1 Samuel 27: Fleeing to the Philistines

The Rev. Kevin Parviz, pastor of Congregation Chai v’ Shalom in St. Louis, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Samuel 27.

David’s struggle with fear and faith is on display as he faces the relentless pursuit of Saul. Instead of trusting God to deliver him, he makes a risky move and escapes to the enemy territory of the Philistines. There he finds refuge and favor with Achish, the king of Gath, who assigns him a city of his own: Ziklag. But David’s decision comes with a cost: he must deceive Achish and hide his true loyalty to Israel.

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.