David is a man on the run. He is being hunted by Saul because of Saul’s jealousy of him. He lied to the priest Ahimelech which eventually caused Saul to kill all the priests. And then he feigned madness to Achish, the king of Gath, because he was afraid for his life.
Eventually he would settle in the wilderness.
- 1 Samuel 22:1
David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. - All those that were fleeing from Saul and were afraid for their lives would come and seek out David in the cave of Adullam.
- His own family would come there. The remaining priest that managed to escape the slaughter of the priests by Saul, Abiathar, would come and see shelter with David.
Even though David had stumbled for a moment and his faith let go of God, God was still with him. He had not abandoned him.
- 1 Samuel 23:1-6
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. - God still communicated with David and worked through him. He went and fought against the Philistines by a clear direction from God.
- Moreover, Abiathar the priest brought an ephod with him. It was a way that God would also communicate with his people as well.
- God did not approve of David’s prior actions. But God did not abandon David in his time of need either.
- We are told:
- Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. - Though we fall, if we continue to ask God to forgive us and seek Him through repentance, God will strengthen us and help us.
- Proverbs 24:16
- And so God was still working in and through David.
1 Samuel 23:14-15
14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
- Though God was with David, Saul was still seeking his life. God did not allow David to be delivered into his hands.
- There were even people who tried to help Saul.
- 1 Samuel 23:19
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? - Yet God would be with him.
1 Samuel 23:25-28
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.
- The Philistines would come out and attack the land of Israel. As a result, Saul would have to leave off pursuing David and return to fight against them.
However, there would soon come an opportunity for David to take revenge against Saul.
- 1 Samuel 24:1-4
1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. - What would you have done if you were in this situation?
- The opportunity came, and it seemed like it was providence! At least that is how David’s men seemed to view it. I’m sure we would have viewed it the same way as well too, right?
- Saul is resting right there in the cave where you are. Right within striking distance. His enemy! The one who has been hunting him for no good reason. And you know that you have already been anointed as the next king. Surely God is guiding you to this point.
- But instead, David simply just cuts off the part of Saul’s garment.
1 Samuel 24:5-7
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. 7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
- Even just the cutting of Saul’s garment made David already feel so guilty.
- Even though David had been anointed as the next king, he would not raise up his hand against the current king whom God had also anointed at the beginning.
- Even though Saul had been rejected as king, David would not be the one who would take justice in his own hands and kill the king of Israel. He would wait patiently and allow God to work out the situation in His time even though it seemed like God was the One who had brought Saul into that cave to give David that opportunity to kill him.
- Can you imagine how it would look to the nation of Israel? David, the newly anointed king, killing Saul, the previously anointed king? It was certainly not in God’s plan for David to do that. Sure, Saul was not a king to be desired and certainly the nation of Israel was already tired of him being king. Yet David would do no such thing to run ahead of God.
1 Samuel 24:8-12
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed. 11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. 12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
- David was not trying to show how merciful or good a person he was. What was the purpose of him telling king Saul all that had just happened? Having the opportunity to kill him but yet holding back?
- David was trying to appeal to the good side of Saul. He was trying to show him that he had no desire to hurt him at all even though Saul had every intention to kill him. David was hoping that his mercy on Saul’s life would make him to stop hunting him and maybe even change his heart.
How does Saul respond?
- 1 Samuel 24:16-22
16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. 21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. 22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold. - Saul seemed to change in his heart. It seemed like he had softened up and come to his senses. He would stop pursuing David and go home.
- However, David would not go back to the palace but remain in the wilderness. He did not really trust that Saul actually had a change in heart. It was just for a short moment. Something that Saul had done many times. It was a false conversion, a temporary change.
We now come to a break in the story between David and Saul. First, what happens?
- 1 Samuel 25:1
And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. - Samuel dies. And the whole nation mourns the loss. They see their mistake in making themselves a king. And now the last connection between them and God had now seemed to pass away. The loss is keenly felt by everyone, including David.
- After hearing that Samuel has passed away, he arises to flee to Paran. It is the very edge of the kingdom of Israel towards Egypt.
But now what happens next?
- 1 Samuel 25:2-9
2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: 6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. 7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. 8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. 9 And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. - Where David had been lodging, nearby was a rich man named Nabal. And now he was asking for some help for food for himself and for all those that were with him. He was appealing to the goodness of Nabal.
- During this time while David was around, his troops had not taken anything. Moreover, nothing had gone missing because they had been honest and good men.
- We also read further:
- 1 Samuel 25:15-16
15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: 16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
- 1 Samuel 25:15-16
- The presence of David’s men had been like a wall of protection to Nabal’s shepherd’s and flocks.
- So all David was asking for was a little provision.
How does Nabal respond?
- 1 Samuel 25:10-11
10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? - Nabal was not willing to help him at all. Not that he didn’t know who David was. But his selfishness and wickedness caused him to say such foolish words. He did not want to regard David nor the help that had been given to him.
So word comes back to David. And upon hearing this, what does David do?
- 1 Samuel 25:13
And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff. - David is not simply going to pay Nabal a visit. He is angry and is ready to kill him and destroy all that he has.
- What a different picture that we see here of David. Someone has offended him and he is ready and quick to take revenge. Yet all this time he has been running for his life, king Saul trying to kill him for no reason. Yet he does not dare to even do him a little harm.
- Even good and righteous men and women have their moments where they slip up and let go of God.
So David is off for revenge. However, what happens as he is on the way?
- 1 Samuel 25:14
But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. - Somehow one of the servants of Nabal have gotten wind of David’s intent and quickly runs to tell Abigail, Nabal’s wife.
- Upon hearing this what does she do?
- 1 Samuel 25:18-19
18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. 19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal. - She brings out food to David and makes peace with him.
- How does David respond?
- 1 Samuel 25:32-33
32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. - David comes to his senses and realizes the harm that he could have done and quickly relents.
Not many days later, what happens to Nabal?
- 1 Samuel 25:37-38
37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died. - God would take the matter into His own hands and smite Nabal that he would die.
- Here was a really important lesson for David to learn. And if not for Abigail, he would have walked ahead of God.
- David had to learn not to react when offended. This was a really important lesson, especially for the soon-to-be king.
- And secondly, he had to learn to trust God that God would take the matter into His own hands at His appointed time.
- It seemed like David knew this already when we see how he treated king Saul right? But yet somehow he missed the mark when it came to Nabal. Praise God for second chances and the counsel of other people that God sends us!
But let’s continue. We must look at the next chapter really quickly as well.
- 1 Samuel 26:1-2
1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. - It’s not long before Saul comes chasing after David again, just as he expected he would.
- 1 Samuel 26:5-12
5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them. - A second opportunity for David to take the life of Saul. And once again, he refuses.
- How tempting it must have been. The Bible tells us that they were in a deep sleep because the Lord had put them in this state. How we would have thought it was providence again!
- And maybe if it was not for his experience in the previous chapter with Nabal, maybe this second time he would have killed Saul. But he only goes away with his water and spear.
Finally, when there is enough distance between him and Saul, he wakes him up and shows him that he means no harm even though he had the opportunity to do so. How does Saul respond?
- 1 Samuel 26:17, 21, 25
17 And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. - Saul seemed like he changed this time again. He admits his sin and his foolishness. And he asks David to return with him to the palace. But David has no such trust in Saul. They part ways again.
Twice, David has proved that he has no desire to hurt Saul. That he has no evil intentions against him. Yet Saul would not change. The mercy and compassion shown to him never touched a real chord in his heart to make him stop hunting David. David’s goodness never changed his present circumstances.
And sometimes, we take a step back and wonder why would David do this? What was the point? Saul never changed!
But you see, we never know in our situation when we treat our enemies with kindness, compassion and mercy. It was not for David to try and change his own circumstance. At the very least what God required of him was righteousness and a Christ-like character under tribulation and persecution.
Let’s not have a different motive in our hearts in why we treat our enemies a certain way. Let’s not treat some with kindness, hoping to have kindness repaid in kind. Let’s simply be kind and loving and mercy because that’s what Christ would do in that situation.
May God help us all to be more like Christ. To have His love. To have His character. That He would live in each of us through every situation that we encounter today. That we would not repay evil with evil. But that we would continue to love no matter the circumstance.