SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
The Bible has a great deal to say about the subject of apostasy, that is, falling away from God.
The Bible has a great deal to say about the subject of apostasy, that is, falling away from God.
12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God:
17 Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.
28 But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.
5 Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah.
1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
Not only is the Bible full of verses that warn us about falling away from God we have accounts in the Bible of those who actual did fall away - some returned to God and some did not.
Not only is the Bible full of verses that warn us about falling away from God we have accounts in the Bible of those who actual did fall away - some returned to God and some did not.
The list of biblical backsliders includes names like Saul, Solomon, Amon, Rehoboam, Asa, Amaziah, Jonah, Hymenaeus, Alexander, Phygellus, Hermogenes, Demas, and David - and David?
Was David a backslider? Did David ever fall away from God?
Most of us probably don t think of the man after God s own heart as having been a backslider, yet, during one particular 16 month period of his life, prior to his becoming king of Israel, David actually got so discouraged with the way things were going in life that it appears he abandoned the Lord and the Lord s people and went a lived with the enemy.
It is the Bible’s account of that period of David's life that I want us to consider in the this lesson
It is the Bible’s account of that period of David's life that I want us to consider in the this lesson
The thoughts for our lesson will come from 1 Samuel 27-30
Since the warnings about backsliding or falling away are given by the Bible to all of God s people, as we look into this portion of Scripture, I want to encourage you to make the application of it as personal as possible
We will look at those things about David s apostasy that might be common to us at times
This portion of David s life can be divided up into five periods each of which is common ground to many instances of backsliding today
DISCUSSION
DAVID BECAME DISCOURAGED AND LOST FAITH IN THE LORD
DAVID BECAME DISCOURAGED AND LOST FAITH IN THE LORD
1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
What we are hearing in this verse are the words of a very weary man.
What we are hearing in this verse are the words of a very weary man.
The mad pursuit of David by Saul had not let up…
14 And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
...every day!
If you have been a child of God very long you can probably relate to being weary at times. The road seems long and hard at times.
Perhaps there have been times when you were so weary you actually considered giving up. That is where David is at this point.
Several things contributed to David's discouragement, and they are things that discourage us as well.
Several things contributed to David's discouragement, and they are things that discourage us as well.
First, he sought relief from his difficult situation - and his effort failed.
I refer to the incidents of David risking his life to spare Saul, once in the cave (1 Sam. 24) and again in the camp of the Israelite pursuers (1 Sam. 26).
When you’ve done all you know to do in human strength and a situation doesn’t get any better, or maybe even gets worse, it is easy to get discouraged.
Some of you may know what it is like to seemingly be locked into a circumstance that defies natural resolution
A second thing that probably contributed to David's discouragement was this: it “seemed” like God had forgotten His promise made so long ago through Samuel the prophet.
Samuel died, probably of old age, without ever seeing David become the new king.
That bygone day when David was anointed seems so long ago.
What about waiting on the Lord?
What about trusting in the Lord?
David had lost sight of those things. He was now thinking horizontally and not vertically.
This is a major cause of apostasy - losing sight of our hope in the promises of God
This is a major cause of apostasy - losing sight of our hope in the promises of God
Thus, we need encouragement…
12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:
David was discouraged and desperately needed some encouragement - all of us get that way sometimes.
Sometimes a timely word of encouragement can be the only thing that stands between us and apostasy.
The elders, the preacher, yea all members needs words of encouragement
The first phase of David s apostasy, then, was that he lost faith in the Lord.
The first phase of David s apostasy, then, was that he lost faith in the Lord.
It wasn’t that he was dabbling in some gross sin - he just lost the will to go on.
The second phase of David's apostasy followed very closely once he lost hope
HE ABANDONED THE LORD AND HIS PEOPLE AND CROSSED OVER TO THE ENEMY
HE ABANDONED THE LORD AND HIS PEOPLE AND CROSSED OVER TO THE ENEMY
2 And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
In other words, David finally gave in - he was weary of the opposition.
David decided to go where he thought Saul would not pursue him - the enemy camp.
3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
Notice, the opposition stopped when David crossed over!
Saul gave up the search.
At last David had what seemed like peace at least for the moment.
Often that is what happens in the early stages of apostasy.
When a person finally gives up or gives in, crossing over the line and abandoning hope in the Lord, there is sometimes what seems to be relief.
It is momentarily like having been swimming upstream against a swift current and then suddenly letting go and going along with the flow. It seems much easier.
On occasion I have talked with people who have left the Lord and heard them say, Things are so much easier now. No more hassle.
On occasion I have talked with people who have left the Lord and heard them say, Things are so much easier now. No more hassle.
That is probably because there is no more satanic opposition. Satan doesn’t fight for what he already has.
But don t be fooled! That relief is only temporary and we will see it in this account in David's life.
The person who lets go and goes with the flow of the current will be at the mercy of that flow, surely to be crushed in the rapids below at some later time.
Many give in to the current of false doctrine
Many give in to the current of lukewarmness which is the first step toward apostasy
They that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed (Isa. 1:28)
By the way, did you notice the effect that David’s going over to the enemy had on his men?
By the way, did you notice the effect that David’s going over to the enemy had on his men?
They went with him!
David was their leader.
His men followed him.
David shared the grave responsibility that all leaders have and need to be reminded of...
The direction of a leaders life will have a profound effect on the life of others.
It can be for good, but it can also be for bad
You cannot fall away without effecting the lives of others - spouses, children, and friends
If you are right now close to giving up and can’t think of a good reason to keep fighting think of the effect you will have on others.
This is reason enough to hang in there until you can get some help or until God comes through
David abandoned the Lord and his people and crossed over to the enemy.
David abandoned the Lord and his people and crossed over to the enemy.
DAVID ADAPTED TO LIFE WITHOUT THE LORD
DAVID ADAPTED TO LIFE WITHOUT THE LORD
Remember, David was a Hebrew - one of God s people. Because of that he would be suspect in the enemy camp.
Remember, David was a Hebrew - one of God s people. Because of that he would be suspect in the enemy camp.
In order to fit in with the Philistines he would have to make some changes, perhaps do, or appear to do, some drastic things to prove his loyalty to the enemy or rather, his disloyalty to the Israelites.
This would cause David to stoop to one of the lowest points of his entire life he began a life of deceit and violence.
5 And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
Now the reason David had for locating in the country, and away from the capitol, was not what he states here - He actually wanted to avoid detection.
Stick with me and I’ll show you why.
6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7 And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 8 And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
So David and his men began to live in Ziklag. So far this was nothing out of the ordinary for an Israelite soldier to do.
All of these “ites” were enemies of Israel anyway. Right?
But the butchery and deceit that follows was something to which David had to stoop.
9 And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel; and he returned, and came to Achish.
Now this violence was beyond anything that David had done thus far.
He killed everyone in each village he raided. Why?
10 And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid to-day? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.
David claimed that he was raiding his own people.
He wasn’t, but he wanted Achish to think that so he could stay with the Philistines. Now notice…
11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
These years of massacres would come back to haunt David as he would be forbidden to build the temple because he was a man of blood shed.
Notice the words of David in...
6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.
These words are in striking contrast to this period of David’s life
12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
Achish had full trust in David at this time.
But when you are in the enemies camp, you must ultimately do the enemy’s bidding or get out sooner or later
David would really have to fight his own people
1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their hosts together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me in the host, thou and thy men. 2 And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever.
...Is David actually planning to attack his own people?
1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the fountain which is in Jezreel. 2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.
...It looks like David is actually going to attack his own countrymen!
3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away unto me unto this day? 4 But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for wherewith should this fellow reconcile himself unto his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?
Achish s men object to David being here
Achish reluctantly sends David back to Ziklag
8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been before thee unto this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
David was objecting to being sent back!
David was at this point ready to do something he never dreamed he would do - go to war against God’s people
A person in apostasy will find himself doing things he never though he was capable of.
The human heart can be twisted and corrupted
David is now being taken down a notch at a time and the bottom was certainly in sight at this time.
DAVID REAPED THE RESULTS OF LIFE WITHOUT THE LORD
DAVID REAPED THE RESULTS OF LIFE WITHOUT THE LORD
1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the women and all that were therein, both small and great: they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way. 3 And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
Talk about hitting the bottom! All of a sudden the effects of life in the enemy camp came crashing home.
Remember, David left the land of Israel thinking that he would find some relief from the pressure.
At first it seemed that was the case.
Then, in a relatively short period of time, he is rejected by the Philistine lords, he loses his way of life, home, and family, and has yet one more blow coming.
5 And David’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
Now even David s men were against him they were speaking of stoning him!
David finds out, and we need to realize, that lasting relief from adversity does not comes in the enemy’s camp.
When you begin to think that life with the Lord and His people is too tough, and you are convinced that it would be easier in Satan s camp remember this picture of David crying his eyes out over the smoldering ruins of Ziklag.
Someone has well said, “Satan promises the best and pays the worst. He is a liar from the beginning. The foolish are deceived by him. The promised crown becomes a halter; the promised comfort a torment; the promised honor, shame; and the promised heaven a hell.”
Remember when Satan finally stripped off the wraps of his deceptive promises to the prodigal son - that son found himself in the pigpen.
When Satan stripped off the wraps of his deception with David He found himself broken, rejected, and, for all he knew widowed and bereft of family.
If Satan is promising you great things if you will just leave the Lord don t listen! He is a liar! He really wants to destroy you!
Was this end for David? No he learned his lesson…
DAVID FINALLY CAME TO HIS SENSES AND RETURNED TO THE LORD
DAVID FINALLY CAME TO HIS SENSES AND RETURNED TO THE LORD
“but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God” (1 Sam. 30:6c)
It s about time! David finally turns back to God!
Turning back to God is repentance, and that is what every backslider needs to do.
Let s imagine that we could take...
6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
and move it to the end of ...
1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
Think how things would have changed for David if he has strengthened himself in the Lord before he made this horrible decision in his life
Setback for us can be avoided if we will strengthen ourselves in the Lord
Don t give up! Get help!
7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
David begins to once again inquire of the Lord for direction something he had missed for 16 months
We need to inquire of the Lord before we head off in the wrong direction
CONCLUSION
There are several lessons to be learned from this account of David s life:
There are several lessons to be learned from this account of David s life:
When you are discouraged and despondent and feel like giving up - get help!
Don t fall for the lie that life out of the Lord s camp is easier.
If you leave the Lord, in time you will be doing things you never dreamed you would be doing back in the days you were with the Lord.
If you are in a backslidden condition now, you need to turn back to God and consult His word as to what you should do next.