First Samuel chapter 25. Let's meet there together.
Now before we begin reading, scan through the chapter, it
looks like a pretty lengthy. One does not.
So you know what that means. We are not going to be covering
all of this and this night, but we are going to take our time,
and we are going to cover a good portion of it nonetheless.
I would like for us to actually pray one more time just before
we explore these verses. Lord, we thank you for Gathering
Us in this place. We ask that you would bless this
time of study as we as a family come before your word.
Lord, we ask that you would touch our hearts arrest everyone
during thought Lord calm. Our emotions.
Help us receive the food that you have prepared for us at your
table, where we pray that you would assist us in the
communication of your word and the understanding of your word
and more importantly, in the application of these truths in
our lives. Just as a result of this study
tonight, father, have your way in us and through us for the
glory of your son's name. We ask these things in his name.
The living name, they're the reigning name.
And the name that every knee will bow to.
At the end of it. All in Jesus name we pray.
Amen. Our Study last last week.
Concluded with a surprising encounter between David and
King, Saul these two, men after a long while have finally met.
And in that scene, we saw a stirring, a stirring moment
where this King was obviously shook with conviction and
displayed, a visible Brokenness and even confessed, his sin out
loud and admitted that he was evil in comparison to.
Righteousness, displayed through David.
And when I when I read that and when you read that, when we
learned what we saw there, we saw a man.
And David handled this confrontation, which such Grace
With such wisdom in a way that made him look like a bigger
giant than Goliath. This man towered over the
sinfulness of another with compassion with respect with
honor and with love and as Saul stood in the shadow of a man's
righteousness. We believe that he actually even
repented. Because at the end there, the
last verse of the previous chapter, he chooses to go back
home. And it seems like this Manhunt
is put to a halt for good and it begs.
The question as we concluded the last chapter, is this done.
Now, is this finally over? That's all finally surrender.
The future of the Kingdom to God, Sovereign selection.
And to us who are not familiar with the larger story, if we're
just following as we go and learning as we go we might
think. Yeah, it looks like it
especially as we come to this chapter because as we read
through chapter 25, you and I are not going to see a struggle
between David and Saul. We're going to see David facing
a new challenge. We're going to see David.
Being confronted by another enemy and we would think that
once this enemy and saw was put away that it would be just a
wonderful Journey to the throne but oh no another one rears its
ugly head and harasses this man of God.
But before we come to this never-before-seen character and
the different players in this chapter that will shape David's
future you. And I are now reintroduced to
somebody that we studied Since the beginning of this book, but
we haven't seen for a long time and it's in verse 1.
Now, Samuel died and all Israel assembled and mourn for him and
they buried him in his house, a trauma.
This story, this exhilarating Journey to the throne was
abruptly. Interrupted by the sudden news
of Samuels death. It was unforeseen.
The last thing that we really saw of Samuel was that he was
old in age, David fled to him for some relief.
After Saul began his Conquest against him.
And then now, this Prophet who the nation says, you're getting
old. And they use as an excuse to get
a king for. Their people has finally
departed from this world and entered into the next.
Now, think about this in light of David's life, Samuel Shirley
was close to David, he played a supporting role.
I mean, he was there from the beginning of this whole story
concerning his Anointing and his calling, he was even a source of
relief and strength. Because when, when Saul came to
attack him initially, he flees first to Samuel and he explains
everything, and I'm sure samyaza man of God.
Just instructed him and encourage them, and rehearse,
the promises of God over him. But now this this man is gone.
This man is gone out of pivotal time in Israel's history and we
can imagine what this made David feel like and if he's not
Watchful. He could he can end up in panic.
He can end up now. Almost realizing, what else am I
going to do? Who else here is for me?
And we would hope and said that, he would be more reliant on the
one who never dies. Who can't die and the one who
never sleeps for that matter. And we should be encouraged
that. We don't know what swirling and
David's mind. Then in the second part of verse
1 we see us a certain posture. That is encouraging, then David
Rose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran then David
Rose. That's that's that's a good
thing. David was able to get up and
David was able to move on Because no matter what this did
to his heart, no matter what kind of discouragement as
inconvenient of samuells death might have been this man knew, I
still have a Ministry to fulfill, I still have a purpose
to accomplish. God still has a purpose for me.
I still have my life to glorify him and what a wonderful
illustration of how to deal with unexpected sorrow in our lives.
Because the sorrow that we experience in life, whether it's
the grief intentionally caused by other people, because they
are sinful, just like you. And I, and if we're not
restrained, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we were capable of
such great evil. Even to the closest ones to us,
whether it's the intentional pain caused by others or it is
the, the grief that we experience because of the
consequences of sin in the world IE death, none of that should
ever ever determine our devotion to the It should not influence
our steadfast this, to God. Our love to him, our service to
him. Should never be altered.
Even though our life might receive a shock that would alter
the direction of it. It's amazing.
How sorrow can determine our spiritual disciplines.
It's amazing how we can be influenced by the emotional pain
of a loss. Or of disappointment, I brought
this up, many many, many months ago, but let me bring it fresh
to our memories. Do you know why?
Peter, and the two others fell asleep in the garden?
While Jesus was sweating blood, praying to the father people say
because it was late at night. No, Luke tells us that their
eyes were heavy because of what Who knows?
So yeah. If you know sorrow.
Sorrow. It was the what they heard in
John 13 to John 16, all the things about Jesus departing and
all these things. I just mess with their minds.
They didn't understand how it all fit with him being the
Messiah and the sorrow of that crippled them.
And it caused them not to pray and not to be ready to withstand
The Temptations. That would come through the
Betrayal of Jesus Christ. You and I have to be extremely
careful of how we manage the things in life that disappoint
us or grieve us. This man was able to get up and
move forward and he did just that, but it's worth also
mentioning not just the response of David, but the reaction of
the nation. What do we read here in verse 1
and all Israel assembled and mourn.
For this is not an ordinary funeral.
This was like a Statewide event everybody from around the
country. Came to pay homage to this man.
And, and what's disappointing about this verse as much as it
looks honorable and respectful, what's this?
Urging is the fact that the same people that are showing such
respect in his death, were the same people that were very slow
to honor this man's counsel and instruction during his ministry.
I mean when he try to restrain them from asking for a King when
he warned and they could care less the apostasy that this
respect and I think it speaks of a pattern among the people of
God, the people of God have this weird habit, Of showing respect
to Servants of God, when it's too late.
You know, there are many people today that right about these men
of God that have shook history and have influence the
advancement of the gospel. And I believe, when these people
talk about these men and write about these men and have
conferences about these men, these performers and all these
other people. Here's what I believe.
Most of these men that would applaud them.
Now, probably would have criticized them in their
lifetime. And Jesus pointed out that same
hypocrisy with the Pharisees because they were persecuting
him. But at the same time, there were
adorning the, the tombs of the prophets of old.
These are you kidding me? You you just you're not
understanding this. It's a very sad picture that we
see here but I think on a practical note when I read
something like this in light of how they're inconsistent, if you
look at it on a personal level, I think how we can apply it as
this that we should not hesitate to show our appreciation to
those who have been a blessing to us in Christ and we should
not be slow to show that sense of honor and love to those who
Advance the kingdom of God. Who have contributed to our
nourishment spiritually? Let me put it this way.
Expressing honor shouldn't be a practice, only at funerals.
We should be those who know how to respect and love and
appreciate those who are blessing while it counts.
And I think we see something here that is true of people
today. David Rose.
But look at verse 2 and there was a man and my own whose
business was in Carmel. The man was very rich, he had
3,000 sheep and a thousand goats, he was shearing his
sheep. And caramel.
Now, the name of the man was nabal and the name of his wife,
Abigail the woman was Discerning and beautiful but the man was
harsh and badly, behaved he was a kilobyte We are now introduced
to this man. This man that David is going to
be challenged by and the Lord found it necessary to provide a
certain details about him and it would do us some good to pause
and reflect how these things can be.
Applied, these specific insights about this man that ball So,
look at those two verses and tell me some things that stand
out to you concerning him. Okay, very good.
So we see here that he was a descendant of Caleb and we're
going to get to that in a moment.
That's an important highlight clearly.
The Bible mentions, it for a reason.
He's a descendant of that, great hero of Israel.
Caleb will get to that. Any other observations about
this man? He's rich.
Not just Rich very rich. Anything else?
Very good observation. Abigail doesn't seem to reflect
the same attitude and character as her husband.
And I think that's sufficient observations for us to consider
first. The man was not just Rich very,
very wealthy and riches. And abundance are not a bad
thing in itself, but the purpose of this being brought up is that
we should compare and contrast, what he owned to the lack that
is found in his character. Because what do we told here?
He was harsh and badly behaved and there are many people today
as you know, who are rich and possessions, but are spiritually
bankrupt at the same time, their identity orbits around what they
have the experiences that they can purchase.
And yet at the same time, they are poor toward God.
Everything about their existence resolves and revolves around
what they can touch and feel. And what what Produces in terms
of surface level enjoyment and that's a sad thing.
Let me tell you this a person like Mabel is a miserable
person. I don't care what he's or
pleasure, they have access to what good is it to have an
abundance of resources while your soul rots?
And I would say the same two fathers who Focus so much on
their business. While their children are being
neglected, and they become Wayward, and Rebellion
rebellious, and sinful and all these things.
We put so much attention on what we can have and what we can do
while so much that really matters around us dies and
Withers away. This man did not have the
character of his ancestor, Caleb that we're going to look at in a
moment. He was a Kayla B, who is Caleb?
Give me a summary of who Caleb is.
How does he stand out in history and Israel's history?
Very good. He was one of the twelve.
But he's in a very, very important.
One of the twelve, he is one of not just 12, but the to who's
the other man, very good who brought a positive report, had a
faithful outlook on, Conquering the promised land.
And so this man Caleb was a champion and Faith.
He demonstrated, and he stood out from the nation concerning
trusting, God and Holiness and holy following the Lord.
And what's interesting? Is that the Holy Spirit goes out
of his way to tell us that nabal had this kind of Heritage, this
is who he was connected to. And yet enabled chose to stand
out in a different way. He chose to stand out as one who
was a fool Who is a fool who did not walk in the ways of the
example of his own family line, which is a sad thing, which is a
reminder that parents as much as we have great promises.
That if we apply the principles of God's word to our children,
they still have a decision to make on their own.
Mother and father, you are not their savior, you evangelize
your children and you leave the saving work to Jesus Christ.
The descendants of our own will have to make their own decision
to follow Christ or not. And unfortunately, this man down
the line, chose to love money over the god of Israel, but
there's another reason why Caleb is mentioned from which tribe is
Caleb from? That's Joshua.
Caleb is from a different tribe. Good.
Caleb, according to numbers, 13, is from the tribe of Judah.
Why is that important in light of David's story?
Where is David from? Very good.
And so we expect, by reading this up to this point that,
because in the balls from the same tribe is from the closest
Kindred to David that he's going to treat him in a favorable way
that he's going to come to his support.
That their relationship is going to be built.
But in fact, quite the opposite is actually going to happen.
Which is a prophetic picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, that his
very own despise them and treated him as though he was an
enemy as David approaches the scene just as Christ came to his
own. We are going to see Despicable
response and reaction to this faithful man as it was toward
Christ himself. Lastly, the detail every detail
that was brought up is exactly what we want to touch on.
We're told about something else concerning table, and it's not
about him directly, but about his wife and we would think that
Abigail her, to be this man's wife would reflect the kind of
the same character. But to our surprise, we are
actually told that she is beautiful and appearance and she
is Discerning or she has good understanding.
There are few times in the Bible that the biblical writers, go
out of the way to speak about both men and women.
But mainly women about their appearance and calling them
beautiful. Could you name some Sarah.
Yes, told she was beautiful. She was beautiful in her in her
70s 80s, and 90s. I mean, Abraham was worried that
even in that point of her life, men would kill him to take her.
Imagine how she looked Sarah. Anything else, Rachel?
Yes. Tamar Bathsheba very good.
Yes. Yeah, sure.
I mean will not specifically told me he had a thousand so I'm
sure one of them look good. The daughters of job, Esther.
And when you look at these mentions of how they're called
Beautiful there, either, we're either told that they were
beautiful, very beautiful or beautiful and form and an
appearance. This is where Abigail stands
out. There is a unique combination
concerning her and it's that she was not just beautiful but that
she had discernment. You won't find that combination
unless, you know, of someone that I don't, you won't find
that combination given to a woman.
Apart from this one. And that's a wonderful thing
because it speaks about an inner beauty and an outer beauty.
She had both and that's, that's a great thing.
Because oftentimes when somebody knows that they are beautiful or
handsome, the Temptation there is that they neglect allowing
the Holy Spirit to Chisel. The inner Inner Man to reflect
Christ. They see the advantages that
they can have just from their appearance and and they get
caught up in that and that becomes pride and all this other
mess. But this woman was the opposite.
She realized that there was a need if not more of a need to
focus on the Judy that is inward than outward.
And I think that's very, very important to consider because I
would not encourage you to neglect your outward appearance.
I wouldn't but I would encourage you at the same time that if
you're going to put your energy anywhere else, more than that,
it should be. The thing that is hidden and
it's not very hidden actually. Because I want to tell you this,
that inner beauty can either Adorn your attractiveness or it
can Eclipse it It can. And there is something about the
character, the inner person because this all fades gravity
will have its way, the curse of death will have its way, every
one of us are dying. We're all decaying.
It's going to come to a point where you're not going to look
unless you're someone like Sarah, you're not you're not
going to look like you did in your 20s and 30s but there's
something that outshines all of that and it's the inner person,
it's the hidden part of Who We Are.
And outward countenance doesn't offer much in a relationship
when there's trials and tests and Temptation.
In fact, very beautiful people become very ugly in the wrong
circumstances. But very people that might not
have the most likes and the most shares on their pictures can
become gorgeous. When that inner person shines
because I'm telling you talk to anybody, long enough who has a
conviction of the word of God and who's in a relationship in a
long-term marriage. They'll tell you, what really
matters when you enter into a relationship, I'm not dismissing
being attracted. You should be God wired as that
way, but I love how the fact that the Bible highlights that
there is an inner and an outer beauty.
Here, there is character. Not just countenance.
Begs the question, doesn't it? How does a gal, like, Abigail be
married to a belligerent fool? Like Mabel.
The Bible isn't clear, so we can't have a dogmatic answer to
it. And some would say that she she
was forced into it. It was an arranged marriage.
So she just had to live with this man apart from her choice.
And she she stood her ground and she remain as a God-fearing
woman. Some would say that she's
Discerning now. But maybe in times past she was
foolish. He entered into the wrong
relationship and that understanding developed over
time. That could be true as well.
Regardless of what it is you and I should look at this as an
illustration as a lesson. In a day in which you have the
choice to say, yes or no, to a potential spouse in.
Here's, here's what we should learn from it.
That we should be extremely mindful of the qualities that
would attract us in a person. Because whatever qualities
attract us to a person. Those same qualities will
attract certain realities in our lives.
That makes sense, whatever, whatever draws me to a person,
those same things will draw certain realities into my life.
so some would say that Abigail did have a choice, And she chose
to marry this man in order to have a secure future, she made a
good choice. The guy was filthy rich.
He got 3,000 sheep a thousand goats.
I don't know what that means to you now, but back then I meant a
lot. This wasn't just a safe life.
This was an access to a luxurious life.
And some would say I'm willing to put up with navels, rude,
attitude, and his insensitivity to the things of God, because
I'm safer with a man like this. And that would be a wrong
assessment. That would be a wrong reason to
be wedded to somebody because as much as the comfort that this
man had to offer to his wife and two others.
Look, what else was invited into Abigail's life as you come to
verse 17. This is after David is fed up
with Nepal. And one of the house servants
comes to Abigail to warn of the imminent, threat that David and
his men caused verse 17. Now therefore, this is the man
speaking to Abigail now therefore know this and consider
what you should do. For harm is determined against
our master and against all his house and he is such a worthless
man, that no one can speak to him.
You see that? And against all his house, no
matter what kind of comfort, or Leisure, this man, could offer
because of his wealth with all those riches, he also invited
danger to him. And to the ones that he loved,
because he lacked the characteristics.
That was found in his ancestor. Caleb for example and I want to
tell you today that you have many Believers that are making
decisions to be partnered with the wrong persons.
They ignore the warnings of the scripture.
They are, they're moved by the passions of their flesh.
They prioritize with the Bible says not to prioritize to look
for in a spouse and because of that, they invite harm into
their future home, more than good.
And those threats are not immediately recognized because
we think that we possess a greater wisdom than God, we
enter into something for life. And you find yourselves in
situations that could have been avoided.
If you just trust what God said to look for in person that you
would link with forever and ever speaking to many young people in
here who are praying and waiting and getting to know other
people, make sure they fit the criteria of what a man or a
woman of God is, they may not be perfect.
I'm not saying you have to look for somebody who who is
absolutely Immaculate. What I am saying is we're is
their heart, do they fear God? Do they love God, that they
submit to the word of God? I d.
So what happens here is inverse for after?
We're told of a description, concerning this man, David heard
in the wilderness that Nepal was shearing his sheep.
So David sent tongue 10 young men, And David said to the young
men, go off to caramel and go to Nepal and greet him in my name
and thus, you shall greet him. Peace.
Be to you and peace, be to your house and peace, be to all that
you have. I hear that.
You have shears. Now your Shepherds have been
with us and we did them no harm and they miss nothing all the
time. They were in Carmel, ask your
young men and they will tell you, therefore, let my young men
find favor in your eyes for we come on a feast day, please give
whatever you. Have at hand to your servants
and to your son. David, here's what's happening.
It's obvious that David performs some kind of service for Nepal.
And so he sends his Messengers to go to this affluent,
businessman to ask for some kind of compensation, because it was
very common in this time that those who had flocks and crops
would be rated against by, neighboring Nations and people
groups. And because there's a lack of
protection, they would ransack them and they would strip them
to the Bone. And so, what David does as he is
traveling through the Wilderness, he sees this man who
had thousands of animals and he chose with his men to become a
wall to protect and essentially, they are putting their life at
risk for this stranger. And so, when it came to the time
for these sheep to be sheared, David asks, for some assistance,
he asked for some compensation, for his service from the bomb.
Now I would kind of seem odd for David to do this because there
was no prior agreement between Him and the ball to do this is
so it seems a little awkward. You're kind of asking for
something that was not even asked of you to begin with.
But I think we can we can we can understand it this way.
Remember David? And his men were fugitives and
they were looking for anybody to help alleviate their suffering
at this time. And so he approaches this man
who was from his tribe and he asked for help but instead of
being like a mooching beggar, he first helps him and he says
look, we need some, we need some help, whatever you have to give
to us. But I want to tell you, we're
not just here to beg from you for no reason.
We actually helped you, we protected your animals, we
protected your property. Can you find it in your heart?
To help me and my men? So that seems fine that seems
reasonable. That seems like a very, very
reasonable thing to ask for. But what's also important verse
4 is that he comes at the time when there is shearing sheep.
Look, there's no accident with that.
David is a very sensitive person as a shepherd.
He knows that the time of the, the shearing of the sheep was
like the Harvest Time for the crops.
It was a time when you gathered things in, it was a time when
you not only celebrated what God provided for you, but in that
celebration, you would actually even be more generous, you would
give things out to others. And so, David came at a very
Important time, you didn't come at a time, that would have been
strenuous. It would have been awkward, it
would have been inconvenient from the ball.
He came at the time would have been most easiest from about to
be a generous individual, that makes sense so far, okay?
What's the point? That we just read 3445 versus
how does this script? How is that relevant to my life?
And we would say it has historical value, has a
beautiful sequence to the story, but again, I want to read and I
want to say Lord, why are you why are you telling me all these
details? You could have skipped through
all of that. Just gone straight to the point.
And I believe in part, one of the reasons is because we see
here an illustrative example of the wisdom that we should
possess as Christians in life. Christianity is a very practical
thing. God is interested in influencing
every part of our Lives, even the interactions that we have in
society. If you don't believe that, if
you think some spirituality, some Mystic thing that's
irrelevant to what you would call secular life, then you're
in trouble. But I look at this and I see, I
see a man here who was very mindful of another and who
approached him in a very wise way.
Because as Christians, Listen as Christians, you and I are
ambassadors of Jesus Christ and we are called to act and
interact. A way that would make our
testimony all the more attractive and more receptive.
Many people who hunger for Spiritual things, limit that to
their study of the Bible, for some exhilarating connections
between versus, oh, this is breathtaking.
How you put these things together, or they spend a time
trying to demystify hard to understand doctrines and my
question is that's wonderful. But are you asking how this
influences my Living. Because if you're not, then
doesn't matter how much you've discovered.
It's not going to prove fruitful in your life.
Let me say this and I don't mean to be, I don't mean to be harsh.
When I say it is true that many people lack simple, social
skills, it's true and they don't see how this this book should
impress and mold and shape your character and your conversation
and your reactions. That's what God is interested in
doing. He wants to mold us in a certain
way. And even one of the the reasons
why God has given us his word among the many reasons.
Yes, for salvation. Yes to know, God.
Yes. To all these great things that
are vertical. Here's one verse that made an
impression on me in Psalm 19:7. You don't have to turn.
There says that the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the
simple Making wise the simple. What's a simple person because
somebody tell me what is simple or who simple person is?
A simple person isn't like a person who's minimalistic,
that's not simple. Okay.
A simple person is a naive person.
A simple person is a person who likes his judgment, who lacks
experience, who lacks knowing what to do in certain
situations, a simple person is a gullible person.
They believe everything that they here.
It's a person that doesn't understand the surroundings and
so they are unfiltered with their words and their actions in
a way that makes others look unfavorably on them.
Being simple is not a good thing and the Bible proust us that God
wants to Deliver Us from that. Immaturity for the sake of what
our testimony, our testimony. And you know, the main method in
which a person is saved from being a simple minded person.
The word of God. The word of God.
There is an impression, There's A discipleship that happens not
just by didactic literature do this, don't do this.
But even through examples in this like this, look at, look at
the way this man carries himself and conducts himself, and then
you filter that appropriately and there should be some
practical impression that is made from the word of God.
And if we're not careful in doing that, we can actually do
harm to our testimony. Now I've been told this over the
years, periodically, I don't know if it's true.
I hope it's not true. I really hope it's not true
because when I heard it I got Angry.
When I first heard it then I was told a second time and a third
time and I said, is this really a thing and maybe I got to do
some research on it. I was told once that the most
dreaded day of the week, For waiters and waitresses at
restaurants, guess what day it is.
Sunday afternoon. Sunday afternoon.
Why? Because you have hordes of
cranky Christians, who didn't eat breakfast that morning, who
sat in a to our service storm into places and they make rude
demands. And then they only leave that
place with a mess and little tip.
And I was told that waiter, they just they clench their teeth.
Because these churchgoers come in and they and I'll look, I'll
be honest, I've been over the years, I've been in some
settings where I saw that for myself so that's why when I
heard him like that might be true.
If that is true, what kind of testimony are we leaving to the
world? You see what I'm saying?
Like, we got to get really practical here and not just
limit our spirituality to how much Bible you acquire.
Like interactions with people like if, when I heard that I
said Sunday afternoon should be the most look for today for
waiters and waitresses. Because Believers coming to come
up with an attitude, they come in with a Spirit-filled
Radiance, that's what it should be.
And when I heard that I was like, that is so disappointing.
That is so discouraging. And David here, why I bring this
up is showing that kind of sensitivity.
He knows the timing of went when to come.
He knows how to articulate himself, he knows how to make a
request without being a burden. Do you see this?
I hope this makes sense. I know it's not like deep
theology. Wow, you've but who cares about
that if people hate us on Sunday afternoon, do you see what I'm
saying? This man to some degree at this
time. She causes be like, look at the
way he's speaking. Look at the way he is
approaching. And we should look that
throughout the especially your lord and savior.
When you read, Jesus, do you see how he interacts with people?
Or are you just trying to memorize the?
I am statements of him being the bread of life in the light of
the world. And that's great too.
We should know that as well. But look at the example, he
said, follow me, follow me. And I look at the Lord and I see
the recorded things in there that the holy spirit that is
necessary and sufficient for my development, my godliness.
And I look at my savior and I say, look at look how the Lord
spoke to his brothers, look how the Lord spoke to his enemies.
Look at the Lord, spoke about money.
Look how the Lord spoke I want to, I want to follow him.
It's very rare in Bible study say today we want to figure out
the mysteries of sovereignty and Free Will and that's great.
But God is extremely practical. But as much as we want to look
at practicality, we should look at the prophetic elements of
things. Now you you heard verse 4 and
verse 8 is there any kind of Illustration concerning David's
future, son? The Son of God himself when I
read that, I look at this and I see something of prophetic.
Prophetic implication. The David initiate, the good or
the the ball, and him come to an agreement.
First Now he initiated the good and what I see here is that
Jesus did the same. Christ did not wait for us to
ask him to help us Christ. Did not wait for us to beg him
or to make it Christ moved in and Christ made away while we
were yet enemies. While we were steeped in our
sin, while we were lost in our Darkness, Christ came.
And his perfect love and is perfect wisdom.
He died. And he provided a way to invite
us to know his goodness and to know his salvation and you know,
what Christ does now he sends Messengers like David did Of
what he had done. Especially to those who are
unaware, like Nepal was unaware of what David had done for him.
To those unreached people groups.
Do we send out people to say, do you know what Jesus did for you
and upon Christ initial advancement of his love and his
kindness. Does he then make claim Upon Our
Lives? He invites us into a
relationship with him, just like David.
I did this for you. Now, this is what I ask of you.
I died on the cross and I made a way.
Now you must repent and believe. And so I see your wonderful
little snippet of a gospel truth.
He first loved us before we loved him or anybody else.
He first loved us, David first made the move, David sent
Messengers to the bow who was unaware of what David had done
and it was up to the ball to make a response and what he was
going to do based on this great kindness.
So what does he do? Look at verse 9.
When David's young men came, they said all this than the ball
and the name of David and they waited and the ball answered
David's servants. Who is David?
Who is this son of Jesse? There are many servants these
days who are breaking away from their masters, shall I take my
bread and my water and my meat that I've killed for my shears
and give it to Men Who come from.
I don't know where Wonderful. We read here.
So David's young men turned and came back and told him all this.
This is concerning. This is disturbing because how
the ball response to all of this.
Is very familiar to a man that we thought David dealt with once
and for. All right.
First, he pretends, that he doesn't know who he is.
Who is David? Then he goes on to say, who is
this son of Jesse? So clearly, you know, who the
guy is, Who is David? Who is this?
Son of Jesse sounds familiar. Yeah, that was salt.
Favorite way of referring to his enemy as son of Jesse.
And I look at this and it's quite humorous because we
thought that, even though the presence of saw was dealt with
and was not an immediate threat, the spirit of Salah is alive and
well, here gonna go very far without the same attitude facing
you on David. Who is this?
Son of Jesse? And the ball goes further than
that. It doesn't just degrade his
lineage and his humble beginnings.
He goes on to even say there are many servants breaking away from
their masters. What does that sound like?
The guys are Rebel. The guys causing trouble for his
boss guys running around. So he's even aware of the the
conflict between Saul and David and he puts all the blame on
David when David showed unusual loyalty to an undeserving
Master. This is what we would call
slander. Look at this kid running around
and causing trouble breaking away from his master.
We should be staying faithful to him.
If you only knew what he did for his master.
And so he's just heaping insult upon insult upon insult and it
reflects again, the attitude of those concerning Jesus Christ.
Then all the good that he had done for them.
While walking this Earth they say they were still able to
accuse him, spit on him ridicule, him tarnish him.
If you think that's bad, it gets worse.
Look at verse 11, shall I take my bread and my water and my
meat that I have killed for my shears and give it to The Men
Who come from. I don't know where this looks
like just more disrespect but it's more serious than that.
It's actually more severe than that.
Actually, it's wrath provoking concerning God because although
this seems like just being disrespectful to an undeserving
person, he's actually breaking two Commandments coded in the
law. And the Bible is actually
breaking God's word directly. By doing what he's doing here.
Is anybody familiar? I'll give you a hint.
Both of the laws are found in the book of Deuteronomy.
They don't, they're not part of the Ten Commandments.
Does anybody know what in the ball do is doing here?
Violating, which scriptures. Cal show you one, go to
Deuteronomy chapter 8. This is why we need to know the
law of God as we read narratives because it connects and it will
show the severity of this man sinned.
In this chapter, this whole chapter, if you remember in
Deuteronomy this whole chapter is dedicated to instructing the
people of God. To never forget the Lord
especially in their prosperity as they prepared to go into the
land of promise. God call them.
Don't You Dare Forget Me the source of your wealth.
The reason for your Prosperity Don't You?
Dare Forget Me and I think this is very applicable to Christians
in the west were very ambitious for promotion in life.
Look what he says here in verse 17, beware lest you say in your
heart, my power, and the might of my hand have gotten me this
wealth, you shall remember the Lord your God for it.
Is he who gives you power to get wealth that he may confirm his
Covenant that he swore to your father's as it is this day.
Now go back to what he has said. And 1st Samuel 25, what
reoccurring little word appears over and over again. and in
verse 11, what's the word my My bread, my water, my meet, my
shears. And this man goes in direct
contradiction to what the Lord warned his own people about when
they would become prosperous in the land of promise.
Don't say my don't do that. Don't you dare do that.
Because look, he doesn't just say, I am the reason why you
have your wife, he goes. I'm the reason why you have the
power to get your wealth, even the energy to wake up early in
the mind to think about the strategies and the deals that
you make, that comes from me. And when you fail to acknowledge
me, give thanks to me. Walk with me in your success,
you are robbing me of my glory. And that is no small offense in
the eyes of God. My my my Where's God?
I couldn't help, but compare this to Jacobs reaction after he
become very fruitful and his possessions and in his
offspring, he's about to face, Esau, he doesn't know what to
expect. So what he does is he sends
waves of people to help trying to ease, whatever wrath.
He has, so that by the time, he succumbs to Jacob, he would be
subdued to some degree. Because, remember, when Jacob
was told, go to your go to my brother's Land, by his mother go
to your uncle's place. She said, I will come to you
when your brother's wrath have subsided.
I did remember that I'll get news to you when he's not angry
anymore. So, just go for now and guess
what? She never brings news to him.
So the what Jacob is left with mom?
Never send me a message and emailed that Esau is calm down.
And as he's trying to go back, home news comes to me sauce,
coming with a few hundred of his boys.
So he sends wave after wave of people and gifts to present him.
So by the time he gets to Jacob, he's kind of he's more calm and
then he says, what's all this stuff?
When he finally meets him face-to-face and I love what
Jacob says you don't have to turn there, just listen to his
words in Genesis 33 11 he says here please accept my blessing.
That is brought to you because God has dealt graciously with
me. You see the difference?
God has dealt graciously with me.
This is all God my children, my possessions, my animals.
It's all from the Lord God has been gracious to me.
You know, there are many people who say that I asked them about
their business or whatever. God has been good to me.
That's wonderful. God has been good to me.
God has dealt graciously with me, but this is not the only sin
that enables committed. Enabling the bomb.
Go back to verse 11. And what does he say?
This is my my my so his attitude is a sin but his lack of action
is a sin as well. His lack of action is a sin as
well and it's back in Deuteronomy, not in chapter 8
but in chapter 15. Look at look how clear this
instruction is in chapter 15 of Deuteronomy. and verse 7, But
with the Lord speaks and Deuteronomy, 15 verse 7, if
among you, one of your brother's should become poor and any of
your towns within your land that the Lord, your God is giving
you, you shall not Harden your heart or shut your hand against
your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend
them sufficient for his need, whatever it may be, he can't get
any more clear than that. If there is anybody who is
supposed to have an open hand to his brother, it was a man from
the same tribe as David, who is in a condition outside of his
control. If Nepal had an ounce of the
fear of the Lord, if you really knew his word he would have
known that. He shouldn't have said, my my my
my my and notice the attitude, the perception, determine the
action. Because he said my my my my his
hands were closed but when you know it's God you're much more
generous person because it's not your own to begin.
With why don't? Why would I withhold something
that belongs to God. Anyway, so here it is.
But see that's that's what pride has pride is the fruit of
failing to recognize God's gracious.
Enablement in your success. Pride is the fruit of a failure
to acknowledge God's gracious, enablement in your success.
And it is the arrogance that blossoms because of how we view
our accomplishments in our own lives in the lives of others.
when you fail to see God and His gracious empowerment in your
life, for the most menial things, even we make more room
for arrogance to be a reality, in our hearts, my, my, my And
because of that Pride. Any help was choked any any
attempt to even extend Mercy was suffocated.
So the attitude precedes, the action, how you perceive things
will determine how you behave and act and move and plan.
So don't don't deal with the fruit deal.
With the root deal, with the root and let the fruit Blossom.
Naturally, when you have a heart that is convinced that God is
the one who is in control of all things.
So he says, I'm a can help to even if David didn't help him
with the flock, even if David didn't become his bodyguard for
quite a long time. Nepal was under Divine
obligation to help his brother just because the word of God
said. So but this man didn't fear the
lord and these sins because he failed to see the reason for his
wealth. And he failed to be responsible
with his wealth. The sins are going to lead to a
grievous consequence, as we're going to see the end of the
chapter. Let's come back to verse 12 as
we close. Unless you want to finish, but
we'll be here till very late. Deuteronomy, excuse me.
First Samuel, 25. Now what happens is, the news
comes back to these men. And they reach David and now,
here's what we're thinking, before we come to David's
reaction, we're thinking surely our hero David David, the same
man who would not even give to the suggestions of his own to
kill Saul will easily dismiss the comments of a stranger.
Is that the case verse 13? And David said to his men, every
man strapped on his sword and every man of them strapped on
his sword, David also strapped on his sword and about four
hundred men went up after David, while 200, remain with the
baggage, Is this the same David? I mean, just a few verses ago,
he was in a cave and the man that has been hunting, his life
was right before him like a Sitting Duck.
And his men were saying this is God, get rid of him will live
life in a new way, do it. And he refused to kill them.
He left Vengeance and God's hand.
And here's this guy named the ball who sends Messengers to
make some rude comments and he goes load him up, boys.
And you re later on he's not just coming after Annabelle.
He's coming after his entire household.
He goes if even one person survives I'm coming after every
person that breathes in that place, what happened?
It's just been a few verses. You have such a triumphal
victory over this temptation just a few hours ago to our
understanding last week. It might have been days or weeks
and now all for a sudden you want to do what we praise.
You not to do in our last study. It seems inconsistent.
But again, welcome to a humbling reflection of the human nature,
especially those who understand the will and the word of God.
What do I mean by that? We all fall short in many ways.
And I think one of the ways that we fall short but we don't like
to admit it is that for some reason we like to exercise the
fruit of the spirit towards some over others, For some reason, we
are more willing to be more self-controlled towards some and
in towards others there is less of that manifestation of the
grace and the rest of the fruit of the spirit that we see in
Galatians 5. Why?
I don't know. I don't really know what it is.
And it's a strange thing indeed. But it's a reality nonetheless
and it's worth addressing. Why is it like, maybe you're not
convinced? Let me say, let me say this way.
Have you ever noticed maybe when you're a younger especially you
are much more willing to be generous and patient with your
friends more than your siblings. Spouses are much more willing to
forgive their husband, or their wife or less willing to forgive,
but when it comes to somebody, in the church, they're much more
willing to be merciful and compassionate, and
communicative. No, maybe just me.
Why do we exercise so much more tenderness towards people that
we don't live with? But when it comes to our own
household we are so easily engaged in word Wars.
You see what I'm saying? For some in some circumstances,
with different people we can look, we can look really, really
good. And we can even feel the
strength to actually look like Jesus, but in, in other
situations, we give in so easily, especially with certain
people. I don't want to prove to you how
some who say, well I just I have an anger problem, brother.
I can't control myself. I can prove it that, you can
control it more than, you know, because as you're barking at,
whoever it is that you're barking at home.
How would you act when the pastor shows up at the door and
knocks unannounced, that anger is going to go away real quick?
When you answer that door, I have a hunch.
And so, it's really a picture of how we are able to know to just
exercise this thing in some settings, better than others.
And it's, it's, it's a part of our fallen human nature and we
fall short. But I don't want us to ever be
satisfied by being able to point where we're Victoria's in some
areas and not in all areas, because that's what we should
strive for as Believers in Jesus Christ.
Because the most effective testimony is the one that is
consistent in every context. This was convicting to me.
Because I couldn't help but think about the men of David as
they saw him. Give the instructions within a
moment's time to strap their swords.
But just few moments ago, he was able to be such a wonderful
example and it's like, what, how did that work?
We saw know this man. Yes.
But as an encouragement to us is a not that though we are
inconsistent. God does not give up on us and
he works on us and he pierces a little bit on a Friday night
when it's like, I could have been somewhere where I wouldn't
have to be confronted, but the Lord cares about our consistency
with all people, and all things. And so I want to be, I want to
be just as patient with my, brother's, My Blood Brothers,
then with the people that I see at church, I want to be I want
to be just as resolved and calm with those that I'm familiar
with. Then with the person that just
knows me as the person that shows other church and lift
their hands and worship and love God.
And the Holy Spirit will help us.
He wants to help us. He wants to mold us and shape
us. There's a reason why God gives
us this honest. Scenario of David's flippancy
with a conviction that seems to be conquered only in one setting
and not the Which brings me to the final Point, notice, how no
ball comes up to David to test him and to challenge him in a
time when he was at peace with Saul?
It's like this. All thing was dealt with.
It's like wonderful like breath of fresh air and all for a
sudden. Now ball comes up.
And it's a reminder that we've heard in so many Bible studies
in the book of 1st Samuel. The necessity of us as Believers
to remain on guard at all times. David was on guard from a
military standpoint. He was always there.
He was Vigilant. He was just, he was so he was so
craft while he was. He was like a ninja of his time,
right? But he was not as secure.
And as Vigilant with his inner man with his inner man, and we
are all susceptible to falling into Times of Temptation.
When we fail to remain guarded our, when we, when we look at
seasons of life, where we seem to be doing really well and then
we let ourselves loose in terms of our awareness and our
watchfulness. I was listening to a story of a
man who was speaking about his testimony of overcoming
pornography. I believe it was a testimony and
he had said, you know, I vowed to overcome this sin.
I vowed to see victory over it. And so what he did was for 90
days, he didn't engage with anything.
He was so severe and his exposure of things.
And then, for whatever reason, because there was such a long
time, I guess, a victory over this, he goes on his computer
and he sees just two pictures of two attractive woman, and he
thinks himself, he thinks himself, they're just pictures.
He let his guard down and he relapsed again.
And I listen to that earlier in the week, I was listening to
that testimony and as I was studying this, the connection
was made, his guard wasn't up at all times.
There's a time of Victory time of peace, and because of that,
he became lazy and his vigilance.
And that's when the enemy came in and for whatever reason,
David is the same, he saw great great Victory.
And then when another opportunity came, the same
Temptation he gave in because he was not, as guarded as he should
have been. And usually, we are not as
guarded when we are in seasons of great joy, peace prosperity
when everything is going well as when we seem to be the weakest
So remain strong. God is faithful.
Oh, I wish that time can go back, so we can finish this
chapter, but we're not, we're not.
I think that's enough for tonight.
Let's pray. Well, what a wonderful study in
this chapter sobering. Oh God honest.
Clear. It confronts us like many of
these chapters have. But Lord, we pray in this moment
as we heard earlier. That we would glean everything
that we've heard and apply it to our own context help us.
Oh, God, help us. Lord, Deliver Us from
Simplicity, Deliver Us from immaturity.
Save us from being inconsistent as David was, surely.
You've given us this example, for us, to examine our own
lives, to say, where is it in areas of my life, where I feel
like I can I can walk in this way with these people in this
context, but another times I'm a different person.
Lord, we want to be. We want to be saved from such
things. We want to be safe from such
things. I'll or we think about all the
examples and the stories that we've heard up to this point and
we are so thankful that you speak clearly through David's
story. And Lord, perhaps one point
meant one thing more than another.
We just pray that whatever was said we would cherish it in our
hearts and we would pray fully ask you to manifest it in our
lives. Thank you.
Lord, that you first loved us. You acted on our behalf while we
were in sin loving Darkness, you rescued us.
You made a way. For any person in here, who
doesn't know that may that may be known tonight that you have
died for them. And you're waiting for them to
respond. Bless your Holy Name.
Lord, we love you, we honor you, we have reverence toward you, we
are in awe of the wisdom of your scriptures and Lord, we just
worship you in light of the Living Word, that speaks.
So clearly We give you glory now in Jesus name.
Amen.