author: Ryan Hayden Take your Bibles with me and turn to 1 Samuel 26. 1 Samuel 26.
We are going to look at two chapters tonight, really two stories. And they are very different stories. One story makes David look like a hero of faith, and the other story makes him look like a faithless fool.
So I'm calling this message "Times of Faith and Folly." It's going to give us a lot to think about.
Let's look at the first story, which is in chapter 26.
The first story: Faith
Let's read the first four verses:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 26:1-4 - KJV
- And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?
- Then Saul arose, 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.
- And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
- David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
Chapter 26 is remarkably similar to chapter 23. It's really a case of dejavu. It starts with the Ziphites coming to Saul and tattling about where David is. This is exactly how chapter 23 starts - same people from the same city doing the same thing.
And Saul, remember how Saul promised that he would stop chasing David at the end of chapter 23 - well that was a lie. Saul does exactly what he does in chapter 23, he gets an army of 3000 of his best men together and goes hunting David.
David was nothing if he wasn't a great military leader. And a great military leader is going to know what the enemy is doing. So David has spies that let him know that Saul is chasing him again with an army of 3000 men, and where they are.
Let's keep reading:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 26:5-6 - KJV 5. And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6. Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
So David and his men get up close to where Saul is camping, and they are all asleep, and David says to his two best guys "Who wants to go down there with me?" One of them, Abishai, is quick to volunteer.
Let's keep reading:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 26:7-8 - KJV 7. So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
So David and Abishai sneak down to where Saul is and he is asleep. Listen, here is an army of 3,000 people and they are all asleep. They are in supposedly hostile territory and not one of them is on watch.
Saul is sleeping there with his spear stuck in the ground next to his pillow, and David and Abishai are able to walk right up to him and have a conversation with him while he was sleeping.
Do you know what that tells me? Saul slept like me, not like my wife. I can sleep through just about anything, Amanda wakes up if one of the kids rolls over on the other side of the house.
But they get there and Saul is exposed and Abishai says "God has delivered your enemy into your hand!" Then Abishai says "Let me kill him with his own spear, I won't have to strike him twice."
Abishai is giving David a way to kill Saul without David having to kill Saul and Abishai is putting a religious spin on it.
Look at verses 9-12 and see how David responds:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 26:9-12 - KJV 9. And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? 10. David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11. The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12. So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.
David's response is a lot more forceful this time than it was in chapter 23. In chapter 23, David was about to do it. He was about to get David and he had pains of conscience about it. Here David knows that he is not going to do this and he says "God can take care of Saul. God can make sure that his day comes or that he dies on the battlefield. But I'm not going to do it. He is the anointed king of Israel and I am not going to have blood on my hands."
So they take Saul's spear and his water jug as the ultimate souvenir proving they've been to the town of CouldOfKilledSaul and they take off.
David and Abishai hike over to the top of a hill and start shouting.
Look at verses 13-16:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 26:13-16 - KJV 13. Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14. And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15. And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16. This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD’S anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
David shouts to Abner, who was like the general, the second in command and he says "Abner, Abner?"
(Abner) "Whose that?"
"Abner" (I'm imagining this in a Donald Trump voice) "Abner, I'm going to call you sleepy Abner. It's not good what you've done, Sleepy Abner. Really not good. Your kind of terrible at your job Abner, you have this job of keeping the King SAFE. But your sleeping on the job. Not good. Not good. Criminal really. Maybe Saul should kill you. Why don't you look for the King's Spear and water bottle Abner?"
Look at verses 17-20:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 26:17-20 - KJV 17. And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18. And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19. Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20. Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
Saul finally wakes up and hears this?
And says "David? Is that my son David?"
And David just launches in "Why are you pursuing me? What have I done? Who stirred you up against me? Was it the Lord? If not, was it some other men? You've cut me off from my people? I can't even worship with my people."
"Please Saul, don't kill me. Stop scratching around for me like a flea. Stop hunting me like a bird in the mountains."
Look at verses 21-24:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 26:21-24 - KJV 21. Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22. And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23. The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed. 24. And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.
Now, Saul's reply is much like the first one back in chapter 23, only this time it doesn't seem as genuine to me. Saul admits to being wrong and being a fool and asks David to come back. He promises to not hurt David.
David says "look, the king's spear" and throw the spear over for Saul's men to get.
I really want you to look at verse 24. David says "As much as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes." David was saying "I have valued your life." That's what "much set by means." And then he says "so let my life be valued in the eyes of the Lord and let him deliver me out of all tribulation."
Now, I told you at the beginning that these two stories were stories of faith and folly - and obviously, this whole chapter is just dripping with faith.
David seems to have learned his lesson. God is taking care of him. God is providing for him. God is protecting him. He does not need to take matters into his own hands.
He's been tested in the wilderness, much like Israel was tested in the wilderness and Jesus would be tested in the wilderness, David was tested in the wilderness. He was tempted to take a shortcut to glory. He was tempted to throw off his burdens. He was tempted to get to reign without pain.
And David has won his trials and he seems to have learned the lesson: trust God to take care of you. Let the Lord be your shepherd, let him feed you at a table in the presence of your enemies. Let him take you to thee green pastures. Let His rod and staff correct you and protect you.
That seems to be the lesson David has learned through all of this and it is a great lesson. But turn to chapter 27 with me and let's look at the second story:
2. The second story: folly
Look at chapter 27 verse 1:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 27:1 - KJV
- And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
This is a sad verse. It says "David says in his heart" - he didn't say it out loud to anyone. It's not like he pulled aside Abishai and said "Aby, my man, Saul is going to get me one day, I need to go to the Philistines." He didn't say this to God. He said it in his heart.
David was discouraged. David was despairing.
Just look at that verse again. "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul."
What?
- David, didn't you see what happened last chapter where God put Saul's 3000 man army to sleep for you? Do you think that's normal?
- Didn't you see the chapter before where God provided for your men and kept you from evil?
- Didn't you see back in chapter 23 where God led Saul right into your cave?
- Didn't you see when you were with the prophets and God had all of the messengers sent to get you stop what they were doding and start prophesying. Then even Saul came and he stripped down and spent days prophesying?
- What about when Goliath was coming after you, don't you think God helped you then?
David has been living for years now and watching God take care of him again and again. And just when it seems like his faith is solid, just when he passes this test with Saul, he gets discouraged and says "Man, Saul is going to get me soon, I've got nothing better to do than to go join myself to God's enemies, and Saul will give up and I can escape."
2 Thessalonians 3:13 says:
[!bible] 2 Thessalonians 3:13 - KJV 13. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
Galatians 6:9 tells us:
[!bible] Galatians 6:9 - KJV 9. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
There are two words that get used a whole lot in the New Testament, and they are longsuffering and patience..
It's almost like God wants us to know that we are in a marathon, and not a sprint. It's almost like God wants us to know that our trials sometimes last a long time.
David got weary in well doing. He got discouraged.
I love how David Guzik put it:
God had not grown tired of protecting David, David grew tired of trusting in God.
Look at the next couple verses:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 27:2-4 - KJV 2. And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3. And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 4. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
David goes to the Philistines again. This time they accept him. Maybe because of his army. Maybe because they have heard how much Saul wants to kill him. They accept him.
And David doesn't just go. He brings his whole army and their families. He takes his men and their wives and their kids to live in a pagan land among the enemies of God's people.
And he was right, when Saul found out. He gave up hunting David. But he gave up because there wasn't a point. David was too far gone.
Listen to Guzik again:
Saul could never drive David to the Philistines. If Saul told David, "You must leave the people of God and go live among the Philistines," David would never bow to it. But discouragement and despair are more powerful enemies than Saul. Discouragement and despair will drive David to do something that Saul could never do.
This is not a spiritual high point in David's life. In fact you might notice that in this whole chapter, their is no mention of God.
It's interesting that in chapter 26, David can't stop talking about God. But here, it's like God isn't even in the picture.
David is backslidden. He's not writing psalms. He's not trusting God. He's trusting the Philistines.
And look what becomes of him. Look at verses 5-7:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 27:5-7 - KJV 5. And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 6. Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7. And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
David goes to the king and says "if I have found grace in your eyes." Why do you need to find grace in his eyes, David?
David gets Achish to provide a town for him and Achish gives him the city of Ziklag. Then it says he stayed there a year and four months.
This wasn't a temporary stay. David was moving in. David was intending this to be permanent.
David was trusting in Ziklag. He was trusting in the city. He was trusting in the Philistines. He had stopped trusting in God.
Look at the end of the chapter:
[!bible] 1 Samuel 27:8-12 - KJV 8. And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9. And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 10. And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 11. And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. 12. And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
Do you know what David became? He became a raider? He became a crook?
Now, he was careful not to invade Israel. That's important. That's a line he wouldn't cross. But he goes and raids these small towns and villages, steals all their stuff for the Philistines and kills everyone so that the Philistines won't get the whole story.
This is morally repugnant behavior. This is not something I know what to do with. The same David who didn't want to have blood on his hands in chapter 26, now has blood on his hands. He's deceiving. He's resorting to violence and lies. He's trusting in the Philistines to protect him. He's bringing others down with him.
Now, let's land this plane, shall we? Let's close this story with some applications:
Applications
There are so many things we could talk about, but I want to highlight four thoughts quickly and then I'll be done:
1. God is trying to teach us trust in Him.
That seems to be what all of these testings are about for David. "The trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold". David was being tried, and the trials just kept on coming.
And they were all trying to teach the same lesson: trust God, trust God, trust God.
Man, do you ever go through trials? I do.
You know the story of Lewis and Clark, right? Do you know that they expected there to be a water route all the way to the Pacific Ocean. That's what they thought, the whole time.
They got to the rocky mountains, to pikes peak, and they thought "I'm going to get over the top of this thing and there is going to be a waterslide down it all the way to California."
But they got to the top of the mountain and do you know what they saw? More mountains. Mountains as far as they eye could see.
So often in the Christian life we think "if I just pass this next test, it's going to be smooth sailing from here on out" and then we get to the top of that mountain by God's grace and...there are more mountains.
God is trying to teach us a lesson. You might not remember this, but you didn't get told your addition tables one time and then it was done. Lesson over. You passed the test. That lesson was pounded into your brain over and over again for years until (hopefully) it never left you. And so it is with trusting in God - He keeps assigning tests.
Let me give you a second observation:
2. Trusting in God can be an exhausting marathon, and near the finish line there is danger of despair and discouragement.
David is almost out of school here. He is remarkably close to being king. He's in a marathon, and he's on mile 21. But do you know what? He hit a wall. He got discouraged. He despaired. His faith failed him. And he ran to the Philistines.
Listen, don't ever think "I've come so far, I can never fail" because that is when you do. Don't think "I've passed so many miles on my journey, I can just coast in now" because that is not how it works for any of us.
Discouragement and despair are real temptations that don't give up. Do you think the Devil is thinking after 2000 years of fighting Christians "Oh, this guys been at it for thirty years or forty years, I'm tired of this guy, I'm going to let him rest."
That's not how it works.
Let me give you a third point:
3. Whenever we are looking to the world for protection and provision, there are going to be consequences.
David went over to the Philistines - and I don't think David knew what was going to happen when he did.
In a short while he's lying and he has blood on his hands.
Further, the man who showed these Philistines that God was Israel's protector is now showing these heathen that God can't take care of them and the Philistines can.
[!bible] 1 Corinthians 15:33 - KJV 33. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
When we align ourselves with God's enemies - when we look to the world for our protection and provision and not to God - don't be surprised when we start doing things we never imagined we would. Don't be surprised when their behavior rubs off on us.
Let me give you one more point:
4. God is big enough to get us back on track.
David backslid. Big time. There is no doubt about it. It wasn't a little thing. Going to the Philistines was bad.
But do you know what? We know the rest of the story. He wrote psalms again. He reigned as God's special king. He started building the Temple.
You may be backslidden, you may have made some mistakes, but God is big enough to get you back on track.
