“Desperation Continues” - 1 Samuel 22

Now a basketball coach could call a time-out for any number of reasons at any different point in a ball game. He might see a flaw in the opponent's defense, for example, that he thinks his team could exploit with a hastily designed play. He might want to stop a flurry of momentum or a hot hand by one of the opposing players. He might use it to try icing a free-throw shooter. He might use it to stop the clock near the end of the half or regulation. He might use it to force an instant-replay review of a questionable call by the officials.

That's six different options right there. And they're all determined not by fixed logarithms but by the flow of the game, the nature of the opponent, the time left on the shot clock or the game clock—any of these factors and many others could dictate his purpose in asking for a stoppage in play. Plus it's all dictated by the coach's unique, personal knowledge of his players, his awareness of what each of them can do, what makes them perform best, what puts them in the best position to win the game. Why must God's decisions for our lives be any different?

Why must God's decisions for our lives be any different?

Real life is much more complex than a basketball game, but this illustration can show how a wise "coach" can make good decisions that we may or may not understand.

Desperation continues today. Desperation in our lives continue and many times we are clearly in the dark about what the Lord is doing. Everything around us is falling apart and we remain in the dark. Many times, for many of us we just can’t help but wonder why the Lord does nothing. Why He permits these things to happen in our lives. More despair and despondency and desperation gives birth to deception and derangement and yet the Lord seems to do nothing. Or if He does do something it may be a scratch your head moment. We then fall into the unbelief in His goodness because we see so much going on around us. Why does he let all of this stuff continue… the wicked to prosper, the upright people to suffer…? Why? I have done so much to be a good Christian so why does the Lord allow all of this persecution, poverty, suffering, agony, why? I just do not understand. And that is the key word… we just do not understand. Have we ever felt that why especially in times of desperation… we just do not understand? But there is understanding for us today… coaches may make decisions that we may not understand at the time, but when we are victorious, it can become plain as day. We will look into this more today and find a solution to our misunderstanding.

Last week we saw how David in his desperation found himself in curious circumstances resulting from his desperation. But, through it all David found deliverance and such an expression of the grace of God that he could do no more than praise. With a praise so messianically divine that is would forever be etched in . A Psalm that has brought comfort to thousands for thousands of years.

After playing crazy guy in Gath, David went to the cave of Adullam. His family heard about where he was and they went to join him there. Along with them, others who were in trouble also joined him there. David became the captain of about 400 men. Later, he went to the king of Mitz-pah and asked if he would watch over his mom and dad until he finds out what God is up to. But Gad the prophet told David to go back to the land of Judah. David went back and hid in the forest of Kereth. When Saul found out that David was back in the land, he went ballistic. What!! Why did you guys not tell me about this sooner? Why do you continue to not tell me stuff? Are you all conspiring against me? You did not tell me about my son and David making a pact together… in fact I bet my son is the ringleader of this whole thing. He has sent David to kill me and he continues to this day. (Maybe a good explanation as to why Saul tried to kill Jonathan). But the Edomite that we read about last week saw David talking to the priest and that the priest consulted with the Lord for him, gave him some food, and the sword of Goliath and possibly other things and lies. Saul yelled at Ahimelech the priest. Why have you helped the son of Jesse? Do you conspire against me? Why did you help him? But David is one of your most faithful servants, he is the captain of your guard, a highly honored member of your household and he is your son-in-law. I knew nothing about a plot against you. Saul ordered his men to kill the priests, but they would not. Saul ordered Doeg the Edomite to do it. He killed 85 priests and many of them still in their garments. Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed the priests’ families—men and women, children and babies—and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats. Only one of Ahimelech’s sons escaped and fled to David. David lamented over it all because he knew that Doeg the Edomite saw him.

1 Samuel 22:1–2 NLT

So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.

Desperation to Providence

1. Desperation to Providence

2. Desperation to Praise

3. Desperation to Peace

The first thing we will look at today is how in our desperation we falter in faith because we do not understand the provision or lack of provision from the Lord. Second, we will see how circumstances in our lives lead us to truly suffer anguish in life, but in the end our mourning will turn from mourning into dancing. Finally, we will see how desperate times we do not need desperate measures, but divine deliverance and we find peace in our Lord Jesus. This is the Gospel of Jesus.

I. Desperation to Providence

- There is no such thing as luck or chance, but divine providence.

A. The family of David may have come to him for safety. They might not have been safe at home from the vindictiveness of Saul. He helped his family and a discontented motley crew coming to David, singing I’m on my way, I’m on my way, home sweet home. Up to 400 of them. But the author seems to focus on something very special.

B. David goes to the king of Moab to find refuge for his beloved parents. He needed them to be watched over until he finds out what God has for him. But the king of Moab? Really? Well why not? He was family. Di you know that?

Ruth 4:18 NLT

This is the genealogical record of their ancestor Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron.

D. David had Moabite blood running through his veins. He is Moabite. It is not specific as to how important it was, but it does imply importance (how it is written). This is the beauty of it. Does this now shed some new light on the events in Ruth? All of Ruth’s suffering.

E. The intense trial of Naomi forced upon her some difficult decisions. The loss of her husband and sons. Her poverty and destitution. Then the faithfulness of her Moabite daughter-in-law. And finally the marriage to Boaz. This whole thing sets the backdrop for David and his parents. Could anyone imagine that the concept of the lowly (a Moabite women) would have a tremendous impact on one of the most important and beloved figures in Biblical history? The benefit was all Ruth’s right?

F. Now David can appeal to the king of Moab and how he and his parents are part Moabite. This stuff that happened to Naomi, the difficulties experienced by Ruth, the Moabite, women would play an important roll in providing for David over 100 years later.

G. We speak of the privilege of Ruth’s inclusion in the genealogy of David as being a tremendous honor and significance. She gets to be David’s great grandmother. In this situation, David gets to be Ruth’s great-grandson. Thank the Lord for great-grandma!

H. In light of all of this, in many of our times of difficulty and distress, think about this. We are asking and crying out to the Lord for aid. We need Him to do something for us to relieve the pain, the stress, the trauma, the distress, and the desperation. We cry out to the Lord for an answer and He is up there telling us… I already did.

I. The problem that we have today with the apparent lack of answered prayers of providence. The reason why we don’t think that God answered when we called. All of this is because we think the answer to the prayer should be answered the way we want it answered. Not only do we desire Christian life the way we want. If He is gonna command us, then He needs to do it the way we want. If He gonna communicate with us then He needs to do it the way we want it. If he gonna answer our prayers, then He needs to do it the way we want.

J. And because we do this, this is why we can’t live right, why we cannot rightly obey, why we don’t think God communicates to us, and why we don’t think He answers our prayers. Not only do we see that our God is a God that answers prayers… for many of us, in many ways, Christ has already answered our prayers.

K. You may find that your family… your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents are your answer to times of difficulties, distress, and desperation. You teachers, your bosses, and your long and short time friends may be your answer. Maybe your suffering, trials, and tribulations may be an answer or an answer for your family members. Maybe you don’t need the suffering to stop, but need to find comfort in a person you know and to overcome the problems with this person and now you have a friend forever. So a short time of suffering has brought you a lifelong friend.

L. Could it be that the problem of “Unanswered prayer” is not Christ, but us? Again, our continued unbelief and lack of trust in the Lord. Does he just take too long?

M. When Timex (the watch company) asked people how long they would wait before taking action in a wide variety of situations, researchers discovered that we'll consent to wait only:

thirteen seconds before we honk at a car in front of us that's stopped at a green light; twenty-six seconds before we shush people who are talking in a movie theater; twenty-six seconds before we take the seat of someone who's walked away; forty-five seconds before we ask someone who's talking too loud on a cell phone to "keep it down"; thirteen minutes for a table at a restaurant; twenty minutes for a blind date to show up before we leave; and twenty minutes for the last person to show up for Thanksgiving dinner before we dig in.

N. The reality is… many times we don’t have to wait at all. It is already done, we just don’t know it yet. Some of the suffering we are going through could be helping our great grand babies. You see, There is no such thing as luck or chance, but divine providence.

II. Desperation to Praise

- You have turned my mourning into dancing

A. This next part gets messy. It seems interesting that kings in the Scriptures commit drastic exploits when the real king emerges. When deliverance is coming. This is what we see here. David returns to Judah. The deliverer emerges. The king gets desperate.

B. Saul flips out. He accuses every one of conspiracy, more conspiracy, and even more. He even accuses his son of maybe even being the ringleader of it all. He finds out from the Edomite what happened and he confronts Ahimelech. He overreacts to an extreme point that even his most trusted bodyguards did not want to carryout Saul’s commands. Saul had to use his chief Edomite herdsman to carryout his wishes. He killed 85 priests and many of them still in their garments. Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed the priests’ families—men and women, children and babies—and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats. Desperation to decpetion and the deranged.

C. In Saul’s desperation, he does the destructive despicable because of his desperate dysfunction. Because of his insecurity of the crown, he murders. Sound familiar? Think back to the time of Moses.

D. Pharaoh feared the size of the population of the Israelites of Egypt and fear that they would overthrow or help their enemies overthrow them. So he ordered murder!

E. David heard of the news of what transpired when Doeg the Edomite told Saul what he had seen. He lamented. Yet God turn his mourning into dancing. His heart cried out to the Lord with beautiful and divine artistry that it was recorded for all time bringing comfort to thousands in thousands of years.

Psalm 52:1–9 NLT

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever? All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies. You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. Interlude You love to destroy others with your words, you liar! But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living. Interlude The righteous will see it and be amazed. They will laugh and say, “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.” But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people.

F. These are unfortunate and mournful circumstances for the priests and their families. Unfortunate and mournful circumstances for David and his family. Unfortunate and mournful circumstances for all who are in the hands of Saul. Unfortunate and mournful circumstances even for the Israelites in Egypt. But again mournful and sorrowful for the priests and their families and for David, but it all will end in praise.

Psalm 30:11–12 NLT

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

On the heels of the devastating tornadoes that struck Oklahoma in May 2013, LifeWay Research completed a survey about suffering and faith in God. Here's how people responded when asked, "How do you feel about God when suffering occurs that seems unfair?"

33 percent—"I trust God more"25 percent—"I am confused about God"16 percent—"I don't think about God in these circumstances"11 percent—"I wonder if God cares"8 percent—"I am angry or resentful at God"7 percent—"I doubt God exists"

Nearly 60 percent of survey respondents said that at the very least their interest in God increases when a natural disaster occurs. Praise. Like Job said “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

III. Desperation to Peace

- It happened in Egypt. It happened in Judah. It happened in Bethlehem.

A. There were horrible things that happened to the Israelites in Egypt, yet they were delivered. There were horrible things that Saul did to the people when the king came to Judah, yet they delivered. And it happened again…

B. When the King of Kings came to Judah like David did… horrible things happened by the hand of the king.

Matthew 2:16 NLT

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.

C. Yet, we are delivered. All is well and all will be well for all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. There is deliverance for His people. His people will be and always will be delivered.

L. This is the Gospel of Jesus. In times of desperation, there is deliverance. In times of moral failure, there is forgiveness. In times of weakness, there is strength. In times of darkness, there really is light for His people. All of this is possible because of the work of Christ in life and death on the cross

M. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures. He came into this world to seek…

N. All of these promises of hope and deliverance are for His people. But there is a promise for you … if you are not yet a Christian. All who call upon the name of the Lord… If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart… He that began a …

O. He will turn our mourning into dancing. He will turn our suffering into praise.

P. Though there be difficulties. Though there be suffering. Though there be injustice. Though there be people who do horrible things in desperation. No matter what Christian, you can rejoice. There is nothing greater then the grace of God. The grace by which we stand. The King has come and we await His return. Come Lord Jesus.