1 Samuel 21-22; Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

Introduction

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Andrew Reid

1 & 2 Samuel: Hope for the Helpless Strange Bedfellows

Shakespeare’s story begins onboard a ship sailing for Italy. There is a storm and King Alonso and his entourage jump overboard and are washed ashore. Once on the island the storm continues and Trinculo, the jester, seeks a place where he can find shelter. At the same time, Caliban, a deformed native wrapped in a large, loose-fitting cloak or gabardine, hears Trinculo. Perceiving him to be an evil spirit, he decides to fall flat on the chance that he will not be noticed. For his part, Trinculo mistakes the deformed Caliban for some big fish before seeing Caliban’s arms and legs. Being reassured that he is human, Trinculo creeps into the shelter of the gabardine muttering to himself:

Alas, the storm is come again. My best way is to creep under the gabardine; there is no shelter hereabout: misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.

Need

Every single one of us will go through desperate times. We will feel like our life is spiraling out of control. Or maybe it will be. We need to know how we can respond when we feeling like our life is ending and when it really is. We need to be able to handle desperate situations.

Topic

This morning we are going to see a number of people respond to desperate times in their lives. We will see God’s sovereign hand to deliver his servant. And, we are also going to see how God will

Referent

1 Samuel 21

Organization

Sermon in a sentence: In desperate times, I will turn to the Lord.

David and the Philistines (21:1-22:5)

Saul and the Edomites (22:6-23)

Application

Read 1 Samuel 21:1-9

Sermon in a sentence:

In desperate times, I will turn to the Lord.

David and the Philistines (21:1-22:5)

vs. 1-9 - Goliath

I believe David goes to Ahimelech the priest for two reasons.

The last time Saul was trying to kill him, David went to Samuel, a prophet, and God protected him.

He wanted Goliath’s sword.

It’s interesting that David did not worry about a sword or spear when he faced Goliath. Why does he need one now when he faces this giant.

In Mark 2, Jesus uses this passage to demonstrate the weightier matters of the law.

The Pharisees become angry with Jesus for plucking grain on the Sabbath (not a OT law, but a tradition). He then uses this story to demonstrate that its not just the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law that is the issue.

Sermon on the Mount and Jesus’ condemnation of the Scribes and Pharisees

do not commit adultery = do not lust after a woman

do not murder = do not hate

you tithe mint and dill but you reject the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness

We do this with our children don’t we. “Do not get out of bed for the rest of the night.” Do we want our children to stay in bed in case of a fire?

We must use wisdom to rightly use God’s Word. We want to apply God’s Word in a way that is a blessing not a burden.

1 Timothy 1:5–7 “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”

This passage does not address directly David’s lies. We see that he has lied numerous times already.

Going to Bethlehem for the family sacrifice.

Michal and the golden image.

Jesus uses this story in a discussion with the Pharisees and the Sabbath (Mark 2). Jesus says nothing of David’s lies.

vs. 10-15 The Philistines (Psalm 34; 56)

David goes to Achish, the king of Gath.

He goes the Philistines, God’s enemies. Remember the last time he interacted with Philistines, he killed 200 of them.

It’s interesting that they refer to David as the “king of the land” (vs. 11)

Gath was the city Goliath was from.

David had Goliath’s sword.

When David was in Judean desert, a sling, his staff, or even his bare hands were enough. He was ready to take on Goliath without a sword, spear, or any armor. He knew the giant stood no chance because God was on his side. Maybe some time in the kings palace made David forget that God didn’t need a warrior but a willing boy.

When desperate times comes in, do not forget how you have made it to where you are. Do not forget what God has brought you through.

22:1-5 The Cave and Moabites (Psalm 142)

vs. 1-2 David flees to a Cave for safety. Its ironic, because a cave can be a place of safety or protection. However, we see in the gospels that Jesus is not placed in a regular tomb. He is put in tomb that was cut from the rock, or a cave.

Its like David is going to his death. What did we see last week in Psalm 16:10. David was sure that God would not abandon his body in the grave.

Not only is David sure that God will lift him up from the grave, those who are desperate and in debt go to David for relief.

John Gill

In this he was a type of Christ, who revives sinners distressed with a sense of sin, discontented in their present state, and in debt, and unable to pay their debts; see Matt. 11:28. Luke 7:41, 42 - John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament, vol. 2, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1810), 525.

2. vs. 3-4 David takes his father and mother to the king of Moab.

David is the great grandson of a Moabite, Ruth. Even though Naomi and Elimelech were not supposed to leave the promised land for food, God used their disobedience and Ruth’s conversion for the good of God’s people. This small family that lost everything would be the family God used to bring about king David.

You are sitting here today due to countless decisions from the past. Some of those decisions have been for your good. I grew up in the church and I am so thankful that my daughter is much more advanced in her knowledge of God’s Word than I was at her age.

The suffering you are going through is for a purpose.

Paul tells us “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” 2 Cor 4:17

God uses not only our suffering for our future benefit, but also those around us.

Saul and the Edomite (22:6-23)

Read vs. 6-19

vs. 6

Saul is right back where he always is. Under a tree with a spear in his hand.

His response is also the same paranoid response.

v. 7 “the son of Jesse” v.8 “that all of you have conspired against me?”

v. 19 Saul once again proves that he has become the monsters that he was supposed to fight.

Remember the last time God told Saul to destroy everything? He told Saul to destroy the Amalekites, but he kept back what he wanted. How is he now able to put to death his own people with no remorse or hesitation.

His own guards recognize how sinful this thing is.

Deuteronomy 17:18–20 “18 “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.”

The people wanted a king like all the other nations. They got a king like all the other nations.

Brothers and sisters, we must watch over ourselves. We can go down a path that becomes too dark that we can’t even recognize who we have become.

The prodigal son. He is wanting to eat what the pigs are eating. He comes to his senes. Who is this? What had he become? He realizes that even the servants in his father’s house have it better than this.

Conclusion

vs 23

How can David give Ahitub comfort and protection?

Now, he is not alone. His family is gone and now he has a new family. They are still in danger but even in death he is with God’s anointed one. What is it the worst this world can do to us? Kill us. Yes and amen.

Dear friend, Satan is a roaming lion seeking whom he may devour. Like the Lord Jesus, Satan would like to kill us, steal from us, and destroy us. No matter what the world or Satan brings against us, we can say, “with me (the Messiah) you shall be in safekeeping.”

Application

Come to the Lord Jesus Christ to find salvation. Your desperate soul is longing for the hope of the savior.

Each day this week, make it a habit to pray the Lord’s Prayer with this story in mind. King David, God’s anointed king, was in the Judean wilderness hunted by his own people. To be slain even though God had sent him to bring them deliverance from their enemies. The Lord Jesus, God’s anointed king from the line of David. He ministered in the Judean wilderness, attracting the outcast and those who were desperate. He was hunted by a wicked king and his own kinsmen to be murdered. He prayed taught his disciples they could pray this prayer in the midst of all that. So can we, saints. Let’s pray.

Matthew 6:9–13 ESV

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.