1 Samuel Series Wk 17 - “Accepting Our Culpability”

  In August of 1995, Jimmy Steele was found dead in his garage. Due to his injuries, the police initially thought a dog had mauled the man. However, after an autopsy, stab wounds were found. This led police to realize he was murdered. Steele’s wife and boyfriend, Bryce, were soon convicted of the murder. Jimmy’s story reentered the public sphere because of a news article that was published in 2016. The article tells the story of Jimmy’s mother meeting the killer in 2014. In the prison, the two talked. Jimmy’s mother walked away in a better place than when she entered, and Bryce has since taken responsibility for his crime.

Some say that there isn’t anything in the prison system that challenges criminals to take responsibility for their crimes. In fact, the separation allows them to detach themselves from the acts. However in some states, victims can reach out to criminals to confront them. This challenges the criminals to face what they did. Some find that the experience changes their perspective and sets them on a more honest path.

It’s this idea of taking responsibility for ourselves that brings us back to our study in the book of First Samuel, where we’ll be looking at two chapters, starting with First Samuel 21:1. As we open up to First Samuel Chapter 21, let’s take a brief look at where we are in the book. 

In the last five weeks we have been introduced to David, the long awaited figure that the book of Ruth first discloses. In David we have seen a person that has a deep desire to follow and trust God, and due that he is a carrier of peace to king Saul, he then exercises a confident faith when he slays Goliath, and he loves the unlovable Saul even when the king tries to kill him. David has shown himself to be the seemingly perfect candidate for God’s chosen king.

Yet, last week we ended with David on the run for his life, and Saul descending deeper into sin. It was then that we talked about how we need recognize and avoid those things that cause us to sin, and we need to surround ourselves with people who will help us see our own descent into sin, that we might avoid it. Saul didn’t, and enters his downward spiral and as we’ll see, David isn’t immune either. 

With that in our mind, we can begin to read chapters 21-22. However, what we see in these two chapters are a casual event, where something happens, and an effect event follows, where the cause works itself out. And in between, we get some minor information that is important to the overall story of David. 

So let’s jump into the casual event in First Samuel 21:1-11.

v.21:1-9

1 Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” 2 And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. 3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.” 4 And the priest answered David, “I have no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.” 5 And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?” 6 So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen.

8 Then David said to Ahimelech, “Then have you not here a spear or a sword at hand? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.” 9 And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is none but that here.” And David said, “There is none like that; give it to me.”

Here we see that David is on the run and he goes to the city of priests, Nob, to get supplies. There he meets the grandson of Eli, Ahimelech, who is now the leader of the priests.

It’s in this interaction that we see the first crack in David’s faith. Instead of telling Ahimelech the truth, David lies to the priest on why he is there. Telling him that he’s about the king’s business.

David then requests food and a sword. Ahimelech informs David that he only has the holy bread and Goliath’s sword. But after the priest inquires of the Lord, he gives David both and sends him on his way. The giving of bread was an act of mercy and showed that the Law of Moses with its “do’s and don’ts” is based on this law, which all of God’s laws are founded on. It’s why Jesus would later point to this event in Matthew 12:3 as reason why it is okay to eat on the Sabbath. Jesus’ reasoning was, if David ate the holy bread because of mercy, then why couldn’t the Law Giver himself, Jesus, extend mercy to allow for picking food for nourishment to those who are hungry. 

Going back to the event, David is then sent away with the food and the sword. 

However, while all this is going on, there is a king’s man there who is watching. We’re told that Doeg, the Edomite is there and that he is, “detained before the Lord. (v.7)” Doeg is most likely a convert to Judaism, he came to the town of the priests but hadn’t left because it was the Sabbath and he wasn’t going to travel on the holy day as was the custom. But it is understood in the passage, that it is only a matter of time before Doeg relays the message of David’s whereabout to Saul. 

v.10-15

Dropping down to verses 10-15 we read, “ 10 And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ’Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

It is here that we are given two back-to-back situations of David’s travels. First in verses 10-15 we’re told that David goes to the Philistine city of Gath where Achish is king. However, David hear’s people talk about his reputation and becomes fearful (v.12). So to hide who he is, David starts acting like a madman. He does this my marking up the gates with symbols, and allowing his spit to run down his beard. 

Because of this, we see the second crack in David’s faith. First he lied to the priests, then he coward in front of his enemies. The man who once had unmoving faith to overcome a giant, now, sees his faith waning as he leads a life on the run. This shows us how the grind of life’s difficulties can take their toll on our ability to walk faithfully with God. As the conflicts and catastrophes happen around us, it’s easy to have our faith whittled away at. So this isn’t uprising to see with David. It’s understandable, though not where God desire us to be.

 

v.22:1-5

Dropping down to Chapter 21:1-5, we see that from Gath, David escapes to a cave about ten miles outside of Jerusalem. The news that Saul is out to kill David must be spreading, because David’s family finds him to flee for their safety. 

But David does something unexpected. He takes his family down to a strong hold along the Dead Sea called Mizpeh. This place is a home to a Moabite king. David does this because his family has connections to the Moabites through Ruth. And so, due to the familial connection, David is able to find a safe place for his family. 

Yet, David cannot stay. He is told by a prophet of God named Gad, that he has to move on. So he does, and David heads off to a new place. 

It is in Chapter 22, verse 6 that we get the effect part of the event that we saw at the beginning of Chapter 21. Let’s pick up reading in 21:6.

v.22:6-23

6 Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 7 And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, 8 that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.” 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, 10 and he inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king. 12 And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 And Saul said to him, “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, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? 15 Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.” 16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house.” 17 And the king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord. 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. 23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping.”

There are several things to notice about this passage. First, we can see Saul’s further descent into sin and madness. First, he tries to turn the tribe of Benjamin against David (v.6-7). We saw something similar in the days of the Judges, where it was the tribe of Benjamin against all of the Israel (See Jdgs 20). History is repeating itself. But then Saul accuses his servants of not telling him about his son’s treachery (v.8). So he tries to bring others into his fight against David, and then tries to sniff out those who are not going to be loyal to him. Finally, after one does come forward with information about the whereabouts of David, Saul sends for the priests and accuses them of conspiracy (v.11-13). Saul is looking for those who are with him and are willing to kill all others who are not. Yet not once, do we see Saul seek God to correct his actions. 

However, God is in Ahimelch’s pleading which is similar to Jonathan’s back in Chapter 19. The priest uses similar reasoning as to why the king should not be after David, and because of all the good things about David, there was no reason to doubt David was anything but loyal to the king.

Yet unlike when Jonathan pleaded his case, this time Saul would not listen to any reasoning and has the priests, their family, and their assets destroyed.

But notice that it is not a Hebrew who gives up David, (v.9-10) nor is it a Hebrew who dares strike the Lord’s priests. Doeg the Edomite, might be a convert, but his allegiance is more with the king than with God (v.18-19). This shows us how far Saul is from both God and the people. That the Hebrews will not give up David, nor will they carry out the king’s order to kill God’s priests. 

But also notice that Saul did not fulfill God’s order of total destruction of the Amalekites in Chapter 15, but he does act on his own order of total destruction of what is God’s. Saul shows that he has fallen completely away from the Lord, he is truly like the worthless men of the Judges era, and God has given him fully over to that worthless mindset. 

The chapter ends with one survivor getting the message of Nob’s destruction back to David. And it is here that we see the reason why David was chosen by God. We have seen the cracks in David’s faith in two instances in these two chapters. First, David lied to the priests, which got them killed. Secondly, he was afraid of the Philistine king and so acted like a madman to avoid being caught. In both instances, David did not rely on the Lord for his help. His circumstances chipped away at the confident faith he showed when facing Goliath. And yet, he takes responsibility for his sin.

David states, “I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. (v.22)” He recognizes that it was his actions that led the destruction of men, women, children, and their assets. This a monumental act of humility. Someone who stays on course to settle down in sin will never admit they are wrong in a situation. They will justify their reasons because of the circumstances they find themselves in. 

David could have easily pointed to Saul as to why he was justified in lying and that it was Saul who ordered the killing, so David had no reason to feel guilty. Yet, David shows what true faith rests on: a realization that we do, do wrong, and must be honest about it. 

And this is what God is calling us to today. It is very easy to justify our own actions in situations. We say things like, “They hurt me, so that’s why I did this” or “They deserved what happened, because I had to do this.” Now, what I’m not saying is that there are not real justifications for why we cannot be around certain people, or why certain actions have to be taken. But if we’re not able to see anything wrong with anything we do, there is a barrier of sin that is between us and God that needs to be knocked down. 

David did nothing wrong and yet Saul was out to kill him. David only told one lie, nothing that warranted the deaths of so many. It was Saul, not David, that ordered the destruction of Nob. It was Doeg, not David, who carried out Saul’s order. And yet, David took responsibility for his own role in the whole thing. The word, “occasioned” means that David bordered the situation. In others words, he recognized that his lie created the spark that lit the flame. He wasn’t responsible for how he got there, or the aftermath, but he took responsibility for his part in the whole thing. 

God is calling us to assess situations rightly to see where, if any, fault is with us. If we are unwilling to take a hard look at ourselves, we have already take a step in the direction of sin. If we see ourselves as always right, then we will be found more wrong than all others.

So my challenge for you this week is to take something that you have been harboring. It might have been something recent, or it might be something that you’ve carried around for years. Take it and go before the Lord and really wrestle with it. There is a reason it still plagues you. It could be that there needs to be active forgiveness, or it could be that there was un-repented sin. Either way, taking it before the Lord and dealing with it is the only way for that burden to be laid on Jesus and off of you.

Let us be a people who are honest with ourselves, because it is better to be humble and deal with the sin we participate in, then to have God call us out on it. Let us be the humble people God is calling us to be. Amen.

1 Samuel Series Wk 16 - “Glued to God”

  Do you know the difference between a glue and an adhesive? Basically glue is from organic compounds, while adhesives are chemicals. What’s interesting about glue is that humans have been using it since our earliest days. References and still stuck together materials can be found all around the world. The first materials that we made glue out of came from plants, then humans started to make glue out of animal parts, by separating out the collagen. In medieval times, Monks used egg whites to bind books together.

It is interesting that we as a species understand the need to bind things together, and it’s the idea of being bound together which brings us back to our study in the books of Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in First Samuel chapter 19, verse 1, and we'll be going through chapter 20. As we open up to First Samuel 19:1, let’s refresh our memories of the past four weeks.

Four weeks ago we saw the calling and anointing of David. There we saw how God seeks people who eagerly desire to follow him. Because its the inner desire to follow God, and not the outward appearance that is important. David had this desire, and we should as well.

Three weeks ago we saw as God’s Spirit left Saul and fell on David, there was judgment upon Saul and mercy as David’s playing calmed him. There we saw how God calls us to be his carriers of peace as we go into the world. David carried God’s peace to Saul, and we should carry God’s peace to the world around us.

Two weeks ago, we saw how David stood before the giant Goliath with a sling, some stones, and a staff, but the most important thing he had was his confident trust in the Lord. In this we saw how God calls all of his people to exercise confident faith in what he has done, so that we can trust in him in what he is doing. David had this type of faith, and we should as well.

Finally last week, we saw how the harmful spirit returned to Saul, and though tried to kill David a couple of times, but David continued in his duties for the king, because David cared for him. In this we saw how God calls us to love the unlovable around us, even those who have been the worst to us. The reason for this is because the deeper we understand what God has done for us, the more we can empathize with the plight of others.

With the last four weeks refreshed in our minds, we can now cover the next two chapters of First Samuel, starting in chapter 19, verse 1. Let’s read.

1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. 2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” 4 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

8 And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him. 9 Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

11 Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. 13 Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head and covered it with the clothes. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’”

v.19:1-17

We left off last week, reading that David was winning great victories over the Philistines any time he would go out to battle them. This leads into Saul’s desire to kill him. Before it was just something Saul was acting out of an inward hatred towards David, but now he is bringing in others to help him carry out his murderous intent. Yet, Jonathan reasons with his father and convinces him not to indulge those ideas. And for a time, Saul agrees. 

However, another battle happens and David overcomes the enemies yet again. Here, for the third time, the harmful spirit returns. And again, Saul tires to kill David. This seems to be the last straw for David, because he has woken up to the fact that there is more behind the attacks than just the harmful spirit. Saul is actively trying to kill David, and now, David realizes it. 

It’s here that David escapes to his home, where his wife Michal devises a plan to protect here husband. But it doesn’t go the way she intended. Though she informs the messengers that David is sick in bed, Saul wants David no matter how sick he is. When they find out that she was lying, she turns on David and accuses him of saying he would kill her. Next, we see that David flees and goes to Samuel, as we drop down to verse 18.

18 Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

v.18-24

David has fled to get counsel from Samuel. His fleeing leads Saul to begin to track him down. Samuel takes David to the city of the prophets and hides him there. Saul eventually finds out and sends three sets of messengers to bring David back. But each time the sets of messengers go out, the Spirit of the Lord descends on them and they begin to prophesied. Finally Saul comes to retrieve David himself and see what is going on. 

The chapter ends with the Spirit of the Lord falling on Saul for the last time. This leads him to prophesied as well, but he also strips himself down to nothing. Here we see a bookend to God’s work in Saul. Saul started his kingly duties by prophesying and he ends his kingly duties with prophesying. The stripping of the clothes shows that God has stripped him of his kingdom and will officially leave him to his own destruction. This will be the last time that God allows his Spirit on to Saul, but it won’t be the last time God extends mercy to him through his servant David. However this time in which Saul is in the middle of prophesying gives David a chance to escape, which we pick back up in Chapter 20 verse 1. 

1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” 2 And he said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so.” 3 But David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

v.20:1-25

With all pretenses gone, David fully understands that Saul is out to kill him, so David shares this with Jonathan. But Jonathan doesn’t believe it, even though Jonathan had to literally talk his father down from making plans to kill David. But this is usually the case, we try to make excuses for people because we do not want to see the reality that is staring us in the face. Yet, Jonathan agrees to see into the matter. The two agree on how they will meet next so Jonathan can relay his findings about his father. And it is here that we see the treasonous pact that is mentioned in chapter 18, when David and Jonathan make a covenant with each other against Saul. We pick up Jonathan returning to his father in verse 20. 

24 So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25 The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.

26 Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.” 27 But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” 28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king's table.”

30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “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? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” 32 Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 34 And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.

v.26-34

Jonathan goes and has his official meal with his father on the new moon, but David doesn’t show, and nothing is said. Then on the second day, David’s absence is questioned, and Jonathan takes responsibility for sending David away. Notice how Jonathan is taking responsibly but his sister Michal didn’t. This shows the honor of Jonathan compared to others in his family.

At hearing the reason for why David isn’t there, Saul flies into a rage. It’s in that rage that Saul calls Jonathan “… son of a perverse, rebellious woman …” Now, Saul isn’t calling his wife, Jonathan’s mother a bad word here, but rather because Jonathan has chosen David over his own family, Saul sees that he is rebelling against his father. Jonathan has chosen his friend over Saul. Jonathan has chosen to be a servant instead of a king. And this is the heart of the matter: Saul is trying all he can to keep his kingdom, but the tighter he tries to grip it, the more it slips through his fingers. 

It’s here that Jonathan finally realizes that David is right and that his father is actually trying to kill his friend. A harmful spirit isn’t just plaguing Saul, Saul has embraced it. This then leads into the two friends meeting and parting ways. This will be the second to the last time the two meet, and it’s a sorrowful goodbye.

As we walk away from David and Jonathan’s realization of Saul’s murderous intent, what is God calling us to? There are two things: First, we need to recognize decent into sin. That could be our own sin, or the sin of a loved one. See God is not one to force us to follow him. God will pursue us, as we saw he did with Saul. God will even send us grace though we don’t deserve, but there will come a time, when our pursuit of our own way in sin will separate us from him. Paul said it like this in Romans 1:28, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” That debased mind is the word worthless and is the same type of word that we have seen throughout the book of Judges and First Samuel. It means a desire for the things of Satan rather than the things of God. 

Jesus gave a parable of how God gives us over to this type of debased mind. In what we call the parable of the Prodigal Son, the Father gives the youngest son over to the world and the son purses his sin coming to a point where his life becomes worthless. Yet there is still hope, there is still grace, and if we would repent and turn back to God, he would embrace us and forgive us.

But wouldn’t it be better not to get into that situation in the first place? This is why we must be on guard that we do not fall into the trappings of sin. Its removing that app from our phones, or limiting the time we spend on our devices. It’s not going to that place, or letting our mind wander to those thoughts. It’s pursuing the things of God, and not of the world. 

This leads us into the second thing that God is calling us to: Having people around us that will push us into God and not away. We need those who will help us realize that we’re falling into sin. They’ll be the ones calling us to what God says. They’ll be the ones that it hurts to listen to because they keep encouraging us to go back to what God wants. The hard part is to actually taking their advice into account. Not to say people who tell us we’re doing wrong are always right, but we should surround ourselves with people who want more of God in our lives, because even if they are wrong from time to time, they will be the ones who help us from stumbling into sin and going through seasons of wandering from God. 

Just like the hymn “Come Though Fount of Every Blessing says:

O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!

Let They goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.

Daily we need to glue ourselves to Jesus, this is done by seeking the work of the Holy Spirit when we wake up, when we go about our activities, and when we lay down to sleep. So my challenge for you this week is to make this hymn your prayer, that you would be connected to God, fettered, which means tied, to him. That there would be no wondering from him into worthless things. And that you would be a person who both listens to and encourages others in their walks to get back to God.

Let us be a people who glue themselves to the Lord Jesus, that we may be found in him always. Amen.

1 Samuel Series Wk 15 - “Empowered Lovers”

  “Remember When” was a song that came out in the early 2000’s and was performed by Alan Jackson. The song goes through the life of a couple, from meeting when they’re young to growing old together. Instead of having a chorus to fall back on, the song moves forward through time, as the husband reminisces with his wife. Verses 2, 3, and 4 make up the heart of the song, and they don't shy away from the hurt that can occur through relationships as Jackson sings, 

Verses 2:

Remember when

We vowed the vows and walked the walk

Gave our hearts, made the start, and it was hard

We lived and learned life threw curves

There was joy, there was hurt

Remember when

Verse 3:

Remember when

Old ones died and new were born

And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged

We came together, fell apart

And broke each other's hearts

Remember when

Verse 4:

Remember when

The sound of little feet was the music

We danced to week to week

Brought back the love, we found trust

Vowed we'd never give it up

Remember when

It’s this kind of intentional love that fights through hard times to come out on the other side stronger, which brings us back to our study in the books of Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in First Samuel 17, verse 57. And as we open up to First Samuel 17:57, let’s look back over the last three weeks. 

Three weeks ago we entered the third section of First Samuel. The third and most anticipated character, David, was brought into the story of Israel’s history. There we saw God call the prophet Samuel out of his grief over Saul’s sin and the Lord sent him to anoint a new king. This king however didn’t look the part. David was the least of his family, both in age, physical strength, and importance. Yet, God taught a lesson to Samuel: God looks at the inner person and their desire to follow him, not on the outward appearance that people look at. We walked about that week with the understanding that God calls all his people to eagerly follow him. 

Then two weeks ago, we saw how God took away his own Spirit from Saul and sent a harmful one. This was done for two reasons: First, God was administering judgment on Saul for his sin, and secondly, it brought David into the court of Saul. In this we saw God’s judgment upon sin, and his plans working themselves out. And yet, God still had mercy upon Saul, because of David. The music that came from David, eased Saul’s torment from the harmful spirit, and brought temporary peace. We walked away from that week, with the understanding that God’s people are called to carry his peace to the world around us, because we have his Spirit living in us. 

Finally last week we looked one of the most shared Sunday School stories: David verse Goliath. We saw how, though Goliath was an imposing physical force, the unwavering trust in the Lord that David had within him led him to stand before the giant. On that day, David proclaimed that all would know that it was the Lord, not the strength of men, who would win the day. We walked away from last week with the understanding that God calls all his people to exercise a confident faith in what God has done, so that we may walk in what he is doing.

With the last three week’s fresh in our minds, we now turn to First Samuel 17:57. 

v.17:57-18:5

17:57 And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

18:1 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

Let’s stop right there and talk about somethings going on here. First, let’s look at the relationship between David and Jonathan that begins at this point. We’re told that “… the soul of Jonathan was kit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved [David] as his own soul. (v.18:1)”

In recent years, this has been made to say that David and Jonathan were in a homosexual relationship. As if two men could not love each other in any other way. But the text doesn’t even come close to even implying that. Instead, what the text is letting us know, is that their friendship was so tight that they become conspirators. In fact, that’s what the word “knit” means in this case. The Hebrew word qashar (kaw-shar’) means to join together in the work of a conspiracy, or to join in treason. This is letting us know that Jonathan cared for David to the point where we would commit treason with him against his own father. In other words, Jonathan would support David as king over his own dad. That is there relationship. 

But why would Jonathan do that? Remember back in chapter 14, verse 29, Jonathan said this when he found out about his father’s vow to kill anyone who ate before the Philistines were defeated, “My father has troubled the land.” Jonathan recognized his father’s downward spiral, and recognizes that David would be a better king. We see this play out in chapter 20, where Jonathan will actually inform David of Saul’s intention to kill him. This is there relationship. Two men that care for each other, with one of them recognizing that God is with the other, and wants him to succeed as the new king.

Looking at Saul, though he will eventual actively try to kill David, as far as right now, Saul is simply willing to attach himself to David’s popularity, as we have seen him do with other’s back in chapter 14, verse 52. And David’s victories begin to pile up.

Let’s drop down to verse 6 and continue reading. 

6 As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. 7 And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.

12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

v.6-16

It’s because people singing about David’s victories as being greater than Saul’s, that the king’s sinful heart turns to murder. In verses 6-9 and 14-16, we see the jealously of Saul against David. Even though David has not had as many victories as Saul, still the people love David and sung of his greatness as being more than the king’s. The reason for this is because we’re told that David goes out among the people. It seems that Saul has recused himself to life as a king. The people are no more than servants of his. We saw this with how he did not know anything about David, even thought David’s music is what brought him peace. The man Saul is now, is a far cry from the man who was still working the field the first time he went to war for Israel. David was a man of the people, Saul was not. That is why the people sing the praises of David as greater than those of their king.

It’s because of Saul’s jealousy and murderous intentions that God brings back that harmful spirit of judgment in verses 10-13. But this time, not even David’s playing can bring peace. This is because Saul has spiraled so far down into his sin, that nothing is going to bring him out of it. We again see God’s judgment and mercy, but this time, Saul shows that he would rather be under God’s judgment, wallowing in his own sin, than to repent and embrace God’s mercy. This comes out in Saul trying to kill David, not once, but twice by throwing spears at him. 

But notice two things here: First, even though David’s out there winning battles and becoming a popular figure, he still takes time and serves the king with his music. David is not so proud as to discount his place of service to the king. Secondly, it took Saul to remove David from his presence for David to leave. Not even the attempted murder of David by Saul was enough to scare David off. This shows us how committed to the king David was, even though Saul couldn’t see it.

v.17-30

After Saul sends David away from his presence, we see that he tires to give David his oldest daughter, but David would not accept it, because he did not feel he was worthy of being Saul’s son-in-law. So Saul tries again, this time with a different daughter. Let’s pick it up in verse 20. 

20 Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “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.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king's son-in-law.’” 23 And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “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?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

In verses 20-30, we see that Saul wants to manipulate his daughter Michal’s love for David as a way to ensnare him. Literally the word for snare means to create a noose to capture animals. However the idea carries with it a hook that is placed into the nose of an animal to make it do what you want it to do. Michal is a hook to make David do the things Saul wants him to do.

So the daughter is the bait, and the trap is to bring back one hundred Philistine foreskins as a price to pay for the girl’s hand in marriage. The purpose is to send David back out to battle so that he would die. Except, he not only accomplishes the task, but he doubles the request. Instead of fixing the problem, Saul has made it that much worse, because, even though he sees that God is with David, he doesn’t realize that David is God’s plan. Saul isn’t fighting against a shepherd boy from the hill county, he’s fighting against the God of Heaven. Who, unlike the Philistines when they saw Goliath’s defeat, has not yet realized that it is the Lord who is working. 

The chapter ends with David’s continued rise in military victory and popularity, and Saul’s focus shifting from working against enemies outside of Israel, to what he perceives as enemies from within. And it’s that focus that Saul will have until his death.

So, what can we walk away from this whole situation? David again shows us what it means to be faithful. Except this time it is faithful to those around him. Jesus would later say in the Gospel of Matthew 5:43-48, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

David exemplifies this with Saul. Saul is literally throwing spears at him, and yet David stays faithful to his purpose in trying to ease his king’s pain. David loves God and loves the people around him. He loves even though his life is in danger. Though we must rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us into and out of every situation, we who are disciples of Jesus must love unlike the world. We must love those who are like us and those who are not like us. Those who smell good and those who don’t. Those who are model citizens and those who are criminals. The love of God does not stop at those who do good for us, but extends to those that would kill us as well.

God calls us to love, with no limit to it. As soon as we put a limit on our love, we have started down the path that Saul took. Not to say this is easy, the type of love that goes beyond what others do for us or against us, is one that can only be cultivated and produced through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is why every day our prayers should begin with a cry of seeking to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish what he wants. It’s why during the day, as we come into and out of situations, we must call on the Spirit to work through us. And it is why, at the end of the day, we need to confess where we have failed, and seek a greater reliance for the next day. 

Love for the unlovable does not come easy in a world of sin, but it is in this type of world we find ourselves, and so we must rely on the God who is greater than it. 

My challenge for you this week, is that you seek the Lord to help you love that one person you know its hard to love. Even as I’m saying this, their name probably popped in your head. So here’s confirmation, yes, you must love even that person. 

Let us be a people empowered to love, even those who would throw spears. Amen.