Outlaws

Saul is King of Israel. And he hates David. The reasons are many: He is jealous, he is insecure, he feels victimised but they all boil down to one thing: Saul was wicked, unfaithful and disobedient to God and as a result:

1 Samuel 16:14 KJV 1900

But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

Saul madness and murderous appetite (he had already made 4 attempts on David life) and the fact that Saul declared David an outlaw and a rebel caused David to flee from Sauls presence and go to live as a free man in the wilderness.

This time of exile lasted 10 years for David. He was not alone however, he had a small band of merry men with him.

1 Samuel 23:13 KJV 1900

Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

This situation shows amazing parallels between what David experienced and what the christian experiences. David and his mean represent the people who will flee from evil (Saul) and go to Christ for refuge.

This period of persecution in Davids life was part of his preparation for the throne. He was already a great soldier, now it was time to make him in a great servant of God.

He needed the suffering of the wilderness to learn not to trust in himself or in men (a mistake he had already made) but to place all of his trust in the Lord.

We all need wilderness testing, and we all shall receive wilderness testing.

Very much like Israel, we have left the slavery of sin in Egypt and are on our way to the promised land of glory, but between Egypt and Heaven, lies the place of wilderness testing.

And in the same way Pharaoh pursued the Israelites, in the same way Saul persecuted David, so too does Satan pursue us when we have escaped his kingdom.

Saul and Satan are very similar, both are liars , both are murders (in his rage that David escaped Saul slaughtered the innocent Priests at Nob) and both “appear” to be in charge:

Saul was not the king, yet he was on the throne. David was the king, but he was not on the throne yet. in the same way: Satan appears to be in charge but is not, and Jesus will soon return to sit upon David throne.

Davids Advice for the Wilderness

During his 10 years David wrote many of the Psalms, one powerful psalm he wrote in particular was Psalm 34.

In this Psalm David tells each one of us how to survive in the wilderness, the times of testing that prepare us for the throne.

Bless the Lord

Psalm 34:1–3 KJV 1900

I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt his name together.

Not the verbs: Bless, Praise, Boast, Magnify and Exult.

Praise is perhaps the greatest weapon and tool we have for wilderness testing.

Thomas Watson said: “When we pray we cat like godly men, but when we praise we act like Angels in Heaven”.

Far to few christian practice praise. Modern church programs what substituted heart felt praise with music concerts and have weakened many christians to the point of being unable to praise without an accompanying 6 member band and mood lighting.

Praise takes our eyes off the wilderness, off the problem, off the persecution, off the situation, off of ourselves rests them fully on God and his goodness, his grace, his love and his power.

Seek the Lord

Psalm 34:4–8 KJV 1900

I sought the Lord, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth Round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Look at what the Lord does for His people who seek his face: He saves, He keeps and He satisfies.

What does it mean to seek the Lord? It means to look to him by Faith. It means to trust in Him by faith. It means to stand upon his promises by faith.

When we do this we are saved from our troubles, we are kept by his grace and we are satisfied by his provision.

Fear the Lord

Psalm 34:9–16 KJV 1900

O fear the Lord, ye his saints: For there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, And loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

Those who fear the Lord fear nothing else because the fear of God drives out all other fear.

Do you fear the Lord? Well before you answer we can see if that true.

Im afraid of heights, i can tell you that now, but if you took me on a hight place i would not need to tell you, because my behaviour would make it obvious.

If we feared God our behaviour should testify to that fact as well.

Look at how David says a God fearing person behaves:

They desire what is Good v 12

They Speak only what is true v 13

They pursue what is right v 14

Trust the Lord

Psalm 34:17–22 KJV 1900

The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, And delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: But the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: Not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked: And they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: And none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Nowhere in the psalm does David suggest that trust and faith will exempt the christian from trials. What is promised is that the by faith and trust the Lord will see us through the trials and use them to make us better.

Isaiah 41:10 KJV 1900

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

God redeemed David, Saul was destroyed and David was at peace.

Listen to the words of Jesus:

Luke 21:25–28 KJV 1900

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.