David is playing a dangerous game with a lot of moving parts. He is a mercenary soldier deceiving his employer, Achish who just happens to be in league with 4 other powerful Philistine leaders.
At this time, Achish and their friends are attacking David’s people the Israelites. Achish believes David has been raiding the Israelites, when in fact, he was raiding the Geshurites, Girzites and Amalekites. Achish may be fooled about David, but the Amalekites are not. David arrives home after a 3 day’s Journey and discovers that those Amalakites he had been raiding have retaliated and walked off with their women and children.
In summary, David is working for Achish, Achish is attacking David’s people, David is attacking Canaanites and lying to Achish about it, and one of the Canaanite tribes, the Amalekites, is raiding David’s camp. It’s a mess, but God loves a good story.
Meanwhile David dares in his dangerous game, Saul despairs which ultimately leads to Saul’s suicide.
Subscribe to BBC on Apple, Spotify , or Amazon.
The other irony in Saul’s death is that he spent so much time chasing David in fear that David would kill him and remove him from the throne. But in the end it wasn’t David who killed him. It wasn’t the Philistines, and it wasn’t God. Saul removed himself from the throne by falling on his own sword which is quite symbolic.
Saul had been removing himself from the throne for years. The kingship and kingdom belonged to God. Saul consistently disobeyed God. Consequently, God gave the kingdom to David. Saul’s disobedience was his fault. He lost the kingdom through his actions. And in the end, no one took the throne from him. He gave it up, with a final act of disobedience–he killed himself. Saul’s suicide was the end result of the many choices he made throughout his life.
Scene 1: David’s Heart for the Lord, Seeks the Lord
Scene 2: David Dares to Attack the Amalekites
In Scene 3: David Gives Rather than Takes
Scene 4: Saul Despairs and Takes His Own Life in Defeat
Verses Mentioned:
Show Notes:
David’s Flight from Saul
The author of this article is Hayley Mowatt, producer of Bible Book Club.
