MONDAY October 14, 2019
A Surprise Attack
Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.
1 Samuel 30:1-2
The Philistine leaders did not want David to fight in the battle alongside side them. They were genuinely concerned that he would betray them. King Achish, even though he trusted David, would not allow him to fight. After being rejected; David went back home.
When David returned to Ziklag with his men, he was faced with a very difficult situation. They saw that the camp had been attacked by the Amalekites. All the wives and children belonging to them were taken captive. By now, they would have traveled about 50-60 miles away. David would have known about this arch enemy of Israel.
In Israel’s history, the Amalekites had attacked God’s people after they had left Egypt with Moses:…he [Amalekites] met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God (Deuteronomy 25:18). In righteous judgment for their cruelty, God commanded them to be annihilated (Deuteronomy 25:19).
Saul was not obedient to God’s command to destroy all the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15). If he had of obeyed, this event at Ziklag would never have happened! Understand, the Amalekites are a type of the flesh––carnal desires. Saul’s disobedience came back to haunt him–– he was eventually killed by an Amalekite!
When you do not reckon the old man to be dead; your flesh haunts you––your carnal desires dominate your life. If you do not put it to death, your flesh will become a thorn in your side, a terrible snare in your life.
Be killing sin or it will be killing you.
~John Owens~
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