Fourthstream

24 
1 Samuel 25:32-35

Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand. Nevertheless, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from harming you, unless you had come quickly to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal until the morning light as much as one male.” So David received from her hand what she had brought him and said to her, “Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to you and granted your request.”

David is an interesting kind of leader. We are given insight into both his toughness and his willingness to show kindness. Through it all David appears to want to be consistent in how he responds to God.

25 
1 Samuel 26:9-12

But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’S anointed and be without guilt?” David also said, “As the LORD lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish. The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’S anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.” So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul’s head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

David was über-careful not to usurp any of God’s delegated authority. While Saul was seeking to kill David, David was intent on sparing his life. It is interesting that “a sound sleep” came from the Lord (God of the Angel-armies). The creativity of God is really quite stunning. His measured power is apparent throughout the entire God Story.

26
1 Samuel 27:11-12

David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.” So Achish believed David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.” 

While David did not appear to search for the upper hand intentionally, he seemed to be willing to make use of any and every circumstance to achieve God’s victory. This is helpful to me as I seek a right-life in such a messed up world.

27 
1 Samuel 28:5-7

When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”

When things are intense we often find our true colors. It is so hard to wait on God – no matter what the outcome may be. This represents Saul’s sliding heart. It is so sad.

28 
1 Samuel 29:9-11

But Achish replied to David, “I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.’ Now then arise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart.” So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

It is interesting how David’s entire life was intertwined with the Philistines and their armies. From his defeat of the giant Goliath and throughout his life, the Philistines were a thorn in his side and a mechanism for God’s displayed power. And God’s favor was not lost upon King David.

29 
1 Samuel 30:16-18

When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives.

As odious as the Philistines were, the Amalekites were worse. This is hard for us to comprehend on several levels. We are all, of course, falling short of the glory of God. But there appear to be different degrees of evil. Can you see it in our world? How does it manifest itself?

30 
1 Samuel 31:1-5

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul. The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

The demise of Saul is both predicable and sad. The fact that Jonathan, David’s friend, fell with his father is interesting. Just another backstory we will be privy to in the Kingdom of Heaven. Hope you enjoyed these readings from 1 Samuel. We will begin 2nd Samuel next week!

 

17
1 Samuel 16:6-7

When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Again, we are obsessed with outward appearances. God’s world is all about our interior lives. Right words mean nothing without a right heart.

18
1 Samuel 17:36-37

Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God. And David said, The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and may the LORD be with you.

This is pure, raw, experienced courage. Can you imagine fighting with a lion? A bear? A ten foot tall soldier? Which would be worse?

19
1 Samuel 18:10-12

Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand. Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice. Now Saul was afraid of David, for the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.

Saul seems to be tormented by spiritual influence. Evil spirits have existed since before the creation of Adam and Eve. They are experienced in evil – and in playing off human weakness.

20
1 Samuel 21:10-15

Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath. But the servants of Achish said to him, is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands? David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this one to act the madman in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?

David was brave but he was also shrewd. He knew when to walk to the battle lines, and he knew when pretend to be mad. David was a survivor.

21
1 Samuel 22:1-2

So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.

It is interesting that David attracted misfits. Misfits were his companions through much of his kingship. Interesting.

22
1 Samuel 23:1-5

Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors. So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah. But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines? Then David inquired of the LORD once more. And the LORD answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand. So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.

David appears to have a need to consult God before he acts. His attention to reliance is a huge part of his success in life – and in his life as king.

23
1 Samuel 24:8-12

Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, Behold, David seeks to harm you? Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’S anointed. Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it. May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

David could have whacked Saul a number of times. Saul certainly deserved it. But David feared crossing God, even though his personal interests were probably best served by Saul’s demise. Interesting.