I Samuel 21-25: King Saul Pursues David
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INTRODUCTION.
A. In our previous study of I Samuel, we examined the following:
1. The early successes and failures of king Saul. In his failures, Saul clearly disobeyed the Lord on two accusations.
a. Saul, while growing impatient, offered a sacrifice. He was not authorized to offer the sacrifice because he was not of the tribe of Levi.
b. Saul was not obedient to the Lord when the Lord commanded Saul to utterly destroy all the Amalekites and their possessions.
2. God chose David to replace Saul as king of Israel.
3. God gave David victory over Goliath.
4. Saul turning against David because of his successes in battle.
5. Jonathan, the son of king Saul, helping David to escape from the wrath of king Saul.
B. With this study, we will being in I Samuel 21 where we find David and his men traveling to the city of Nob.
I. KING SAUL PURSUES DAVID. (21:1 - 24:22)
A. Chapter 21
1. Having left Jonathan, David traveled to Nob. In Nob, David and his men went to Ahimelech the priest and asked him for bread. After some discussion over who could eat the holy bread, Ahimelech gave David what he requested. David also requested a weapon. Ahimelech gave David the sword of Goliath. Present with Ahimelech was a servant of Saul, Doeg, an Edomite. (21:1-9)
2. David fled from Nob and went to Achish the king of Gath. David, being afraid of Achish, pretended to be insane or a madman. (21:10-15)
B. Chapter 22
1. From Gath, David escaped to the cave of Adullam. When David’s family learned where he was, the joined him. In addition to his family, many other people joined David. There were about four hundred men with him. David then went to Mizpah of Moab. David left his father and mother in Mizpah. The prophet Gad told David to leave Mizpah and go to Judah. David left and went to the forest of Hereth. (22:1-5)
2. When Saul learned that David had been discovered, he became angry with his men. Doeg, an Edomite, told Saul about Ahimelech the priest helping David. (22:6-10)
3. Saul called for Ahimelech the priest and asked him why he had helped David. Saul ordered his guards to kill the Lord’s priest. However, the guards refused to kill the Lord’s priest. Saul told Doeg, the Edomite, to kill the priests and he did. That day Doeg killed 85 men and he also struck Nob, the city of priests. (22:11-19)
4. Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech escaped. Abiathar went to David and told David all that had happened. (22:20-23)
C. Chapter 23
1. David received report that the Philistines were fighting against the city of Keilah. David ask the Lord if he should go. The Lord told David to go and attack the Philistines. David and his men attacked the Philistines and saved the inhabitants of Keilah. (23:1-5)
2. When Saul learned that David had gone to Keilah, he called people together to go to war with Keilah, to capture David. David asked the Lord if the men of Keilah would turn him over to Saul. The Lord told David that they would turn him over to Saul. David and about six hundred men escaped from Keilah. (23:6-13)
3. David and his men remained in the mountains of the Wilderness of Ziph. Jonathan, the son of king Saul, went to David to help strengthed and encourage him. (23:14-18)
4. The Ziphites told Saul that David was hiding in the hill of Hachilah. When David learned that Saul and his men were looking for David, David and his men went to the Wilderness of Moan. Saul and his men were in the process of encircling David and his men when Saul learned that the Philistines were invading Saul’s land. Saul left and went to fight the Philistines and David went to the strongholds of En Gedi. (23:19-29)
D. Chapter 24
1. When Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he took three thousand men to pursue David. During the search for David, Saul entered a cave to “relieve himself” or “attend to his needs.” David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave. Instead of taking that opportunity to kill Saul, David cut off a corner of Saul’s rob. David felt bad about having done such a thing to Saul, the Lord’s annointed. Saul left the cave. (24:1-7)
2. David likewise left the cave and told Saul that he should not listen to other people. David explained that he had an opportunity to kill Saul, but he refused. Instead David showed Saul the corner of Saul’s rob and explained that he would not kill king Saul. (24:8-15)
3. When Saul heard David’s words, he wept. Saul also asked David that when David served as king, that David would not cut off Saul’s descendants and destroy his father’s name from his house. (24:16-22)
II. THE STORY OF ABIGAIL. (25:1-44)
A. Chapter 25
1. After the death of Samuel, David went to the Wilderness of Paran. (25:1)
2. There was a rich man in Maon whose name was Nabal. Nabal, a harsh and evil man, was married to Abigail, a woman of “good understanding and beautiful appearance.” (25:2-3)
3. Having heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, David sent 10 young men to ask Nabal for nourishment. The men made the quest of Nabal and waited for his reply. (25:4-9)
4. Nabal refused to help David and his men. When David received the report of Nabal’s refusal to help, he and about four hundred men took their swords and went after Nabal and all that was his. (25:10-13)
5. A young man carried news to Abigail of what Nabal had done. Abigail was also told of the kindness that David and his man had earlier shown to the servants of Nabal. The young man also told Abigail that David had determined to do harm against Nabal and his household. Abigail went and prepared food for David and his men. (25:14-19)
6. Abigail went to David and pleaded for forgiveness for the actions of his husband, the scoundrel. She presented David and his men with the food and supplies that she had prepared. (25:20-31)
7. David had mercy on Abigail. He received the gifts that she had brought to him and his men. (25:32-35)
8. Abigail went home. The next morning, Abigail told Nabal what had happened and he was greatly affected by the news. Ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and Nabal died. After learning of Nabal’s death, David proposed to Abigail. Abigail went and became David’s wife. (25:36-44)
III. LESSONS LEARNED:
A. Pick the right person to follow.
1. Consider the four hundred who chose to follow David. They to follow the man of God, not the man rejected by God. (I Samuel 22:1-2)
2. Who have you chosen to follow? Make the decision to follow the right leader. Make the decision to follow Jesus Christ and His teachings. Let Him be your King.
a. Be like Joshua who said, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15, NKJV)
b. We must be following Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. (Mark 10:21-22)
c. Be for Jesus, not against Jesus. Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” (Matthew 12:30, NKJV)
B. Do not work for the wrong side. (Ex. of Doeg)
1. Doeg chose to help Saul instead of helping David.
a. Doeg, who was present when David sought help from Ahimelech, was a servant of Saul. (I Samuel 21:7)
b. Doeg chose to help Saul instead of David. (I Samuel 22:9-10)
c. Doeg killed Ahimelech and the priests. (I Samuel 22:18-19)
d. Notice David’s comments about Doeg. (I Samuel 22:20-23)
2. We must make certain that we choosing to work with Jesus instead of Satan. Satan is doing his best to trap questions.
a. We are taught that the devil is walking around as a “roaring lion” seeking whom he may devour. (I Peter 5:8-9)
b. The devil will use deceitful tactics to turn us away from the Truth. (II Corinthians 11:13-15)
c. If we choose to follow the work of Satan, then “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.” (II Peter 2:18-22)
C. Do not deceive yourself regarding your relationship with God.
1. Saul deceived himself.
a. Saul had lost his relationship with God. (I Samuel 15:24-29, 35; I Samuel 16:14)
b. But Saul deceived himself into thinking that he was still in favor with the Lord. (I Samuel 23:7, 21)
2. Many people today believe that they are in fellowship with God, when they are not.
a. Many people will deceive themselves into believing they are doing the Lord’s will. (Matthew 7:21-23)
b. If a person chooses to reject the Truth of the Lord, then the Lord will not prevent them from believing a lie. (II Thessalonians 2:9-12)
c. Paul warned the Galatian brethren about men who would pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:6-9)
D. A lesson of mercy.
1. David had an opportunity to kill Saul, but instead, he showed Saul mercy. (I Samuel 24:3-7) David’s extending of mercy to Saul helped to, temporarily, calm Saul’s spirit. (I Samuel 22:16-22)
2. When we are challenged by those who would do us wrong, we must always remember the example of David. Leave vengence and retribution up to God.
a. We are love those who do us wrong. (Matthew 5:43-48)
b. We are not to be overcome by evil. (Romans 12:14, 17-21)
c. Let us possess the wisdom that is from above, the wisdom that demands mercy. (James 3:13-18)
E. Be willing to help others when you have the means and opportunity.
1. Abigail saved the lives of her husband and family when she extended hospitality to David and His men. (I Samuel 25:12-35)
2. When we have the opportunitites and the means, we should likewise help those who are in need.
a. We are to be hospitality without grumbling. (I Peter 4:9-10)
b. Consider the story of the good Samaritan. (Luke 10:29-37)
CONCLUSION.
A. As we close this lesson, let us ask ourselves the following questions:
1. Are you following the right leader, Jesus Christ?
2. Are you following the wrong leader, man?
3. Are you truly right with God in all manners of your life?
4. Are you showing mercy when called upon to do so?
5. Are you willing to help others when you have the means and opportunity?
B. Learn from the lessons of King Saul, and set your life right with God today.
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I Samuel 21-25: King Saul Pursues David -- December 1, 2002 -- File # 672
by John M. Duvall – Lawton, OK