1 Samuel 21-26: David Honors Saul

OUR STUDY CHAPTERS TODAY COVER A LITTLE OVER 10 YEARS IN THE LIFE OF DAVID.

THESE YEARS WERE A TIME OF TESTING, PERSECUTION, AND MUCH REFLECTION BY DAVID.

THESE WERE THE YEARS IN WHICH MANY OF HIS PSALMS WERE WRITTEN WHICH REVEAL HIS INNERMOST HEART TO US STILL TODAY.

IN THESE CHAPTERS WE LEARN A GREAT DEAL BY WHAT DAVID DID, BUT WE LEARN EVEN MORE BY THE THINGS THAT DAVID DID NOT DO.

THESE YEARS FOUND DAVID GROWING & MATURING FROM A YOUNG SHEPHERD INTO A SEASONED AND HARDENED VETERAN OF WAR AND A LEADER CHOSEN BY GOD HIMSELF.

WE SEE IMMEDIATELY THAT DAVID DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO BRING THE PERSECUTION HE SUFFERED ON HIMSELF.

HE WAS GUILTY OF NO CRIME DURING THESE DAYS, AND HERE IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF DAVID BEING A TYPE OF CHRIST TO COME, SUFFERING IN INNOCENCE.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THINGS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN BAD BETWEEN SAUL & DAVID.

EARLY ON SAUL FELT WARMLY TOWARD THE YOUNG DAVID AS DAVID WAS ABLE TO CALM HIS DARK MOODS WHEN HE PLAYED THE HARP FOR THE KING (16:21).

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN SAUL REJOICED IN DAVID'S VICTORY OVER THE GIANT, GOLIATH (19:5).

DAVID'S ANNOINTING AS THE NEXT KING WAS NOT AS A RESULT OF DAVID'S AMBITION, BUT WAS THE RESULT OF SAUL'S DECLINE AS HE CONSISTENTLY DISOBEYED THE LORD.

SAUL DISOBEYED THE LORD'S WORD GIVEN BY THE PROPHET SAMUEL IN 10:8 AND FURTHER ANGERED THE LORD BY OFFERING SACRIFICE HE WAS NOT APPOINTED TO OFFER (13).

SAMUEL REBUKED SAUL BUT SAUL NEVER REPENTED.

IN CHAPTER 15 SAUL DIRECTLY DISOBEYED THE LORD BY FAILING TO UTTERLY DESTROY THE AMALEKITES, CAUSING SAMUEL HIMSELF TO DESTROY THE CAPTURED AMALEKITE KING, AGAG, BY THE SWORD.

ALL OF THESE THINGS SPELLED OUT THE END OF SAUL'S KINGDOM AND SAMUEL TOLD SAUL EXACTLY THIS FACT.

WE KNOW THE LORD REMOVED HIS OWN SPIRIT FROM SAUL AND REPLACED IT WITH AN EVIL SPIRIT.

EVEN THOUGH IT IS SOMETIMES HARD FOR US TO ACCEPT, GOD DOES INDEED USE EVIL ONES TO CARRY OUT HIS WILL.

WE SEE THIS CLEARLY IN PSALM 78:49 AS THE LORD SENT HIS WRATH UPON THOSE DISOBEDIENT:

“HE CAST UPON THEM THE FIERCENESS OF HIS ANGER WRATH, AND INDIGNATION, AND TROUBLE BY SENDING EVIL ANGELS AMONG THEM”.

THE PERSECUTION OF DAVID BY SAUL WAS BEGUN BY HIS JEALOUSY AGAINST DAVID WHEN THE PEOPLE SANG GREATER PRAISE FOR DAVID IN WAR THAN SAUL HIMSELF.

SAUL WAS ANGERED BY THE IDEA THAT DAVID WAS REGARDED HIGHER THAN HIMSELF.

SAUL'S ARMY ALSO HAD HIGH REGARD FOR THE WARRIOR DAVID BECAME (18:13).

SAUL BROUGHT A CONTINUED CAMPAIGN TO RID HIMSELF OF DAVID BOTH INDIRECTLY AND DIRECTLY.

HE OFFERED DAVID A DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE(WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED DAVID TO SHOW STRENGTH & VALOR IN WAR WHICH SAUL HOPED WOULD GET DAVID KILLED). (18:17)

SAUL TRIED TO KILL DAVID HIMELF BY THROWING HIS SPEAR AT DAVID (18:10-12).

FINALLY IN 19:1 SAUL GAVE DIRECT ORDERS FOR DAVID TO BE KILLED.

NOW IN CHAPTER 21 WE SEE DAVID AS A POLITICAL REFUGEE, A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY AND WITHOUT A HOME AS HE IS PERSUED BY SAUL & SAUL'S ARMY TO KILL HIM.

IT IS A PAINFUL TIME OF SEPARATION FOR DAVID, SEPARATED FROM HIS POSITION IN SAUL'S COURT, SEPARATED FROM HIS STRONG & CLOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH SAUL'S SON, JONATHAN, SEPARATED FROM HIS WIFE, AND FAMILY.

IT IS ALSO A DANGEROUS TIME, WHICH DAVID KNOWS, BUT IT IS ALSO A TIME OF GROWTH & PREPARATION FOR DAVID AND THESE DAYS WILL WELL SERVE HIM LATER WHEN HE IS KING.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT EVEN THOUGH THESE YEARS WERE DANGEROUS FOR DAVID, HE COULD NOT BE KILLED BECAUSE HE WAS THE CHOSEN AND ANNOINTED ONE TO RULE ISRAEL.

AGAIN WE SEE A TYPE OF CHRIST, JUST AS THE JEWISH LEADERS PLOTTED & SCHEMED TO KILL JESUS, EVEN AT TIMES TAKING UP THE STONES TO KILL HIM, HIS LIFE WAS SECURE UNTIL HIS HOUR HAD COME AND HE GAVE IT WILLINGLY.

NO MAN COULD TAKE IT FROM HIM.

AS DAVID FOUND HIMSELF CONSTANTLY ON THE RUN FROM SAUL, HE WAS INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF EPISODES THAT SHOWED JUST HOW DESPERATE A FUGITVE HE BECAME.

FIRST – HE CAME TO NOB TO AHIMELECH THE PRIEST LOOKING FOR BREAD.

HE WITHHELD THE TRUTH FROM THE PRIEST OF HIS SITUATION THINKING THAT IF THE PRIEST DID NOT KNOW THE TRUTH HE COULD NOT REVEAL IT TO SAUL'S MEN.

THE ONLY BREAD THERE WAS THE HOLY SHEW BREAD ON THE ALTAR WHICH DAVID ACCEPTED AS FOOD.

HE ALSO ASKED FOR A WEAPON AGAIN MISLEADING THE PRIEST AS TO WHY HE HAD NO WEAPON HIMSELF, AND THE PRIEST HAD ONLY THE SWORD OF GOLIATH WRAPPED IN CLOTH BEHIND THE ALTAR.

DAVID TOOK IT AS HIS OWN.

UNKNOWN TO DAVID, ONE OF SAUL'S SERVANTS, DOEG, WAS THERE AND REVEALED THESE THINGS TO SAUL.

(MORE ABOUT THAT SHORTLY).

SECOND -

NOW DAVID FLEES TO GATH, AND WAS NOT WARMLY RECEIVED AND FOUND IT NECESSARY TO PRETEND HE WAS INSANE IN ORDER TO ESCAPE.

THIRD-

HIS NEXT MOVE IS TO FLEE TO THE PHILISTINES.

HE FLEES FROM THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE ENEMIES OF GOD.

HE SEEKS REFUGE WITH KING ACHISH.

THINK ABOUT HOW HARD MUST HAVE BEEN THIS MOVE FOR DAVID.

WE KNOW FROM CHAPTER 17 THAT DAVID AND THE ARMY HAD PURSUED THE PHILISTINE ARMY TO THE BORDER OF GATH & EKRON AFTER HE KILLED GOLIATH.

AND HE IS CARRYING GOLIATH'S SWORD.

AFTER THESE EPISODES, DAVID NOW MOVES ONWARD TO THE CAVE OF ADULLAM, SEVERAL MILES WEST OF JERUSALEM & BETHLEHEM.

IT SEEMS TO DAVID THAT HE MAY NOW HAVE FOUND A HIDING PLACE, THAT IS SAFE AND AWAY FROM SAUL.

FROM THIS PLACE HE VENTURES OUT TO THE LAND OF MOAB, ASKING THE KING THERE TO ALLOW HIS PARENTS TO STAY THERE SECURE UNTIL HE IS SURE OF GOD'S PLAN FOR HIM.

IT IS LIKELY THIS REQUEST WAS GRANTED BECAUSE DAVID'S GREAT GRANDMOTHER, RUTH, WAS FROM MOAB ORIGINALLY SO HE HAD FAMILY TIES THERE FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS.

NOW HIS FAMILY IS SECURE DURING THE TIME OF PERSECUTION.

NOW GOD'S PROPHET, GAD, COMES TO DAVID IN THE STRONGHOLD OF THE CAVE AND TELLS HIM HE MUST LEAVE THIS PLACE AND GO TO JUDAH, AND DAVID OBEYS, MOVING TO THE FOREST LAND OF HARETH.

DURING THIS TIME THE SERVANT OF SAUL HAD REPORTED BACK TO SAUL THE EPISODE WITH THE PRIESTS AT THE TIME DAVID SOUGHT BREAD.

SAUL BROUGHT HIS VENGENCE UPON THE PRIESTS FOR THIS ASSISTANCE THEY PROVIDED DAVID IN GIVING HIM BREAD BY MURDERING ALL 85 OF THE LORD'S PRIESTS & THEIR FAMILIES.

DAVID CLEARLY ADMITS IN 22:22 THAT HE IS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MASSACRE.

ALL THESE THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE YEARS OF DAVID'S FLIGHT WERE ON ONE LEVEL VERY DIFFICULT TIMES BUT ON ANOTHER DEEPER LEVEL WERE THINGS THAT WOULD TEACH DAVID THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUSTING IN THE LORD.

THIS IS THE MAIN LESSON OF OUR STUDY SCRIPTURE IN TODAY'S LESSON.

IT IS ALSO THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN DAVID & SAUL.

BOTH CHOSEN BY GOD, BOTH ANNOINTED BY SAMUEL.

BUT IN ALL THINGS, DAVID TRUSTED IN THE LORD AND WHILE HE WAS SHOWN TO BE A MOST SERIOUS SINNER, HE ALSO SHOWED HIS MOST SERIOUS CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE.

BECAUSE OF HIS NEVER ENDING REPENTANCE, HE BECAME A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART.

HEBREWS 11:32-33 TEACHES US THAT THROUGH HIS FAITH, DAVID SUBDUED KINGDOMS, WROUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND OBTAINED PROMISES.

ALL OF THIS SUFFERING AND PERSECUTION GREW DAVID CLOSER TO THE LORD.

THE DELIVERANCE OF DAVID FROM ALL THESE THINGS WAS NOT SIMPLY “GOOD LUCK” OR “HAPPENSTANCE” OR “RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME”.

THE DELIVERANCE OF DAVID WAS BY DESIGN OF THE LORD.

THE LESSONS DAVID LEARNED DURING THESE YEARS WERE ALSO BY DESIGN OF THE LORD.

DAVID LEARNED THESE LESSONS VERY WELL.

HE LEARNED TO LEAN ONLY UPON GOD AND THAT IF HE WAS STEADFAST IN FAITH GOD WOULD DELIVER HIM FROM ALL DANGERS.

DAVID REVEALED THESE LESSONS FOR US IN THE PSALMS HE WROTE.

PSALM 52 – A HISTORICAL TELLING OF DOEG'S REPORT TO SAUL THAT HE HAD SEEN DAVID AT NOB.

PSALM 34 & 56 ARE DAVID'S TIME AT GATH.

PSALM 57 & 142 ARE WRITTEN WHILE DAVID HIDES OUT IN THE CAVE.

DAVID'S WRITINGS IN THE PSALMS PROVIDE US WITH THE POWERFUL LESSONS OF HOW THOSE WHO REMAIN IN FAITH ARE DELIVERED BY THE LORD.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE LESSONS?

1. DELIVERANCE IS DIVINE. GOD IS THE ONE WHO SAVES, THEREFORE HE IS THE ONE TO WHOM WE MUST GO TO FOR DELIVERANCE. PSALMS 34 & 57 & 142 TEACH US THIS LESSON.

GOD IS ALSO THE ONLY ONE WHO SHOULD RECEIVE PRAISE FOR OUR DELIVERANCE FROM LIFE'S DANGERS.

2. GOD IS OUR DELIVERER FROM THOSE WHO SEEK TO HARM US.

PSALMS 56 & 57 TEACH US THAT WHILE DESTRUCTION MAY BE PLANNED BY WICKED MEN, GOD DELIVERS US FROM THE HANDS OF THE WICKED.

3. DIVINE DELIVERANCE IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO LOVE AND TRUST IN THE LORD & CALL UPON HIM FOR SALVATION.

PSALM 56 & 57 & 142 TEACH THAT GOD CARES FOR AND PROTECTS HIS LOVED ONES WHO ARE HIS CHILDREN IN FAITH.

HIS DELIVERANCE IS BY HIS GRACE, NOT FROM OUR OWN MERIT. PSALMS 34 & 56 TEACH THAT HE HAS COMPASSION ON OUR AFFLICTIONS FROM OUR OWN SINFUL WAYS & DELIVERS THOSE WHO REPENT.

4. GOD DELIVERS IN ORDER TO BRING ABOUT THANKSGIVING & PRAISE TO HIS GLORY, NOT OURS.

PSALMS 56 & 57 & 142 TEACH THAT OUR DELIVERANCE IS NOT JUST FOR OUR OWN GOOD, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAT HIS GLORY MAY BE SEEN.

(DO WE REMEMBER THE MAN BORN BLIND IN JOHN 9 AND JESUS' APOSTLES ASKED WHO HAD SINNED, HE OR HIS PARENTS, THAT HE WAS BORN BLIND. BUT JESUS SAYS NO – HE WAS BORN BLIND SO THAT THIS MOMENT MIGHT COME TO SHOW YOU THE POWER & GLORY OF GOD)

5. DELIVERANCE IS SO THAT WE MAY BE INSTRUCTED AND TELL OTHERS OF HIS LOVE AND WORK IN OUR LIVES.

PSALM 34 IS WHERE DAVID TEACHES US OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD THAT MUST RESIDE IN OUR FAITH.

6. GOD DELIVERS EVEN WHEN IT APPEARS THAT THE DELIVERANCE IS FROM OTHER MEANS.

PSALM 34 FURTHER TEACHES THAT DAVID KNEW EXACTLY WHERE DELIVERANCE CAME FROM.

7. GOD WORKS THROUGH MEANS THAT APPEAR NORMAL AND HUMAN BUT ARE NOT.

PSALM 34 ALLOWS US TO SEE THAT ALL THINGS HUMAN ARE UNDER HIS WILL AND THAT HIS WILL IS COMPLETELY GUIDING HUMAN EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDE OUR DELIVERANCE.

LATER IN 2ND SAMUEL WE WILL SEE THAT THE MAN CHOSEN BY GOD TO BUILD HIS TEMPLE WAS THE RESULT OF THE ADULTEROUS AFFAIR DAVID CONDUCTED WITH BATHSEBA, AND ALSO RESULTED IN THE MURDER OF URIAH, HER HUSBAND, DUE TO DAVID'S ORDER.   ALL DESIGNED BY GOD.

8. GOD DELIVERS FROM CIRCUMSTANCE THAT OFTEN SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO ESCAPE FOR US.

 PSALM 142 TEACHES US THAT GOD ALLOWS SUCH SITUATIONS TO OCCUR SO THAT WHEN DELIVERANCE ARRIVES, WE KNOW IT WAS ONLY BY HIS HAND.

9. GOD DELIVERS US IN A WAY THAT BRINGS US TO HUMILITY.

GOD'S RESCUE OF DAVID WAS NOT TO BUILD UP DAVID'S EGO. DAVID WAS STARVING, & GOD SHOWED HIM BREAD.

DAVID WAS UNARMED AND GOD TOOK HIM TO THE PLACE WHERE THE SWORD OF GOLIATH WAS KEPT.

DAVID HAD NO PLACE TO GO AND GOD SHOWED HIM A CAVE TO LIVE IN.

ALL THESE THINGS HUMBLED DAVID AND TAUGHT HIM THAT WHILE HE WAS IN THE MOST DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE SHOULD TURN ONLY TO THE LORD.

DO WE RECALL HOW WE LEARNED RECENTLY IN ACTS THAT THERE IS NO OTHER NAME BY WHICH SALVATION IN GIVEN?

FINALLY TO SHOW JUST HOW POWERFUL THESE LESSONS WERE, WE SEE IN MATTHEW 12 THAT JESUS HIMSELF USED THE EXAMPLE OF DAVID WHEN THE PHARISEES WERE CRITICAL OF HIS APOSTLES PICKING A BIT OF CORN TO EAT ON THE SABBATH.

JESUS TAUGHT THE PHARISEES FROM THIER OWN SCRIPTURE THAT DAVID, WHEN HE WAS HUNGRY ENTERED THE HOUSE OF GOD AND ATE THE CONSECRATED BREAD WHICH WAS NOT LAWFUL.

THEN HE TAUGHT THEM THAT SOMETHING GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE IS HERE AND THAT THE SON OF MAN IS LORD OF THE SABBATH.

LIKE DAVID, WE ARE CONDEMNED BY OUR OWN SIN. BUT DAVID TAUGHT US THAT WHILE SIN IS EVER WITH US, HIS LESSON OF CONFESSION (FOUND SO WONDERFULLY IN PSALM 51) AND FULL REPENTANCE BRINGS FORGIVENESS IF WE ARE SURE IN FAITH.

DAVID GREATLY HONORS KING SAUL TWICE IN OUR STUDY CHAPTERS, BOTH IN CHAPTER 24 & 26.

IN 24 SAUL AND HIS ARMY, AFTER A BATTLE WITH THE PHILISTINES, SOUGHT TO FIND DAVID SO THAT SAUL COULD CAPTURE AND KILL HIM.

DURING THIS HUNT, SAUL NEEDED A PERSONAL MOMENT WHICH SCRIPTURE IN VERSE 24:3 SAYS WAS TO “COVER HIS FEET”, A POLITE WAY TO SAY HE NEEDED TO USE THE REST ROOM.

HE ENTERED THE VERY CAVE DAVID AND HIS MEN WERE HIDING.

HERE WAS A PERFECT CHANCE FOR DAVID TO KILL SAUL IN RETALIATION.

HE SNUCK BEHIND SAUL, DREW HIS DAGGER, AND CUT SAUL’S CLOTHING INSTEAD OF HIS THROAT, SHOWING MERCY ON THE MAN WHO WAS TRYING SO HARD TO TAKE HIS LIFE.

IN VERSE 10 WE ARE TOLD THAT DAVID’S REASON WAS THAT SAUL WAS THE LORD’S ANOINTED.

DAVID SHOWED THE FABRIC TO SAUL IN 12-15 AND SAUL WAS MOVED TO TEARS AND HE TOLD DAVID THAT HE KNEW DAVID WAS MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN HE WAS.

HE SAID HE KNEW DAVID WOULD BE KING AND ASKED DAVID NOT TO DESTROY HIS FAMILY AND DAVID AGREED.

IN CHAPTER 26 DAVID ENTERED SAUL’S CAMP IN THE NIGHT AND STOOD OVER SAUL AS HE SLEPT. INSTEAD OF KILLING SAUL, DAVID TOOK HIS SPEAR & WATER PITCHER.

GOD HAD PUT A “DEEP SLEEP” OVER THE CAMP TO COVER DAVID’S SECRET ENTRY.

SAUL WAS SLEEPING WHILE DAVID WALKED INTO HIS CAMP WITHOUT CHALLENGE. ANOTHER MOMENT ARRANGED BY GOD.

SADLY IN CHAPTER 25 SAMUEL DIED AND THE GRIEF WAS POWERFUL IN ISRAEL, BUT DAVID WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND HIS FUNERAL SO AS NOT TO EXPOSE HIMSELF AT THAT TIME.

GOD HAS DELIVERED DAVID MANY TIMES, SECURING THE LIFE AND KINGDOM TO COME OF HIS CHOSEN SERVANT ALREADY ANOINTED AND PREPARING TO RULE THE NATION.

THE RETRIBUTION ON SAUL WILL COME IN CHAPTER 31, AND WILL BE A GREAT LESSON FOR US AS TO HOW THE LORD ARRANGES EACH AND EVERY EVENT TO SUIT HIS PURPOSE.