Don’t Listen To Evil Men And Troublemakers
David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken...David brought everything back…
Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor valley...As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were. But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”
David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.
Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor valley...As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were. But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”
David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.
I Samuel 30:18-25
David had six hundred men with him who set out to pursue the Amalekites in a bid to recover what had been stolen from them. Two hundred of the men were too exhausted to continue the journey so David left them behind to guard the supplies that belonged to the group. The normal practice was to share the plunder of war among the entire group. But, “all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers” did not want the two hundred men who stayed behind to be given any of the plunder.
David stepped in and made a ruling that no one was to be left out; each person, including the two hundred were to enjoy the spoils of war. This became law in Israel from that point on.
This ruling by David gives us a glimpse into the righteousness of his heart. If he had cowardly followed the unfair dictates of the “evil doers and troublemakers,” it could possibly have resulted in a schism within the group since the two hundred men were a third of his team of six hundred. The righteousness of the decision is seen in the basis of David’s thinking: “You must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us.”
David recognized the fact that all that they had as a group and the very fact that they all came back alive from the battle was entirely attributable to the grace of God. Every decision made had to take that into account. In other words: “God is the source of our blessings so let’s handle those blessings in a way that honors God.” David did not listen to the evil men and trouble makers in spite of the fact that those evil men could have stirred trouble for him within the group. David chose to listen to the divine voice which always leads to righteous and fair decisions.
As you face various decisions, there will be a pull from the voice of evil attempting to influence you. But heed to the voice of righteousness. Do not succumb to the demands of evil men, no matter how intimidating and influential they might be. Don’t listen to evil men and trouble makers. They will lead you to a path of destruction. Listen to the voice of righteousness.
David stepped in and made a ruling that no one was to be left out; each person, including the two hundred were to enjoy the spoils of war. This became law in Israel from that point on.
This ruling by David gives us a glimpse into the righteousness of his heart. If he had cowardly followed the unfair dictates of the “evil doers and troublemakers,” it could possibly have resulted in a schism within the group since the two hundred men were a third of his team of six hundred. The righteousness of the decision is seen in the basis of David’s thinking: “You must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us.”
David recognized the fact that all that they had as a group and the very fact that they all came back alive from the battle was entirely attributable to the grace of God. Every decision made had to take that into account. In other words: “God is the source of our blessings so let’s handle those blessings in a way that honors God.” David did not listen to the evil men and trouble makers in spite of the fact that those evil men could have stirred trouble for him within the group. David chose to listen to the divine voice which always leads to righteous and fair decisions.
As you face various decisions, there will be a pull from the voice of evil attempting to influence you. But heed to the voice of righteousness. Do not succumb to the demands of evil men, no matter how intimidating and influential they might be. Don’t listen to evil men and trouble makers. They will lead you to a path of destruction. Listen to the voice of righteousness.