I Samuel 30:16-31 – David and Honor
The Living Word With Chuck Davis
I Samuel 30:16-31 – David and Honor
"Welcome to the Living Word with Chuck Davis." 1 Samuel 30, 16 to 31, David in honor. And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. And David struck them down with twilight until the evening of the next day, not a man of them escaped except for 400 young men who mounted camels and fled. David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all, David also captured all the flocks and herds and the people drove the livestock before them and said, "This is David's spoil." Then David came to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to follow David and who had been left at the Brook Besser. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people, he greeted them. When all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men had gone with David, said, "Because they do not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that has been recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children into part." But David said, "You should not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hands the band that came against us. Who would listen to you in this matter? Or as his share is, who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike." And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day. When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah saying, "Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord." It was for those in Bethel, in Rammath, of the Negeb, in Jhatir, in Arur, in Sifmoth, in Eshtymohah, in Rakal, in the cities of Jeremiah lights, in the cities of the Kenites, in Horma, in Borachan, in Athak, in Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed. You see in verse 18 that David had recovered all the El Melokites had taken. There's a elevating of David, even in the narration here. In the people respond, "This is David's spoil." What's interesting is that David's going to respond to a request of the people by saying, "This isn't my spoil. This is what the Lord has given us." David has a very clear sense of stewardship in life, in his life. You see that some of the 400 men who had gone with him do not want to share the spoils with the 200. This seems logical in some way, only fair, but not for David. David says, "We shall not do this, my brothers." He is looking to a higher standard. In that day, a statute is established. David's two acts of generosity set the standard for Israel, from that point forward. What's happening here is David shows incredible honor and respect to those who have been faithful to him. This is the final wilderness story. Remember, they began in Knob in chapter 21. Cline in his commentary says that, "The king acts like a hero. We've been getting this counterbalance between the way Saul acts and between the way David acts. Kings are made in the wilderness throughout Scripture. Moses gets his shaping time, Jesus, after being filled with the Holy Spirit, is sent out to the wilderness to be tested." Even while we're reading this story, we recognize David's victory, that there's another battle that's happening with the Philistines, and we're about to get a big shift in the story. The sole word of this is to be like David and remember that we are simply stewards of God's blessing. None of it belongs to us. The now what is a call to be generous, to bless people as much as I can today, to be one who becomes a conduit of the bounty of God to the blessing of others. Lord, as David, we recognize that even the breath that we breathe, physically and spiritually today, is gift from you. We want to steward all of the blessings that you send our way in a very honorable way this day. Help us by your spirit. We pray. In Jesus' name.