Time Will Tell...

For awhile, our lack-of-faith reasoning may seem to have been the right decision…but time will tell.

By the time we get to 1 Samuel 27, David had been on the run from Saul for quite some time. At the end of chapter 26, though, it appears that Saul is finished with the pursuit: he concludes that David will be the next king, blesses him, and “returns to his place.”

But you know, our fears can wreak havoc on us. That’s what happened to David.

His thought process in v. 1 begins reasonably enough, given the past—“Sooner or later, Saul’s gonna get me!” It is true that at least one other time, Saul gave the impression that the chase was over, only to resume it later.

Yet—think broadly here—David’s conclusions are wrong because they fly in the face of God’s revelation.

First, he concludes that he’ll perish. But what has God promised? That David would be the next king. So, if he perishes at the hand of Saul, what does that mean? Either God hadn’t taken some factors into account and is therefore not omniscient, or God isn’t able to protect His chosen ones and is therefore not omnipotent, or both. In other words, it would mean God isn’t God.

Here’s the point: reasoning that ignores the element of faith will lead to wrong conclusions, wrong decisions, and wrong actions.

Secondly, David concludes that he ought to make a league with the ungodly (the Philistines, Israel’s perpetual enemies), pretend to have left his people and changed his loyalties, and live among them. Again, take God’s revelation out of the equation, ignore the element of faith, and this seems like a reasonable conclusion. Certainly, if David can embed himself in enemy territory, Saul’s not going to risk all-out war just to get David. But again, does this conclusion square with what God has revealed to His people about their interaction with the Canaanites? Well, if you know even a little of Israelite history, you know it doesn’t.

Nevertheless, the decision is made, and off David goes to become friends with Achish, king of Gath (which, by the way, is Goliath’s hometown! – see 17:4). And the plan seems to be working.

• Achish gave David an out-of-the-way territory to live in
• David and his men established homes
• They went out on raiding parties annihilating Philistine communities (doing so clandestinely so Achish wouldn’t find out—even lying so that Achish would think David was doing him a favor)

Ahh, life is good when you’re not running for it!
Sixteen months of freedom (v. 7)!
David’s got to be feeling pretty good about himself and his decision.

But just wait. Time will tell. Chapters 29 and 30 are coming, and the consequences will become clear.