1 Samuel 30:1-6a
Many bible scholars overlook Ziklag and it is seldom preached, yet this obscure passage of scripture marks the end of David’s state as a fugitive and the beginning of his reign as King. These few verses of scripture contain a simple, yet remarkable revelation of the personal and spiritual triumph that liberates David from his fears, frustrations, and insecurities and places him just where God wants him to be. It was the beginning of the end for David in Ziklag. A new man was about to rise out of the ashes of defeat-a man who remembered God and was his destiny was to be!
Verse 1, 2 "And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way."
Satan’s purpose was to prevent David from entering into the place God had ordained for him. This final destination or personal destiny of David was the office of the King of Israel. David’s battle began at the tender age of young boy when the Prophet Samuel anointed him. It was from this day forward that the battle for his destiny began. So often in our lives we are beset by the devices of the enemy that try to wipe us out before we come into our purpose, calling, and destiny. The adversary is always at work to this end and has many tricks and traps and may even work through and operate in people around us to throw us off course. In David’s case it was listening to what he thought was best for himself and deceiving himself into believing he could live a lie in the enemy’s camp and get by with it.
In the book of I Samuel 16:23 we discover that Saul was driven by an evil spirit that entered into him as a result of his own rebellion and this spirit sought to kill David. It is important for us not to mistake flesh and blood as our true enemy when we encounter the opposition that stands between us and our destiny. Saul was operating under demonic influences from the moment David was anointed as a young man. While God puts one in position and gives him the anointing to do a thing at the same time God removes it from another who had failed at the task. I am sure many would agree that they have experienced attacks similar to this when true destiny is near. The enemy increases the fight when he recognizes the destiny of the called believers. Therefore, if you are a man or woman of God with problems and adversities in your life, rest assured that it is because of your awesome destiny in God. The enemy wants to keep you from your appointment with destiny and it could be through a Ziklag experience.
Verse 3 "So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives."
Ziklag was given to David as a place of refuge from Saul and separation from the Philistines that still considered him the enemy. Ziklag was originally given to the tribe of Judah according to Joshua 15. The name Ziklag means “winding as in springing from a fountain”. Satan can use a place like Ziklag to attack you before your destiny can unfold. While David was dealing with King Achish and the ruling of the princes of the Philistines the Amelekites invaded Ziklag. The Amalekites ransacked his home base and took off with all his stuff, including his family. Can’t you imagine the sense of loss that David and his 600 men of war felt when they saw the smoke rising above the walls of the city? All had been lost, including his family and the wives of his 600 men or war. Smashed by the devastation, David and his men cried until they had no more power to cry. David was looking at his entire life’s worth in ashes. This kind of devastation will bring you to your knees and cause you to wonder if God is alive.
This situation is very much like what has happened to our nation. We have gone about with the mind set of “business as usual” and have not realized that the enemy has made off with our stuff and has left this nation in ashes. The power and the wonder of our land have been ransacked by the enemy. Things we thought would never fail us have left us empty and broken. There is no place of safety outside of God’s grace and mercy. God used this Ziklag experience as a means to get David’s attention. To David, Ziklag was a hiding place from Saul and a refuge from the truth. However, to God it was a place of transition, a place of regeneration, and a place of preparation. It was a place of transitioning David from a zero to a hero, of regenerating the right spirit within his heart and a place preparing him for his destiny to be claimed and fulfilled.
Verse 4 "Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep."
David and his men cried until they had no more tears to cry. Have you ever wept at what the enemy has taken from you and accepted the lie of the enemy that you will never get your breakthrough? Have you ever just felt that all was lost and your stuff was gone and that it will never be recovered? Isn’t that just like an enemy; what could not be carried off is burnt up to add insult to your injury.
Verse 6a "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters:"
The 600 men that followed David during his time on the run wept until there were no more tears to cry. However, once they stopped weeping they were ready to fight. They just didn’t know who to fight so they turned their anger on the one they loved. The Bible says they spoke of stoning David. These were men who trusted David and honored him as their leader and followed him even into the camp of the Philistines who were the enemies of Israel for hundreds of years. These were men that had trusted their lives unto David and they now wanted to kill him. Have you ever had someone you loved and trusted turn on you in the heat of struggle? It seems like when things can get no worse our loved ones and trusted friends often turn on us and want to walk away; or worse yet stone us for their misery. Doesn’t that sound just like people you deal with today?
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