1 Samuel 24

Prophecy Update:Things to Come

Announcements

No Midweek next week

Lonnie’s Memorial next Monday

This month’s prophecy update title is things to come

After every election everyone wants to know where do we go from here?

While everyone was talking about a red wave it ended up being a purple puddle

Pennsylvania elected a senator who is not capable of performing his duties

Every president loses majority of the congress in the midterms, usually by a large margin

Last night showed me that God has other plans

He is preparing us for the return of his Son

When I think of the Anti-Christ coming I always thought it would be this charismatic ruler who would sway the people

That may be the case, but he may not have to try as hard as I initially thought

We are getting dumber from the ground up

For the Anti-Christ to come there has to be close to a one world order

Socialism is the closest thing we have to that

After the last four elections our nations is closer to that than ever

Did you know that over 70% of people age 30 and down prefer socialism?

They want the government to take care of every need they have and give them a monthly salary

Even though there isn’t one successful example

The poor get poorer and the rich get crueler

The Anti-Christ is going to have an easy audience to work with

Revelation 13:5–8 ESV

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Can we as Christians stop putting our trust in politicians?

Donald Trump is an idiot

Joe Biden is a mental case

If you are not completely dependent upon Jesus the next decade is going to be extremely rough

Jesus says that He will never leave us nor forsake us

365 times Scripture tells us “Do not fear”

Everything else will disappoint

The church will be essential going forward because it will be the only place where true love, kindness, and peace are found

Read 1 Samuel 24:1-5

I. Cat and Mouse vs. 14-27

vs. 15-18 David & Jonathan

David is on the run

He sees that Saul is seeking his life

This is after he escaped from the stronghold of Keilah

They were playing a game of cat and mouse in the wilderness of Ziph

Ziph was a town fifteen miles southeast of Keilah in “the wilderness of Ziph” which was part of “the wilderness of Judah.”

This is a destitute area adjacent to the Dead Sea where David’s faith and courage were greatly tested.

When visitors to the Holy Land see this wilderness area, they often express amazement that David could ever survive living there.

Sometimes, literally being on opposites sides of the mountain from one another

God didn’t David into Saul’s hand

One interesting note is that Jonathan, Saul’s son, finds him rather easily

Jonathan came to strengthen David’s hand

This is their last recorded meeting

He risked his life to strengthen his friend in the lord

Isn’t it good to have a friend who can strengthen you in times of trouble

I feel that way about our elders and several men in the church

The reestablished their covenant, but unfortunately only David would hold up his end

vs. 19-29 Ziphites’s Give David Up

The Ziphites know David is on their land

They go to Saul and give him up

The Ziphites weren’t interested in following God’s plan; their great concern was to protect themselves from the rage of King Saul.

Saul wasn’t so quick to bite

He recognizes their effort but wants more intel

Go make sure you know where he is for he is cunning

Saul doesn’t want to recognize that maybe God is playing a role in protecting David

Saul likes to belittle people, especially David

vs. 23 “I will search him out among the thousands of Judah.”

Insecure crazy people always want to make little of others and much of themselves

David was the most beloved person in the nation

It’s also a dig at the song

1 Samuel 18:7 ESV

And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

David was one of the minions of Israel while Saul was the king

vs. 24-28 Saul is called away

Saul goes to Ziph and as he was closing in he gets called away

The opportunistic Philistines were raiding the land

Saul had left his duties as a king for his jealous pursuits

David went back to the stronghold of Engedi

Engedi

A vital oasis on the west side of the Dead Sea about 35 miles southeast of Jerusalem.

Allotted to Judah’s tribe for an inheritance, En-gedi contained a hot-water spring coming from the side of a limestone cliff, producing semitropical vegetation.

The area became known for its palms, vineyards, and balsam

It was a perfect place for David to camp and provide for his troops

II. vs. 1-7 David Has His Chance

vs. 1-3 Saul’s Seeks David

Saul returns from chasing off the Philistines

He is told that David is in Engedi

Saul took 3,000 men

When he got there David and his men were hiding in a cave

God directed Saul to relieve himself in that very cave

David had prayed in Psalm 54 that the Lord would vindicate him and give him opportunity to prove to Saul that he wasn’t an outlaw who was trying to kill him and seize the throne.

After all, Saul was not only David’s king, but he was also his commander and his father-in-law, and regardless of Saul’s evil attitude, David never considered Saul to be his enemy.

God answered David’s prayer when Saul and his troops came to find him at Engedi.

Saul is right in front of him exposed, unaware, and unarmed

vs. 4-7 David cuts Saul’s Robe

David’s men urge him to take Saul out

They quote some prophecy but it’s hard to tell which one, it any at all

Some say 1 Sam 15:26-29

Others say 1 Sam 16:1

None of them really line up

IN reality, the men saw it as providential and Saul and David will agree

The major question was, “How does the Lord want us to use this occasion?”

David’s men saw it as an opportunity for revenge, while David saw it as an opportunity to show mercy and prove that his heart was right

That’s huge considering how many spears had been thrown at David’s head

Instead, David cuts off a corner

Immediately he is convicted in his heart

The ESV says David’s Heart Struck him

1 Samuel 24:5 ESV

And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

That is someone who is in tune with the Spirit

When your heart is right you sense the conviction

He confesses to his men

The Lord forbid that I should do this to my Lord’s anointed, to put my hand against him

David’s conviction was so strong that it persuaded his men and they did not attack Saul

These guys loved David so much that they were willing to kill and be killed for him

They knew what he had been through and what he was going through

This was a tense moment and they listened to him

III. vs. 8-15 David Confronts Saul

vs. 8 David pays homage

Notice the respect David gives Saul

He gives time for Saul to leave

He calls after him

Addresses him with respect

Then bowed down to him

It is so difficult to give respect when it hasn’t been reciprocal

David could’ve mocked him

He could’ve taunted him

He could’ve made him look like a fool

But in treating him with respect all David took the higher road and came off looking better once again

No one knew why Saul hurled a spear at David, he only made Saul look good

To spare his life was a whole other level

vs. 9 Bad counsel

David even excuses Saul behavior for bad counsel

Everyone knows its not

You could imagine the snickers in Saul’s camp

No one wanted to upset Saul but behind his back everyone was doing the crazy sign

vs. 10 I spared you

You are a witness

The Lord gave you into my hand

This was a test of David’s leadership

True leaders extend mercy

My guys told me to kill you

I spared you

vs. 11-12 I have not sinned against you

vs. 15 Deliver me from your Hand

IV. vs. 16-22 David Repaid Good for Evil

vs. 16-17 More Righteous than Me

vs. 18-19 Reward with Good

vs. 20 You Shall be King

vs. 21-22 Do not cut off my offspring