How many times have you started to use a coupon only to find it had expired? I do that all the time, but what is even more annoying is when you sign up for the “Free Trial” and then forget to unsubscribe and get charged! Ugh!
When I read I Samuel twenty-two, it made me think about the fact that God puts no expiration date on His promises this side of heaven! I recently talked with a young person who has made some wrong choices. Her life seemed to be a mess. Just a year ago, life was so different. I asked her if she was happy, and I was not surprised when she answered, “No.” We had a great talk and I encouraged her to start reading her Bible. It seems to be my mantra lately because I’ve seen what It can do!
So, what is David’s story?
“Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God” (1 Samuel 30:6).
Why would they want to stone David?
Remember that these were not a band of the righteous upper crust of society. “And everyone [who was] in distress, everyone who [was] in debt, and everyone [who was] discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him” (1 Sam. 22:2).
David has done some unsavory things throughout the next eight chapters:
First, he is on the run from Saul and he flees to Gath, the capital of Phillistia. When the king thinks he recognizes David, he acts as though he is mad in front of King Achish and his court. Several recognize David. And the servants of Achish said to him, “[Is] this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” (1 Samuel 21:11). These ungodly men understood David’s destiny better than King Saul.
Basically, David humiliated himself before the Philistines by acting like a madman. The saliva on the beard was especially convincing, because men in that culture would consider this something only a man out of his right mind would allow. “An indignity to the beard was considered an intolerable insult and would not have been permitted by a normal person.” (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown)
Later, David aligns himself with the Philistine king which makes no sense:
- for the man who carried Goliath’s sword to go to Goliath’s hometown (1 Samuel 17:4).
- for the man who was sustained by the sacred bread of God to find refuge among the pagans.
- for the man after God’s own heart to change his address to Gath.
But it didn’t stop there. He also raided innocent “enemies” of Israel, which meant plundering and killing innocent people. His yoke with the Philistines meant that he would be fighting AGAINST Israel had the soldiers not strongly objected. So, now, he is in the enemy’s camp and is rejected by them as well.
And now this: Their own families are stolen away by the people they plundered. This is not the David, shepherd boy who trusted God to kill Goliath. He is on a bad path, trusting himself, his strength, his tainted ways instead of trusting God.
BUT it is also the turning point because “DAVID STRENGTHENED HIMSELF IN THE LORD HIS GOD.” It is the first time in a LONG time that we have read this! Praise God, there is no expiration date on God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness!! What comfort to know that our God—our gracious Heavenly Father—is always ready to forgive. As I read about King Saul and his demise, I realize that he was missing the one main ingredient that David possessed: repentance. If we compare David’s life to Saul’s from a strictly moral point of view, Saul comes out on top:
- He has one wife and never committed adultery (There is that concubine thing though.)
- He never murdered an innocent man, although he would have killed David if God would have allowed it.
- He didn’t run to the enemy.
And yet, David was the “man after God’s own heart,” even though his life is such a mess! Why?
Because of these simple words: “So David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD’” (2 Sam. 12:13).
“I have sinned.” Simple words? Not really. They may be the most difficult words we ever utter!
Has it been awhile since you said, “I’m sorry?” Our pride can make us feel as though we are above the need to apologize, but there is only one perfect man—Jesus! The rest of us would do well to keep a short account of sin WITH God and WITH others. Praise God for His “No Expiration Date” policy!
Beyond Common Sense 