Monday - 1 Samuel 24 - Saul & David in a Cave

This section of Scripture speaks volumes about the humble heart of David.  As David was hiding from King Saul, who should come sauntering into the cave he was hiding in, but Saul himself.  You could say that this was a test for David.  And, he passed it!  His men urged him to kill his enemy, but he refused.   He took a souvenir from Saul's robe, but he didn't take the opportunity to end his conflict with Saul by taking the king’s life.

After Saul had exited the cave, David felt guilty for even taking a portion of the king's robe, so he followed him out and spoke to him. For the moment Saul relented and reciprocated peacefully in conversation with David, even confessing that he knew that David would someday be the king (I Samuel 24:20). In fact, he admitted that David would make a good king. And, due to David's humility (I Samuel 24:14) and to Saul's realization of how David had spared his life, the 2 men made a covenant together that day. Of course, whether the covenant accomplished anything or not (in the long run) is rather debatable.

David speaks depreciatingly about himself this chapter. He asks Saul why he is wasting his time chasing an irrelevant nobody. David called himself a dead dog... a flea; a person of no consequence in relation to the security of the throne and of the kingdom. 

Saturday - 1 Samuel 23 - Running for His Life

David and his men were running here and there and everywhere. They were running for their lives. Yet, in his flights David was still accomplishing great things. At the beginning of this chapter we even find David fighting Philistines; defending the people over whom someday he would rule. He didn't have the office yet, but he surely felt the responsibility. And, not only did David accept the responsibility to protect his people, but he had God's blessings and protection in doing it. He had God's presence. He inquired after God and sought for His protection and guidance... and he obtained it. King Saul couldn't get any direction from heaven at all, but his son-in-law David surely did.

But, while David was seeking after God (and after a little safety too), King Saul came seeking for him.  Still Saul was trying to kill him. And, from a human perspective he came very close to killing him.  The devil surely had it in for David. The Jews of Keilah (the same ones who had been protected and defended by David) were willing to give him up, but God warned David of their ill will.  Saul then received intelligence information from the Ziphites (who willingly tattled on David), and in that chase Saul came so close to David that they were on the opposite sides of the same mountain.

Friday - 1 Samuel 22 - The Death of 85 Holy Men

Although David did eventually find a hiding place far away from civilization and from Saul, his troubles were not past. His family (and many others who were dissatisfied with King Saul) joined him in the wilderness. Yet, he had to move from there because Saul was after him. The prophet Gad warned David of impending danger so that he could escape. Sadly, there were some folk who did not escape from the sword of Saul.

While David fled for his life, Saul complained to his own men about their disloyalty to him. In that setting the wicked opportunist Doeg tattled on the priests who had assisted David in ignorance. Not only did he tell on them, he obeyed Saul's command to kill 85 priests as well as all their families. Only one escaped and he went to David to tell him what had happened. This added to the troubles of David's heart because he blamed himself for the death of the priestly family.

Isn't it interesting that David was the chosen king of Israel, but he was not yet put into power? And frankly, it didn't seem like God was in any hurry to get it done either. Perhaps God has set you aside for some great task. The calling may be clear to you and yet the pieces of the puzzle seem to be getting more scattered rather than them falling into place. Remain faithful to Him. He who has begun a good work in you will perform it! Surely God must never feel rushed. He knows exactly what's happening today as well as all that is yet to transpire. His way is perfect.

Thursday - 1 Samuel 21 - David Gets Desperate

As David literally fled for his life from Saul, he paused in 2 peculiar and very different locations. First he went to the house of God.  This did not bode well for the men of God who served as priests there.  In fact, Ahimelech the priest was scared when David showed up at his door. (We will discover later that his fears were certainly justified).  As David was truly a fugitive, he needed some very basic things.  So, he was given some of the holy bread (Exodus 25:30 & 40:23) and the sword of Goliath - which obviously had been kept there as a relic to remind everyone of God's power and aide.

From there David went to see the Philistines.  In fact, he went to Gath.  Get this now: David, the one who had killed Goliath (of Gath), the one who was formerly Saul's armor-bearer, the one of whom the Jewish ladies sang, "David has slain his 10,000s", the one who killed 200 Philistines to use their foreskins as a dowry... why in the name of common sense would that same man have chosen to go to Achish in Gath; to the king of the Philistines? If nothing else, this shows us how desperate David felt. Of course, it didn’t take too long for him to realize that he was in the wrong place.  He ended up pretending to be mentally ill to escape from the court of the Philistine king.

If you want a lesson from this chapter, look no further than the dangers that David faced. Realize that he was God's man in God's care and yet he was alone, afraid and (in his opinion) in grave danger.

Walking with God and working for Him does not in any way insure us an easy journey. Life abounds with difficulties. Even the life of God's chosen servants can be filled with hardships. In fact, many times the hard times come BECAUSE we are following Him. But, David had many blessings ahead of him. He just had to wait.

Tuesday - 1 Samuel 20 - A Family Feud & A Fast Friendship

Proverbs 27:10 has some interesting advice concerning how we interact with family members and with friends. This chapter is an illustration of how the wise principles are applied.  Jonathan and his father were not getting along so well. But, Jonathan and David were closer than ever to one another. It was a confusing hodgepodge of loyalty conflicts. Yet, God was at work accomplishing His purposes in the situation.

Essentially David wasn't sure if he was in the king’s good graces, or if he was in his crosshairs. He feared that the latter was the case. So, he and Jonathan devised a little test intended to discover Saul's intentions. And, at the risk of losing his own life, Jonathan did find out what they wanted to know. When David failed to show up for supper at the kings table and Jonathan made an excuse for him, the king became so infuriated that he threw his javelin at his own son.  Understandably, Jonathan was then even more irate than his father and so he went out and warned David to get out of town.

The interchanges between David and Jonathan in the fields (as they planned the test for Saul and then as they parted ways) are among the most precious scenes in the Bible. Here were 2 godly men willing to sacrifice themselves for one another. David asked Jonathan to kill him if he was guilty of any crime against his father. Jonathan gladly agreed to protect David but also asked David to promise to be kind to his family even after his (Jonathan's) death. David readily agreed and (as we will discover later) was very serious about that agreement. 

Monday - 1 Samuel 19 - David the Invincible

Saul wanted David dead, but God wanted him alive. Who wins conflicts like that? One of the tools that God used to help protect David was Saul's own son, Jonathan. He warned David about the continuing danger and even spoke up for David and defended him before Saul... with some temporary success. And so, for a while David and Saul got along ok. But, although David served him well, once an evil spirit came over Saul, he returned to his former hatred for David and again tried to kill him. It was a pattern of love and hate that would continue between the 2 men for a long time.

In this chapter, it is recorded that Saul tried to impale David with his javelin, just as he had attempted earlier. Then he sent soldiers to kill David in his bed. If it hadn't been for Michal (his wife) warning him and helping him to escape through a window, he would have died there in his own home, or he would have been brought to Saul to be murdered at the hand of the king.

But, by God's grace he escaped to Naioth to stay with the prophet Samuel. When Saul tried to kill him there, God prevented it by miraculously causing Saul and all of his helpers to be overcome with the power of the Holy Spirit so much so that they virtually lost control of themselves and couldn't carry out their own intentions. So, in the will of God, David was invincible.

Week Off

Because all of our assemblies were canceled yesterday at GBC, there will be no posts this week.  Some of our readers depend on the hard copy insert from the bulletin and we don't want to leave them out.  Find a chapter on you own to read each day and trust God to guide you.  See you back here next Monday!