1 Samuel 30:1 David and his men reached Ziklag.
David had a standing army of six hundred men and, together with their families, they were living in Ziklag. One day, when David and his men returned, they found their town burned to the ground, and all the women and children taken captive. David’s soldiers were so distressed that all they could talk about was stoning David. By all accounts, it was a very bad day.
After believing in God, some people think their life will be an unbroken series of blessings. [W]hatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:3), wrote the Psalmist. And you make the way of the righteous smooth (Isaiah 26:7), wrote Isaiah. This is true, of course, but it’s not the whole truth. We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22), said Paul. And In this world you will have trouble (John 16:33), said Jesus. God is pleased to smooth the way for us, but he also allows trouble to help us grow in faith.
1 Samuel 30:4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.
It’s hard to make grown men cry, especially those who’ve been hardened by battle. But the loss of their families, and all their possessions, was so great that all six hundred men wept aloud. Imagine six hundred men howling over the loss of everything precious to them. Perhaps they wept for an hour, or two, or even three. They didn’t stop weeping until they had no strength left to weep.
Weeping is discouraged in many cultures, but not in the Bible. Joseph wept (Genesis 45:14), David wept (2 Samuel 15:30), Job wept (Job 16:16), Jeremiah wept (Lamentations 2:11), Peter wept (Luke 22:62), Paul wept (Acts 20:31), and may others wept. In fact, the shortest verse in the Bible says, Jesus wept (John 11:35).
Life hurts, sometimes, and reliable studies show that crying has many benefits such as removing toxins, reducing stress, elevating mood, and releasing negative feelings. [W]eeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5), wrote David.
1 Samuel 30:6 But David found strength in the Lord his God.
After weeping his heart out, David turned to God, and found new strength in him. Human strength comes to an end, but God has an endless supply. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaiah 40:29), wrote Isaiah.
But how, exactly, did David find strength in God? The Bible doesn’t say, but David probably considered the fact that God is mighty, and had helped him in the past. God also knew where the women and children were, and could help David rescue them. As David thought about this, his grief gave way to hope, his confusion to clarity, and his weakness to God’s strength.
1 Samuel 30:8 David inquired of the Lord.
David inquired of God, and received the guidance he needed. Life is confusing, at times, but God is still willing to guide. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5), wrote James. We don’t have to navigate life alone. God will guide us if we’re willing to follow.
1 Samuel 30:11 They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David.
David and his army were on the march, searching for their enemies, and trusting God to lead them. On the way they came across an Egyptian slave, who was abandoned by his master, because he was sick. It had been three days since he had anything to eat or drink but, as soon as he was nourished, he revived. Then he informed David that he was with the Amalekites when they burned Ziklag, and knew where they could be found. On the conditions that his life be spared, and he not be returned to his master, he agreed to lead David and his men to the place.
Whenever we have a problem, God may have a strategic person to help us solve it. And whenever someone else has a problem, we may be the strategic person God wants to help them solve it. We need each other to help solve our problems, and this is how God may use us.
1 Samuel 30:16 He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah.
Energized by God, and the desire to save their families, David and his men fought the Amalekites through the night, until the following evening. They recovered all the women and children, plus a great deal of plunder which they divided among themselves. A devastating event was turned into something good.
We should never judge a tragedy at the time it occurs, because we never know how God will use it for good. When David and his men saw the tragedy, they assumed it was the worst day of their lives. By following God and doing his will, however, it became one of the best. God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20), wrote Paul.
Reflection and Review
Why does God let bad things happen to his people?
How does God guide his people today?
How do you find strength in God?
David had a standing army of six hundred men and, together with their families, they were living in Ziklag. One day, when David and his men returned, they found their town burned to the ground, and all the women and children taken captive. David’s soldiers were so distressed that all they could talk about was stoning David. By all accounts, it was a very bad day.
After believing in God, some people think their life will be an unbroken series of blessings. [W]hatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:3), wrote the Psalmist. And you make the way of the righteous smooth (Isaiah 26:7), wrote Isaiah. This is true, of course, but it’s not the whole truth. We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22), said Paul. And In this world you will have trouble (John 16:33), said Jesus. God is pleased to smooth the way for us, but he also allows trouble to help us grow in faith.
1 Samuel 30:4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.
It’s hard to make grown men cry, especially those who’ve been hardened by battle. But the loss of their families, and all their possessions, was so great that all six hundred men wept aloud. Imagine six hundred men howling over the loss of everything precious to them. Perhaps they wept for an hour, or two, or even three. They didn’t stop weeping until they had no strength left to weep.
Weeping is discouraged in many cultures, but not in the Bible. Joseph wept (Genesis 45:14), David wept (2 Samuel 15:30), Job wept (Job 16:16), Jeremiah wept (Lamentations 2:11), Peter wept (Luke 22:62), Paul wept (Acts 20:31), and may others wept. In fact, the shortest verse in the Bible says, Jesus wept (John 11:35).
Life hurts, sometimes, and reliable studies show that crying has many benefits such as removing toxins, reducing stress, elevating mood, and releasing negative feelings. [W]eeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5), wrote David.
1 Samuel 30:6 But David found strength in the Lord his God.
After weeping his heart out, David turned to God, and found new strength in him. Human strength comes to an end, but God has an endless supply. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaiah 40:29), wrote Isaiah.
But how, exactly, did David find strength in God? The Bible doesn’t say, but David probably considered the fact that God is mighty, and had helped him in the past. God also knew where the women and children were, and could help David rescue them. As David thought about this, his grief gave way to hope, his confusion to clarity, and his weakness to God’s strength.
1 Samuel 30:8 David inquired of the Lord.
David inquired of God, and received the guidance he needed. Life is confusing, at times, but God is still willing to guide. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5), wrote James. We don’t have to navigate life alone. God will guide us if we’re willing to follow.
1 Samuel 30:11 They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David.
David and his army were on the march, searching for their enemies, and trusting God to lead them. On the way they came across an Egyptian slave, who was abandoned by his master, because he was sick. It had been three days since he had anything to eat or drink but, as soon as he was nourished, he revived. Then he informed David that he was with the Amalekites when they burned Ziklag, and knew where they could be found. On the conditions that his life be spared, and he not be returned to his master, he agreed to lead David and his men to the place.
Whenever we have a problem, God may have a strategic person to help us solve it. And whenever someone else has a problem, we may be the strategic person God wants to help them solve it. We need each other to help solve our problems, and this is how God may use us.
1 Samuel 30:16 He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah.
Energized by God, and the desire to save their families, David and his men fought the Amalekites through the night, until the following evening. They recovered all the women and children, plus a great deal of plunder which they divided among themselves. A devastating event was turned into something good.
We should never judge a tragedy at the time it occurs, because we never know how God will use it for good. When David and his men saw the tragedy, they assumed it was the worst day of their lives. By following God and doing his will, however, it became one of the best. God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20), wrote Paul.
Reflection and Review
Why does God let bad things happen to his people?
How does God guide his people today?
How do you find strength in God?