First Samuel 23:19

The Bible says in First Samuel 23:19-29, “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?[20] Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.[21] And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.[22] Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.[23] See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.[24] And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.[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 Sela-hammahlekoth.[29] And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.” Of course, this is one more event that showed how the Lord kept David safe. This time as Saul was scheming to find David and trap David, the Lord sent the Philistines to cause problems for the nation of Israel and so Saul had no choice but to turn towards the Philistines to oppose them. God is in charge of everything and everyone. God has His hand in everything that happens. And God is using everything that happens to accomplish His great plans.

Notice in verse twenty-one that as Saul seeks to kill David, Saul says, “Blessed be ye of the LORD.” Just because there is a religious environment with people using religious terms does not mean that they are serving God. They might be filled with murderous intent. Saul was like that.

The Bible says in First Samuel 24:1-7, “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 En-gedi.[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.[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.” David could have killed Saul, but he did not do it. He certainly would have been justified to do so because of all the times that Saul had tried to kill him, and because Saul was in that very place to kill David. Just because you can do something does not mean that you should do it. Here is a test of true Christian character: someone does you wrong, but in response to that, you do them good. Did not Jesus say, “Love your enemies?” David did cut off the hem of Saul’s garment in order to show Saul that David could have killed him, and to try and make a peace overture. It was so crazy that Saul was trying to kill David, that David never gave up hoping that Saul would come to his senses.

The Bible says in First Samuel 24:8-22, “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.[13] As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.[14] After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.[15] The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.[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.” Even though Saul manifested himself to be a terrible person, a hypocrite, a bad leader, and of course, having a murderous intent towards David; David remained respectful and polite. God has established a hierarchy among human beings, and to serve God you must submit yourself properly to that hierarchy. And then when David talked to Saul, David simply told the truth and the facts. You always want to be on the side of truth because truth will eventually win the day. At least this time Saul appears to finally accept the fact that David is indeed going to eventually be king, and that means that Saul will probably die. That is why Saul asked David basically the same as Jonathan: “that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.”

The Bible says in First 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.” What was said of Samuel in the first phrase will be said of everyone some day unless you are saved and the rapture happens first. “Samuel died.” This truth has many ramifications. Whatever you do, get saved by faith in Christ. Serve God. Live life to the fullest. Fulfill your calling. Be happy. Use your talents and abilities for God’s glory. Life is short and death is sure. Live for eternity. Tomorrow is forever. What you do today will make your tomorrow. Samuel was one of the great believers in the Bible. He was faithful throughout his life. He was used of the Lord in many ways. He wrote part of the scriptures. He anointed king David. He was the spiritual leader of the nation of Israel during his life. Why did he accomplish these things? Samuel was prepared by God for them. Samuel’s birth was an answer to prayer. Samuel’s mother dedicated him to the Lord. At a young age Samuel was sent to be raised by the priest and was therefore raised hearing the Word of the Lord consistently. The modern-day equivalent would be to have a Christian education in the primary, middle school, and high school years as well a going to a Christian college. Samuel was called by the Lord at a young age. In other words, Samuel had a spiritual experience in which he came to know the Lord personally. Samuel was called by the Lord, and Samuel surrendered to that call. Once he was called by the Lord, he kept serving the Lord all of his life. No wonder he was used by the Lord. If we put our lives on a similar path of following the Lord Jesus, we will be used by the Lord too.

The Bible says in First Samuel 25:2-38, “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.[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?[12] So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.[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.[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.[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.[17] Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.[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.[20] And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.[21] Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.[22] So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.[23] And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,[24] And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.[25] Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.[26] Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.[27] And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.[28] I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.[29] Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.[30] And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;[31] That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.[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.[34] For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.[35] So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.[36] And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.[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.” It is very important to notice that as evil as Nabal was, God took Nabal’s life with a heart attack. It is a very good thing that Abigail stopped David from using violence. If God wants to take someone off the earth, He will take them off the earth. You do not need to think about doing it. You need to pray for them. They need to serve the Lord. They face hell without the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

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