Building an Army… (3 things)

• 1^st – The city of Ziglag… vs. 1 Read: I Chronicles 12:1-2
  • 1^st – Backing up in our story to when David was feeling from Saul – he hid out in Ziglag… vs. 1
    • David knew Saul would never stop hunting him – I Samuel 27:1-4
      • And it seemed a strong possibility he might just catch up with David and kill him…
      • So he took his 600 men – and went to hide out in the city of Gath…
      • He asked King Achish for protection from the wrath of Saul…
      • David and the Philistines shared a common ‘enemy’ – making them ‘friends’…
      • And when Saul heard that David had fled to Gath – he stopped looking for him!
    • David had tried this once before – I Samuel 21:13 – and it had failed…
      • He had ended up acting like a mad man – drooling on himself and scratching at doors…
      • Yet somehow David convinced himself this time would be different…
      • I am often amazed at how people keep trying the same failed path in life…
      • How many times do we have to make the same mistake – in order to learn…
      • The answer is ALWAYS Jesus – only in Him will we find peace and joy!
  • 2^nd – God had specifically told David to remain in Israel – I Samuel 22:5
    • David had nothing to fear from Saul – God had protected him every time!
    • But since David did not fully trust in God – he was afraid to stay in Israel…
    • Yet David was too close to God – to be happy living with pagans…
    • I have met so many believers who are miserable – there is no joy in their lives…
    • They have too much love for the world – to be happy in the Lord…
    • The problem is they think the world has something to offer them…
    • Yet every time they try to ‘have fun’ the Holy Spirit is there to convict them…
    • So they are not happy in the world – because they know too much about the Lord…
    • They are miserable wherever they are – because they are divided in their heart!
    • Luke 16:13 – “No one can serve two masters. You will hate one and love the other…”
      
  • 3^rd – David did not want to stay in Gath – he was only pretending to be a ‘friend’…
    • The closer he was to the King – the more likely it was the king would figure that out…
    • So David moved to Ziglag – a Philistine town near the southern part of Judah…
    • And David lived there in the territory of the Philistines for 1½ years…
    • David was living double life – living in the world / but still trying to follow God!
    • There are many Christians who live double lives – try to blend in…
    • When they are at church / Bible study – they know how to act like Christians…
    • But when they are out in the world – they look and act just like the sinners do!
  • 4^th – David and his men would go out on raids …
    • They would attack the cities of the Geshurites / Girzites / and Amalekites…
      • These nations were supposed to be conquered by Israel – Joshua 12:12 / 13:2
      • So to justify his time with the Philistines – David tried to ‘serve’ the Lord…
      • It is easy to justify ourselves – even as we are drifting away from the Lord…
      • We reassure ourselves that we attend Bible studies along with everyone else…
      • But where is our heart – are we excited / or just going through the motions…
      • If we are not drawing closer to the Lord – then we are drifting away…
      • II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you.”
    • David and his men would completely wipe the towns out…
      • They left no one alive – but took all the livestock and plunder back to Ziglag…
      • When David returned – King Achish would ask where he had been…
      • David would lie – and say he had been attacking the towns of Judah…
      • Since they left no one alive – there was no one to tell the truth to Achish…
      • He assumed the people of Israel now hated David for raiding their towns…
      • As a result Achish had complete confidence and trust in David and his men!
      • We might be able to fool the world – but we cannot fool God…
      • We might sing extra loud during worship / help with the children / carry a big Bible…
      • God is not impressed by the outside – the Lord looks at the heart – I Samuel 16:7
      • No matter how ‘good we look’ – if the heart is not right – we are not right with God!
        
• 2^nd – A ragtag bunch… vs. 2-22
  • 1^st – While David was in Ziglag – men from Israel came to join him… vs. 2-7
    • The first wave came from the tribe of Benjamin – relatives of King Saul!
    • The list contains 25 names – though the number of men could have been far more…
    • They were ambidextrous and armed with bows – and slings – these were the artillery!
    • The sling was an extremely dangerous weapon if used right…
    • Ancient writers talk about slinging a lead ball so fast – it turned red with air friction!
    • It was said a skilled warrior could lethally hit a mark 600’ away!
    • The point simply being – these warriors from Benjamin were VERY GOOD!
    • And although they were related to Saul – they stood with King David!
  • 2^nd – The second wave came from the tribe of Gad… vs. 8-15 Read: I Chronicles 12:8
    • The list contains 11 names – but each was a captain over many men…
    • The least of these captains could lead 100 men / the greatest 1000 men…
    • All the men were trained with shield and spear – these were the infantry / marines!
    • They had faces like lions (brave / fierce) – and were swift like gazelles (fast and sure footed)…
    • And they were fearless – they crossed the Jordan River during the spring floods!

• 3^rd – The third wave came from Judah and Benjamin… vs. 16-18 Read: I Chronicles 12:16-18
  • David had his doubts as to their motives – were they for him or against him…
  • So he came out and asked them plainly and asked them!
  • In response the Spirit of God came on Amasai – declaring their allegiance to David!
  • We never know what someone else is thinking – but we like to think the worst…
  • But more often than not our assumptions are WAY OFF…
  • Walking down the street – someone looks towards us with a frown…
  • Out brains race to try and figure out what we have done to upset them…
  • Maybe they do not like our outfit / or perhaps we forgot their birthday…
  • When in truth they did not even notice us – because they just bit their tongue!
  • Assumptions are like bombs – one mistake and they can blow up on us!
  • Its dangerous to make assumptions – especially if we do not have all the information
  • If we are not careful we will end up doing and saying things we will regret!
  • Luke 6:27 – “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”
• 4^th – The forth wave came from the tribe of Manasseh… vs. 19-21 Read: I Chronicles 12:19
  • The list contains 7 names – but each was a captain over thousands…
    • They joined with David while he was going with the Philistines to battle King Saul…
    • The Philistines had gathered together to go to war with Israel – I Samuel 28:1-2
    • King Achish came to David to test him – would David go to war with his own people…
    • David was quick to answer – ‘You will see for yourself what we can do!’
    • Impressed by the answer – Achish made David his personal body guard…
    • The problem with living a double life is – eventually we will have to choose…
    • The danger of living life on the fence – is falling off on the wrong side!
  • David and his men were with the Philistines preparing for battle…
    • But the princes of the Philistines were upset by the presence of David…
    • What if he ‘changed sides’ in the middle of the battle…
    • So King Achish agreed to send David home – keep him from the battle
    • Had David gone through with the war with Israel it would have been his end…
    • If David had fought against Israel – they would never have accepted him as King…
    • If David had turned on the Philistines – they would likely have killed him…
    • But it was God who hardened the hearts of the Philistines leaders…
    • The Lord miraculously gave David a way out of the trouble he got himself into…
    • God is always fighting for us – trying to keep us from the dangers of this world…
    • He will always gives us a way out – if we are willing to take it…
    • He gives us a ladder to climb out of the holes we seem to always fall into!
    • I Corinthians 10:13 – “When you are tempted, God will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.”
  • David and his men returned to Ziglag – I Samuel 30:1-8
    • While they had been with king Achish – planning the battle against Israel…
    • The Amalekites (flesh) had taken advantage of David being gone (compromised)…
    • And they had attacked Ziglag – and burned the town to the ground…
    • They carried off all of the women and children as prisoners!
    • David had disobeyed the Lord by returning to Philistia – I Samuel 22:5
    • David never should have gone along with king Achish to attack Israel…
    • Though God had saved him by hardening hearts of the Philistines leaders…
    • That did not mean there were not consequences to David’s folly!
    • You cannot ignore God – chase after the world – without paying a price…
    • Playing with the world can be fun for a moment – but there are consequences!
    • Proverbs 6:27 – “Can a man scoop fire into his lap and not be burned?”
  • David’s men were so upset – they began to talk about stoning David to death!
    • But David turned to the Lord – and found strength in his God…
    • David made a mistake – but he also knew how to make it right… 
    • He asked the Lord and He told David to chase after the Amalekites!
    • We will all make mistakes – but God is always there to forgive if we run to Him!
    • God will never turn away a repentant sinner – God cannot resist a humbled heart!
    • When we make the mistake of getting to close to the world…
    • And we come home one day to find our lives have been devastated…
    • The answer is simple – go back to Jesus – He is right where we left Him!
    • Psalms 145:14,18 – “The LORD upholds all who fall, raises up all who are bowed down…
 is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”
  • David and his men attacked the Amalekites – and fought with them for over a day…
    • Only 400 of the Amalekites escaped – every one else fell to sword of David!
    • David and his men recovered all of their families…
    • Nothing was missing from all that had been taken from them…
    • In fact there was a LOT MORE that the Amalekites had taken from others…
    • In the end David and his men ended up with more than they started with!
    • When we live for this world – it gives us nothing – leaves us empty…
    • Many of us can reflect back on many years wasted – not living for the Lord…
    • We can often regret those ‘lost years’ wishing we could have them back…
    • Joel 2:25 – “I will restore to you the years that [sin] has eaten…”
    • God can restore the years – as if we had never lost anything to the foolishness of sin!
    • Only the Lord can take our poor choices – and turn them into blessings!
    • Only God can take a life that had nothing left but ashes – and make it beautiful!
    • Isaiah 63:1 – “Beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.”
• 5^th – Like the army of God… vs. 22 Read: I Chronicles 12:22
  • Day by day more men came to David – until he led a great army…
  • Interesting there is no mention of the shortcomings and failures of David given in I Samuel…
  • The book of I Chronicles present only the positive achievements of David…
  • Cause I Samuel is from early point of view / I Chronicles gives the heavenly perspective!
  • We are sinners – we have made countless mistakes – but we have Jesus… 
  • So when God looks down on us – He does not see our sinful mistakes/flaws…
  • He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect/flawless!
  • Psalm 103:12 – “He removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

And when we are faithful in the little things God gives us greater responsibility!

3^rd – The corination of David… vs. 23-40 Read: I Chronicles 12:23

After the death of Ishbosheth – all of Israel came to Hebron to crown David…

From Judah – all with shields and spears – 6,800…

From Simeon – 7,100 / from Levites – 4,600 and from the line of Aaron – 3,700…

From Benjamin – 3,000 / from Ephraim – 20,800 / from ½ Manasseh – 8,000

From Issachar – 200 chiefs – with the whole tribe at their command…

From Zebulon – 50,000 / from Naphtali 37,000 / from Dan 28,600

From Asher 40,000 / from Rueben – Gad – and ½ Manasseh – 120,000

Over 292,800 men of war in all – that came out to serve David as King!

It was quite the contrast to how David had started…

When David fist escaped Saul and lived in a cave – I Samuel 22:1-5

Only those who were in trouble / debt / or unhappy with King Saul joined David…

A little band of rejects that grew to a little over 400-armed men for David to command…

God rarely even picks the men we would expect – God likes to use the rejects…

Jesus gathered a bunch of ‘worthless’ men – you and I – to follow after Him…

Who we were – and what we did – before Jesus mean nothing – Philippians 3:13

It is all about who we become as new creations in Jesus – II Corinthians 5:17

But as David was faithful – God now entrusted him with a nation!

Zechariah 4:10 – “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…”

It is easy to get frustrated in life – thinking the work we are doing is unimportant…

Most of us can relate to small beginnings – doing things that seem unimportant …

And we just cannot see how that is important for the Kingdom of God!

I have noted two traits on the people God uses…

They have humility – realizing it is not about them – but all about Jesus…

And they do not give up – they persevere – John 15:4-5