“Odious”

May 3, 2018

“Odious”

Blessings folk!

David fled to hide in the land of the Philistines.
David and his men lived in the land of Achish, king of Gath.

David petitioned Achish for some place to leave.
Petition granted.

1Sa 27:5-7

Then David said to Achish,
“If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

So Achish gave him Ziklag that day;
therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.

The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines
was a year and four months.

(Ever felt as if you have been placed in hiding for 16 months?)

What did David and his men do during this time?
Lay around?
Relax?
Chill?

Nope.

Read.
Learn.

1Sa 27:8-12

Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times,
as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.

David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing.
Then he returned and came to Achish.

Now Achish said, “Where have you made a raid today?”
And David said, “Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites.”

David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”

So Achish believed David, saying,
“He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel;
therefore he will become my servant forever.”

David and his men made raids against common enemies of Israel and the Philistines.
They left no one alive.
Why?
Otherwise survivors would tell.
Tell what?

David was defeating common enemies, but he was actually clearing the land of the enemies of the Lord on behalf of Israel.

I suspect that proclamations of “In the name of the Lord”, etc. would have been heard during the raids.

When questioned by Achish, David would shrewdly respond that he was attacking the Negev (“south&rdquoWinking regions of Judah, etc.

Achish believed all this was being done on his behalf.
Achish believed that David was making himself “odious” in the sight of his people Israel.
Achish believed David was seeking revenge upon his own people.
Achish believed that David would therefore be his servant forever.
Achish was wrong.

Even while fleeing the king of Israel…
Even in self-imposed exiled in the midst of the enemy…
Even so, David “aggressively waited” upon the Lord.
He cleared/cleansed the Land.

He waited.

So should we…

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