I Samuel 31: Faithful to Character

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Quick on the heels of David’s victory, we have the sad tale of Saul’s demise. Was his death predictable? Yes. Was the manner of his death predictable? Perhaps. At least the manner of his death was consistent with his character.

When Saul realizes that many men of Israel both fled and were slain at the hand of the Philistines, he flees. In time, Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua are all killed by the Philistines, who are in aggressive pursuit of king Saul. Saul is struck by an arrow and is severely wounded.

Such was his state that Saul was sure to die, of that there was no doubt. His wound left him unable to effectively flee and the Philistine army was closing in. In a moment of desperation, and with no other alternatives from his perspective, Saul decides to kill himself by falling on his sword. Saul became his own murderer. Knowing Saul’s character, this is not terribly surprising. Saul sought worldly glory and honor, and he treasured the adulation of men over the approval of God. When it was clear that Saul was destined for shameful capture, likely torture and killing, he decided to do the deed himself. Would it have been more honorable for him to fight? Likely. But would that have changed the outcome of events? Likely not.

Much drama is made out of the head of Saul and his depraved body. Saul’s dedicated soldiers rescue his dead headless body from a temple, burn it, and bury it. They were also concerned with the worldly honor of their king. While there may be nothing inherently wrong with their actions, there is a background theme that overshadows their heroics. While these loyal men “saved” Saul’s body from degradation, Saul’s soul very well could have been perishing eternally in the depths of hell.

What is most interesting about Saul’s character in light of his death is where his mind went when he knew he would die. Rather than seeking God, he sought relief and escape from his dilemma. Yes, it was in character, and it demonstrates to us that the fruition of a poor character follows us all the way to the grave. Did Saul have time to repent and seek guidance from God? Yes. But Saul’s thinking was such that eternal considerations were not part of his mental checklist. He wanted to avoid torture, shame, and dishonor, and that is as far as his thinking went.

It is a reminder to us of the great immeasurable value in incorporating eternity into our everyday thinking. It will make a difference. If we consider God and our eternal fate when we make decisions and plans, our future will align with the values needed to get to heaven. If we only think as far as this world, our cares and the stakes will only be as high as the sky, and will not reach into eternity. Which is more important? The right selection is obvious.

I Samuel 30: God Guides David Through Ziklag

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Most things are not what they appear to be. They certainly were not for David when, after being rejected by the Philistines, he finds that another enemy of Israel, the Amalekites, had “attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire.” I Samuel 30:1

Ziklag was laid waste but the people that were there, the women and the sons and daughters of David’s warriors had all been kidnapped, most likely to serve the Amalekites as slaves. This was devastating to all of the men of David’s fighting force, and also to David, whose own wives were also taken.

Rightly or wrongly, David’s warriors laid all the blame at David’s feet. Such was their distress at losing their families they spoke of stoning David. But David, displaying signs of a great and abiding faith, “strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” I Samuel 30:6

David consults what was likely the Urim and the Thummim from the priest’s ephod for help. The guidance that he gets from God is as follows: “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” Weary and emotionally drained, David pursues the Amalekites with six hundred men. When the men get to the body of water called Brook Besor, two hundred of the men are too weary to continue, so they stay behind to rest and guard the supplies.

As providence would have it, David’s four hundred in pursuit of the Amalekites find a weak Egyptian servant in a field and he is nursed back to health with food and water. Once the man regains his strength, he tells David that he will lead him and his men to the group that burned Ziklag and kidnapped their families. The servant does as he says and David and his men attack this group by surprise. Through God’s guidance, and David’s faith and bravery, the outcome is overwhelmingly positive:

“So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all. Then David took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those other livestock, and said, “This is David’s spoil.” I Samuel 30:18-20

But there is still a hitch to address: When the men who accompanied David to recover what was theirs come into contact with the two hundred men that were too weary to continue beyond Brook Besor, they do not want to share the spoils with the men that they now looked down upon as weak. The judgmental men are referred to as “wicked and worthless” or “sons of belial” in verse 22. But David, once again with a decision of sound judgment and admirable leadership, commits to sharing with the men that had stayed behind, saying in verses 23 and 24: “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.”

David’s sense of what was right and his sense of fairness win the day as this common-sense decision sets a standard for Israel as a statute and an ordinance.

Lastly for this chapter, David ingratiates himself with the leaders of Israel by sending them a portion of the spoils that were retrieved from the Amalekites. This smart move was done in a timely manner, as David will have the need to be on good terms with these political factions very soon.

What can we learn from this chapter? Here are some thoughts:

  • No matter is too great nor too small to consult God on: He is trustworthy to lead us through that which He decides is worthy
  • Mercy and compassion within a team is a very valuable component: We ought to extend grace towards those weaker than us, even if it is against our impulses
  • Never lose hope: When it seems obvious that all is lost, God can be relied upon to lead us to salvation, even if it seems hopeless from our perspective

Tonight I urge you to keep hope alive, rely on God, and have compassion for the weak. When we allow ourselves to be a conduit for God’s love and blessings, we are accomplishing His will and letting His light shine forth for other men, women, and children to see.

I Samuel 29: David’s Feelgood Rejection

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You will remember from chapter 28 how David was expected to fight with the Philistines on behalf of King Achish, who was impressed with his prowess in battle.

Throughout his life, David has been able to maintain profitable relationships with his enemies. The first and most obvious is King Saul, but we should also look at how David handled his relationship with King Achish. He never got too close so as to make himself an obvious enemy of his people, but he stayed close enough to the Philistines so that he could personally benefit from them.

David used the Philistines as a form of protection as Saul hunted for him and he also fought under the guise as a part of the Philistine army, but he did so to selectively defeat those other peoples that were enemies to Israel. We look at David and his political, strategic, and spiritual savvy: how did he do it? He was shrewd yet godly. David was smart and capable in both brains and brawn and he used both to his advantage. It should prompt us to wonder – how are we using our talents and blessings to bring attention to the glory of God?

In this chapter, David finds himself at a loss. Even though Achish values and trusts David, the princes of the Philistines remember all too well how effective David was in battle against the Philistines early on. They fear that he will become their adversary, so it is safe to say that they do not trust him. They know where his true allegiance lies, even if Achish is blind to it:

“But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men? Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?”

The depth of the relationship between David and Achish seems genuine. See how Achish can testify of David even in light of the displeasure of the lords of the Philistines: “Then Achish called David and said to him, “Surely, as the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you. Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.”

Achish seems to understand David. I do not think that we can think that he is blind to David’s true allegiances, but I could be wrong. I think it is interesting that a man like David could have a civil relationship with his enemy without being duplicitous. After all, he did impress upon Achish that he was devoted to God: “I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God.”

David, the “man after God’s own heart” knew how to live in such a way with friends and enemies so that they believed him, trusted him, and perhaps even saw God in him. David was an imperfect man, but he was great in much. Tonight let us meditate on our own lives, on our own relationships, and ask ourselves how we can make peace with our enemies in a way that glorifies God.

I Samuel 28: Saul’s Degradation

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David, having temporarily put in his lot with the Philistines and King Achish, finds himself in a precarious situation as I Samuel 28 begins. The Philistine armies are seeking to make war with the Israelites and King Achish, impressed with David’s abilities as a warrior, expects David to fight with the Philistines against the Israelites and says to David in verse 1: “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”

David’s response is intentionally ambiguous: “Surely you know what your servant can do.”

By responding this way, David makes sure that he will not incur the immediate wrath of King Achish and he also does not commit to fighting against the Israelites. As the coming king, fighting against the Israelites to ensure his personal safety would have been out of David’s character at this point in his life. He has done much to protect and defend Israel, both in faith and in deed. David needed to ensure that he was still on good terms with Achish while also secretly serving the protection of Israel. This response covered both bases, another shrewd action from David.

As the chapter continues, Saul realizes that Israel is about to be attacked by the Philistines. Saul goes to God in prayer, but is ignored. Thus begins the sad unfolding of events in this chapter for king Saul. While Saul had not done much that God expected, he had done one good thing: expelled necromancers and other occultists from the land of Israel. The commands to do such are outlined in the following passages:

“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.”    

– Exodus 22:18

“Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.”

  • Leviticus 19:31

And the passage that has the most detail in forbidding such things is found in Deuteronomy 18:9-14. The directives in these verses do two things: 1) They confirm the existence of such practices, and 2) They prohibit God’s people from participating in them in any way.

“When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.”

The reason that these directives are so significant to Saul is because they reveal his hypocrisy. Verse three tells us that Saul had put the mediums and spiritists out of the land. But when Saul sees the Philistine army camped and ready to do battle with Israel, he becomes scared. He first goes to God, but we can tell from God’s reaction that Saul’s heart is not right. Indeed, Saul’s heart has not been right before God for a long time now. Saul seeks himself and his own glory. He goes to God only when he feels like God is the best option, or when there are little to no other choices. We can reasonably conclude that God’s response of ignoring Saul is due to Saul’s approach to God and the sad condition of Saul’s heart. Saul was not going to God sincerely with a penitent heart for the ways he had foolishly acted in the past. Saul was seeking God’s help selfishly, and not having put anything on the altar of God nor giving God his due, Saul got from God what he deserved: he was ignored.

After this, much like the claim in Romans 1:28, Saul seeks a medium and he suffers for it: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;” thus Saul suffers.

Saul lost his way long ago and it seems to have started with a sense of his own greatness, putting a premium on himself rather than on God. Now we have to recognize the probability that God gave Israel a first king as weak as Saul to demonstrate both the fallibility of man’s leadership and the idea that man should rely on God alone. Watching Saul degrade himself in this chapter is a cautionary tale worthy of all students of destructive hubris.

Saul seeks the medium to bring forth the spirit of Samuel. Samuel, whose death was recorded in I Samuel 25, appears in spirit to Saul and asks him, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

Samuel’s answer is so woeful that it is pitiful. We see a man that has reached the end of hopelessness. He is resorting to things he should not to get answers that will not help him. Have you ever found yourself in a position such as this? Surely most, if not all of us have. Saul says to the spirit of Samuel, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”

Samuel’s response to Saul makes Saul’s blood run cold. The spirit of Samuel tells Saul in no uncertain terms that the Lord has deserted Saul and Saul is now the enemy of the Lord. David will soon rule over Israel because Saul has not obeyed God in killing the Amalekites. The Lord will deliver Israel to the Philistines and Saul and his sons will perish.

The remainder of the chapter paints an even more pitiful picture of Israel’s first king. Saul lays prostrate on the floor, too weak to get up and too weak to eat the bread offered to him by the medium. But after being encouraged some by his servants, and by the medium, he finally relents, eating a from a fatted calf and unleavened bread from the house.

Saul’s is a cautionary tale of pride, self-reliance, and misplaced loyalties. His end is nearing.  

I Samuel 27: In Hiding

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After David’s second “reconciliation” with Saul, David fled with his 600 fighting men to the land of the Philistines. David chose this place, called Gath, because he knew that Saul would not pursue him there. While there, David met with Achish, the king of Gath. This is unlikely to be the same Achish as from I Samuel 21, due to the mention of this Achish being the son of Maoch.

Now the Philistines were profane idol-worshippers, and David did not want to stay in the royal city. As a way of seeking a place to stay away from the main population, David said to Achish in verse 5: “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”

Achish sent David to Ziklag and made him to rule over it. Ziklag had originally been part of the the tribe of Judah, but from the context of this chapter, we can assume that the people of Ziklag no longer worshipped God but were now idol-worshippers, having been assimilated into Philistine culture.

Verses 8-10 tell about how David led raids against surrounding territories. David used his position for two purposes:

  1. Deceptively convince Achish that he was raiding the surrounding territories in the interest of the Philistines. This assured that David would continue to reside in Philistia
  2. Actively seek and destroy people and territories that were against the kingdom of Israel

David used his position to both fortify his nation and to ensure his continued personal protection until the time was right for him to return to Israel proper. Did he do it honestly? No. As great a man of faith in action as David was, he was far from perfect.

Let’s review some questions that will help reveal the true motives behind David’s actions in I Samuel 27.

Q: Did David seek to sin for his own personal gain?

A: No. He lied to assure his continued protection and to kill enemies of Israel.

Q: What was David’s motive based on his actions?

A: To protect His nation.

Q: Were David’s actions the actions of a king? How so or why not?

A: David’s fleeing was not kingly, but it was necessary given the fact that he still respected Saul as the king that God appointed over Israel. David’s actions were kingly in that even when he was weak, he still found a way to fortify the protection of the nation that he knew he would one day lead.

Q: If you were David, what would you do in this situation?

David, like us, was far from perfect. But it is hard for us to look at his actions in this chapter and accuse him of having bad intentions or a weak or selfish heart. Even though David lied, he did so at the benefit of his nation and for his own protection. This is not an endorsement to say that sometimes it is okay to lie, but sometimes we must have the ability to recognize that life can be so complex as to usher in the necessity for solutions that are neither black nor white.

I Samuel 26: Cat & Mouse?

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Another profound chapter in the midst of a profound book, I Samuel 26 has us watching David and Saul playing cat and mouse once again. But which is which? Saul pursues David, but despite this David always comes away with the upper hand. Who is chasing whom?

Saul is told of David’s whereabouts and seeks to track him down. Ultimately, David has the chance to take Saul’s life for a second time, but he relents. David again has to restrain a fellow soldier in Abishai, who desires greatly to kill Saul as he sleeps. Later, they will converse across a great distance, David speaking from the top of a hill.

In the big picture, David knew that it is not up to him to decide when Saul should be removed as King. This was of course up to God to determine. These events flow according to the pattern His will, under which nothing happens that He does not allow.

At this point, we can ask ourselves, to what extent do we behave like David and let events take their course, behaving righteously? Or do we sometimes take matters into our own hands when they are not ours to take? Naturally there are times when intervention is needed, and in these situations, we must not hesitate. But David knew that in this situation, and in the cave of chapter 24, it was not appropriate to act. How do we know the difference? How did David know the difference?

The answer is that David was close to God in thought, prayer, and action. Because of his closeness to God, his faith was great. Because his faith was great, he was better attuned to the right course of action, being sensitive to what was most appropriate and what was right or wrong. We can of course experience the same thing today, and we should strive for it every morning.

Notice that Saul, when speaking with David in verse 17, refers to him as “my son.” What does this say about Saul, when we consider the totality of his actions? Is this endearment sincere?  

David, understanding how impressionably weak Saul is, appeals to Saul asking him if he is following the directive of God or of men when he decides to pursue David. It must have been surprising to David to find that Saul had pursued him yet again (with three thousand men). Surprising or not, David understands the foolishness in Saul’s pursuing him. He seems to have an understanding that Saul is motivated by jealousy and the chiding words of men close to him. He says openly to Saul in verse 20 that he is not worth Saul’s time: “So now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

This statement is not based on the character of the two men, but rather on the fact that one has been chosen as king and the other, his subject. Now of course David knows, having already been anointed king by Samuel in chapter 16, that he would likely replace Saul. But until that time, David remains in full respect of God’s will and the natural flow of events as he sees them dictated by God.

Verses 23 and 24 encapsulate the highly righteous attitude of David. Who else but God’s true anointed could see events and capture them in speech so perfectly?

“May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.” I Samuel 26:23-24

Based off of these verses, here is what David knows:

  • Man is repaid for his righteousness and faithfulness
  • God rewards mercy
  • To request mercy is not foolish
  • The true giver of mercy is Almighty God

Saul’s meager rejoinder betrays a shallow heart and lips that want to please. It is difficult not to see Saul as a hollow man because that is exactly what he appears to be based on his words and actions. Saul was a long way from the condition Paul expounds on in Ephesians 4 as he addresses kingdom unity, for Saul was “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind…” Saul was not swayed by doctrine however, but by the persuasive words of evil cohorts.

Saul is a great case study of how not to act, how not to think, and who not to listen to. When we seek God as our primary source of truth and excellence, we ourselves put on the attributes of truth and excellence, much like the armor of God of Ephesians 6.

This would be the last meeting between Saul and David.

I Samuel 25: Nobody’s Perfect

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At the beginning of this chapter, we learn that Samuel has died. He was given a proper sendoff and David flees to the wilderness of Paran.

The remainder of this chapter deals with David’s dealings with Nabal and Abigail. Nabal was harsh and evil. The word Nabal means “fool.” Abigail was of wisdom and beauty. A contrasting couple, to be sure.  

While David was hiding in the wilderness from Saul, he and his men had worked hard to protect Nabal and his thousands of sheep. Nabal would have needed this protection as he lived in the wilderness and was vulnerable to thieves. David also implies that he and his men could have taken advantage of Nabal while they were in the surrounding wilderness. David sends his men to Nabal to request a form of payment for this protection. As Nabal was shearing his many sheep, he would have had a lot of money on hand.

Nabal resists payment, citing that he does not know where these men are from. Plus, he has to feed his own men. David meets this response with the act of taking four hundred men with him, ready for battle, presumably to take what he feels he and his men are owed and to decimate Nabal’s household. At this, we may see into a fault of David. Why does he need to answer Nabal’s rebuke with violence? Was his pride hurt? Did he feel that he and his men deserved the money and that it was worth fighting for? David says as much in verses 21-22: ““Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good. May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light.”

One of the young men that work for Nabal goes to Abigail and tell her of the situation, mentioning also how well David and his men protected Nabal’s sheep during their time in the wilderness. Immediately Abigail collects an appropriate amount of goods for payment to David and his men and goes to intercept David before he can bring violence to Nabal and the family. Abigail is showing shrewd wisdom and dedication to protecting her own, and she does so without the knowledge of her wicked husband.

But God’s grace comes in many forms. In this chapter, Abigail is the instrument, and also one of the beneficiaries of His grace. David is softened by Abigail’s entreaty and gift and does not pursue killing the house of Nabal.  After this event, things go very well for David and his men. Abigail tells Nabal of how she interceded to protect the family, and Nabal dies about ten days later. David wholly ascribes Nabal’s death to God’s intervention: “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil! For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head.”

David then marries Abigail and likely takes ownership of all of Nabal’s former wealth. This lengthy chapter is a brief interlude into the story of David, and it teaches us a few things:

  1. David’s judgment is fallible
  2. The grace of God benefits the righteous
  3. God can protect us from our own weaknesses

These are the primary lessons, although there are more. The underlying lesson for each one of us today is to witness David’s consistent dedication to God and to living righteously. David’s misstep in this chapter show us God’s longsuffering mercy towards those that love, serve, and fear him. This gives us confidence to love and serve God and not to fear for the loss of His providence and blessings when we make mistakes. We are only human after all. We all have sinned and will continue to sin, not willfully, but our place in the flesh leaves us vulnerable to temptation. If David can sin (and this instance is not his worst), and still remain in God’s graces, surely, we can and will too. God’s grace can, but also often will not, remove the real-life consequences of sin that follow misdeeds.

The secret to spiritual balance is knowing that we will not be perfect, accepting it, and continuing to work harder than ever to please God in every situation we are in. When we make mistakes, we need to take our lumps, move on, and redouble our efforts to please God again, ashamed that we have let Him down, but also knowing that He understands and accepts our spirits of repentance, our fear, and our worship.

I Samuel 24: Honest Conversation

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As we read in the last chapter, David fled to the wilderness of En Gedi after narrowly escaping from King Saul and the army of men hunting him. Saul eventually hears of David’s location, chooses three thousand men to accompany him, and seeks David in En Gedi.

As coincidence would have it, the cave that King Saul chooses to relieve himself is the very cave where David and his men are hiding. David does an interesting thing here. Saul, most likely setting his robe down, is vulnerable. If David were evil, he could use this opportunity to take advantage of King Saul by hurting him, capturing him, or killing him. Yet all David does is cut off a corner of his robe. David had to restrain his men from attacking Saul. In doing so, he neatly explains why he refrains from violence towards the king in verse 6: “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.”

David’s respect for King Saul ran deep and was of more than one dimension. David had respect for Saul in that they shared a history together. Recall when David used to spend time with Saul and play music for him. Saul was also David’s father-in-law. More important than these two bonds, David perhaps respected Saul most because Saul was the king that was chosen to lead Israel by God. Far be it from David to presume to murder he whom God had placed. David’s strong and impressive faith has many facets, granting us many opportunities to learn and be inspired. It makes one wonder, would I have the same respect for an enemy of my own? Remember that David did nothing to King Saul to attack him outright. Instead, it was David’s repeated display of strong leadership in battle and his influence of the people that provoked Saul to hunt him down. Saul also likely had those that whispered in his ear that David’s goal was to usurp the crown and the power of the king.

But instead we see David, a humble servant of God, prohibiting himself from avenging anything with the king and instead respecting the one that God put in power. Do we think and act the same ways towards those that lead us?

When David comes to Saul, he does not at first disclose his identity. But through the words he speaks, Saul comes to know who he is. David reasons honestly with Saul, drawing attention to the ones that speak evil of David in Saul’s ear. David humbly reveals the corner of the robe as proof that he bears no ill will towards Saul. It is an effective tactic, as it cuts through Saul’s desires to harm David and instead has him saying, “And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.”

Even proud, wicked, and evil, Saul knows righteousness and goodness when he sees it. He may have known deep down that David was the same faithful man all along. But power and pride clouds wisdom and judgment, and Saul was not one to seek righteousness or listen to sound counsel. Instead, Saul makes a fool of himself, demonstrating bad leadership to Israel while hunting David. But when David shows him the corner of the robe Saul finally gets it. As Saul admits that David is more fit to be king, and predicts that he will be king, he makes a single request of him: do not kill my descendants and do not remove my name from my father’s house.

Even though brief, this chapter teems with modern lessons for us. Let us meditate on them:

  • Steadfast righteousness has eventual rewards
    • Impresses goodness upon others
    • May result in deliverance from affliction
  • Restraint is a virtue
    • It is very important to use sound judgment while making decisions under duress
    • Be an influencer while restraining yourself; lead others in restraint
  • Open and direct honesty inspires mercy
    • Interpersonal conflict or other disagreement: bare your heart without reserve
    • Practice the same when in prayer: what’s the use of hiding anything from God? He knows everything about you and what is in your heart and your mind. Be honest in your prayers and wait for answers from God

Instances like the conversation in this chapter prove the statement that David was a man after God’s own heart.

I Samuel 23: Far from the king; Close to God

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At the end of chapter 22, we left David in Judah, still fleeing king Saul. Chapter 23 is little different. Saul is still pursuing David as an enemy of the throne. David’s strength and reputation remain  undiminished as he flees from Saul.

David’s men tell him that the Philistines are attacking and stealing from Keilah, a town in Judah. It is telling that David’s help was sought for Keilah over Saul’s help because Saul was their king. It is another sign of David’s ability to inspire loyalty in others as his actions were those of a true man of God. Even though David’s men were afraid to go to Keilah to protect it, David went to God in prayer time and again to make sure that this is what God wanted him to do. After God assures David that the Philistines will be delivered into David’s hand, David goes. David saved Keilah and stole the Philistines’ livestock.

Word gets back to Saul that Abiathar had fled to Keilah for protection from David. Saul sees this is an opportunity to trap David in the walls of Keliah so Saul goes down with men to try and cach David there. When David hears of this, he goes to God again in prayer, asking if it is true that Saul will seek him and take him at Keilah. God answers that yes, the men of Keilah will deliver David to Saul (this, even though David just saved them from the Philistines). In light of these answers to his prayers, David takes about six hundred men and flees to the wilderness. Saul also gets word of David’s fleeing so he halts his pursuit for the moment.

Eventually, Saul resumes his search for David in the wilderness and as he does, Jonathan goes and finds David. Jonathan tells David, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.” With this, David is encouraged and stays hidden.

The Ziphites may have been looking for some credit or favor from king Saul when they approached him, offered up David’s position and invited Saul to come and take David. But Saul will not be so easily moved to find David, being convinced of how slippery David has been during this pursuit. So Saul tells the Ziphites to come back to him with David’s exact location.

Saul’s caution was justified, because by the time he finally did go out to locate David, David had moved to another place. Also, David was alerted to Saul’s coming and was able to evade Saul in the wilderness, at a place called the “Rock of Escape,” that was named after David evaded king Saul. After the narrow escape, David fled to strongholds at En Gedi.

David is a strong, prayerful and confident man of God in these events. This does not mean that he was not afraid. On the contrary, David was quite afraid throughout Saul hunting him. But David did not turn his back on God. He did not give up. He may have been unsure at times, and when he was, he asked God for affirmation. When God affirmed what he said previously, David went ahead with what he knew he needed to do.

David gives life to the idea of bravery. Bravery is not the absence of fear, but is the presence of right action despite fear. In David’s case, we can attribute his success in this chapter to a third, all-important factor: dependence on Almighty God. Bravery is good and is needed in a risk/reward scenario, but bravery coupled with guidance from your creator increases your chances of success exponentially.

I Samuel 22: David’s Weakness is Strong

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

Scene 1: David on the Run

At the end of I Samuel 21, David cunningly found a way to escape Achish, king of Gath. He came to the cave of Adullam, where those loyal to him that were in need sought him out. The number was about 400 men. Ultimately, David leaves the cave when he goes to Moab and asks the king there to care for his parents, which he does. David moves again when the prophet Gad encourages him to flee to Judah.

Scene 2: Jealous King Saul

Saul is surrounded by his subjects and he is frustrated that their loyalty has not met his standards. He expects them to tell him of David’s whereabouts, to actively seek to subvert David as Saul perpetually does. We recall Doeg the Edomite from I Samuel 21, who had seen David with Ahimelech and had witnessed David receiving bread and Goliath’s sword from Ahimelech. At this, Saul sends for Ahimelech and his sons.

When Ahimelech arrives, Saul challenges him, asking why he did not tell Saul of David’s activities. Ahimelech, speaking truth from a place of righteousness, says, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.”

We will remember that David attempted to save Ahimelech from king Saul’s blame when he lied to him in I Samuel 21, saying that he was on a special mission for king Saul. But Saul is not buying it. Perhaps he would, had Ahimelech not praised David’s faithfulness, loyalty, and honor. Saul’s pride and his warped ethical senses will not allow Ahimelech to praise David in his presence. So Saul then directs the guards to kill Ahimelech and his sons due to his supposed insolence. When the guards will not do it, Saul directs Doeg and his men to do so, and they do. Eighty-five priests and many more in Nob, the city of priests, including men, women, children and infants, and livestock all die.

Scene 3: David the Protector

One of Ahimelech’s sons named Abiathar escaped the carnage and was able to find David. When David hears of all that has happened, he says to Abiathar, “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s house. Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.”

We are in the midst of David’s story in this chapter, and there is much to learn from his example.

  1. David inspires confidence. Many people seek him because they believe that he can offer them help, even though they do not offer to help him.
    1. Do I inspire others to have confidence in me?
  2. David inspires loyalty. Ahimelech took up for David even though it might cost him his life, and it did. David’s loyalty to God cause him to inspire others to be loyal to him.
    1. It really is all about seeking and serving God. When we set a good example, others see it. Not because of anything we created, but because of who we are following. Am I setting a good example?
  3. David protects. When Abiathar came to David with the terrible report of what Saul had done, David promised him safety. David made himself accountable not only for himself, but also for others.
    1. One of the charges we have from God in this life is to care for one another. Am I protecting and caring for others as I have the opportunity?

David provides so many godly examples for us to follow. Remember that he is only that way because he is loyal to God and is following Him. If we emulate this, just as we are encouraged to in Jesus Christ, we can also inspire confidence, loyalty, and trust.