Finding Grace in the Lord

1 Samuel 30:1–20

Paul J. Bucknell

Moral dilemmas | Difficult testings | Rewards and conclusion | Questions

B) Handling Difficult Testings (1 Samuel 30:1-31)

The words, “Then it happened” (1 Samuel 30:1), set the scene for perhaps David’s most challenging life trial. It is vital to connect this chapter with the previous one, as the chapter division is artificial. The events are linked.

What happened to David and his men in 1 Samuel 30:1-5?

30:1 Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; 2 and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.

3 And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. 5 Now David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite” (1 Samuel 30:1-5).

Three days after David narrowly escaped a great disaster involving the Israelites, he returned home to Ziklag only to find something even worse had happened. While they were away, the Amalekites came, took what they wanted, burned the city to the ground, and left. David and his men had lost not only their homes and possessions, but also their wives and children. No one was left.

The people were deeply grieved. The scripture describes this intense weeping, “wept until there was no strength in them to weep” (30:4). David did not escape the pain of the event; he lost his two wives (30:5).

How did things get even worse for David (30:6a)?

6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters” (1 Samuel 30:6a).

A superficial look at this whole scene might lead us, like David’s men, to conclude that God had simply judged David’s small army for their evil. Verse 6 begins to reveal the release of all the men’s suppressed anger and frustration from following David. They were bitter against David because of their loss. They had no doubt that this trouble was because of David.

Everyone looks to David and blames him. After all, this scam was David’s. His own men started talking about stoning him. Remember, many of these men were runaways from King Saul and the Israeli government. They were not cowards and were willing to kill David. It’s helpful for us to see that while God miraculously delivered David and his men from a serious mistake, the Lord was not pleased with David’s irresponsible actions. What did David deserve? He deserved this tragic ending to his life. Things could not get worse.

What was David and his men tempted with during this unexpected event? What makes the temptation so strong?

What was the turnabout in David’s life at this time (30:6b)?

6 But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God” (1 Samuel 30:6b).

David was at a critical point in his life. The Accuser was likely blaming him constantly. David had failed God and his people. He misled them and lost everything. In such desperate times, we are tempted to lose all hope. Satan is just waiting for us to give him full control over our minds with his temptations.

“You are no good.”

“God has left you!”

“You might as well end it now!”

“You are a failure.”

“Stop pretending to love God.”

Satan’s purpose is to drive David and us to distress, despair, depression and suicide. Step back from everything happening and confess your failure, but don’t forget God’s grace. Seek His grace. Hold onto His mercy. God is still present. This is a special time for learning. The sooner someone softens their heart, the sooner the Lord can set down His whip. Remember, David could only see failure at this time. He only knew of the lost. He could only hear the voices threatening to destroy his life. However, David shows us the right way to respond. He strengthened himself in the Lord.

What happens when one strengthens oneself in the Lord?

This phrase, “strengthening oneself in the Lord,” is very important not only for Old Testament characters but also for New Testament believers. We often use the word ‘trust’ instead of ‘strengthen oneself in the Lord.’ The Old Testament description is helpful because it shows how someone strengthens themselves in the Lord through David’s example. When someone strengthens themselves in the Lord, their faith becomes stronger. Their confidence in how God will take care of them and their concerns increases. They are able to handle the situation. Having built that stronger faith, they can take the next step as David did, even if they don’t know what the outcome will be. David trusted in God, not his plan, since he did not know what to expect.

Confidence helps us move forward. Without it, we tend to give up or avoid difficult situations. Avoidance is the opposite of what we should do and can lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, procrastination happens because we lack God’s strength. We don't want to face such things, so we avoid them.

Reflection: Explain what ‘strengthened oneself in the Lord his God’ means in your own words. Share an example from your life when you did this. Compare it to a time when you did not strengthen yourself in the Lord.

How do you strengthen yourself in the Lord? (1 Samuel 30:7-9)

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and you shall surely rescue all.” 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained.

Your trust is not in yourself. You are not strong enough, but God is. Approach the Lord and seek His help in specific ways. He does what you cannot do. This process explains how you put your trust in the Lord rather than relying on external or internal resources.

This step of seeking the Lord in verse 7 is significant. It sets David apart from others. During times of great crisis, he would turn to the Lord. A sense of humility seemed to surround David. He was willing to admit his mistakes but hoped for God’s grace.

Instead of giving in to all the many attacks, David persisted in trusting God. He did this by having Abiathar the priest bring out his ephod and seek God’s guidance. When confidence comes, we can move forward and take the right step. Judgment does not mean that God has abandoned us. We can turn back only because God is gracious. Notice how God promised David and his men that all would be rescued (30:8). Discipline has a purpose. When that purpose is fulfilled, God is there to comfort, encourage, and even restore.

Application: Remember to seek God's promises to inspire you as you take your next steps!

What happened afterward? (1 Samuel 30:11-20)

16 And 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 And 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. 18 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” (1 Samuel 30:16-20).

An Egyptian servant fell ill, so the Amalekites left him in the desert to die. They assumed they now had a new supply of slaves from the Israelites. Although this may seem like a minor detail, it is part of God’s bigger plan. Once the servant regained strength, he could lead them directly to the Amalekites to reduce the harm that might befall the captives from Ziklag by the drunken Amalekites.

The Amalekites celebrated so intensely because of their success. They were not prepared to face David and his men. David’s men fought valiantly and regained everything just as God had promised. “But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves” (30:19). This was a remarkable miracle. Only God could have accomplished this.

God doesn't just judge. He disciplines His children (see Hebrews 12). Discipline may sting, but it aims to change our ways and thoughts about certain behaviors. God never intends for us to believe He has abandoned or rejected us. Parents can learn a lot from this.

Application: No matter what a child does, he should never be able to conclude from his parents’ actions and attitudes that they have rejected him. After disciplining our children, we hug them. Forgiveness is offered, and the relationship is restored. This aligns with God’s way of training our lives.

Understanding the situation

Notice what happens here. David and his men are miraculously saved from this moral dilemma only to discover their family and possessions have been stolen.

Reflection: Why would God allow this situation to happen if He was going to help David get through it?

God’s purpose isn’t just to deliver judgment. That would have been much easier than planning these ‘close calls.’ God is exposing and rebuking David so he can become a greater man, even a better king. God is revealing His ultimate touch of grace. David did not deserve this. One can wonder why Saul was not given more grace. However, God did show Saul much grace, but time and again he rejected God’s counsel and acted more wickedly than before. David was broken. This strengthening in the Lord showed he was ready to abandon his small plans and trust God, who can devise special plans.

Application: We might also find ourselves in situations that seem impossible, where everyone—even our friends and colleagues—turns against us. It could be because of our own sin, as in David’s case, or it might not be. In either case, these times should be seen as the Lord being fully in control of our training.

We can trust Him. Call upon the Lord and then, step by step, work through what can be done. This usually involves drawing near to Him through His Word. It helps to remember that the Lord wants to glorify Himself through that situation and draw you closer to Him.

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. [Selah. God is to us a God of deliverances; And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death” (Psalms 68:19-20).

Moral dilemmas | Difficult testings | Rewards and conclusion | Questions