DAVID THE SHEPHERD KING # 11 THE BACKSLIDER RETURNS 1 Samuel 30:6-31

We come to a place in our study of David where he is in great need of mercy. –In deep discouragement, he had backslidden, actually living with the enemy for 16 long months. –He has now come to his senses, and as a broken man, he turns back to God Many times it takes that for us to come to our senses – to become broken Lessons sometimes have to be learned the hard way What did David receive when he turned back to God? –Was it justice or mercy? –Did David receive what he deserved or what he needed? That will be the main subject of this message

DAVID TURNS TO GOD 1 Samuel 30:6-7 –Remember what David has been doing for the last 16 months, and what finally brought him to his senses: Loss of family Loss of friends –This period of David’s life typifies the person who backslides because of discouragement, but once David had turned back to God – his first act was to inquire of the Lord’s will for him. He summoned the priest to bring the ephod. 1 Sam 30:6-7 David was in great danger; for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in spirit for their sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 7 David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David

DAVID TURNS TO GOD 1 Samuel 30:6-7 1 Samuel 30:8 –David has reference here to the Amalekites who had carried away the families of David and his men. David was wanting to know if he should pursue them and attempt a rescue. Had God given David what he deserved there would have been no answer to his inquiry 1 Sam 30:8 David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?" He answered him, "Pursue; for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.

DAVID TURNS TO GOD 1 Samuel 30:6-7 1 Samuel 30:8 –David has reference here to the Amalekites who had carried away the families of David and his men. –But notice that God did answer David – even though God had been excluded from his life for the last 16 months. That is mercy, for David surely did not deserve an answer –It is important to realize that God accepted David back the moment he returned to God. Restoration was instant and total the moment David repented. –Many have a hard time believing that God handles backsliders that way. We see it here … It is also seen in the Prodigal Son … restored instantly and totally to the family

DAVID TURNS TO GOD 1 Samuel 30:6-7 1 Samuel 30:8 –David has reference here to the Amalekites who had carried away the families of David and his men. –But notice that God did answer David – even though God had been excluded from his life for the last 16 months. That is mercy, for David surely did not deserve an answer –It is important to realize that God accepted David back the moment he returned to God. Restoration was instant and total the moment David repented. –Many have a hard time believing that God handles backsliders that way. –In 2 Samuel, later in David’s life, after he had sinned and numbered the people – God gave him a choice as to the resulting consequences, when faced with deciding what his punishment would be for disobedience, David said (2 Samuel 24:14) Why didn’t David want to fall into the hand of man? He knew that God is far more merciful than man 2 Sam 24:14 Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into human hands."

DAVID TURNS TO GOD 1 Samuel 30:6-7 1 Samuel 30:8 –David has reference here to the Amalekites who had carried away the families of David and his men. –But notice that God did answer David – even though God had been excluded from his life for the last 16 months. That is mercy, for David surely did not deserve an answer –It is important to realize that God accepted David back the moment he returned to God. Restoration was instant and total the moment David repented. –Many have a hard time believing that God handles backsliders that way. –In 2 Samuel, later in David’s life, after he had sinned and numbered the people – God gave him a choice as to the resulting consequences, when faced with deciding what his punishment would be for disobedience, David said (2 Samuel 24:14) –God’s mercies are great – David experienced them more than once Perhaps you are slidden back... God is waiting to restore Consider Lamentations 3:22-24 Lam 3:22-24 The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him.

DAVID UNITED WITH GOD IN VICTORY 1 Samuel 30:9-10 –200 of David's men were left behind due to their grief, loss of morale and trust in David – but, 400 travel on not knowing exactly where they were going –Suddenly, we will now notice that God, through a young Egyptian slave, will provide direction 1 Sam 30:9-10 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.

DAVID UNITED WITH GOD IN VICTORY 1 Samuel 30: Samuel 30:11-12 –Let’s stop here for just a minute. Get a good look at this Egyptian – he is in horrible shape How did he get this way? His master, an Amalekite, abandoned him when he got to be more of burden than he was worth (v. 13). He was just left behind to die – no mercy shown –Kind of reminds you of the way that Satan treats his salves – doesn’t it? The moment you are no more use to him, he dumps you to die without mercy. David shows mercy to this man. I wonder where he got the idea? 1 Sam 30:11-12 Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. 12 They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights 1 Sam 30:13 David said to him, "To whom do you belong? And where are you from?" And he said, "I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago

DAVID UNITED WITH GOD IN VICTORY 1 Samuel 30: Samuel 30: Samuel 30:14-15 –The phrase, “…we burned Ziklag with fire” must have burned through David like laser beams –The Egyptian agrees to show David the way to the enemy camp 1 Sam 30:14-15 We made a raid on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire." 15 Then David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this band?" And he said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band."

DAVID UNITED WITH GOD IN VICTORY 1 Samuel 30: Samuel 30: Samuel 30: Samuel 30:16-17 –The Amalekites, knowing that the Philistines were far away and thinking that David was with them, had totally abounded themselves to debauchery –David, with the help of God, jumped on them like a pride of lions on a defenseless herd of gazelles. –We flinch a bit when reading about this kind of slaughter. But the New Testament tells us that these things were written for our example. Remember the Amalekites were the enemy of God 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 We are to treat sin in our lives like David treated those Amalekites –David was now doing what Saul was suppose to be doing for the last 30 years – doing what we are suppose to be doing fighting against the last strongholds of sin –Remember what we said earlier? When you return to God forgiveness is instant and complete – God was with David in battle – he is living again in victory 1 Sam 30:16-17 When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled 2 Cor 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

DAVID UNITED WITH GOD IN VICTORY 1 Samuel 30: Samuel 30: Samuel 30: Samuel 30: Samuel 30:18-20 –It was a tremendous victory! It must have a wonderful reunion of the families –But in all this joy there was an undercurrent of discontent, some were saying, “This is David’s spoil” 1 Sam 30:18-20 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. 19 But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back. 20 So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, " This is David's spoil."

WITH MERCY COMES GENEROSITY 1 Samuel 30:21-22 –Uh-Oh. David has a problem to deal with. –These men are fresh off the battle field – the smell of blood is still in their nostrils. They could easily turn on David 1 Sam 30:21-22 When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart."

WITH MERCY COMES GENEROSITY 1 Samuel 30: Samuel 30:23 –David is saying, “We aren’t to be stingy with what God has given to us freely” –Look at verse 22 again … US … WE … WE –“Wait a minute!” says David. “This is God’s victory, not ours. God gave us the victory!” 1 Sam 30:23 Then David said, "You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. 1 Sam 30:22 Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart."

WITH MERCY COMES GENEROSITY 1 Samuel 30: Samuel 30:23 1 Samuel 30:24-25 –This is a great illustration of the New Testament principles taught by Jesus in Matthew 10:8 –We need to remember where our goods come from, and be generous with what God has blessed –This response of David which ultimately became an ordinance in Israel would serve David well in the future, endearing Israel to many for their kindness. It could do the same for the Lord’s church today –Look how generous David is in the next verses … 1 Sam 30:24-25 And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike." 25 So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. Matt 10:8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give

WITH MERCY COMES GENEROSITY 1 Samuel 30: Samuel 30:23 1 Samuel 30: Samuel 30:26-31 –Some of the spoil was no doubt returned to the rightful owner … and much was passed on to those who were less fortunate –David was later honored with great wealth because of his generosity –2 Corinthians 9:6 … God will take care of the generous 1 Sam 30:26-31 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: 27 to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the Negev, and to those who were in Jattir, 28 and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa, 29 and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 30 and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Bor-ashan, and to those who were in Athach, 31 and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to go. 2 Cor 9:8 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully

David was merciful because he had been shown mercy Are you mindful of God’s mercy toward you? Are you in need of God’s mercy in a special way today?