Daily Devotional for Friday, August 18

Amalekites Defeated

“And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled,” 1 Samuel 30:17

The term turncoat denotes a person who has changed sides or allegiance. It often refers to people who would be considered a traitor in times of war who would switch their allegiances to the enemy. David and his men came across a starving young Egyptian man who was a servant of an Amalekite man who had been involved in the invasion against Ziklag (1 Samuel 30:13, 14). He was willing to switch his allegiances and tell David where the Amalekites had gone if David would promise not to kill him or turn him over to his master (1 Samuel 30:15). His decision might have been one of survival, but he made the right choice.

Through the aid of a young Egyptian who chose to align himself with David, David was able to find and defeat the Amalekites and recover all they had taken when they had invaded Ziklag (1 Samuel 30:18). Today, we must make choices as to who we will follow also. The choice is illustrated to us as was given to Israel, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). The choice is always between good and evil, right and wrong, the Lord or the enemies of God. With whom will you align yourself? “Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways” (Proverbs 3:31).

JUST A THOUGHT: “What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose,” (Psalms 25:12).

Tim Chambers