I Samuel 21-24:8

“The Life Of David Bauer!” • 11.27.07 • Autonomy, Authority And The Man Of God, Session #12

Intro.

- Chapter 21 finds us following after David the fugitive, his first stop is in city of Nob.

- He comes to procure provisions from Ahimilech the priest, who is unaware of David’s plight.

- David leaves with supplies and then runs to a city of the Philistines, where he finds himself before King Achish, acting like a madman. Achish, purely annoyed, sent David away.

- David kept running, but is soon not running alone.

• I Samuel 22:1,2 : “David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.”

- God supplied him there with men and even a visit from his family, while Saul hunts him.

- It’s at this point in the story that Doeg the Edomite, a man who saw David in Nob, decides to spill the beans about David’s covert activities.

• I Samuel 22:9,10 : “Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, ‘I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.’”

- Doeg’s testimony led to the death of the High Priest, and the death of all his house.

- Doeg himself carried out Saul’s order and killed all the priests, except for Abiathar who escaped to David.

• I Samuel 22:21-23 : “And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests. So David said to Abiathar, ‘I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s house. Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.’”

- Chapter 23 finds David confronted with a choice.

- The Philistines are attacking the city of Keilah. Does David go and fight for Keilah? He inquires of the Lord, and God commissions him to fight against the Philistines.

- He fights them away, delivering Keilah from the hands of the Philistines. In the meantime, Saul hears about David’s actions and comes in pursuit.

- David, realizing that Keilah will be put in an impossible situation when Saul comes, asks the Lord if the pressure will be too much. The Lord tells him that the men of Keilah would deliver him.

- David flees again into the wilderness of Ziph. Again he is pursued and again the Lord delivers him from the hand of Saul. This brings us to the natural story arc ending in chapter 24.

- David is hiding in the remote wilderness of the Dead Sea, in a place called En Gedi.

- He is hiding away in a cave when Saul comes down to hunt him.

- The Bible tells us that Saul went into the cave to “attend to his needs” and that in that same cave, David and his men were waiting out.

- David’s men attempt to convince David that the Lord has delivered Saul to Him. David went over and cut off just a corner of his robe.

• I Samuel 24:5-7 : “Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. And he said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.’ So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.”

- David is going to be the King of Israel. He has been chosen by God and annointed by Samuel. Yet, here he is suffering indignity and living a fugitive’s life. Where is God in this?

- Many of us wonder the same thing about our own lives. There are promises that God has given, but the road to fulfillment is quite long.

- I want us to notice 4 lessons that are uncovered in these chapters.

- The first two reveal God’s covenant responsibility to man. The second couplet refers to the responsibility of the man who is under authority.

I. Sovereign Protection

II. Special Encouragement

III. Service Requirement

IV. Shortcut Prohibition

Text

I. Sovereign Protection

- No matter what Saul came at David with, David was able to stay one step ahead.

- No matter where he went, even into the very deepest, fearful place and even before the presence of his greatest enemies, the Lord preserved and protected him.

• I Samuel 23:14 : “And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.”

- Saul was relentless, doubtless with a large contingency of men. The numbers were on his side, even though David had about 600 men with him.

- David was clever and was learning daily how to survive and hide more effectively. But

- notice here the clear truth, that while Saul sought him every day, with the best men, God did not deliver him in his hand. The force of this statement has to hit us. God did not deliver him.

- David is outmanned, outgunned, but Saul is outrun each time!

- There is an interesting exchange in the annals of scripture. The Bible tells that Job was very rich and was blessed abundantly. Satan has noticed, but had not taken action.

• Job 1:10-12 : “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!’ And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.’ So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”

- God had put a fence around Job that kept Satan at bay, even though he wanted to attack.

- It is only when God gives his permission that Satan is given power over this believer.

- Abraham was told by God after his raid on the 5 Kings, that God would be his shield.

- God’s protection of His people is part of His covenant with them.

• Deuteronomy 33:26,27 : “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy!’”

- It’s been rightly said that the believer is invincible until the Lord says otherwise.

- Do you realize this truth? God is protecting you even now and by His faithfulness that will never stop.

II. Special Encouragement

- Along the way, David must have felt very alone. One of the great blessings of being in God’s family is the actual family of God.

- Throughout, God sends help and encouragement to David. David’s family comes to him at the cave of Adullam in chapter 22:1.

- Discontented debtors come and join him in chapter 22:2

- The King of Moab becomes an ally in that time of distress, allowing David’s family to remain under his protection in chapter 22:3

- The prophet Gad comes to David and brings a timely word of counsel in 22:4.

• I Samuel 23:15-17 : “So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest. Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, ‘Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.’”

- All along the way, God gave David a break emotionally and spiritually by these special times of encouragement.

- As Christians, we can often run a long time alone, but God knows that we need refreshment and encouragement to continue along the course.

- God encouraged Elijah with the thought that there were 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal, at a time when he felt downright suicidal!

- I can’t tell you how valuable these instances must have been to David. They were a sign and a promise that the Lord was with him during these struggles.

- From my own experience on the mission field, it was a timely email or phone call or financial gift from an unknown source, that told me that God was with us and was looking out for us.

- He does this with David and will do so with you as well.

III. Service Requirement

• I Samuel 23:1,2 : “Then they told David, saying, ‘Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors.’ Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?’ And the Lord said to David, ‘Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.’”

- One area that truly amazes me about David in these chapters is a lesson that I feel is lost among so many Christians today. When we are suffering, it’s easy to think just about ourselves.

- A problem was presented to David, as the national enemy of Israel was attacking Keilah.

- Keilah was a small town and the Philistines were stealing the first fruits of the harvest from the town.

- If I were David, I would have said, “Look, Saul is fighting against me! Don’t you see that I am out of commission here?”

- Instead, David does what each of us need to do when we are suffering. He inquired of the Lord and left this problem in His hands.

- The word means to request or even to beg. God what would you have me do with this.

- Now, in this case, God tells David to go and attack the Philistines.

- But that is not the point of this passage. The point is that David availed himself to the Lord.

- David, a man under authority, recognizes that even under duress, in the most trying time of his life, that he was to be available to the Lord for service.

- I can’t help but think about Paul the Apostle, chained and imprisoned under the heavy hand of Rome. There he was in the deep dungeon, chained between a wall and a Roman soldier.

- “Let me see, what shall I write about? I know: GOD’S UNFAIRNESS!”

- Far from it, as he writes one of the great epistles of the New Testament, Philippians!

• Philippians 1:12,13 : “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;”

- Paul saw an opportunity to serve Christ, even in chains!

- Are you available to the Lord at all times? Is his Word and command your highest allegiance? Even in times of personal distress, it must be!

IV. Shortcut Prohibition

• I Samuel 24:4-7 : “Then the men of David said to him, ‘This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’ And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. And he said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.”

- This brings us back to I Samuel 24:4-7, which teaches us the greatest lesson.

- When we are on the road to fulfillment, we can be assured of God’s protection, His special encouragement and that He will require us to serve Him.

- We can also be assured that along the way, we will be tempted to end the suffering of the wait for God. David could have moved this thing along. He literally had Saul’s life in his hand.

- David’s men were encouraging him along and David got so close, so as to remove the corner of his robe. I wonder what was happening on the other side of the phone at this moment.

- David sees his freedom and his Kingdom right in this moment. Everything seems right and the feeling that God must have brought him this victory must have crossed his mind.

- But something was going on between David and the Lord, because David’s heart was troubled at the cutting of Saul’s robe.

- The word “troubled” is interesting. It speaks of a rod of correction.

- God is correcting David here and he must have said something like, “Have I given you the authority to take Saul’s life?”

- This is where we see David say in response, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing!”

˚ “We win most when we appear to have yielded most, and gain advantages by refusing to take them wrongfully. The man who can wait for God is a man of power.” F.B. Meyer

- How important this lesson is and how patient each of us must be! We want godly kids, but we don’t want them to be godly by our threats against them! We want godly kids, while employing godly methods!

- We want godly marriages, but we don’t want them to be godly by using manipulative tactics.

- We want promotion in service, but we don’t want to promote ourselves!

- David reminds us again that the ends necessitate the right means!

- Lord make us men who wait on you to bring your promise to pass!

Conclusion

- As we come to the end of this section, we are reminded of God’s part in our relationship.

- He is our protector and provider, watching over us and sending us assistance when necessary.

- For our part we must remain ready and available for service, and ready to wait on the Lord for fulfillment of His promise.

I Samuel 18 - I Samuel 20

“The King In Exile”  11.20.07  Autonomy, Authority And The Man Of God, Session ^#11

Intro.

- The death of the Philistine champion Goliath at the hands of David changed everything.

- The momentum was now on the side of Israel in the war and the people of Israel had a new champion to be proud of. There is a celebratory mood until the singing starts.

• I Samuel 18:6-9 : “Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. So the women sang as they danced, and said: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.’ Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, ‘They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?’ So Saul eyed David from that day forward.”

- From here, things get worse for David, the Lord’s Annointed, the future King of Israel.

- While performing his duties as the King’s minstrel, Saul attempted to pin David to the wall with his spear two times.

- Realizing that the Lord was on David’s side, Saul decides to kill two birds with one stone.

- Saul sends David out to the front lines, hoping that the Philistines will handle his dirty work.

- In exchange for his service, Saul promises his daughter, who he ends up giving to another man, only to promise David a second daughter, Michal who loved David.

• I Samuel 18:25 : “Then Saul said, ‘Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.”

- Saul required 100 foreskins (ouch!) but David brought him 200!!

• I Samuel 18:29,30 : “and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually. Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.”

- Saul’s plans were foiled and he inadvertedly promoted David’s name to greater stature.

- Saul settles on a more direct approach in chapter 19, including a raid on David’s house.

- Chapter 19 ends with David hiding out and beginning a life as a fugitive.

- Chapter 20 brings this story to a climactic end.

- David is still confused about why he is being hunted by Saul.

- He asks Jonathan to intervene subtly on his behalf and Jonathan because of his love for David complies.

- Jonathan discovers at dinner that Saul is indeed bent on murdering David.

• I Samuel 20:30-34 : “Then Saul’s anger was aroused 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? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.’ And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, ‘Why should he be killed? What has he done?’ Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David. So Jonathan arose 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 treated him shamefully.”

- Jonathan, determined to honor his friendship with David, went out and performed the pre-arranged series of events that would show David the outcome of his investigation.

- When David saw that evil was determined against him, it was set that this would be David and Jonathan’s last meeting.

• I Samuel 20:41,42 : “As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’ So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.”

- Jonathan’s actions in these 3 chapters are the focal point of what we want to examine.

- Men like Jonathan are rare. He possesses 3 great characteristics here that we would do well to emulate. Jonathan and men like him

I. Welcome The Righteous Help (18:1-4)

II. Withstand False Charges Against The Righteous (19:4-6)

III. Weep When The Righteous Hurt (20:41,42)

Text

I. Welcome The Righteous Help (18:1-4)

• I Samuel 18:1-4 : “Now when 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. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.” : Jonathan was a man of war himself, having routed the Philistines with his armor-bearer just a few chapters ago.

- Jonathan was also the King’s son, first in line of royal succession.

- However, Jonathan was also one of the men watching Goliath while zero action was taken.

- It’s possible that Jonathan was injured at this time, as one as brave as Jonathan would probably not have avoided the conflict. Jonathan saw what David did and cheered with all of his soul!

- The Bible tells us that Jonathan’s soul was knit to the soul of David. The concept is one of being bound together or in league with another.

- He was not threatened by David’s prowess. He did not care who won the battle for Israel. He just cared that Israel won! Jonathan saw a great man in David and he welcomed the help and even went so far as to welcome him into the family, clothing him as if he were a royal.

- Compare this to Saul’s reaction to David. Saul feared David and attempted to destroy him.

- Jonathan loved David and attempted to raise him up.

- In this world, we have one enemy: His name is Satan!

- Often though, I have found that we as Christians make enemies of everyone else who is fighting because they fight differently than they do! Friendly fire is often responsible for fallen Christians. Jonathan and men like him, see the enemy for who he is and welcome the help!

- This was happening in the time of Christ, with even the disciples getting carried away in sectarianism.

• Mark 9:38-40 : “Now John answered Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side.”

- Can you imagine the tone of voice that John used. “Hey, put that demon back in him! Only WE can do that!!” How sad!

- Jonathan was not this way at all. He saw David as a mighty warrior and he decided that he was going to be a resource for David, giving him his armor, weapons, even to his sword and belt!

- The best way to become a Jonathan is to make yourself a resource for someone else.

- Be their prayer support. Be their sympathetic ear and advocate. Come along side of them. That is what a Jonathan does.

II. Withstand False Charges Against The Righteous (19:4-6)

• I Samuel 19:4-6 : “Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, ‘Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?’ So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, ‘As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.’”

- It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last, but it’s often the truth that the ones who are most effective for Christ, are also the ones who are the targets of the most unfair campaigns.

- Saul was looking to pin things on David all the time!

- Jonathan saw what was happening and he withstood the pressure, and proverbially, “went to bat” for David.

- Jonathan spoke well about David. His heart was all for David and his lips made that clear.

- He interceded on David’s behalf, knowing that David had done nothing wrong.

- It’s possible that at this time, Jonathan thought that there was some misunderstanding, something that will get cleared up for him in the next chapter, but at this time, Jonathan reasons with Saul about David.

- Jonathan points to David’s loyalty, his track record and his recent victory over the Philistines.

- Jonathan put himself in a very difficult position in one way. This man was the King, and an unstable King at that! It’s not difficult when one considers that God is on the side of the righteous.

• Psalm 33:18-21 : “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.”

- Jonathan will not let an action take place against David without rising up to his defense.

- Oh that the Lord would make us more like this man!

- How often have we watched character assassinations with silence on our lips?

- How often have we seen men of God brought down by gossip, while we stood by and let it happen in our presence?

- How many times have we entertained slanderous conversations without even a hint of displeasure!?

- Jonathan put himself on the line and stood for the righteous. Will we be like Jonathan? If so, we had better learn to speak up!

III. Weep When The Righteous Hurt (20:41,42)

• I Samuel 20:41,42 : “As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’ So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.” : At this point in the story, Jonathan realizes that there is nothing else that he can do. He can’t change his Father’s mind or David’s circumstance.

- Here is the royal prince, and this wonderful friend. He is helpless, which must have been an ackward position to be in for him.

- David comes out of hiding and fell down in complete sorrow!

- David, the man annointed by God to be the King of Israel will spend a significant time over the next several years of his life as a fugitive, running from Saul.

- What can Jonathan do? He weeps with David. He feels what David feels. He suffers with his brother. But notice, David wept more so. We may never feel the exact same loss as another.

- I pray that I will never see one of my children die, but if I ever see a brother in that position, I pray that I will be there with an arm around him.

- The truth is that Jonathan’s presence likely did little to comfort David’s heart. But Jonathan’s arm and expressions of love, were the very extensions of God’s heart toward David.

- We do the same when we weep when the righteous hurt.

• II Corinthians 2:1 : “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.”

Conclusion

- Ultimately, Jonathan shows us a great picture of Christ in these three chapters.

- He welcomes and gives Himself as the resource for anyone who would make God’s battles their own.

- He withstands the attacks of the enemy on our behalf, being our High Priest, who forever lives to intercede for us.

- He knows the pain intimately that we feel, being a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

- Are we willing to stand in the same place as Jonathan, willing to welcome in brothers who may be more talented than us?

- Are we willing to go to bat and ward off the character assassinations that are so prevalent in Christianity?

- Are you willing to come alongside a brother and enter into his pain? If so, you will act like Jonathan and live out the heart of Jesus.

I Samuel 16:14 - I Samuel 17

“Accompanying Signs Of Authority”  11.13.07  Autonomy, Authority And The Man Of God, Session ^#10

Intro.

- David has been privately annointed by Samuel in the sight of the Lord, but it will be years before he takes the throne publicly. In the meantime, things go from bad to worse for King Saul.

- The Bible tells us that the Spirit of God had come upon David and simultaneously left Saul.

- And as that happens, Saul is oppressed by a “distressing Spirit.”

- It seems from the text that this was not a continual state and that it could be assuaged by the presence of a minstrel.

* I Samuel 16:16 : “Then one of the servants answered and said, ‘Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.’”

- David came in, received the favor of Saul, and Saul loved David so much, that he made him his armorbearer, fully unaware that he is employing his own successor!

- Whenever David would play, the King would become calm. But nothing could calm Saul on the battlefield.

- Chapter 17 sets us into the most famous battle of Saul’s career. It is the battle between two armies who are to be represented by two champions.

- Goliath is the Philistine champion, standing roughly 9 feet tall, with full armor.

- And on the Israelite side? Well, the only people who had armor were the royal family, and the only true champion was the King himself. But the Bible presents the battle as a standstill.

* I Samuel 17:11 : “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

- For 40 days and nights, Goliath taunted the armies of Israel with blasphemies and curses.

- In the midst of this, David, who we learn is only a employed part time by Saul, comes down to learn about what has happened with his brothers, who were servicemen.

- He finds out about Goliath and is incensed that nothing has been done about him and his blasphemous words against God. Then, with great confidence, David speaks out.

• I Samuel 17:26 : “Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?’”

- These words brought David before King Saul. They stood out because David was the only one talking like this!

- When it came time, David did not shrink back, but instead ran right after the Philistine champion, defeating Him with one sling-shot to the head.

- Again, this chapter has spawned a million sermons. We could talk about facing giants, walking in the Lord’s victory or proper perspectives for battle.

- What I see here though are signs that accompany the call of God upon the life of a man. These characteristics are common among men who are called of God and annointed to special places of service. We see

I. Power To Minister (16:23)

II. Prepared For Battle (17:34-37)

III. Preoccupied With God’s Glory (v.45-47)

Text

I. Power To Minister (16:23)

• I Samuel 16:23 : “And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.” : This is a peculiar section of scripture. A distressing spirit came upon Saul and the author attributes it’s presence to God’s will.

- The word “distressing” can mean malignant or troublesome. It is said to have come from the Lord, which leaves us with a problem.

- Can God send things or spirits upon us that are distressing in nature?

- Let us remind ourselves that one of God’s attributes is Holiness and Righteousness.

- As a result God can not actively bring evil to pass upon a person.

• James 1:13 : “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”

- God does not tempt anyone toward evil. But God can and does remove His hand and influence upon a person. In this way, God is passively allowing the evil that must be a consequence to the behavior of the ungodly.

- By removing His Spirit, as we see in verse 14, Saul becomes susceptible to evil influence.

- This is often called “passive judgment” in that God does nothing to protect those who have refused Him from the consequences that come from a lifestyle that excludes Him.

- We see this in other places in the Bible, where God gives people up to uncleanness and confirms decisions that had been previously arrived at.

- Saul is in this condition. David however, is filled with God’s Spirit. And whenever this distressing spirit came upon Saul, David was called in to play music in order to calm Saul.

- When David came in, his playing was effective and useful to God to touch the soul of Saul.

- David played his harp, and the result was that Saul would become “refreshed and well.”

- The word “refreshed” literally means “to breathe easily.” It speaks of relief of soul.

- The word “well” is also picturesque, as it refers to a pleasant mood.

- David was annointed to minister, to serve a person in that condition, with the gifts that he had been given. It was not David, but God’s Spirit ministering through David, that brought this about.

- Do you realize that there are a lot of Saul’s in this world?

- Do you understand that God wants to “refresh” people around you and make them “well?”

- You don’t have to be a musician, but you can use the giftings that God gives you to bring this about. Jesus wants to minister comfort and counsel through you to a distressed world around you.

- God avails His power to those who are annointed, giving them power to minister.

II. Prepared For Battle (17:34-37)

• I Samuel 17:34-37 : “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.’ Moreover David said, ‘The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’” : The ones that God picks are the ones that are prepared.

- They are prepared in the most pure sense of the word, in that they are trained and given experiences necessary for the task that God has chosen them for.

- Here David reveals that he has faced giants before. He had faced BOTH a lion and a bear!

- It’s not that David is boasting here. He is not. David is reporting what he had been through that prepared him uniquely to face the fearful situation that was before Israel at this moment.

- He was built for this moment by God, for he surmises that if the Lord delivered him from these, then God could just as easily do it again.

- This is a confidence that can only come with a history of God’s deliverance.

- I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to remember what it is that God has brought you through in your Christian walk.

- How did God deliver you from that financial bear or a personality lion of a conflict?

- We need to remember because each experience of success or failure, strengthens our resolve to follow faithfully the next time.

- God often sets things up in the Old Testament, so that the people of Israel would remember.

- The people of Israel were to wear tassels on the corners of their garments. It served a purpose in their hearts personally.

• Numbers 15:37-40 : “Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God.”

- Joshua commanded the people of Israel to take 12 stones with them across the Jordan.

- 12 men carried them, and they must have wondered what the purpose was.

• Joshua 4:6,7 : “that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’”

- It would be a memorial to a miracle that happened for the people of Israel, but it was not just for that generation, but the generations to come that would hear about it and learn of God’s fidelity.

- For us, a function that God commands us to is the sharing of God’s works in our lives with other believers around us. When we testify to God’s work in our lives, we build ourselves up for further faithful obedience and we build up our children toward the same goal.

• Psalm 145:4-7 : “One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, And I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness.”

- In the life of the man that is annointed by God, past experiences and prior problems are preparation for present conflict! It is therefore important to note what God has done and what He has brought you through.

- Today, God is using experiences and conflicts to reveal how powerful and good He is toward you. Remember His goodness. If you are going through things now, mark what the Lord is doing, but know that you are being specifically prepared for His use.

III. Preoccupied With God’s Glory (v.45-47)

• I Samuel 17:45-47 : “Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.’” : Just three verses, but no less than 6 acknowledgements of God’s presence and offense at the hands of Goliath.

- It’s clear that David is in this battle because it is the Lord’s glory and name that has been defiled and cheapened by the forty day taunt of Goliath.

- What a contrast to Saul, who at the sight of Goliath, fled into his tent and hid away, thinking that he could not win. David, knowing that his resource was heavenly, knew that he could not lose.

- David is preoccupied with God’s reputation, with that which effects the heart of God.

- Annointed men have a similar disposition.

- They are mad at what angers God. They are intolerant of sinful situations in their midst and among their sphere of influence. They are passionate about God’s concerns and agenda items.

- Jesus was a man with just such a heart, of course, He Himself being God in the flesh.

- When Jesus came into the temple, He saw a grievous sight.

- People who had come from all over the civilized world at that time, had come to meet with God, to sacrifice to and worship Him. What they were met with were opportunists who took advantage of the visiting hordes, by telling them that they could only sacrifice in the temple with temple authorized sheep.

- The catch was that they could only buy such temple authorized sheep with temple authorized money, which could be exchanged at an inflated rate.

- Upon seeing this, Jesus got busy and began to clear the house!

• John 2:15-17 : “When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, ‘Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!’ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.’”

- Jesus was passionate and zealous for God’s glory and the reputation of His house.

- Are you zealous for God’s glory, His reputation, in the area of your relationships?

- Are you zealous for God’s reputation in your conversation? How about your home?

- The annointed man is preoccupied with God’s glory in every situation that He faces.

Conclusion

- Today, as we sit here, we see that these things are accompanying signs of God’s annointing.

- God’s man will have power, and be effective in ministry towards others.

- God’s man will recognize the preparation that God has endowed him with for the present.

- And God’s man will be preoccupied with protecting God’s reputation.

- Perhaps after hearing this, you feel that these things are missing in your life. You lack the power for ministry. People are not drawn to you and do not receive from you.

- You can’t or don’t add up the facts about your history and have no idea about the present!

- And more than anything, you are preoccupied with your own reputation and legacy.

- If that’s you, you are so confused and need God to touch and annoint you for His purposes today. Will you reach out and ask the Lord to do that today? Let’s not waste another minute.

I Samuel 16:1-13

‘From The Sheep Pen To The Palace” • 11.6.07 • Autonomy, Authority And The Man Of God, Session ^#9

Intro.

- Chapter 16 begins with God regretting that He had made Saul the King of Israel.

- God’s regret does not necessitate surprise or violation of sovereignty. The writer uses the word anthropomorphically to describe a broken heart that was similar to that of Samuel’s.

- God is moved by Saul’s obstinance and though He has warned and given time, Saul would not repent. But now, it’s time for Samuel to let go and move forward with the man of God’s choosing.

• I Samuel 16:1 : “Now the Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.’”

- Samuel must be careful because of Saul’s watchful eye, so the Lord gives Him the plan.

- There will be a sacrifice to be made and Samuel will do so with the house of Jesse.

- At the house of Jesse, Samuel is introduced to Jesse’s sons, all except the youngest.

- In this famous chapter, we know that God overlooked each of them without giving any preference to their appearance and that the one that was overlooked was the one that God preferred.

• I Samuel 16:12,13 : “So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”

- This passage is a familiar one and one is hard pressed to find anything original.

- Today we will put ourselves in the shoes of these three men that we see today. Each is facing the conflict between God’s will and their own.

I. Samuel, The Conflicted Prophet (v.1-3)

II. Jesse, The Perplexed Parent (v.10-12a)

III. David, The Annointed Prince (v.12b,13)

Text

I. Samuel, The Conflicted Prophet (v.1-3)

• I Samuel 16:1-3 : “Now the Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.’ And Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.’” : All indications point to Samuel being unwilling to let go of Saul. Samuel had invested in Saul emotionally and spiritually. He may have felt that Saul’s failure was his own failure to lead correctly.

- Please note that God is not rebuking Samuel for mourning. There are seasons when mourning a loss is not only appropriate, but healthy.

- To refuse sadness or mourning is not only unhealthy, but it robs us of God’s comforting and healing presence in our life.

- But Samuel’s mourning had gone beyond healthy and appropriate. It was now paralyzing him, having gone from mourning with hope to mourning with despair.

- No matter how Samuel prayed or how hard he besought the Lord, the Lord had made His mandate clear.

- This was a dark time for Samuel, conflicted by his own emotions over the command of God.

- He was not the first. Many of the great men of God experienced the same thing.

- The most notable example being Elijah, who had experienced a wonderful victory on Mt. Carmel, killing all of the prophets of Baal, but then ran for refuge at the threat of a woman!

- Most of us understand!!! But Elijah went out into the wilderness with this thought:

• I Kings 19:4 : “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, ‘It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!’”

- Forty days and nights later, his mood had not improved.

• I Kings 19:10,14 : “So he said, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.’”

- In both of these places, God comes and speaks to these men before they go to Him.

- To me that is so beautiful. There are times when we run to Jesus and then there are times when He comes and meets us. He does that here with Samuel.

- We do well to remember that the Lord does the same with us.

• Psalm 42:5-8 : “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me--A prayer to the God of my life.”

- Samuel is conflicted because of his love for Saul, and then his love for his own life.

- Notice how he balks at God’s call to go to Jesse, noting that Saul would kill him for treasonous behavior.

- Samuel shows a hesitancy that we have not seen from him before. NOW he fears another!?

- This is the same man who we have just witnessed taking another man’s life for the sake of God! Perhaps it had worn on him psychologically more than we can imagine.

- Whatever the case, and we cannot say conclusively, God met Samuel in the place of His fear and accomodated him with a plan.

- It’s a curious thing that God proposes. God proposes that Samuel take a heifer for an atonement sacrifice, the details of which can be seen in Deuteronomy 21:1-9.

- What truly interests me here is how wonderful God is to help the weak faith of His people!

- Whether it’s seen here in the cover that He provides for Samuel or the spokesman that He provides for Moses, God sees the weakness of our faith and meets us where we are!

- There is an amazing story found in the book of Mark, which sees a Father who has brought his demon possessed son to be healed by the Lord Jesus.

- His son had been possessed since childhood and Jesus was the last resort.

- Jesus asked him if he had faith so that his son could be healed. Imagine that moment, your own son convulsing and you as a Father helpless to do anything and yet being honest, knowing that you have seen everything tried and nothing has happened. What the father of this young man says is simply profound:

• Mark 9:24 : “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’”

- In the story, you will see Jesus took him the rest of the way.

- Maybe you have been paralyzed by depression or fear. The Lord comes to you now and bids you to look not at yourself, but at His work, and calls you to follow despite your fear.

II. Jesse, The Perplexed Parent (v.10-12a)

• I Samuel 16:10-12a : “Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all the young men here?’ Then he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.’ So he sent and brought him in.” : This section has presented problems for me for so many years.

- Jesse has freely had each of his boys go before Samuel the prophet, including one that may have been from a concubine or a slave born within his house.

- I say that because Jesse is only accounted with having seven sons according to I Chronicles 2:15, which identifies David as the seventh son!

- The common contention has been in almost every sermon that I have ever heard has been that David is so insignificant and ordinary that his remembrance slipped the mind of his own Father!

- Most have given this as the reasoning because of the obvious focus that the text puts on physical appearance.

- God Himself admonishes Samuel that He looks on the heart and not the stature in verse 7.

- But, even David is called handsome, bright eyed and then is called a mighty man of valor, and a man of war in the very next section! The thought that he did not fit the bill doesn’t make sense.

- The next thought is that the keeper of the sheep was too lowly a person to be the King.

- Was Jesse offended by His own son’s occupation?

- The current King was a shepherd himself prior to taking office and similar great men were also shepherds. In fact, Israel’s economy was built on this trade!

- Was David just too young or irresponsible? Again, I point us back to the life of Joseph and the very dangerous conditions that accompanied this line of work. This also does not satisfy me.

- Let me say that what does make sense is that David is the youngest son and likely the one that was the most favored! I believe that this plays out in a few chapters with the reactions of his own brothers to him.

- I believe that Jesse would have had it another way! “Oh God, you can take any of the others, just leave David out of it!”

- Again, this is not without precedent, as we have already seen the favoritism was common among the people of Israel.

- But when God comes calling, sometimes it’s our favorite stuff that He wants!

- It may be nothing to give your money, but don’t come asking for my time!

- Time may be your luxurious gift, but giving up pride might be the cutting sacrifice.

- God once asked me to lay my drums on the altar. Talk about taking my career, my identity in the church and my pride all in one swoop! I believe Jesse is asked the same thing here.

- God says, “Lay down your identity, your will, your plan, your agenda, right here where the knife cuts the cleanest!” Can you do that? The Bible tells us that Jesse sent and brought him in!

III. David, The Annointed Prince (v.12b,13)

• I Samuel 16:12,13 : “So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.” : What a wonderful moment.

- In this moment, God shows that His ways are not our ways!

- He shows that the least shall be first, that the servant shall be the ruler of all!

- He shows us that the way up is the way down!

- David is not looking for this, and I imagine that he was a little confused why he had been taken from his responsibilities! It was time for a radical promotion!

- I wonder what he knew at this moment. I wonder if he knew that this was coming. I wonder if God and David had talked about this time when He would exalt and lift him up?

- Here we see a sovereign act of God on behalf of His favored son.

- God ignored the order of age, the popular pick, and the simple conventional wisdom, because God’s wisdom to know what man fits the bill beats man’s criteria every time!

- What did God see in David that set him apart from his brother’s?

- Let me suggest some general basics that I believe follow every man that God annoints and promotes for service. Let’s begin with what’s nearest in proximity.

- First, the annointed man shows faithfulness in the little things!

• I Samuel 17:28 : “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, ‘Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.’”

- To Eliab it was too low a job, with such few sheep and no glory to be found out in the wilderness. To David it was His Father’s sheep and his responsibility!

- Before God exalts a man to high places, He first tests them in unknown and small places!

- Second, the annointed man shows courage in the face of fearful situations.

• I Samuel 17:34,35 : “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.”

- Out in the wilderness, just a few sheep? Who wouldn’t understand if I just ran and saved my own life!? Not men that God annoints for service!

- Finally, the annointed man shows contentment with where God has him.

• Psalm 23:1 : “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

- I could write this another way: The Lord is with me, what else do I need!?

- He is with me, leading, guiding, choosing all for His name’s sake!

- Are these things that mark your life privately? If you would be publicly His, they must be!

Conclusion

- As we look at these men, we seem to know them personally. We have been in their shoes!

- Perhaps you have been in the thoes of depression or fear. Let God meet you where you are at, and let Him heal your heart. He will!

- Maybe there is something that you wish God would not ask from you! Give it and watch God give back in greater measure than you could have ever imagined.

- Maybe you’re about to be God’s man and have no idea! God is about to annoint you for His service in some area.

- You might not see it today or tomorrow, but if you continue to be faithful, courageous and content with the Lord, God will bring it to pass!