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! Introduction:
If someone ridicules, mocks, or curses us—what does it mean to do good to that person?
If a person steals from us, causes financial difficulty, or destroys our property—what does it mean to do good to him or her?
In this study, we will see David render good for evil.
Twice David refused to assassinate Saul when he easily could have done so.
Standing firm against assassinating Saul was one of the high marks of David's noble character and career.
In our text for this study is recorded the first occasion in which David refused to assassinate Saul.
The second refusal to assassinate Saul is found in chapter 26.
* *
!! A. The Troubles from Saul (v.1-2).
!!! 1.
The Lord’s watchful care (1 Samuel 23:27-29).
!!!! a) “Saul had returned from following the Philistines…” (v.1a).
!!!!! (1) Saul had been chasing David at Ziph, but the invasion of the Philistines into Israel forced Saul to interrupt his chasing of David so he could go to battle against the Philistines.
!!!!! (2) Divine providence is so very evident in David's escape here, and it shows how God watches over His people.
!!!!!! (a) *The /moment /of deliverence* /– /Saul had to stop pursuing David so he could go fight the Philistines.
David was saved in the nick of time! Often time’s deliverance does not come to us as soon as we think it should and then we conclude that God has forgotten us or is not able to deliver us.
!!!!!! (b) *The means of deliverance* – David had more escapes than Houdini:
(i) David's agility and alertness helped him escape from Saul's javelin.
(ii) David's wife helped him escape from his house when Saul had it surrounded.
(iii) The spell of prophesying coming upon Saul and his men helped David escape capture at Naioth.
(iv) Divine revelation helped David escape from Keilah.
(v) Now it is the invasion of the Philistines that provides escape for David.
All of this says that God is not limited to any particular method for delivering us from our troubles and trials.
That should encourage us!
(vi) This fact should be of great encouragement to us, for often in our troubles we cannot see any means as being available to deliver us, but God does!
!!!!! (3) *The warning for God’s people: *It was when Saul was pursuing David that the Philistines invaded the land.
!!!!!! (a) The Philistines, like other nations, had their spies working continuously.
When they saw that Israel's king was occupied with internal fighting, they knew it was a good time for them to invade the land.
In pursuing David, Saul left the land unprotected; and the Philistines took advantage of this situation and invaded the land.
!!!!!! (b) Our warning is two fold:
(i) /When the brethren fight, the enemy will attack the land:/
*Paul said in Galatians 5 that *"You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."
(Galatians 5:14-15, NASB95)
*(ii) *The Philistines in our life will invade the land of our life if unprotected *(2 Samuel 11:1-5) – /Idle/ time, plus /Opportunity/, equals /Trouble/*/.
/
\\ !!! 2. The enemy was prosperous (v.1).
!!!! a) “Saul had returned from following the Philistines…” (v.1a).
!!!!! (1) *Think about this:* here is a man who has been trying desperately to have David killed but has not yet succeeded.
He has defeated the Philistines, gained temporary peace for the land and has returned to chasing David.
!!!!! (2) In our minds it’s not fair that wicked Saul prospers against the Philistines and righteous David is forced to continually seek out hiding places in the wilderness!
Why?
!!!!!! (a) We learn much in the wilderness (Jesus in the wilderness; Moses).
!!!!!! (b) God was using Saul, to get rid of the Saul in David.
King Saul sought to destroy David, but his only success was that he became the instrument of God to put to death the Saul who roamed about in the caverns of David’s own soul
!!!!!! (c) It will not always be this way (Psalm 37:1-2).
!!! 3. The enemy was persistent (v.2).
!!!! a) "Then Saul . . .
went to seek David and his men" (v.
2).
!!!!! (1) This is like the devil against us:
*When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, the Scriptures say that* "When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13, NASB95)
!!!!! (2) Saul, unfortunately, did not see God’s providential hand in saving David from him.
The very timely interruption of Saul's attack on David by the Philistine invasion of Israel did not wake up Saul to his folly.
Why?
Saul’s sin had blinded him.
!!!!! (3) Many times in our life, God will use people and or situations to wake us up but we don’t see because our sin has blinded us!
!!!!! (4) Saul misunderstood the /grace /& the /goodness /of God.
When God delays punishment for evil, it is the grace of God giving men time to repent:
*Listen to what Solomon says *"Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil."
(Ecclesiastes 8:11)
*Similarly, Paul says *"do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4, NASB95)
!!!!! (5) I believe, the better the person is that you mistreat, the greater the evil in your heart.
!!!!!! (a) Saul was cruelly mistreating one of the best persons in all Israel.
David was a man after God’s own heart yet Saul, sought to kill that man.
!!! 4. The enemy was powerful (v.2).
!!!! a) “Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel…” (v.2).
!!!!! (1) David had six hundred men and they were all volunteers, Saul had 3,000 men and they were chosen meaning, they were the best for the task!
!!!!! (2) The devil does not send his Jr.
Varsity against us but his first stringers!
*The enemy of our souls *“does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10).
!!!!! (3) Never underestimate our enemy, powerfully deceptive *(Deuteronomy 1:41-44)*:
!!!!!! (a) *This action *came when the people realized the magnitude of God’s judgment because of their lack of faith.
They did not enter the land of Canaan when first commanded to do so because of their fear of the enemy and their lack of trust in God’s ability to deliver them.
!!!!!! (b) Then because of the fear of dying in the wilderness, they presumed to go to battle without the Lord’s direction, believing they could win in their own strength.
Their motivation to fight was not faith but fear, and unfortunatley, the opportunity once given to them was gone.
\\ !! B. The Temptation About Saul (v.3-7).
In these next few verses, we are going to see the temptation that David had to deal with, the temptation to assassinate Saul.
We are going to look at the /strength /of the temptation and the /stopping /of the temptation.
!!! 1.
The strength of the temptation (v.3-4)
!!!! a) Saul came to the sheepfolds… David and his men were in the cave (v.3).
!!!!! (1) *The **situation** for the temptation*.
David and his men’s eyes were adjusted to the darkness and could see Saul coming in.
!!!!!! (a) Saul, on the other hand, could see nothing but darkness and his eyes were not adjusted.
David had a tremendous advantage over Saul.
!!!!!! (b) Saul's situation in the cave is like that of the sinner.
(i) Saul was in the dark about his situation and could not see the danger all around him.
(ii) Like him, lost souls literally hang over the cliff of eternal hell without a concern about their soul's need.
*Speaking to the disciples, Jesus said* "For a little while longer the Light is among you.
Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes” (John 12:35, NASB95)
*But Christ can solve the darkness problem; for He said *"I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
(John 8:12, NASB95)
!!!!!! (c) Also, Saul was totally defenseless.
(i) No one was guarding him and he was not taking any precautionary measures to protect himself, nor did he even suspect an attack.
(ii) Saul was a sitting duck, an assassination waiting to happen.
!!!!!! (d) *David had to be careful how he interpreted this circumstance lest he use it to justify doing evil*.
(i) This test or circumstance that God is using for David to know His will, the devil will use to try and lead him astray.
(ii) The situation here seems to strongly suggest that David should kill Saul.
To correctly interpret circumstances, we need…
(a) an accurate and intelligent knowledge and understanding of the Word of God.
(b) a submissive attitude towards the will & Word of God.
(c) a priority that favors spiritual needs over fleshly desires.
(d) and a desire to live a holy life.
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