"They Shall Share Alike" (4/19)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 1 Samuel 28-31; Psalm 18.

When David pursued the Amalekites, he left “two hundred who were too exhausted” and carried on with the remaining four hundred men who were with him (1 Samuel 30:10). After they were victorious, they returned to the men who had been left behind.

When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, ‘Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.’

Then David said, ‘You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike’” (1 Samuel 30:21-24).

On one hand, it is not hard to see where these wicked men were coming from. The two hundred men did not fight; therefore, they should not share in the spoil. But David said they would all share in the spoil. Why? Notice again what David said:
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The Strait and Narrow

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14, KJV).

These familiar verses are a portion of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). He was teaching the multitudes at this time about the coming kingdom of God. He showed them the character of one who would be part of that kingdom so they would be prepared when the time came. These two verses help show the type of person who would be Jesus’ disciple and, as a result, obtain salvation.
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