The Enemy’s Weapons

David is one of the most well-beloved people of the Old Testament, and with good reason. We are told he was a “man after God’s own heart.” But he was not perfect. In I Samuel 20 we are told of the parting of David and his best friend, Jonathan. We are told the heart of Jonathan was knit to the heart of David. They were more like brothers than friends. In a shocking twist, their fears are realized when they discover Jonathan’s father (King Saul) is intent on David’s demise – to the point of death. In a heartbreaking scene, Jonathan sends David a message (through arrows) that it is unsafe to remain at the palace and he should, indeed, flee.

In the next chapter, we find David on the run, scared. “Scared silly,” we would say in the South. In chapter 21, he gives a white lie to the priest, insinuating he is on a mission from King Saul (a lie that would result in the killing of that priest and 83 other priests, later). The priest, of course, aids David with food (the Showbread, no less!) and a weapon, but not just any weapon: it was the sword of Goliath. This is almost too symbolic! In David’s worry and hurry, he ran in fear – forgetting the promises of the Lord. Forgetting he had been anointed the next King. Forgetting God, himself. And in his frantic fear and anxiety, he did what many of us do: relied on himself (note the word “lie” in “relied”, here) and TOOK UP THE ENEMY’S WEAPONS. This same David, who once challenged Goliath with a sling and a stone because he KNEW the strength came from the Lord, was now hiding in fear, lying to the priest of God and wielding the weapons of the enemy.

Symbolic, much?

But don’t we do the same? When the darkness rolls in like a surprise storm, we accept the arrows of doubt that Satan throws our way: our God becomes a lot smaller, less able and a lot farther away…in our minds. And what do we do? We fret and manipulate and try to control the situation – even relying upon the weapons of the Enemy (lying, hiding, etc).

The interesting thing about the enemy’s weapon? IT DID NOT FIT DAVID because IT WAS NOT MADE FOR HIM. It was too big, too cumbersome, to even be of much value. IT WAS MAINLY SOMETHING TO GIVE DAVID COMFORT, so he wouldn’t feel empty handed in the presence of his enemies. Isn’t that what we do? We run to food, or alcohol, or others to help us try to fight our battles, only to be disappointed. If only David had humbled himself and asked for help! In the same way, when times of spiritual danger arrive, we should fall before the Lord and seek His help instead of the weapons of the Enemy: worry, fret, manipulation, lies, deceit, etc. His hand can stay us, and His hand can save us!