April 14: 1 Samuel 21-24

April 14, 1 Samuel 21-24

1 Samuel 21 David had just left Jonathan and is now fleeing for his life. He heads to Nob and meets with Ahimelech, who was a priest of the Lord. David deceived Ahimelech, lies and says that he is there on the King’s business, and that he needs to feed his men. All that was available was Holy bread, not common bread. The priest bent the rules and gave some to David and his men. David also asked for a sword, and the only weapon that was there, was the sword of Goliath… Ironic! David took the sword. Interesting here, we will learn soon that David would not touch Saul because he was God’s anointed - so why did he need a weapon? It wasn't to be used agaisnt Saul, God had more reasons as to why He had David on the run! Jesus actually talks about this episode in Mark chapter 2, when Jesus explains that He is more concerned with mercy before ceremonial law/Sabbath… but we will get there October 7th! Anyway, when he was there getting the food and the sword, Doeg the Edomite (one of Saul’s servants who was a foreigner) saw him…

David left from there and went to Gath, where he was not well received. The people there mocked him by calling him king and they also remember the ladies song about Saul killing thousands and David killing tens of thousands - which put David in fear of them. So what does David do? He acts insane and starts drooling and writing on the walls so that he could escape.

1 Samuel 22 And escape is what he did. He now went to go and hide in a cave. His brothers and his Dad’s house had heard about it and they all went to him. It is safe to assume that David’s family was also in danger from Saul because of David. Along with the family, he attracted the ‘down and outers’ - the poor, distressed and bitter people came to him. He became captain over them and now he has a ‘motley crew’ of misfits that he is leading, about 400 men at this time. David takes his parents to Moab, so that they will be safe. 

Saul heard that someone had found David while he was sitting by a tree holding his spear. He has a bunch of his servants (typically ‘yes’ men) around him and he is going off on his pity party. Accusing Jonathan of stirring up David and how nobody wants to help him. Everybody except for Doeg. Doeg tells on David's location and what had transpired with the priest. Saul sent for Ahimelech the priest and all the priests, to confront them. Saul did just that. Ahimelech did not lie and told Saul what happened but also explained that David was his son-in-law and was loyal to Saul and that he thought David was telling the truth about being on an errand for Saul. That didn't matter to Saul, so he ordered his servants to kill all of the priests of the Lord! Those that Saul told to kill the priests of the Lord, would not do it (they disobeyed the king to not disobey God), so Doeg the foreigner killed most them - 85 priests of the Lord were killed that day. Then Saul commands that the city of Nob to be devoted to destruction, and kills all the men, women, children, and animals. Saul struggled to wipe out the Agagites, when the Lord told him to wipe them out, but here we see that Saul wipes out all of them, because he chose to. Instead of obeying the Lord and killing all of the enemy, here Saul devotes to destruction the city that housed the people of the Lord and killed most of the priests of the Lord. I say most of them, because Abiathar escaped and ran to David to tell him what happened. David had him stay with them for protection.

I Samuel 23 David’s people told David that the Philistines were attacking Keilah, and robbing their grain. David inquired of the Lord if they should go fight the Philistines and save Keilah, and God said to go. But, his men were afraid, so David inquired of God again. God told him to go, so they went and struck the Philistines with power (God’s) and saved Keilah, just like God said. (This is part of the reason that God got David a sword)

Saul heard that David was in Keilah and saw it as an opportunity to ambush him. Well, Abiathar, the priest that fled, brought an ephod with him when he escaped. David requested the priest and ephod so he could seek God, and David asked God if Saul was coming after him and if the town that he just saved would turn him and his men over to Saul. God confirmed that this would happen. So, David and now 600 men, fled again, because they would have surrendered David to Saul. Saul gave up his expedition when David left, temporarily. The Bible says that Saul sought him every day, but God protected David.

Jonathan came to encourage David. Jonathan had faith that David would be king, and even admitted that Saul knew this too. They renewed their brother-like covenant together.

There was some people from Judah that went to Saul and told him where David was hiding, and that they would help Saul in getting David. Saul sets another ambush for David in the hills and they were closing in on them. Saul states, "May you be blessed by the Lord..." Making Saul almost sound like a God fearing man. But words can be deceptive. God supernaturally started another war with the Philistines against Israel back at home, so Saul and his men left and went to attend that. Saul was so focused on getting David, that he was neglecting protecting his people. 

1 Samuel 24 When Saul was finished fighting the Philistines, he heard that David was now in the wilderness, so Saul took 3,000 chosen men to go fight him (that is 5 times the size of David’s army…). Saul went into a cave to 'relieve' himself (the Hebrew word is a euphemism for going to the bathroom) and was completely unaware that David and some of his men were hiding in the back of the cave. David’s men were convinced that this was a gift from God and that now David could finally kill Saul. David refused to touch/kill God’s anointed. Saul was anointed by God and was still King - David was not going to rush what God was doing. Instead, David snuck up on Saul and cut off part of his royal robe. Saul eventually got up to leave to join his men and as he was leaving, David called out to him and bowed before him. David questioned him as to why he was listening to the lies and pursuing David, his son. ‘God will be our witness and judge us,’ David said. Saul had a moment of conviction, and admits his wrongdoing. He also admits that David will someday be King. They made a covenant that day that they would not cut off each other’s house but protect it. Even though they made a covenant with each other, David must not have trusted him, because he returned to the stronghold of the caves. And they parted ways...

To sum it all up:

• God’s ways are not always our ways. Who would have thought that David, who would someday become a great king, started out with an army of misfits? Don’t ever doubt how God will bring about your life, especially when it looks ridiculous at the time. Trust Him to work it out. 
• You do not need to submit to authority when asked to do something that is against what God asks you to do. This is not liberty to be defiant and an anarchist - but you are to be faithful to the one true God!
• Don’t be like Saul and have a personal vendetta. You can spend your whole life doing the wrong thing and miss what God has for you. Bitterness and rage imprison you, they keep you in bondage. Christ has come to set you free - not to be ensnared by anything. Be very cautious to not be 100% focused on the wrong things, like Saul.
• Saul states, "May you be blessed by the Lord..." Making Saul almost sound like a God fearing man. But words can be deceptive. Make sure that you are not a person who sounds like a Christian but really in the heart are a Saul. 
• Just because something looks like a gift from God, don’t be too rash in capitalizing on the situation. If it all goes against what God has said - don’t give in to the temptation! It may not be what God wants for you at all.