David Leads with Integrity

In the Garden Eve’s descendent was promised to crush the head of the serpent. God promised Noah that a flood was coming. Abraham was promised a people, prosperity and property. Moses was promised a land for God’s people. The OT prophets speak of return following exile. Jesus promised resurrection after death. Jesus promised a return after ascension.

So how do we live while waiting for a promise to be fulfilled?

Transition: Today’s plot reveals various ways that Characters live in the shadow of promises.

The Turmoil of Cowardice (26:1-5)

Saul knows David will be King

1. Samuel told him clearly that God would raise a new King in his place who is better than you . (15:28)

2. A song in the streets established Saul’s jealousy of David (18:7)

3. Saul’s own son (heir to his throne) aligns with David instead (20:30-31)

4. Saul admits David will be king (24:20)

5. Saul’s confession does not align with his behavior. If he truly believes David will be King, why would he pursue with 3000 soldiers? (26:2)

6. Saul knows David will be king; Saul knows he is jealous of David. These contrary beliefs create tension within Saul and rob him of peace and joy.

7. I call him a coward in this slide because he refuses to accept the truth.

Transition: Saul’s pursuit creates an opportunity for David’s throne to be accelerated. Integrity Requires Doing WHAT God instructs and WHEN He instructs it.

The Temptation of a Shortcut (26:6-8)

David’s companion presumes to speak for God (v.8)

Can you think of another place in Scripture where someone genuinely thought they were speaking for God, but his/her advice was way off? A wife who thought she was advancing the will of God in a culturally-accepted manner? Abraham’s wife Sarai. A Book in the Old testament where the majority of the book is 3 people presuming to speak for God and one man telling them they are wrong? The book of Job. James & John, the Sons of Thunder wanted to call down fire on those they perceived to be Jesus’ enemies. How did Peter use his sword before the crucifixion? How did Peter respond when he was at Simon the tanner’s home and had a vision of all types of meat?

Each of these shortcuts are attempts to hurry along what the person thought was God’s will.

David is playing the long game (v.10)

David knows he doesn’t need to force the Lord’s hand.

In chapter 24he had an opportunity, but God made things work out for him.

In chapter 25 he had an opportunity to speed things up, but David trusted God to handle Nabal in his own way and time.

Here in chapter 26 David slows the roll of those closest to him.

Application; we must avoid shortcuts

1. What is modeled in moderation, is often repeated in excess.

2. Our shortcuts can become our kids’ routines and what is important gets ignored.

Transition: David’s pulling the reigns of Abishai becomes a teaching moment for those on both sides of the struggle that will serve David well when his throne is established.

The Triumph of Integrity

David spares Saul (again!) (26:9-12)

1. David confiscated 2 items. Saul’s Spear and Saul’s water bottle.

2. Saul’s Spear

a. The same spear Saul tried to equip David before confronting Goliath (17:38-39).

b. The same spear that missed David in 18:11

c. The same spear that missed Jonathan in 20:33

d. Taking the spear seems to me to be saying, “You keep misplacing your trust in this symbol of your might, but it is NOTHING compared to God’s might!

3. Saul’s water

a. Saul is NOT self-sufficient. Without water he would be vulnerable in the dessert and his strength would continue to wain

b. The events in the cave in 24 attest that Saul is merely human.

c. The loss of water in the wilderness shouts Saul is merely human.

4. David is trusting a deity who is more than human.

a. The scribe who is recording this history interjects an observation at the end of v.12. The Lord caused a deep sleep.

b. This unique word only appears 7x in the Hebrew OT. After this occurrence the next 4 are all symbolic or poetic. Where are the 3 times this deep sleep is found in storylines? Each time God causes a deep sleep is to advance His will in significant ways.

i. Gen 2:21 God causes deep sleep to fall on Adam so that he can remove a rib and create Eve.

ii. Gen 15:12 God causes a deep sleep to fall on Abraham when cutting covenant with the firepot in the middle of sacrificial animals.

iii. Here God causes a deep sleep to fall on Saul’s army to prove God’s blessing has left Saul and been transferred to David

David scolds Abner for treating serious matters as mundane (26:13-16)

When children see parents devalue participation in a local church, they rarely develop a love for the people of God. This isn’t just about attendance! This principle plays out in stewardship of time and treasures as well.

As long as Saul is still king; until God removes Saul from the Throne, even if it doesn’t serve David’s immediate interest, those around the king ought to be ashamed for not guarding the king better!

Transition: David has just been given victory over 3 temptations which is a common plot of the enemy that we spoke about last week. ext

The Tranquility of Compromise (27:1-7)

Fatigue weakens resolve (v.1)

1. 1 Kings 19:4 Elijah wishes to die immediately after defeating the hundreds of prophets of Baal.

2. Here David entertains the idea that Saul will kill him somehow.

Compromise brings fake peace (v.7)

1. Achish is the king of the Philistines (Palestinians) and Saul is king of Israel. Achish knows that David is Saul’s enemy so he decides to leverage “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

2. This is not a key to lasting peace, only to temporary tranquility.

3. David and his 600 men have proven their abilities as a mercenary force as they protected Nabal’s herdsmen in chapter 25.

4. While David does nothing against Saul (as Achish had hoped), having David as a vassal of Achish serves both men well.

a. Achish is happy because he is getting rich from the loot David brings back and his enemies are being annihilated one at a time.

b. David is happy because the fear of the Lord is being established in the territory that he would one day rule.

5. Ziklag is not a permanent solution for David, but it is a compromise that provides shelter from Saul and allows the fear of the Lord to expand.

Conclusion:

I’ve notice 5 main characters in these 2 chapters. Saul is a coward who refuses to accept the will of God as declared by Samuel. David (as a picture of Christ the obedient Son) is an appointed servant who patiently and honorably seeks obedience to God. Abishai (David’s colleague) wants to see God’s will done, but is unwilling to submit to God’s timing. Abner (Saul’s commander) is coasting in life and refusing to take things seriously. And Achish who was so shortsighted by wealth that he paid no attention to God’s plan.

I said earlier that David was playing the long game. This is a type of Jesus who played the ultimate long game. Satan tempted him to shortcut, but he obeyed to the end. His own will request a reprieve, but he obeyed to the end. Because he obeyed to the end, our participation in the will of God becomes possible.

As we conclude I invite you to ask yourself 6 questions in order to best participate right now in God’s long plan.

I have placed a blank table in your handout and behind me are suggestions to prompt your thinking, but I want you to apply this sermon to your life in 6 direct ways.

Three questions deal directly with the tension of this text. When you disagree with a leader God has placed over you, how do you think, feel and act?

Zooming out to the bigger plan of God to conform you to the image of Christ in all things, as you think about where you are now in that process, have you slipped into the apathy of Abner, or are you keeping the important things important with your thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Integrity demands that we do what God wants at EACH STAGE of our pilgrimage.

Song of Response #441... “Take Time to Be Holy”

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