I Kissed Grace Goodbye - 1 Samuel 27:1-28:2 Series

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Introduction

We are nearing the end of the book of 1 Samuel. We have five chapters to go, and what happens in these five chapters is not a pretty sight. Let me just read you a few verses that summarize what happens:

28:4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him

31:3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.

7 When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

That is how the book ends. The Israelites are defeated, the Philistines occupy the Holy Land, and they string up Saul’s dead body in their pagan temples.

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

We know that Saul had that coming. But what does all this say about David? Where was he?

If you lived back then and you knew anything at all about what was going on – even if you were the president of David’s fan club, you would probably have had some serious questions, because at the time this war happened, David was with the Philistines. He had been living there for over a year, and he had an alliance with a Philistine king. In fact, the king loved David because David had been conducting raids against Israel. And just in case anyone doubts that, David had the plunder from those raids to prove it. Not only that, David was in the service of this king. David was the Philistine king’s personal bodyguard - during the very time when the Philistines defeated Israel and killed Saul and Jonathan.

None of that looks very good. And if some pro-David supporter comes along and wants to argue with that, and says, “No, David was not on the Philistines’ side when that happened - he would never do that,” then you could answer – “If that’s the case, then where was he when Saul was being killed and the Israelite army overrun by the Philistines?” If David was not on the Philistines’ side, then why didn’t we see him in the battle protecting King Saul? Was he a coward? Did he run away?

We have hard evidence that David was on the Philistines’ side during that time – even on the pages of Scripture.

1 Chronicles 12:19 David … went with the Philistines to fight against Saul.

Even here in 1 Samuel – just skip ahead to chapter 29 and you will see David marching out with the Philistines to fight against Saul.

1 Samuel 29:2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.

You can imagine the kinds of debates that went on. “Saul is dead. What are we going to do now - appoint as our king the bodyguard of Achish, king of Gath? Achish says David was the most loyal servant he ever had. Are we going to appoint a man who spent over a year raiding and plundering the cities of the Negev of Judah (his own tribe) as king of Israel? Shouldn’t he be executed, rather than crowned?” Anyone who would support David as king has a whole lot of explaining to do.

Even to this day David is criticized for this. David really takes it in the chin from the commentators in this chapter. I read at least 15 commentaries on 1 Samuel in my preparation for these sermons, and I only remember one that does not say that David was in sin during this time.

So what are we to make of 1 Samuel 27? Is David doing good or doing evil? Does God approve or disapprove?

And beyond that, what is the purpose of this chapter anyway? Why is it in the Bible? How does it fit in to the overall message of 1 Samuel? And what possible application is there for our lives? We read about David settling in Ziklag and conducting raids and all his dealings with King Achish – what application does that have for you tomorrow morning when you get up about your day?