1 Samuel 21 -24

1 Samuel 21-22 – David Escapes Saul

David went Nob to Ahimelech the priest Ahimelech because he needed supplies.  The priest was nervous about David being there because he had probably heard about Saul and David not getting alone.  Ahimelech questioned David.  David was too afraid of Saul to give honest answers.  He lied and told him Saul had charged him with a secret matter and he was to tell no one.  He told the priest that he was alone and asked him for provision and a sword.  David lied because he was not yet able to trust God completely.  The priest showed mercy and gave David provisions and the sword of Goliath.  Doeg, one of Saul’s servants was there and witness this interaction. 

The sword was the sword of Goliath, the Philistine David killed.   It was kept there in the temple as a reminder and evidence that God had rescued Israel through David.  David handed the sword over to the priests.  They considered it a sacred object.

Do you find yourself forgetting about God faithfulness in your past?

How are you reminded of what God has done for you?

Then David fled from Saul and went Gath, which was a Philistine city.  Achish, king of Gath was not a friend of David and David became afraid.  He should have trusted the Lord, but he did not and devised a plan of his own.  He made the king think he was crazy.  The king didn’t kill him because in those days they thought it was wrong to kill crazy people.  Instead the king sent David away.

David reflected back when he wrote Psalm 34.  We learn from this Psalm that God is the solution to our fears.  We are to fear God not man.  Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  We learn that the Lord rescues His servants and that He loves us and forgives us when we mess up.  We are righteous, but we grow into it on our walk with Him.

David took refuge in a cave of Adullam.  This cave was David’s physical refuge, but God was David’s spiritual refuge.  There were about 400 men with him.  From there David went to Moab.  Remember his mother, Ruth was from Moab.  He asked the king of Moab to keep his family safe.  David hid in the caves and then found a safe place in the forest.  He waited for God’s instructions.

Saul continued to pursue David and took his officials to the tree of Gibeah.  He throws a pity party feeling sorry for himself.  He was blinded by his pride and hatred of David and trusted no one.   He rants about how everyone was against him.  He said even his own son, Jonathan made a covenant with David. 

Doeg told Saul all that was said when David met with the priest, Ahimelech.  Saul then accuses the priest Ahimelech of conspiring against him.  The priest explains that he knew nothing.  Saul finds out the truth about the priest, but told his men to kill him anyway.  They refused to kill a priest so Saul commanded Doeg to do it.  Doeg killed the priest and 85 others and others in the town including women, children, cattle, donkeys and sheep.  Abiathar the son of Ahimelech escaped and joined David. 

Pride and self-pity can mess with your mine.  We can twist what we hear to suit our needs.  Don’t go there.  God is in control.  Put your faith in Him.  He has a perfect plan even though we may not see it at the time.

By David’s lying to Ahimelech he caused his death and the death of his family.  We see that lies can be dangerous.  David couldn’t do anything about the priests’ murders, but he felt guilty and confess to the Lord.

When have you told God your fears and knew He would help you?

What is your response when misunderstood, gossiped about or unappreciated?

Principle:  God is faithful to those who depend on Him.

1 Samuel 23 – God Guides David

When David heard that the Philistines were fighting the people of Keilah, he asked God if he should go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.  The Lord told him to go and David and his men saved Keilah.  David consulted God first before moving ahead.  He already had trouble with Saul and didn’t need to add to his troubles.  Saving Keilah would be dangerous.  It would expose David to Saul.  But David obeyed the Lord and God blessed him for it.

Saul learned that David was at Keilah and continued to pursue him.  Saul was obsessed with killing David.  When David learned Saul was after him again, he called on the Lord for help.  This prayer is found in Psalm 54.

God provided for David through Jonathan.  Jonathan was unselfish.  He had the right to be king after Saul’s death, but he gave that right to David.  God had appointed David to be the next king.  Jonathan only desire was to be his friend and adviser.  He encouraged David and promised to be loyal to him and to support his rule as king.  They declared themselves to be responsible to God.  The two had genuine love and friendship for each other.  Their circumstances would change, but their friendship would last forever.

David recalls in Psalm 54 that God is his helper.  He sustains him.  He is faithful and delivers him.

Principle:  God always strengthens those who depend on Him.

1 Samuel 24 – David Spares Saul

Saul just happened to go into the cave where David and his men were.  But we know God’s hand was it that.  Saul didn’t know David was there.  David’s men urged him to kill Saul, but David refused.  So while Saul was sleeping David slipped close to him and cut off part of his robe.  David could have killed Saul as his men wanted David to do, but David spared Saul because he knew God’s promise that he would inherit the throne of Israel one day.  He knew if he killed Saul, he would be disobedient to God.  God had put Saul into authority as king and it was God’s job to deal with Saul not David’s.  God would do it His way.  

We need to learn from David.  He resisted the temptation to kill Saul.  He was not bitter or angry toward Saul.  David was always faithful, obedient and trusted God even in all his troubles.  David knew how to wait on the Lord.

The robe was a symbol of Saul’s royal authority and cutting the robe is like cutting away Saul’s authority.  David felt badly that he had done anything against God’s appointed authority.  David then revealed himself to Saul because he wanted to reconcile with him.  David bowed before Saul.  Saul could have killed David right there, but David trusted God would keep him safe because he was obedient.  He showed mercy to Saul and doesn’t blame him directly.

Saul saw David’s obedience and to the Lord and the kindness he gave to Saul.  This softened Saul’s heart, although he never really asked David for forgiveness.  He asked David to promise not to mistreat or kill his descendants.  It was customary when a new king came to power that all the potential rulers in the family of the previous king would be killed.  David kept his promise.

In Psalms 57 and 142 we see that David praised God and asked that God be his refuge.  He asked God to rebuke his enemies.  David praised God even in his troubles.  He had confidence in the Lord.  We need to praise God in our troubles and always look to Him as our refuge and our hope.  We need to have confidence in the Lord and His plans for our lives.

Do you depend on God when you experience hard times in your life?

Principle:  God guides those who depend on Him.

Next time we will continue our study in 1 Samuel.  See you here.

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1 Samuel 18-20

1 Samuel 18 – Saul’s Jealousy  

Everyone expected King Saul’s son Jonathan to be the next king, which would be a good reason for David and Jonathan to become enemies.  At first Jonathan probably didn’t know that Samuel had anointed David to be king.  Jonathan and David were about the same age and became good friends.  They had a genuine sincere love for each other.  That love came from the relationship both had with God.  Jonathan wanted to honor David so he made a covenant with him and gave him a gift of his royal clothes.  He also gave him his bow and sword.

David did whatever Saul asked so Saul gave David a high rank in the army, which pleased everyone.  After the defeat of Goliath, David could have become proud because he was suddenly well known by the people and by the soldiers.  When David and the soldiers returned home after killing Goliath, the women danced and sang a song of joy.  “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” – 1 Samuel 18:7.  This upset Saul and he became jealous of David (1 Samuel 18:1-9).

God had allowed the evil spirit to attack Saul again.  Usually when David played his harp to soothe Saul it would calm him, but this time he became angry and tried to kill David twice.  Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David and had left Saul.  Saul was afraid because David was so popular with the people and of his close relationship with God so he sent David away to command 1000 soldiers hoping he would be killed by the enemy.  David was very successful and even more popular.  This made Saul more afraid and more jealous.  Saul knew that God had chosen David to be the next king. 

Saul’s offered his daughter Merab to be David’s wife, but David was a humble man who looked after sheep and didn’t earn a lot of money.  So David turned Saul down.  Out of spite Saul gave her to another man.  Later he had a second chance to marry one of Saul’s daughters and this time David was persuaded to marry Michal.  Saul’s price for his daughter was for David to kill 100 Philistines.  Saul’s real plan was for the Philistines to kill David.  David was successful and they were married.  Saul became more afraid of David than ever before.  Saul could see he was losing power over his own country and David was gaining power. (1 Samuel 18:10-27).

When Saul realized that his daughter loved David, he became more and more afraid.  He never followed God again.  He didn’t admit he had sinned.  Instead he became more and more jealous and more afraid.  He never had peace from God.  Saul was David’s enemy for the rest of his life, but David was never Saul’s enemy (1 Samuel 18:27-30).

What lessons or warnings do you learn from Saul?

What lessons do you learn from David?

When have you been jealous of someone and what was the outcome?

Principle:  God gives His children power to serve with humility.

1 Samuel 19 – Saul’s Pursuit

Saul had secretly tried to kill David, but now he hated David so much that he told Jonathan and all the attendants to kill him.  Jonathan was wise and warned David.  He told David to hide from Saul.  Jonathan even spoke to his father and tried to stop him.  He reminded Saul of the great things David had done.  Saul realized he was wrong and made a promise to allow David to live.  David served Saul again.

Of course Saul didn’t keep his promise.  He tried to kill David again.  Saul told his men to bring David to him so he could kill him, but David’s wife, Michal was more loyal to him than to her father.  She saved his life.  She put an idol in his bed and covered it so when the men came for David she told them he was ill.  David escaped and never went back to serve Saul (1 Samuel 19:1-17).

This shows the some Israelites worshipped God and also idols, but the Bible never says that David worshipped idols.  Michal didn’t have the kind of relationship with God as David. 

David went to Ramah to visit Samuel whom he trusted.  Saul send sent three different groups of men to seize David, but he Spirit of God came upon them and controlled them.  Saul decided to go himself and get David, but he couldn’t find his way.  The Spirit controlled him, too.  He began prophesying, stripped off his robes and laid that way all day and night.  The people saw this and knew Saul was not a real prophet.  They didn’t expect Saul to prophesy when he was a young man and especially not as a wicked king.  God was still active in his life so maybe there was still hope he might return to God.  (1 Samuel 19:18-24).

The soldiers and the servants were put in a difficult spot by Saul telling them to kill David.  They all loved David yet they were commanded by Saul to kill him.  Sin is never excused even if ordered by a higher authority.

David had a deep faith in God as we see in Psalm 59.  He always turned to God in prayer for help.  He said God was his strength and his fortress.  He knew God would go before him and protect him from any harm.  David lived in constant danger for the rest of 1 Samuel, but still sang praises to God.

Where has God called you to what is right even at a personal risk?

Do you stand up to those who misuse God’s name or when they misquote His Word?

How has God protected you from your enemies?

Do you trust God to always go before you and protect you?

Principle:  God’s children can trust Him in their suffering.

1 Samuel 20:1-42 – David’s Protection

David went to Jonathan and asked what had he done for Saul to want to take his life.  Jonathan found it hard to believe that his father was trying to kill David.  So David proposed a test to prove it.  He would not go to the special meal called the New Moon festival where all Saul’s family and his important officials would be attending.  Instead Jonathan was to tell Saul that David went to his home in Bethlehem to have the New Moon meal with his family.  Then if Saul was not trying to kill David, he would be happy for David.  If Saul was still angry with David, Jonathan would be able to see it.  David would hide in the field away from the town (1 Samuel 20:1-10).

David told Jonathan if he was guilty of a crime, then he should kill him.  Jonathan refused.  Jonathan made a covenant with David.  They would remain completely loyal to each other (1 Samuel 20:11-17). 

David decided to go to warn his family in Bethlehem, because they would also have to hide to escape Saul’s anger.  He went through the fields so no one would see him. He would be gone 2 days.  During those 2 days Jonathan would find out whether Saul was really trying to kill David.  Jonathan devised a plan to tell David Saul’s intentions.  David was to hide near a particular stone and Jonathan would send a boy to shout a secret message for him to hear (1 Samuel 20:11-23).

At the meal Saul asked Jonathan were David was and he repeated the excuse David had asked him to give.  Saul immediately became angry.  His anger was against Jonathan because of his friendship with David.  Saul explained in public why he wanted to kill David.  He knew that David would be Israel’s king.  Saul opposed God’s plan to make David king and was trying to keep the rule for himself.  He was trying to control God.  Saul insulted Jonathan’s mother which upset and angered Jonathan so he left the table.  Saul was so angry that he threw a spear at Jonathan.  Now Jonathan knew his father wanted to kill David (1 Samuel 20:24-34).

Jonathan warned Davi, but not as they had planned.  He wanted to see David and warn him himself.  They knew that they had separate.  They greeted each other and shed tears showing how deeply they cared about each other.  They promised that they would always be friends.  Jonathan seemed to know that David was special and that he would be the future king.  Jonathan didn’t want to be king.  He wanted to support David so he could become king.  He knew that David would be a truly great king

(1 Samuel 20:35-42).

How ready are you to sustain your friends with truth of Scripture and comfort of prayer?

Will you make yourself available for others to come to you in times of trouble?

Would your friends say you are loyal to them?

Principle:  Troubles may increase, but God always supplies His children’s needs.

Jesus commands us to follow His and David and Jonathan’s examples to put aside our own rights and plans to trust God’s will.  Suffering will come, but Jesus is always with us.  Suffering will end, but joy that comes lasts forever.

Next time we will continue our study in 1 Samuel.  See you here.

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