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David in Ziklag · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And the time that David dwelt in the country of
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  Speaker 1: the Philistines was a full year and four months. 1
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  Speaker 1: Samuel 27.7 Dear Lord, as a tree finds its strength
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  Speaker 1: to endure from its roots, I too will find my
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  Speaker 1: strength in the depths of my roots and from the
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  Speaker 1: ground I choose to grow in. In moments of loneliness,
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  Speaker 1: give me the resolve and the strength to remain planted
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  Speaker 1: in the place you've called me to. I will not
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  Speaker 1: abandon my values and morals to partner with others who
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  Speaker 1: offer protection and gain at the cost of my character
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  Speaker 1: and right to stand with you. I will not become
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  Speaker 1: comfortable with compromise as David and his men did during
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  Speaker 1: their season of loneliness in 1 Samuel 28. Because I
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  Speaker 1: am new and transformed, I will instead take on the
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  Speaker 1: latter spirit of David and fight for what is mine.
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  Speaker 1: I will retake and regain what the enemy has stolen
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  Speaker 1: from me. Through your power, God, I will be able
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  Speaker 1: to reclaim my land, my position, and all that belongs
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  Speaker 1: to me, my family, and my future. I declare that
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  Speaker 1: compromise is not an option. In Jesus' name, amen. Thanks
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  Speaker 1: for making prayer a priority in your life. To hear
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  Speaker 1: the Bible come to life, stay tuned for The Bible
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  Speaker 1: in a Year. Brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: David in Ziklag In our last story, we learned about
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  Speaker 2: Saul's latest pursuit to take David's life. David once again
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  Speaker 2: had the opportunity to end Saul, and with him all
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  Speaker 2: the fleeing and exile. Yet David's conviction as a man
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  Speaker 2: of God stood its ground. He spared Saul, and Saul
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  Speaker 2: once again repented and left David's presence. Now David dwells
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  Speaker 2: in the land of the Philistines, serving under King Achish.
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  Speaker 2: David and his men made raids on the enemies of Israel,
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  Speaker 2: pretending to make raids for the Philistines. In this story,
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  Speaker 2: we learn about David's continued partnership with the enemies of
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  Speaker 2: Israel and how small compromises continue to overshadow David and
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  Speaker 2: his men, as inspired by the book of 1 Samuel.
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  Speaker 3: We're so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. The Bible in a Year podcast
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  Speaker 3: is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come
• 2:46
  Speaker 3: to you each week through the support of listeners just
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: like you. Your support today is so important that we
• 2:52
  Speaker 3: want to thank you for your gift by giving you
• 2:54
  Speaker 3: a copy of my book called The Jesus Book. It
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: is a powerful guide that shows how every book in
• 3:00
  Speaker 3: the Bible points to Jesus and how his living word,
• 3:03
  Speaker 3: the truth of God's word, will transform your life. So
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: to get a copy of The Jesus Book, simply go
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: to jackgram.org slash Jesus. That's jackgram.org slash Jesus. And thank
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: you for your support. In our last episode, we saw
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  Speaker 3: how David once again had the opportunity to kill Saul,
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  Speaker 3: but he chose not to do it. Rather than choose
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  Speaker 3: his own way and try to justify his own actions,
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  Speaker 3: he obeyed God. He stood firm in his conviction that
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  Speaker 3: God would deal with Saul. But despite Saul's apparent regret
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  Speaker 3: for having chased David down again and his promise to
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  Speaker 3: leave him alone, David's faith wavered and he fled into
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  Speaker 3: Philistine country, forming an alliance with a foreign king. Today
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  Speaker 3: we'll learn how David's loyalty to Israel will be tested
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  Speaker 3: and how his decision to settle in enemy territory will
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  Speaker 3: bring peril to his people. So, let's listen to the
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  Speaker 3: scripture today.
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  Speaker 2: David proved himself to be a convincing actor, as if
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  Speaker 2: in a play he played the role of a Philistine marauder.
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  Speaker 2: David performed his role daily in front of Achish and
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  Speaker 2: the other Philistines. He made raids on neighboring villages. ate
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  Speaker 2: and drank as a Philistine and spoke in their native tongue. However,
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  Speaker 2: the lines between fiction and reality slowly began to blur
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  Speaker 2: for David. His allegiance to Israel was muddled by his
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  Speaker 2: Philistine company. His mind fell into a fog and his
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  Speaker 2: sense of right and wrong began to blend together. Now
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  Speaker 2: David found himself among the Philistine camp where they were
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  Speaker 2: marching up against Israel. David, the chosen protector, and rightful
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  Speaker 2: king to the throne of the Hebrews, was preparing to
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  Speaker 2: slaughter Israel. The Philistines began their march and gathered their
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  Speaker 2: forces at the peak of Aphek. The Israelites were camped
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  Speaker 2: by a spring below. The lords of the Philistines were
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  Speaker 2: making their rounds and saw David and his men preparing
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  Speaker 2: for battle. What are these Hebrews doing here? the commanders
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  Speaker 2: asked Achish. Achish responded, This is David, who has been
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  Speaker 2: under my service for years now. I have found no
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  Speaker 2: disloyalty in him yet. David's eyes looked away. David had
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  Speaker 2: given the visage of loyalty to Achish, but had never
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  Speaker 2: actually harmed any Israelites. However, he had not been faithful
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  Speaker 2: to Israel either. David and his soldiers were men without
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  Speaker 2: a country. One of the Philistine commanders approached David and
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  Speaker 2: looked him in the eyes. He knew what David had forgotten.
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  Speaker 2: David was a Hebrew, and their champion. Send the man
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  Speaker 2: back with his soldiers. He may be separated from Saul now,
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  Speaker 2: but what better way to reconcile with him than to
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  Speaker 2: kill us in battle? Don't you remember the song, Saul
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  Speaker 2: has killed his thousands, but David has killed his ten thousands?
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  Speaker 2: Achish pulled David aside and embraced him. Achish looked at
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  Speaker 2: David and said, As the Lord lives, you have been
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  Speaker 2: nothing but faithful to me. I have found nothing wrong
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  Speaker 2: with you. However, the lords do not approve, and I
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  Speaker 2: cannot dispute them. Go and be free. David's heart turned.
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  Speaker 2: David was like a child who was rejected by his father.
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  Speaker 2: He craved the affirmation from Saul, yet found it in
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  Speaker 2: the enemy Achish. David did not want to hurt the Israelites,
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  Speaker 2: but he also did not want to leave Achish's side.
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  Speaker 2: What have I done to earn their distrust? David asked.
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  Speaker 2: Achish hugged David and sent him back to the land
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  Speaker 2: of the Philistines. That day, David was spared from committing
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  Speaker 2: the sin of slaughtering his people. God in his mercy
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  Speaker 2: kept David from waving his sword against his brothers. So
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  Speaker 2: David and his men left back to Ziklag, still men
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  Speaker 2: without a true alliance or country. David and his men
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  Speaker 2: returned after a three-day journey. As they were approaching the city,
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  Speaker 2: they could see smoke rising into the skies. David's eyes widened,
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  Speaker 2: and the men ran fast into the city of Ziklag.
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  Speaker 2: Homes were reduced to ash, and smoke emanated from farms.
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  Speaker 2: The Amalekites rode in the night and raided the city
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  Speaker 2: while the men were away at war against Israel. David
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  Speaker 2: and his men ran frantically through the city, shouting for
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  Speaker 2: their wives and children, yet they could hear no response.
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  Speaker 2: David burst through the doors of his home to find
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  Speaker 2: nothing but broken and burnt furniture. Every man's wife and
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  Speaker 2: child had been taken by the Amalekites. David's men writhed
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  Speaker 2: in tears over their captured wives. They raised their fists
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  Speaker 2: at God. They cursed David, and they wept on the
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  Speaker 2: floor among the ash and wreckage. While his men yelled
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  Speaker 2: and wept in pain, David sat there silently. David stared
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  Speaker 2: off into the distance, praying silently. The other men became
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  Speaker 2: overwhelmed with grief, but not David. David sat there, remembering
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  Speaker 2: his time as a shepherd in Bethlehem. He was reminded
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  Speaker 2: of when lions and wolves would come after his sheep
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  Speaker 2: and steal them away. David would run after them and
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  Speaker 2: slaughter the wild beasts to save his sheep. This would
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  Speaker 2: be no different. David rose from his feet to go
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  Speaker 2: meet with the Lord. They had some catching up to do.
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  Speaker 2: David knelt before God under the stars. He spoke to
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  Speaker 2: God as he used to while tending his sheep. David
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  Speaker 2: breathed in the cool air and exhaled praises to his Lord.
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  Speaker 2: He considered his family who had been taken and the
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  Speaker 2: families of his men. Lord, David said, shall I pursue them?
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  Speaker 2: Will I overtake them if I go? God responded to
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  Speaker 2: David quietly and firmly. Yes, David, I have already given
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  Speaker 2: them into your hands. David stood to his feet, picked
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  Speaker 2: up his spear and and marched intently back to his men.
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  Speaker 2: The sun rose that morning, and a dark red covered
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  Speaker 2: the new sky. David and six hundred of his men
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  Speaker 2: ran without stopping, intent on reaching the Amalekites before they
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  Speaker 2: could return home. They reached the brook of Bezor. The
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  Speaker 2: waters raged, and many of the men were too exhausted
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  Speaker 2: to cross. Discouraged and weary, two hundred of the men
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  Speaker 2: refused to follow David any longer, and remained on the
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  Speaker 2: shore of the brook. David and the rest of his
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  Speaker 2: men crossed the brook. A fire was burning in their
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  Speaker 2: soul to save their families, but they had gone three
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  Speaker 2: days without food and almost no water. Dragging their feet,
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  Speaker 2: they marched further and further. Finally, an Egyptian in the
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  Speaker 2: open country gave the men bread, water, fruits and cakes
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  Speaker 2: to eat. eat. They were filled and strengthened at the
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  Speaker 2: perfect time. David put his hand on the Egyptian's shoulder
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  Speaker 2: and said,' Thank you, friend. Where do you come from?'
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  Speaker 2: The boy smiled and said,' I served the Amalekites but
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  Speaker 2: was abandoned by them when I became sick after we
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  Speaker 2: raided the Israelites.' David's eyes lit up. He smiled to
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  Speaker 2: his cheeks and let out a bright laugh. He grabbed
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  Speaker 2: the boy and asked intently, Could you take us to
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  Speaker 2: your old band? The boy nodded, and David and his
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  Speaker 2: men ran forward faster and with more vigor. Less than
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  Speaker 2: a day had passed, and the Egyptian led David and
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  Speaker 2: a couple of his men to a cliff overlooking the
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  Speaker 2: Amalekite camp. They peeked their heads over the rocks and
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  Speaker 2: looked down at the valley. The men were spread out
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  Speaker 2: far across a valley. Torches illuminated their dancing, drinking, and feasting.
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  Speaker 2: David could spot his wife captive below, along with the
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  Speaker 2: wives and children of his men. While the Amalekites were
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  Speaker 2: still drinking, dancing, and enjoying the spoils of their raid,
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  Speaker 2: they heard the horns of David echoing through the valley.
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  Speaker 2: Before any man could realize what was happening, David and
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  Speaker 2: his army descended upon the camp with might. They swung
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  Speaker 2: their swords with the strength of fathers and husbands protecting
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  Speaker 2: their families. David marched through the camp, striking down every
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  Speaker 2: Amalekite soldier in his sight. Some tried to fight with
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  Speaker 2: no success. David and his men were far too angry
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  Speaker 2: and skilled for them to stand a chance. Others fled
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  Speaker 2: on camels, but all the women and children were saved.
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  Speaker 2: The sun began to rise, and David gathered the families,
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  Speaker 2: the stolen goods, and all the livestock. David and the
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  Speaker 2: families made their way back home. There, to greet them,
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  Speaker 2: were the two hundred men who refused to continue. They
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  Speaker 2: came out elated to see their families. Everyone cheered except
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  Speaker 2: the men who had fought. They looked at the two
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  Speaker 2: hundred men with disgust and said to David, These worthless
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  Speaker 2: men did not go with us. They should not get
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  Speaker 2: any of the spoil. They should take their families we
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  Speaker 2: have saved and leave. David calmed his men down and
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  Speaker 2: had them keep quiet. He drew a deep breath and
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  Speaker 2: looked at both groups of men. My brothers, this is
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  Speaker 2: given to us by the Lord. He is the one
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  Speaker 2: who preserved us, David said. As God has shared his
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  Speaker 2: goodness with us, so we shall share. Those who battle
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  Speaker 2: and those who support from afar are equally in need
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  Speaker 2: of food and shelter. David's words surprised the people, but
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  Speaker 2: they were all pleased with his decree. David, still a
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  Speaker 2: young man, was just now learning what it truly means
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  Speaker 2: to lead like a king. They divided the spoils amongst
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  Speaker 2: one another and sent the leftovers back home to Judah.
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  Speaker 2: David's heart to protect Israel was beginning to resurface.
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  Speaker 3: Today's story begins with David living a lie. He has
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  Speaker 3: very cleverly convinced Achish of his loyalty to the Philistines,
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  Speaker 3: and the king trusts David as one of his own. Still,
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  Speaker 3: David had not yet done actual harm to any of
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  Speaker 3: his own people, the Israelites. Instead, he was attacking neighboring towns,
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  Speaker 3: enemies of Israel, and telling Achish that he was raiding
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  Speaker 3: Israeli villages. But now as the Philistines gather in numbers
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  Speaker 3: to attack Israel, David isn't on a solo mission, and
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  Speaker 3: he can't hide behind his deception. Were it not for
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  Speaker 3: the distrust of Philistine commanders, David might have been compelled
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  Speaker 3: to sin against his own people and attack them. The
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  Speaker 3: commanders recognized David as a Hebrew, and not just any Hebrew.
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  Speaker 3: This is the great shepherd warrior David, the anointed king,
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  Speaker 3: the one who was at one time one of Saul's
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  Speaker 3: greatest soldiers. And though Achish vouches for David, Affirming that
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  Speaker 3: he is a loyal Philistine, the commanders aren't believing it.
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  Speaker 3: And so Achish tells David that while he trusts him
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  Speaker 3: with his life, the Philistine army commanders have rejected him.
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  Speaker 3: He and his men must return to his home in Ziklag.
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  Speaker 3: David's response is interesting. He appeals to the king to
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  Speaker 3: let him stay and serve him in a battle. Perhaps
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  Speaker 3: he was finally getting the acceptance he wanted among the Philistines,
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  Speaker 3: something that had eluded him with Saul. Or, Perhaps he
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  Speaker 3: was forgetting his calling from God, his anointing to be
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  Speaker 3: God's man, the king of Israel. Whatever the reason, it
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  Speaker 3: appears David was confused, that his loyalties were divided, and
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  Speaker 3: he may have been willing to turn over his own
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  Speaker 3: people to the enemy. But God, in his grace, did
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  Speaker 3: not allow David to participate in this battle. He closed
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  Speaker 3: the door to protect the man that he had chosen
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  Speaker 3: to serve him. How often do we fail to recognize
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  Speaker 3: when God has protected us from ourselves, from our sins,
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  Speaker 3: leading us out of temptation and delivering us from evil?
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  Speaker 3: As in the case of David and for you and me,
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  Speaker 3: this is all because of God's grace. That grace we
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  Speaker 3: know is now found in the Lord Jesus Christ, who
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  Speaker 3: went to a cross and died and rose again so
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  Speaker 3: that we could receive the gift of eternal life. not
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  Speaker 3: by works of righteousness that we have done, but according
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  Speaker 3: to his mercy he has saved us. This is the
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  Speaker 3: grace of God. So David returns home with his men,
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  Speaker 3: only to find the Amalekites had attacked while they were gone.
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  Speaker 3: This is a terrible scene. These enemies of Israel had
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  Speaker 3: burned the entire town down, but killing nobody. Instead, they
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  Speaker 3: had taken the wives and the children of the men
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  Speaker 3: of David captive. Everyone is heartbroken. They are weeping. And
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  Speaker 3: the people, the army, even turned their anger towards David,
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  Speaker 3: wanting to stone him. But the Bible says that David
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  Speaker 3: encouraged himself in the Lord. David found his strength in
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  Speaker 3: the Lord and sought counsel. He went to the Lord
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  Speaker 3: and asked him if he should pursue the Amalekites and
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  Speaker 3: take what had been lost. So David and his men
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  Speaker 3: went after the Amalekites. It was a long and arduous journey,
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  Speaker 3: and they suffered from hunger and exhaustion. 200 men actually
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  Speaker 3: turned back, unwilling or unable to continue. But David found
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  Speaker 3: an Egyptian boy who had once served the Amalekites. He
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  Speaker 3: gave them food and water, strengthening them for battle, and
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  Speaker 3: led them to the enemy. And, just as God had promised,
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  Speaker 3: David was victorious. They returned home with their wives and
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  Speaker 3: children and the spoils of war, which David insisted be
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  Speaker 3: shared with all, even those who had not gone into battle.
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  Speaker 3: Then he sent some of the spoils to Judah. His
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  Speaker 3: heart turned again to his people that he was called
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  Speaker 3: to lead. Lord, we thank you for this powerful story
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  Speaker 3: and how it reminds us that you do protect us
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  Speaker 3: from evil and that you often shield us from making
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  Speaker 3: terrible and sinful, disobedient decisions. Thank you for your grace.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for your salvation in Jesus Christ. And may
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  Speaker 3: we always be willing to fight the good fight of faith.
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  Speaker 3: and win great victories for you. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: And before we go, I wanted to let you know
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: that the Bible in a Year podcast is an outreach
• 17:28
  Speaker 3: of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come to you each
• 17:32
  Speaker 3: week through the support of listeners like you. Your support
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  Speaker 3: today is so important that we want to thank you
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  Speaker 3: for your gift by giving you a copy of my
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  Speaker 3: book called The Jesus Book. This book is a powerful
• 17:45
  Speaker 3: guide that shows how every book in the Bible points
• 17:48
  Speaker 3: to Christ and how you can better read and understand
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: the Bible and how God's Word transforms our lives. So
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: to get your copy of the Jesus book, simply go
• 17:58
  Speaker 3: to jackgram.org slash Jesus. That's jackgram.org slash Jesus. And thank
• 18:05
  Speaker 3: you for your support.