While me eager to open the word of God with you tonight, so meet
me in the book of 1st Samuel in chapter 21.
First Samuel, 21. It's only been a couple of weeks
but it feels like months since we've come to this book again
but here we are. In this very important chapter
because up to this point in our study, you and I have examined
David and benefited from David in the season of his life when
he was that. Humble Shepherd boy of Israel,
right? and after a few chapters, we
quickly learned from David, not the humble Shepherd, boy, but
the unexpected hero of Israel, And we were encouraged by that,
I'm sure. But now as we come to this
chapter, we enter into a new chapter of David's life.
And if there was a theme, if there was a title, there was a
banner over this specific transition.
It would not be David. The Humble Shepherd boy of
Israel would not be David, the unexpected hero of Israel, it
would be David The Fugitive Of Israel.
And I'm sure this was unexpected on his part.
If you remember, maybe we should just refresh our memories and
our last study and first Samuel. 20 David was convincing, his
best friend, who is also the son of his boss of his father-in-law
saw, Jonathan. Your father wants to kill me.
Jonathan couldn't believe it but he didn't dismiss it completely
and they conjure up a plan to figure out.
If this was true, if Saul, really felt this way about David
and we found out that it was the case, Jonathan was convinced
Jonathan approaches David and they they cry and they weep and
they embrace one another and they both come to the conclusion
that the best thing for David to do is to flee in the exact
opposite. Direction of this deranged King.
And that's what we read in. The final verses of 1st Samuel,
20, David David goes into the Horizon into the unknown, not
knowing what's going to happen tomorrow.
Not knowing, perhaps even thinking, how is this reconciled
with the promise that I would be the next king of Israel?
But with David needed to know is what Jonathan's suggested to
him, and let's go to that verse quickly before we go into
chapter 21. And first Samuel 20, look at
verse 22 with me. It says here.
But if I say to the youth Jonathan is speaking.
Look, the arrows are Beyond you then go he's telling David.
You got to go. That's the sign for you to flee
for the Lord has sent you away. God is Sovereign over this
David. God is in total control.
God has not lost control. In fact, if this is happening,
then know this. God has allowed it and God is
going to use it to prepare you to be the king that he wants you
to be. And that's exactly what you and.
I are going to discover from this chapter moving forward to
the End of This Book, we're going to see David and the most
difficult Valley of his life, arguably.
All he's gonna do is jump from one location to the other always
looking behind his shoulder. Not knowing when saw or his
henchmen are going to come after him and from time to time, he's
going to look up and just trust God, and what you and I are
going to observe is the absolute Providence of the Lord, over all
of these things. The orchestration of God over
David's life in this Valley. And that's what makes this so
exciting. And so we read in chapter 21
verse 1, The first steps of David's Exile as a fugitive.
Then David came to Knob. Hi, Malik.
The priest. And I melt like, came to me,
David trembling and said to him, why are you alone?
And no one with you and David said to him out, like the
priest, the King has charged me with a matter.
And said to me, let no one know anything of the matter about
which I send you and with which I have charged you, I've made an
appointment with the young men for such and such a place now.
Then, what do you have? In hand give me five loaves of
bread or whatever is here and the priest answered David.
I have no common Bread on hand but there is Holy bread.
If the young men have kept themselves from women and David
answered the priest truly woman had been kept from us.
As always, when I go on an expedition, the vessels of the
young men are holy even when it is an ordinary Journey, how much
more today will their vessels be?
Holy. So the priest gave him the holy
bread. For there is no bread there but
the bread of the presence which is removed from before the Lord
to be replaced by hot bread. On the day, it is taken away.
David heads to a place called knob.
This is where he feels led to go.
This is where his reflex leads him.
And, and this is where I guess the Tabernacle is now situated.
Please tell me where was the tabernacle before this in a
place called? Shiloh.
Right, Shiloh. This is what we learn in the
beginning of 1st Samuel, and then the ark was captured by the
Philistines, it was returned. Now, the ark is in some random
place called Korea theorem, and now, for some reason, we don't
know the details, but it's now moved.
Its now situated in a place called knob, and this is where
the priests are worshipping. God, and they're trying their
best to continue the sacrificial system, and this is where David
goes, this is where he wants to go.
This is where he feels like he needs to go and he is, he's
looking for something. he's looking for help but as the
priest hears or sees David in the Horizon, approaching the
Tabernacle he meets David and the high priest is fearful He's
not trembling because of his ah, he's trembling because of a
concern. Why would why would the priest
be concerned of David's? Visitation.
Did that maniacal? Anybody have an idea?
The answer is kind of there. He's alone.
But why is that a concern? Who is David?
Is he a reputable man? Is he related to the king?
If you see the president's son walking on the street by
himself, wouldn't that be concerning to you?
I think I would be concerning and I don't know how David
looked at this point. We remember, he was, he was out
in the wilderness for 3 days and 3 nights, he cried a lot.
He was journeying on foot. And now, David just shows up by
himself, there's no Entourage. There's no bodyguards, there's
no even announcement of his arrival.
He just shows up on the scene, and this is concerning to the
high priest. What's going on here?
There's something very suspicious about All of this.
And so he approaches David. He rightfully asked.
Why are you alone? And what David does is
disappointing. It's not very admirable or
exemplary for a man who has claimed to have such trust in
God. How does he answer him?
What's concerning about his answer?
Does it seem like a reasonable answer?
This seemed like a good summary. What is he saying?
Some of you are nodding your head.
Don't be afraid to answer. Why is your figuring out the
answer? Not.
So I'm not saying that fish easily.
I'm saying if as you're thinking about it, consider this, if
there's anything that is encouraging by David doing this
is that he chooses to go to the right place, and its greatest
time of need David's reaction to go to the house of God is
something that we should applaud out of all the places he wants
to go, where God's will can be known.
We're God's men can be sought after for counsel.
This is, this is where he goes, and and David.
Has proven in critical moments of his life that he goes to the
right people or to the right place.
Remember when David was first invaded by saw in his own home,
where did he go at that point? He went to the prophet Samuel,
he went to the prophet and he was surrounding himself by him
and those band of prophets. And so, that's something we can
applaud because I can tell you from experience that, when many
Christians go through difficult seasons in life, when they're
faced with trials and tribulations, their attendance
is an increasing, its decreasing in church.
You barely see them. You barely hear from them
because in those moments whether they want to admit it or not,
they don't believe that being under God's word and God's
presence that is manifested through the gifts through each
of us. They don't really trust that
that will actually build them up or they're believing the lies of
Satan that they will be condemned and they're not worthy
to be there because the enemy knows the building up that can
come the encouragement that can come when we were surrounded by
God's people in God's house. In God's manifest presence as we
come as temples of the Holy Spirit.
He doesn't do that. He goes to the right place but
as you heard earlier, we're about to discover that he's not
going to do the right thing at the right place.
So you had enough time to look at it.
What's concerning about, David's?
Answer to the question. Yes, it's a lie.
It's a lie. Okay.
So David has proven up to this point that at some critical
moments, he knew who to go to or where to go to.
But then again, we see here that David has a weakness And it's a
pattern at this point and you're going to see in this chapter
that it's a really it's a rooted issue here with David and here's
the issue I'm sure you never thought about this concerning
the man after God's Own heart but the Bible's honest and we
got to be honest and might shatter your Sunday school
dreams, but it's true. Nonetheless David had a lying
problem. He did, he didn't handle
pressure. Well more specifically he really
believed that utilizing lies was a way of accomplishing things.
What did he do in the chapter before this when he was when he
was planning with Jonathan, what did he suggest?
Not even suggest? What did he instruct Jonathan to
do to discover? What's all felt about David
total? I tell them that I went to
Bethlehem. Tell him that my dad called me
there, Tom. That's the reason why I'm not
there and let's just see how he responds.
You didn't need to do that. It's all really hated.
You would come out, one way or another.
There is other ways of discovering how he felt, but he
instructs a man of God, like Jonathan to lie.
And now he comes here before. Listen, Before the high priest
in the house of God. And he's lying.
Now some would say no. Well, he's just trying to
protect, I hate mail like he's not wanting to disclose
unnecessary information to somebody who's not related to
the problem. We could try to justify it all
we want, but you're going to see how David's lies are going to
get a more and more into trouble and how David's, false security
and lives are going to fail him over and over again.
And that's what he's doing here. He's actually operating from a
place of fear. Fear is a powerful emotion.
Fear is a very powerful feeling. And if we're not quick to manage
that, by the power of the spirit, if we're not quick to
confront fear, then fear will encourage other sins in our
lives. See, the reason why David is
lying here is because he thinks that if I tell a lie, he Malik
the truth or at least suggest my condition and why I'm in this
place at this time, he might not help me.
He might not provide for me the things that I need.
So I have to coat this. I have to I have to have to just
shut this conversation down and he does and he could have done
another way, and I just want to get to the request and if I tell
him the nitty-gritty details, maybe he'll be afraid himself
and he'll say just get out of here.
So let me just lie, let me just not tell the truth.
And so he does that but it's coming from a place of fear.
I want you to see what God says about fear.
God, identifies fear and a specific place as a motivator
for other sins and you have to turn there but it's a great
Insight from the lips of the prophet, Isaiah or the writings
rather, and Isaiah 57 verse 11. Look What God Says, through the
prophet to the nation of Israel and Isaiah 57, Isaiah 57 verse
we read whom, did you dread and fear so that you lied And did
not remember me, did not lay it to heart, haven't I held my
peace even for a long time and you do not fear me?
Did you see the connection? The connection that God makes
between the nation's fear and they're lying?
If we're not careful that feeling can persuade us to
Forfeit our integrity as Christians.
That feeling can be so overwhelming, you can hijack,
our sensibilities, it can hijacked our convictions.
You see what David was afraid of when he was in this moment was
what man could do to him or what man would fail to do for him?
I'm afraid of what's all can do to me and I'm afraid.
If I tell you the truth, you won't help me.
And what God says, in the concluding parts of this verse
is applicable to David and all of us.
Why? Why are you lying?
Well, because you're fearful, why are you fearful?
Because you don't fear me, that's what it is.
That's ultimately the reason why and fearing God is synonymous
among for many things. And one of the things that
fearing God is synonymous with is trusting God.
You don't trust me. So you fear man, when you fear
man, you open up the floodgates for all these different kinds of
sins, including lying, including lying.
I've seen that firsthand. It's a very sad thing and it can
persuade even the godliest of people.
But the great antidote, the great Shield, the great
protection from allowing that very powerful persuasion of fear
to take over is to ultimately fear.
God, keep him ever before you. How powerful he is.
How muddy is as we heard from from the some earlier from
Pastor banana. What can man do to me?
What can man do to me when you continually believe that that
you're dealing with people that God can stop in a moment that
God can literally buy one breath make their heart stopped.
Beating what, what do you have to fear?
What do you have to fear? David failed to see that and
because of that, he's encouraged to lie.
He shuts the conversation down real quick.
He doesn't want to entertain it. He doesn't want the priests or
any other priests to ask more questions.
So he changes the subject in verse 3 now that like enough of
this and he's very smart. He he presented his answer in
such a way that he would discourage the priest from even
asking because it's a secret, don't ask anymore but I need
something from you. What do you have on hand?
Give me five loaves of bread or whatever is here?
Again, it's it's admire about that David Goes to the house of
God in this trial, but we discovered that he's not coming
to the house of God for what you come to the house of God for,
he's not coming for counsel, he's not coming for the priest,
to determine the will of God in this matter.
He's coming for for bread for something that would satisfy him
in the moment and satisfy, maybe for a little bit of the journey
ahead, but there's no record here of Seeking God, seeking the
priest to see God on his behalf. He just needs some temporary
relief. This is, this isn't seem like
the David that we know. And that's what fear does.
It transforms you and makes you into a different person.
It causes you to make decisions and your convictions become
molded, and bent out of shape and so he asked for a brad.
Now, here's the question. Why is he coming to the house of
God for bread? Is that a place to ask for
bread? Come on, you Exodus students
many years ago. Is there anything in that house
of worship? That was suggest that there is
something to eat. Is a fat from an animal.
Or is there actual bread? There's actual bread is actual
bread. In fact, there's a whole piece
of furniture dedicated for the the table.
It's called the table of showbread or the bread of the
presence, where there was twelve loaves.
Separate into piles of six representing, the 12 tribes of
Israel and you look at Exodus and Leviticus.
And what's happening there is these these loaves of bread
would represent the tribes. They would come before Lord.
And we spent a whole study on this, you can revisit it.
If you would like frankincense was placed on them.
It was an aroma to God but it was also the portion for the
priest. The priest would every Sabbath
the priests would eat that bread.
So it stayed there as an act of worship before God for a week on
the Sabbath. The priests as a portion for
their payment they would eat of this bread and then they would
have replaced that set with a fresh batch.
Batch of hot bread. The bread was provided by the
people of Israel, but it was managed by the priest and oh it
is filled with application concerning our worship and the
person of Jesus Christ as well. We don't have time to get into
it. The main point that I want to
drive from this. Is that this priest who's about
to give this bread to David? Perhaps he knew it, perhaps he
didn't. He's showing us that he might be
doing something wrong. Because in Leviticus 25 verse 9.
And in that chapter, there's a small portion dedicated to what
they should do with the bread. Listen to What God Says in
Leviticus. This is why you don't skip,
Leviticus brother, don't skip Leviticus sister, Leviticus 25
9, and it shall be the bread. It shall be for Aaron and his
sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place since it is for him.
A Most Holy portion out of the Lord's food offerings, a
Perpetual do So what does that mean about the bread who's
supposed to eat it? The priest, the priest alone are
given this holy bread and they were supposed to eat it in a
holy place and it was a Perpetual do which suggests that
would David is about to receive is not legal.
He's not supposed to eat this bread because this this bread is
is limited to the Servants of God.
The sons of Aaron But he's going to receive it.
In fact, in verse 6 we read it. The priest gave him the holy
bread but there was no bread there.
But the bread of the presence and we're told here again, as a
reminder, which is removed from before the Lord to be replaced
by hot bread on the day, it is taken away, is this story
mentioned in the New Testament. thank you reference and all
Jesus brings up this incident, Jesus brings up this actual
moment where David receives his holy bread in a confrontation
with the Pharisees who were trying to accuse his own
Disciples of breaking the law. And he uses this as a way of
arguing against a certain point made up by the Pharisees.
And I'm curious to know in this Bible study tonight, what you
make of Jesus Motivation by coming to this story first name
of 21 in the context of the confrontation with these
Pharisees. So let's go there and our Bibles
and Matthew chapter 12. And I want you to see if you
haven't learned it yet. I'm sure you're convinced of it.
Why you? And I need to know the Old
Testament to be better, students of the new you, and I cannot
afford to neglect the Old Testament.
Even in the name of being a New Covenant people, those who claim
that after understand, they will not be The greatest of students.
If they neglect two-thirds of the Bible, would you say Amen to
that? Amen.
So we read in Matthew 12 verse 1.
At that time, Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath.
His disciples were hungry and they began to pluck heads of
grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it
they said to him, look your disciples are doing, what is not
lawful to do on the Sabbath pause.
So let's visualize this. We're going to we're going to
break this up. If you ever want answers in the
Bible, if you ever want revelation in the Bible, ask the
text questions, ask the text questions, question number one,
the Pharisees observe that as Lisa Skype disciples, were
letting their hands run through the grain fields and plucking,
the heads of them, and nibbling, on some things that they were
doing something that was against the law.
Question. Number one, was it actually
against the law Was it actually against the law?
I'm seeing head? Say no and I'm going to ask why
because when you look at what Jesus says, there's no
indication that he necessarily corrects them, Is what they're
doing is wrong. Is it actually a form of work on
the Sabbath? Who would say, yes.
Who would say no? Okay, who doesn't know?
Who's awake, okay. You want the answer?
I'm sure you have to go back to the Old Testament to find out.
I'm not going to tell it to you. I'm going to let you turn your
Bible there and Deuteronomy 23. Verse 25.
Once you get there, you will get your answer.
Deuteronomy 23, verse 25. And we're going to see what God
says about what these disciples did was it, right?
Or was it wrong? Now, you saw it, right?
So who says it was against the law?
Who says, it's not against the law now.
Okay, if you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you
may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a
sickle to your neighbor standing grain.
So, not only are they, are they doing what's permissible?
They're doing it. Exactly the way God said to do
it. They were plucking, the heads of
the Grain and that was a in accordance with the law.
And God says, don't take advantage of the situation and
use a farming instrument, to gather much more than is
required as you're traveling by, if you're hungry, you can grab
some with your hand. You're being respectful to your
neighbor's property, but you're also receiving a means of my
grace through this law. So question again, were the
Pharisees right or wrong, they were wrong.
They were wrong. In fact, the disciples were
exactly in line with the word of God.
Interestingly enough, when Jesus responds to them, he responds
with what we just read in 1st Samuel 21.
So, go back to Matthew 12. Now look at verse 3, he said to
them, He said to them, have you not read what David did when he
was hungry and those who are with him, how he entered the
house of God, and ate the bread of the presence?
Which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were
with him. But only for the priests.
So let's backtrack here, the disciples are eating the grain
with their hands of plucking, the heads of the grain.
The Pharisees see it. They see this as an opportunity
to condemn Jesus for allowing this Behavior.
Hey, your disciples are breaking the law.
Well, if you know the law Pharisees, you would realize,
no, they're not breaking the law.
So, what's happening? There we are seeing the
manifestation of the ugly face of legalism.
And what legalism looks like often and its fullest form is
that you have man's tradition supersede God's law.
Holding greater importance and even greater Authority than what
is written. And you have many people Bound
by this devil. But Jesus is answer is
brilliant. He brings up this situation with
David. And I'm curious to know, as a
matter of discussion. Why do you think Jesus points to
David and his eating of the bread when he was hungry?
Any ideas? That is one of the most common
interpretations of this that the Lord is trying to provide a
principal for mercy here. That the idea here is that
ceremonial regulations are not more important than human need.
If there is human need, if there is an emergency situation, then
there is some room for And neglect or or to even violate
certain ceremonial laws in order to provide for his people
provide for human necessity. And I can see in this is this is
one of the most common understandings of this and I can
see where people are coming from with that argument.
But I do not believe that is the primary thing that Jesus is
trying to communicate here, and I'll tell you why very simple
observation. Jesus is not promoting primarily
situational ethics, have you heard of the phrase situational
ethics? That sometimes it is permissible
to execute certain things that might be wrong in order to
perform a greater good. Have you heard of it in some
situations? It might be okay to lie.
Because if I lie and it promotes this good then let it happen.
I mean when you do that the the math and when you when you weigh
it it seems okay. I don't believe that's what
Jesus is primarily teaching here.
For one simple reason I could see that.
That is the primary argument if the disciples had broken the
law, but they didn't, you see what I'm saying?
Why is Jesus using an example of David who?
It's clear. You can't debate it.
He did something unlawful. Then we read it.
He did something. Unlawful, why would he use an
example of somebody who did something on?
Full to defend the case of somebody who is Guiltless.
Are you tracking with me tonight?
It would make sense to use an argument of somebody who broke
the law in order to satisfy a need if somebody just broke the
law in order to satisfy a need correct, but they didn't break
the law, they were obeying the law, the ones who have it wrong.
Here are the Pharisees and so I personally believe that this is
less about upholding situational ethics or upholding the idea
that sometimes it's okay for things to not be observed.
In order for a need to be met and this is more of Jesus in his
Brilliance cornering the Pharisees, and their hypocrisy.
He's calling for their conviction to be consistent.
when he brings up David, what he's essentially trying to say
is you're willing to overlook David.
Who you Revere, don't you, you Jews?
You're willing to overlook the fact that he did break the law.
And then in verse 5, he brings an example of the priest.
Let's actually read it. Or have you not read in the law?
How on the Sabbath? The priests in the temple
profane the Sabbath and are Guiltless.
In other words if you think that nothing should be done on the
Sabbath. The priest actually do more work
on the Sabbath than any other day of the week.
They're actually they're killing animals and they're burning
things and they're preparing things and they're doing a lot
of things on the Sabbath yet. They're Guiltless and the
strictest Pharisee would never ever condemn a priest from the
law who is performing their Duty on the Sabbath.
And Jesus is Calling their attention, even not just the
priest, but to David. And he's what he's saying, is
this, why are you not willing to condemn?
The priest who did much work on the Sabbath.
Why are you not willing to condemn David who did something
unlawful? But you're willing to condemn
unjustly, my disciples for not holding to your tradition.
You're condemning my followers for something that's violating
your human law. Are you willing to condemn
David? Who actually broke the law?
Are you willing to criticize? The priest.
Who did much work on the Sabbath?
And so Jesus is essentially cornering them because of their
hypocrisy and many would object to what I'm saying because of
what he says, in verse 7, look at verse 7.
And if you had known what this means I desire mercy and not
sacrifice. So he quotes Hosea and that's
that's where the argument might come from that Jesus is
providing a principal for mercy and he is, he's not not doing
that. But the second part of the
verse, my solidify, what I'm trying to present to you
tonight. And if you had known what this
means, I desire. Mercy.
Not sacrifice comma. You would not have condemned,
who the Gillis. You would not condemned the
Guiltless. Your Traditions.
You Pharisees is so merciless. It's so void of Mercy.
Because you think that your severe strictness is a form of
sacrifice to God. When in fact it suffocates my
people. It suffocates my people and you
are so adamant about being sacrificial, that you're willing
to even attack the own law. That gives them to the
permission to do what you are so condemning.
Consider that. Consider that so Jesus, in his
Brilliance Jesus and his Brilliance points to David
points, the activity of the priests in the Old Testament to
say, what are you going to do with these guys now?
What you can do with these guys. What you're seeing here is the
danger of legalism. It's so blinding.
It's so powerful. But it is actually satanic.
It's satanic because when it has its full force unleashed, it
begins to Trump over the word of God itself, and you have
millions today that are holding dear to tradition, even for
those, their salvation as we speak tonight.
And like the Pharisees, they could even step on the word of
God and make pronouncements of judgments on people.
Because they think that this is a form of sacrifice, that is
pleasing to God. When in fact, it is merciless
and it can even be damning Jesus is a wonderful apologist.
He's an incredible, incredible evangelist, and we see that in
one example. Here, you may not agree with my
interpretation. I would love to discuss it.
I would love to discuss it afterwards if you have the time
to discuss it, but we come back to 1st Samuel.
First Samuel chapter 21. I hope you're motivated to know
the Old Testament in order to know better, the New Testament.
And what we see here Is after the fact, in verse 7 now, a
certain man of the Servants of Saul was there that day detained
before the Lord. His name was doe egg, the
Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsman.
Remember doeg because next week, we're going to see a lot of do
egg. He's a troublemaker.
Who's detained in the house of
the Lord. Just a reminder.
There are troublemakers in the house of the Lord.
And we'll talk about that more next week, God willing but we'll
move on to verse 8. Then David said to I'm a lake
Here's a second request. So he received the bread, he had
some bread to feed some of the men that were with him.
Then have you not hear a spear or a sword at hand for.
I've brought neither my sword, nor my weapons with me because
the king's business required Hast.
What's concerning about this request There's two main things.
He's still lying. Where's the LIE?
The king's business requires haste.
Really. Did it?
What an amazing principal. Principal for sin.
If we do sin, and we're not quick to repent of that sin to
come before God with that sin, to ask God, to empower us to
overcome that sin. It will only become easier for
us to sin. Oftentimes, our first steps into
sin are met with conviction. Are met with disgust are met
with disturbance. And something begins to happen
as we familiarize ourselves with that sin.
Is that that's in becomes less bothersome to us.
We justify it. We lose that.
Sting that comes with it. And what was once a hesitation
now becomes a habit? What was once something that we
tread very lightly on now is something we're swimming in.
David lied. Once to a priest.
May I remind you where in the house of God, he's willing to do
it again. It's not becoming part of his
language. It's not just it's like a
reflex. Boom boom.
There it is. And this is going to become more
troubling for David in this chapter.
That's one thing. Great observation.
What's the other concerning thing about his request here?
What is he asking for sword? Is he asking it in the right
place? I studied.
Exodus and so, have you last time I checked?
I never saw. Oh, Armory in the Tabernacle.
Never saw it, and God was very specific on what was supposed to
be in that place. God was very specific or the
measurements, the materials and even where they were placed,
What's a weapon doing in God's house?
He's inquiring. And it's really an illustration
of how people come to the house of God to demand for things at
the house of God was never designed to give to you.
Right, you want to come to church for entertainment?
The church wasn't designed for that.
When it come to the house of God, to feel good about yourself
with Bible less preaching, Church wasn't designed for that.
Want to come to make friends because you just want friends
and you're not concerned about personal Holiness, or being
Sanctified or partnering with people for the king of the house
of God was not designed for that.
And it is the duty of the Ministers of God to protect the
design of the house of God. It's the concern of the people
of God to preserve the purity of the house of God because
throughout the life of a church, the life of a Ministry.
You will have people coming to that place to make suggestions
and to make requests that are contrary to the blueprint of the
house of God. And that's what we're seeing
here. There's a request for a military
weapon. The Tabernacle was not designed
to equip soldiers that way. But David makes that request.
And would you know it there was something tucked in there.
We read about in verse 9. And the priest said the sword of
Goliath, the Philistine whom you struck down in the valley of
elah behold. It is here wrapped in a cloth
behind the ephod if you will take that, take it for.
There is none but that here and David said there is none like
that give it to me. Give it to me.
So this sword David's trophy essentially over his victory,
concerning, Goliath in the Philistines.
Was there? Why was it there?
I have no idea why they put, I have no clue why it was there
and it shouldn't have been there, but it was there.
He receives it. And he Praises it, he Praises
this weapon and I don't know why he's praising it because that's
or didn't do much good for Goliath did it.
Didn't have much to offer Goliath, did it?
But we're not in a good place spiritually, we tend to praise
things. We tend to overvalue things that
are void of the substance that only God and his word and his
Spirit provide And you would hope that once David took that
sword into his hands. You would have hoped, wouldn't
you that in that very scene? He would have had flashbacks.
He would have had flashbacks of how God's faithful power
intervened against his foes. You would have hoped that in
that moment. As he's holding that sword, he
would have remembered that. It's not by The arm of the
flesh. It's not by sword, it's not by
Chariot. But by bold, faith in God.
Do you see great success, right? it's not by manipulation David,
it's not by carnal schemes, it's not by the flesh that you get
things done, it's not by that, it's by trusting in God, you
would have hoped that in that moment he would have believed
that But unfortunately as he Embraces that sword as he's
elated as he's excited about the fact that he has something to
defend himself with. He makes another disappointing
decision. Let's read about in verse 10 and
David Rosen, fled that they from Saul and went to.
He's the king of gath and the Servants of a, he set them is
not this David, the king of the land, did they not sing to one
another of him? And dances Saul has struck down
his thousands and David his ten thousands The first thing that
this man does after he receives this weapon, is he flees?
We're to gath. Why is that concerning?
Who's from gath Goliath? Where is David going to the
enemy's Camp? Why?
Because it's amazing what fear can do to your judgement.
It's amazing. When you're so out of touch with
God, it's so amazing. When you've lost sight of
Christ, what you believe will be a solution to you.
And Christians are no different, you have Christians who try to
medicate themselves. With sin when there's a need
when there's a void, when there's lack of answers, when
there's long seasons of of great difficulty, they try to medicate
themselves with sin, they try to comfort themselves with the
presence of unbelieving people. They try to numb themselves with
substances. They try to distract themselves
to death. David is running to the wrong
Refuge. He is trying to find some kind
of comfort and because he's operating with worldly wisdom,
here's the wisdom that he's operating with most likely.
If I go to the Philistines, there's no way.
David is going to saw was going to chase me there.
If I go to the Philistines, there is no way that's all would
entertain. Our lease will be much more
hesitant to come there if he knows that I'm there.
So, let me go there. So you're going to go to gath
and not only gasps you're going to go to gath with Goliath's
sword. It's not going to make a great
impression. Philistines.
But what you and I are seeing here is the absurdity that we
fall into when we like the trust that God demands.
We might not believe it but it's amazing.
It's amazing. What happens.
Not just when something is difficult in your life when
people feel like they lack the motivation that they once knew
in Christ. It's amazing where they float
towards. and David is illustrating that so clearly he
goes to the Philistines And his Fame was so great that the
Philistines even knew about the song that won the hearts of the
people of Israel. But did you notice something
about their comment? Look at verse 11 again, what
stands out to you and their comment?
Somebody said it. Not just the question, but his
identity. How do they identify David?
The king of the land. Not fascinating, he's not the
king but even the enemy was so convinced that this man's
Destiny was for the throne. That didn't even object-- to the
possibility. The king of the land, they're
not sing to one another of him and dances.
And David is freaked out. He realizes that they've
identified them. I don't know how he thought he
was going to blend. Among the Philistines, you our
Enemy Number One to the Philistines, you have destroyed
their dreams or hopes their strategies.
And here you are thinking that you're just going to camouflage.
They identify him and it says here in David and verse 12 took
these words to heart and was much afraid of a, he's the king
of gath. So, stop here. he's terrified
even more now, So his lying his skin, it didn't lead to what he
thought it would lead to he's in a darker pit.
He's in a more difficult circumstance that what he began
with. And so what is this man?
After God's heart going to do and answers in verse 13, so he
changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in
their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let
his spittle. Run down his beard.
Behold the future king of Israel.
Behold the anointed man of God. Can you envision this?
I can just see it here. He is walking through the
streets of gath soldiers are looking from hightower's.
They make the observation they come to me because it says in
their hands they come to capture him to bring him before the king
and this man's heart is pounding and he is sweating, he's
exhausted. And what comes to mind here is
let me put on an act, let me pretend that I am insane.
So he falls to the ground. He starts making Groaning noises
he's salivating all over himself.
He's scratching himself on the door, perhaps the door to go
into the King's house. And these guys are looking like,
what is going on? It's funny, but can I ask you
something? What is David doing here?
Something that he's been doing already in this chapter lying?
Not just with his words now, now with his conduct.
He went from lying to the priest initially lying to the priest
again. And now, you are pretending that
you have gone mad. To persuade somebody of
something. That is not true.
We look at this and we think it's innocent and it's just a
strategy know. We're going to find out that
David himself realized that this was wrong.
But here's the point that I want to make, if earlier we learned
that by his second lie, that when we sin and we refuse to
deal with the conviction immediately and come before God
to deal with that sin, it's only easier to send but additionally
not only is it easier to act upon but sin also becomes worse
and worse and it's contempt. It gets uglier and uglier more
degrading in degree than before. And in this case, if you're a
liar, not only will you lie more but your lies will get more
outrageous. And more crazy.
And more outlandish. And even in the evidence of
proof, you will still lie. Because that's the nature of
sin. You look at James one and
there's a progression there. that there is Temptations within
that entices and if we if we listen to those Temptations, it
gives birth to sin and sin gives birth to what death It doesn't
stay in infancy, it grows it, matures it becomes stronger, it
becomes more vicious, more destructive and that's exactly
what we're seeing here. We're seeing this progression of
sin. A weakness in David's life that
he refused to deal with. So it's going to now deal with
him. So now he's lying with his
conduct. Now he's exaggerating his
behavior in a way that is so shameful and it's an
embarrassing. This is a child of God saliva,
coming down your, your beard. Hold on, you're the same guy.
If I was one of those soldiers, I was said this is the guy that
killed our Giant. This is who we were afraid of.
Is that how a man of Faith acts in the presence of his enemies?
But that that is what, What Fear With Fear can bring somebody.
That's what sin can bring somebody to.
We're even now, David and his reputation is becoming tainted.
and despised, and even to a certain degree mocked But one
might say, Well, it worked, it worked because look at the
response here in verse 14. And if he said to his servants
behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to
me? Do I like Madmen that you have
brought this fellow to behave as a madman?
And my presence shall this fellow come into my house, that
get him out of here. It worked, it works.
So, brother, just calm down, don't read too much into things
and just let it go. It was a little thing and it's
over. Does the end, justify the means,
are we not? People of Honor?
Are we not people of Integrity? Should we not strive for the
most pure representation that we can have of Christ?
Yes, would you agree? So, this is not our example,
that's an interesting ringtone. I will wait for it too.
Wonderful. It's amazing here.
That we would rather justify this Behavior, then learn from
it, right? This is not my example, neither
should be yours. That is not an example of faith.
This is an illustration of weakness.
It worked. Well, let me ask you this, how
was it that David was was able to flee from this, was it?
Because he was so smart In This Moment.
Or was it because of the grace of God?
I argue for the grace of God. Even though David with his at
this low Point, even though David is just digging himself
deeper because of his lie, that shovel of lie that's making this
thing more and more embarrassing and harmful, even as he is
headed in the wrong direction, God still visits him with his
Mercy. Does that sound familiar with
another figure in the Bible that we studied not too long ago?
What did God do when Saul was in pursuit of David?
As he was with Samuel? Did he strike him with
lightning? What did he do?
No, he showers him with the presence of God.
The Holy Spirit comes and arrests him in that moment, and
he begins to prophesy and worship God.
And I believe in that moment saw was getting a taste of what he
wants to knew when he was anointed by God that very
foreign feeling because he was tormented by an evil spirit.
Now God for a moment, clothe him with the Holy Spirit, he was now
able to sense what he knew when he was anointed by that spirit.
I believe that's God visiting him in his Mercy.
Even in the pursuit of sin. God stops and not to harm him.
But the say do you remember what this was like?
And here's David righteously and deserving to be punished for his
stupidity. And yet God says, I'm getting
you out of here. Wow.
And what do you think? The goodness of God in this
moment and so many people's lives while they're insane.
What do you think that kindness is supposed to lead someone to
Very good. Repentance.
This David repent after this. David change after this. the
David had the spiritual sensitivity to recognize that it
was not my crazy behavior that delivered me but it was God's
mercy. That delivered me.
I'm saying, yes, but can I ask you how, you know that?
All very, very good. Did you hear the answer?
The answer is not found in first Samuel.
The answer is found in the book of Psalms.
There are two Psalms written on this account and one of them is
Psalm 34, go to Psalm 34 with me as we close this Bibles, that I
want you to see something quite interesting.
Look at the title of the song and Psalm 34.
Psalm 34 of David when he changed his behavior before.
Abimelech, so that he drove him out and he went away.
So get this all of Psalm. 34 is written in light of that moment
that we just read. Yes, this was written after
David wiped off the spit from his beard.
This was after David escaped from gath with scabs on his
knees scratches on his arms because he was acting like
somebody that was just released from the insane.
Asylum, He writes this. And what this proves is that
David recognize something of the mercy of God and being released
from that situation. But not just recognizing then
repenting of it. Repenting of all those things
that we study in first Samuel 21.
This was a turning point for David, where God said, don't you
don't deserve this. I'm going to rescue you from
this. And what's so interesting is
that when you read the psalm with the lands of 1st Samuel, 21
and inspires something within you, let me give you an example.
Look here with me and verse 11. Come O children.
Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the
Lord. Really, I didn't see a man who
fear the lord in first Samuel 21.
I saw men who feared, man? I saw a man who lied because he
feared, man who fled to the enemy's Camp because he feared
man. But remember he's repenting.
Remember, he changed. Remember he learned from his
failure and he wants to say, let me tell you that.
The best thing that you can do is fear.
God, let me tell you from experience and the Holy Spirit
design in such a way where you can read this and let it first
Samuel 21. And you see that this man is
speaking not just by the spirit, but by experience, I must teach
you the fear of the Lord, because it is the remedy to the
fear of man. Come, let me teach you the fear
of the Lord. Not just that first 12.
What man is there? Who desires life and loves many
days that he may see good. He wanted like he was escaping
for his life. He's like do you want longevity
and life? Now plus don't look.
If you were to suggest, if you were to suggest to somebody,
hey, do you want to live long life?
What were your instructions be to that person?
Like your top answer, what would your top answer?
Be, would you like to live a long life?
Here's here's one ingredient that you need.
What would it be? Don't answer.
But just think, here's David's verse 13.
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
Does that make sense? A lot of 1st Samuel 21, the guy
was lying through his teeth. But he realized the trouble that
his lies brought him too. He realized what that's in led
him into. And so in light of that in the
Sami goes, let me tell you that. If you want to avoid trouble,
don't be a liar. I could tell you from experience
that when you lie, it messes, your life up.
Turn Away From Evil and do good seek, peace and pursue it.
And he goes on to describe the mercy of God.
He goes on to describe that the Lord is near to the
Brokenhearted. He saves the crushed in spirit.
Look at verse 19, many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
She realized in that moment and got that.
It wasn't the sword was in the sword.
That was going to help him. It was God's Providence, God's
power God's intervention, God's grace.
And what you and I are going to see.
As we continue to study first, Samuel is that this was a great.
This is a Monumental moment in, David's, trust in God.
In this Valley in this chapter, as he is still a fugitive in
Israel, shall we pray? Let's pray.
Lord, we thank you. That your word does not shy away
from the failure of your best men. and we thank you that, you
have placed these things in the word to encourage us and to
build us and to remind us That if we are where David was you
still want to meet us with your mercy?
and if we choose to continue in our ways, we must take heed and
see what we are. Potentially leading ourselves
into. Below.
We thank you for that concluding truth.
That while we are even pursuing, while we're still trying to
recover from the mess of our own mistakes, and our failures, and
our Rebellion, you want us. You want us to repent, so that
we can be revived. And so Lord, we ask you tonight.
That if there's anybody in this place that finds themselves in a
pattern of sin, that they would realize that in this moment, you
were communicating your kindness so that they can turn and not
continue down the path of destruction. and Lord, we pray
that if there is a fear, not just of man, but if
circumstances of disease of the unknown That we would be
learned. We would, we would have
understanding that that emotion, that haunting feeling that
anxiety can be the fuel to more sin.
So it helped us overcome fear. With a trust in the Lord.
Well, we thank you that you've shown us.
Another example of the harmony of the Bible of the supernatural
authorship of this book, and we are just astounded by your
wisdom. Heavenly father, if even one
tonight, does not know, Jesus Christ, as their personal Lord
and Savior Lord, I cannot convince them.
Enough. I can do my part and present the
gospel, but it must be your power.
It must be your conviction, that awakens their conscience.
Lord, we are powerless, we will become dead intellectuals.
If you do not come by the spirit and so Lord, save the
unregenerate, save the unbelieving, and also revive
those who known you, but I've become dry in the pursuit of
you. Lord just rescue us from our
self rescue us from our own sin. Our own lies, the lies of Satan,
The Temptations of the evil one, where we want to be in your will
we want to walk with you as closely as possible?
And we just hope that this Bible study would have provided a
nudge in the direction of your presence.
So, Lord, because of what we've heard, because of your
greatness, we want to worship you and song please.
Oh, God, In This Moment. If you haven't already sanctify,
his deeply in Jesus name, we pray Say.
Amen. Amen.
Can we stand and Worship the Lord together?