David inquired of the Lord

Then they told David, saying, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors." Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And the LORD said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah." But David's men said to him, "Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" Then David inquired of the LORD once again. And the LORD answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand."- 1 Samuel 23v1-4

David was not acting like a man after God’s own heart. He was not acting like the same guy who killed a lion and a bear and who stood up to Goliath. He was a man controlled by fear as he ran from Saul. In the previous chapters he was running, acting like a mad man, and hiding in caves all because he was afraid of the king.

Interesting. I don’t know how David allowed himself to get here. I think we have a clue though in what happens in chapter 23. The army had been afraid of fighting Saul. Now, David has a notion that they should go and fight the Philistines. The Philistines were looting the crops in Keilah so David did the right thing; he went and asked the Lord what to do. God told him to go ahead and fight the Philistines. When David went to his men they were amazed! ‘If we are afraid of Saul why are we going to fight the mighty Philistines?’

David wasn’t sure, so he went and asked the Lord again. God told him the same thing, ‘Go and fight them, and I will give you the victory.’

As I look at this now I wonder about David’s fear of fighting Saul. Tomorrow’s thought is part of the reason I wonder. Could it be that David was fearful of fighting God’s ordained leader because he was God’s ordained leader?

More anon.