Thursday 2/2/23

It is Too Soon to Quit

📺️ 1 Samuel 30 🔊

¹Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.

 ²And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.

 ³Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?

 ⁴And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?

 ⁵Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

 ⁶Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.

 ⁷Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.

 ⁸And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

 ⁹And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

 ¹⁰Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.

 ¹¹So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Samuel, Nathan, & Gad 

Date Penned: (931-975 BC)

Overview: Samuel, Israel's Last Judge (c 1-31)

Theme: Saul and David (c 16-31)

Message: David Destroys the Amalekites (v 1-31)

1 Samuel 30 Commentary

(30:6) David Finds Strength in the Lord - Faced with the tragedy of losing their families, David's soldiers began to turn against him and even talked about killing him. Instead of planning a rescue, they looked for someone to blame. But David found his strength in God and began looking for a solution instead of a scapegoat. When facing problems, remember that it is useless to look for someone to blame or criticize. Instead, consider how you can help find a solution.

(30:7-8) David Calls for the Ephod - David couldn't go to the tabernacle to ask the Lord for guidance because it was in Saul's territory. Therefore, he called for the ephod, the only tabernacle-related object he possessed. In the presence of the priest and this priestly garment, he asked God for direction. When David called for the ephod, he was really asking the priest to bring him the Urim and Thummim, which were kept in the breastplate attached to the ephod. Only the high priest could carry and use the Urim and Thummim. (For more information on the ephod and its contents, see the note on Exodus 39:1-21.)

(30:11-15) The Amalekite Slave - The Amalekites had cruelly left this slave to die, but God used him to lead David and his men to the Amalekite camp. David and his men treated the young man kindly, and he returned the kindness by leading them to the enemy. Treat those you meet with respect and dignity no matter how insignificant they may seem. You never know how God might use them to change your situation.

(30:24-25) Working as a Team - David made a law that those who stayed back to guard the supplies and equipment were to be treated equally to those who fought in battle. Today it takes several people to provide the support services needed for every soldier in the battle we fight as believers. In the church and other organizations, we need to treat those who provide support services equally with those on the front lines. Without bookkeepers, trainers, and administrators, those with public ministries would be unable to do their jobs. Are you on the front lines? Don't forget those who are backing you up. Are you in the support group? Realize that your position, although it may be less glamorous or exciting, is vital to the work of the entire group.

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Today we continue in the book of 1st Samuel with Chapter 30. In our text, we see David destroying the Amalekites after they first attacked David's camp. What catches my eye today is verse 6, when David "Encouraged himself in the Lord." It seemed David had everything and everyone against him, yet, David started praising the Lord. In making an application, we see how to respond when things don't go our way. We should look toward the Lord and encourage ourselves in Him. The Lord grants us victory, which would be just as accessible from the start. A friend would always say, "it is too soon to quit." How accurate is that statement when we serve such a mighty God. How about you? Do you encourage yourself in the Lord when you face adversity? Let us learn from our text today and the life of David to remember to encourage ourselves in the Lord when facing adversity and that it is always too soon to quit.