David Said to Himself – When David Fought with the Philistines • Messianic Teaching about King David

This Bible teaching from Founded in Truth Fellowship, delivered by Pete Wilson, delves into a critical and often troubling period in the life of King David, specifically his time spent in Philistine territory as a vassal of King Achish. The message centers on the pivotal moment recorded in 1 Samuel 27:1, where it states, “David said to himself.” This seemingly simple phrase reveals a significant shift in David’s reliance, moving from trust in God to dependence on his own understanding and actions.

To grasp the weight of David’s decision, it’s crucial to understand the backdrop of his life at this point. David was on the run from King Saul, who relentlessly sought to kill him. Despite God’s promise that David would become the next king of Israel, this future seemed distant and uncertain to David and his contemporaries. In his own cultural context, David’s lineage as the youngest of eight brothers and his lack of high social status made the prospect of him becoming king highly improbable. Yet, through God’s favor, David had risen to prominence, leading men, defeating Goliath, serving in Saul’s court, and achieving remarkable success in battle. However, years of being an outlaw, constantly evading Saul, had taken a toll.

The teaching emphasizes the significance of David’s internal dialogue, encapsulated in the phrase “David said to himself.” It poses fundamental questions about the nature of belief and how it shapes our reality. Beliefs are described as deeply ingrained filters that organize our perception of the world, influencing our decisions and actions, often subconsciously. The speaker highlights that the King James Version renders this phrase as “David said in his heart,” underscoring the profound, internal nature of this declaration.

Faced with the relentless pressure and uncertainty of his situation, David reasoned that his best course of action was to seek refuge in the land of the Philistines, believing that this would finally cause Saul to cease his pursuit. Accompanied by his six hundred men, David went to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. David requested a place to live outside the royal city, and Achish granted him Ziklag, which remained under the kings of Judah for a significant period. David’s stay in Philistine territory lasted a year and four months.

During this time, David and his men engaged in raids on the Geshurites, the Gergesites, and the Amalekites, inhabitants of the region stretching towards Egypt. A disturbing aspect of these raids was David’s practice of not leaving any survivors, neither men nor women. Upon returning to Achish, David would falsely report that he had raided the southern regions of Judah, the Jeremelites, and the Kenites, all of whom were allies of Israel. This deception allowed Achish to trust David, believing that David had made himself so repulsive to his own people that he would be forever bound to serve him.

The teaching confronts the moral implications of David’s actions during this period. It acknowledges the difficulty in reconciling the image of David as the future king of Israel, a man after God’s own heart, with his behavior as a vassal of a foreign king. David’s actions included serving Achish, potentially slaughtering people without God’s explicit permission, and engaging in deliberate deception. The speaker raises the pointed question of what to call someone who receives asylum and support, only to secretly attack their benefactor’s allies and lie about it, suggesting the term “terrorist.”

Furthermore, the speaker notes that David’s raiding practices differed from the norm, as he left no one alive to report his activities. This raises serious ethical concerns and highlights a significant departure from David’s previous conduct. The teaching challenges the tendency to justify such actions based on the enemies’ foreign gods, emphasizing that God created all humanity. It underscores that if David were a perfect ruler, the need for the Messiah would not have arisen. David, like all biblical figures and indeed all people, is presented as a complex individual.

As David’s time in Philistine territory drew to a close, the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish expected David and his men to join the Philistine army, and David’s response was ambiguous, stating, “Good, you will find out what your servant can do.” Achish, further solidifying his trust in David, declared him his permanent bodyguard. However, the other Philistine leaders were wary of David’s presence with Hebrew soldiers and insisted that Achish send him away, fearing he might turn against them in battle. Despite David’s protests to Achish, he ultimately returned to Ziklag.

The teaching posits that God intervened to prevent David from participating in this battle against Israel, recognizing the potential damage it would inflict on his future kingship. Significantly, the speaker points out that during this approximately sixteen-month period in Philistine territory, there is no record of David speaking or conversing with God, and no psalms are attributed to him. This silence underscores the spiritual distance that had grown as David relied on his own devices.

Upon returning to Ziklag, David and his men found the town burned and their families kidnapped by the Amalekites. This devastating event brought David to a critical juncture. His men, overwhelmed by grief and anger, even spoke of stoning him. In this moment of utter desperation, the scripture records a powerful turning point: “But David found strength in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6). This marks the end of the period that began with David saying to himself and a return to his reliance on Yahweh. David began to act like a leader again, inquiring of the Lord before taking any military action, a practice notably absent during his time in Philistine territory.

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Application for Everyday Life

• Be mindful of your internal dialogue. The things we say to ourselves have a profound impact on our beliefs and actions. Recognize when you are engaging in negative or untruthful self-talk.
• Actively challenge negative thoughts. When you identify harmful thoughts, actively and even aloud refute them with truth. This can help retrain your mind to focus on what is true and positive.
• Fill your mind with truth from God’s Word. Just as David returned to the Lord in his distress, we should consistently immerse ourselves in scripture and prayer to maintain a right perspective.
• Recognize the danger of self-reliance. While self-sufficiency can seem appealing, ultimately true strength and guidance come from trusting in God, especially during challenging times.
• Understand the complexity of biblical figures. Characters like David are not presented as perfect individuals but as complex humans with flaws and moments of both great faith and significant failure. This reminds us of our own human nature and the need for God’s grace.
• Consider the impact of your actions on others. David’s choices in Philistine territory likely affected his men and their families. Our decisions have consequences that extend beyond ourselves.
• Extend empathy even to those we perceive as enemies. The speaker’s reflection on Achish highlights the importance of seeing the humanity in everyone, even those on opposing sides.

References

Bible Verses

• 1 Samuel 27:1
• 1 Samuel 30:6

Books and Resources Mentioned

• The Bible
• HUD website (Housing and Urban Development)