Let the Lord Judge & Reward

Let the Lord Judge & Reward - 1 Samuel 23:19-24:22

PRAY

One time I stood up for someone in junior high who was being physically threatened by a classmate (the irony was, the guys being pick on this time was as big a jerk as anyone in our class). Anyway, I defended him verbally, but then got pummeled by the other guy with a cast on his arm, refusing to fight back.... Later in life, I’d think about that and would sometimes in my own mind and spirit have a hard time letting that go. In those moments I would wish that I had fought back. So I had done the right thing originally, but then I was doing the wrong thing each time my anger burned within me and wanted to take payback into my own hands.

It’s far from an easy task for us to let go of wrongs committed against us and not seek to take matters of “justice” into our own hands. But it isn’t our responsibility, it’s God’s. In God’s word today, he gives us a great example, through David, of the wisdom and patience needed to trust in the Lord to judge and reward… in his way and in his timing.

1 Samuel 23:19–29 ESV

Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.” And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning. See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi.

[map] - reminder of where David has been and where he goes today...

From Wilderness to Wilderness

It is right to trust in the Lord when treated unjustly.

David never did anything for Saul to seek his life.

David certainly did nothing to the Ziphites for their betrayal. In fact, David only recently rescued Keilah from the Philistines (see ch. 23), and then even they would have turned him over to Saul.

David’s response: Psalm 54 (when the Ziphites tried to give him up…)

Psalm 54 ESV

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?” O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. He will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them. With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Where will your heart focus attention when you find yourself in the wilderness?

(see verses above)

A Place Called Rock of Escape

It is right to trust in the Lord when escape seems impossible.

David and his men are surrounded at this point. Escape seems impossible. But God causes an attack by the Philistines, obviously somewhere that Saul cares about and feels threatened by, and he has to temporarily give up pursuing David.

Will you trust God to do in his timing what he knows is best?

1 Peter 5:10 ESV

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Here’s a matter at the heart of trusting God in all situations, especially when you are either treated unfairly or don’t understand the purpose of your suffering: (We have to always keep in mind that…)

Circumstances are just circumstances, and God is a just God.

God cares about justice/injustice and innocence/guilt (even more than you do!). God cares about your suffering (in fact, I think he feels your suffering more acutely than you do!). Nothing is outside of God’s caring concern and providential control.

That should give us a place to rest—in God. - Poor David, I mean, this is relentless (running from Saul)… no rest for the weary. From wilderness to wilderness, from one narrow escape to finding another another cave or stronghold to hide in.

Psalm 62:5–8 ESV

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

Transition: Have you ever done something and instantly regretted it? (Thankfully, what David has a pang of conscience about is much less than what he might have regretted!)

1 Samuel 24:1–22 ESV

When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. 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.

David Doesn’t Cave to Retaliation

David responds wisely to his men, showing a great deal of restraint.

(v. 5) David’s conscience pricks him. - There is great temptation to take justice into our own hands. (“but I’m just doing what God would want” - say the people who aim to slay entire people groups in the name of their faith!)

David responds respectfully and wisely to Saul, showing again a great deal of restraint.

(v. 9) Why would you listen to anyone who claims that I seek to harm you?

(vv. 10-11) I had a chance, and I didn’t take it.

(vv. 12&15) May God judge.

(v. 13) The wicked do wickedly. - My conscience remains clear. (Hint, hint: I can’t say the same for you, o king.)

(v. 14) David expresses his lowliness to emphasize Saul’s unrighteousness (wickedness) in pursuing him. - A very subtle way of saying it, I may add!

It is right to trust in the Lord for recompense and reward.

Romans 12:19 ESV

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Context? :-)

Romans 12:18–20 ESV

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

In our house we say, “Don’t retaliate.” ...Come to mom and dad; let us handle it. - God says, “Don’t retaliate. Bring it to me, knowing that I will handle it.” 1 Pet. 5:5b-9

1 Peter 5:5–9 ESV

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Will you let God determine when and how to judge? Will you humble yourself and let God decide when and how to reward?

Saul Caves to Contrition (Remorse)

Saul’s truthful (but self-centered, and temporary) confession:

(v. 17) You are more righteous than I, repaying good for evil.

(v. 19) May the Lord reward you with good.

(v. 20) I know you will be king.

(v. 21) Swear to me you won’t kill my offspring. (Which is easy for David to say yes to bc he has already made a covenant with Jonathan.)

It is right to trust in the Lord when suffering for doing good.

Peter has some encouragement about this in the latter part of 1 Peter 3 and into chapter 4: (There’s a lot in there, so you’ll have to look at some of it on your own. But let’s jump to the end of 4…)

1 Peter 4:12–16 ESV

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

“We too are tempted to avoid suffering and to get right into the glory, but suffering is God’s appointed means of bringing us to glory.” (Deffinbaugh)

“I see much less of David’s discernment of God’s will today than I do of Saul’s or of David’s men. I hear many Christians think and teach that suffering is not God’s will, and that true faith will be rewarded by immediate blessing and the absence of pain.” (Deffinbaugh)

Will you embrace the tough path with a long view?

(keep an eternal perspective)

1 Peter 4:19 ESV

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

[For another reminder of this, see Gal. 6:7-10 on your own, or with your group or family…]

Concluding Thoughts

Prayer