1 Samuel 24:4-7 Cut Off A Piece!

 ”So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. So he said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.” With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.“

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭BSB‬‬

a. The men of David said to him: David’s men were excited at the opportunity and believed it was a gift from God. They knew it was no coincidence that Saul came alone into that cave at that moment. They thought this was an opportunity from God to kill Saul.

i. Apparently, on some previous occasion God promised David, “Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.” They believed that this was the fulfillment of the promise and that David needed to seize the promise by faith and by the sword.

b. David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe: We can imagine David listening to this counsel from his men and with his sword creeping quickly towards Saul, covered by the darkness of the cave. David’s men are excited; their lives as fugitives are about to end, and they will soon be installed as friends and associates of the new king of Israel. But as David came close to Saul and put out his sword, he didn’t bring it crashing down on Saul’s neck or thrust it through his back. Instead, he secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

i. Some wonder how David could have done this without being detected. Saul may have laid his robe down in one part of the cave, and attended to his needs in another part, so David did not have to get right next to Saul to cut off a corner of his robe. Or, it may also be that there was enough noise and commotion from the many men outside the cave along with their horses that David was simply undetectable.

ii. David decided to spare Saul because he knew that God’s promise said, “You will inherit the throne of Israel.” He knew that Saul was in the way of that promise. But he also knew it was disobedient for him to kill Saul, because God put Saul in a position of authority and it was God’s job to take care of Saul, not David’s. David wanted the promise to be fulfilled but he refused to try and fulfill God’s promise through his own disobedience.

iii. Sometimes when we have a promise from God we think we are justified in sinning to pursue that promise. This is always wrong. God will fulfill His promises, but He will do it His way, and do it righteously. Instead, we need to be like Abraham, who obeyed God even when it seemed to be at the expense of God’s promise, willing to sacrifice the son of promise (Genesis 22). Even more, we need to be like Jesus, who didn’t take Satan’s offer to “win back the world” at the expense of obedience (Luke 4:5-8).

iv. In all this, we see that David knew not only how to wait on the LORD, but he also knew how to wait for the LORD. “We wait on the Lord by prayer and supplication, looking for the indication of His will; we wait for the Lord by patience and submission, looking for the interposition of His hand.” (Meyer) 

David was determined that when he sat on the throne of Israel it wouldn’t be because he got Saul out of the way but because God got Saul out of the way. He wanted God’s fingerprints on that work, not his own, and he wanted the clean conscience that comes from knowing it was God’s work.

v. We also see that David’s heart didn’t store up bitterness and anger towards Saul. Even though Saul made David’s life completely miserable, David kept taking it to the LORD, and he received the cleansing from the hurt and the bitterness and the anger that the LORD can give. If David had stored up bitterness and anger towards Saul he probably wouldn’t have been able to resist the temptation to kill him at what seemed to be a “risk free” opportunity.

c. David’s heart troubled him: This showed a remarkably tender conscience in David. Many people would only be troubled that they had not taken the opportunity to kill Saul. David only cut off the corner of Saul’s robe, yet his heart troubled him. Why? Because the robe was a symbol of Saul’s royal authority, and David felt bad – rightly so, according to the heart of God – that he had done anything against Saul’s God-appointed authority.

i. David expressed this when he said, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed…seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.” David knew better than anyone that Saul was a troubled and corrupt leader, yet it was in God’s power to take him away and David wouldn’t do what was only the LORD’s to do.

ii. “It was a trifling matter, and yet it seemed dishonouring to God’s anointed king; and as such it hurt David to have done it. We sometimes in conversation and criticism cut off a piece of a man’s character, or influence for good, or standing in the esteem of others. Ought not our heart to smite us for such thoughtless conduct? Ought we not to make confession and reparation?” (Meyer)

d. So David restrained his servants with these words: David not only kept himself from taking vengeance upon Saul, he also restrained his servants. Many men in the same situation, would say, “Well, I won’t kill Saul now, but if one of my servants does, what can I do?” and therefore leave the door wide open for Saul to be killed. But David wouldn’t do that, and he restrained his servants.

i. With these words: These were the words of a humble, tender conscience before God. They were the words of a man who was convicted at merely cutting off a corner of Saul’s robe. When David’s servants saw his godliness and how he wanted to please God in everything, their hearts were restrained from doing any evil against Saul. (Guzik)

Cut Off A Piece!

I’ve been guilty of cutting off a piece of a man’s character! It’s such an easy thing for us to do living in the world without Jesus and even with Jesus because of our sinful nature. I’m reminded of what Paul said:

”We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good. In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.“

‭‭Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬-‭25‬ ‭BSB‬‬

David’s heart troubled him.

Does yours when you sin?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 24:3 Test!

 ”Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.“ 1 Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭3‬ ‭BSB‬‬

a. The sheepfolds: This indicates that this was a large cave, big enough to shelter a flock of sheep. All or most of David’s 600 men could hide in the recesses of the cave.

b. Saul went in to attend to his needs: Since the Bible is a real book, dealing with real people living real lives, we aren’t surprised to see it describe Saul’s attention to his personal needs. But something as basic and common as this was timed and arranged by God, without Saul having any knowledge of God’s timing or arrangement of things.

i. The fact that Saul went in to attend to his needs also meant that he went into the cave alone. His soldiers and bodyguards were outside of the cave waiting for him.

c. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave: What are the chances? Saul had to attend to his personal needs at the exact moment he passed by the same cave where David was hiding. This was no coincidence, but was arranged by God to test David, to train David, and display David’s godly heart. (Guzik)

Test!

I never liked tests, I deplored them because of anxiety and fear of failure.

But a test from God? 

I’ve been trying to meditate on these verses daily:

”Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭BSB‬‬

When prayed sincerely, this is something of a dangerous prayer – worthy, yet dangerous. (Guzik) “It is a serious thing to pray, because it invites painful exposures and surgery, if we truly mean it. Still it is what every wise believer should desire.” (Boice)

I believe every one of us needs spiritual surgery because of a lifetime of hurts, hang ups and habits.

Do you pray sincerely?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 24:1-2 Spiritual Enemies

 ”After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.“ ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭BSB‬‬

a. When Saul had returned from following the Philistines: In the previous chapter, God miraculously delivered David by drawing Saul away to fight the Philistines at the moment Saul was ready to capture David. But when Saul was done with the Philistines, he went back to pursuing David.

i. We often wish that our next victory would be a permanent victory. We wish that the spiritual enemies who pursue us like Saul pursued David would simply give up, and we wouldn’t have to bother with them anymore. But even when we have victory and they are sent away, they come back, and will keep coming back until we go to glory with the LORD. That is the only permanent victory we will find.

b. The Wilderness of En Gedi: The En Gedi canyon runs westward from the Dead Sea. One can still see the good-sized creek flowing down the canyon, making En Gedi, with its waterfalls and vegetation seem more like a tropical paradise than the middle of the desert.

i. One can also see the numerous caves dotting the hills. This was a great place for David and his men to hide out. In the middle of barren desert, scouts could easily detect approaching troops. There was plenty of water and wildlife and many caves and defensive positions.

Spiritual Enemies 

”Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.“ ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭BSB‬‬

Unfortunately we will have this struggle until the day we die which is the reason I do this devotional. It prepares me for the day by putting on the full armor of God so I can fend off the spiritual enemies. It keeps me from slipping back into the world!

Do you put on the full armor of God?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 23:24-29 Rock of Ages

 ”So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there. Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!” So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth. And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.“ ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭23‬:‭24‬-‭29‬ ‭BSB‬‬

a. Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain: If only Saul knew David was so close! They were on the same mountain (what we would think of as a large hill), separated by the ridge. Saul did his best to trap David, and it looked like he would.

b. But a messenger came to Saul: Out of the blue – actually, out of heaven – a messenger came to Saul, and drew him away from David to fight the Philistines. The hand of God was so evident that David and his men made a memorial of the spot: they called that place the Rock of Escape.

Rock of Ages

The Rock of Escape reminded me of a song!

Is Jesus your Rock of Ages?

Blessings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Ages_(Christian_hymn)

1 Samuel 23:19-23 Praise God!

 ”Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.” “May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me. Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”“ 1 Samuel‬ ‭23‬:‭19‬-‭23‬ ‭BSB‬‬

a. Our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand: For every faithful Jonathan, there were also Ziphites willing to betray. Many a godly man or woman has known both friends and betrayers, just as Jesus did.

b. Blessed are you of the Lord: Saul was so spiritually warped that he said to the betrayers of an innocent man, “Blessed are you of the Lord.”

c. I am told that he is very crafty: It wasn’t David’s craftiness that kept him from Saul’s clutches; it was the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord. Saul didn’t want to believe that, so he thought and said David’s protection was due to being very crafty.

d. At this time, David expressed his feelings to the Lord in song, and that song is Psalm 54. The title to that Psalm reads, A Contemplation of David when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”

i. In Psalm 54, David called out to the Lord for help: Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength (Psalm 54:1).

ii. In Psalm 54, David understood his enemies: For strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life; they have not set God before them (Psalm 54:3).

iii. In Psalm 54, David expressed his confidence in the Lord: Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with those who uphold my life (Psalm 54:4).

iv. In Psalm 54, David let go of the bitterness and fear and praised the Lord instead: I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good (Psalm 54:6).

(Guzik)

v. “He is now looking at God. First he was looking at his enemies and these supposed friends of his, but now he sees them through God. If you begin with God, your enemies grow small. If you begin with the enemy, you may never reach God.” (Redpath)

Praise God!

“If you begin with God, your enemies grow small.”

In our human condition we tend to look at negative instead of looking through it to God and relying on Him for our strength. 

Look at David’s example in Psalm 54:

David expressed his feelings.

David called out to the Lord for help.

David understood his enemies.

David expressed his confidence in the Lord!

David let go of the bitterness and fear and praised the Lord!

Can you let David’s example be your blueprint for looking through your troubles and beginning with God?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 23:16-18 Strengthened his hand in God!

 ”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.” So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.“

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭23‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Strengthened his hand in God: This is what Jonathan did for David. Jonathan could not rescue David, but he strengthened his hand in God. Jonathan couldn’t give David all the answers, but he strengthened his hand in God. Jonathan couldn’t stay with David, but he strengthened his hand in God. This was a precious gift.

b. Do not fear: In encouraging David, Jonathan gave him reasons to not fear. David could reject fear because God would ultimately protect him (Saul my father shall not find you). David could reject fear because God’s promise would come to pass (You shall be king over Israel). David could reject fear because he had loyal friends like Jonathan (I shall be next to you).

i. Because of their great friendship, David and Jonathan looked forward to the day when David would be king, and Jonathan would support and help him. But it would never come to pass because Jonathan would die before David became king. Jonathan’s encouragement was a mix of divine promises and an expression of hope and desire.

c. Even my father knows that: Saul knew that David would be the next king, that the Lord had ordained it. Yet he fought against the will of God with everything he had.

d. The two of them made a covenant before the Lord: David and Jonathan already made a covenant (1 Samuel 18:3, 20:16) but now they confirm it again. Renewing or reconfirming a covenant does not make the previous covenant less precious; it makes it more precious and valid.

i. This was the last time David and Jonathan saw each other on earth and their relationship was still confirmed in a covenant.

Strengthened His Hand in God!

As Christian’s this is what we do for each other just as Jonathan did for David.

”Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.“

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬ ‭BSB‬‬

“Encouragement makes it easier to live in a fallen world in a holy way. Encouragement makes it easier to love as Jesus loved (see John 13:34-35). Encouragement gives hope (Romans 15:4). Encouragement helps us through times of discipline and testing (Hebrews 12:5). Encouragement nurtures patience and kindness (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and Galatians 5:22-26). Encouragement makes it easier to sacrifice our own desires for the advancement of God’s kingdom. In short, encouragement makes it easier to live the Christian life.”

https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-encouragement.html

Encouragement helps someone strengthen his or her hand in God!

Who can you encourage and build up?

Blessings