Actions Speak Louder than Words
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week we saw that Saul was chasing David, and just about to catch him, when Saul received an urgent message telling him the Philistines were raiding Israel. This caused Saul stop chasing after David and rush to fight the Philistines.
David left the wilderness of Maon—and the great rock—and headed to the strongholds of En-gedi. You may remember that we said that these may have been around the same place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. It was and still is today an oasis of sorts with waterfalls streams and some lush vegetation, plus there are numerous large caves where David could easily hide out.
When we continue our story today we begin with verse 1 of chapter 24. If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to 1 Samuel chapter 24 and we’ll begin reading with verse 1.
After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
Saul finished his business with the Philistines.
He returned to chasing David.
He was told that David was hiding in the Desert of En Gedi.
Saul picked 3,000 elite fighting men. You may remember that David had 600 men, so Saul out numbers David 3 to 1.
They head off to search for David.
And they head towards the Crags or “rocks” of Wild Goats.
He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
Saul came to a place that was used as sheep pens.
There he found a cave, and went into it to—well, do his business.
What he didn’t know was that David and his men were hiding way back in the back of the cave.
Can you imagine? Saul and his 3,000 men are tracking David and his 600 men. They stop to allow their leader to relieve himself. And their leader—king Saul picks the exact cave where David and his men are hiding! And Saul never knew David was in there!
As you can imagine, David’s men are elated! Look at verse 4.
The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
His men tell David, “This is the day the Lord spoke of . . .”
Yahweh, has given Saul into David’s hands to deal with you as you wish.
So David crept up—unnoticed. And he cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
David’s men want him to kill Saul right then and there! But instead, David sneaks up and cuts off the corner of the king’s robe. You may be surprised at what happens next!
Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.
David’s conscience was stirred because he had disrespected the king by cutting off the corner of his robe.
He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.”
So David scolds his men, saying:
David says he should never have done anything against his master—the Lord’s anointed.
David tells his men that He should NEVER do anything bad to the Lord’s anointed.
And cutting the corner of the king’s robe was doing something bad to the Lord’s anointed.
With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
David sharply rebukes his men for even thinking about killing Saul!—Remember, David is leading a rag-tag group of misfits and outsiders, many of whom were out of sorts with Saul and his leadership (or lack of leadership).
Saul finished his business and left the cave and resumed his search for David and his men.
Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
David goes out of the cave and calls to Saul.
Notice how he addresses Saul— “My lord the king!”
Saul looks behind him and see’s David.
And David, bows low to the ground, prostrate—face to the ground.
He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’?
David wants to know why Saul listens to people when they say David wants to harm him?
This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’
David offer’s proof of his loyalty.
You were in the cave with me!
Some of my men urged me to kill you.
But I spared your life! And did not lay a hand on Saul.
Because Saul is the Lord’s anointed king!
See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.
David offer’s more proof:
He holds up the corner of Saul’s robe to let Saul know how close he was to the king.
Even being that close—David did not kill Saul!
David says that he is free of guilt! There is NOTHING that would make Saul think David was a threat!
David goes on to remind Saul that he has done NOTHING to wrong Saul—yet Saul is trying to hunt him down to kill him!
May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
David calls on Yahweh to be the judge between the two of them.
And he calls on Yahweh to avenge Saul’s wrongs to David.
But David will not touch Saul!
As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
David reminds Saul of an old saying— “From evildoers come evil deeds”
That does not describe David, so Saul has nothing to fear from him.
“Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
David asks a series of questions of the king:
Exactly whom has the king come out against?
Who are you chasing?
I’m nothing—nothing but a dead dog, or a dead flea.
May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
So David again calls upon Yahweh to be the judge between the two of them.
Asking Yahweh to rule in his favor!
And in so doing free David from Saul’s hand.
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud.
Saul calls to David, weeping.
“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
Saul says:
David is more righteous than he is.
David has treated him well—but he has treated David badly.
You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
David proved that he was loyal to Saul
Saul recognizes that the Lord gave him into David’s hands
But David didn’t kill him!
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today.
Saul understands that if he was an enemy of David, David would not have let Saul leave unharmed!
Then Saul asks the Lord to reward David because he treated him so well!
I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
Saul finally admits that David will indeed be the next king of Israel. And that Israel will become well established under his leadership.
I love the next part! Because Saul asks for mercy from David.
Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
Saul asks David to sware not to kill off his descendents which would wipe out his family name. —It was normal for a conquering king to kill all of the old king’s family, which would destroy any loyalty to the old regime.
Look at David’s response.
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Despite all of the trouble that Saul caused David—he still swears an oath by God not to kill off his family.
Saul headed back home.
But David and his men went back up to the stronghold—David and his men may have made peace with Saul for the moment, but he still doesn’t trust him.
SO WHAT
SO WHAT
There are a lot of comparisons between David and Saul.
Saul listened to his men, and it caused him to sin and it cost him the kingdom.
David doesn’t listen to his men—and it keeps him from sinning.
Saul unjustly chases David.
David refuses to deal with Saul unjustly.
Saul finally admits that David is the heir apparent to the throne of Israel.
David refuses to take matters into his own hands to become king.
If you stand for God, there will probably come a time when you will be wrongly accused. You many not be chased all over the desert, but you may face someone who wants to destroy your reputation, business, and/or relationships. The question is how will you respond. The memory verse for this week is Proverbs 18:15 because I believe it describes David’s attitude throughout this chapter, and it describes the attitude that we need to have.
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.
You and I need to have a discerning heart!
You and I need to acquire knowledge.
And you and I need to have ears to seek out knowledge.
Many scholars believe David wrote Psalm 57, and Psalm 142.
Psalm 57 begins by David calling out for mercy from God because he takes refuge in God! When we come to verse 2 we read:
I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me— God sends forth his love and his faithfulness. I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts— men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. They spread a net for my feet— I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path— but they have fallen into it themselves.
David expresses the dire straights in which he finds himself. But when you come to verse 7 you see that no matter what David was facing, he remained steadfast.
My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
In the midst of our hurts and heartaches; our struggles; the attacks of people we need to remain steadfast, make music, our soul needs to awake and sing!