God's Sabbath

232

E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

The women and children escaped their fate because David ac corded God His rightful position as Problem Solver. God was thus able to preserve their lives, even though they were in the hands of their worst enemies. It is a witness of God’s power to restrain the heathen, which should encourage us during the prophesied time of trouble in the last days, when God’s Sabbath keeping remnant will suffer terrible persecution. What God did in David’s day, He is able to do again in these last times. “When David had invaded the territory of the Amalekites, he had put to the sword all the inhabitants that fell into his hands. But for the restraining power of God the Amalekites would have retaliated by destroying the people of Ziklag. They decid ed to spare the captives, desiring to heighten the honor of the triumph by leading home a large number of prisoners, and in tending afterward to sell them as slaves. Thus, unwittingly, they fulfilled God’s purpose, keeping the prisoners unharmed, to be restored to their husbands and fathers.” Patriarchs and Prophets , 693.5. We need to remember that God did not forcibly restrain the Amalekites. He knew their thoughts and was able to select those which He could strengthen by His divine influences. In this way they were led to make decisions which resulted in the preserva tion of the families of David and his men. David’s experiences in Philistia seem to have marked a turn ing point in his career. After his triumphant rescue of those whom the Amalekites had taken captive from Ziklag, he and his people set to work to repair their damaged dwellings, while awaiting news about the outcome of the battle between the Isra elites and the Philistines. When word finally came that Saul and Jonathan were dead, David knew that the way to the throne was now open and that he could safely return to his own country. David did not spend any time making his own plans to return. He saw clearly now that this was God’s responsibility, not his. Accordingly, he took the question to the Almighty and trusting ly awaited His orders. David’s Specific Orders