The Piece of Cloth
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
The Piece of Cloth
It’s amazing the power of a symbol. Many of you wear a wedding ring on your finger. This symbol not only is a reminder of your commitment to another person, but is also a sign to others that you are off limits.
Steeples rise high in the air. The sight of a cross on top of that steeple points people to God. A steeple is a very powerful symbol.
I am cutting down, but I have been known to eat Little Debbie snacks. Sometimes I sneak them. I don’t want my wife to know that I have been consuming weight inducing, cancer causing, calorie rich sugar snacks. She doesn’t think they are very good for me. She has been known to go through my pockets, pull out a wrapper and ask the question “What’s this?”
At that very moment my goose is cooked. I have been busted. The presence of that wrapper makes lying, denying, excusing or any other face-saving task absolutely useless.
That wrapper becomes proof positive of my dastardly deed. It becomes a symbol of my guilt. What was a 50 cent purchase is now a priceless piece of evidence in the courtroom displaying my guilt.
Saul was hit with a similar symbol of his guilt: a piece of cloth.
Saul wanted David dead. He knew in his heart that David was after his throne. David was immensely popular and Saul was not. Saul heard that David was in Engedi, he took 3000 of his best fighters and went after him. He stopped near the Wildgoats’ Rocks. He went into a cave to relieve himself. What he didn’t know was that David was in the same cave. David’s men wanted him to kill Saul, but David snuck out and cut a piece off from Saul’s robe without him knowing it.
When Saul left the cave, 1 Samuel 24:8-22 relays what happened.
Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! May the LORD therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”
As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
The corner of the robe! The corner of the robe in David’s hand; the corner of the robe in front of the army of Saul, the corner of the robe before David’s companions; the corner of the robe was a symbol of David’s innocence.
If David was innocent, it is obvious that he was falsely accused.
He was falsely accused because of fake news.
And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’?
He was falsely accused because of misguided assumptions.
See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it.
If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
How did he react to these false accusations?
He acted with humility
1 Samuel 24:8,14
Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage.
After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!
He acted with faith
1 Samuel 24: 10,12
Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’
May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
He acted out of his godly character.
As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you.
David did not want to be overcome by evil, but he wanted to overcome evil with good.
What was the result?
What happens when we trust God and take the higher road?
When a man’s ways please the LORD,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
This is a proverb, so though it is generally true, it is not a promise. Many people who have lived to please God have died.
Yet, this is a benefit of living to please God. God created us. He loves us. He has given us this verse in proverbs as well as the illustration from the life of David for us to see how it works out.
David was falsely accused. Saul jumped ahead on unwarranted assumptions. David’s life was in turmoil. He ran from his home and family, living as an exile and always in danger of someone turning him in to Saul to win Saul’s favor.
David decides to let God take care of Saul. He does not want this wickedness to be in his heart. As a result, he takes the high road.
Notice what happens when David stands in front of Saul with a piece of his garment in his hand.
As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
Saul is in front of a lot of people who have heard him put David down. As David stand there with the piece of cloth in his hand, he comes to a realization that he has been very wrong. He is very thankful that his life has been spared. He doesn’t deserve it. He deserved to be killed by the man he was unjustly trying to kill. Instead of judgment, he received mercy. He prays that the Lord will reward David with good for what he has done.
What a turn around! This never would have happened if David hadn’t decided to please the Lord in all he did.
Saul continues.
And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
What a hard thing to admit. He wants protection for his family. David promises to give it and he does.
This is not the end of conflict for David. Because he pleased the Lord in how he handled these circumstances, he gets a break from the battle.
There are two sides in this story. First, Saul listens to the wrong people, jumps to conclusions, makes assumptions and goes after David. May God help us to slow down in our attacks on other people until we are sure of the truth.
Second, when we know the truth, as David did, both about himself and Saul, we are to respond in a godly fashion. We can all use a good dose of humility, faith and character. Don’t let human battle cause us to lose the spiritual battles.
We make no promises, but taking the higher road gives us the best chance of making peace.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.