1 Samuel 27, 29
Leaders Prep Section
Watch this video, read these notes, and send the pre-written email (below) to your group 2-3 days before you meet.
Notes
David honors God’s commandments to his people given hundreds of years earlier. And therein lives a very important lesson for any leader.
Group Guide Starts Here
Context of scripture
In 1 Samuel 26 (which we skipped), David spares Saul’s life again, taking his spear in dramatic fashion to prove he will not kill Saul, even though Saul deserves it. I Samuel 26: 23 makes it clear that God did not tell David whether to kill or spare Saul’s life. He let David choose. At the end of chapter 26, Saul returns home and David goes back into the wilderness.
Read 1 Samuel 27: 1-7
Achish is one of the Philistine kings – the one that David visited earlier for help. This is the same king that David visited and then David started acted like a madman to keep from being killed by the king’s men.
In the next part we’re about to read, David implements a plan that requires some explanation up front. David acts like he is a servant of the Philistine king and asks for land away from the city where he and his men can live and also raid the Israelites. However, it’s really a double-cross. David is not attacking Israelites. He’s attacking the Philistines that live in these outer regions while living on Philistine land under protection from the Philistine king. He kills everyone in these outer regions so that no one is left alive to tell on David and his men.
Read 1 Samuel 27: 8-12
The groups that David is attacking are some of Israel’s oldest enemies. These groups had attacked the Israelites after they left Egypt on their way to Canaan. God had commanded that Israel destroy these people way back then. So in a way, David is doing exactly what God told the Israelites to do. Even though it’s been hundreds of years, no one has been willing to go do it until David.
Being a successful leader in business or some other earthly pursuit means you might retire, slow down, and live like you want. Being a successful leader who follows God means you are always at work. How do you feel about that?
Is boldness a necessary component of leadership? Do you consider yourself bold?
We’ll skip a large section of 1 Samuel 28 (for now). Just read 1 Samuel 28: 1-2, then 29: 1-11 to see how David’s time with the Philistines end.
David has graduated to a new level of leadership. He is working independently, on God’s behalf, meaning he’s acting without invitation, keeping in line with what God wants.
Apparently, it’s important to listen and wait on God, but it’s also important not to sit around.
Is there anything you are currently waiting on God for? How long do you plan to wait and what if you never hear anything? What should you do, if anything?