Join us as we uncover the lessons of faith and trust found within 1 Samuel chapter 29. David, a revered figure known for his bravery, finds himself in a difficult position among the Philistines, recognized for his loyalty yet seen as a potential adversary. This episode not only highlights God’s protective nature over David but also draws parallels to our personal life experiences. Through spiritual reflections and a dive into personal journaling, we discover how pressing on and finding strength in scripture can light the path forward, building our trust in God’s sovereign plan.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Allen J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
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Today brings us to 1 Samuel chapter 29. It’s only 11 verses, so let’s listen in to Faith Comes by Hearing.
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1 Samuel 29 Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek, and the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, the commanders of the Philistines said, And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines,
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Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years? And since he deserted to me, I have found no fault in him to this day.
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But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this Pharaoh reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? Is not this David of whom they sing to one another in dances? Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
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Then Achish called David and said to him, As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. for I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. So go back now and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.
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And David said to Achish, But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
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And Achish answered David, and said, I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. Now then, rise early in the morning with the servants of your Lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.
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So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
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Remember, David had fled Saul, and he was in the land of the Philistines. And in chapter 29, the Philistines are going to go up against Israel. David’s reputation was well known among the Philistines, as we can see in this chapter. Isn’t it a bit strange that the commander of the Philistines, Achish, is okay with David, but all the rest of the commanders are not? Once again, that is probably God’s protection. And look at David’s reputation with Achish. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. And then later he says, I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. And yet to the commanders of the Philistines, he is public enemy number one. There’s no way that they’re going to let him fight against the Israelites because they think he’s going to turn on them. I didn’t write anything in my journal in 1983 related to chapter 29. So let’s go on to 2002. Here I wrote, God intervenes again in David’s life. He did not need to make the decision to fight against his own people. The Philistine lords prevented it. Thanks be to God. Sometimes we need to come right to the brink of a difficult decision before we see God get involved. It’s important to pursue a right course, though. David had the respect of Saul and Achish, one of the Philistine kings. He walked a fine line because, as verse 6 says in the next chapter, David strengthened himself in the Lord, his God. And from my journal in 2007, a similar thought. Another illustration of God’s sovereignty and divine intervention. David didn’t know what to do. He just kept moving, figuring out as he went. Finally, God acts through others, solving the problem for David. And then I wrote, Help me trust you are always working around me, helping me wait long enough to see you show up. There was a time early in the Ezra Project when I didn’t know if we could keep going. I had come to the end of the year, and I didn’t have enough money to keep going into the new year. I remember leaving the office for Christmas, and someone saying, See you next year. And I said, I’m not so sure I’ll be back. In between Christmas and New Year’s that year, the largest financial gift our young ministry had ever received came in, enough to allow us to start the new year. Sometimes God takes us right to the brink, to the edge of the cliff, so to speak. Why? Well, I think for a few reasons. One, he wants to remind us we are not smart enough to get ourselves out of every situation we often got ourselves in. Remember, David was the one who left Israel for the Philistines. Two, god wants us to rely on him he wants to build our trust in him it’s been over 10 years since that gift came into the ezra project we trust in the lord do you father i thank you for sometimes taking me to the brink and maybe some that are listening to this ad bible podcast and i thank you that you come through that you show yourself faithful to David, to the Ezra Project, and I hope to our listeners today. Thank you for building our trust in you by reminding us that sometimes we’re not smart enough to get ourselves out of the situations we got ourselves into. And we’re thankful that you’re there to help us when we come to you, when we rely on you, when we pray to you. Lord, build our trust in you. We’ll give you praise. We’ll give you thanks. In Jesus’ name, amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. You know, sometimes life does not go the way we plan. We all face trials and tribulations. The question is, how do we handle those trials and tribulations? In Philippians 3, 12-14, Paul instructs us to go forward, to press on. The verse says, Not that I have already attained or am already perfected, but I press on, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. What does it mean to press? Well, our dictionary definitions include to push with steady force, to push ahead with eagerness. So my own thoughts on pressing are to fight, to keep going. Press means it won’t come easy. So how do we press on? Let’s consider a powerful example from Scripture. You know, I love the Bible, and I love the stories that build my faith so I can press on in various aspects of my life. This story is found in the book of Exodus. After the Jews had witnessed the ten plagues in Egypt, experienced that first Passover, and been led by God himself as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, they find themselves camping in the desert. They hear the rumble of Egyptian chariots in the distance and they say, well, let’s pick up the story here instead of me talking about it. Exodus chapter 14 verse 10 says, And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, Because there was no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. So no, pressing on isn’t easy. It never is. It always appears easier to go back to Egypt, that’s the way it used to be, than to fight or to press on, to push with steady force and to push ahead with eagerness. Verses 13 and 14 say, And Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Yes, friends, the Lord will fight for you too. As you press on, the Lord himself will fight for you. The story goes on in verses 19 through 20. And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them. And the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that one did not come near the other all that night. The angel of God came between them. To one it was darkness, to the other it was light. So what do you see in the battle? Do you see God move between you and the enemy? Do you see darkness or do you see light as God fights for you as you press on? Exodus 14, 15 then says, And the Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry to me? Why do we cry out to God? Why do we sometimes keep praying when God has already shown himself glorious many times in our lives? Yet we freeze, we stand still, and we look back to Egypt. The story goes on in the scriptures. It says, Tell the children of Israel to go forward. Well, where is forward? It’s Canaan, the promised land. God has a plan. We’re in that plan. So go forward. Reach for your Canaan. Where is your forward? Philippians 1.6 says, Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. What have you started? Are you trying to do something for the Lord but feel stalled? He has begun a good work in you. Go forward. Go forward in the Word. Press on. Push with steady force and push ahead with eagerness. He told you He will fight for you. Go forward. Where were the Jews when all the plagues were badgering Egypt? They were in Goshen. And in Goshen, the Word of God says in Exodus 8, 22 and 23, And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land. I will make a difference between my people and your people. Exodus 9, 26 says, Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail. Exodus 11, 6-7 remind us, But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue against a man or a beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. We must forget what lies behind, Egypt, and reach forward to what lies ahead, Canaan. But we must live in Goshen. As God’s people, we can be set apart from the plagues of the world. We must trust God to make a difference between my people and your people. We must pray it so. We must walk by faith and not what we see around us. We must be light, bright lights, as the world darkens around us. Forget what lies behind, but never, never, never forget your Bible. Read every day those great stories of old to build your faith so you can press on. Reach forward to what lies ahead. Go forward. Press on. Knowing in the midst of plagues, turmoil, crisis, there is a Goshen where God protects his own people. Go forward. He fights for you. I know you’re going to enjoy it. and want to share it with others.
Join us as we uncover the lessons of faith and trust found within 1 Samuel chapter 29. David, a revered figure known for his bravery, finds himself in a difficult position among the Philistines, recognized for his loyalty yet seen as a potential adversary. This episode not only highlights God’s protective nature over David but also draws parallels to our personal life experiences. Through spiritual reflections and a dive into personal journaling, we discover how pressing on and finding strength in scripture can light the path forward, building our trust in God’s sovereign plan.
