David’s Pursuit
A classic story of a hunter’s pursuit reveals a biblical strategy
There are few instances in the Bible of a successful hunter’s pursuit. However, the incident of David in pursuit of his loved ones is revealing. The story of David’s pursuit of the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 30 provides an insight into the hunter’s strategy.
TThis story unfolds with David’s return to his hometown to find it completely sacked, raided by the Amalekites. All David’s wives and children, as well as those of his men, had been kidnapped by the Amalekites (v1-3). David and his men were in great despair and weeping, and he was even accused by his own men and in danger of being killed (v4-6). However, David had the presence of mind to seek the
Lord for encouragement. In that time of intimacy with God, he was strengthened in his spirit and a spark of hope and direction was imparted to him by the Lord. As a result, he asked the the Lord if he should hunt down the enemy and if so, would he find and overtake them (v7-8). Upon receiving confirmation of the Lord’s support for his task of hunting
down the enemy, he started off with about six hundred men in pursuit. At a point along the way, two hundred men dropped out of the chase because they could not keep up the pace (v9-10). Now the story gets very interesting. David’s band finds an Egyptian servant left behind by the Amalekites. After some discussion the servant agreed to
lead David to the camp of the Amalekites. The result was that the enemy camp was surprised and David’s men had a field day destroying them (v11-17). The happy conclusion was that David recovered both his wives and family, everyone else who was kidnapped and all the things the Amalekites had taken (v18-19).
The Hunters Strategy
A biblical model that speaks specifically to Christians about dropout believers.
The simple yet effective strategy David used to pursue his family and the family of his men was driven by his love for them and his love for God.
David strengthened himself in the Lord (v6); David inquired of the Lord (v8); David pursued (v9); David located the enemy stronghold (v15) and David restored all by warfare (v17). This pattern reveals a strategy for the hunter’s pursuit of the dropout believer. The Amalekites are likened to the devil. David’s wives are likened to the dropout believer. The devil has come into our camp, the body of Christ, and taken our precious ones, our brothers and sisters in Christ, back to the world. Now they are being held captive in a stronghold of the enemy.
- Where are they?
- How can we find them?
- What can we do when we find them?
- Are we strong enough to recover them?
These are the questions we must answer in order to understand the hunter’s strategy for restoration of the dropout believer. We are the modern-day hunters in pursuit of our precious fellow believers who are captive in the enemy’s stronghold. Will we take on the responsibility of the chase? True agape, selfless love, doesn’t even hesitate in its answer.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, beseech the Lord of
the harvest to send out laborers [hunters] into His harvest” (Luke 10:2).
