Spring/Summer 1997

PREFACE

By: Michael Tao

After Saul's several attempts to kill David, David was reluctant to put his trust in God any more. First Samuel 27:1 says, "And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand." David thought that the best protection was to place his trust in the strength of some heathens, so he joined the Philistines for security. David did not consult with God, or God would have stopped him. God had delivered David from Saul's murdering many times, David even praised God for this. However, David's faith was worn out gradually and said "I shall now perish one day"- what he meant was God's strong arm was not able to protect him. David lost his faith to the extent that he forgot God's promise of making him King, or he should have been sure that God would not let him die!

There is a time that faithful men of God have to face trial, so that they can become stronger, and to know the will of God. David was failing in this trial.

When mingling with the Philistines, David had to lie repeatedly to this heathen king, saying that he hated the Israelites so much that he looted them. In fact, he was killing and robbing other heathen tribes instead. When we step out of the boundaries that God set up for us, we pay the price of rebellion. As Christians, we would rather suffer in our body, and not in our mind and spirit.

Inspite of David's unbelief, God did not forsake him. What happened next was that the Amalekites sought revenge and captured David and his followers' wives and children; so the whole camp of David were in great distress. At this moment, David prayed to God and inquired whether he should pursue his enemy. God gave him the answer that he would recover all his loss. God even gave them a perfect guide - an Egyptian who was left behind to die by his Amalekite master due to sickness. This Egyptian showed David the direction to pursue. After locating the Amalekites, David won a great victory as God had promised.

David might have not been able to locate his enemy without the assistance from this dying heathen young man. If David had failed to restore his loss, there might not be any kingdom for him. David's followers were so grieved that they were about to stone him to death (1 Samuel 30:6); or at least they would have lost their trust in him. This lowly Egyptian servant had played a significant part in the history of Israel. Humility is a virtue that every Christian needs to develop.

No matter how carefully men plan, or how strong they are; everything still depends on God, Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, "...that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise...but time and chance happeneth to them all". Once again, God delivered David, and David learned a good lesson of trusting God.