Yesterday we saw how God used Abigail (and David’s willingness to listen to her!) to save David from a mistake that could have cost him the kingdom. Today is one more story on that theme except David didn’t even have a choice. This one was all God.

The story begins in 1 Samuel 27 when David, even after he spares Saul’s life for the second time, knows that Saul will pursue him to death, despite his apologies. So David goes to the land of the Philistines.

Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” (1 Samuel 27.1, ESV)

The text says David stayed there for 16 months during which time he raided isolated villages of people who were neither Philistines nor Israelis although he told Achish, king of the Philistines, he had been raiding towns in Israel, thus making Achish think David was permanently on his side.

This brings us to our story in 1 Samuel 29. The Philistines have massed their armies and are going to fight Israel. David is with them:

Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish,… (1 Samuel 29.1, ESV)

This is not a good thing. This is the battle in which Saul and his son Jonathan are killed (see 1 Samuel 31). What are David’s chances of becoming king of Israel when he has participated in the battle on the side of the army that killed King Saul? There’s no Abigail around to counsel him; how can God stop this foolishness? Easy:

The commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 29.3 – 7, ESV)

We don’t know if David had a plan, that he was really intending to ambush the Philistines from the rear during the battle, but no matter. The appearance would be that he was with the Philistines. So God, working through the Philistine commanders sent David home.

God has a plan, a story he will work out, and sometimes he has to do it whether we cooperate or not. (I’m by no means suggesting we test God by doing something stupid with the idea that if God wants to stop us, he can! Sometimes he doesn’t.)

This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? (Isaiah 14.26, 27, ESV)

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8.28, NASB)