In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples, and saith unto them,
“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with Me three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.”
And His disciples answered Him, “From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?” And He asked them,
“How many loaves have ye?”
And they said, “Seven.” And He commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and He took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to His disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and He blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away. Mark 8:1-9
faint
Adversity And Strength
“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Proverbs 24:10 (KJB)
The Gift of the LORD
“And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? But as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.” 1 Samuel 30:21-25 (KJV)
In our reading today we read of David being directed to leave the Philistines due to their attacking king Saul and Israel. It was really a God thing.
When David and his men return to Ziklig, they find the city burned, their property, wives, and children missing. David’s men are set to stone him; he encourages himself in the LORD, and prays for God’s direction.
There is a lesson here for us all. Some of the men are weak from war, and being without much to eat, and cannot go on to bring back their stuff. They stay behind and guard the stuff they have; and David and six hundred of his men continue on to retrieve their stuff.
God rewards them with victory over the Amalekites who had destroyed Ziklag, taken their stuff, and their families with more stuff. Some of the evil hearted, underhanded ones of David’s men wanted to keep it all to themselves and not share with those who kept the other stuff they left behind. David would not hear of it.
David says, “Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us” acknowledging that the LORD had given them the victory. He was awarding victory to all of his men; not just those who had gone to the fight.
In the battle Jesus Christ fought alone on the cross, and won, showing the victory in His bodily resurrection He shares the spoils of that battle with all who will believe in Him. Now that is a great reward.
Today we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Christians we do every Sunday. Let us never forget He lives; even each day that we live, and move and have our being.
The Fire and Hammer 