Sermon – There is Hope After Ziklag Burns
Scripture -1Samuel 30:1-9 “And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. So, David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”
Introduction: How do you find hope after major loss and grief. Grief is the experience of coping with loss. Most of us think of grief as happening in the painful period following the death of a loved one. But grief can accompany any event that disrupts or challenges our sense of normalcy or ourselves. This includes the loss of connections that define us. David had been known for his leadership ability, wise counsel and godly character. And now, Ziklag his gift from King Ashish and his safe haven is burned to the ground, his family members and wives captured, and David has no answers. What do you do when you lose your home, your family, your entire city? What do you do to soothe the pain? In the midst of tragedy and grief, people oftentimes begin assessing blame; they look for a scapegoat. Our text from the life of David, David, our hero in that very position.
Early in my Christian walk I somehow reached the erroneous conclusion that if you love God and do what His Word says then nothing bad will ever happen to you. This idea was reinforced by teachers and preachers who claimed that people who knew how to exercise their faith and operate under the anointing and walk in the Spirit would never get sick, become depressed, lose money, or come under spiritual attack. Time and experience are patient teachers, and in their classroom, I learned a different view of life.
Today’s lesson highlights a season in the life of David, “a man after God’s own heart”, the “sweet psalmist of Israel.” Surely a man after God’s own heart will never have to experience terrible trials, afflictions, suffering, misunderstanding, rejection, pain or misfortune! But in David we see that even someone who is after God’s own heart, someone who seeks Him early and often, someone who desires Him more than anything else – yes, that kind of person, especially that kind of person, will be called upon to endure some of the most excruciating physical, emotional, and spiritual trials imaginable. David’s journey to the throne was interrupted by the jealousy of King Saul. He suffered so much harassment for king Saul, he was forced to leave his homeland. David’s love for God and respect for God’s delegated authority would not allow him to kill King Saul. For his own protection and for the protection of those he led, he sought shelter among the Philistines. If he could find a haven, his life would be more bearable. Anything seems better than hiding from king Saul, anything would be better than living in a cave. What’s the worst thing that could happen? So, David made a decision. The circumstances forced him into a “do or die” situation. His response to this test would either confirm his destiny as king or destroy him completely. There would be no warning for what was about to happen, and there would be no second chances.
King Achish of the Philistines had accepted David as a defector from Israel and had even given David his own Philistine city to live in – the city of Ziklag – where David and his 600 men, along with all their families could live in peace. He was still loyal to his home country, but was able to deceive King Achish about his actions. In fact, during those 16 months that David lived in Ziklag, David had told Achish that he had been raiding the cities of Israel, but in reality, David had been attacking the enemies of Israel and leaving no survivors to tell Achish what had really happened. God would use Ziklag to prepare David for His promise. The word Ziklag means to “press someone or something to reveal what is inside”. Ziklag represents a spiritual land in which we may find ourselves as we walk with God.
David and his men were told by King Ashish to return to Ziklag, the generals of the Philistine army did not trust David and refused to go out to battle with him. There three-day march ends with a sight of horror. David experienced a devastating loss. Ziklag was burned, families were taken, and his own men spoke of stoning him. In that moment, David didn’t retaliate, retreat, or reason his way through it. He returned to God. David returns to the presence of God when pain pressed in. David could not wait for perfect conditions; he sought God in his brokenness. David knew in his heart that God had always been the only source of true strength—God alone. We too, must learn to run to the presence of God when pain presses in. We should not wait for conditions to improve nor for perfect conditions; we can seek God in our brokenness. Our strength is too limited to rely on our own strength. The loss and disappointment are too great. In every loss, every low, and every lonely moment, we can find strength in the Lord our God.
There are moments when life leaves us empty, hurt, and surrounded by people who don’t understand our pain. David stood in that place, blamed, grieving, and seemingly alone. He could have had a pity-party. Nothing has gone as he planned. The trip was a waste with no spoil to show it. His home was destroyed and loved ones taken, but instead of spiraling, he centered himself. He strengthened himself in the Lord. That kind of strength isn’t loud or instant. It’s quiet, soul-deep courage that comes from being with God, not just asking from Him. When we suffer loss, we don’t have to pretend we’re okay, but we can anchor ourselves in the One who will carry us through.
Four Lessons from the text: (1) Loss invites us to lean in, or we can lash out. (2) Our strength is renewed in God’s presence, not our plans. (3) Returning to God is always the first step toward restoration. (4) Look for the blessing when Ziklag burns.
“but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6 The Amalekites invaded the Negev area, attacked Ziklag, and burned the city. They took all the women in Ziklag, both young and old, as prisoners. They didn't kill anyone; they only took them as prisoners. When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found the city burning.
(1) Loss invites us to lean in, or we can lash out. “Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters:”
These men had enjoyed 18 months of success as David divided the spoils of plunder with them. They were entitled to plunder taken from the Amalekites and regions around Ziklag. As leader, David would get a larger portion of plunder. In Ziklag David was not reigning as king, but they had a certain level of security and prosperity. They had flocks and herds obtained from the Amalekites' and other raids in the Negev. When trouble comes people look for someone to blame. David becomes a target. Loss invites us to lean in, or we can lash out. David is suffering too. His wives are gone. His peace disturbed. They should have leaned in, but they lashed out. Don’t allow your pain to cause you to lash out at people who love you and have your best interest at heart. This is a temptation we must avoid.
(2) Our strength is renewed in God’s presence, not our plans. “but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” Even though God was not responsible for David being in Ziklag, He is still with David. God is as close as the prayers David has prayed, and the Psalms David has sang. David finds comfort from within. His family has been taken captive, and his friends have walked away, yet God remains constant. He encouraged himself. When everybody is hurting, good words are hard to come by. God’s word will cause hope to come alive again. Proverbs 25:1, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” In other words, it’s a beautiful thing. This means that saying the right thing, at the right time is a good thing! Ephesians 4:29 states, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Proverbs 10:19 says, “Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.”
David receives assurance by rehearsing the word of God is his heart. His faith told, “this is not the end, God is up to something.” David noticed that there is not a single dead thing in this city, not an animal, not a human, God is up to something. David’s plan has brought him here. His purposes were noble and good. He wanted a place of safety and prosperity, to cement his friendship with the Philistines with his eye on becoming the king of Israel. Finally, he wanted to demonstrate that He support Ashish and the Philistines without being disloyal to Israel or fighting against King Saul. David and his men only fought against common enemies of Israel and the Philistines. Yet his plans still left him empty.
(3) Returning to God is always the first step toward restoration. “And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them?”
Now David realized that he should have ask the Lord about his decision to live among the Philistines. He will not make the same mistake again. Now he needs to know God’s next step for his life. He probably did not realize how long He dwell in Ziklag, a year and four months in the enemy’s camp, living on the enemy’s handouts. He is no closer to the throne than ever. David lived among the Philistines for a year and four months, with 600 men and their families. David finds himself living beneath his privileges, serving Achish, king of the Philistine of Gath. If it weren't enough, David has lost his wives, the confidence of his army. In their grief, David’s army became disgruntled, irrational, and finger pointing. They blamed David and his crazy ideas for this disaster. Then “the people spoke of stoning David.” So, David is not only a victim of his Amalekite enemies, but he also becomes the scapegoat for his men. David returns to God and waits for an answer! Returning to God is always the first step toward restoration.
(4) Look for the blessing when Ziklag burns. “And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”
The Lord was reminding David, that he was aware of the events at Ziklag. He watched the Amalekites invasion and the attack against Ziklag, and He saw them burned the city. God was watching when they took all the women in Ziklag, both young and old, as prisoners. Yet God didn't allow them to kill anyone; they only took them as prisoners. The new marching orders for David was to pursue, move out at once, use all your war tactics and you will overtake them. And without fail you will recover all.
David and his men had no idea that the burning of Ziklag was not an end, it was a new beginning. While David and his men were defeating the Amalekites, recovering the spoil, and reuniting with their loved ones, King Saul and his sons were at war with the Philistines making their last stand on Mount Gilboa. King Saul and His Sons were defeated, slain on the battlefield and the word went out, “The King is dead!” What a difference a day makes. Tomorrow, David will leave Ziklag for the last time and be crown the new king of Israel. This was the end of David’s time in Ziklag and the beginning of his reign in Hebron. It may be painful, heartbreaking, and sad, but you may find joy when Ziklag burns. Remember the lessons from the text: (1) Loss invites us to lean in, not lash out. (2) Our strength is renewed in God’s presence, not our plans. (3) Returning to God is always the first step toward restoration. (4) Always look for the blessing when Ziklag burns.
