Deeper Reflection
WHEN DAVID INQUIRED of God about pursuing the Amalekites, God spoke to him with a promise of success (v.8). “So David went” with his 600 men (vv.9-10). But did David know exactly where to find the Amalekites? No, he didn’t. When God speaks to us, there can be things that are only for divine action. This was the case for David. As David moved, not knowing where the Amalekites were, God led and guided him through His quiet providence: “Now they found an Egyptian in the field” (v.11a). David did not see God’s hand behind this at this point, but God’s hand was there. Out of kindness David fed the Egyptian who had gone without food and water for three days (vv.11-12). Quite naturally, David asked this man the basic social interaction questions, “Who are you?” and “Where are you from?” (v.13a). Then God’s providential hand became evident to David in these words of the Egyptian: “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite…. We made a raid…and we burned Ziklag with fire” (vv.13b-14; see 1 Sam 30:1). The Egyptian brought David and his men to the Amalekites’ location (vv.15-16). Then, they “slaughtered” the Amalekites, and “rescued” and “recovered all that the Amalekites had taken” (vv.17-20) as God had spoken, “You will surely rescue all” (v.8). If truly God has spoken, we can rest assured that He will bring His word to pass in His way and in His time. For He who has promised is faithful (Heb 11:11; Gen 21:1).
