Pursuing A Heart Like David’s, Pt. 5

Ronald Weinland

November 28, 2020

This is Part 5 of the series entitled Pursuing A Heart Like David’s.

We ended Part 4 in the story of how Abigail went to David and was moved to speak to David in a manner that actually revealed that God was inspiring her, giving to her what to say. David recognized that, and it is addressed that it did come from God.

It was also revealed that it was God who executed judgment upon Nabal, Abigail’s husband for what he had done and how he had treated David and the kindness and the effort that they had shown to his shepherds, the ones who were shearing, as well, the sheep out in a particular area that was easily able to be attacked.

You need to see here that we are talking about something that was really, totally still, in this regard, unsettled as far as Judah was concerned, and the Philistines on one side, and then there were other areas in the south part where there were those who came up in various raids and so forth from other groups. That’s the kind of region, that was the kind of world people lived in at that time. A lot of these would push up into those areas to attack people, to attack and take livestock and riches and kill people. It was just a common thing that took place at that time.

So sometimes when we read these stories it’s kind of hard to put ourselves in that kind of mindset, to understand what was really going on at the time, what was happening. A nation was just kind of beginning as far as structure and organization, and it was a long, long way off from being able to effectively police the country and to take care of things, and especially with what was going on because of Saul and his attitude towards David and his response to David.

But again here, God executed judgment against Nabal and David was brought to a reality that it was not his place to seek vengeance in this particular matter. Again, this is rather difficult for us to grasp some of the things that took place during the lifetime of David, as an example, because they didn’t have much that was written.

They had a history. They didn’t have things written like we do today. They had a history of their movement out of Egypt and things that had happened to them in times past, but they didn’t have anything as far as the depth of knowledge of God’s purpose and God’s plan for mankind. They had bits and pieces.

As I mentioned last time, it was actually David whom God gave a great deal of revelation of things to be written in the book of Psalms that were prophetic, a lot of those that Christ actually quoted and revealed more about what they actually meant.

So, even though David was inspired to write many of those things he still didn’t understand many of the things that were given. Especially, again, concerning the spirit of the law, what Christ came and revealed later on. But this was just a beginning stage, and it’s hard, again, for us to grasp some of these things because God was working with individuals, over nearly 4,000 years there, on an individual basis, and they didn’t have a whole lot, in that regard. They were judged according to what they were given. That’s why we’re going through this talking about this heart, this mindset of David toward God and toward others as well because of that mindset toward God. And that begins to come out a little more in this particular section of the story.

So again, to understand that these things weren’t just events that just happened. God designed and moved with different things in David’s life to record examples of things that were written to teach us later on, to teach the Church. It’s hard for us to grasp that mind that is so intricate in what He did, in what God did that He planned and purposed different events and worked with those events. He brought about things to happen in certain manner in order for stories to be written that carried with them incredible lessons to be learned on a spiritual plane that weren’t given back then. They were just physical life stories.

Again, to understand these things are written for the Church, especially, and for those who will be in the one thousand years that follows and the hundred years that follow that. It’s awesome, the great God whom we serve and what He reveals to us and how it’s been a progressive revelation for 6,000 years, and especially over the last 2,000 years.

Next, we come to 1 Samuel 26:1. We’re going to continue to go through much of this. It’s a very moving thing to see what happened in David’s life, to recognize how God mold and fashioned him. And if we really think about these things and look at these things it can also help us to be more in awe of how God is working with us, with the Church, and how He molds and fashions events and things within the Church to teach us lessons, to help us, to bless us so that we can be molded and fashioned into what He’s preparing us to fulfill, to fit into in time. Because we’re all different pieces in God’s purpose and God’s plan and He places us where He wills.

So, again here, 1 Samuel 26:1—Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, David is hiding in the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon. Then Saul rose up 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.

This has been an incredible story here about Saul, how he started out with a humility about himself, because he didn’t have a lot, in that respect, as a part of the tribe and his family. And yet, now God had chosen him to be the first king. When these things began to gel in his mind, as he progressed forward he did what so many happen to do as time goes along when people are given responsibilities, power, authority, oftentimes they abuse it and misuse it because of their carnal human nature.

And what popped into my mind? Sometimes going through border crossings going into Canada. I’ve never experienced that, I don’t believe, overseas, as a whole. Maybe a little bit, but not much compared to Canada. For whatever reason it seems like people were put in some of these positions just to agitate, perhaps to bring some things to the surface, but there’s like a competition that goes back and forth and the jealousy that exists, has existed between both sides for a long time. Another story in itself.

Because that even affected some of the ministry at times, some who were in Canada and some who were in the U.S. who came together in Niagara Falls. So, learned lessons from some of that. That shouldn’t have been there. There shouldn’t be those kinds of jealousies and the kind of envying that took place and the guarding of territory and guarding of position and some of the things that human nature does.

But again here, this thing of jealousy that Saul developed over time here toward David because he began to be lifted up by his position as king and had all these servants and had all this wealth that was just given to him because of this, because a nation was beginning, a kingdom was beginning, in that sense, Judah, Israel, if you will, all of Israel. It was the early stages of it, but it went to his head.

Again, this has happened a lot in God’s Church. I don’t care what it is that people have been given at different times, whatever kinds of responsibility, everyone is tried and tested as to how they respond to that. I think back of Worldwide and different things, assignments that were handed out to different ones because of a functioning of a large congregation.

I think of Houston, where we were for nearly seven years, and how there was a tape library, and how some people who were there responsible for getting tapes back and forth were (how do I say it), dictatorial, power went to their head. They ran it in a manner that wasn’t giving, it wasn’t serving, it was a matter of the authority that they had.

Whenever that happens things go awry, things don’t go well, things don’t function smoothly. There’s a way of doing things God’s way. That’s what we’re to learn. There is a way of doing things our way, which involves envy, jealousy, pride, authority that goes to the head, of being seen or wanting to be seen by others and being lifted up by that, that pride. That is such an ugly, ugly, ugly thing.

Whether it be something like that or, again, I think of the same area because this has been repeated over and over again in every area we’ve ever been in, and I think of some of the potlucks, the big meals. You talk about nearly 600 people in a congregation and having something like that, it took a lot of people coordinating and doing a lot of work and sometimes people just didn’t have balance and they would go overboard in the exercising of their authority and their power and it’s about them. It’s not about the service. It’s not about using common sense and balance and caring for others. It’s about themselves.

When we focus on ourselves it’s just not good. So, sometimes by the amounts of what were given out of a certain thing or whatever – again, so many story popping into my mind of different things like that that have happened, people get into arguments and fights over some of these things. They get into debates over some of these things.

I think of Detroit at one time, when we had services with Toledo and Detroit together, and some who were upset or getting upset about who got to bring the cookies, who was in charge of the cookies. I think, that’s something to really get upset about, of having authority over, power over the cookies and who brings them. It just shows how puny some of these things are. It doesn’t matter at what stage it is; it can be something like that that’s small, in the sense of the organization of, the structure of the Church. Because cookies aren’t a really big thing in the sense of what might be a minister’s job.

But whether it be ministers, whether it be deacons and deaconesses, whether it be a local elders, as the structure was at that time, people who were ordained locally as elders, not hired by the Church but served as elders within the Church, and then those who were ministers. All of these things all the way through, or people who’d been given different jobs, perhaps it was a coach in Y.O.U., or perhaps a song leader or someone doing the chorale, helping in chorale, in the sense of working with the chorale, or just being in the chorale. Some people, it would go to their heads. “Well, I’m part of the chorale. I’m one of the singers.” “I’m one of the primary singers.” Or “I’m one of the musicians.” On and on it goes.

It’s just like a desire to be seen, a desire about self. The more that we can think about those things and see those things in our nature the better off we are. Because these things are really despicable. They’re ugly, ugly, ugly. I know they’re ugly in God’s eyes. If we can be convicted of that we don’t want that in our lives. We want to have the kind of mind, the kind of heart that David had.

Because over and over again, as we’ve already seen here through the previous four parts of this series, he had an incredible spirit of humility. I mean, way above and beyond any other person I can think of — except Christ. But that’s another story, obviously.

But as far as life is concerned with mankind, with mothers and fathers being both human, David is an incredible example of this. We can learn from that. We can want to have that same kind of mind, that same kind of attitude. Because jealousies have caused an incredible amount of damage in God’s Church over the past 2,000 years, but especially since I’ve been around, because I can speak of that since Worldwide then going on into the period of time whether we talk about Philadelphia and then going on into the era of Laodicea, and then, finally, in the remnant era of God’s Church, the remnant period that we’re in right now.

People have different things that they can been given, and they can begin to be jealous of others. So, it works both ways. It’s not just Saul becoming jealous of someone who served under him because he felt threatened or whatever, it goes the other way too, where people can be jealous then towards others because they begin to judge them and begin to look negatively upon them and begin to find fault with what they’re doing and how they do it.

To find something to disagree on, to nit-pick perhaps, this has happened so much in times past. It still happens to a certain degree at times. I know it still goes on. But people have to think about that and say, “Am I guilty of that?” We have to judge ourselves. We don’t want to be guilty of that kind of thing because it will cut us off from God’s spirit. And so, people have to be very careful.

I think of different ordinations that have happened over the past, say, ten years, and I think of different ones who have left God’s Church because they begin to be jealous of others who were ordained, especially those who were over them or someone that was ordained that they didn’t agree with, they didn’t agree that they should be ordained and they begin to find, “Oh yeah…” Might as well say that one, “That’s his daughter.” “That’s his son!” Well, was God in it or God not in it? Is God in it or not in it? Because we’ve had quite a few situations in times past where people have judged things accordingly. And if you have, you’re just dead wrong. You’re just wrong about what you’re doing.

It’s a matter of God’s spirit. It’s a matter of how God’s spirit works in our lives and what God is doing in our lives, whether it be in a family or whether it be other situations in life. There are ways that God works. Yet people would judge that and determine that, “Well, that’s his way of doing it. That’s his way of functioning.”

I think of some in times past within COG-PKG who found fault with the fact that they might talk to me about a certain matter and if I didn’t deal with it right away or didn’t deal with it in the way they thought I should – it’s usually right away – because they want something dealt with right away, and if I didn’t do it that way they began to question, in that regard. They begin to have an attitude toward some of those things and would say and express certain things like that sometimes. I’d get scuttlebutt that would come back to me that, basically, I’m not dealing with things the way I should be. I think, hmm, okay.

So, people have these thoughts and ideas that come in their mind. But these things are matters of jealousy generally, envy, pride and so forth. Again, don’t let it be a part of your life. Learn from these lessons and desire to have that kind of heart. For that’s the kind of mind, the kind of heart that God wants us to have.

Verse 3—And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite of Jeshimon, by the road. But David stayed in the wilderness even as he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. So here he was, David is down in the wilderness, in a wilderness area of Israel, primarily of Judah, and addressing some of this here that he heard, basically that Saul was coming into the area. Again, this was brought to his attention. So, it says here, David, therefore, sent out spies, and understood that Saul had indeed come. So, he had come into the area. But he had to send out people first to see if indeed Saul had come because he’d heard the scuttlebutt here, he was hearing rumors, but he wanted to be assured of it so he sent them out. That’s what this is about here then.

So, David rose up and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul was lying, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now, David used to be the commander of the army so he knew him, he knew of Abner, and he knew that he was there, was able to have this word come back to him. He knew he was the commander of the army and that he would definitely be with Saul. So, whether he saw it personally at that moment in time? But he knew that.

So again here, we’re going through this particular story here. This is one I debated whether or not, in essence, to go through when I thought about different areas to hit as highlights of David’s life. But because of what it says here – and I mentioned this last week, that we were going to have a second example of something – and when you see something like this where there are two accounts or more of a particular matter, God is stressing even more so the importance of the lessons to be learned from the account. So, that’s why we’re going through this, because it does magnify then the importance of the account and what is brought out here.

So, he goes on, it goes on to say here, Now, Saul was lying within the camp, with the people encamped all around him. He was being protected and they were all around. Then David answered and said to Ahimelech, the Hittite, and to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp? And Abishai answered, I will go down with you. So, David and Abishai went to the people at night; and to where Saul was lying asleep within the camp, and his spear stuck in the ground by his head.

Now, you didn’t see a whole lot of people here volunteering, but this individual did. And you would think there might be more but you have to realize this is kind of a ragtag type of group of people together at this particular time who were with David, and most of them not looked upon fondly in many way by some in Israel because of some of their experiences and things of their life. But anyway. There were some who were more faithful, in that respect, who were with David because they admired and respected him. So, it was a mixture of individuals.

But here this individual went with him. Understandably so, in many ways; it’s kind of like going out against the giant. Who wants to do that? Who wants to go down in the midst of a camp where there are several thousand, at least two maybe, maybe three… I don’t know if it said it here. Three thousand men, it says. So, with three thousand men, in the midst of all that, and be in the midst of them? Not the best of ideas perhaps. So again, carnal human nature enters in and protection of self and not wanting to die. Understandable to a degree.

So again, came up to where Saul was lying asleep, and here was this spear stuck in the ground beside him. And Abner and the people were lying all around him. Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Just like the account in the cave. Here it is Abishai responding in a matter of what he saw from his carnal nature, and saying, in essence here, an opportunity to take his life. That’s what it was as far as he could see.

God wasn’t in his mind. It was in David’s. David’s mind and attitude was, as a whole, toward God first in things that he did and why did he do them. So, that’s why he went on to ask. He says, Now, therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time! So, it’s like, “Let me take this spear and take it and ram it through him,” through Saul, “and pin him to the ground killing him.” So again here, this opportunity he thought, here he is delivered into David’s hand. Which wasn’t the case. But anyway, again, incredible story here.

Then David said to Abishai, Do not cause him to perish, for who can stretch out his hand against the Eternal’s anointed and be guiltless? So repeating again the very same thing that had taken place concerning what was at the cave, and David responding in the same manner again, this thing that was in his mind, “You can’t raise your arm against, to strike out against God’s anointed.”

Again, referring back to last week’s sermon, this thing of checking ourselves, of being careful what we say about what God is doing, what God is doing in the Church, what the Church is doing. Sometimes people don’t realize what they’re doing, and saying things against God, not just against the Church – which is God’s. It’s God’s Church.

Verse 10—Furthermore, David said, As the Eternal lives, the Eternal will strike him. So, it’s that faith, that confidence that if something is wrong, and in his time, he is God’s anointed, God has set him apart. That’s what that’s about, set apart for special purpose and use. Who is to stand in the way of that? God will take care of His.

The Eternal will strike him, or his day to die will come, or he will go out to battle and perish. So, it’s like, “I’m not going to put my hand against him, raise up my hand against him. I’m not going to be responsible or a part of that against God’s anointed. For in time God may directly intervene to take care of him. Perhaps in time he’ll just die, or perhaps go into a battle and die, be killed. But I’m not going to do it.” So, that’s what he’s saying. That’s how he’s responding.

The Eternal forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Eternal’s anointed. So, he keeps coming back to that. He’s not going to do it. But let’s take the spear and the jug of water that are by his head and then we’ll go. It’s this thing of taking these items, just like he did when he’d cut off the part of the robe and then later showed it as a matter of when he was in the cave. So, he’s doing a similar sort of thing now except now it’s not just in a cave in a remote area on the side here where there are no soldiers in there with him to protect him. Now he’s in the middle of a camp and here are all these people around him, and this is what David is doing.

So, David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and then they left; and no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake. For they were all asleep… Now, this is an awesome thing, too, this confidence that David had and this mindset that he had toward God. He had these experiences early on as a younger person, as a teen, of fighting, talking about fighting a lion, talking about killing bear, and bare handed. He had this confidence that God would take care of him. He knew of the right that he was doing. He was convicted of that right he was doing because he was measuring himself before God constantly as to his actions; was it right before God or not? That’s how he tried to judge things.

Again, they didn’t have a whole lot back then. How much do we do that on a regular basis? We should do it because it’s more a part of us on a constant basis. It should be just more of a natural thing with us because of all the truth, because of all the understanding God has given to us in the Church. Our ability to do that is magnified many times over, but oftentimes it’s not practiced, lived to the degree it should be. Again, another area to look at ourselves and to judge and to change where we need to, actually, to repent where we need to in order to be more in unity, oneness, and harmony with God’s will and God’s purpose in our lives and within the Church.

So again here, this confidence that David had. Then here’s the answer, part of what God did then. For they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the Eternal had fallen on them. Now, David had already been told one day he’s going to be king. He believed that. He believed things that God had said and God had given. That which had been given to Samuel to give to David, they were in David’s mind. But David wasn’t going to interfere with the process. He knew it was from God and in God’s timing.

And so, we wait on those things. There are things sometimes we don’t grasp and don’t comprehend because God hasn’t shown us everything. But we continue to move forward. We continue to do the things that we know to do and know that God’s going to intervene, that God’s going to do various things as time goes along. We just don’t know what they are all the time and so we move forward in faith, confidence, and boldness of the things that we know are before us. Just like what’s happening in the Church.

I was thinking about some of the news I’ve been going through and looking at here in this past week, and this world is so messed up! We know that the end is so close, but to understand how close it could really be is rather frightening because we don’t grasp the magnitude of how bad it’s going to be. We have a very small thing we’re dealing with right now as far as COVID is concerned and how upset it has the world and dividing people and causing various factions and people taking sides and real hatred being spewed out from different quarters. It’s just a messed-up world. Governments of this world are so messed up and the people and response to those things is so messed up.

You think one day you could wake up and this world is going to be, begin to be turned upside down. Now, we don’t know what’s going to happen before the first four events that happen in this country of the Trumpets, the first four Trumpets. We don’t know exactly when that’s going to be. There could be some things, again, that shake this earth and shake the world in a way that sober people.

So far people aren’t moved, as a whole, to really look for answers. It’s not happening yet in a big scale, in a big way. And so, this helps us to understand even in a greater way that there is so much more that has to come to humble people, to move people to a point where they’ll begin to be afraid and begin to ask. So, we’ll see some of those things before those first four events. We’re seeing one now, but this is small in many ways.

But when it comes to the rumbling of war, the rattling of sabres, this is really going on right now, especially the rattling of sabres right now concerning a possibility of a strike against Iran to prevent them from getting nuclear weapons, and knowing that an administration that helped, well, I can’t say “support them,” but gave them a whole bunch of money in pallets to kind of appease them and stave the thing off, anyway, knowing that that same kind of administration is coming back again, there may be some in different mindset to think that, well, it’s not going to be dealt with so let’s deal with it now.

Because there’s that scuttlebutt out there and real concerns around different nations right now, of the possibilities, whether it be Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, and the U.S., obviously, and other countries in the area. They’re talking about these things right now, “Is this going to happen before an end of an office and the beginning of a new office in the U.S.?”

So again, that’s just how quick some things can happen. Have a couple of months here and this world could be turned upside down within a couple of months. It really could be. We just don’t know. But we have to be prepared. You have to be prepared spiritually. We have to be prepared physically, mentally in every way, and continue to go forward not knowing exactly when certain events are going to take place. But hopefully, becoming more prepared, better prepared, especially in spirit, in the mind.

Verse 13—Now, David went over to the other side to stand on top of the hill afar off with a good distance being between them. Then David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Are you not going to answer, Abner? So, he was crying out and he’s hollering, first of all, to Abner. So, just the fact that this happened and the way that it did almost puts chills up and down your spine. It does. It’s just absolutely incredible.

Then Abner answered and said, Who are you that’s calling to the king? So, David said to Abner, Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? So, here he is addressing the one who should have been protecting the king above everyone else. Of all those who were soldiers there it was Abner’s responsibility above and beyond all the rest to protect Saul. He was right there beside him. But he was in a deep sleep.

This isn’t a small thing that happened as far as the repercussions of what would happen if someone snuck in like this, which David did.

Then he goes on to say, For one of the people came in to cause your lord the king to perish. So, the one who was with him. He’s referring to the one who held up his hand and said, “I’ll go with you!” He was ready to kill him. He’s telling them this, “One came in to kill the king.”

Verse 16—What you have done is not good. As the Eternal lives, you deserve to die. By all rights he definitely did because he failed in his job, in his responsibility. There should have been guards who were awake. There should have been people guarding. They shouldn’t have been asleep there.

Even though God was involved in this it shows the weakness of human beings and the frailty of human beings. But David is taking advantage of that and saying, “Look what you have done!” So, indeed, something that would sober someone up very quickly.

So, he didn’t know what was being said” “What are you talking about?” So, he still didn’t know at this point. It says, You deserve to die because you have not guarded your master, the Eternal’s anointed. So, now look to where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head. So, he could have looked over there – it’s not there. Saul knew it wasn’t there. Anyone lying there in that area right there could see very plainly that the spear wasn’t there, and the jug wasn’t there, so, what’s happened?

Then Saul knew David’s voice and said, Is that your voice, my son David? And David answered, It is my voice, my lord, O king. And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand? So again, going through this again just like he did at the cave. “Why are you doing this?” Even back then he knew that this wasn’t over with. He understood that this wasn’t over with, that Saul wasn’t going to change even though he gave in at that point, so he’s talking to him again here in the same sort of manner.

Verse 19—Now, therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Eternal has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. So, in other words, it’s this thing of humility, again. It’s this thing of surely an offering can be given up to God and reconciling and making things right here, basically, in that relationship.

But if one of mankind, may that they be cursed before the Eternal… So, in other words, if this is of man or if this is of God, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Eternal. So, what’s taking place here, God is one who will receive an offering and basically, reconciliation can take place just on a physical plane. That’s all that they really had in Israel. But he’s explaining here for whatever reasons, whether it be of mankind or of God (and David know that this wasn’t from God), so, if it be of mankind or of God, basically here, they have kept me, what he’s saying here, “from sharing in the inheritance of the Eternal.” In other words, what is that inheritance? Well, Israel. God gave Israel to them when they came out of the wilderness into the promised land in the time of Joshua. He’s referring back to this. “I can’t be in the midst of the inheritance that I’m a part of, for I’m a part of what was given and I’m kept from being able to worship God in the areas that we worship. I’m kept from being able to be with others of my own people.” So, that’s basically what he’s saying here, “…that I can’t share in the inheritance of the Eternal,” from being among the people of Israel in his home.

So again, saying, Go, serve other gods. So again here, because he’s not able, again, to worship in the manner of the Levites and so forth, among the Levites. So now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Eternal. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains. So, it’s this thing again here, “Who am I? What threat am I? Why are you pursuing me? What have I done against you?” So, he’s pleading with him again here.

All of this to be written that we’re able to look at and learn from and recognize indeed that David was very justified in how he did things and that heart and that attitude that he had toward God and toward God’s anointed. Even in the midst of all this, as someone is pursuing taking your life and bringing out an army of three thousand to come and get you, is not a small matter, so, he’s asking, “Why are you doing this?”

Then Saul acknowledged, he said, I have sinned. So, the words that David spoke rang true to Saul and he recognized that he had sinned. Now, would that we could always learn from things that happen in our lives when we haven’t judged a matter properly, when God hasn’t been in the picture, and not looking to God in the judgments we make and how we make those judgments. If we haven’t and if we judge incorrectly different matters, which happens regularly because we’re carnal human beings — yes, with God’s spirit, being led by God’s spirit, but that’s the battle, to recognize a nature within us that tends to want to do things our way, in the way we think is best, and what we think is right. But we have to really think about those things and pray about those things oftentimes as to what is God’s will in a matter. What would He want us to do and why?

When we find ourselves not doing as we could and should, we should repent. Saul did, but obviously, went quickly back to what he was before because it wasn’t a real repentance in the sense of being deeply heartfelt. That’s one thing that’s wonderful about us, in the sense when we have God’s spirit, we can repent and ask God for help to not repeat the sin. Sometimes we may in how we judge something, but we can strive to ask God for help to grow in a matter, to change in a matter, to become more deeply convicted of the right way of doing things. And so, we have advantage in awesome ways that beforehand people haven’t had. Because we already know that Saul had been cut off from God’s spirit and God’s help.

So, he said, Return, my son David. For I will not bring harm to you any longer, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. So, he’s sobered again by the fact that David didn’t kill him. David had the opportunity to kill him and he didn’t do it, making it clear again a second time around that wasn’t in his heart, that wasn’t in his mind, he recognized him as being the Eternal’s anointed and said so. This smacked heavily then with Saul. That’s why he said these words.

Indeed, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly. So again, what an awesome thing when we can recognize we played the fool and we’ve been wrong about what we’ve done, and we’ve erred, we’ve gone the way of human nature, we’ve made a choice based on whatever, pride, jealousy, envy, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life.” Somewhere in there we have done wrong.

So, David answered and said, Here is the king’s spear. Let one of your young men come over and get it. May the Eternal repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Eternal delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Eternal’s anointed.

He’s making it clear God delivered you into my hand, but this is what I have done. I’m not taking your life. It is not my pursuit. Again, that is why this moved Saul. Because he was keenly aware of it. “Here he was right over me. We were asleep. The one who’s supposed to be guarding me, he’s asleep, and the rest are asleep,” and could have rammed the spear right through him. So, “Send someone over and get your spear.”

Verse 24—So, indeed, as your life was valued much in my eyes this day, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Eternal. Always going back to this of a confidence toward God. He knew what was right and wrong and he acted accordingly. That’s a wonderful thing to have, to understand when you’re doing something that you’re striving to do it according to God’s will and you have that confidence that you know that’s the thinking that’s in your mind, then you can have that kind of boldness.

As he said here, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Eternal. So, that’s a boldness and a confidence that goes with something like that, to be able to say something like that. Because we should be able to judge when we’ve done things that are right as well as when we’ve done things that are wrong. When we’ve done the things that are wrong, we’re to repent. But when we do the things that are right because of God convicting us of His spirit, it should be something that’s exceedingly pleasant in us, not something in a haughty manner, not something in an unbalanced manner, but something that’s just satisfying and filled with peace. Because that’s the goal, to be at one with God, to be in unity and harmony with God, the will of God, and when you know that’s where you are in a particular matter it’s an awesome part of life. It’s a beautiful part of our life.

It says, again, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Eternal, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation. So, in other words, he knew that it was God that did that, and his desire was that God would continue to do that. That’s how we think. That’s our minds. That’s our heart. We should have a kind of boldness and a confidence toward God.

If we understand our calling, who we are, we should be strong in our convictions and understanding of a relationship and a love that God and Christ have for each and every one of us in a very powerful way. Actually, far, far, far, if we grasp it, far, far more, if you will, beyond what we can really see. We really can’t grasp it to the depth that it is by any measure. We just see a little portion of it here and there. But what an incredible thing to hold on to, to understand in a relationship with God Almighty, a fellowship, as God says, we’re able to have with Him and His Son and with one another within the Body of Christ.

Then Saul said to David, May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also shall prevail. Awesome, what he had to say here. Moved to say something that a little bit later he would not have said, because it doesn’t take very long for carnal human nature to enter in and people to go right back to what they were.

Again, this is something to where we have to be careful that we don’t quickly go back into things that we’ve done wrong, but to fight and to ask God for help to fight against that nature that wants to go back into relying on self and judging ourselves by how we think things should be.

Then David went out of his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Chapter 27:1—So David said in his heart, Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. Can’t help but laugh a little bit at something like this. Here he is being pursued by three thousand of the best of the army, the military, and Saul at their head, in that respect, as Saul has continued over time here to pursue David and wanting to kill him and wanting to find fault.

Again, what an incredible thing that human beings will do because we want something so much, because we perhaps are so jealous of something, so envious of something that the mind will connive, we deceive ourselves as human beings into thinking we’re doing something right. This madness of justifying self is an incredible thing and how quickly we’ll go back to that at times in our life, to do something like that.

Again here, David wasn’t fooled by all this, of what happened. He knew what Saul was like. He’d experienced this so many times before and knew that when Saul would go away, his experience was, he’s going to come after me again. That’s what he’s saying here, “I know that some day I’ll perish by the hand of Saul.” In other words, if Saul has his way about it, Saul is not going to stop. He’s going to continue to pursue me.”

So, there is nothing better for me to do than I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines. So, he knew that by staying in the region there of Judah, of all Israel, that was the southern part where they were and where David had been. He’s just saying something here that “I know that Saul isn’t going to quit. He’s going to continue to come after me so the best thing I can do is go into the area of the Philistines.” …so that Saul will despair of me, “So that Saul will get tired of chasing me and trying to come after me because he knows I’m down there and I’m not coming back up into Judah. So, he’ll despair, and he’ll get tired of this and go on about other things.”

And Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So, in other words, “If I’m down there, he doesn’t have anyone to pursue. It’s best that time take care of this and that Saul be able to focus on other things. Because if I stay here, I’m dead.”

So, I will escape out of his reach. Then David rose up and went over with six hundred men who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch. So, this is the king, if you will, of the Philistines. …the son of Maoch, king of Gath. So again, it’s Achish later on who led the Philistines into the battle that destroyed, killed Saul and his, I think it was three sons (yes, three sons), in that great battle that took place later on.

Here this is who he’s gone to. So, David dwelt with Achish at Gath, each man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreel, and Abigail the Carmel, Nabal’s widow.

It’s expressing something here as we go through this story here now that all these men were with David and they went down there in that particular region to live, to dwell. And you think, how could this be? But if you recognize this individual here, how he saw David, especially as time goes on here, you’ll see it as we go through the story. But he realizes Saul is chasing him, he’s the foe of Saul, and therefore, “He’s on my side. So, if Saul is after him, pursuing him to kill him, and he’s come down here to live with us, to dwell with us, he is with us.” That’s his thinking.

Verse 4—And it was told to Saul that David had fled to Gath; so, he did not seek after him anymore. So, it worked. Basically, he did get tired of pursing him. There was no point in pursuing him because he’s not here and he’s down there with the Philistines and he’s not going to go down there to pursue him.

Then David said to Achish, If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. Pretty bold request here. So, he’s asking for a place that they can live, him and the six hundred, that they can call home. He was there, actually, working to a point here with Achish in some of the pursuits of things that were going on around there, to protect and to give certain favor, as we go on.

For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? So, it’s like, why not have a place that’s separate? Again, some of this thinking that’s taking place here that’ll come out in the story here. It’s, again, an incredible story here of what’s taking place and how Achish thinks and how the rest of some of the Philistines, the royalty, if you will, of some of the Philistines. There’s a word for it. It’s not coming to mind right now. But some of the leaders, other leaders under him, the lords, or whatever of different groups.

So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Now, it bordered Judah at that time. Later, it was their territory, Judah’s territory, but anyway, it bordered with Judah. But it was next to it, close to it here, but not all the way in at this time. The Philistines had control.

Therefore, Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. So, if you go through the stories of the chronicles of the kings and all the history of Samuel and the kings, 1st and 2nd Kings and obviously, the Chronicles that go through all the portion there anyway, that’s what it’s referring to. It’s saying as these things are written, going through the history of all the kings, it still belongs to the kings, Ziklag does.

Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months. Now, David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. For they were the inhabitants of the land from long ago, as you go to Shur, and even as far as the land of Egypt.

So, here is the land of the Philistines, and over here down a little bit farther into an area going on down toward Egypt, it’s referring to these areas over here. David would go down there, as it talks about, and they would raid some of these areas. Because they were enemies of both the Philistines, in that respect, and also then of Israel. They would come up and raid and do things in those regions there.

Whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man or woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing, and then returned and went to Achish. In other words, he would take the men out, his men. They would go into some of these areas and fight against some of these people and take everything and kill everyone as well.

Now, again, this is very difficult for our minds to comprehend in a world and society we live in today. The world wasn’t like that back then. The rise of people, the way nations were, the way peoples were toward each other wasn’t very civilized. It wasn’t a very civilized world in the sense of what we would consider to be something that’s civilized.

Then Achish would ask, Where have you made a raid this time? In other words, this was David’s normal routine. He would go make a raid and then come back and tell Achish what had happened, where he’d gone, what he’d been doing. That’s what it’s telling here as a part of the story. This just goes on and on. But again, Achish received this because he wasn’t fighting against any of the Philistines, and so this drew him closer to Achish in the sense of Achish seeing someone here who was trying, from his perception, trying to help the Philistines.

So, David would say, Against the southern region of Judah, or against the southern region of the Jerahmeelites, or against the southern region of the Kenites. Now, not the whole story of what he was doing and how he was doing it, but basically, with his knowledge and understanding of the way he saw it and perceived it, this belongs to Judah anyway but these people are there.

A lot had happened during the time of the judges, Saul hadn’t gained control of and wasn’t able to control the entire regions of all of Israel yet, and a lot of these things were happening on the outskirts of the borders of Saul and not until David’s time did these things get rectified and taken care of completely.

So, David would save neither man nor woman alive, unless any be able to tell others and it then be told in Gath what David had done. In other words, David didn’t leave anyone alive in any of these areas that he attacked who were all enemies—basically even more so of Judah—because that was the easiest area to attack and the weakest, in the sense of peoples that they could raid into their areas. Because it wasn’t an organized government yet, in that sense, under Saul, but the Philistines were a much stronger group at this time so they definitely weren’t going, as a whole, into that area, although there were raids at times.

So again, all these things were drawing Achish closer to, his feelings, toward David, seeing him as someone who guarded and protected the Philistines. So, such was the practice for all the time he dwelt in the country of the Philistines. So Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel to utterly abhor him. So, by saying some of these things, including Judah as a part of this, it’s like he is actually fighting against Judah. David wasn’t, but he didn’t tell Achish this. But again, those were regions that were basically, they actually belonged to Judah, but they had no control of those areas at that time and others lived there and dwelt there, and those were the ones David was attacking.

Those that in the beginning, when they first went into the promised land coming out of the wilderness from Egypt, into the wilderness for forty years and then coming into the promised land they went out and attacked many of these regions of those areas that God said destroy them all. Well, eventually different ones came back into different areas here in the time of the judges and so forth. This is the history of things that were taking place.

So, he has made his people Israel to utterly abhor him; therefore, he will be my servant forever. So, in other words, “He continues to attack Judah.” That’s what he thinks because of how David explained these things, letting him believe those things, and so in his mind then because of all this he’s thinking, “Judah abhors him. Israel abhors him. He’s attacking his own people; they definitely aren’t on the same side anymore. He’s on mine, and I trust him. He’s fighting for us. They hate him.” On and on it goes.

1 Samuel 28:1—Now, it came to the pass that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel.

I want to go back to that in a moment, for a moment here in 1 Samuel 27. There are things sometimes we have to be wise in how we address various matters with those who don’t understand the truth. There are times it’s expedient to be wise in how certain things are answered with the mindset of protecting God’s people, protecting God’s Church, putting God’s Church first, putting God first, and understanding that there are those things in the world that others around can’t understand, don’t understand.

There are times when people just tell too much and try to explain too much to people thinking they’re going to understand it and perceive what you’re talking about and they don’t. They’re going to, as a whole, they take it in a wrong way, and sometimes we don’t understand that. It’s like, this is my chance to witness or whatever it is, or this is my opportunity to say something and explain certain things to someone. Spinning your wheels.

Unless God calls someone, and you don’t know that until it’s done. It’s like, “Well, maybe God is going to call them.” Well, yeah, in time maybe, maybe in the Great White Throne. Maybe that’ll be their time. But you don’t know when that time is so you have to be careful how you judge various matters and think about certain things like this because it can work against you if you’re not careful. You don’t realize how others may be judging you then because of what you’re saying that is so outlandish, so far out to them. Because they can’t understand. They can’t see what you see.

Again here, David is the epitome of much of this in that respect, in the sense of wisdom, in the sense of keeping a concept here. He knew it belonged to Judah, that region, and so he didn’t go into explaining all this to Achish because Achish didn’t understand, and if he did, he would judge him in a wrong way and perceive him as an enemy.

A lot of times in the Church if people aren’t careful, they say things and do things where they’re perceived as an enemy. Because you’re not with them. You don’t believe what they believe. You don’t adhere to, embrace the same things they do. You don’t go to services to have your church service or your worship of God on a Sunday, you go on a different day. You don’t have Christmas and Easter that you observe. Sometimes by telling people certain things like that, too much, you hurt yourself and you don’t realize that.

Now, there are times to do that in the sense of family, in the sense of others. They need to know what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. But you don’t have to try to cram it down anyone’s throat. Anyway, it’s a matter of using wisdom and looking to God for the right words to speak and when to speak them.

So again here, 1 Samuel 28:1—Now, it came to pass that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, You should surely know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men. So, David said to Achish, Surely you know what your servant can do. Then Achish said to David, Therefore, I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.

So, he was warming up to David more and more. He saw that David was given favor in battle. He was able to grasp these things. He knew the history of what had happened. I mean, he’d killed Goliath (even though he was a Philistine). But he saw this within David, of something now that he’s an enemy to Judah, he’s an enemy to Saul, and therefore, he’s on our side and he can be trusted, so much so that this is how he genuinely felt.

And therefore, I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.

Now Samuel had died, and Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land. So, we read that earlier on, about how that Samuel had died. A part of what Saul had done then, is following up on some of this, besides killing some of the priests of God, but he also, it says here, “he put out the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.”

Now there is another story here that is unique in it’s own way and something that sometimes people in the Church have struggled with. Different ones have struggled with this story because they don’t grasp what’s happening at this particular time. They don’t understand the kind of society it was at this time.

Verse 4 it goes on to say, Then the Philistines gathered together… There’s a reason why it’s talking about this because it comes back a little bit later here in an account of a medium or a spiritist, if you would. In other words, nothing to do with the Levitical system. Nothing to do with the priesthood at all of God, but that which is kind of been around through time in different regions of the world. Sometimes very popular.

Verse 4—Then the Philistines gathered together and came and encamped in Shunem. So, Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. So, here it is, there’s finally coming down to an incredible battle, and incredible war that’s getting ready to take place between the Philistines and Israel. Saul, says here, saw this army, the magnitude of it. Talking about how he was very afraid, and his heart was trembling because of this.

Then when Saul inquired of the Eternal, the Eternal did not answer him, neither by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. So, he’d killed a bunch off so they’re probably, obviously, not real keen on helping him in the first place or even being around him. The Urim having to do with the process of how they beseeched God to intervene or to be able to communicate with God. Again, something that we don’t fully grasp and comprehend, how this was used, talking about the mantle and the various things the Levitical system had through time here.

Again, we didn’t live in that time, and we read stories here and we don’t have all the story of how everything worked.

It says, “Saul inquired of the Eternal.” Of course, God didn’t answer. He’d already been cut off. There were no dreams, no Urim, nor any prophets, no one was there to help him.

Saul said to his servants, Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Actually, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor. So, Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. So, they went to the woman by night here. He didn’t want to be seen. He didn’t want to be recognized by anyone who would be going to this person.

Then he said, Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you. So, again here, what takes place next is sometimes not understood, hasn’t been understood in real strong ways by people in God’s Church, of what took place.

Going on, verse 9—Then the woman said to him, Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a trap for my life, to cause me to die? So, in other words, mediums; obviously, she wasn’t practicing or knowingly practicing this anymore because she knew what Saul had done and she was fearful for her life, that if anyone found out who she was, what she was, that Saul would have her taken, her life taken because she was practicing. This is what’s in her mind and this is what she’s saying.

It goes on to say here, So, Saul swore to her by the Eternal, saying, As the Eternal lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing. He used the name of God and placed himself there in the sense of promising her that he would have no part in any harm that would come to her, say anything that would cause her harm.

As it went on here then it says, Then the woman said, Whom shall I bring up for you? And he said, Bring up Samuel for me. Obviously, everyone knew of Samuel, knew about Samuel in these regions. His fame had gone out long before, of how things that God had done with him and through him.

And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. Now, she did not see Samuel. There should be no confusion in something like this whatsoever. She’s a medium. She’s being inspired by a demonic world. People who look to a demonic world for help to know things, to see things, sometimes can be vessels of their use and they do things through them. It isn’t unheard of, obviously, it is well known, should be well known that there are things at times that the spirit world, they like to play these games and deceive people and work with people.

If someone desires that kind of experience and their mind is set on being a witch, a spiritist, someone who does séances or whatever it might be, there are things that the demonic world knows. They know things about family members. They know the past. They know things that have happened, and they can tell the truth to a point about certain people and deceive people then into believing that they’re actually communicating then with someone who’s dead.

That’s not the case. It’s just that they know. They knew of them. They know certain things about them. There are many demons around the world and there are things they know or can easily find out. It isn’t hard for them. Sometimes it’s hard for us to grasp that kind of a spirit world that exists.

She believed she saw something because individuals like that can be worked with in the mind, the more they give themselves over to spirits, to spirit beings. It’s like people who have these things in churches. They call them Pentecostals. Pentecostals can have experiences because they want something so much, they want to call down the spirit, to have this spiritual experience. They do various things at times and want to speak in tongues.

So often these things are all a matter of carnal vanity and desire to be seen and looked upon and this thing of being religious and close to God and having this special relationship with God and to where you can speak in tongues. That people can be moved then, motivated by, controlled by even spirit beings and they can lose consciousness, they can go into rants and do things and say things that they don’t understand, and others don’t understand.

It’s a sick, sick thing, and people that have those kinds of experiences sometimes have a very difficult time when they come to know the truth, to come to see and understand that those weren’t from God because they experience something that was unique as far as a physical experience.

God doesn’t control us. He gives us choices. Spirit beings desire control. They desire to influence, to do their will, they desire to control.

This is what’s happening here to someone who just gives themselves over for a long length of time. Then these beings, because they, most assuredly, want to have access to the king of Israel and to influence him, knowing that he’s been cut off from God. They know that. They knew that. When he was cut off from God, they knew it. Satan knew it. They know those who belong to God. They know those who are being worked with by God’s spirit.

Wherever God’s spirit is, as a whole, they can’t really stand being around, because it’s God’s spirit. Again here, that’s why it’s so important to ever be close to God. “Greater is He that’s in you than he that’s in the world.” The admonition there to draw closer to God. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” So, that’s our desire, to be ever close to God.

Because if we begin to be cut off from God’s spirit those beings and this spirit world desire to make life miserable for you, they truly do, and they have for many who have left God’s Church. They’ve been very instrumental in making life miserable for them. Horrible lives. Peace is totally taken away. Nothing but chaos and confusion sometimes that just enters into people’s lives to whatever degree, to whatever point that they desire to go away from what they knew in the past.

So, when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. So, it was a spirit being. Doesn’t say who. Could have been Satan himself or other spirit beings. There are all kinds within the spirit realm, some with different levels of power and so forth But certainly, this was an important area to be in, this was an important area to have influence in so there were a lot of them there.

So, when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul! Now, all of a sudden, she was given to know that he was Saul. She didn’t know that before. Now she knew. How? Spirit beings. They revealed it to her. Incredible, the things that can take place, how those beings can work with human beings.

Verse 13—The king said to her, Do not be afraid. What did you see? And the woman said to Saul, I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth. She didn’t see anything like that. In her mind she saw something, she was influenced by spirit beings to a point of something that she saw in her mind, in her being that seemed real to her. Not real at all.

She says she saw this thing ascending out of the earth. Then he said to her, What is his form? And she said, An old man is coming up. So, whatever it is that’s in her mind that she is being influenced by, by a spirit world, this is something that’s real to her in her thinking. She saw this old man coming up, and he is covered with a mantle. Again, this mantle I spoke of earlier here that Samuel wore from time to time doing particular service, beseeching God’s will and guidance in various things for Israel or for whomever.

And Saul determined that it was Samuel. That was the automatic thinking there. Well, it had to be Samuel, this old man, and he has this mantle, so who else could it be? …and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down. Now, Samuel said to Saul… Now, demonic beings, nothing more that they would love than something like this, the king stooping down before someone like this, a medium who was nothing but inspired by demonic beings. Here they are kneeling down before you, treating you as God. That’s their perverted distorted minds. They relish such things as that.

Now Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? So, says here, Saul answered, I am deeply distressed because the Philistines are preparing for war against me. The spirit, in essence—because it’s not the woman in charge here; she’s not in control—but this is what’s given to her to ask is, “Why are you bringing me up?” speaking as though she is the conduit for Samuel to speak through.

…I am deeply distressed because the Philistines are preparing for war against me and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore, I have called so that you might reveal to me what I should do.

That’s why he wanted Samuel. He wanted her to intercede, to call up Samuel to get an answer. He was so desperate; he was so terrified of the Philistines and this massive military that was coming up against them.

Verse 16—Then Samuel said, Why then do you ask me, seeing the Eternal has departed from you and has become your adversary? So, the demonic beings knew this. They already understood that, in essence here, and they’re adding to this. Because it wasn’t a matter that he was an adversary to God. Although he was, but he always had been without God’s spirit. We’re all adversaries to God without God’s spirit. That’s “the carnal mind is at enmity against God,” adversary. Definition of adversary. So, that’s the way human beings are.

Without God’s spirit, our minds, our ways are adversarial to God. Even then, when we have God’s spirit there is that battle, especially in the beginning of our calling, where we have to recognize those things and recognize this battle that’s in us. Paul talks about this a long time after he’d been an apostle of God, how that he recognized this battle that’s inside of us as human beings. We have to make choices along the way then in that because of our thinking, our carnal thinking.

It’s easy for them to play games with human beings, and too often even with human beings who have God’s spirit if we’re not close to God like we should be.

So why then do you ask me, seeing that the Eternal has departed from you and has become your adversary? So again here, this demonic being is feeding Saul’s fears, not helping him. That isn’t the objective at all here. It’s the perverted thinking they have, of relishing in something like this, to twist and distort as they always do what is true.

The Eternal has done as He, just as He spoke to me. For the Eternal has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Eternal nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore, the Eternal has done this thing to you to this day.

So again, these demonic beings, they understood the history here of what had taken place. An incredible thing here about demonic beings and the things that they know and understand. Then they twist and distort things.

Verse 19—Moreover, the Eternal will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. Now, there are things that they can know and comprehend that are taking place. They see this army that’s being allowed to come up against Israel. They’re a part of it. There’s a spirit world at work there. Satan involved in those major wars that take place.

Here they’re coming up against Israel, a massive army by looking at it by all measures no matter who you are. Saul looking at it from his perspective and seeing this massive army so much greater than theirs, knows that defeat is right in front of him.

The spirit world knows this, what’s getting ready to take place, of something that’s so massive, and that Saul doesn’t have God’s protection.

They feel quite bold about this so it’s just a simple thing here for them to talk about, to work through this medium towards Saul, just to stir up that fear. They love that, to have great fear.

Moreover, the Eternal will also deliver Israel out of your hand into the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Now, this is something that had to go above and beyond then, of something that the spirit world was aware of, and perhaps something discussed from God through the angelic realm. We don’t know.

We don’t understand some of those things that take place at times and how much has been given to them. Because there are these things that go back and forth and have through time as far as who those are, whether it be Gabriel or different ones, Michael, and then different things that are communicated at times.

It was given though by God through His spirit to grasp, to know and understand something, an edict if you will, a purpose and a plan of something that was going to take place, that Saul’s life was about to come to an end. So, they were able to say this then, these spirit beings, through this medium, if you will, to Saul. Because this is what came to pass. This is what’s going to take place.

The Eternal will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. This is not a small thing. This is an incredible thing that’s taking place. There are spirit wars and battles that take place. There is certain knowledge of understanding of certain things that can be given through spirit beings like this.

Now, when we live God’s way of life and follow God, He gives us the help to see through all the twisting and distorting of what is true. We’re incredibly blessed because of that, especially within the Church. But even in times here and what happened before.

Verse 20—Then immediately Saul fell full length on the ground and was so afraid because of the words of Samuel. Again, they were not the words of Samuel, but this is how they were perceived. Shouldn’t be any confusion over that. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread, no food as it says here, eaten no food all day or all night.

So, the woman came to Saul and saw that he was very terrified, and said to him, Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in your hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me. Now, therefore, please, heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.

She knew she wasn’t out of the woods yet. She was afraid and she didn’t want harm to come to herself. She did at the beginning of this incident, and she did toward the end of it as well here. Now she knew that he was Saul, whom she had feared, and that’s why she didn’t want to be involved as a medium with anyone. But now she knows that it’s Saul and the last thing she wants, she sees the kind of condition he’s in.

It’s kind of hard for us to grasp, again, the kind of fear that Saul had. To have this kind of fear and you don’t eat, your system is so messed up. When your strength actually leaves you because you’re so twisted up inside, a horrible thing to experience something like this to this magnitude to where you have no strength and it’s taken from you, it goes from you, more so than if you just didn’t eat, which he wasn’t doing.

But he refused and said, I will not eat. So, his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he heeded their voice. So, now both his servants who had gone with him, the other two, and this woman were urging him to eat. He was in that kind of shape.

Then he rose up from the ground and sat on the bed. Now, the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to dress it. And she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. She didn’t waste any time. This takes time to do these things and yet she did it quickly in order to provide him with a meaningful meal to receive his strength back. So, she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose up and went away that night.

Even after all this had happened, still later on after all this had taken place—a lot took place here—then they left.

Now, chapter 29:1—Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by the fountain which is in Jezreel. So, here they are, two armies on each side here and this is what it’s bringing us up to now.

The lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands. Here as they are organizing the army, as the Philistines are organizing this army to come here, and then it tells where they finally end up. It’s kind of going back a little bit and telling about this, this parade of all these people going through here.

It’s saying here this review that was there as they prepare for this war, The lords of the  Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands. But David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish.

Here they are with king Achish and here he’s coming forward, and David and his men are with him, the six hundred are with him and because he so entrusts him that he is, basically, there to protect even. He had that kind of confidence and strength and wisdom of David, if you will.

Then the princes of the Philistines said, Why are these Hebrews here? And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me in these days and years? To this day I have found no fault in him since he defected. So, here he is. “There’s been no fault in him. He’s fought for us. He’s done these various things.” He’s trying to convince them of this, to look on what has happened as far as their recent history is concerned.

But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, in other words, back to the region that was given to them, and do not let him go down with us to battle, unless during the battle he become our adversary.

Understand that. They didn’t trust him. They knew he was the one who killed Goliath. They knew some of his past history, and they didn’t put a lot of weight on the fact that he, though he was running from Saul that he still didn’t have this kinship for Israel. So, this is kind of an incredible story here as it’s going into this because it shows David with, and the six hundred, with Achish going with him, as it were, toward battle against Israel.

For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of our men? So, “What would be a better thing, than the fact that in the midst of this battle he’s in the back here, they’re up there, and he starts killing us. What a great way to get back in good graces with Saul!” Because they saw that part of David that they weren’t deceived by.

Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousand’s? So, even the Philistines knew of the songs that had been sung and the recognition that David had received when killing Goliath and the Israelites defeated the Philistines at that particular time in a very great way. This history was deeply embedded in them.

So, Achish called David and said to him, Surely, as the Eternal lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless, the lords do not favor you. Surprise, surprise. So, Achish was rather fond of David and entrusted a lot in him to make him the guard, in that respect, and to be with him in this battle to the degree that he was doing.

Therefore, now return, and go in peace so that you not unsettle the lords of the Philistines. Now, don’t be deceived. David would not have gone against Israel and fought against them and very well could have done as the lords said, making his stand at that particular time. Because that was the mind and the heart of David. But he was only there for that period of time to flee from Saul, for himself and the ones who were with him, in the sense of their protection and letting Saul get on with his life.

Because David knew that in time, he still believed that, he was going to be king. That was in the back of his mind, most assuredly, of what God had said through Samuel. His desire toward God’s people, what did he say when he killed Goliath, you know, “What can happen to anyone who stands against…” Or “What could happen to the individual who moves against the individuals that are fighting against the Eternal God or against God’s army and God’s people?”

So, basically, again, that story there, that nothing can happen to God’s people. This is God’s army. These are God’s people, so nothing is going to happen to anyone who goes out there against the Philistines or against Goliath. God’s going to be with them. That’s basically what his thinking was. It hadn’t changed to this day. So, what he would have done, we don’t know, because he left.

So, David said to Achish… It was God’s purpose that he not be there, because of what takes place, because there was a war to be lost. Israel was to lose it. And so, in this particular case, it worked out.

David said to Achish, But what have I done? For to this day what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? So, in David, knowing of David in his heart and his mind, there was this little bit of planning and plotting here taking place. He could have done massive damage to be of major help then to the Israelites. Because the army that was going up against the Israelites was incredibly massive, far more massive than the time of Goliath.

Then Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, He should not go up with us to the battle. Now, therefore, rise up early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you. So, as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, then depart. So, basically, this is what he’s telling him he must do. And so, David did that.

So, David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. So, he wasn’t able to go with him. He wasn’t able to do what he might have been thinking in his own mind. God wanted him removed from the picture for a purpose.

Now we’ll read one more portion here of a few verses here in Chapter 30 and then we’ll come back to it next Sabbath.

Chapter 30:1—Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire… The place that they were living was totally destroyed. So, God is actually preparing a way for David to more easily do what God wants him to do next, which begins to follow later on.

The area they’ve been living in was destroyed, and it says here, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone but carried them away as they went away. So, David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and those who lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.

Here they’d been gone these three days. They came back and this invasion, if you will, raiders had come in and totally destroyed the entire area where they were living. Everything was destroyed. All the livestock was taken, all their belongings were taken, and all the children, all the wives were taken as well, and the servants.

Even David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.

I think that’s a good place to start.

But again here, to keep in mind, to understand there are things at times we don’t understand various things that might happen in our lives, and sometimes it can be in our thinking very tragic, horrible in the sense of what’s being experienced or what’s coming toward us, or what has been experienced, but to understand and have that confidence to know you’re God’s people, we’re God’s people. To understand what it means in the Church when we’re called and begotten of God’s holy spirit, that we’re a royal priesthood, as God says, a holy nation of people, set apart by God, by God’s spirit.

It’s hard for us to grasp sometimes the magnitude of how important we are to God and to God’s purpose. An incredible thing here to grasp and understand here that God’s purpose for us, how much God cares for us, and though something may seem difficult and hard in front of us, to have that confidence to know that we are God’s and God will take care of it and that God has a design and a purpose.

Major things have happened in our lives that come before us. If we’re serving God. If we’re striving to draw closer to God, bad things can happen around us, to us, or toward us, what we would consider to be something we really don’t want to have to live through.

But to realize that God is the Master Potter. He is the one who designs things, just as He did with David in these matters here. He worked with these matters because He had other things planned for David, so that when that time came it was clearer the choices that were then before him. God had made it easier for him then to make those choices.

Sometimes understand that there are things that happen by design that are for our good, though at the time they may not seem that way at all but may seem exactly the opposite. But in reality, we’re God’s and God is in charge.