God Intervenes To Save David

Knowing that Saul was determined to kill him, David took refuge in the wilderness.  Jonathan found out where he was and came out to encourage him, as described in I Samuel 23:15-18.  “And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.  And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.  And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.  And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. “

 

Hoping to incur the Kings favor, the inhabitants of the wilderness agreed to betray David to Saul, in I Samuel 23:19-23.  “Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?  Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.

 

And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.  Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly.  See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.”

 

By the time they came to the wilderness of Ziph, David had moved to wilderness of Maon.  In the wilderness of Maon, Saul was able to surround David and his men and his capture appeared certain, as I Samuel 23:24-26.  “And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.  Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.  And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.”

 

Desperate to kill David, Saul had taken the entire army to the wilderness, leaving the borders unguarded.  The Philistines had taken advantage of the situation to invade Israel, and if they were not stopped, they might take over all Israel.  To save the nation, Saul was forced to withdraw and fight the Philistines, as we see in I Samuel 23:27-28.  “But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.  Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.”

 

When Saul withdrew his army, David seized the opportunity to go to  place where he would be harder to trap, oing to the hills and caves of Engedi, as I Samuel 3:29 tells us.  “And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.”

 

God had repeatedly saved David from Saul, but this is the most obvious time he directly intervened on David’s behalf. Only he could cause the Philistines to attack at just the right time to force Saul to withdraw.  Its easy to forget how powerful God is.  As Romans 8:31 asks,”…If God be for us, who can be against us?”  With all the power of the Israelite government behind him, Saul could not capture or kill David because God was protecting him.