1 Samuel 22:5 Faith, Wisdom and Courage!

 ”Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.“

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Now the prophet Gad said to David: David enjoyed support and aid from the prophets. Saul’s dealings with the prophets (such as Samuel) was almost always negative because Saul resisted the word of God. David received God’s word.

b. Go to the land of Judah: Gad counseled David to leave his own stronghold and to go back to the very stronghold of Saul. This probably wasn’t what David wanted to hear but he obeyed anyway. David had to learn to trust God in the midst of danger, not on the other side of danger.

i. “Hereby also God would exercise David’s faith, and wisdom, and courage; and so prepare him for the kingdom, and uphold and increase his reputation among the people.” (Poole)

(Guzik)

Faith, Wisdom and Courage!

After we wait on the Lord and He speaks to us we need to accept God’s exercise, have faith, wisdom and courage to step out of our stronghold and to trust God.

When the Lord led us to adoption we did exactly that when others tried to discourage us but we obeyed anyway.

Has God counseled you to step out (depart) your stronghold?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 22:3-4 Wait!

 ”Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.“ ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you”: David took his parents to Moab because his great-grandmother Ruth was a Moabite (Ruth 4:18-22, 1:4). He wanted his parents to be safe, whatever battles he may face in the future.

b. Till I know what God will do for me: David doesn’t know the whole story. He knew he was called and anointed to be the next king of Israel, but he had no idea how God would get him there. David had to trust and obey when he didn’t know what God would do.

Wait

There are times we have to wait on the Lord because His timing is not our timing!

”But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.“ ‭‭II Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

David waited in a stronghold, Joseph waited in prison, Abraham waited on a son, and 

I waited 8 years on the Lord to show me that He wanted me to lead a twelve step program with my wife at our church. I participated in several other programs in one capacity or another during the previous 8 years but it was a time of learning and maturing.

What are you waiting on the Lord for?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 22:1b-2 Followers

 So 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.“ I Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬b-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him: First, David’s family came to him. This is a precious gift from God because previously all David had was trouble and persecution from his father and his brothers (1 Samuel 16:11 and 1 Samuel 17:28). Now they join him at the Adullam cave.

b. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him: God called an unlikely and unique group to David in the Adullam cave. These were not the men David would have chosen for himself, but they were the ones God called to him.

i. These men were in distress. Their own lives weren’t easy or together. They had problems of their own, yet God called them to David at the Adullam cave.

ii. These men were in debt. They hadn’t seen a lot of success in the past and were stung from their past failures. They had problems of their own, yet God called them to David at the Adullam cave.

iii. These men were discontented. The Hebrew word for discontented means bitter of soul. They knew the bitterness of life, and they were not satisfied with their lives or with King Saul. They wanted something different, and something better, and God called them to David at the Adullam cave.

iv. These men all came to David when he was down and out, hunted and despised. Once David came to the throne, there were a lot of people who wanted to be around him. The glory of these 400 is that they came to David in the cave.

v. “These are the kind of men who came to David: distressed, bankrupt, dissatisfied. These are the kind of people who come to Christ, and they are the only people who come to Him, for they have recognised their distress, their debt, and bankruptcy, and are conscious that they are utterly discontented. The sheer pressure of these frustrations drives them to the refuge of the blood of Christ that was shed for them.” (Redpath)

c. So he became captain over them: This was not a mob. This was a team that needed a leader, and David became captain over them. God doesn’t work through mobs. He works through called men and women, but He also calls others to stand with and support those men and women.

i. Four hundred men, and desperate men at that. This was a solid beginning to a rebel army if David wanted it. An unprincipled leader might make these 400 men into a gang of rebels or cutthroats, but David did not allow this to become a rebel army against King Saul.

ii. These men came to David in distress, in debt, and discontented, but they didn’t stay that way. David made them into the kind of men described in 1 Chronicles 12:8: Mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.

d. And there were about four hundred men with him: David was the one anointed by God to be the next king over Israel, and he became Israel’s greatest earthly king. But just as much as God called David, God called these four hundred to come beside David.

i. Each principle is important. The principle that God leads through a called and anointed man is important. When an ark had to be built, God didn’t call 400 men. When Israel needed deliverance from Egypt, God didn’t call a committee. Over and over again in the Scriptures, God’s work is led by a called and anointed man.

ii. At the same time, the principle that God rarely calls that man to work alone is important. David needed these 400 men, even if he never thought so before. They are just as called and anointed as David is, but they are called and anointed to follow and support David and he is called and anointed to lead them.

iii. David had his followers, and so does the Son of David, Jesus Christ. “Do you see the truth of which this Old Testament story is so graphic a picture? Just as in David’s day, there is a King in exile who is gathering around Him a company of people who are in distress, in debt, and discontented. He is training and preparing them for the day when He shall come to reign.”(Redpath)

(Guzik)

Followers

Upon read Redpath’s commentary above I immediately thought of what Jesus said:

”Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.“ ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As followers of Jesus Christ, you either follow Him whole heartedly where you find rest for your soul surrounded by His Love and salvation or half heartily (casually, lazily, wearily, listlessly, desultorily, tiredly, sluggishly, languidly) without finding rest for your soul.

Are you are in distress, in debt, and discontented with the world?

Seek Jesus whole heartedly, follow Him and He will give you rest for your soul.

Blessings 

1 Samuel 21:13-15 Refuge Among the Ungodly!

 ”So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”“

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭21‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Pretended madness in their hands: David acted in a strange manner, scratching on the doors of the gate and letting saliva fall down on his beard. It was as if David foamed at the mouth.

i. Basically, David humiliated himself before the Philistines and acted like a madman. The saliva on the beard was especially convincing, because men in that culture would consider this something only a man out of his right mind would allow. “An indignity to the beard was considered an intolerable insult and would not have been permitted by a normal person.” (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown)

b. The man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? David’s plan worked. Achish decided that this wasn’t David after all, or if it was he was such a pathetic specimen that he may as well let him go.

i. Was David walking in the Spirit or in the flesh when he pretended madness? Some commentators believe that David was in the flesh and trusting in himself. But the change of Psalm 56 happened before David’s escape, and it made sense that the LORD would guide David into a path of escape that would humble him. When David tried to protect himself with lies and tried to find refuge among the ungodly, he really was acting insanely. When David repented, asked for mercy, and trusted again in the LORD, it was as if the LORD said, “You’ve been acting like a madman. Keep the act going and I’ll get you out of this.”

c. Psalm 34 is David’s declaration of joy when he escaped from Gath with his life. The title of Psalm 34 reads, A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

i. Psalm 34 begins beautifully: I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:1-4). David was amazed with gratitude to the LORD.

ii. David is especially joyful because the LORD got him out of a mess that David himself made. God’s amazing goodness is shown when He delivers us when we don’t really deserve it.

“Refuge among the ungodly”.

If Jesus is your Savior then love, live and walk in the Spirit!

”But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.“

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

But there are times we are tempted to take refuge among the ungodly with our old friends! We try to convince ourselves it’s ok but in reality we are acting insanely! 

Can you touch the devil and dip your toe in sin and not get burned?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 21:11-12 Turned Back to the Lord

 ”And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.“

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭21‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Is this not David the king of the land? The Philistines of Gath recognized David as the king of the land of Israel. These ungodly men understood David’s destiny better than King Saul.

b. Did they not sing of him to one another in dances: The singing and dancing about David that swept the nation of Israel (1 Samuel 18:6-7) were also popular among the Philistines. If he didn’t know it before, now David found that there was a real price for fame.

c. David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid: David knew he was discovered and understood that King Achish would not let the man who killed Goliath go.

i. David’s words in Psalm 56 help us understand what happened here. The title of that Psalm identifies it as the song he wrote when the Philistines captured him in Gath. Apparently, although 1 Samuel 21 doesn’t detail it, the Philistines captured David when he came to Gath. David thought he could find anonymity or sympathy among the ungodly Philistines in Gath, but he was wrong. Psalm 56 describes David’s journey from fear to praise as a prisoner in Gath.

ii. Psalm 56 shows that the slide that started on the road from Jonathan and continued on into Gath has now stopped. David was on higher ground again. This was the difference between David and Saul. Both of them slipped but Saul kept sliding, while David turned back to the LORD.

Read Psalm 56: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2056&version=NIV

Turned Back to the Lord

David realized his mistake, asked for mercy and turned back to the Lord.

The Old Testament shows us what happened to ungodly nations and the people when turned away from the Lord. All the evil things that are happening in our land is a result of precisely that. We need a revival, to turn back to the Lord.

Will you join me in prayer for a revival for our government institutions, leaders, family and friends to turn back to the Lord?

Father God I lift up our divided country, our institutions, our leaders, our friends, our families and ask that the Holy Spirit draws them to your Son Jesus. Please start a revival so our Nation can once again be called a nation under God that does your will. Please heal our land. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Blessings 

1 Samuel 21:10 It Didn’t Make Sense!

 ”Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.“ ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭21‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. David arose and fled that day: David’s attempt to protect himself with clever lies instead of trusting God to protect him didn’t bring lasting results. He had to flee.

b. Went to Achish the king of Gath: David was now among the Philistines. He must have been discouraged or deceived to think he could find peaceful refuge among these enemies of Israel – especially as he carried Goliath’s sword into Goliath’s hometown.

i. It didn’t make sense for the man who carried Goliath’s sword to go to Goliath’s hometown (1 Samuel 17:4). It didn’t make sense for the man who was sustained by the sacred bread of God to find refuge among the pagans. It didn’t make sense for the man after God’s own heart to change his address to Gath. (Guzik)

It Didn’t Make Sense!

Like David we follow the same path when we sin. Afterwords we say to ourselves, it didn’t make sense!

“Let not your sense of sin make you think little of my Master. You are a great sinner, but he is a greater Saviour. Do not say that you have matched Christ, or overmatched him. Come, Goliath sinner, the Son of David can conquer thee or save thee yet: ‘Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’” Spurgeon 

Unfortunately we will sin until the day we die because of our sin nature!

“Answer me this question, and I will tell you — Has God the Spirit taught you that you are accursed? Has he made you feel the bitterness of sin? Has he made you cry, ‘Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner?’ Then, my dear friend, Christ was cursed for you; and you are not cursed. You are not cursed now. Christ was cursed for you. Be of good cheer; if Christ was cursed for you, you cannot be cursed again.” Spurgeon 

Do you feel the bitterness of sin and say to yourself it didn’t make sense?

Then “Be of good cheer; if Christ was cursed for you, you cannot be cursed again.”

Blessings 

1 Samuel 21:7-9 Give It To Me!

 ”Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul. And David said to Ahimelech, “Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.” So the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”“ ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭21‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Doeg, an Edomite: We meet a character we will meet again. Doeg was chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul, and he was not an Israelite but an Edomite.

i. Chief of the herdsmen: The word translated chief means mighty but can also be used to mean violent or obstinate. Doeg will show himself to be a violent and obstinate man.

ii. Detained before the LORD: By what we see of Doeg and his character, it is hard to think that he did real spiritual business before the LORD at the tabernacle. He was probably fulfilling some ceremonial requirement related to his employment for the king of Israel.

b. Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? We can understand why David wanted a weapon and why he asked. But it is also sad that David continued his lie about being on the king’s business. David is desperately trying to avoid the king’s business because right now, the king’s business is to kill David.

i. Considering what the king’s business was, David told the truth when he said, “The king’s business required haste.” That was true, but not in the way David meant it.

ii. “It is painful to the last degree to see one whose faith towered to such a lofty height in the encounter with Goliath, coming down from that noble elevation, to find him resorting for self-protection to the lies and artifices of an impostor.” (Blaikie)

c. The sword of Goliath: David was happy to have a good weapon (There is none like it). As David held this sword, he should have remembered how he came to win it. He didn’t do it with lies and half-truths. He did it with a bold trust in God, a trust that believed God and trusted Him to sort out the consequences.

i. David can have the sword of Goliath in his arsenal, but he would be better equipped if he had the faith that killed Goliath. Was David now trusting in Philistine swords more than the shepherd’s tools? There was nothing wrong with Goliath’s sword – the LORD had used it before (1 Samuel 17:51), but only in the context of radical faith.

ii. “David lost confidence in God and in the fulfillment of God’s purpose for his life which had been revealed to him. He went to God’s house for comfort and help and guidance, but he was detected as being wrong in his soul. Instead of acknowledging the truth to the only one who could help him and confessing that he had been telling a lie, he ran for his life again.” (Redpath)

d. There is none like it; give it to me: Knowing that something is precious and wonderful makes us want it. Being in a time of trial or stress makes us want the wonderful thing all the more. If this was true of Goliath’s sword, it is even truer of the sword of the Spirit, God’s word. We should always say of God’s word, “give it to me.”

(Guzik)

i. “There are some who are bent on taking away the Word of God. Well, if they discard it, ‘Give it to me.’ There are some who want to put it up on the shelf, as a thing that has seen its best days. They suppose the old sword is rusty, and worn out, but we can say, ‘There is none like that; give it to me!’” (Spurgeon)

Give It To Me!

“Being in a time of trial or stress makes us want the wonderful thing all the more.”

How true! One thing I’ve learned in leading a twelve step program is that EVERYONE has or had an addiction of one type or another.

It’s in that time of stress our human nature seeks comfort, we crave it.

Ask yourself this question: 

What wonderful thing do I find comfort in during a time of trial or stress and say to myself self, give it to me?

Replace it with the Word of God ‘There is none like that; give it to me!’

Blessings