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1 Samuel 26

13 Jun

26 Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding in the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?” 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, by the road. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had indeed come.

5 So David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now Saul lay within the camp, with the people encamped all around him. 6 Then David answered, and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?”

And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay all around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!”

9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” 10 David said furthermore, “As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

13 Now David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great distance being between them. 14 And David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Do you not answer, Abner?”

Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you, calling out to the king?”

15 So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head.”

17 Then Saul knew David’s voice, and said, “Is that your voice, my son David?”

David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18 And he said, “Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand? 19 Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 So now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

22 And David answered and said, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23 May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”

25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail.”

So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 Samuel 26

Dear God, okay, it’s time for me to get back to this passage. I got distracted yesterday, but it’s time to dig in here. So what do I notice about this passage today?

  • The people of Ziph were caught in a tough spot and they picked their side. They were in Judah, and David was from their tribe and region. But the king had an army and could do some damage. Would they ingratiate themselves to Saul or hide David. There was obviously a large enough group that decided to side with Saul and get on his good side. In fact, it started back at the end of chapter 23. These were the same people who betrayed David when he was running from Saul before the cave incident, of whom Saul said, “The Lord bless you. At last someone is concerned about me!” I don’t know whether or not to feel sorry for them. I type this on the day before a lot of protests are planned around the United States against the current presidential administration. Some are choosing to go along to get along. Some are protesting. Some don’t know what to do. I’m in the third camp. I simply don’t know what you’re calling me to do in this. But I can see some similarities in these situations.
  • Saul has 3,000 men looking for David and his 600. The odds were against David.
  • Abishai, David’s cousin and Joab’s brother volunteers to go into Saul’s camp with David. This could be it. If they are discovered the entire thing would be over. David would be killed and the 600 would have nothing to live for.
  • You enabled all of this by causing deep sleep for everyone. It reminds me that we are not as strong as we think we are.
  • Abishai was ready to complete this coup right here and now. David knew better. I don’t know how much David was being noble towards Saul as your anointed vs. flashing forward to his own reign and expecting the same respect from the Israelites that he was showing Saul, but it was certainly wise of him to not let Abishai kill Saul and to explain his reasoning explicitly.
  • They take evidence (spear and jug) of their presence in the camp and leave.
  • Somehow, David is able to yell loud enough from a distance to be heard by Abner and Saul.
  • David mocks Abner. David had once served under Abner as a soldier and captain of men. Now, he was probably wondering why Abner wasn’t defending him to Saul. Why was Abner allowing this to happen?
  • Saul and David talk. This conversation is a little different. This time, David tells about how he feels wronged by Saul. Kind of a “look what you’ve done to me and put me through” moment. They drove him from his home (as well as his brothers and parents). He cannot live among his people (the people of Ziph even betrayed him twice). They have encouraged him to live with pagans and worship their gods for all they care.
  • Saul is once again repentant in the moment.
  • David returns Saul’s spear.
  • Everyone got to hear David repeat his respect for the life of your anointed.
  • David asks for your protection over his life as he protected Saul’s.
  • Saul blesses David.
  • Saul goes home, but David heads out, eventually going to live with the Philistines.

And, scene. What a needless mess. Saul distracted his army from what it should be doing. He caused his people to have to choose to betray David instead of everyone being united against a common enemy in the Philistines. He ran off his best warrior and 600 men who might have helped him fight the Philistines. In fact, and this is flashing forward, if he had kept David around he and Jonathan might not have died in chapter 31.

Father, I thank you for leading me through yesterday. I had a lot to think through, and I appreciate you putting people into my life who could speak your wisdom to me. Now, lead me today. Show me how to love today. Show me how to love tomorrow. Show me how to represent you to others. Help me to know what to say in any given situation.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 13, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 26

12 Jun

26 Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding in the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?” 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, by the road. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had indeed come.

5 So David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now Saul lay within the camp, with the people encamped all around him. 6 Then David answered, and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?”

And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay all around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!”

9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” 10 David said furthermore, “As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

13 Now David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great distance being between them. 14 And David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Do you not answer, Abner?”

Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you, calling out to the king?”

15 So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head.”

17 Then Saul knew David’s voice, and said, “Is that your voice, my son David?”

David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18 And he said, “Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand? 19 Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 So now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

22 And David answered and said, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23 May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”

25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail.”

So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 Samuel 26

Dear God, it is fascinating that we get two such similar stories. You gave David opportunity? Was Satan tempting him? Was this a Job situation where you allowed Satan to put immediate kingship in David’s hands…

Okay, I’m totally distracted by something else this morning, and I might need to come back to this passage tomorrow. I think it’s the last one for this next Bible study anyway. I want to talk about the children in our community. They are suffering. There was an article in our weekly paper yesterday about a local judge for the county who requested $85,000 to handle juvenile court cases and detentions. In 2022, just three years ago, $8,000 was enough! Incredible! Devastating!

What’s really sitting in my craw this morning is the letters to the editor in the same edition of the paper. There is a group from Moms for Liberty who are just hellbent (that seems like the right word in the purest sense of it) on focusing all of their attention on a list of 50 books they want banned from libraries. But where are they on the four vape stores in our town? Where are they on supporting the local organizations that help youth? How much do they donate to Caritas Family Assistance Network, Fredericksburg Academic Boosters, the school district’s foundation, or the Boys & Girls Club? Where are they in being Scout troop leaders? From a spiritual warfare standpoint, it feels like Satan is totally distracting them with this inconsequential issue over here (I doubt any of the children in the juvenile court system have read any of the 50 evil books) while the real work he is doing is over there.

I feel something greatly stirred in me. Is this You, Holy Spirit? Are you calling me to respond in some way?

Father, I need your love, mercy, and wisdom. I need your love for the Mom’s for Liberty parents who, I believe, mostly have beautiful, wonderful hearts (I suspect some at the top intentionally stir up the goodhearted for personal gain). But even for those I suspect have ulterior motives, I want to love and care for them. I want to have mercy and grace because I do believe, at some level, they do, indeed, care for the children. So help me to be your voice in our community. I truly want to see your kingdom come and your will be done here as it is in heaven. So give me this day my daily bread. Forgive me as I forgive others, including these people that I believe are, at least to some extent, misguided. And please protect me from Satan as I step out. I know this is a time when attacks can come. Help me to live through those attacks from Satan. In fact, as I relate this back to the story from 1 Samuel 26, Saul was under attack. And David was under attack. Help me to choose the path of David today.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 12, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 24

10 Jun

24 Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.) 4 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. 5 Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 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.” 7 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.

8 David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. 9 And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? 10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. 12 Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? 15 Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.”

16 So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Therefore swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.”

22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

1 Samuel 24

Dear God, this is such a great story. The theme this next week is leadership, and this story really lends itself to that. David is a great leader in this story. How?

  • He resists selfishly grabbing for power. He could have taken a short cut. He could have killed Saul, your anointed king. He could have killed Jonathan’s father. I wonder how that would have played out with Jonathan. They had just committed themselves to each other and Jonathan serving under David when his time came and David not cutting off Jonathan’s family. How would that have played out if David had killed Jonathan’s father and grabbed the throne through bloodshed?
  • We talked yesterday about how selfish motivation uses others to get what you want while selfless motivation builds others up and cares about the greater good as opposed to your own. David’s motivation here was selfless and not selfish.
  • David had to control his men and their expectations of him. The “discontented” he had drawn to himself were probably not pleased with how he did this, and David knew it. They could have been in power. They could had been on the run from Saul’s army. This was their chance to have that pain pay off. They could have both had retribution and been in charge. David had to tell them know because he knew that, in the long run, it was for everyone’s own good.
  • David set a precedent that the king’s life is sacred before God. That would serve him well later when he is king. If he had taken Saul’s life he would have set a precedent that it was okay to kill the king.
  • He would have lost the moral high ground in his struggle with Saul. Up until now, he was in the right and Saul was in the wrong, and just about everyone but Doeg the Edomite knew it (and Doeg probably knew it too). But if he had killed Saul then the people would have known that David was just another power-hunger man and Saul was right to chase him and try to kill him.

Now, what else do I notice?

  • Saul wept.
  • Saul has a moment of conscience and regret.
  • Saul admits you are on David’s side and not his.
  • Saul relents to the reality that David will be king.
  • Saul understands that when new regimes succeed old regimes, the surviving members of the old regime usually die so they won’t be a problem to the new king. He asks for mercy for his family when David’s day comes.

Finally, David knew better than to trust Saul’s repentance in that moment. I don’t know how his men felt about going back to the stronghold and not returning to society and civilization except that they would have preferred he kill Saul and become king. We’ll see later that David’s mistrust of Saul was not unwarranted.

Father, I have some opportunities today to be very selfish, but I reject that. I don’t want to be about me today. I want to be about loving the other people around me. I’ve been invited to an event where there are opportunities to advance my own selfish needs. They are needs I can justify as noble needs that I think you are wanting to fulfill, but they are only noble in the way that David becoming king was noble. What I mean by that is you have your timing, not mine. Your job for me is to stay within what Jesus taught me through the Sermon on the Mount. Love you and love my neighbor. Be merciful. Be loving. Care more about the other person than I care about myself. I offer this day to you, Father.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 10, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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Saul, Jonathan, and Motivation – 1 Samuel 18-23

09 Jun

Page 316

When last we left off

  • David had killed Goliath and made himself a hero
  • Saul who already knew David wanted to know more about his family.
  • Jonathan, Saul’s son, saw something special in David and they became best friends – 1 Samuel 18:1-4 – 18 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the [a]soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 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.

David’s Rise and Saul’s Insecurity

  • Saul put David in charge of some fighting men and David had success.
  • At first Saul was pleased with David’s success.
  • Then he heard the songs the women would sing. 1 Samuel 18:7-9 – 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said:

“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”

8 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?” 9 So Saul [d]eyed David from that day forward.

  • This is the real beginning of Saul’s unraveling
    • Everything we are about to read for the rest of Saul’s life will be driven by this jealousy and insecurity.
  • Saul kept trying to put David in harm’s way so the Philistines would kill him, including offering him his daughter Merab if he will go out and fight the Philistines again, but David says he’s not worthy to be the king’s son-in-law.
  • Later Michal wants him so Saul offers her to David for 100 Philistine foreskins.
  • David and his men kill 200 Philistines and produce their foreskins for Saul and Saul gave him Michal, but… 1 Samuel 18:29 – And Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually.

Saul begins plotting to kill David

  • Saul starts talking about his plans out loud to his advisors and his son Jonathan.
  • Jonathan warns David and then convinces his father David deserves thanks and kindness, not death. Saul relents.
  • David is playing the harp for Saul while he’s in a bad place, Saul flips out and tries to throw a spear at him. David escapes and goes home.
  • Michal saves David.
  • Michal throws David under the bus
  • David goes to Ramah to see Samuel
  • Saul sends men to bring David back
    • Group one starts prophecying
    • Group two starts prophecying
    • Group three starts prophecying
    • Saul prophecies
    • David escapes to find Jonathan

David’s and Jonathan’s plan

  • David finds Jonathan and tries to figure out why Saul is trying to kill him.
  • Jonathan doesn’t believe it. 1 Samuel 20:2-3 – 2 So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

3 Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”

  • David and Jonathan plan a test for Saul to see if it’s true.
    • The festival is coming. If Saul is cool with David’s absence then no big deal, but if he is angry then Jonathan will see Saul’s heart towards David revealed.
    • Jonathan asks that David will treat him and his descendants well in the future.
  • Saul fails Jonathan’s test. 1 Samuel 20:28-34 – 28 So Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 And he said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”

30 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? 31 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 [f]shall surely die.”

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” 33 Then Saul cast a spear at him to [g]kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.

34 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.

  • The next day, Jonathan warns David and they say goodbye to each other. 1 Samuel 20:41-42 – 41 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. 42 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.

David the Fugitive

  • David deceives a lot of people in chapter 21
  • Tells Ahimelec he’s on a secret mission from Saul and he’s not alone but the young men have gone where he told them to go.
  • Got any bread or weapons.
    • Just consecrated holy bread
    • Just Goliath’s sword.
  • Doeg the Edomite is watching
  • David goes to Gath and sees Achish the king
  • Achish’s people don’t trust David. 1 Samuel 21:11 – 11 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’?”
  • David decides deception is his best bet. 1 Samuel 21:12-15 – 12 Now David took these words [d]to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them, pretended [e]madness in their hands, [f]scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? 15 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?”
  • David decides it’s not safe there and takes off for a cave. This is when people start to come to him. 1 Samuel 22:1-2 – 22 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was [a]discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.
    • Remember this description of David’s men for next week.
  • David decides it’s not safe for his parents to be with him so he takes them to the king of Moab and they are safe there. (Ruth connection)
  • A prophet named Gad tells David he needs to leave and go to Judah so David takes off.

Meanwhile, Saul is Hunting David

  • Saul heard that David was back in Judah and chastised his men, who were from his tribe of Israel, Benjamin (David was from Judah). 1 Samuel 22:7-8 – 7 then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? 8 All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.”
  • Doeg the Edomite pipes up and tells Saul about Ahimelech helping David
  • Saul has Ahimelech and all of the other priests brought to him.
  • Saul’s men won’t kill the priests so he gets Doeg to kill all 85 priests, and all their families and livestock (doing to them what he wouldn’t do to the Amalekites back in chapter 15)
  • One priest escapes, Abiathar, and runs to David to tell him. Abiathar will stay with David, be his priest and will remain loyal to him later in David’s reign when one of his son’s tries to overthrow him.

David helps Keilah

  • David hears the Philistines are stealing from an Israelite town called Keilah.
  • David gets confirmation from God to go.
  • This is first time to lead his 400 men into battle.
    • They are scared. 1 Samuel 23:3 – 3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
  • David makes sure with God and gets confirmation.
  • David leads them and they are successful
  • However, they expose themselves to Saul and he heads that way.
  • David asks God if the Keilah people will hand him over. God says they will so David runs.
  • Saul hears David was gone and calls off the trip to Keilah.

One last meeting for David and Jonathan

  • David has 600 men now.
  • Saul is searching for him but can’t find him. 1 Samuel 23:14 – 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. 
  • Jonathan goes to encourage David. 1 Samuel 23:16-18 – 16 Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and [d]strengthened his hand in God. 17 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.” 18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.
    • Note: Jonathan encouraged David
    • Jonathan affirmed David would be king whether Jonathan lived or died
    • Jonathan reaffirmed their vows to each other
    • Jonathan went home (wasn’t with the army looking for David)
  • The people of Ziph try to show Saul loyalty. Saul is grateful but his self-pity shows through. 1 Samuel 23:21 – 21 And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me. 
  • The rest of the chapter is Saul chasing David and just when he was about to catch up to him and his men he got word the Philistines were attacking so he broke off to battle them.

Wrap Up

  • What was driving Saul? Who did he hurt through his selfishness?
    • David
    • Jonathan
    • Michal
    • Samuel
    • Ahimelech, the 85 priests and all of their families
    • David’s family
    • The people of Ziph
  • What was driving Jonathan? Did he hurt anyone in this story?
  • Joe and Larry are going to talk about our motivations tonight and what needs we are trying to meet when we are motivated to do something.
    • These stories are a reminder to me that it’s not enough to be motivated, but if my motives are selfish then the odds are that I am going to step on people and hurt them on my way more than I will help people and bless them.

Dear God, this is what I came up with as my outline for tonight. I offer it up to you. I offer it up at you as worship. I offer it up to you as something that you hopefully might use to teach the people in the room. I offer it up to you as something you might use to teach me.

I think the big thing I probably need to add to it is my own personal lesson. What are you teaching me about myself through this lesson? Do I use people out of my selfishness? Do I want things for myself regardless of what it will cost someone else for me to get it?

I can think of one particular area in my life where I vacillate between really wanting the best for someone regardless of what it costs me and feeling sorry for myself and wanting them to give me what I want regardless of how they feel. At those lowest moments, I wonder why they can’t see they are wrong and just do what I want them to do?!? But in my best moments, when I am closest with you, I pray for their hurts and their healing regardless of what it costs me. In fact, I want to pay any price so that they might be happy and fulfilled in their lives. That’s me at my best. That’s the tradition of Jonathan here.

Father, use me tonight in the lives of these men. Use me in the lives of the people with whom I work. Use me as I visit with the county commissioners about my day-job this morning. Use me at Rotary when I have lunch and meet with my friends and maybe some people I don’t know as well. Use me to love my wife and my children. Use me in the lives of my siblings and siblings-in-law, parents, nieces, and nephews however you will. I give you all my worship and praise, Father.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 9, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 23

08 Jun

23 Then they told David, saying, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors.”

2 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.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the Lord once again.

And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, struck them with a mighty blow, and took away their livestock. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 Now it happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he went down with an ephod in his hand.

7 And Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” 8 Then Saul called all the people together for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9 When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.”

And the Lord said, “He will come down.”

12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?”

And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”

13 So David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition.

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. 15 So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest. 16 Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. 17 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.” 18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”

21 And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me. 22 Please go and find out for sure, and see the place where his hideout is, and who has seen him there. For I am told he is very crafty. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout all the clans of Judah.”

24 So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 25 When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David. Therefore he went down to the rock, and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon. 26 Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. So David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were encircling David and his men to take them.

27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!” 28 Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; so they called that place the Rock of Escape. 29 Then David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds at En Gedi.

1 Samuel 23

Dear God, as I pondered these stories this morning, what I was left with was a question: How had Saul so deluded himself that he thought you were on his side and delivering David TO him, and, when it didn’t happen, why didn’t he realize you were delivering David FROM him? Was is just the fog of war? Was he so consumed in his self-pity and paranoia that he couldn’t see straight?

And then, what was his justification for chasing David? How had he sold it to the people? It seems like this is all part of the warning you gave the Israelites way back in chapter 8 or 9 about a king and what he would do. All of these people are being inconvenienced, at a minimum, and dying, at a maximum, just to follow the whims of this king. And the poor people of Keilah. They were being attacked by the Philistines and got saved by one of Saul’s leading soldiers, David. Hooray! But then they would have been forced to turn him over had David remained there. And I’m not blaming them. They were just helpless pawns in this ridiculous situation. And again, it was all because Saul was paranoid.

Before I end, I want to spend some time with Jonathan here. It’s his last encounter with David, and it’s important:

16 Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. 17 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.” 18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

Jonathan is THE man. What a hero! Was he perfect? No. But he was humble and wise. He sought the best of you and others before himself. He hoped he would survive to see David’s reign (spoiler alert, he doesn’t), but that makes it even more impressive that he was willing to submit to David as king. I suppose he knew that would happen over his father’s dead body, and that ended up being the case. How hard it must have been for him to see his father cause all this trouble and know there was nothing he could do to control it.

Father, we are going to be talking about “motivation” tomorrow night at the Christian Men’s Life Skills Bible Study, and I’ll be mostly contrasting Saul and Jonathan. I think that’s where you’ve led me this week. So as I ponder these things today before I sit down this evening and finalize the message, please help me to really find myself and my sin in Saul. And help me to find inspiration in Jonathan. Help me to repent well and to follow you well.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 8, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 22

07 Jun

22 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 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.

3 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.” 4 So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

5 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.

6 When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered—now Saul was staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him— 7 then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? 8 All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.”

9 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. 10 And he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 So the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. 12 And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub!”

He answered, “Here I am, my lord.”

13 Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?”

14 So Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? 15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.”

16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” 17 Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.” But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord. 18 And the king said to Doeg, “You turn and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. 19 Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword.

20 Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests. 22 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. 23 Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.”

1 Samuel 22

Dear God, so whether or not David was alone when he visited Ahimelech in chapter 21, he has some people with him now. And these aren’t necessarily the best of the best. The honorable of the honorable. I guess one might put a label of “deplorables” on them. I checked four different translations (NKJV, NIV, NASB, and NLT) and all of them used the word “discontented.” I have to say, the idea of drawing the discontented to my side does not excite me. Sure, it might work for a week, but long-term, it’s a tough group to have as your allies because sooner or later they will be discontented with me.

Other things to notice in this chapter:

  • David looked after his parents, but his brothers apparently joined his band of discontented men.
  • There sure do seem to be a lot of prophets who get words from you. David was certainly ready to listen to the one in Gad and heed his counsel.
  • When Saul commands his men, he plays on tribal loyalty. He reminds his men that they are of the same tribe and that David of Jesse (and Judah) will not treat them as favorably as he does.
  • Saul spends a lot of time feeling sorry for himself in verse 8: 8 All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.” Oh, how there are times when I feel sorry for myself.
  • Saul is paranoid and sees betrayal when it’s not there.
  • Saul’s paranoia is ruthless as he kills everyone and everything. If only he had been that zealous for you a few chapters ago.
  • Ahimelech (whose grandfather was Phinehas) and his family are living out the curse from 1 Samuel 2:30-33: 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age. I’m sorry, but this seems sad and unnecessary to me. Does it still work this way?
  • Doeg was a special kind of awful to be able to kill 85 men in one day. I don’t care if they were bad guys, that is awful. But these were good priests. Was he that desperate for Saul’s approval? He had certainly thrown in his lot with Saul at that point. I’m kind of surprised we don’t hear from Doeg again after this story. I would think that he would have been more prominent in Saul’s regime at that point.
  • A quick look at Abiathar through the rest of the story shows he stayed loyal to David even in the Absalom uprising.

Father, I think I want to focus on two main things with this lesson this week: Jonathan’s motivation and Saul’s motivation. There will be some other stuff in here, but for the most part I want to talk about Jonathan just being willing to live in the moment and discern what you are calling him to do in the moment vs. Saul being paranoid about the future. This whole story is driven by Saul’s paranoia, and it’s his paranoia that leads to his downfall. He wants his own greatness so badly that he’s willing to commit any sin to accomplish it. And the irony is that if hadn’t tried to kill David, David wouldn’t be on the run, the priests would have lived, and everyone could have just stayed in their places. But one king’s evil simply destroyed a lot of lives. Oh, please keep me from any evil that will destroy other lives.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 7, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 21

05 Jun

21 Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?”

2 So David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.’ And I have directed my young men to such and such a place. 3 Now therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found.”

4 And the priest answered David and said, “There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women.”

5 Then David answered the priest, and said to him, “Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was consecrated in the vessel this day.”

6 So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the Lord, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away.

7 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.

8 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.”

9 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.”

10 Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 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’?”

12 Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 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. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? 15 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?”

1 Samuel 21

Dear God, did David say anything this this story that was true? He just lied and deceived all over the place. How did you feel about that? Is the blood of Ahimelech as told in the next chapter on his head? I mean, obviously, Saul committed the sin and I’ll talk about that tomorrow, but it starts with this deception by David. Ahimelech sounds like a good man. My heart hurts to know that he got caught as part of the collateral damage of this thing between Saul and David.

At this point, I’ll be frank, it seems like David will use anyone he can to protect himself, and he will lie to them and deceive them to get what he wants out of them. He lies to Ahimelech. He’s even lying about the men accompanying him. Just about nothing David says is true.

I also want to point out that Goliath’s sword comes up here. Just four chapters ago, David was taking Goliath’s armor and weapons and putting them in his tent. I wonder how the sword ended up here at the temple. I guess it was as a reminder of what you did for the Israelites that day against an seemingly insurmountable foe.

Father, I’m not sure what to do with these lies and deceptions from David. I wonder what my biblical commentary has to say on it. Let me check…I just read it and got a couple of details, but what occurred to me that wasn’t said was that this was one of the first times that David was really pressed. When he faced individual foes like the lion, bear, and Goliath, he was good with his faith. When he faced battles after that, he had armies with him. But this was him running for his life with a lot of people. This was him escaping out the window of his home and his wife lying for him and to save herself. This was him lying to Ahimelech. Oh, speaking of Ahimelech, one of the things the commentary mentioned is that he was Eli’s grandson. I have a feeling your curse on Eli and his descendants from back in 1 Samuel 2:30-34. So there’s a lot going on here, and I think maybe the takeaway for me is to ask myself if I’m willing to be better than David here. His deception really bothers me, but am I any better? Am I willing to do the right thing no matter what it costs me, or will I do the wrong thing for the right reason? I guess I have this day and the coming days to live out the answer to that question. I pray you find me worthy.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 5, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 20

04 Jun

20 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”

2 So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

3 Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”

4 So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”

5 And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’ 7 If he says thus: ‘It is well,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”

9 But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”

10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me, or what if your father answers you roughly?”

11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field. 12 Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, 13 may the Lord do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. 14 And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; 15 but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

17 Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18 Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel. 20 Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target; 21 and there I will send a lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come’—then, as the Lord lives, there is safety for you and no harm. 22 But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’—go your way, for the Lord has sent you away. 23 And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the Lord be between you and me forever.”

24 Then David hid in the field. And when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat the feast. 25 Now the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him; he is unclean, surely he is unclean.” 27 And it happened the next day, the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, either yesterday or today?”

28 So Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 And he said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”

30 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? 31 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.”

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” 33 Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.

34 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.

35 And so it was, in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad was with him. 36 Then he said to his lad, “Now run, find the arrows which I shoot.” As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the lad had come to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” 38 And Jonathan cried out after the lad, “Make haste, hurry, do not delay!” So Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows and came back to his master. 39 But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter. 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”

41 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. 42 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.

1 Samuel 20

Dear God, I’ll bet Jonathan didn’t get a wink of sleep that night after Saul chunked a spear at him. Anger. Fear. Embarrassment. Shame. Everything must have been running around inside him. What a difficult moment for him! His dad is the king. He is the king’s son and heir-apparent to the throne, and yet he is able to divorce his heart from any blind loyalty to his father or selfish ambition to be king and do what is right.

So what is Jonathan’s why? Why does he do what he does here? I think there are some words that come to mind.

  • Selflessness
  • Integrity
  • Loyalty (to what he can see you are doing for Israel through David and not his family)
  • Love (for you and for David)

Yes, I think Jonathan will be a big focus of the next Bible study I do with the guys next Monday evening. He’s just incredible. And this is almost the last time we see him before he dies at the end of the book. We will get one more warm scene between him and David in 1 Samuel 23:15-18, but nothing really changes from here to there. Jonathan is doing the best he can with a difficult situation.

Father, help me to be able to answer my why when I think about why I do what I do. Help the answers to be like the whys I perceive Jonathan had. Let it start with love for you and selflessly submitting myself to your plan. Help me to have integrity. Help me to be loyal to those who deserve my loyalty–not because of what they do, but because you call me to be loyal to them regardless of what it costs me. I want to be a man like this. I want to inspire others to be women and men like this. Help me, Lord.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 4, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 19

03 Jun

19 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. 2 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. 3 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.”

4 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. 5 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?”

6 So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” 7 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.

8 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.

9 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. 10 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.

11 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.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. 13 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. 14 So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. 17 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?’ ”

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. 19 Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!” 20 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. 21 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. 22 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.” 23 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. 24 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?”

1 Samuel 19

Dear God, we get a lot about Saul here. First, we see his insecurity and jealousy. Then we see his relationship with Jonathan. We also see his relationship with Michal. Finally, we see how he is still, like it or not, subject to you and your power. And I’ll add this one thing about David. He is still winning victories with your power and not his own. Yes, maybe he was in there a little with the victories over the Philistines, but on the big stuff like escaping Saul, it was your power that saved him in Naioth in Ramah.

At the end of the day, Saul was completely motivated by keeping his job at any cost. It’s like a president in a country that finds an excuse to suspend elections so they can stay in power. It happens all the time. He has the power. He doesn’t want to let go of the power. He doesn’t want to share the power. And then when you hold on to power that long, you start to get paranoid and everything looks like a threat.

Okay, so that is on a grand scale. What would that look like in my life? For my job, am I willing to objectively consider when it might be time to leave for the good of myself or the organization? Or is everything I do a way of hanging on to something that gives me safety and security? On the home front, am I willing to make my own life submissive to my wife and let her career or what you’re calling her to do to take over our priorities?

Father, I fell bad for Michal and Jonathan. I wonder if they had any conversations with each other about their father and David. I’m sure they did. Siblings back then didn’t necessarily have the same relationships as siblings of today, but since David as such a key touchpoint between the two of them I’m sure they talked about all of it. I am sorry that Saul put them in this situation. But it is a reminder that bad parenting doesn’t necessarily lead to bad children just like good parenting doesn’t necessarily lead to good children. For my part, help me to not be like Saul. Help me to see what you are calling me to do at any given moment. I legitimately don’t feel like it is time to move on from my job. I don’t feel like my work there is done. And I think I am doing my best to make sure my wife’s calling is as important, if not more so, than my own. So I’m not really feeling convicted today, but I am pledging to you that I want to keep these things in mind. I want to follow your call even if it leads to my discomfort. Even if it costs me the things that make me comfortable. I want to be in the middle of your will, regardless of what it costs me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 3, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 18:5-30

02 Jun

5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 6 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. 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said:

“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”

8 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?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.

10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. 15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

18 So David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”

22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”

23 So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “In this manner David spoke.”

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. 26 So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; 27 therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

28 Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; 29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually. 30 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.

1 Samuel 18:5-30

Dear God, the thing that came up over and over again in this chapter is that David behaved wisely. He respected Saul and didn’t try to usurp him, which he could easily have done. He certainly had enough credibility built up with the people that mob mentality would have supported him overthrowing Saul. But then there would be civil war within the country and the people wouldn’t be focused on their enemies. And as I’ve seen others point out in their writings, David would have lost the high group and left himself vulnerable when he became king. He will protect your anointed like he will hope to be protected later.

As for Saul, he was an absolute mess. Things were spinning out of control around him. He wasn’t worshipping you at all. Not even trying. He was worshipping the idol of his throne–the thing that you gave him out of the blue. The thing given, not earned. And he knew that. I think it might be the “not earned” part that made him so insecure about it. David was building a ton of credibility among the people and even in his own eyes as he worked his way up the ladder. But Saul could only see the threat. He didn’t see the successes against his real enemies. He didn’t see the life as king David was helping him sustain. And he suspected the worst of David because our suspicions of others are aroused by the knowledge of ourselves. He knew that if he were in David’s position he would have surely tried to become king. Why wouldn’t David? Because at this point in his life, David was avoiding idols and simply worshipping you and doing what he felt you were calling him to do.

I would be remiss is I didn’t mention Michal. She seems like an innocent pawn in this story. We will see later that she will help David escape and earn her father’s wrath (and she’ll lie to her father to save herself as well). And she will make mistakes. But when I read these stories, I think about a teenager who is infatuated with someone. It’s kind of sweet if not a little sad.

Father, a lot of this is coming back to idolatry. As I look at these stories, it feels like Saul is holding onto something he knows he’s already lost and he is only making matters worse. And David is still looking for you and to you. He has nothing to lose so instead of trying to take something that belongs to someone else, he is living an obedient life, day by day. Help me to do that. Help me to live an obedient life today. I want to be your servant and let the world know I love you more than anything else.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 2, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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