After Three Days

David and all his fighting men had gone out to battle. While they were away, the Amalekites, their enemies took that opportunity to raid Ziklag.  Those evil, mindless, heartless Amalekites, knew that the Lord’s army was too strong for them, so they waited for the time when only the old, the young and the women were in Ziklag and they raided the place. They burned Ziklag and carried away everything.

All this was taking place and neither King David, nor his soldiers knew what was happening to their homes and families. Three days after that total wiping out of their place, three days after their wives, children and families have been taken captive, David and his men return home. We are told that when David and his men reach Ziklag, they find it destroyed by fire and their wives and children all taken captive. The shock is too much for them. These strong, fierce, fighting men weep aloud uncontrollably. Here is a vivid description, in 1 Samuel 30: 4. David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 

It gets even worse, for somebody must pay for this. The grief turns into bitterness and the soldiers are saying that somebody has to shoulder the blame. These grieved men of Israel, who are beside themselves, turn their anger towards David.  They want to stone him to death, for they are held by grave bitterness. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. 1 Samuel 30: 6a.

Can you see David at this particular moment?  He too has faced the same great loss of his home, his wives, his children, his household, and his place of abode. In addition, his own friends and fellow soldiers want to stone him.  He is facing sure death.

• Three days ago, they all had a community.  Today, it is no more.

• Three days ago, their families were all well and safely living life in Ziklag.  Today, they are dead to such freedom and peace.   

• Three days ago, David knew men who would give their lives to save him, men who looked up to him and followed his commands as leader and king. Today, this esteem is all dead, for they are talking of stoning him to death.

In his great distress, we are told this. David found strength in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30: 6b.  The Lord God helped David.  He strengthened him and made him bold, to go and fight again. On that occasion, it was to bring back all that was stolen from them. Then God entered the bitterness of those very dejected and deflated soldiers and turned their hearts and minds around. They became as they were before, loyal and obedient to David. They all listened to him, as he told them that God would give them all they needed, to bring their loved ones from their present bondage.

Listen! All these were weary, tired men.  Yet in obedience, they all set off, a six hundred strong army. When they came to Besor Ravine, two hundred of the men were physically unable to go a step further, without collapsing.  But David had a God who was able and willing to work with any number. I tell you, the Lord God, David’s God, gave victory to David and the Israelites, with a depleted army of tired, grieving men.  Is not David’s God your God and mine also?  Do you know this God? 

Three days after that grave attack, the entire tables were turned. David recovered everything that was taken from them. Nothing was missing; young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else that had been.  David brought everything back. 1 Samuel 30: 19. Is this not the boldness of our Lord’s Almighty Power? Three days after, there is life again, real, true, joyous, free life again.

Sometimes, we too face these unexpected hardships, when we are doing some work for God. But does He not know what is happening to us, even when we do not know? Of course He does, and He will bring us out, the victors, in His Name. Trust David’s God!