David Pursued by Saul

Your Bibles are turned to first Samuel chapter 18 this is a continuing series on the life of David and today were thinking of David being pursued by Saul when things are going well in life and that's true for.

I'm sure many of us here. It's easy to praise the Lord is the easy to take the Lord's blessings for granted, but how we respond to difficulties and failures in opposition. The trials of suffering in life is a good barometer of our spiritual maturity. So we don't judge how we doing spiritually when were on the mountaintop, but more when were in the Valley.

Our character is revealed and this evening we see two men in the difficult situation. The pressure situation. One is so and the other is David, and David is being pursued by the king at the time King Saul David of this time is been anointed by Samuel. He is going to be king. One day, but King Saul is pursuing him and that we read first Samuel 18 verse six and as were coming home when David returned from striking during the Philistine. The woman combined of all of the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines with songs of joy and with musical instruments and the woman, saying to one another as they celebrated. Saul has struck down his thousands, and David is 10,000s. Saul was very angry and this saying displease to me said they prescribed the David Penn thousands and to me the prescribed thousands and what more can he have, but the kingdom and so I David from that day on the next day, a harmful spirit from God rest upon so and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did, day by day.

Saul had his spear in his hand and so Harel disappeared 40 thought, I will pin David to the wall and the guns in those days spears, but David evaded him twice.

I just think of what the writer says next. Saul was afraid of David.

End of expected the text to say that David was afraid of Saul when it says that Saul was afraid of David.

Why, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from hip his presence and made him a commander of a thousand you went out and came in before the people and David had success in all his undertakings for the Lord was with him, and when Saul saw that he had great success. He stood in fearful all of them with all Israel and Judah love David 40 went out and came in before the David is the Lord's anointed, whereas this evil spirit from the Lord has come to Saul who becomes increasingly depressed increasingly jealous and envious and even paranoid. He so overcome by evil, that he desires to kill David and in four Samuel 18 and read all of the chapter I will read several times that the Lord was with David, but the Lord had departed from soul was the secret of David success was really secret. Is it gives a man who walked with God was a man after God's own heart, and the more Saul saw the success of David, the more he stood, as we read in fearful all of him are Saul is the king of Israel should've been the one who'd gone to battle against Goliath. That was a test of his kingship and his leadership within the test in, although he had 40 days to sign the guns glide you failed to do so.

And God use this unknown young man shepherd from Bethlehem, son of Jesse and know when the woman saying Saul has struck down his five reasons and David is 10,000. Saul is very angry. He's jealous. He's envious of this young man and verse nine. So I David from that day on a wiser, godly amendments, all with the rejoice that Israel was going to have a greatly go to Great Plains a great successor to but the more Saul drifts away from the Lord, the more his hatred of David intensifies as were going to see Saul could not rejoice in the work of the in the work of God in the life of David that sad isn't it. Paul tells us in the New Testament, in Romans 12 that we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and what to weep with those who weep. Sometimes it's easier to weep with people than to rejoice with them is in the sum sad situation of some disaster comes up. Upon one of her fellow believers, the people of God usually rally writing that individual and help that individual. But sometimes it is a case that when success and blessings come to a fellow believer that is sometimes resentment or sometimes petty gossip or envy, and occasionally outright opposition as is the case, no one wants to be like Saul who hates David who was in the envious of them and who plotted to kill him. We want to be a man or woman after God's own heart.

Don't wait and when God blesses us we should humbly receive it from the good hand of God. When God blesses others. We should rejoice with them and be thankful for them. But as the case that families are divided business partners for light friends. Feud churches are in turmoil, often through jealousy and envy false accusations and bitterness. Jesus said in John chapter 15 verse 25 that they hated me without a cause and a Lord Jesus. Of course, is David's greater son. He is the root and the offspring of David, and Saul hates David without a cause. David had given no reason to Saul to hate him, but because of his righteousness, because the Lord was whether he hated David even as the enemies of the Lord were going to hate our Savior without any cause hatred scheming against others putting people down.

Should've no place of the church of Jesus Christ. Now let's go over to chapter 19 when we see David as a being pursued by Saul seeks godly wisdom. First of all when Saul is seeking to kill David he goes to Samuel first Samuel 1990, the rut of Scripture tonight all that's good is far better than listening to me right first Samuel 19 verse one when Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and all of the servants that they should kill David, but Jonathan Saul son delighted much and David were different attitudes. Jonathan told David so my father seeks to kill you, therefore, be on your guard in the morning stay in the secret place and hide yourself and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and I will speak to my father about you and if I learn anything.

I will tell you and Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul, his father and said to him, let not the king sin against his servant David, because he is not sinned against you and because his deeds have brought good to you, for he took his life in the sand that he struck down the Philistine and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel.

You saw it in the joist. Why, then, will you sin against innocent blood built by killing David without cause. So listen to the voice of Jonathan Saul swore the Lord's lives shall not be put to death and Jonathan called David and Jonathan reported to all these things, and Jonathan brought David to Saul and he was in his presence as before, and there was water again and David went direct and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow so that they fled before him. David is very much a warrior and obviously was a magnificent soldier. Verse nine, then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his eyes with his spear in his hand. A man sits the house with us.

These and put me off my supper. Wouldn't it and David was playing the lyre. That's okay verse 10 and Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear but he alluded so so that he struck the spirit into the wall and David fled and escaped that night Saul set message sent messengers to David's house to watch them but you might kill him in the morning, but Michael David's wife told him if you do not escape with your life tonight.

Tomorrow you will be killed. So Michael let David down through the window and he fled away, and escaped convention the king. One thing you did a time for yourself and in the Davis place. Saul know. Though he says the Jonathan. I'm not going to kill him.

This is a man whose very moody, whose spirits are going up and down a man of the flesh is open and his desire to kill David. Jonathan confronts his father as others do, and signaled what is he done while I do want to kill them.

He's the one who defeated our enemy client and you rejoice. What's the problem now, but it is no lasting impact on soul. Saul is both irrational and evil.

Incidentally, we should be afraid to confront evil should we and David then flees to Samuel verse 18.

No David fled and escaped and he came to Samuel at Ramallah Samuels hometown and told him all that Saul had done to them is a man after God's will not notice what he does is this king trying to kill him and he very wisely.

This young man David he seeks godly counsel and he goes to Samuel after all.

Samuel is the man who had anointed him and there. Then I will delete it from verses 19 to the end of the chapter. The strange story of the men who prophesied member Saul comes and he prophesies himself and that to me isn't clear was that the prophecy of the Lord or was it more as some commentators say a kind of raving.

Whatever was David shows humility and wisdom and going to Samuel in the spirit of God is protecting David member. We saw this morning. If God is for us who can send against us.

David is a good example of that God was for David and therefore David was safe, even although he's in the same house and the man is throwing a spear at him. Do you do in times of difficulty complain gossip. I trust you like David and you seek godly advice and someone accuses you someone is awkward with you, someone makes it clear that they don't like you I godly this perspective is needed, doesn't it. You go to a wise friend. The godly pastor mature elder woman of maturity and ask for their perspective and obtain the confidential counsel and prayer. That's what David does. He goes to Samuel and also chapter 20 is encouraged by the friendship of Jonathan so first he goes.

Samuel four, Samuel 20 then David fled from now out in drama sent from where Samuel is an came and said to Jonathan what I done.

What is my guild and what is my sin before your father that he seeks my life and he said to him, far from it. You shall mow Diebold by father does nothing either great or small, without disclosing it to me and why should my file father hide this from me.

It is not so.

But David vowed again saying your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes on the things do not let Jonathan know this legacy be grieved, but truly, as the Lord lives, and that your soul lives. There is but a step between me that Jonathan understandably want to think the best of his father but David is not Louise Young is not na�ve and he says listen.

Your father doesn't tell you everything and I'm very very aware of this plan was to kill me and there's just a step between me and that in life. I've had quite a number of people who didn't like me for some unknown reason anyone I know of seeking to assassinate me. We can imagine it, and the king is after you and wanting to kill you but David and Jonathan.

We saw a few weeks ago of a deep friendship. Their hearts are bound together. Man, I ask that you develop these friendships woman seem to do it easier than we do.

We as we as men seem to shrink back. Sometimes from strong friendships. But when troubles come in difficulties, the wonderful to have a godly man, Victor chairwoman's of a godly woman that you can speak to and as the son of King so one could have understood if Jonathan that had the resentment against David after all he was a crying prince when his father died and he certainly would've been one of the candidates to be king of Israel, but rather than having resentment.

Jonathan has great love for David. Now in chapter 21. David goes to Nob to see Abimelech, the priest is going to Samuel is this conversation with Jonathan were obviously skipping a lot of the text but no in chapter 21 he comes to the priest is finding it increasingly difficult to escape from Saul.

Then David came to Nob to Abimelech, the priest and the book Abimelech came to me. David, trembling because he knows that Saul is after David and said to him why you alone and no one with you and David said to Abimelech, Ahimelech at the priest. The king has charged me with the matter and said to be let no one know anything about the matter to which I send you and with which I have charged you. I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place now than what do you have on hand. Give me five loaves of bread or whatever is here in the priest answered David. I know coming bread on hand. But that is holy bread. The young men of Themselves from woman and David answered the priest truly women have been kept from us always.

When I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it's an ordinary journey much more today will the vessels be holy, so the priest gave them the holy bread for there was no bread there, but the bread of the presence which is removed from before the Lord to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away member the tabernacle initially was in Shiloh. Some of us visited there and live this year and that now it goes from Shiloh and seems to be in Nob and so the bread that was used in the holy place.

Is there no certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day detained before the Lord's name was dog the Edomites. The chief of Saul's harassment. Then David said to Emily. Then I have you not hear a spirit or a sword in hand, for I brought neither myself nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required taste and the priest said the sort of life.

The Philistine would be struck down in the valley of the law will hold its here wrapped in a cloth behind the e-filed if you will take if you will take that ticket for the poor. There is none, but that here and David said there is none like that.

Give it to me.

David's on the run.

He's finding it increasingly difficult and he goes to the priest and the priests afraid because he that no doubt knows how volatile solids he's taking his life in the zone and but even speaking to David and David lies did you get this. Notice that David lies to Ahimelech by saying he's coming on behalf of King so yes, great men consent country. The fear and the pressure of being persecuted and hunted by Saul is beginning to take a toll and understandable toll on David and under this pressure. David yes is a man after God's own heart. He lives but sin has grave consequences. Doesn't it in the presence of door get the Edomites if you know the story results in the death of 85 of the priests. David by going to see Ahimelech is putting in danger of the priests and Doric leaders going to tell Saul, and Saul is going to slaughter these priests. David is finding it very difficult to maintain the humble and the godly perspective point Paul, but Saul is persecuting him plotting against them and why did you want life's sword had he forgotten the gorgeous choose one stone to kill Goliath and so he gets Goliath's sword and verse 10 what does he deny he arose and fled to notice how he's fleeing and fled that day from Saul and went to Anchorage, the king of goth, who came from death to life. Strange place to go. David agreed on the most will be a little bit about the content of Saul and David. Twin they meet in the wilderness, but let's often think of this whole words a man like David. How could he survive by being pursued by Saul for many years. He's given the promise are going to be king, but so is still alive and how is it that David when he has an encounter two encounters.

At least with Saul as we'll see in a minute. How is he able to show respect and honor for Saul in the impossible situation of being hunted as an animal, easy to criticize David. We know he failed he failed. Here we know he's going to fail with the sin of Bathsheba, but the fact that he is able to continue to praise God in the middle of being persecuted demonstrates he's a man after God's own heart. The high was that possible go over to Psalm 59 simple answer is David is a man who is God centered in his life. Psalm 59.

Notice the superscription it is to the choirmaster.

According to, do not destroy a make a mixed time of David member.

The sums are set to music. We don't have the music that we have the words when Saul sent man to watch his house in order to kill him present facts unfamiliar. I hope so we just write it in for Samuel 19. This Psalm is written when David is being persecuted and plotted against so what kind of song would you write in the circumstances, what would your reaction be when someone is trying to kill you, and you've done nothing wrong. I would your response self-pity trying to defend yourself when you mentioned in the some five things which sustained David and which sustained us when we feel that would bring the wrongly treated and five things which I think are true of men and women after God's own heart and these will sustain us in the difficult circumstances of life. First David submits to the will of God.

Psalm 59 then verse one and two delivered me from my enemies. Oh my God protect me from those who rise up against me delivered me from those who work evil and save me from blood thirsty man. He is praying to God the praise to God for deliverance and for protection. He realizes that God is the only delivered or effective say, not my will but yours be done in every circumstance of life.

If you believe in the sovereign purposes of God designed her in every circumstance of life, particularly in the difficult circumstances, particularly when you feel that life is unfair and you been treated badly is essential that we submits to the will of God number two God was his fortress. Verse nine all my strength. I will watch for you for you all. God, are my fortress, verse 16. I will sing of your strength. I will sing aloud of your steadfast love. In the morning for you have been a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress all my strength. I will sing praises to you for you all. God on my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love fortress was it's a high tower high character which you look and go to for deliverance.

God is pictured then as a high tower as a castle is a fortress on the top of a mountain will be goal for safety in my hometown of Edinburgh in Scotland. Many of you been there, you see the castle and the Council right on the hill overlooking the city looking down to Holyrood Palace at the royal palace built on the Hill is fortress is high tower is a place where in their later generations, people went for safety for deliverance where they could see the enemy and where they felt safe and wonderful that God is our heart that God is our fortress with the what do you do individually of life we go to the fortress. Don't we go to the high tower then believer knows nothing about that the scheme and date the plot and they wonder what they do. David is a man after God's own hobbies is no, I understand God and they knew about fortresses, then you about enemies and their warfare. God is fortress.

We sang a mighty Fortress is our God drives the God is impenetrable when you're in the fortress. You're totally safe. Proverb says that the righteous run to the tower and they are safe. You high your above your circumstances. What do we say when we have a difficult time and people say how you doing loosing while I'm doing okay under the circumstances. David was saying. I don't go under the seductive sense of scope of the circumstances, what you doing under the circumstances. Fleeing to the high tower so he submits the will of God and God is his fortress. Third he realizes he is the object of God's steadfast love with the vet this morning.

Again, verse 10, my God, in his steadfast love will meet me God will let me look in triumph over my enemies. Verse 17 that the end of the verse. The God who shows me steadfast love. This is the Hebrew word tested God's covenantal love, David. This part of Abraham a covenant and realizes that these great God loves him. With this steadfastness, loyal, steadfast covenantal love that God never ever goes back on his promises.

Yes, he is hated by Saul. He may be forgotten by others. You may be misunderstood by his brothers, but he understands this, that he's logged with his ever lasting love about this morning to believe that there is nothing which can separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is this sent that you are loved by God, that you submit to the sovereign purposes of God, you look to God for deliverance, not your on ability that you flee to God is a fortress that he is the that you are the object of his steadfast love fourth David praises God read that in verses 16 and 17. I will sing and he's a musician who played the lyre, he probably had a pretty good voice. I would think he says I will sing of your strength. I will sing aloud of your steadfast love. In the morning verse 17 all my strength. I will sing praises to you. Could you imagine the writing a Psalm of praise when you're being persecuted and when someone is out there wanting to kill you. I mean beginning to understand what David is a man after God's will not astonishing, isn't it difficult it is to praise God when the king and these men are hunting to kill you in your hiding from him, and he's made it clear he's going to kill your needs. All of the resources of Israel against you is faith and his endurance and love for God are such that he praises God whether Paul and Silas do when they're imprisoned in Philippi later this saying praises you find that remarkable member when I served in in Michigan where Tim and I served. I went on the trip to Keswick sign in and the we go into little difficultly with the place and had a court case over it and then the in the courthouse is in the middle of Siberia in February called dark and them there's a there's actual prison in the courthouse and then look to the those with a young pastor Anisa John do nothing. We should just pay the they were wanting a bribe to bribe nothing. We should just pay and I said yeah that might be where we spent the next two years, and that the last thing we thought of doing was praising God. But that's what the fitness is a strong faith isn't as strong trust that you are exactly where the Lord one ship in spite of the opposition he's praising God, but haven't you find one of the great tonics I I couldn't testify to this are not musician. As you know, I can sing reasonably well. I think but haven't you found that one of the tonics in the time of difficulty is praise it so easy with that you trip printed on that when the listen yesterday as I'm preparing for this morning putting on the love of God and putting on its well with my soul. We just think of the resources that we have and that when you're in a time of difficulty to praise to God. That is why brothers and sisters worship is so important in the life of the church was recently somewhere in people circling the church didn't like the worship and the just came from the preaching. I thought Wells opposite with us. People just come from the worship and leave for the preaching but yet You're right. I agree with your essay is much better than the preaching, but no, this praises not just for musicians. This is for the way that God ministers to us that our spirit is revived. Even Saul when he was dying, he called for the musician you find that when you're your spiritual life is stale and get a bit flat was one of the best things to do is to start singing and if you can sing and don't feel like singing put on some music of praise to God. This is what David is doing fifth he trusts in God's timing.

Trust in God. You know that God is always on time.

As I studied this and read the Psalm 59 and thought of this that David, one of the ways I think one of the main things that he was characterized as a man after God's own heart, that his faith in God was so strong that he dependent on God's timing, as some of you probably not naturally bit more patient and I am.

I find one of the most difficult things to do is to wait. I'm a person of action.

I like to solve problems like this whole thing is when someone confronts me with a problem before they even tell me my way sometimes enjoyment meet the problem before you start trying to solve. It is okay.

We like to solve things and it sometimes means that with impetuous and this also means that even when we want to do good things for the Lord as we all do. Here is why will you don't wait to be equipped and to serve God.

It's difficult, isn't it sometimes to wait on God and to realize that God's will includes the right timing.

That's why I don't really like the expression God showed up. It was about a culture that I think doesn't always show up in the right time and what people mean. David says in second Samuel 22 verse 31 asked for God's way is perfect. Not only is his way of traffic, but his timing is perfect and we don't we want take time to read the accounts and the first Samuel 24 and four, Samuel 26, when David has the opportunity to kill Saul as he take it. Why doesn't he killed Saul when he has the opportunity we would kill them in this.

It was a God thing you know he just showed up.

We were in the cave and sulk him and he was right there and we could just put up a spear right through him or another occasion when Saul and all of these men were against us. There were, they were asleep and we saw them in the bush. I was wasn't he the nephew of David. He says listen listen there.

Generally, you can come right now.

In fact, David. If you're like me, I'm only taking one stop bottom up with out kill them with one stroke of my spear. Remember another occasion, David came in he cuts a piece of Saul's robe to show Saul that he had his life humanly speaking in his hands, and even doing that David was so convicted. Why because he said no. This is the Lord's anointed. Saul was an evil man who of hatred and David use these opportunities to teach his man a lesson that when we serve the Lord is not just that we want to do the right thing. We want to do the right thing in the right way at the right time, and when Saul is there and David's underbrush are you looking at them and he's asleep and they could've put this clear right through his heart in one blow. David could've said while this is probably providential. This was a God thing. God delivered him right to us but he says no I can't put my and against the Lord's anointed David Waites on the Lord, knowing that the Lord will answer and deliver in God's time, I find that amazing.

I think of I was there and I had been David identified okay this man is been chasing the after all, God has called me God has revealed his will through Samuel them to be the next king. This man is of the flash is a bad King.

He's an evil man. Here is my time and I can kill him.

I'll take the kingdom, and I will die rule as the King of Israel. But David's doesn't do that he doesn't want his kingdom to begin with bloodshed. He awaits God's time probably noticed in your life but the flesh is always in a hurry. He saw as a man in a hurry as needed by don't get this wattage with supervisor and get this meets. I'm going to die.

He saw him wait the flesh is demanding the flesh. Once it now.

Flesh wants to solve the problem. No flesh is impatient with God but those who wait on the Lord shall be renewed in strength fish among top with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and non-not faint. David could've diluted God when he was being hunted as an animal that he could have easily killed Saul and have rationalized his actions, he would have ended his exile, who the vet assumed the throne, but dart, but David Waites on God's time and God is going to deal with Saul. David is not going to put his spear through Saul God takes the ungodly Philistines. The last chapter, the first Samuel and Saul takes his own life and the Philistines cut off his head and David then comes to the throne can ask you and I'm preaching to myself.

Your first and foremost can ask you to be men and women who wait on God or something in your life that you would like to happen you like God to do is a good thing bad thing is a good thing for David to be king but absence of relationship something to do with your your work, your business to pray for someone's salvation. What a great thing to do.

But your impatient under your forcing its Italian to wait in the time for action here is encouragement for times of trial times of persecution, times of suffering, times of misunderstanding do not repay evil for evil. Never rationalize your sinful actions.

Be generous in her David was a remarkable man. He was generous of spirit in the face of opposition. You will recall that we call that grace David understood something of grace. The Babylonian Talmud and track till tractate Sanhedrin portion 72 verse one states if someone comes to kill you.

Rise up and kill them first, the Israeli secret service go by this and from a human perspective I understand if someone is plotting to kill hero before they got a chance to kill you.

You rise up. Would you kill them first. David didn't follow the advice he didn't take matters in his own hands, Paul Rice, beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God for this written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord, she remains removes the perfect justice of God. You being wrong and you would like that person to be punished, but rather than waiting on God to deal with the person you want to take action, don't do that follow the example of David. David wisely didn't follow the advice of his mighty men never go against God's will never go against his word. Never take spiritually speaking the law into your own hands. William Blakey writes alas into how many sins, and even crimes have men being betrayed through an unwillingness to wait for God's time, when you wait on God's time. That means for you, but will you just wait on God's time.

That's maturity as being a man after God's own heart is not hard. It was hard for me until I remember that God is sovereign, that his way is perfect that he works all things together for good to those who love him and those when God is on their side, nothing can stand against us. Love your enemies, Jesus said to close to the Lord your God hasn't abandoned you. Did God abandon David absolutely not tired of waiting on God to be patient and your God loves you with an everlasting love. He's a fortress future strength as were singing he'll never leave you never forsake you will look back on the Christian life and we can say that through that difficulty. This we do know that God loved us and he never ever left us, so keep your eyes on David's greater son Lord Jesus Christ, who was heated without a cause who never took vengeance who when he was reviled, reviled not again when he suffered, he threatened nobody committed himself to the righteous judge, Peter says, fear is the enemy of faith, trust God claim his promises. Your faith will grow and you'll be a man, a woman after God's own heart. Father, help us to apply these through your spirit to our lives. Thank you that you're a fortress Europe hi Tyler, your steadfast love is on us. May we experience than the depth of her soul and help us to wait on you as a church father, we thank you for the many blessings that you give us as a church is families as individuals in all of the wide varieties of need in human situations represented in this congregation.

I pray father that we will not panic that will not go ahead of you, but that we will trust you. Knowing that you are with us step-by-step, and that your way is perfect, helpless not to lean on our understanding but to trust you with all of her heart knowing that you will guide us in the perfect path for life's strength in us. We do pray uses this week to point people to Christ and his name