The Life of David: 1 Samuel 23-24

Proverbs 16:17 NKJV

17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

Proverbs 16:7 NKJV

7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Salvation is a unique event that is hard to explain at times. The greatest occurence in our lives is when Jesus saves us from sin. The Lord takes us as we are and forgives us of our sins. Salvation has everything to do with what Jesus did and does in our lives.

What happens after we are saved? God wants us to become more like Him and less like ourselves. The process God uses to make this a possibility is called sanctification.

What does it mean to you to be sanctified?

To be sanctified is to be set apart. We are sanctified when we are saved. God sets apart from our sins. How does the sanctification process work?

Sanctification comes in two forms:

Instantaneous- the moment we are saved we are sanctified

Progressive- the sanctifying work of God continues as we become less like the world and more like Jesus

What are some changes God makes in us when we get closer to Him?

In our walk with God we are either getting closer to Him or farther from Him. In our story today, we have two conflicting people we will observe: David and Saul.

Background

So far in David’s life we have watched as God drew him closer. David was a person like us. He had similar temptations, worries, concerns, and questions. Another similarity is the fact that David was anointed with the Holy Spirit.

When the Holy Spirit takes residence in us, He places within us various anointings. To be anointed means to be set apart for a specific purpose.

Because David was anointed by the Holy Spirit, he had supernatural power to do submit to the Lord and relinquish his rights.

There were many things David could do, but his desire to please the Lord kept him from doing them. Whether it was in defeating Goliath, submitting to Saul, or staying faithful to God, David walked in the anointing God had for his life.

What do you think of when you hear the word anointed or anointing?

If David was the picture of an individual who was committed to drawing nearer to God, Saul was the opposite. Time after time Saul proved to be an irrational and selfish person.

He was arrogant and trusted in himself. His insecurity shines through his consistent desire to kill David. Every day Saul sought to kill David, but God protected him.

Jonathan met with David to remind him of their mutual agreements to help and support each other. Yet David was still on the run from the crazed King Saul.

What are some of the differences between David and Saul?

How do these differences help us see a person who is sanctified and one who is not?

Story

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Because David was on track to becoming all God wanted him to be, there were certain things he could do, but he refrained. In chapter twenty-four, David had the option to manipulate and take revenge, yet he chose to refrain.

Manipulation

What is manipulation?

How do people manipulate others?

On the surface, manipulation can seem harmless, especially when we deal with someone who is selfish. But as people of God, we have to refrain from such actions.

Word got back to Saul that David was now in a place called En Gedi. En Gedi is an oasis in a dry and barren desert. It is filled with rocks and cliffs that are full of caves.

David and his men hid in the caves and it “happened” that Saul went into the cave, specifically, he went into a cave to, “attend to his needs.”

What do you think “attend to his needs” means?

Literally, he was in a vulnerable position. Unable to get away quickly, David’s men told David, now is the time, God has given him into your hands. It is time to kill and take the kingdom.

On the surface, that makes sense. How many times had Saul tried to kill David? And now Saul is unprotected. David had a choice to make, would he manipulate the situation or not?

With Saul’s robe at his feet, David secretly cut a corner of his robe. Instead of satisfaction, David was troubled by his actions.

With Saul’s robe at his feet, David secretly cut a corner of his robe

Why was David bothered?

David made it clear, it was not his place to touch God’s anointed. If the Lord kept Saul alive, how could David justify harming Saul. On the surface it seems David did a wise thing, but he was in the process of becoming more like God and manipulation had no place.

David then went to Saul and confessed his actions.

1 Samuel 24:8–9 NKJV

8 David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. 9 And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’?

Manipulative people go to everyone else and talk about their problems with other people. David did the opposite. He went to the source. He called out to Saul and asked, why do you believe the lies that I want to harm you?

Before doing that, he bowed before Saul, for he was still the rightful king. We see the contrast between one who is drawing closer to God and one who is far from God.

David was not a manipulator; Saul was.

Revenge

1 Samuel 24:10–12 NKJV

10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. 12 Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.

After numerous attempts on his life, David seemed justified in taking revenge. He could have killed Saul and many in the kingdom would have celebrated his decision. We already read everyone, including Saul, knew that David would be the next king.

Why do people take revenge?

What feelings normally follow taking revenge?

Had David taken revenge, he would not have had the following conversation with King Saul.

1 Samuel 24:16–18 NKJV

16 So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.

Saul was broken and wept. He identified that David truly was a man of God. He had ample opportunity and motive to harm Saul, yet he chose to take the high road.

Saul even admitted to David that he knew David was to be the next king. Saul was overcome with David’s love and respect. David refused to give Saul ammunition to justify his actions toward him.

Had David hurt Saul, Saul would have been justified in the eyes of Israel to kill David. Instead, David refused to stoop to Saul’s level and take revenge. He chose to do the right thing because He wanted to please the Lord.

What are some consequences in taking revenge?

Because David’s ways pleased the Lord, Saul had a chance to do the right thing, following David’s lifestyle and example.

Application

This portion of David’s life show the depths spiritual development.

In his book, A Tale of Three Kings, Gene Edwards depicts his version of David’s decision to not manipulate or get revenge on Saul:

Joab blazed back, “But now he is mad! And God is no longer with him. And David, he will yet kill you!”

This time it was David’s answer that blazed with fire.

“Better he kill me than I learn his ways. Better he kill me than I become as he is. I shall not practice the ways that cause kings to go mad. I will not throw spears, nor will I allow hatred to grow in my heart. I will not avenge. I will not destroy the Lord’s anointed. Not now. Not ever!”

David understood if he were manipulate or take revenge, he was becoming like Saul to defeat Saul. One wise man explained, “You don’t become a dragon to defeat a dragon.”

God’s allowed David to go through all he faced to take all the Saul out of him. By the time David became king, he learned from Saul’s mistakes and became a Godly king.

In our spiritual development, God wants us to walk in His sanctifying power. Though we are human by nature, He wants us to be consumed with His Spirit.

When we have chances to manipulate or take revenge, we will refrain because we should want our ways to please Him. We cannot do this alone, we need the help of the Holy Spirit.

In our walk with God there is a subtle temptation do progress backward and do things our way instead of God’s way.

What are some consequences to doing things our way?

What should we do when we give into the flesh instead of walking in the Spirit?

What can we do to avoid manipulation?

How do we refuse to take revenge?

Challenge

Pray for the Lord to help us be more like Him.

Look at your life and see if you are living a sanctified life?

Ask the Lord the to change us and make us more like Him.

When opportunities come to manipulate or take revenge, ask for the Spirit’s help.

Read 1 Samuel 25