Sunday Morning Service

I Samuel 19

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“Stripped” • 7.12.15 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- One battle propelled David into the national spotlight. One song made him a target! King Saul, already a man rejected by God for his unwillingness to submit to God, now opposes his choice.

- His envy of David's 10,000's, led him to suspicion, which led to actively seeking to produce his demise. At the end of chapter 18, the author tells us that Saul became David's enemy continually!

- To this point, Saul's campaign has been waged personally and privately to a degree. His agenda is about to become much more public. Let's take a look at verse 1.

Text

• I Samuel 19:1-3 : "Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. So Jonathan told David, saying, 'My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.'" : "Spoke" carries an ominous tone, as it denotes an arranging or leading something toward a destination.

- Certainly, you can't think that a King in Israel would say, without some shade of duplicity, that a man should be murdered? I imagine the conversations led to that conclusion through hypotheticals.

- We aren't told how he framed these conversations, but their end led to Saul insinuating or even recommending that the assassination of David was in every one's best interest!

- What a far cry from the righteous government that God demonstrated and then codified through Moses! Saul shows that whatever heart he had once had for God and His law, is history!

- Consider what it would be like to be in such a conversation with the King, who is bringing you into his confidence. Wouldn't you be swayed by his persona? Others were, but not Jonathan!

- Jonathan could have delivered David over and been restored himself to his "rightful place."

- Jonathan was in the best position and had the most to gain from betraying David.

- Jonathan however, honored his covenant of friendship over family ties, royal decrees and unending reward! When the world was beginning to line up against David, Jonathan stood his ground.

- He honored his promise because he genuinely, greatly delighted, held great affection for David. He has no problem seeking David out in order to make him aware of the situation.

- But shouldn't he have honored his Father? Shouldn't he have obeyed his government? Not whenever a clear contradiction to God's Word is presented. God said, "Thou shalt not murder!"

- Imagine these words passing through your lips: "My Dad wants to kill you!"

- Jonathan counsels David to hide out in a secret, covered place, thinking that this would pass as Saul's moods tended to. Jonathan sought to use his influence to change his Father's mind.

• I Samuel 19:4,5 : "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?'" : What sort of courage and integrity was needed in this moment?

- The King has been advertising his opinion well enough and Jonathan now stands in stark contrast to his Father Saul, not just talking Saul down, but lifting David's name up!

- He goes so far as to tell the King, his own Father, that he would be in sin against his servant, acting in personal hatred when that response was unmerited.

- Jonathan has to remind Saul of David's victory and how he took his life into his hands. Leaders like Saul are much more inclined to respect only that which benefits them currently!

- But that victory against Goliath had been the Lord's and it was an occasion for celebration! "You even celebrated that day, remember Dad!?" For the moment, this was enough.

• I Samuel 19:6,7 : "So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, 'As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.' Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past." : Saul listened to Jonathan and swore in the Name of the Lord. When he wanted to, Saul could sound like a godly person.

- He has the right vocabulary. He may even have a right intention in that moment, but he reveals that his is worldly remorse, not godly repentance! There's no lasting change in Saul.

- In truth, I believe that Saul chose in this moment to alienate his son, who had clearly become too enamored with David to be of use to Saul's murderous campaign.

- Unbeknownst to him, when Jonathan brought David back in, he was exposing him to even greater danger than he was in before.

- It was like old times, but it was just a matter of time before the facade gave way to reality.

• I Samuel 19:8-10 : "And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him. Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night." : The Philistines continued to advance against Israel and David continued to beat them back. The author tells us that he struck them with a mighty blow, or as we'd say, "he whipped them!"

- You expect the enemy to continue it's hateful attempts in spite of repeated failure. That is how the enemy always acts. Our enemy is relentless against us!

- Have you noticed though, that David goes undefeated? Just a reminder: As David the shadow, so Christ the reality. Our King never loses!

- However, with every victory secured, comes a new aggressive attack from within!

- That same distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul again! The door has been left open. Saul wanted nothing to do with God's rule, so he will be ruled by this distressing spirit.

- This time, Saul didn't throw the spear. He chased David in his house with it! Saul wanted David to defend himself, perhaps to claim justifiable homicide.

- Instead of engaging with Saul, he merely slipped away, broke free from Saul. David has no desire to inflict the kind of damage upon Saul that he has on the Philistines.

- David was successful in every war, yet, in this personal attack, he chooses not to fight a fight that he would have won very easily. David was Saul's enemy, but Saul was never David's enemy!

- To these eyes, this makes David all the more a man after God's heart. He has the right as God's heir apparent. He has the justification of self-defense. He'd have the popular vote.

- But what he would not have had was the only thing he would have cared about, which was the approval of God! So David chooses the "hard way" which is more often than not, God's way!

- Saul drove the spear into the wall and as he sought to remove it that he might use it again, David ran out and escaped into the night. What would you be thinking? Where can he go?

- Moreover, who can he trust? Jonathan had been the exception. The rest of Saul's servants saw David as a trophy of promotion!

- David can't find solace in his employment, his identity as a loyal soldier for the King. So, David finds his way home.

• I Samuel 19:11-17 : "Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, 'If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.' So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, 'He is sick.' Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, 'Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.' And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. Then Saul said to Michal, 'Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?' And Michal answered Saul, 'He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’" : Saul sends some CIA goons to lie in wait to assassinate David. "When he gets to his car, take him out!"

- Michal, Saul's daughter has watched her husband arrive with great despondency and likely notices the assassins or listens to David as he shares about them.

- Later this evening, it'd be profitable for you to read Psalm 59, which was written on this very occasion. David knows about the goon squad and compares them to ravenous dogs.

- He knows that they are preparing to come after him, but not for any fault of his own. He is simply their prey. David's wife simply convinces him to flee and then helps him escape.

- Michal, in order to make the rouse more convincing, places an image in David's place and dresses it up. We mentioned last week that Michal was spiritually compromised. Here's proof!

- She has an idol, a teraphim in the house. Husbands, be praying for your wife. David had been out at war, but the home was undefended and an idolatrous bond was formed.

- She dressed up her idol and laid some of David's clothes on it, just enough to fool Saul's messengers, who bought the act.

- They contacted Saul and noted David's illness! God hides the blatantly obvious from the eyes of the ones who would do God's servant harm.

- At the very least, these are really nice Mafiosos: "Give the guy a break. He's sick!" Saul says, "Bring the bed! The point is to make him MORE sick!" There's no more time for subtlety with Saul!

- The servants storm back in and discover the truth about David's absence and Michal's deception. She covers herself with a lie and gets away with aiding and abetting!

- Incidently, understand that if Michal is spritually compromised, it reveals itself here as she trusts in her own resource to deliver her. Her lying is a result of her worship problem!

- Her god is not real and cannot deliver her, so she delivers herself by impugning David's character! She is becoming like that which she worships, which is always the case!

- David can no longer seek refuge in his work. He cannot find it in his home. He elects to visit Samuel, the prophet.

• I Samuel 19:18 : "So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth." : The author has already told us of Samuel's advanced age and semi-retirement. He had always stayed within the circuit surrounding his home town, so David finds him easily.

- David skips the pleasantries, moving right into his full report on all of Saul's actions against him. He lays it all out without taking a breath and Samuel provides a sympathetic ear.

- David tells Samuel, "You might not have heard or read the last chapter, but here's what has been going on!"

- He tells him of Saul's jealous rage directed at him without reason. He reveals what it has been like to work for a raving maniac in the palace.

- He tells him of his broken word in an effort to publically shame him, the needless danger of provoking the Philistines. He's even forced a wife upon him that is a carnal complement.

- You can almost hear David begin this session with anger and then, I believe you can see him just fall to pieces.

- You can almost see him pleading with Samuel. "Can't you do something? I mean, you told me that I was the annointed one? Can't you help?"

- Samuel knows. He has seen Saul's behavior. He remembers the day and the sound that spelled Saul's doom and God's rejection. He listens and understands, but doesn't give an answer.

- Samuel can hardly understand why God has allowed this to continue. However, Samuel is wise enough to avoid pithy spiritual anecdotes and cliche retorts.

- Samuel simply listens and offers an understanding ear to his hurting friend which is often, the best course of action.

- Certainly, Samuel shared the experience of dealing with Saul, as well having to live under a corrupted priesthood in his early years.

- He had seen abuses of power and there is no doubt that he helplessly watched with grief, wondering himself why God would allow these men to continue!

- He knew that God had taken care of Eli and his sons on the same day and maybe he would even have had the guts to mention to David that this would play out again against Saul!

- But that isn't mentioned. In spite of Samuel's closeness to God, God doesn't release this information to him to give to David. Wouldn't it have helped?

- Not as much as what God was about to do! Samuel couldn't tell him the end, but he could lead him to the place where he could find some peace.

- Samuel takes David with him to Naioth, "Habitations," referring to a makeshift camp with huts or tents, where there was a school of prophets assembled. This was a Bible college!

- "Samuel, don't you get it. Saul is coming after me with hit men! They want to kill me! I need to be hidden or I need to be protected by something more than aspiring Pastors!"

- Naioth wasn't even an walled city! But if there were to be answers found anywhere, they would be found here.

- Remember that there is no Bible. There is the law of Moses, but the Word of God, His direct communication to His people would flow through the prophetic office that Samuel oversaw.

- The voices of the prophets, the men given over to understanding and communicating God's heart, was what David needed to hear! We'll find it's the safest place as well!

• I Samuel 19:19-22 : "Now it was told Saul, saying, 'Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!' Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, 'Where are Samuel and David?' And someone said, 'Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.'" : The moment Saul heard the news of David's whereabouts, he enacted a plan to take him. "He's at church!" The enemy is content to attack you right here! He doesn't care!

- Saul is willing to send men into Naioth, at the school of the Prophets, in the light of day. His messengers went out with their intent to seize David, but something funny happened on the way!

- This group of men were to come upon David, but the Spirit of God came upon them instead! They meant to exercise their power. They prophesied instead!

- In fact, a case can be made from the language, that the hit men remained in Naioth! It's possible that they became full fledged members of the prophetic community!

- God is protecting His King and sovereignly overrules the enemy's heart against him. And when the second and third special ops teams arrive, the same thing occurs!

- You would imagine that Saul would get the message. He didn't. He makes his own journey to Ramah and believes that something different will happen, the true definition of insanity!

• I Samuel 19:23,24 : "So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'" : Saul had been ready to destroy David, but God moved upon him as well on the way to Ramah! He doesn't even get there! He's filled on the way!

- You can almost hear Samuel and David hear the news that Saul was coming.

- As he got closer, the people noted that he was speaking forth the Word of God, just overcome by God's Spirit.

- He cast off his royal robes. He wasn't unclothed, but took off that which identified him as the King. Before the Lord, he was just another man giving glory to God!

- He laid there without his royalty all that day and night. The highest power in the land was powerless against the Lord's mighty hand, stripped of any power to destroy David!

- You might think that it's enough for someone to say, "Is Saul a changed man?"

- Here is a profound warning: You can be greatly affected by a spiritual environment and not be a man or woman with any heart for God! Be careful of trusting in your feelings!

- Measure your Christianity by the only measure that is accurate: Your obedient persistence in the faith, the fruit of your trust in Christ!

Conclusion

- As we close, note the lesson to those who are in David's shoes. You cannot find refuge in what you do or in who you are. God took away the job, the home, the government and his Pastor!

- David had to come and learn that God's hand was sufficient and that He alone could provide refuge, as he remained in Him. Was there any safer place?

- Have you learned that? Have you learned to seek the Lord first? Have you learned that only He can satisfy and protect?

- In His grace, He will strip away anything that serves as a functional replacement to Him, in order that He alone may be your all in all!