1 Samuel 25-27

1 Samuel 25:1 – Death of Samuel

Samuel died and all Israel mourned.  Samuel was a prophet of God who designated and anointed Saul as Israel’s first king.  He was the prophet who told Saul his kingship would be taken away.  He was the prophet who anointed David as Saul’s replacement.  It was Samuel who David could flee to when pursued by Saul.  David was very close to Samuel and must have suffered a great loss at Samuel’s death.

1 Samuel 25:2-44 – Mercy Through Abigail

David took his men to Maon to serve as guards for the sheep owners, which was the custom.  Nabal was one of the owners who was very wealthy and had lots of goats and sheep.  The proper time for payment was when the sheep were sheared.  It was shearing time so David sent men to Nabal with a polite request for his share of the payment.  Nabal refused to pay and used cruel and nasty words.  He said he didn’t know David or his family so why should he pay. 

David’s men were offended.  They returned to David and told him what Nabal had said.  David had endured Saul’s threats, but Nabal’s mean words caught him off guard.  After all David was used to getting his way and the people honoring him.  Nabal words made David angry and David was ready to attack and kill Nabal and his entire household.  But Nabal’s wife, Abigail realized she must act quickly and smooth things over with David.  Without telling Nabal she ordered her servants to take supplies to David and his men.  She would ride behind.  She got there just in time and urged David not to carry out his attack.  She accepted the blame for Nabal and offered herself as a sacrificed if David would spare Nabal and all the innocent lives.

She urged David to accept the gift and prayed that God would act against all David’s enemies.  It was God who should punish Nabal.  Abigail convinced David saving Nabal and his servants.  She was a wise woman.  She was humble, brave, courageous and ready to take Nabal’s punishment.  God was using her to save David from doing this evil thing. 

Nabal was greedy, mean, prideful, arrogant, self-centered, cruel and ungrateful that David and his men had guarded and protected his property.  He didn’t want to pay for David for his protection.  He was a cheater and was pleased about it.  He was a proud and foolish man.  His name means Fool.

What impresses me about David is that he never hesitates to confess.  He had no wrong deeds to confess, but he confessed that his plans were wrong.  Many confess their sins, but refuse to change their attitudes.  David confessed and changed his attitudes immediately.  He expressed thanks to Abigail and to God.

God dealt with Nabal.  His heart became like a stone since he was unwilling to change his attitudes.  Soon Nabal died.  He died because of God’s judgment.  Nabal was rich and successful.  He had stored for himself material things of this world, but lost it all.   

Principle:  Conviction of sin is God’s mercy.

David extended God’s grace to Abigail by asking her to marry him which would honor her and protect her from any hardships.  David already had 2 wives, Michal and Ahinoam.  God doesn’t condone polygamy.  God established from the beginning that marriage was between 1 man and 1 woman.  David’s marriages would cause problems in the future to his family and to the nation, but God is merciful to sinners.

David loved God but was still not a perfect person.  God used Abigail to keep David safe and hold him back from doing wrong.  If you are a child of God by trusting Jesus, He will show you where you are doing wrong by using other people like Abigail or through His Word.  His mercy is great. 

God doesn’t keep us from every sin, but apart from God’s intervention in our daily affairs there would be a whole lot more sin in our lives than there is.   David was willing to listen to Abigail.  He may have been acting foolishly, but he recognized her wisdom. 

When has God used someone to tell you of a sinful attitude or action?

Did you listen and recognized their wisdom?

Are you an Abigail to others?

1 Samuel 26 – Mercy to Saul

This chapter is similar to chapter 24 where David found Saul asleep which gave him the opportunity to kill him and then David would be free from Saul for good.  It is a kind of replay.  When God wants to teach us a lesson and we fail to learn that lesson, He will continue to bring experiences our way which confront us with the same basic test.  God wanted David to retake the test so he could receive a higher score.

Now in this chapter Saul’s men reminded him about his anger towards David.  They told him where David was and urged him to kill David.  Saul went with his men and camped close to where David was.  When David saw that Saul had followed him there, he and Abishai went into Saul’s camp at night while Saul and his men were asleep.  Abishai told David that God had delivered Saul into his hands and to kill him.  Again David refused to kill Saul not because he was afraid of Saul.  He was more concerned with doing what God wanted and doing it God’s way.  By David’s obedience to God, be had grown into a man of integrity.  He had just seen how God had dealt with Nabal and David knew God would punish Saul, too.  David considered Saul as a holy man and a servant of God.  He had not been loyal to God, but he was still Israel’s king.  David was loyal it Israel and to Saul.

David wanted to reason with Saul so he went a distance from the camp and called out to Saul and demanded answers, but he already knew the answers.  Saul was wicked from the sin in his heart.  Saul confessed he had sinned and didn’t chase David again.  David didn’t acknowledge Saul’s confession, but he spoke of God’s justice – “The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness.” – 1 Samuel 26:23.  David trusted God, but he didn’t trust Saul.  True repentance goes beyond words.  It’s shown by our actions.

Saul admitted he had sinned, but quickly went back to hating David.  He may have realized it was wrong to try to kill David, but he failed to tell God he was wrong to be jealous of David.  He still had sin in his heart so his heart became hard.

In this chapter we learn that God defends His own.  God defends the innocent and will bring about justice.  We should be confident of God’s protection and care.

Have you truly repented from your heart or have you just said the words?

What keeps you from true confession and repentance?

Principle: God defends His own.

1 Samuel 27 – Mercy in David’s Move

David didn’t trust Saul and thought that someday Saul would find him.  He knew he couldn’t continue to hide from Saul in Judah.  He became desperate and decided if he and his men along with their families would move to Philistine country Saul would stop searching for him and he would be safe.  So he asked Achish son of Maoch king of Gath if they could live there.  Achish accepted David and his men probably because they are both enemies of Saul and because David brought 600 fighting men with him.  David lived there for 1 year and 4 months.  While David lived among the Philistines, he went out and attacked Israel’s enemies killing men and women.  He took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothes.  David lied to Achish by telling him he was fighting only Israel, which was Achish’s enemy.

David was not acting like a man of God.  He had become a liar, a robber and a murderer.  God waited patiently for David to realize what he was doing and to come back the Him.

When have you taken matters into your own hands and made a desperate choice without consulting God?

Do you listen to your fears rather than to God?

This was not the first time David lied.  He loved God, but still sinned.  This story teaches us to be careful and not fall into against sin and to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.  When you sin, quickly confess it and repent.  Ask for God’s help to return to obeying Him.  If you are a child of God, you know you are in His family because of Jesus’ work on the cross.  You may be a child of God, but if you keep going in the wrong direction, God gives consequences.  However, He will never take away His love or your salvation.

Principle:  Temptation fools us into thinking sin is okay.

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

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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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