Temptations and Triumphs

 

READ 1 Samuel 28–31

Sometimes I’ve wondered what to do next and was tempted to read the daily horoscopes. Sometimes I’ve been tempted to get even with those who have mistreated me. Sometimes I’ve suffered loss and needed God’s guidance for how to get it back. Sometimes I’ve succeeded and wanted all the glory for myself. A few times I’ve seen God deal with those who hurt me. All of this shows up in today’s reading!

What to do next? Saul was afraid of the Philistines. When he “inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.” Samuel had died so Saul sought a medium to tell him what to do. A vision of Samuel did show up but his words were not what this king wanted to hear:

Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 28: 6–7; 18–19)

Do I get even? In the meantime, David was hiding from Saul in Philistine territory. When these enemies prepared to attack Israel, David was ready to go with them. Was it because he wanted revenge? The Bible does not give the reason except that the army commanders did not want him to go. David said to the king, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

Achish replied, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.”

Dealing with defeat? In this way, God protected David from fighting against the people that he would soon rule over as their king. However, when he went back to the city where he’d been living, he and his men found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. And David was greatly distressed. His men spoke of stoning him, because of the loss of their sons and daughters. But David did the right thing. He strengthened himself in the Lord his God and also inquired, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” The Lord answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” (30:6–8)

Sharing the glory? The Amalekites who had done this damage were “spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah” but “David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him.” He said, “This is David’s spoil.” (30:16–20)

However, he did not keep it all for himself and the men who helped him. There were a few too exhausted to fight and he determined “For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” (30:24) David did not give in to ‘me, myself, and I’ as many so easily do.

Trust enemies to God? In the meantime, the Philistines were defeating Israel. They overtook Saul and his sons. Jonathan and his two brothers were slain. Saul was badly wounded and rather than die at their hands, he “took his own sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.” At this, the remaining men of Israel fled and the Philistines came and lived in their cities. (31:1–7)

1 Samuel ends here. 2 Samuel is about the reign of David after Saul was killed. David’s life thus far was filled with temptations and tests, but also triumphs. God sometimes spoke directly to guide him, sometimes used circumstances. These OT chapters are not just ancient stories but instructive to help current readers like me resist temptation and seek the Lord in every circumstance.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

Thank You, Lord!