Day Seven In the Promise Land
Today we visited Engedi which sits on the western side of the northern end of the Dead Sea. This was one of David’s strongholds. In 1 Samuel 24:1 we read, “Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, saying, ‘Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi’. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.” Visiting this place it is easy to see why David would have chosen this location to hide from Saul. The mountains and cliff faces are enormous. There are many caves and clefts in the rock. Engedi also has lots of water. We took time today to stop by the water and read 1 Samuel 24. Have a look and you will see what I mean.
Just two weeks ago I was teaching this chapter to our 4th – 6th grade Sunday School class. Saul picked one of these caves in Engedi to, shall we say, see a man about a horse. David and his men are hiding in the cave. The men tell David this is his opportunity to kill Saul and make the kingdom of Israel his. David cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe and orders his men not to harm Saul. Although the circumstances seem to indicate God was giving Saul into David’s hands, David sees it differently, and refuses to raise his hand against the Lords anointed. David calls after Saul after he leaves the cave saying, “May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord avenge me against you; but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancient says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you.” And Saul’s end did come on Mount Gilboa. We passed this Mount yesterday on our way to the Dead Sea. It is about a half hour drive past Beth-shan. Here is a picture of Beth-shan and a description of how Sauls life ended. David’s faith in God to provide him the kingdom in His own time, and in His own way, is remarkable. Enjoy and God Bless =)
It came about on the next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. They put his weapons in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. –1 Samuel 31:8-13