We’re continuing our journey through 1 Samuel, and if you’ve been following along, you know things have been intense. David has been on the run from Saul, avoiding death at every turn. Now, in chapters 27-29, we see David making some surprising choices—ones that might make us scratch our heads at first. Let’s dig in and see what’s happening.
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Before diving into this study, take a moment to read these chapters in your Bible. It will give you a full picture of what’s happening and help you engage more with the reflections and takeaways.
David, tired of running from Saul, decides to take refuge in enemy territory. Yes, 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 territory. He goes to King Achish of Gath (yes, the same Philistine city Goliath was from) and asks for a place to stay. Achish gives him the town of Ziklag, where David lives for over a year.
But here’s the twist—David isn’t just sitting around. He’s raiding enemy cities but making it look like he’s fighting for the Philistines. It’s a complex situation. Was he trusting God here, or was this a lapse in faith? That’s a question worth thinking about.
𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
• Have you ever made a decision out of fear rather than faith? What happened as a result?
Meanwhile, Saul is freaking out. The Philistines are preparing for war, and God is silent—no dreams, no prophets, no Urim (a tool used to seek God’s guidance). So what does Saul do? He does what he 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 is wrong—he seeks out a medium (basically, a witch).
He finds a woman in Endor and asks her to summon Samuel. And surprise—Samuel actually shows up! (This is one of the most mysterious moments in the Bible.) Samuel tells Saul that his time is up—he and his sons will die in battle. Saul collapses in fear.
This chapter shows us what happens when we distance ourselves from God. Saul had spent years ignoring God’s commands, and now, when he needed Him most, there was silence.
𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:
• Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt distant from God? What brought you back?
• Why do you think people turn to things outside of God when they don’t hear from Him?
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟵 – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱
Back to David—he’s still living among the Philistines, and now Achish wants him to fight against Israel. David agrees (or at least pretends to), but the Philistine commanders don’t trust him. They tell Achish, “Send this guy home. He might turn on us in battle.”
So David and his men are sent back to Ziklag. What’s interesting here is that this might have been God’s way of keeping David from making a terrible mistake. If David had fought against Israel, it would have been a disaster for his future as king.
𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
• Have you ever had God close a door that didn’t make sense at the time, but later you realized it was for your good?
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀
𝙁𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨. - David fled to the Philistines out of fear. Saul sought out a medium because he was afraid. In both cases, fear led to questionable choices.
𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩—𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜. - Saul had spent years disobeying God, and when he finally wanted answers, he found silence. A relationship with God requires consistency, not just seeking Him when we’re in trouble.
𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙪𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨. - David being sent home seemed like rejection, but it was actually protection. God often does the same for us, even when we don’t realize it.
𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱: 𝟭 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝟯𝟬-𝟯𝟭
Next time, we’ll see the consequences of these events—David returning to disaster in Ziklag and Saul’s tragic downfall.
