Introduction:

*Repaying or doing good for evil is not a simple thing to do. Think for a moment: 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?

To do good for evil does not mean to give license to wickedness nor to indulge evil. To do good would mean to correct and discipline the wicked or evil person. Correction and discipline are good, helpful, and beneficial for the person who lives a life of sinful behavior. But when we seek to correct and discipline the wicked, we do it with a spirit of care and compassion, not out of a spirit gripped by vindictiveness and revenge.

A. David's respect for the office of king: A lesson on the need to honor God's anointed leader (v.1-7)

1. David's hideout was discovered by Saul (v.1-3a)

a) He mobilized a force of 3000 soldiers:

(1) Began searching near the inaccessible Rocks of the Wild Goats (v.2)

(2) He entered a cave near the sheep pens to attend to his needs (v.3a)

(3) David and his men were hiding far back in the very same cave (v.3b)

(4) Now when you come out of the sun and into those caves, its pitch black so that you can’t see five feet ahead of you trying to look into the cave. But inside of the cave, where you are in the dark and your eyes are accustomed to the darkness, looking out, you can see anything that’s going on. So, here were David and his men perched back in the cave, and who should come into the cave, but Saul? And he lies down, and he goes to sleep.

2. David's men suggested this was of God (v.4).

a) He should seize the moment, kill Saul.

(1) David crept up and cut off only a corner of Saul's robe.

(2) David’s men really thought it was God’s blessing when in reality it was God’s testing. God will often test you and test me when it seems to be a blessing. The Lord wants us to wait on Him.

3. David's heart conscience bothered him (v.5-7).

a) The reason:

(1) He had shown disrespect to his master or ruler, the LORD's anointed (v.6).

(2) David rebuked his men and stopped them from killing Saul (v.7)

B. David's humility and his loyalty to King Saul (v.8-15).

1. David showed the utmost humility to Saul (v.8)

a) Addressed him as king (v.8a)

b) Bowed to the ground (v.8b)

2. David presented a strong case for reconciliation (v.9-11)

a) The charge of treason by others was false (v.9)

b) The proof was fivefold (v.10-11a)

(1) Saul had been in the very cave where David was (v.10a)

(2) Some of David's men had urged him to kill Saul: He refused (v.10b)

(3) Saul was God's anointed (v.10c)

(4) Saul was David's father-in-law (v.11a)

(5) Saul's robe had been cut by David, but David refused to kill him (v.11a).

c) The verdict: David was innocent (v.11b).

!!! 3. David attempted to convince Saul of the injustice being done (v.12-15)

a) Six things:

(1) By warning Saul of God's judgment (v.12).

(2) By quoting an ancient proverb (v.13a).

(3) By assuring Saul he would never harm him (v.13b).

(4) By questioning Saul and claiming that he was not a threat: He was as a dead dog or flea to Saul (v.14).

(5) By calling upon the LORD to decide who was right and to punish the guilty (v.15a).

(6) By calling out for the LORD to vindicate and deliver him from Saul (v.15b).

b) The spiritual character of David.

(1) Here is tremendous wisdom on David’s part, and it shows the spiritual character of David. Essentially David says ‘I’m not going to touch you; if God wants to do it, that’s His business, but I’m not going to take God’s business into my hands. The LORD judge between us. If the LORD wants to crush you, that’s His business, but I’m not going to.’

(2) David was willing to wait for God’s purposes to be worked out by God. Understanding and knowing the purposes of God is a lesson that we often stumble at. We think it’s our duty to plunge in and help God do His business. “Doesn’t God want this done?” ‘Of course he does.’ “Then let’s get in and help God out, because, how can He do it without our help.”

c) Abraham made this mistake (Genesis 16:1-16).

(1) An Unfulfilled Desire – Sara illustrates several of the major factors that cause us to be so impatient. patience was running out, and impatience was gaining control of her heart. We will see this in just a moment.

(2) The point is this: an unfulfilled desire can cause impatience; causing us to act before we should, to ignore God’s will and God’s timing. Impatience can arouse us to move long before we should...

(a) to devise plans and programs

(b) to plot and scheme

(c) to act and react

(3) Impatience can cause us to try to fill the desire ourselves instead of waiting upon God. This is exactly what happened to Sara, and it is what often happens to us.

d) Jacob also made this mistake by seeking to help God out (Genesis 27:1-46).

(1) And so often we just mess things up when we try to help. And my reason for trying is that somehow I feel that God can’t do His business unless I help Him. David did not make that mistake: ‘Hey, if God wants to depose you and put me on the throne, God can do that. I’m not going to step in and do that. I’m not going to try and help God out. I’m not going to lay my hand against you. God can avenge me, but I’m not going to try to avenge myself.’ And then he quotes an ancient proverb:

C. Saul's remorse and confession that David would be king: A lesson on repaying good for evil (v.16-22)

1. Saul confessed that David was more righteous than he (v.17-19)

a) David had repaid him good for evil (v.17)

b) David had been kind to him (v.18-19a)

c) By not killing him (v.18)

d) By defying common sense and human nature to retaliate against one's enemy (v.19a)

e) Saul pronounced a blessing upon David (v.19b)

2. Saul confessed God's royal plans for David: That David would be king and would establish the kingdom of Israel (v.20)

1 Samuel 24:1-22 - Annointed - The Life of Saul Mercifully Spared by David