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.

1 Samuel Series Wk 14 - “A Giant Victory”

  What is your favorite underdog movie? The original Karate Kid? Remember the Titans? Cool Runnings? Rudy? Mine is probably the original Rocky. I like it because growing up I used to watch it all the time. My dad was big into boxing, especially the eras before the 1980s. He’d tell me stories of Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Jack Dempsey. So when I’d watch Rocky, I pictured those stories too. As a movie, the underdog part, is great and thematically his loss actually gives the story a twist at the end that makes it feel more real. And it leads into Rocky II, giving that final fight a greater weight to it. 

 
This brings us back to our summer series in the books of Samuel, where we’ve finally come to the greatest underdog story ever told in Sunday School, David and Goliath. Which is found in First Samuel chapter 17, verse 1. As we open up to First Samuel 17:1, let’s look back on the last two weeks to refresh our memories.

Two weeks ago we began the third section of Samuel with the anointing of David. Here we zeroed in on the two main human players: The seasoned Samuel and the bright-eyed David. God taught Samuel the lesson of looking passed the outward appearance to the inner desire to either follow God or not. David had this God desire, that is why he was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel. We walked away with the understanding that God desires us to eagerly follow him no matter where we find ourselves in our walk with him.

Then last week we looked at how, when the Spirit of God left Saul to rest on David, what that did to Saul’s life. In fact we saw how God used a harmful spirit to send judgement against Saul and to bring David into his court. By accomplishing these two things, we see God’s justice and mercy upon Saul, as God is preparing for David to take over as king. God brought peace to Saul through David’s desire to follow the Lord. From this we talked about how God calls his people to be the bearers of his peace to the world. We do this in the power of the Holy Spirit, with the message of the Gospel on our lips and in our actions.

With the last two weeks refreshed in our minds, we can begin to move forward in the book of First Samuel. As we begin to look at the last fourteen chapters of First Samuel, we have to understand that this moment of David’s life initiates a series of events that carry all the way through the rest of the book. All the details of what happens in chapter 17 are not as important as the end result, which is David’s victory. It is David’s victory that begins to set Saul against him, which leads to Saul to focus less on running Israel and drives him to kill David, until his own death at the end of the book. 

So even though we are going to break down this passage, we must understand that the victory of David is the catalyst to how the rest of the book plays out. So we are going to take this bigger picture and begin to break down parts of it as we make our way to the end. 

Let’s jump into First Samuel 17:1-58, where we won’t be reading everything, so you will need to go back this week and re-read the whole chapter.

1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 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.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. 

v. 1-11:  The first eleven verses of chapter 17 set up the situation in which Saul and Israel find themselves. They meet the Philistines on the field of battle, but instead of two armies going out and battling, the Philistines present a champion to fight on their behalf. If the Philistine champion won, the Israelites would lay down their arms, and vice-versa. This was not unheard of in the ancient world, though usually it was more for moral, than anything else. To see your man win, boosted your resolve and lessened you opponents’. 

The word champion literally means “the man between two.” Goliath was a man between two armies. His description would have struck fear into anyone who would have seen or read about him. Goliath was six six cubits and a span in height, which is roughly nine foot, nice inches. He wore a coat of bronze mail, and his legs were covered in booze armor, advance technology at the time. It weighed five thousand bronze shekels or about one hundred and twenty-five pounds. He had a javelin in addition to his sword, with the head of the spear weighing six hundred iron shekels, which was about fifteen pounds. 

Goliath towers above everyone, and puts Saul’s height to shame. But not only is he tall, Goliath is strong enough to carry and fight in heavy armor. His imposing figure is why the Israelite soldiers stood in fear for forty days. But God was working behind the scenes. 

v.12-40: In verses 12-19 were told that David is not out with Saul at the moment, because he went home to attend his duties at home. Bethlehem is about fifteen miles from the battle, and so David was able to perform both the duties required of him with his family, and his new duties with the king. But Jesses sends David back to check in with his sons because he hadn’t heard anything about the result of the battle. We know it’s because the battle hasn’t taken place yet, but Jesse doesn’t know that. 

So David returns to the Israelite encampment early in the morning and it’s here that we pick the passage back in verse 20.

20 And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 22 And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.

24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel.” 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “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?” 27 And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”

28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” 29 And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before.

So David hears the many curses and taunts of Goliath and he begins questioning why the men are afraid. This is when David’s oldest brother Eliab scolds David. Eliab accuses of David of being perverse in wanting to see the bloodshed of the battle. Now Eliab’s anger may stem from two places: First, he had chosen to follow Saul and thereby was moving away from his dedication to the Lord. So he could not see the real intention of David. David was wondering why the people would not trust that God would prevail against the Philistine, not that he wanted to see the battle. Secondly, Eliab might feel some jealously that his youngest brother received a special blessing and anointing from Samuel. So, as siblings often do, they don’t listen to each other, but rather correct one another out of misplaced authority. 

Yet we know what David’s motivation is. He has complete trust in the ability of the Lord to win the day. He states this in verse 26 to the men and again in verse 37 to Saul. And David is willing to go out himself to battle Goliath.

It’s in verse 31 that David’s words have reached Saul and he is brought before the king. Starting in verse 32 we read, “32 And David said to Saul, “Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

David explains to Saul why he has confidence in his own skills and in God’s deliverance. God has done so in the past, and he will do so now. This is exactly what biblical faith is. The term used in the Bible for faith means to be persuaded by credibility. 

David exercises that type of faith right here. He has seen God work through his life when he faced the lions and bears, and David expects that God can do the same thing with Goliath. David has been persuaded by God’s past work which gives God credibility to work in the future. Goliath is just another lion come for the sheep.

David is so resolved in his faith, that he is able to convince Saul who agrees to let him go, even though David is too young for war. It’s then in verses 38 and 39 that Saul tries to clothe David in his own armor. But David doesn’t go along with it because he hasn’t tested it. What he has tested is his staff and stones. He’s a shepherd and these are the weapons of one who protects the sheep. The staff is meant for stability, correction and close combat, while the stones and sling are meant for long rang attacks. David is comfortable with these because he has tested them in combat, and with them, he knows he will prevail. 

v.41-54: It’s in verses 41-54 that we get the battle.

41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and 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. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

Goliath was not happy that the Israelite nation sent out a boy to fight him. David’s youth and ready for life attitude is again described as him being ruddy. Goliath then mocks David’s choice of weapons and curses David by his gods. Yet, God had already defeated the Philistine idol Dagon and so Goliath’s curses meant nothing.

David however, is coming against Goliath in the name and by the power of the true God. This God is the Lord of Hosts or the armies of heaven. Goliath is not fighting against a young boy, or even Israel as a nation, but against the Lord of All Things himself. It’s here that David recognizes that through him, God will bring about Goliath’s end. 

David prepared his sling and lets go a single stone which strikes Goliath and he falls to the ground. I want to share with you the veracity of such an attack through a video clip. (play video of a sling)

We’re told that the stone hits with such force that it sinks into the forehead of Goliath. David then takes Goliath’s sword and decapitates him, ending the 40 days of curses against God and his people. It is at this moment that the Philistines flee and the Israelites chase them and afterward return to plunder their camp. David gets the spoils of Goliath’s armor for himself.

v.55-58: The ending of the passage sees Saul ask the question, who is David the son of? Saul had said he would give his daughter to the one who could defeat Goliath. His questioning of David’s lineage makes sense as he needs to know what kind of family his daughter is marrying into.

But this also gives us a little insight to Saul and David’s relationship. Even though David was there, and Saul loved to have him around, Saul never got to know David. David was just another person who served Saul as king. 

It’s here that we can walk away with the central point of this passage. David had a steadfast resolve that God would win the day. This is something that Saul never had. Saul never trusted that God could do the things he said he could do. Even when God accomplished victories for Saul, the prince of Israel never trusted the true King to work. God is calling us to the same trust as David had. God has done great things and will continue to do great things. That needs to be the resolve of God’s people. That no matter the situation, no matter the trial or temptation, God can and will overcome. But we have a choice, are we going to be one of the scared Israelites, or are we going to be the one God utilizes in the victory? One doesn’t have the confidence in God, the other does.

  This week I want to challenge you to be resolved in your trust of God. If you are struggling to believe that God can bring a victory or overcome a situation you’re in, take some time and re-read David’s story. Then ask God to show you where he has won victories in your own life, even though you might not have recognized it. 

In my teen years, a teacher told my mom that she had seen teens just like me and they all ended up in juvie. Two summers later I was convicted of a major theft. Yet through it all, God was working. I was not sent to juvie as the county wanted. I was not given the harsher sentence as the prosecutor wanted. I was shown mercy, and through all of it God worked in the bad situation I created for myself to bring me to him. I have seen God work in the past and I know he can work now. So seek God this week to show you what he has done, so that you can trust him now.

If you are at that level of trust now, then I want to challenge you to encourage others who might not be there. Ask God to bring someone into your life so that you can share your story of what God has done, that they might trust the Lord. 

God is calling each of us to be resolved in our faith so that no matter what giant is on the battlefield, we know that God has won the victory. Amen.

1 Samuel Series Wk 13 - “Peace Walkers”

  About a year and a half into my ministry in Quartzsite, AZ, I remember having an argument with my wife. I don’t remember about what, but I believe it was before one of our Friday night youth events. The reason I remember we had an argument, is because one of our youth leaders walked in and later told me it was like walking into a cloud. The tension was so thick that he could feel it. He knew something was wrong the moment he came into the room. 

I’ve felt similar situations. Like when I walked onto the campus of Scholar’s Academy, Quartzsite’s old charter school, for the first time. It felt like walking into a darkness. There are those times and places where you can tangibly feel the uneasiness of a situation, and it feels like the turbulence of a plane taking off; it just rattles you. 

It’s this idea of un-peaceful situations that brings us back to series in the book of First Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in chapter 16, verse 14. As we open up to First Samuel 16:14, lets refresh our minds with where we are in the passage. 

We’re in the third section of the book of Samuel, with the first section focusing on how we are all called to abide in the holy will of God. Hannah and Samuel sought the will of God and were blessed because of it. However, Eli’s sons, and the nation of Israel as a whole ,did not seek God’s will and were judged because of it. 

Section two then introduced us to the man whom God chose at the request of Israel for a human king. Saul had everything going for him, but his weaknesses were not dealt with, and because of that, he became unfaithful to God’s will in his life. This led to God taking his dynasty away from him. This showed us that God calls us to freely accept his will, and not rebel against him, because there are consequences for being outside the will of God.

It was then last week, where we began the third section of First Samuel, and looked at the calling and anointing of David. David is the one, that, if we have been reading through the biblical story, was introduced to us way back in the book of Ruth. He was the hope that came from Ruth’s obedience. From David’s anointing we saw two things: First, God calls us to look pass the outward appearance of people, and second, to eagerly follow God no matter where we find ourselves in our walk with him. We saw that eagerness in the experienced Samuel, and we saw that eagerness in the bright-eyed, just getting stared, David. 

Now with the book of First Samuel fresh in our minds, let’s jump into First Samuel 16:14-23.

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.”

19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

v.14 Our passage is a short one, and that’s because it’s the end of a bigger thought. We talked about how last week, David’s anointing and Saul’s madness were one larger thought that we separated so that we could focus on comparing David’s calling to be king against that of Saul’s. 

However, last week’s passage and this week’s passage are connected by “the Spirit of the Lord” language that is used in verse 13, and then again in verse 14. The way in which the writer links these two moments of the Spirit’s movement is intended to be seen a simultaneous event. The Spirit rushes upon David, because it has left Saul. 

However, as the Spirit of the Lord leaves Saul, another one takes its place. Now this is one of those passages that we tend to not like in our modern world, because it says that, “… a harmful spirit from the Lord ….” We tend to not like that because it seems in conflict with the idea of a loving God. We might hear responses like, “Well if God is loving, why would he send harm on anyone?”

The reality is, we have to have a solid understanding of the character of God, that there are free will agents in this world, and God’s sovereignty to work. First, the character of God is that he is holy, which means he is perfect and without sin. First John 3:9 states, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.” God’s seed means his holiness which does not engage in sin. So when we see that the Lord sent a spirit to harm Saul, this isn’t a sinful act, but has intention behind it; which will see.

Secondly, free will agents are all those that God has created to exert free will to either follow or rebel against him. Psalm 58:2 states, “No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.” It is because of this free will that a person can sin, because they chose to engage in it. This is separate from the holiness of God, who does not commit sin. So the sin is going to be on our part, and not God’s. This is important for the reason for the spirit of harm.

Finally, God is sovereign in his work, meaning he can allow things to happen or hold them back. In the situation in the Gospel of John chapter 9, verse 3, where the disciples questioned Jesus about a man’s blindness, whether it was due to his sin or his parent’s sin, Jesus responds with, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” God is working with a larger picture of purpose that only he sees. So what God does is in accordance with a greater view of not only the current situation, but the consequences of that situation throughout rest of time.

Through all three, God works out his plans and brings about salvation for humanity.

Due to God’s holiness, free will, and his sovereignty, God uses harmful spirits, to bring about two things: judgment and to strength his people. Judgement we can see in places like First Corinthians 5:1-7, where a man sleeping with his father’s wife was turned over to Satan for judgment. A similar turning over situation is also seen in First Timothy 1:18-20. 

For the strengthening of his people, we can see this in the life of Job (1:1—2:6), Jesus life in his three temptations (Matt. 4:1-11), and Paul’s life in Second Corinthians (12:7-10). 

In the case of Saul, God has a double purpose: the first purpose is to bring judgment on Saul. Saul had broken many commands of God which he was to know by heart. This has led the people of Israel astray, as they are following Saul and not God.

Secondly, it is to bring David into the circle of leadership within Israel. It is a divine work that brings the smallest of seven sons, who tends the family’s sheep, into the workings of the royal court. Much like it was the divine work of God to bring Jospeh to Pharaoh’s attention, or in the future to bring Daniel to Babylon’s king; it is again God’s work to bring David to Saul. We can see this purpose play out in that it one of Saul’s servants who mention a boy named David who plays beautiful music.  

v.15-16: So God brings David in through his musical ability. As many of us know, music can illicit emotional responses. Whether positive or negative, music can soothe the savage beast, or can inspire people to action. David has this gift, which he utilizes to help Saul, and the Holy Spirit uses to write prophetic songs in the book of Psalms.

This also shows us that it isn’t David’s military ability that gets him into Saul’s court. That military ability is there, but just like David didn’t have the look of a king when Samuel first saw him, he did have a passion for the Lord. This passion comes out through his music. David doesn’t force himself into the king’s circle; he does’t win a battle to be noticed by the king, it all stems from his dedication to the Lord through the musical gifts he has been given. David’s desire is for the Lord and not for the throne.

v.19-23: David’s character shows through his servant attitude towards the king. David doesn’t go into Saul’s chamber with an entitlement for the crown. He goes into the king’s chamber to serve the king out of a madness that he is being tormented with. Which goes to show that even though Saul is under judgment, God is still showing grace to him. Its also reveals that when the people of God are doing the work of God, peace should follow. It’s no wonder that, in describing the Armor of God that every disciple is to put on daily, Paul says of the sandals that carry the armor bear, “and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. (Eph. 6:15)” Jesus’ disciples should be carrying peace with them wherever they go, because the Gospel by which they are saved, is rooted in God’s peace.

It is here that the passage closes with the harmful spirit departing Saul. Though he is no longer king, and though he no longer has the Spirit of the Lord resting on him, Saul is given reprieve from these spiritual attacks, because he has David with him. And that spiritual peace that comes from David’s passion for the Lord, extends outward as grace towards Saul.

And it is here that we can walk away with this truth for our own lives: God is calling us to be a people of peace. Peace in our spiritual lives, because we are connected to God, and bearers of his peace to the world around us. 

Jesus states in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” That peace comes from the word of God and through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That means that if you are a disciple of Jesus, you have access to the peace of Jesus at all times, because you should be studying his word and practicing it, and you have been given the Holy Spirit as a downpayment to eternal life (Eph. 1:14).

Secondly, we are to be peace bearers to the world around us. Jesus spoke of being blessed as a peace maker in the Gospel of Matthew 5:9. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4, “… aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one (v. 11-12). The word quietly means to “hold peace” in one’s life.

Believer’s should be living peaceful lives, because though the world around us may be in chaos, we can trust in the Lord to bring about resolution because he is working out his plans to bring about the restoration of all things. In leaning on God’s peace, we also show that God is working in us to the people around us. Being a peace bearer is a practical testimony to God’s presence in our lives that calls others to his peace. 

A couple of years or so after my wife and I moved here and took on the youth ministry position, we were invited by the town manager to come to a meeting at the fire department to talk with other people about youth in town. There, without our knowledge, the town manger introduced us to the group and told them, “We want to thank the Alliance Church’s teen group. Since the Alliance Church has had their group, the teen crime rate is almost non-existent.” That is not a compliment to me and Marika, that is a compliment to the work that this congregation does in the lives of the youth of our town. It is a compliment to the peace that happens when God’s people live among the outside world, and work to bring the Gospel to them. God calls his people to peace, which quells spirits and saves souls. 

My challenge for you this week, is that as you leave, there will be sandals in a box on you way out. Grab a pair and either wear them or hang them, but either way remember that wherever you go, you are to go with God’s peace for yourself and for the people around you.

Let us be a peace carrying people, that the world would know Jesus, the Prince of Peace and turn to him. Amen.