Scripture

So Saul, his three sons, his armour bearerr, and all his troops died together that same day

Observation

The Philistines attack Israel, and the men of Israel flee from them. The Philistines kill Saul’s sons and severely wound Saul. Saul tells his armour bearer to kill him, but he refuses, so Saul falls on his own sword. The armour bearer follows his action.

The Philistines move in to occupy the towns of the Jezreel Valley. The Philistines hang Saul’s body and those of his sons on the walls of Beth Shan. The warriors of Jabez Gilead take the body down from the wall and bury them.

Application

Saul’s downfall is complete. His entire dynasty is destroyed in a single day.

When God withdraws his favour from a person, disaster is assured.

Some people subscribe to a doctrine of election that states, “Once saved, always saved.” in other words, we can continue to live in sin while believing that we are guaranteed eternal life.

Saul’s story shows that we cannot presume on God’s grace like that. Saul was once elected by God, but he refused to submit to God. He wanted to be King in his own strength.

To remain in God’s family, we must submit ourselves to being obedient to God. To follow Jesus is, by definition, to let him be King over my life.

Prayer

Father, please show me those parts of my life that are not submitted to you, and help me to surrender all to you. Amen.

Scripture

But David found strength in the Lord his God.

Observation

David and his men arrived home at Ziklag to find that the city has been burnt to the ground, and the women and children have been carried off, including David’s two wives.

The men weep, but some become very angry with David, threatening to kill him. But David finds strength in the Lord his God.

After consulting The Lord, David leads his men to chase the Amalekite raiders. Along the way, they find an Egyptian man – a slave of an Amalekite. He had been abandoned after the raid on Ziklag. He agrees to leave David to the Raiders camp.

David and his men slaughter the Amalekites and regain all their women and children.

Application

For the man of David’s army, the sight of their town burnt down and their women and children taken into captivity was heartbreaking. David had to deal with his own grief, as well as that of his men and the anger that was directed against him.

David found his strength in the Lord his God.

We look to many places for comfort and strength in tough times. Some of these might be innocent, but others can become destructive and lead us into places of addiction, adultery and so on.

We need to find our strength in the Lord. He has promised to always be with us, to give us courage, peace and comfort when we need them.

Sometimes life just seems overwhelming. At these times we need to build on the habits of prayer and reading scripture. If you do these things routinely in good times, you will instinctively do them in tough times.

Prayer

Father, you promise to supply all that I need. Thank you for that assurance. Help me to always find my strength in you. Amen.

Scripture

But Achish insisted, “As far as I am concerned, you are as perfect as an angel of God. But the Philistine commanders afraid to have you with them in battle.”

Observation

David and his men join the Philistine army as it prepares to fight against Israel. While Achish is happy to have David and his army, the other Philistines fear that he may turn on them and fight in support of Israel.

Achish summons David and tells him that he trusts Davi,d but the other commanders refuse to have him with them. He sends David home, as the Philistine Army moves on to Jezreel.

Application

Achish seems perfectly oblivious to the lies that David has been telling him. He trusts David totally, even though David has been pretending to conduct raids on Israel.

People are often willing to be deceived. They see what they want to see in other people and in current events. Politicians and marketers rely on our gullibility.

It seems that God was blessing David’s deception.

All through the Old Testament, the Lord blesses the use of deception in war. We must not deceive each other in business deals and in our and relationships, but misinformation is a valid tactic in military operations.

Prayer

Lord, please open my eyes to see your truth. May I never be sucked in by the lies of other people. Amen.

Scripture

But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the Lord has left you and become your enemy? The Lord has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David.”

Observation

The Philistines gather for war against Israel. Saul is filled with fear and seeks the Lord, but the Lord refuses to answer.

Saul finds a medium, a woman at Endor, and he asked her to summon up the spirit of Samuel. Samuel tells him that the Lord has done just what he said He would do. He is about to hand the kingdom over to his rival, David,and the next day Saul and his sons will be dead.

Application

The Bible consistently condemns those who seek to consult with the spirits of the dead. Earlier, Saul had banned this practice, but now in desperation, he consults a medium.

With very few exceptions, once a person dies, they are not able to return to this world or to communicate with the living. So any apparent message from “the other side” is a demonic deception. It is a kind of counterfeit prophecy .

We don’t need to talk to the dead. We have a living Saviour who died but rose again. We know that we who are saved will also rise with Christ to eternal life.

When people consult with fortune tellers, mediums, Ouija boards, and the like, they are opening themselves to being overwhelmed by evil spirits. It is best to stay right away from these practises .

Prayer

Thank you Father that you delight to communicate with your children. We can talk with you anytime and any place. Amen.

Scripture

Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. He will hhave to stay here and serve me forever.”

Observation

David decides to move to Gath to avoid Saul permanently. Achish the king of Gath, welcomes him, his wives, and his army.

One-day, David asks Achish if he can move to a smaller town. Achish give him Ziklak where they live for more than a year.

David and his men conduct raids on people who live down towards Egypt. They kill all the people in the villages, and take away their livestock and clothing.

David tells Achish that he has been raiding the south of Judah, causing Achish to believe that David will never be able to go home.

Application

David was a master strategist, always looking at the long-term outlook in planning his steps.

We might wonder if his wholesale taking of human life, and the lies he told to deceive Achish. The truth is said he was living in a very hostile environment, and his violence was towards the enemies of Israel.

In one parable, Jesus seem to approve of the actions of the dishonest steward who defrauded his employer for his own interests.

We should not judge the actions of Bible characters on the basis of our own comfortable lifestyles. The important thing is to seek God’s path whatever our circumstances are.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you that I live in a peaceful society. Please help me to glorify you in all I do. Amen.

Scripture

“No!” David said.” For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one?”

Observation

Saul takes 3000 of Israel’s elite troops and resumes his hunt for David.

David goes over to Saul’s camp under the cover of darkness. David takes Abishai with him into the camp.

They find Saul asleep in his tent with a spear and a jug of water next to his head. David takes the spear and jug and sneaks out of the camp.

He wakes up Saul’s men and points out that he again has had a chance to kill Saul, but refuses to lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed one.

Application

This verse is often used in the context of church disputes, particularly those involving a pastor.

While there are times when it is right for a congregation to dismiss a pastor, the general principle is that we should not undermine, attack, or move against the “Lord’s anointed one.”

Even in this case, where David is being hunted down by a demon possessed King Saul, David refuses to attack the Lord’s anointed.

Rather than attacking a pastor that you disagree with, we should try to see what God is doing in the situation. Is the pastor actually doing or saying what is necessary? Is there some lesson the Lord is trying to teach us? How can I use this situation to grow in my love for the Lord?

When it does come to a point of removing a leader, the church must always act in a way that honours Christ. Everything must be done accordance with God’s order and, above all, love must reign.

Prayer

Lord, conflict is hard at times. Please help me to handle disagreements in a way that honours you. Amen.

Scripture
“When the Lord has done all he has promised and his made you leader of all Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and violence.”

Observation
David moves to the wilderness of Maon. A man named Nabal owns property near the town of Carmel.

David sends some messengers to see if Nabal will provide him with supplies. They remind him that when his shepherds were staying with David’s people, they protected the shepherds. Nabal is sneering in his refusal.

David’s men tell David what has happened, and one of Nabal’s servants tells Abigail, Nabal’s wife about the encounter. While David is on his way to slaughter Nabal’s household, Abigail gathers as much food as she can, and goes to seek mercy from David.

When Abigail tells Nabal what she has done, he has a stroke and dies a few days later. David asks her to marry him which she does.

Application
Foolish acts can weigh us down for a lifetime if we are not careful. Abigail pleaded with David to keep his conscience clear of bloodshed, lest this act define for the rest of his life.

Every day we hear of someone who lashes out in a moment of rage killing someone, ruining their own life as well as taking the other life. Just the other day two teenagers were killed on a local dam in a boating accident caused by an uncle’s momentary lapse of judgement.

To follow the Lord means that we let him be our guide and director. Sometimes we have to subdue emotional responses. Other times we must take care to listen to of the moment by moment leading of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer
Father, please help me to subject everything to you, and to walk with your wisdom and in your ways. Amen.

Scripture

And Saul said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.”

Observation

Saul resumes his hunt for David in the wilderness of En-gedi. On one occasion, Saul goes into a cave to relieve himself, while David and his men are hiding further in the same cave. David cuts off the hem od Saul’s garment despite his army urging him to use the opportunity to kill Saul.

When Saul leaves the cave, David call out to him and questions why Saul has been hunting him. David shows him the strip of garment demonstrating his loyalty to Saul.

Saul admits that David is the better man, having repaid good for evil. David promises that when he becomes king he will look after Saul’s family. So SAul goes home, but David and his men remain in their stronghold .

Application

The way of the world is to repay evil for evil, tit-for-tat, revenge and honour killings. The way of God is to repay good for evil.

When someone wrongs us, intentionally or otherwise, we should swallow our desire for revenge and all manifestations of anger. We should forgive them and, then, if we have an ongoing relationship, seek to bless them.

The best way to defeat an enemy is to turn them into a friend. This is what God has done for us. We were once enemies of God, but through Christ, we are now friends of God. The fight is over. We are reconciled to him.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for redeeming me, for turning me from your enemy into your friend. Please help me to deal in the same way with people who set themselves against me. Amen.

Scripture

So Saul quit chasing David and returned to fight the Philistines.

Observation

David hears that the Philistines are stealing grain at Keilah. David asks the Lord if he should go and defend Keilah, and the Lord says to go.

When Saul hears that David is at Keilah, he mobilises the army to go and capture him. The Lord warns David that the man of Keilah will hand him over to Saul, so he and his men flee to the hill country. Although Saul hnts him day after day, the Lord protects David.

On one occasion, Saul and his man begin closing in on David, but Saul receives word that the Philistines are attacking Israel again. He quits chasing David to fight the Philistines.

Application

It is clear that while Saul should have been fighting the Philistines and removing them as a threat to the nation, he instead engaged in a time-consuming hunt for David. He was obsessed with the wrong enemy.

There are many Christians who are in the same category. The heresy hunters go over every word written or spoken by their self declared enemies in order to prove how wrong they are. They don’t fight satan or the enemies of christians. No, they are obsessed with the wrong enemy.

Rather than fighting christian brothers and sisters, we all need to spend our time and energy taking the battle to satan. We do this by sharing the gospel with friends, by loving those who are hurting, by fighting for justice for those whom the system neglects.

Make sure you are fighting the right battles.

Prayer

Lord, please show me how to fight your battles and how to defeat your enemies in the Spirit. Amen.

Scripture

Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread –  the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle. it had just been replaced that day with fresh bread.

Observation

 David goes to the town of Nob to see the priest Ahimelech. David asks him for food. As there is no other food available, Ahimelech gives him the holy bread, the Bread of the Lord’s Presence.

David then asks him for a weapon. Ahimelech give him the sword that David had used to cut off Goliath’s head.

Then David moves on to Gath, but the King of Gath doesn’t want him there.

Application

 The holy bread was not supposed to be eaten by anyone other than the priests. Yet David was allowed to do this, something that Jesus later alluded to.

It is good to have principles and practices, but there are times when we have to move beyond the rules and see what God really wants us to do.

Jesus had many arguments with men who were locked into a legalistic way of thinking. He healed on the Sabbath because God is more interested in compassion then rule keeping .

We have to let the love of God guide us in every situation .

Prayer

Lord, you fed David in an unorthodox way, and you allowed the priest to do this. Please help me to understand your will in every encounter. Amen.