The church was in the park so there is no video for this week.
Havasu Christian Church
Series in I Samuel
November 3, 2024
I Samuel 23:15-29
"Trust, betrayal and help"
INTRO: As we continue our study in I Samuel, we see David dealing with a multitude of things. But in the text today, we will see how he deals with Trust, Betrayal and Help.
I Samuel 23:15-29 Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.
16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.
17 Thus he said to him, “Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.”
18 So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.
- In the middle of his struggles, his friend comes to encourage David!
- Jonathan is an amazing friend!
- Jonathan comes to encourage David.
- David can use some encouragement right now!
- Saul is on the hunt again, and he’s getting closer to catching up to David.
- Jonathan has a lot to lose.
- Jonathan chooses David over his own father.
- Jonathan chooses his friendship with David over being king.
- “You will be the next King of Israel.”
- “I will be beside you.”
- I think there’s more to it than loyalty to David.… I think he knows that God has planned for David to become King, and Jonathan wants what God wants.
- He trusts that God will work His will.
- “The hand of Saul my father will not find you.”
- A covenant is made.
- This passage does not tell us what the covenant was. It may have been a restatement of what they agreed to in 1 Samuel 20:42.
1 Samuel 20:42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’ ” Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.
- Whatever the covenant is, it reinforces the fact that Jonathan is on David’s side.
- He is a man that David can trust!
- David is sold out by the Ziphites!
19 Then Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
20 “Now then, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to do so; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.”
21 Saul said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.
22 “Go now, make more sure, and investigate and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning.
23 “So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”
24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.
- The people of the city of Ziph decide to curry favor with Saul.
- They go to Saul, he doesn’t come to them.
- At least the men of Keilah were afraid of what Saul would do to their city…
- Saul hasn’t made any promises that we are aware of, but he has asked others if David, who is on the run, can give them things like Saul can, who is not on the run.
- Saul even invokes the name of the Lord… “May you be blessed of the Lord, for you have had compassion on me.”
- Saul wants more…. He wants the people of Ziph to spy for him. “So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty”
- If you give me the right intel, I can find him.
- Why would the “sell out” David?
- I think there’s an implication of a reward here. Otherwise, why would they go to all this trouble?
- It’s also possible that they are just “civic minded” folks.
- After all, Saul is their king.
- The Ziphites go home and do their dirty work.
- They send the report back to Saul.
- Saul comes after David.
25 When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.
26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them.
- Saul gets word about where David is hiding.
- He “comes a runnin…”
- Saul and his army are coming up one side of the mountain, and David and his men are on the other side.
- As they climb, Saul’s forces spread out in order to surround David and his men.
- David and his men begin a quick retreat, hoping not to get encircled.
- But apparently, Saul has the drop on them.
- They are in real trouble.
- God intervenes!
27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.”
28 So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.
29 David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi.
- This time, at least, Saul decides to actually do the right thing as a King and go and protect his people, and their property.
- The Philistines
- seem to always be stealing.
- They may be very industrious at home, but they want your stuff too!
- Saul is called away and he actually listens!
- David and his people get away.
- They leave, and the call the place “Rock of Escape.”
- They are commemorating a close call.
- They head out looking for somewhere safer.
- It’s a HARD journey!
- They go to En Gedi. “Spring of the goats.”
- It’s a lush, well-watered area in the middle of high barren cliffs.
- There is a beautiful waterfall that is now called the Waterfall of David.
- After their close call, God gives them a beautiful place to rest.
Conclusion: This is where we leave David and the rest of his group today. But what can we learn from this?
- In our lives, we will all experience trust and betrayal.
- Sometimes, we may even experience them both from the same person.
- David was able to trust in spite of being betrayed.
- He trusted Jonathan, even after being “sold out” by the people of Keilah, and the people of Ziph.
- We see David taking no revenge on either city, even though he could have.
Jesus was betrayed, by those he trusted and by those He didn’t trust…. but He still forgave!
Peter
The soldiers
Even Judas if he had repented.
- In this passage, we also see Saul, “out to get” David.
- David doesn’t Stay and fight.
- He’s an experienced warrior.
- He probably could have fought and prevailed.
- He chose to honor God’s choice of Saul as the king over Israel.
Jesus certainly had the opportunity to get His revenge on those who hated Him.
Matthew 26:51–54 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? “How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”
- Jesus came to Earth with a purpose, and He fulfilled that purpose.
- He came to be the sacrifice for our sins so we could be forgiven.
- Even betrayal and attack could not sway Him from doing the will of the Father.
- God intervened for David.
- God gave him a way out.
- God has intervened for many of His people.
- David
- Baalam’s donkey…
Numbers 22:22–34 But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.
23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way.
24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself to the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again.
26 The angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick.
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29 Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground.
32 The angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way was contrary to me.
33 “But the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let her live.”
34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back.”
- Elijah, in hiding, fed by ravens.
- God also intervenes for us.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
- David was given a time of rest after all of this.
- When we’ve been through a struggle, God gives us rest as well.
- Jesus was given rest and comfort after He fasted in the desert and was confronted by Satan.
Matthew 4:11 Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.
- Even after His death on the cross, Jesus was given rest.
- His body was at rest for 3 days.
- He no longer lives on this earth.
- If it gets bad enough for us, we too have the promise of that rest!
- That rest is eternity with the Lord!
- That rest isn’t going to be sitting on a cloud, playing a harp.
- People aren’t built to be happy unless they have a purpose.
Whatever God has in store, it will be grand!
