His life reads like a story book. One adventure after another! And 1st Samuel chapter 30 is no exception.
Here are some details. Having returned from a previous exploit, David finds his home “base” plundered by an enemy!
Ziklag, near the Philistine border with Israel, had become a kind of headquarters for David and his men, his followers having grown into a small army.
Upon arrival, a shocking surprise awaited them all!
An enemy, the Amalekites by name, had kidnapped all David’s (and his men’s) Wives and Children. They had apparently looted the city as well. In fact, they had robbed a number of Phillistine cities!
David wisely sought the Lord’s guidance … and then engaged his little force for a “God approved” battle!
Then another problem arose. All 600 of David’s “troops” could not march and fight. They were simply too exhausted to go any further. Note: They had all fought valiantly for some time.
Here are the exact statistics … 400 were able to go with their commander. But 200 were not!
Long story short, to get to the “point” of today’s lesson. David and company located the culprits, attacked them and regained all their families and property!
In fact, David recovered more than just the most recently stolen property, his and his men’s, but also collected loot (primarily cattle, sheep and goats) previously and illegally taken (by the Amalekites) from weaker cities!
Now, the men return “home” to Ziklag.
Here’s the problem. It was customary in that ancient day to share the “spoil” of battle equally, soldiers and officers and commander alike!
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE 200 MEN WHO WERE TOO WEAK TO GO AND FIGHT? DO THEY GET NOTHING? AFTER ALL, THEY RISKED NOTHING! BUT THEY ARE “IN THE ARMY!”
Well, some of David’s men who fought so hard wanted to deny the ones who stayed “home” any bounty at all. Here’s what they said … “Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.” 1st Samuel 30:22
But David, the wise administrator, thought differently! This became a law in Israel, David’s decision about the matter …
“Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.” 1st Samuel 30:23-24
Those who “stayed by the stuff” will get their share as much as those who “went to battle!”
Wow!
And here’s my thought today … many in the Lord’s family cannot go to the battlefields of foreign missionary service. South America somewhere or Asia or some remote Island!
But if they, even though staying behind due to some legitimate reason, are nonetheless “in the army” … praying or giving or supporting the active soldiers of the Cross in some way … they should be (and will be) equally rewarded!
David again … “As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.”
Wow!
Though a stay-at-home Christian … not going abroad to witness for Jesus … be a praying, giving, knowledgeable member of God’s Army … and you too will someday hear “Well Done!”
An award, a payday awaits your faithfulness!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Encouraging!
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