1 Samuel 30: A Bitter Loss and a Sweet Victory

The Rev. Hans Fiene, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Crestwood, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Samuel 30. David and his men return to Ziklag after being rejected by the Philistines, only to find their city burned and their families taken captive by the Amalekites. David and his men weep bitterly. David then pursues the Amalekites with 400 of his men, leaving 200 behind who are too exhausted to fight. Along the way, he meets an Egyptian who leads him to the enemy camp. There, David attacks the Amalekites and recovers everything that was taken from him and his men. The Book of 1 Samuel beings with the unique birth of Samuel, the last judge of Israel. Soon, the people of Israel begin to press upon the aging prophet Samuel to anoint a king over them like the other nations. YHWH assures Samuel that the people are rejecting their God, not Samuel. He advises Samuel to give the people what they want. What follows is the rise and fall of King Saul, the eventual anointing and coronation of David as king, the forerunner of Jesus. It’s a true story of political intrigue and warfare, but it’s also more than that. 1 Samuel shows us God working to save his people from their enemies and even from themselves.