1 Samuel 25 - Vengeance Belongs to the Lord

1 Samuel 25 – Vengeance Belongs to the Lord

 

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw Saul pursue David to the caves of En Geti. David had an opportunity to kill Saul, but he did not, neither did he permit his men to do so. Instead, he showed reverence to Saul, and showed him how he spared his life in the cave. As a result, Saul humbled himself and left off the pursuit of David for a time.

The next chapter begins by telling us that Samuel died. We don’t know how close of a relationship David and Samuel had, but we know that Sameul was instrumental in David’s life. He was the one who anointed him as the next king, and he was the one who hid David when he was on the run from Saul. Sometimes it may be difficult to lose those who we have looked up to, those who have been a source of stability in our lives, but The Lord wants us to learn to lean on Him for our primary source of stability and guidance. Both Saul and David looked up to Samuel, but it was David who truly valued the word of the Lord through him, while Saul did not. All Israel revered Samuel, and, no doubt, it was due to his godly character, leadership, and his closeness to the Lord. They all came together to lament his death, and buried him at his home in Ramah. They had just lost one of the greatest intercessors they would ever have, but the Lord was not done with Israel.

After this, David went back to the wilderness of Maon, an area belonging to the tribe of Judah. There was a man there of the house of Caleb who was very rich, and he did his business in Carmel. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. The man’s name was Nabal, meaning fool. The biblical definition of a fool is someone who rejects God (Psa 14:1), and as a result, they naturally reject His word as well. Nabal had apparently rejected God, and he was harsh and evil in his doings. His wife was Abigail, and she was just the opposite of her husband. The name Abigail means the joy of her father, and it states she had good understanding (wisdom), and she was beautiful. Her wisdom and godly conduct will be on full display as the account continues.

Nabal was shearing his sheep in Carmel, and when David heard of it, he sent 10 young men to ask provision from Nabal. The time of sheep shearing was a time of rejoicing and feasting, and it was extended to all who took care of the sheep. David had instructed the young men to greet Nabal with peace, and to explain how he and his men had been good to Nabal’s shepherds while in the field. Again, it was culturally acceptable for David to ask for provision, since he and his men had helped in taking care of his sheep (they were a wall around them by day and night). David did not ask for a certain amount of compensation, but whatever Nabal wanted to give.

When Nabal heard this, he essentially asked, “Who does David, the son of Jesse, think he is?” There are many servants now-a-days who break away from their masters. Nabal knew who David was, and not only did he insult David, he accused him of rebellion against Saul. He further replied, “Why should he take his bread, water, and meat that was for his shearers, and give it to strangers?” So, David’s men went back and told David what Nabal had said. When David heard this, he told his men to gird on their swords, and he did likewise. David could handle being harassed by Saul, but he couldn’t handle being insulted by a guy like Nabal. He allowed his pride to get the better of him, and he was ready to lower himself to Nabal’s level. David said, “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.” This can easily happen to us as well. Some person says something completely wrong or absurd to us, and we’re ready to go off the handle on them. This never pays off in the long-run, and very rarely in the short-run either. Nabal’s wife will be the voice of reason in all this to talk David out of it.

Well, one of the young men who worked for Nabal went and told Abigail what had happened, and how Nabal had reviled them. He told her that she should know and consider what she should do, for harm was determined against Nabal and all his household. He was such a scoundrel that no one could even speak to him. So, Abigail quickly took 200 loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys to take them to David. This gives us an idea of the type of wealth that Nabal had, and he was still unwilling to give to those in need. She sent her servants on ahead of her, and she went under cover of the hill, not telling her husband what she was doing. No doubt, he would not have approved, but she was sparing all their lives, including his.

When Abigail saw David, she got off her donkey and fell on her face before him, and said, “On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.” Wow! It would take a godly woman who would be willing to take the blame for a guy like Nabal. She told David not to pay attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for as his name was, so was he. He was a fool, and it wasn’t worth lowering himself to Nabal’s level. Abigail told him that she had not seen the men he had sent to her husband. It was the Lord who had held him back from taking vengeance, and that he should trust the Lord to deal with Nabal, just like the rest of his enemies. She urged him to take the gift, and asked that he forgive her trespass, again taking the blame for her husband’s folly. The Lord will build David an enduring house, because he was righteous and he fought the Lord’s battles. Saul was seeking his life, but the Lord would protect David and defeat his enemies. She then reminded him of the Lord’s promise to make him king, and that when this happens, he would have a clean conscience since he did not take vengeance or shed innocent blood. She asked him to remember her when the Lord had dealt well with him. This would have been a terrible mistake on David’s part if he had gone through with it. With the exception of Nabal, David would have killed all his men who were innocent of any wrong-doing. You see, man’s vengeance is always cruel and goes above and beyond what is necessary, and has its roots in hatred. God’s vengeance, on the other hand, is exactly what is needed, and is motivated by God’s loving nature and justice. This would have hung over David the rest of his life, and would have certainly affected his rule as king over the nation. This move would have made him more like his enemy Saul, and would have created distrust between him and the people.

David could have gone ahead with his original plan, being too proud to admit he was wrong in front of his men, but he humbled himself and changed his mind. He stated, “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. For indeed, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!” He accepted the Lord’s correction through this godly woman, accepted her gift, and told her to go home in peace.

When Abigail got home, Nabal was holding a feast in his house as though he was a king, and he was very drunk. You cannot reason with a drunk, so she waited until the morning to tell him what had happened. After he had sobered up in the morning, his wife told him what had happened, and it states his heart died within him and he became like a stone. After 10 days, the Lord struck him, and he died. It would seem that Nabal had a heart attack or stroke, but the Lord gave him 10 extra days to repent before finally taking his life. The wheels of God’s judgment move slowly, but they grind thoroughly. God’s vengeance may be a long-time in coming, but it always comes after the Lord has given that person every opportunity He can. David did not need to take matters into his own hand; the Lord took care of it for him. This may seem like a harsh punishment for the Lord to take someone out for merely reviling David and refusing to give him provision, but I think it was the final straw for Nabal. He clearly had a reputation for this sort of thing, and had been behaving in this manner for a long time. David said, “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.” We should always be grateful when the Lord keeps us back from folly.

After Nabal’s death, David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to be his wife. Saul had taken Michal, David’s first wife, and had given her to another man. Abigail arose, bowed her face to the ground, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” Again, she was demonstrating incredible humility in spite of what had taken place. So, she went with the servants, and became David’s wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel to be his wife, so he now had two wives. In the law given through Moses, kings were not to multiply wives to themselves, lest they turn his heart away from the Lord. Although David’s faith in the Lord would ultimately remain intact, his son would take polygamy to the extreme, and he would turn away from the Lord later in his life. The Lord always knows best, and even though we may not see immediate consequences, we will always reap what we sow.

In application, in what ways are we like Nabal? Do we find ourselves becoming defensive when others disagree with us or correct us? Are we stubborn and obstinate, refusing to listen to anything anyone else has to say? Can we be such a scoundrel that no one can even reason with us? Are we so greedy and selfish that we are unwilling to share our abundance with others in need? If we find ourselves rejecting any sort of advice or reasoning from others, or if we are only concerned with our own needs and wants, this is Nabal behavior. Remember, rejecting godly counsel and ultimately the Lord Himself is folly, and pride is at the root of it. We are really shooting ourselves in the foot. When we find ourselves acting in this way, we need to confess and forsake our sin, and find the Lord’s mercy.

Maybe we are like Abigail. Maybe we are under an obstinate boss at work, or, if you are a wife, a cruel and obstinate husband. As one commentator said regarding a wife in Abigail’s shoes: “May I say to you lovingly, but firmly, if such a circumstance has befallen you, that is no reason for you to invoke the law of the country to get out of the entanglement. Perhaps God knew that you needed the fiery trial to humble you and make you a testimony to your partner. The Bible says you must stay as you are. Maybe there will come to you one day, as there came to Abigail, a new opportunity; but until then, it is for you to prove the grace and power of the Lord in your heart to strengthen you and keep you pure.” Unless there is fornication involved, you cannot rightfully leave the marriage, but you can trust the Lord as Abigail did and purpose to walk in humility and wisdom. Let the Lord deal with your obstinate husband, and He will do so in His time.

Maybe we are like David who has enough respect for authority that we would not retaliate against them, but when it comes to someone more our equal, we are ready to let them have it. Let us not take matters into our own hands, but let the Lord take vengeance when He sees fit. He knows exactly how to make it count, and He can still do so with that person’s redemption and forgiveness in mind. In Romans it states, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. In the next chapter, we will see Saul go on the pursuit of David once more. 

1 Samuel 24 - David at En Gedi

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw David save the inhabitants of Keilah from the Philistines, but had to flee again because of Saul’s pursuit. David and his men fled to the mountains of Ziph, an area belonging to his own tribe of Judah, but they betrayed him to Saul. As a result, they continued their southern retreat to a rock in the wilderness of Maon. Saul and his men were encircling David and his men, when word came to Saul that the Philistines had invaded the land. So, Saul left off his pursuit of David, and they named the place the Rock of Escape. So too, Jesus is our Rock of Escape from the wrath of God and the troubles of this life. After this, David and his men went up to the strongholds of En Gedi.

The wilderness of En Gedi is the largest oasis on the western bank of the Dead Sea, and En Gedi is one of the only two fresh water springs in the area. En Gedi means spring of the kid (goat), for wild goats used to live there. It is a good-sized creek running through a canyon with water falls and a lot of vegetation.  It was like a tropical paradise in the middle of the desert. There were also numerous caves on the hillsides, providing a good defensive position for David and his men.

After Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told that David was in En Gedi. So, Saul gathered together three thousand chosen men from all Israel to pursue after him on the rocks of the wild goats. He came to the sheepfolds by the road where there was a cave, and went in to attend to his needs (probably to relieve himself). Being a sheepfold, this would have been a large cave for shepherds to keep their flocks, and it was in the recesses of this cave that David and his men were hiding out. Saul did not know they were there, but they could obviously see him. Then David’s men said to him, “This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’” We have no record that the Lord actually told David this, and in fact, this would have been contrary to the Lord’s will. They had either heard incorrectly or misinterpreted what they had heard. Sometimes in people’s desire to want to help, they hear what they want to hear.

Next, David arose and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe; however, after he had done so, he was convicted. In that culture, the hem of the garment was seen as a symbol of that person’s authority. He told his men, “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.” Apparently, there was still an ongoing disagreement between David and his men of whether or not they should kill Saul, but David was able to restrain them. No doubt, this would have been tempting for David and his men: it would have been a quick and easy fix to the problem, and David’s days on the run would have been over. However, David understood that Saul had been placed in power by the Lord, and therefore, the Lord was the only one who had the right to remove him. The Lord removes and sets up kings (Dan 2:21), they are appointed by Him (Rom 13:1), and we are told in the Scriptures to pray for them (1 Tim 2:1). David would have also set a dangerous precedent by killing Saul that later could have placed his own life in danger as king. Learning to obey the Lord despite your own emotions and what others are saying is an important lesson to learn for all of us, but especially if we are in leadership.

Next, David went out of the cave after Saul, and called after him. I believe we can learn some things from David of how to converse with our enemies, especially if they are in authority. He said, “My lord the king!” When Saul turned around to see who it was, David stooped with his face to the ground. David could have shown disrespect and even disdain toward Saul, but instead he showed him humility and reverence. This will prove to be fruitful as the conversation continues. Instead of directly confronting Saul, David begins by questioning him: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’?” Saul already saw David as his enemy, so confronting him right out of the gate would likely have provoked him further and closed him down to what David was about to say.

David continued, “Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.” David demonstrated that, if he was really out to seek Saul’s life, he would have taken the opportunity to do so in the cave, and the corner of Saul’s robe was the proof. He affirmed Saul’s place as appointed king over the nation, and that it was for this reason that he would not stretch out his hand to kill him. He also showed him reverence by calling him father, for Saul was his father-in-law. He did address Saul’s sin by pointing out that, although he had done nothing wrong, Saul was hunting him down in order to kill him. David did not take vengeance, but told Saul that the Lord would deal with him. David then ends with another question of why Saul was coming out against a dead dog or flea, further humbling himself in Saul’s sight.

When Saul heard this, he said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Then he lifted up his voice and wept. David’s humility and respect, coupled with his rebuke of Saul had been effective. He told David that he was more righteous than he was, because David had rewarded his evil with good. He stated that David had demonstrated this by not killing him when he had the opportunity, and this was not typical behavior for someone who was your enemy. He stated, “Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.” He then asked David to swear unto him by the Lord that when he was king, he would not cut off his descendants and his name from his father’s house. This was one of the pit-falls of having a king in those days: it was common that a new king would cut off the descendants of the last dynasty to prevent any up-risings. David swore that he would not do this, and they parted ways. Saul went home, and David went back to the stronghold. Saul appeared to have genuine regret or guilt over what he had done, but as we will see, it does not appear that he was repentant before God. There is a difference between feeling guilty for our sins and actually humbling ourselves before God through repentance. Repentance means to turn around or do a 180, and Saul ultimately will not turn away from his sins.

How do we address those who are our enemies? Do we respond with disrespect or disdain, or do we respond with humility and respect? Proverbs states, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Pro 15:1) And, “By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, and a gentle tongue breaks a bone.” (Pro 25:15) Especially if they are in authority over us, they will see our disrespect, and reject what we have to say, even if it may be right.

This idea of respecting authority is not only important as it relates to secular rulers, but to spiritual rulers as well. Many people become disgruntled with Church leadership, and complain or seek to control what leadership does. While there are certainly legitimate times when Church leaders need to be disciplined or removed, more often than not they are a result of petty differences that can be resolved by prayer and learning contentment. If, for whatever reason, we just cannot see ourselves being able to submit to Church leadership, it would be better to find a different church. Sticking around and constantly fighting with leadership only causes division in the body of Christ that serves to hinder the work of God. In my experience, the congregational form of government lends itself more to these sorts of problems. If we do not like a pastor, we simply vote him out, and in my years of being a Christian, I have seen this numerous times. Churches split, and people are wounded, become embittered, and some leave the Church altogether. In those cases where a leader has truly done something wrong that is worth discipline, I would say that caution should still be used. They are the Lord’s anointed, the man the Lord has chosen to lead that particular flock. We should prayerfully consider what needs to be done, and use the Scriptures as our guide. A good place to start is 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and 5:17-20. Of course, if he has broken the law, then he should also answer to the law unless the law is in contradiction to the Scriptures. A Church leader is not above correction, but as David respectfully addressed Saul, so ought we our own Church leaders. Ultimately our leaders are accountable to the Lord, and if they are in the wrong, the Lord will deal with them in his time. In the next chapter we will see David put to the test in taking vengeance against someone who was not the Lord’s anointed, and how the Lord will spare him from making a big mistake. 

The Cure for Spiritual Dryness

Have you ever gone through a season in life in which you felt dry spiritually? Well, David went through this while he was on the run from King Saul. As you may recall, Saul became envious of David, and sought to kill him. This resulted in David being on the run for several years in order to stay alive. One of his stops was in the Judean wilderness in the area of Ziph. Here, the Ziphites betrayed him to Saul, and Saul and his men pursued after David, nearly capturing him, but Saul was forced to leave off the pursuit when word came to him that the Philistines had invaded the land. It was here in this dry desert that David wrote the 63rd Psalm.

As I began studying this Psalm, the Lord ministered to my heart, so I thought I would share what I believe He showed me.

The Psalm states:

“O God, you are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; your right hand upholds me. But those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.”

The first thing that David says here is, “O God, you are my God.” If you are reading this post and are not a Christian, there is no cure for your spiritual thirst outside of Jesus Christ. Lay hold of the living water of the Son of God by placing your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. For us as believers, it may seem that this would go without saying, but David was proclaiming with his mouth that Jehovah was his God. There are some who try to make more out of confession or praying out loud, going so far as to say that if we do not pray out loud, the Lord will not answer our prayers, but the Scriptures do not support this teaching. However, there are times when it is useful to do so. Sometimes, the things of this life have a way of taking our eyes off Jesus, and we become focused on the natural. James says that our tongue is like a rudder on a ship, and it steers the course of the rest of our body. When we feel the pull or temptation to these other distractions, we should speak with our mouths that Jehovah is our God, Jesus Christ is our Lord. This is to aid in bringing our own sin nature into submission to Christ and in doing battle against the Enemy. We have a tendency to dismiss the severity of David’s trials, but losing everything you own, including your family, then having the king and his army pursuing you in order to kill you would have been a difficult thing to endure. Discouragement is one of the devil’s tricks to keep us from doing what God has called us to do, so we need to remind ourselves of what is true. The Psalmist wrote, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” (Psa 43:5)

Next, David says that he seeks God early. This word does not only mean seeking God early in the morning, but doing so eagerly and immediately. In other words, David was giving the Lord the first and best part of his day. Jesus also spent time with the Father in the morning. Isaiah writes of Him, “The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.” (Isaiah 50:4-5) Jesus, after a long day of ministry extending long into the evening, got up long before it was daylight to go to a private place to pray (Mark 1:35). I know this may challenge some of you who are not morning people, but if David and the Son of God did it, I think there must be something to it. I don’t believe it is a matter of right or wrong, but as a principle to follow. This does not mean we have to get up at 3:00 AM, but get up early enough to spend some quiet time with the Lord before the cares of the day begin to take our attention elsewhere. We should take the time to wait on Him, to pray to Him, and to meditate on His word.

Next, David says that his soul thirsted for God; his flesh longed for Him, just like the dry and thirsty land in the absence of water. In another Psalm it states, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psa 42:1-2) Again, we should eagerly be pursuing after God like we crave cold water on a hot and dry day. We may not feel like seeking the Lord like this; in fact, most of the time we may not. However, our feelings follow our choices, and if we will choose to intensely pursue the Lord, our feelings will eventually follow.

This longing that David had for God caused him to remember when He had seen God’s power and glory in the sanctuary. David understood the connection between gathering together with God’s people and being well-watered spiritually. Going to Church is where we corporately worship the Lord, pray, and receive teaching from the word of God. These are all crucial for our spiritual health. There have been several occasions in which my family and I did not feel like going to a mid-week service. We have even experienced what we believe to be a spiritual attack when we have ridden the fence on whether or not we should go. For example, someone was always sick, arguments or fights happen between us, or simply feeling overwhelmed by all that was going on at the time. However, when we went anyway, the Lord ministered to us in some way, usually through worship and the teaching of the Word. Now more than ever, it is all the more important for us as believers to be regularly involved in a local church body. The author of Hebrews writes “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb 10:24-25) At the time David wrote this Psalm, he did not have access to the tabernacle, but he did have access to God by faith along with the men who were with him. Even when we find ourselves alone due to circumstances beyond our control, we can still draw near to God by faith.

Another ingredient for thriving spiritually is worship. Again, David stated, “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” David recognized the lovingkindness of God, that it was better than life, and out of a natural outflow of his gratefulness of what the Lord had done for him, he praised the Lord. It is the lovingkindness of the Lord that moved Him to die on the cross in our place, and it is His goodness that leads us to repentance and gives us the free gift of salvation through faith. His lovingkindness is better than life, for without it, we would not have life. Spurgeon said, “There is in the love of God a richness, a sumptuousness, a fulness of soul-filling joy, comparable to the richest food with which the body can be nourished.” I have heard accounts of believers tangibly experiencing the love of God that fanned them like immense wings; however, this love still stems back to, and has its roots in the cross. Because of this, we should praise and bless God with our mouths for the rest of our lives.

We lift up our hands in His name. The lifting up of hands in worship was a common posture for praise for the Jewish people. It signifies a surrender to the Lord and a grateful expectation of receiving from Him. As American believers, we tend to be more reserved in our worship, but the Jewish people were not reserved. Being physically involved in worship has a way of bringing our inner man into worship as well. In reading through the rest of the Psalms, we find examples of standing, kneeling, laying prostrate on the floor, clapping, shouting, and even dancing.

David wrote in Psalms that God is holy, and is enthroned in the praises of Israel (Psa 22:3). We worship the Lord because He is holy and is worthy of it. The word for enthroned means to sit, remain, or dwell. In a sense, we are building a throne for the Lord to sit or dwell in when we worship Him, and it invites His presence in our midst in a special way. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Mat 18:20)

As a result of seeking and praising the Lord, David says that he will be satisfied with marrow and fatness (abundance). The Lord truly wants to bless us abundantly. Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (Jn 10:10)

David says that he remembers the Lord when he is in bed, and meditates on him during the night watches. David loved the Lord so much that he was willing to lose sleep to spend time with Him. Sometimes, that is just the only quiet time we can find to spend quality time with the Lord. Sometimes, we have gotten a taste of the Lord’s goodness, and we just want more. Still at other times, we cannot sleep due to what is going on in our lives, and seeking the Lord calms our minds and hearts to a point of getting restful sleep. Whatever the case, seeking and meditating on the Lord during the night can be a valuable and productive thing.

Because the Lord had been his help, David stated he would rejoice in the presence and protection of God. Quite often in the Scriptures, there is a link between the presence of God and experiencing joy. Consider the following passages: “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psa 16:11), “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh 8:10), and “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil 4:4) David stated his soul followed close behind the Lord, and the Lord’s right hand upheld him. The words “follows close” mean to join or glue together like as in a marriage as seen in Genesis 2:24, and is a picture of the intimacy that David had with the Lord. This also means we can have that same intimacy in our relationship with Jesus Christ. The Lord reserves a special blessing and protection for those who follow close after Him; he upholds them with His right hand.

Next, David describes the plight of his enemies: he states they will go to the lower parts of the earth (Hell), they will fall by the sword, and their carcasses will be eaten by jackals. David’s enemies were not someone who merely slighted him in some way, but in context, he was referring to King Saul and his army who were hunting him down to kill him. So, unless we find ourselves in a combat situation, we probably should not be praying these prayers toward our enemies. Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Mat 5:44-45) Our real enemy is the devil, whose doom is sure, and we resist him by the blood of Jesus and the armor of God. David referred to himself as the king who would rejoice in God. David was not reigning as king yet, but he was claiming the promises of God on his life as true. All who swear by God will shine with His favor, but the mouth of liars will be stopped.

Although it does not appear to be the case for David in this Psalm, another reason for spiritual dryness is from unconfessed sin in our lives. Walking in sin breaks our fellowship with the Lord and hinders the answers to our prayers. In another Psalm it states, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” (Psa 66:18) If we are feeling dry spiritually, we should ask the Lord to search our hearts for any sin that needs to be revealed in our lives. Even if we are not knowingly walking in sin, the Lord often uses trials as a tool to refine us, like He did with Job. Closely related to this is forgiving others. Another thing that will zap our spiritual zeal and break our fellowship with the Lord is unforgiveness. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Mat 6:14-15) If someone has offended us, we should forgive them as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven us.

In closing, there is a cure for our spiritual dryness. Serve the Lord only, and do not allow anyone or anything to come between our relationship with Him. Eagerly give Him the best part of our day, and intensely pursue Him, as we would pursue a cold glass of water on a hot day. If we have been walking in sin, confess it to the Lord, and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, turn from that sin. If we are harboring bitterness toward someone, forgive them as God has forgiven us. We should surround ourselves with the Lord’s people regularly, or as often as we are able. Praise Him with our lips all our lives for His lovingkindness, and lift up our hands in His name, surrendering all to Him and gratefully receiving all He wants to give us. Then be satisfied with His abundance, and praise Him more with joyful lips. Remember Him while we are in bed, and meditate on Him during the night watches. Take joy in His presence and His protection. Follow close after Him, and be upheld by His right hand. Claim His promises as true for us in our circumstances, and shine with the favor of God on our lives. 

1 Sameul 23 - Our Rock of Escape

1 Samuel 23 – Our Rock of Escape

 

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw David flee to the cave of Adullam to take refuge in the Lord. While there, David’s family and men who were in distress, discontent, or in debt began to join him. As we left off with David, he was hiding in the wilderness of Hereth. Meanwhile, Saul had found out that David had received provisions and weapons from Ahimelech the priest, and began an inquisition on the priests. Saul, at the hand of Doeg the Edomite, had 85 priests and all the city of Nob killed with the edge of the sword. However, one of Ahimelech’s sons, Abiathar, escaped and joined David in the wilderness.

As we pick up in chapter 23, some men came and told David that the Philistines were fighting against Keilah, and were robbing the threshing floors. Keilah was a city on the border of Israel and Philistine country, so the Philistines were waiting for the Israelites to harvest their grain in order to steal it. So, David inquired of the Lord whether or not he should go fight with the Philistines. This was a risky move for David on several accounts: First, he only had 400 men who, as we will see, were afraid to go to battle. Second, David would make himself further despised by the Philistines. Third, this move would put him out in the open for Saul to see. The Lord said, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.” David’s men objected, stating that they were afraid where they were. How much more afraid would they be in battle with the Philistines? David could have ignored the concerns of his men, but he did not. He wisely chose to take their concerns back to the Lord in prayer. There was no point going into battle with scared men unless you know the Lord is in it. The Lord answered, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.” So, David and his men went and fought with the Philistines, beat them soundly, and took away their livestock.

Now, when Saul found out that David was in Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” Notice Saul’s warped thinking here: He’s somehow convinced himself that, although he was in direct rebellion to God, that God had delivered David into his hand. This is what unrepentant sin always does, it warps our thinking, even to the point of believing the Lord is for what we are doing when He is actually against it. Saul was not willing to defend Keilah against the Philistines, but he was willing to pursue a man of God in order to kill him. Then Saul gathered his men and pursued after David to Keilah.

When David found out Saul’s intentions, he asked Abiathar to bring the ephod to him. This was probably because Abiathar had the Urim and Thummim (lights and perfection) which were used to determine the Lord’s will in a situation. One stone was for yes, and the other for no. It is believed that one or the other would light up to indicate a yes or no answer, or that the priest would reach into a bag and pull one of the stones out. David asked the Lord if Saul would come down to Keilah and if the men of the city would deliver him into Saul’s hand? The Lord answered him that Saul would come down and that the men of the city would deliver him up, so David and his men (about 600 in number by now) left the city, fleeing wherever they could go. We might ask why the Lord led David to Keilah to be betrayed by the very people whom he had saved, but they were probably afraid of what Saul would do to them after finding out what had happened to the priests at Nob. The Lord had sent David to do a job that their king would not do. When Saul found out that David had escaped, he called off the pursuit.

David and his men stayed in the wilderness of Ziph, in strongholds and in mountains. Ziph was a town below the southern tip of the dead sea, and belonged to the tribe of Judah. Saul sought after David daily, but God did not deliver him into his hand. While in the forest of Ziph, Jonathan came to meet David, and strengthened his hand in God. It is always a blessing to have friends who will encourage us and strengthen us in the Lord during difficult times. Friends like this are hard to find; Jonathan was the only friend David had like this in all of Israel. Jonathan said, “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.” Saul knew David would be king, yet he would continue to fight it every step of the way. They made a covenant (or renewed the old one), which was a mixture of God’s promises and their own hopes. After this, Jonathan went back to his house. This would be the last time David would see Jonathan.

Next, the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, and said, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.” Betrayal is hard to deal with, but this had to be particularly difficult for David that those in his own family (tribe) would so blatantly betray him to his enemy. When Saul heard this, he replied, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.” Again, this is Saul’s warped thinking here. Saul told them to go find out for sure where David was, and then he would go with them. If David was there, Saul would search for him throughout all the clans of Judah. He was bent on destroying David, but the Lord had other plans.

When David found out Saul was on his way, he and his men went down into the wilderness of Maon, to a rock in a plain south of Jeshimon. David and his men were on one side of a ridge, and Saul and his men were on the other side of the ridge. Saul’s men began encircling David and his men, so they were, again, forced to retreat. It would not have been wrong for David to defend himself against Saul, but David viewed any possible retreat as the better option. David would have likely faced capture or fighting Saul’s army if word had not come to Saul that the Philistines were invading the land. This was a narrow escape for David and his men, and as a result, they named it The Rock of Escape. Then David and his men went to the wilderness of En Gedi.

This was another remarkable deliverance from the Lord for David and his men, and the same is available to you and me. Jesus is our bread from Heaven, our refuge, and our rock of escape from sin and the wrath of God. We have no more reason to fear His wrath or torment if we are Christians. The apostle John writes, “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” God is love, and He will make us perfect in His love if we will only receive Jesus by faith. Also, Jesus is our escape from the troubles of this life. Sometimes He spares us altogether, and sometimes He gives us the grace to go through them. The Scriptures are full of examples of God’s deliverances out of and through trials for His children. An angel delivered the apostles out of prison in Jerusalem, Paul and Silas were miraculously delivered from prison at Philippi, and the Lord stood by Paul as he was headed to stand trial before Caesar at Rome. David was safe because he was in God’s will, and the Lord was not through with him. So too, in the turbulent times to come, we can trust He will take care of us until it is our time to go be with Him. In the next chapter we will see David have an opportunity to kill Saul, and how he responds to this opportunity.

 

Psalm 54

 

To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”

Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life; they have not set God before them. Selah

Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with those who uphold my life. He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth. I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me out of all trouble; and my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies. 

1 Samuel 22 - Jesus, Our Refuge

1 Samuel 22 – Jesus, Our Refuge

 

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw David flee from Saul into Philistine country, but made a stop in Nob beforehand. Ahimelech the priest gave David bread and the sword of Goliath, and David went on his way toward the Philistine city of Gath. When the Philistines recognized him, he became fearful. This great man of faith had a moment of weakness just as we all do at times. David pretended to be insane, and Achish drove him away.

As we pick up in chapter 22, David fled to the cave of Adullam, which looked up the valley of Elah where he had killed the giant. This would have been in the hill country of Judah, approximately half-way between Bethlehem and the Mediterranean Sea. The word Adullam means resting place or refuge, and based off the Psalms David wrote while there, we see a discouraged David seeking refuge and strength in his God. David had been stripped of everything, but the Lord was allowing it to happen so that He could give him much more in its place.

When David’s family heard that he was there, they came to him. Previously, David was not well respected by his family, but they had had a chance to see him prove himself and that the Lord was with him. He was an enemy of Saul, and that meant that they would be too. Also, anyone who was in distress, in debt, or in bitterness of soul began joining David. It is worth noting that they did not come to him when times were good, but when times were bad. These men would stay with David the rest of his life. They obviously had problems of their own, but David took them in anyway. In process of following David as their captain, they would, with the same confidence that David had in God, turn into his mighty men. David could have had a nice start to a rebel army if he had wanted, but he had too much respect for Saul and God’s calling on Saul’s life for that.

After this, David took his parents to the king of Moab, and asked the king to allow them to stay there until he knew what God would do for him. He knew he would be king, but he did not know when or how that would happen, nor did he know what would happen in between that time. David’s parents were old now, and he was honoring them by ensuring they were taken care of. If we recall, David’s great grandmother was Ruth, a Moabitess. His parents remained in Moab as long as David was in the stronghold. In Hebrew stronghold is Masada, and may have been the Masada on the dead sea. While there, the prophet Gad told David to not stay in the stronghold, but to go into the land of Judah. So, David obeyed the word of the Lord through Gad, and went into the forest of Hereth.

After this, the scene shifts back to Saul, who was in Gibeah under a Tamarisk tree with a spear in his hand. Often times when we see Saul, he is holding the weapons of war in his hand. There are definitely times for war, but peace is better when it can be achieved without compromising what is true and right. The apostle Paul wrote, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” (Rom 12:18) Contrary to David who respected Saul and thought it better to be on the run, Saul was an angry and violent man who sought to destroy anyone he perceived as a threat.

He told his servants standing around him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.” Again, notice the victim mentality and all the blaming of others. Everyone was against him, and had even betrayed him by not telling him that his own son had made a league with David, and had stirred him up to lie in wait for him. Saul was playing off their emotions and family bonds in an attempt to manipulate them into getting what he wanted. No one was against Saul, not even David. David and Jonathan had merely chosen to serve and obey God, and Saul had not. These false accusations were Saul’s way of trying to escape the blame that was accurately due him. Unfortunately, this is all too common for people when they do not want to deal with their own sin, both nonbeliever and believer alike. Saul’s behavior is simply an extreme example of this. When someone lives a lie long enough, they eventually begin to believe it. It could be Saul was paranoid that David was lying in wait for him, but even if that were true, Saul had provoked it.

Then Doeg, the chief of Saul’s herdsmen who was there at Nob when David was, spoke up and said that he had seen David going to Nob, and that Ahimelech had inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath. Then Saul called Ahimelech and all his father’s house to stand before him, and he said, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?” Saul is now extending his false accusations to the priests of the Lord. Ahimelech replied that there was no one as faithful as David among all Saul’s servants, who is his son-in-law and does his bidding. He would have had no reason to inquire of God for David, for he did not know anything about the accusations that Saul was bringing up. Remember, David had lied to Ahimelech about his reasons for being there. Saul said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” Saul was again, either paranoid into believing this was true, he wanted to crush any supposed opposition to discourage anyone else from doing the same, or both. Whatever the case, this was typical tyrant behavior. He ordered his servants to kill all the priests, but to their credit, they would not because they were the priests of the Lord. Then Saul turned to Doeg, and told him to kill the priests. So, Doeg killed 85 priests, and then he struck the city of Nob with the sword, killing everyone along with their livestock. We are told in Psalm 52 that Doeg was a man who trusted in his riches, so he was probably looking for some sort of reward from Saul. Whatever the motive, he was a blood thirsty man who had no regard for the Lord, spiritual leadership, or for that matter human life, and Saul was really no different. Saul was unwilling to kill Goliath, but he was more than willing to kill 85 priests along with their city in cold blood (or have someone else do it for him).

Well, Abiathar, one of Ahimelech’s sons, escaped, and fled to David in the forest. He told David what had happened, and David said, “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.” David wisely takes the blame here, for his lie played a part in this massacre. He told Abiathar to stay with him, and he would be safe. As one commentator said, “This is a bold claim from a man in a forest. That strength was built in the cave of Adullam.” Abiathar too, would remain faithful to David for the rest of his life. He would later be removed by King Solomon, and it would ultimately be to fulfil the word of the prophet to Eli because of the wickedness of his family, mainly Hophni and Phinehas.

Who do we turn to when things are bad, when we are being stripped of everything we have? Are we like Saul who turned to the people and used guilt and manipulation to get what we want, or are we like David who turned to the Lord. Do we continue to blame others, or do we own our mistakes as David did? Jesus is our Adullam, our place of refuge. It is through Him that we receive salvation and forgiveness, the wisdom of what to do in life, and the strength to do it. David could endure life’s challenges because the Lord was his refuge. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Pro 18:10) And, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Pro 18:24) And, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Heb 13:5)

When it comes to conflict, are we willing to back down from a fight when possible, or do we look for a fight and throw spears? I don’t mean literal spears of course, but do we throw spears with our words? When someone insults us, do we respond with a soft answer that turns away wrath, or do we return the insult and then some? I’ll admit that my responses regrettably have been at times more like Saul’s then David’s. However, Peter writes, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Pe 3:8-9) Interestingly, Peter goes on to quote Psalm 34 (when David fled from Gath), “For ‘He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil’.” (1 Pe 2:10-12) Again, peace is not always possible, for some people force us into a situation where we would be opposed to God if we did not stand and fight for what is right. However, if at all possible, as much as it depends on us, let us live at peace with all men. You might say, “David ran because he was outnumbered and scared.” Although this was true in part, we will see later that David will have more than one opportunity to kill Saul and will not. Let us follow the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Mat 5:9) In the next chapter we will see David go to battle again with the Philistines.

 

The following are the two Psalms David wrote while in the cave of Adullam:

 

Psalm 57

 

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!

For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, o God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah

God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.

 

Psalm 142

 

A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave.

I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul. I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.” 

1 Samuel 21 - The Bread of His Presence

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw David and Jonathan part ways for good. David was not convinced that Saul had truly repented after Saul’s encounter with Samuel at Naioth, so he asked Jonathan to cover for him at the feast of the new moon while he hid in a field near the rock Ezel. If Saul became angry at David for his absence, then David would know that his life was still in danger. Not only did Saul become angry, he tried to kill his own son for siding with David. They then covenanted with one another that Jonathan would help David in light of his father’s threats, and that David would deal well with Jonathan’s house when he was made king.

After leaving Jonathan, David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Whenever we are in trouble and don’t know what to do, it is always good to turn to the Lord and to His people. When Ahimelech saw him, he was afraid, and asked David why he was alone. David replied that he was on a secret errand from the king, and that his men were waiting for him in a designated place. This was an outright lie that would have severe consequences. We can understand why David would have done this, and may have even done the same in his position. He was on the run from a tyrannical king, and he needed food and weapons. However, it is always better to tell the truth.

David asked Ahimelech what he had on hand. He needed five loaves of bread or whatever he could spare. Ahimelech told him that there was no common bread, but there was holy bread if his men had kept themselves from women. Under the Levitical law, there were various things that would make a person ceremonially unclean, and some of these could result from sexual encounters. So, if none of his men had had sex with women, the priest deemed it ok under the circumstances. This was the showbread (the bread of His presence), and was only reserved for the priests, the sons of Aaron (see Leviticus 24:5-9). This is interesting, for Jesus referenced this passage when He took some heat from the Pharisees as His disciples picked and ate grain while walking through the fields on the Sabbath. He said to the Pharisees, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mat 12:5-8) In other words, showing mercy and meeting human need are more important than the legalistic requirements of the law. This showbread was a picture of the Bread who would come down from Heaven, and the giving of it in David’s time of need was in line with the nature and character of the Son of God. The priest saw this distinction, and gave David and his men the bread.

Next, David asked Ahimelech if there was a spear or sword on hand? The king’s business had required haste, so he didn’t bring any weapons with him. Again, this was not true, but David did so under the pressure of the situation. The priest told him there were not any weapons except the sword of Goliath which David had taken from him when he killed him in the valley of Elah. David replied, “There is none like it; give it to me.” We are told in verse seven that a man named Doeg, the chief herdsmen of Saul, was detained there before the Lord. Assisting Saul’s arch enemy would not be taken well by Saul, and it would not be good for David if Saul found out where he was. However, if David would have told Ahimelech the truth, Ahimelech could have at least made his own choice of whether or not he was willing to take on that risk, but he did not. This choice to help David and his men will prove to be disastrous for the priests in Nob.

After this, David fled from Saul to Achish, the king of Gath. It is difficult to understand why David would do this, for he was fleeing to the very city of the giant he had killed just a few years earlier. We don’t always make the best decisions when we are in distress. Fear replaces our faith and clouds our judgment so that we cannot see things clearly. He was fleeing from one enemy to another, possibly hoping they had forgotten or would not recognize him. However, they had not forgotten. They said, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” When David heard this, he was very afraid of Achish, and pretended to be insane by scratching on the doors of the city gate and letting his saliva fall down on his beard. When Achish saw this, he said, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” In that culture they believed there would be a curse on anyone who killed a person who was insane, so this was probably David’s plan to avoid losing his head. After this, Achish drove David away, and he fled to the cave of Adullam. The cave of Adullam looks up the valley of Elah where David had killed Goliath, and it will be here where the Lord will strengthen David and begin building the future army that will serve under him.

Are we like David who was on the run and discouraged? Maybe it is from a person, or, more likely, it is from problems or situations we have no control over. Just like it was for David, the answer is to turn to the Lord and to His people. Jesus is the showbread, the physical presence of God. He is the true bread that came down from Heaven, who gives life to the world. He is the bread of life, that whoever comes to Him and believes on Him, they will never hunger or thirst. If you are not a Christian, come to Him and believe on Him today, and you will have everlasting life. If you are a Christian and want the presence of God, come to Jesus. Come to Him for all of life’s needs. Pray to Him and feast on His word, for “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psa 16:11)

This was a very dark time in David’s life, but we can see from his Psalms that he turned to and still praised the Lord. In closing, meditate on the following Psalm he wrote during this time:

 

Psalm 34

 

A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. 

1 Samuel 20 - The Rock that Shows the Way

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw Saul step up his efforts to kill David, even going as far as having David brought to him sick in his bed. David fled to Naioth to spend time with Samuel. When Saul found out David was there, he went to Naioth also, and when he got there, he began to prophesy along with the other prophets. Saul was touched by the Spirit of God, and he responded to the Lord, at least for the time.

After this, David fled from Naioth to go speak to Jonathan. He told him, “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” Jonathan said that he would by no means die, for his father would not do anything unless he had told him first. Jonathan was thinking optimistically here. Perhaps after hearing of what happened to his father at Naioth, he believed there was a true change that had taken place. After all, who wants to believe their own father is a murderer? However, at this point it would have been naive of David to blindly trust Saul. He had his life directly threatened three times with shows of repentance in between, so he had good reason to be concerned. This brings up an important point: there is a difference between forgiveness and trust. Forgiveness does not seek to hold onto past faults, but trust has to be earned, especially if the person has had a pattern of sinful behavior.

David responded that Saul knew he and Jonathan were friends, so he was keeping it from Jonathan so he would not be grieved. Jonathan said, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”

Each month at the new moon, special sacrifices were offered to the Lord, and it was customary for David to eat at the king’s table. David proposed that he not be there, but told Jonathan that if Saul asked where he was, to tell him he had asked leave to attend a yearly sacrifice with his family. David needed to know if Saul had actually changed. He stated that if Saul stated that it was well, then he would be safe. However, if Saul became very angry, then he would know for sure that his life would be in danger. David reminded Jonathan of the covenant the two of them had entered into, and stated if there was iniquity in him, he should just kill him himself rather than taking him to his father. It seems like David wanted to be reassured of Jonathan’s loyalty as well. Saul was his father, and Jonathan would have been next in line to be king. Jonathan reassured David that he would tell him if Saul determined evil upon him.

They agreed that David would hide in the field during the feast while Jonathan waited to see what his father’s reaction would be. David was expected to be there, so his empty seat would not go unnoticed. After three days, they would meet at the stone Ezel (the rock that shows the way). Jonathan would shoot three arrows for a boy to get, and if Jonathan expressly tells the boy the arrows are within reach, then David would know it was well. However, if he told the boy the arrows were beyond him, David would know he would have to flee. They then entered into another covenant that Jonathan would help David against his father’s threats, and that David would deal well with Jonathan’s house when he was made king.

On the day of the new moon, Saul sat down to eat the feast, and Jonathan sat down across from him. Saul noticed that David was not there, but he did not say anything, presuming that David was ceremonially unclean. The next day, David’s seat was empty again, and Saul asked Jonathan where he was. If one were ceremonially unclean, it would only last a day. Jonathan replied that David had earnestly asked if he could go to Bethlehem where they were having a family sacrifice. Then Saul became angry with Jonathan, and said, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” Saul is now moved against his own family members, his own wife and son. Notice also how Saul refers to David as the son of Jesse rather than his own son-in-law. To Saul, David was just the lowly shepherd boy of his father in Bethlehem. Jonathan replied, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” Then, Saul threw a spear at Jonathan to kill him, and by this, he knew Saul intended to kill David. Jonathan left the table very angry for David’s sake, and for being shamefully treated by his own father. Saul’s hatred for David was so bad that he was willing to kill his son for siding with him. As one commentator put it, “What Saul has done is so bad that he forces his son against him if his son wants to do what is right.” Sometimes, the actions of those we love will be so bad that we do have to distance ourselves from them and even stand against them if we want to please the Lord. The tendency in these situations is to back off due to their fierce response, but it’s important to stand strong for the right cause, even if we have spears thrown at us. The Lord told Jeremiah, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,” (Jer 1:7-8) The Lord also told Ezekiel, “Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.” (Ezek 3:8-9) The Lord will give us the boldness we need to stand for what is right, and he will deliver us from the spears that are thrown at us.

The next day, Jonathan went out to the field at the time he and David had agreed, and he brought a young boy with him. He shot arrows for the boy to go get, and when the boy went to get them, he told him that the arrow was beyond him. This was the cue David was waiting for to let him know that Saul had evil determined against him. David’s suspicions had been correct. After the boy had left to return to the city with Jonathan’s weapons, David and Jonathan met one another and wept. Jonathan said, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’” David then departed, and Jonathan went back to the city.

David was leaving a lot behind: he was leaving his wife, the royal household, and the popularity of the people. He would spend the next several years in hiding, running from Saul who sought to hunt him down and kill him. However, as I previously stated, the Lord was allowing David to be in this position to teach him to rely on the Lord. Jesus is the rock that shows the way. David was learning to lean on this rock, and so should we. He is our only true hope in turbulent times. In the next chapter we will see David make a stop along the way before heading into Philistine country. 

1 Samuel 19 - Character Training

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw Saul’s love and admiration for David turn to envy when they returned from fighting the Philistines, and the women came out with songs and dances saying, “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” From that time forward, Saul eyed David with suspicion, thinking that David would try to take the kingdom. David would one day receive the kingdom, but it would not be due to his taking it from Saul by force. Saul’s envy grew so great that he tried to kill David, either by throwing a spear at him, or simply sending him into battle with the hope that the Philistines would kill him. Despite this, David continued to behave himself wisely, and he grew in favor with all the people.

Saul spoke to his son Jonathan and the rest of his servants that they should kill David, but Jonathan told David of it. He told him to hide in a field while he spoke to his father, and then he would let him know what his father said. So, Jonathan spoke well of David to his father, and told him that he shouldn’t sin against David because David had not sinned against him. He had done nothing wrong, but instead had done good to Saul. Saul had seen the great deliverance that God had wrought for their nation through David, so why would he want to sin against innocent blood by killing him? Saul listened to the reason of his son, and swore “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” Jonathan told David these words, and David returned to serve in Saul’s presence as he had before.

However, there was another battle, and David went out and struck them with a mighty blow so that they fled from him. After this, the distressing spirit was upon Saul in his house, and David was brought in to play for him as he did previously. Remember, this distressing spirit had permission to harass Saul because of Saul’s unrepentant sin. The word for “distressing” can carry with it the idea of causing pain, unhappiness, and misery, and it is likely the evil spirit was taking advantage of Saul’s fears and insecurities that were already there. Saul was already envious of David and suspicious that he would take the kingdom, so this evil spirit compounded the problem. This is what the devil likes to do: he likes to exaggerate our problems to make them seem bigger than they really are. Again, Saul tried to pin David to the wall with a spear, but David slipped away and escaped. As we can see, Saul’s oath to Jonathan that he would not kill David meant nothing.

David went home to his wife, Michal, but Saul sent men to watch the house that they would kill him in the morning. However, Michal let him down through a window, and he escaped. Next, she put an image in his bed, goats’ hair for his head, and covered him with clothes. The image she used was a household idol, and again, this is probably what Saul meant when he thought she would be a snare to David. When the messengers came to take David, Michal told them he was sick. When they told Saul this, he replied that they should bring David up to him in the bed so that he could kill him. Saul was really off his rocker here. When the messengers came in, they found the image in the bed, and they went and told Saul. Saul asked his daughter, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?” She replied that David had threatened her with her life if she did not let him go. Michal was put on the spot, but her lie probably only served to further fuel Saul’s hatred for David.

David escaped to Ramah where Samuel was, and he told him all that Saul had done. I am sure that Samuel was grieved, but he also was probably not surprised. David stayed with Samuel in Naioth of Ramah. When Saul found out that David was with Saul in Naioth, he sent messengers to take David. When the messengers came to Naioth, they saw the prophets prophesying with Samuel leading them, and the Spirit came upon the messengers so that they prophesied as well. Saul sent two more groups of messengers, and the same thing happened to them. Finally, Saul went to Ramah himself, and as he came to Naioth, the Spirit of God came upon him as well. He began to prophesy as he came to Samuel and David, and when he arrived, he continued to prophesy, stripping off his royal robes and lying in his under garments all that day and night. This may seem kind of strange to us, but it was a way of showing humility that appears to have been prompted by the Holy Spirit. The people said again, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” This is an important lesson to us that operating in a spiritual gift does not necessarily mean a person is right with the Lord. There are hard-hearted individuals, who when confronted with a move of the Holy Spirit, will respond, but unfortunately that is where it stops. Guzek writes, “A person can be affected by the power of God (resulting in amazing experiences), but not surrendered to the power of God, which results in a changed life.” God is more concerned with our changed life than our experiences. This was the case for Saul. He would go right back to his old ways after leaving Samuel. There was a show of repentance, but it will be shallow at best, if not outright false.

In our minds we may have a tendency to think we would serve God more fervently when times are good, but, in fact, the opposite is true. If we choose not to serve God when times are tough, we will not serve Him when times are good either. It is in those times of blessing and prosperity that we drift away from the Lord, become more self-sufficient, and get involved in sinful behavior. It is in the times of trial that our spiritual roots sink deeper in order to soak up the water of the word of God. It is in those times that our faith is strengthened as we, out of necessity, cry out to the Lord and learn to trust Him more. It is in those times that our sinful tendencies and character flaws are revealed so that we can repent and move past them. Moses told the children of Israel, “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” A. W. Tozer wrote, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.” Spurgeon also wrote, “Such mature men as some elderly preachers are, could scarcely have been produced if they had not been emptied from vessel to vessel, and made to see their own emptiness and the vanity of all things round about them.” I am convinced this is why the Lord was allowing David to suffer the things that he did. God had huge plans for David, but in order for David to walk in those blessings, he had to be prepared through suffering. This is why David had the faith that he did, and why he continued to serve the Lord when the times were good. In the next chapter, we will see David’s final departure from Saul, which will begin a life on the run for him for the next several years.

In what ways are we like Saul or David? Is our relationship with the Lord only as deep as serving Him when we experience a move of God or are around a godly leader, or are we like David who was willing to suffer wrong and turn the other cheek? Do we dig deeper into the word of God when times are tough, or do we bail out on obeying Him? My prayer is that we press into Jesus Christ, dig deep into His word, and allow Him to minister to us in those times.

Many of the Psalms were written during this period of David’s life, and I will attempt to share them in connection with the passages in 1 Samuel to which they apply. We will consistently see David turn to the Lord for help during these times.

 

Psalm 59

 

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men. For look, they lie in wait for my life; the mighty gather against me, not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold! You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to punish all the nations; do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. At evening they return, they growl like a dog, and go all around the city. Indeed, they belch with their mouth; swords are in their lips; for they say, “Who hears?” But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision. I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense.

My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies. Do not slay them, lest my people forget; scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield. For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for the cursing and lying which they speak. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be; And let them know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah And at evening they return, they growl like a dog, and go all around the city. They wander up and down for food, and howl if they are not satisfied. But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; or God is my defense, my God of mercy. 

1 Samuel 18 - A Persecuted King

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw David go to battle with Goliath. David occasionally served as Saul’s armorbearer, but was not a regular part of the army since he was likely not fighting age. When he arrived to the front lines of the battle with food for his brothers and their captain, he saw the giant taunting the Israeli army and the Israeli army cowering in fear. David was incensed that the giant’s defiance of the armies of the living God was going unanswered. He tried to encourage the men to go fight, but they would not. As a result, David then decided to go fight with the Philistine. With complete trust and confidence in God, a stone, and a sling, he ran toward the Philistine, struck him in the forehead, killed him, and cut off his head. This succeeded in arousing the courage of the Israeli army, and they pursued after the Philistine army, killed them, and plundered their tents. David returned to speak with Saul with the head of Goliath in his hand. From that day forward, Saul would no longer allow David to go home to his father.

After he was done speaking with Saul, it states that Jonathan’s soul was knit to David’s, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Jonathan and David were a lot alike: they both had a heart for God, they both were men of faith, and they were willing to take action on that faith. They made a covenant that day, and Jonathan gave David his robe and his armor, even to his sword and his bow. Jonathan was the first born of Saul, so he would have been the recipient of the crown after Saul’s death. Essentially, Jonathan is relinquishing that right, and stating that David would be the next king. This was in accordance with the will of God stated from the mouth of Samuel. This says a lot about Jonathan’s character: the will of God was more important to him than an earthly kingdom.

Saul set David over the men of war, so he went from armorbearer to being a general in Saul’s army overnight. He was accepted by all the men and by Saul’s servants. That approval of man that Saul so desperately wanted, David received because he was a man of God, and everyone could see God working through him. When they came back home from fighting the Philistines, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, joyfully singing and dancing with tambourines and musical instruments. They sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” This made Saul very angry, and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” Saul did not know that David had been anointed king in his place, but he was obviously insecure because of the word of the Lord from Samuel. The love that Saul had for David instantly turned to envy when he perceived that David was more popular than he was. There is a godly jealousy that seeks to protect what is rightfully ours, and there is an ungodly jealousy that is envious of what others have that does not belong to us. This ungodly jealousy or envy is a fruit of the flesh, and at its heart is covetousness. Saul could have accepted his discipline in losing his kingdom, but he sought to hold onto it contrary to the will of God. Solomon wrote in Proverbs, “Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy? (Pro 27:4) David would not be able to stand before Saul as we will see shortly. Saul would watch David with suspicion from that day forward.

The following day, the evil spirit came upon Saul while he was in his house, and he prophesied. We should not make the mistake this was of the Lord, but this was either false prophecy or idle babbling, either one of which were demonically inspired. They brought David in as they had done previously to play music before Saul, but this time it would not work. As I previously stated, worship is not a replacement for repentance and submission to God. Saul had a spear in his hand, and he threw it at David, hoping to pin him to the wall. However, David escaped from Saul, not just once, but twice. I don’t know about you, but if someone threw a spear at me once, I think I’d be looking for a new job. This is one of the problems with a monarchy: David probably did not have a choice; he was there by order. He knew God had promised him he would be king, so he had to trust the Lord would keep him safe.

Saul was afraid of David, because he knew the Lord was with David and had departed from him. Because of this, he removed David from his presence and made him a captain over a thousand men. David behaved himself wisely, and the Lord was with him. He conducted successful military operations, and continued to grow in popularity with the people as a result. This made Saul even more afraid of David.

Next, Saul offered his oldest Daughter, Merab, to David as a wife if David would be valiant for him in fighting the Lord’s battles. However, Saul thought to put him in harm’s way so that he would die at the hand of the Philistines rather than at his. Even when the evil spirit was not upon Saul, he still had murderous intentions toward David. David may have suspected Saul was up to something, but he responded humbly, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” Throughout the rest of Saul’s life, David will continue to show respect and honor to Saul, even though it would not be returned. When it came time to give Merab to David as a wife, Saul gave her to another man.

Saul had another daughter, Michal, who loved David, and when Saul found out, he was very pleased. He thought to himself, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” It is likely that Michal was not a godly woman, and that she would entice David into some sort of sin that would remove God’s blessing and protection from David. As we will see later in 1 Samuel, this sin was probably idolatry. Saul told his men to tell David privately that he and his men loved David, and therefore he should be his son-in-law. David replied, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” David was too poor to pay the dowry for a king’s daughter. The king replied that he did not want any dowry, except for 100 foreskins of the Philistines, again hoping that David would die in battle. This pleased David, and he went out and killed 200 Philistines, bringing their foreskins in full count to the king. David must have known he was being mistreated, but he still went above and beyond what was asked of him, even though this would have been a less-than-pleasant job. Jesus would later say, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” (Mat 5:38-41) So Saul gave Michal as a wife to David. What else could he do? David had risked his life in giving him double what he had asked; he would have really looked like a heel if he would have reneged on this one.

It states that Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David. This is the third time we see this similar phrase, so Saul is becoming increasingly aware of God’s presence with David. He became increasingly afraid of David, and was David’s enemy continually. Even when the Philistines came out to battle, David would behave more wisely than all of Saul’s men, and he became highly esteemed among the people.

Do we find ourselves being envious of what others have? If so, we are in violation of the 10th Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” The apostle Paul would also later write, “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” (Eph 5:5) Thus, Paul equates covetousness with idolatry. Like in the case of Saul, covetousness is wanting something we cannot have. This is either because the thing is blatantly sinful, or because we are not content until we get it. Like the children of Israel in the wilderness who wanted meat, they were not content, and they murmured and complained until they got it. Paul wrote that he learned that in whatever state he was in, to be content (Phil 4:11), and that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Tim 6:6). It is ok to ask the Lord for things; in fact, it is encouraged by the Scriptures. However, we need to be content with His answer and His timing. If we are like David who was being mistreated by Saul, let us take the high road by doing even more then is asked of us, even if it is a dirty job. And then do as Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Mat 5:44-45) In the next chapter we will see Saul’s persecution of David only intensify as God continues to bless David. These would be hard lessons for David to learn, but necessary ones for him to become a godly king. 

1 Samuel 17 - David Slays the Giant

Previously in 1 Samuel, the Lord told Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as king. Jesse had seven of his oldest sons pass before Samuel, but the Lord refused each of them. The Lord was not looking on the outward appearance, for He looks what is in the heart. David was not invited to the sacrifice, but was still out keeping his father’s sheep. Samuel asked Jesse to call him in, and when he came, the Lord said to Samuel, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward, but He departed from Saul. An evil spirit came in the Lord’s place to torment Saul, and they sought out a man to play on the harp to cause the evil spirit to leave. This musician was David. Saul loved him so much that he made David his armorbearer. David was probably around 10 years old when he was anointed, and when the account picks up in chapter 17, he was probably 17 or 18.

The Philistines had gathered their armies together to go to battle against Israel in an area that belonged to the tribe of Judah. The Israelites encamped in the valley of Elah. They stood on a mountain (hill) on one side of the valley, while the Philistines stood on a hill on the other side.  The green rolling hills on either side of the valley are still there today.

There was a giant named Goliath who would come out of the camp of the Philistines to challenge Israel. The Bible refers to these giants as the descendants of the Anakim and some other people groups.  They were a sort of half-breed of fallen angels and women, which would have resulted from these people groups being steeped in idolatrous and occultic practices. Remember, the Philistines were of Phoenician descent, and this would make sense when studying Greek mythology, as well as the horrific practices of the Canaanite cultures. It states that Goliath was six cubits and a span tall (9 ½ to 11 ft depending on the type of cubit used). He wore a bronze helmet, a coat of mail, bronze armor on his legs, and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.  It is estimated that his armor weighed over 250 pounds, so it would have taken a big man to carry this in battle.

Then Goliath stood and cried out to the Israelites, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” For forty days the giant taunted the Israelites, saying the same things. When Saul and his men heard these words, they were troubled and greatly afraid. Saul, being their king, should have been leading the fight against this Philistine, but he was cowering in fear. In Proverbs it states, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Pro 28:1) Saul was afraid because he was not right with the Lord. Fear is not of God, folks! We are not to put the Lord to the test by being foolish, but refusing to do what is right (even if it is risky) because we are afraid of the outcome demonstrates a lack of faith. This fear from their leader rubbed off on the rest of the army.

In those days, David’s father, Jesse, was an old man.  Jesse’s oldest sons, Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah had gone with Saul to the battle, while David was back at home taking care of his father’s sheep.  He still worked for Saul, but would return home occasionally. Jesse told David to take some food to his brothers and their captain, to see how they were doing, and to bring back the news to him. So, David rose early in the morning and did as his dad had told him. Although anointed king, David still submitted to the authority that God had placed over him.

David was just arriving at the camp as they were going out to the battle.  He left the supplies in the hand of a keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. The tribe of Judah would have been stationed in the front of the battle, so David would have been at the front lines. As he was speaking with them, Goliath came out to taunt the Israeli army as he had been doing for the last 40 days. The men of Israel fled from him out of fear as they had been doing.  They told David that whoever killed the giant, the king would give him great riches, his daughter to wife, and would make his father’s house exempt from taxes. Saul was willing to pay a large sum for someone to do the job he was unwilling to do. David replied, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” This would have been a tempting offer, but David was more concerned with the Lord’s reputation and that of the armies of Israel. The people repeated that it should be done for the man who kills him.

When Eliab his oldest brother heard David, he became angry with him, and said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” It is likely that Eliab was feeling convicted over his own lack of faith, and rather than responding with repentance, he lashed out at David for his faith and boldness. He insulted him and falsely accused him of being prideful, leaving those few sheep behind in order to come see the battle. This was typical family behavior going on here. When we are insulted and falsely accused of doing wrong, we must confidently stand on what the word of God says. David was only doing the will of his father, as a figure of Him who would later come.  Jesus would say, “The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

David gave no heed to his brother’s insults and false accusations as can be tempting to do, but responded truthfully: “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?”  Then he turned to another and said the same things (“What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”) I believe that David was probably trying to motivate the men to step out in faith and go to battle against the Philistine. David was not a regular part of the army, and was deferring to them if they had the courage to take up the challenge.

When the men heard David’s words, they told Saul, and Saul sent for him. When David came to Saul, he said, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” If no one was willing to take up the challenge, he would. Saul said to David that he could not go out and fight, for he was only a youth, and Goliath was a man of war from his youth. In other words, Goliath had been a man of war longer than David had been alive. Again, Saul is looking in the natural.  In the natural, Saul was right. There was no way David could defeat the giant on his own. As one commentator put it, “These battles were unwinnable without the Lord. The Living God will be the only thing separating David and death at the hands of Goliath.” David responded that when he used to keep his father’s sheep, and a lion or bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, he went out and struck it, delivering the lamb out of its mouth.  Then when the lion or bear rose against him, he grabbed it and struck it to death.  We are not told how David killed the lion and the bear, but if God gave Samson the strength to kill a lion with his bare hands, then we have no reason to doubt that God could have empowered David to use his bare hands or some sort of club. David told Saul, “Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” And, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” God delivering David from the lion and the bear gave him the confidence that He would deliver him from the giant. God’s deliverances for us today give us confidence that He will deliver us tomorrow.

Saul told David to go, and the Lord be with him.  He gave David his armor, a bronze helmet, a coat of mail, and his sword.  However, when he tried to walk with them, he realized he could not fight with them because he had not tested them. David would go and fight with what he had practiced with, something he knew well, a stone and a sling.  I think it is interesting that, although David was in way in over his head here as the giant would stand looming over him, the Lord still used him with the gifts and abilities he already had been using.  Sometimes our gifts and abilities are given to us super-naturally in the moment, sometimes we are born with them, or we develop them over time.  Regardless, they are from the Lord. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Co 4:7) For David, this battle had already been won back with the sheep when he spent time with the Lord and practiced with his stone and sling. So, David took his staff and his sling, chose five smooth stones out of the brook, put them into a shepherd’s bag, and headed out across the valley toward the Philistine.

Goliath also began heading toward David with his armorbearer carrying a shield in front of him. When he saw that David was only a youth, he disdained him. He said, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” He cursed David by his gods, and continued, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” Goliath was trash-talking as we would put it today. Notice that David didn’t pack up and go home: in our woke society today, nobody can say anything without someone else getting bent out of shape over it. I was at one of my kid’s soccer games the other day, and someone from our team made a joke referencing someone else’s shoes from the other team. When the opposing coach found out about it, he quit the tournament, packed up his kids, and went home. I’m obviously not saying it is ok to make fun of others, but if our kids today cannot stand being made fun of for their shoes, they are going to have an extremely difficult time in life.  Fighting the giants in our lives is not a job for the faint of heart, and David was not going to allow this giant to get inside his head. He responded, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” David boldly answered the giant, but his confidence was in the Lord.  He wanted God to get the glory, so his people would learn to trust the Lord and the rest of the world would know of Him as well.  He was going in the name or authority of the Lord of hosts.

As Goliath drew closer, David ran toward him.  He took a stone out of his bag, slung it at the giant, struck him in the forehead, and killed him.  The stone sunk into his forehead, and the giant fell on his face to the ground. Then David stood on his back, took Goliath’s sword, and cut off his head. David wanted to be sure he was actually dead.

When the Philistines saw that their giant was dead, they fled back toward their cities. The men of Israel and Judah, who once were afraid under the leadership and influence of Saul, were now emboldened by the faith and courage of David.  They pursued after the Philistines as far as Ekron, killing them as they went.  They then returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their tents. David put his armor in his tent, but he kept the head of Goliath, probably pickling it and later bringing it to Jerusalem when it would become his capital as king. This may seem somewhat grotesque in our modern times, but it would have been a constant reminder of the faithfulness, power, and deliverance of God.

Saul was impressed as he watched David go out toward the Philistine, and he asked Abner, his commander, whose son this youth was.  Abner responded that he did not know. Saul said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.” This was a type of courage and faith that Saul hadn’t seen in some time, probably since he saw Samuel hack Agag in pieces. At least currently, Saul liked to be around men of God, but he lacked the faith and contrition to be one himself. The word for “young man” here means someone who is full-grown, so again, David was probably 17-18 years old. Fighting age in Israel was 20 years old and up. When David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine with the head of Goliath in his hand, Abner brought him before Saul. Saul asked him whose son he was, and David told him he was the son of his servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite. Saul had promised to make his father’s house free from taxes, and he needed to know who David’s father was in order to honor his word.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12) We may think our giant is a person, but it is the spiritual entity behind them.  I am not talking about someone who is having a bad day, but that person who genuinely dislikes us or is trying to oppose us when we have not done anything to provoke it. In fact, when we know we are in the will of God and others are trying to oppose us, we can rest assured there are spiritual forces behind them. We have the authority to come against those forces in the name of the Lord of hosts, Jesus Christ. Peter writes, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (1 Pe 5:8)

Maybe our giant is some sort of sin we just cannot seem to overcome. Jesus has slain the giants of sin and death for us, and has thereby defeated the devil for us as well. Our job is to, by faith, reckon ourselves dead to sin, but alive unto Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 6:11). Maybe it is some other seemingly insurmountable obstacle in our lives. However, we know that if we are in the will of God, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13). In the next chapter we will see Saul’s love and admiration for David quickly turned to envy as he perceives David receiving more honor than him.