Wed, 30 August, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.
1 Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” 2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
David is on the run from Saul, but he is accumulating a small army of followers. He is gaining experience in organizing, motivating, and mobilizing people. The logistics of supplying his six-hundred followers in the wilderness must have been quite daunting and would have forced David to build a network of trusted suppliers. David is running a small, underground government.
In the midst of this, David gets word that an Israelite city is under attack from the Philistines and that Saul is doing nothing to save them. So David mobilizes his troops and comes to the aid of Keilah.
What do we learn from this?
First of all, we see that David doesn’t act without consulting God first. He prays, and inquires of God for wisdom and guidance. He had the High Priest and the ephod with him, and so he consults God on what to do.
We no longer have the same way of inquiring after God’s will. In David’s day, they didn’t have the completed word of God, and God did still speak through the priests and prophets. In our time, we have a much greater blessing. We have the complete scriptures to see what God’s will is for us.
So for us, when we seek God’s will in a particular situation, we would pray, search the scriptures to see if there is anything that speaks to our situation, seek godly council from people we trust, and then make the best decision we can in light of all we know.
Secondly, we see that David is now performing the actions of the king since the true king is failing to perform his duties. Saul is spending his time pursuing David, and is neglecting his duty to protect the people. Saul should be leading the people of Israel in the defense of Keilah, but he is off doing something else.
David is doing what must be done. He sees a job that is going undone. He realizes that God has equipped him to fill this role at this time, and so David steps up to meet the need of the moment.
There are times that we must act. Perhaps others might have the primary responsibility to meet the need, but if they cannot or will not act, we might have to do what needs to be done, even if it isn’t our “job”. David had to do what the king should have done since Saul refused to do it.
It is interesting to see that at the end of today’s chapter, David makes the narrowest of escapes when Saul breaks of his pursuit to respond to another Philistine invasion. In the latter case, Saul performs his duties to Israel, allowing David to get away. Perhaps David shamed Saul into protecting the people from the Philistines. All the people must have realized that David was protecting the nation while Saul was preoccupied with killing David. Saul probably realized this just strengthened David’s claim upon the throne. Saul must have realized he would have to meet the invading Philistines himself or all the people would back David against Saul.
Where is Christ in this passage?
David here demonstrates a picture of the deliverance we find in Jesus Christ. David is performing the act of a king, protecting the people and bringing deliverance. He saves Keilah from the Philistines.
David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ, who was born to sit upon the throne of David and rule forever, has granted His people a greater deliverance. Through His life and death, Jesus Christ has delivered all those who come to Him in faith from the guilt of their sins. He has delivered them from the tyranny of death and sin. And as our King, He works all things to our ultimate good and to His glory.
