In the Enemy's Camp
Notes
Transcript
I. How is this time different?
I. How is this time different?
David could do this now because (1) the news of Saul’s pursuit of him had gotten out. (2) David now has an army and can therefore provide meaningful military support.
II. Did it work?
II. Did it work?
It did, in fact work.
Saul stopped pursuing David
David took the town of Ziklag from the Philistines, expanding Israel’s control of the land promised her.
David obtained a platform to enable him to fight against some of the smaller groups that God had ordered Israel to wipe out.
III. What did David have to do to make it work?
III. What did David have to do to make it work?
David must choose to live in an area controlled by the enemy, but it is in fact the promised land. Josh 13:1-3
Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.
This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites,
from Sihor, which is east of Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward (which is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines—the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites;
Achish is occupying part of the land God commanded Israel to occupy.
The Philistines were at war with Israel and wanted to drive them away from their land.
It was the task of several judges and Kings to deliver Israel from the Philistines, a task that would now fall on the latest king of Israel. Judges 3:31; 13:5; 1 Sam 7:3; 9:16
After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.
For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”
To make this work without betraying his people, David had to lie, a lot.
Lie 1 - The real reason David wanted a different city
Lie 2 - The real object of David’s attacks
Lie 3 - The real actions when fighting with the Philistines
IV. Should David have done that?
IV. Should David have done that?
It is David’s right to occupy the promised land. It is also his right to be at war with Achish. He does not have the mandate to befriend Achish in reality. The only way that could change is if the Philistines choose to become worshippers of Yahweh - not going to happen. Exod 23:30-33
Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land.
And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.
You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
The Biblical standard is speaking truth with his neighbor. Eph 4:25
Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
Your Neighbor is someone with whom you ought to be at peace. - Good Samaritan; “love your enemies.” So not just your actual friends, but those with whom you are at odds, but should be at peace with.
Wartime ethics are different - you’re supposed to be able to trust your neighbor. Trusting the enemy is dumb. 1 Kings 20:34, 42
So Ben-Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Then Ahab said, “I will send you away with this treaty.” So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.
Then he said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’ ”
Fifth Columnists accomplish a lot for their side. 2 Sam 15:32-34
Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.
David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me.
But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.
David continues to love Absalom, and never stops.
David still believes that this 5th column activity is ethical and right
David nevertheless hopes to be reconciled with Absalom, but at the moment they are at war, so wartime rules apply.
V. How does this apply to us?
V. How does this apply to us?
There are just wars.
Spy tactics are right, only if the war is just.
Do not apply war rules to metaphorical “fights.”
War rules are different than peace, but not all’s fair in love and war.
The Enemy of my Enemy is not always my friend.