he helped David and gave him strength when David went to him. Through this event David could give thanks to the Amalekites for through this event he turned to the Lord and he called the Lord his God.

“his God” is a very personal testimony. The Lord was his and he was the Lord’s. God makes a personal connection to each of his through Jesus, so that we are called his people and he is called our God. God was David’s God. He is our God. He is also my God, and your God. You may know him in your very personal way (or have known him at one time). 

To me, he was first my God who heals me and all sinners. I first heard Matthew 9:12-13. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. But go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” I experienced that he is my heavenly Father. And I experienced that he is my God who showed his grace to me and made me strong. I grew up thinking I was a curse to everyone. Everywhere I went I wasn’t good for anything and trouble always followed. But my God is the God who promised to make a believer into a blessing to all peoples on earth (Genesis 12:2-3). When I remember those times how he was my God, I find strength. I find a renewed hope and I repent and go to him. And he is faithful and his love endures. 

When you are in great distress, go to the Lord who is your God. He has strength for you. Remember his promises. Remember how he worked in your life. And remember the word he gave you. Don’t focus on the distress, but look to your God. Like David, we will experience and learn of our God in new and powerful ways. 

Next, let’s look at what David did after finding strength. 

Look at verses 7-8.

[7] Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, [8] and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue. ”

David prayed to the Lord. He found strength in the Lord and then prayed to the Lord to get direction. It is interesting that he did not pray first and then get strength, but he found strength and then prayed. It is because we need faith when we pray. 

Now he sought the Lord's direction and what to do and where to go. When he asked, the Lord answered. 

What a contrast with Saul from the previous passage where he sought out a medium to speak to Samuel. Saul did not find strength in God. He didn't weep at all. He just wanted his problems solved but he wasn't willing to listen to the Lord. So the Lord did not answer him. But here the Lord answered David and promised victory. 

So David went out according to the Lord's word. 

Look at verses 9-10. 

[9] David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind. [10] Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.

When David found strength and direction from the Lord he led his men. They were talking of stoning him by now they followed him. This shows that getting strength from God overcomes what people may talk about us. Even if they talk about you or want to harm you, if you find strength in God they may follow you later. 

In verses 11-20, we see the victory God gave them. 

[11] They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat--- [12] part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights. [13] David asked him, “Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?” He said, “I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago. [14] We raided the Negev of the Kerethites, some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag.” [15] David asked him, “Can you lead me down to this raiding party?” He answered, “Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to them.” [16] He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. [17] David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled. [18] David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. [19] Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. [20] He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, “This is David’s plunder.”

We see how great their victory was. Only four hundred ran away. David only had four hundred men, but from their side four hundred ran away. It means they had much greater numbers but David and his were far too strong for them. We also see that David recovered everything that was taken and nothing was missing. He brought everything back. What a relief for them all. 

In the rest of the passage we see how David shared with everyone. 

First, he shared with those who stayed behind because of exhaustion. (21-25)

Look at verses 21-25. 

[21] Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Valley. They came out to meet David and the men with him. As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were. [22] But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.” [23] David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. [24] Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike. ” [25] David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.

All of them were at a loss. But not all could go out to fight. Then not all wanted to share the plunder after their victory. 

We notice that the passage calls those who didn't want to share the plunder as "evil" and "troublemakers." Their words didn't acknowledge what God had done for them. They were not concerned about the weaker and the needy. But David said, all will share alike. 

Second, David shared with the elders of Judah. (26-31)

Look at verses 26-31. 

[26] When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.” [27] David sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir; [28] to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa [29] and Rakal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites; [30] to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athak [31] and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where he and his men had roamed.

David shared with everyone. He also shared as gifts to those not involved when he sent gifts to Judah. 

He did it because God gave them. Look again at verse 23. 

David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us.”

He testified that God gave them the victory. God is full of all that we need and gives freely. Because God gave to David, David gave to others. He was filled with the spirit of giving.

David now saw what he had been given from God. He no longer focused on what he didn't have, such as security or a place to stay. Then he became a giver rather than a liar. His attitude was changed when God gave him strength. He even began to prepare for his kingdom by giving the gifts throughout Judah. He stopped thinking just about himself and started caring for others and being responsible for them. He used to take care of just one city, but it was too much for him. Now he sends gifts to many towns and areas. 

In his difficult situation they had lost everything. But God gave David victory. And he gave them all of their families and things back without missing anything and then he gave them more. 

The difficult situation is not the time to give up. It may be the very opportune time to open our eyes and see where we are and to turn to the Lord. 

In the passage we see that God gave David victory. David acknowledged what God gave to them and he gave to others freely. 

This reminds me of Jesus' words in Matthew 10:8,

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

And the apostle Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 2:12,

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

God gives freely. And what he gives is good. When we go to the Lord and receive from him, he makes us overflow. He gives so that can give. 

In the passage we see that God gave David strength, direction, and victory. When David sought God, God answered him. He pulled him out of his greatly distressing moment and restored him as a good leader and a giver rather than a taker. When we go to the Lord and receive from him, he makes us to overflow to give to others. Let us remember the message from this passage to find strength in our God. Thanks be to God who has strength for us. Thanks be to God for being our God. Let’s read verse 6 and finish. 

2013-07-14, LA UBF

2013-07-14, LA UBF

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