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1 Samuel 21 Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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While me eager to open the word of God with you tonight, so meet
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me in the book of 1st Samuel in chapter 21.
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First Samuel, 21. It's only been a couple of weeks
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but it feels like months since we've come to this book again
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but here we are. In this very important chapter
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because up to this point in our study, you and I have examined
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David and benefited from David in the season of his life when
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he was that. Humble Shepherd boy of Israel,
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right? and after a few chapters, we
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quickly learned from David, not the humble Shepherd, boy, but
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the unexpected hero of Israel, And we were encouraged by that,
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I'm sure. But now as we come to this
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chapter, we enter into a new chapter of David's life.
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And if there was a theme, if there was a title, there was a
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banner over this specific transition.
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It would not be David. The Humble Shepherd boy of
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Israel would not be David, the unexpected hero of Israel, it
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would be David The Fugitive Of Israel.
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And I'm sure this was unexpected on his part.
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If you remember, maybe we should just refresh our memories and
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our last study and first Samuel. 20 David was convincing, his
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best friend, who is also the son of his boss of his father-in-law
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saw, Jonathan. Your father wants to kill me.
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Jonathan couldn't believe it but he didn't dismiss it completely
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and they conjure up a plan to figure out.
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If this was true, if Saul, really felt this way about David
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and we found out that it was the case, Jonathan was convinced
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Jonathan approaches David and they they cry and they weep and
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they embrace one another and they both come to the conclusion
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that the best thing for David to do is to flee in the exact
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opposite. Direction of this deranged King.
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And that's what we read in. The final verses of 1st Samuel,
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20, David David goes into the Horizon into the unknown, not
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knowing what's going to happen tomorrow.
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Not knowing, perhaps even thinking, how is this reconciled
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with the promise that I would be the next king of Israel?
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But with David needed to know is what Jonathan's suggested to
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him, and let's go to that verse quickly before we go into
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chapter 21. And first Samuel 20, look at
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verse 22 with me. It says here.
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But if I say to the youth Jonathan is speaking.
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Look, the arrows are Beyond you then go he's telling David.
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You got to go. That's the sign for you to flee
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for the Lord has sent you away. God is Sovereign over this
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David. God is in total control.
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God has not lost control. In fact, if this is happening,
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then know this. God has allowed it and God is
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going to use it to prepare you to be the king that he wants you
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to be. And that's exactly what you and.
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I are going to discover from this chapter moving forward to
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the End of This Book, we're going to see David and the most
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difficult Valley of his life, arguably.
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All he's gonna do is jump from one location to the other always
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looking behind his shoulder. Not knowing when saw or his
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henchmen are going to come after him and from time to time, he's
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going to look up and just trust God, and what you and I are
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going to observe is the absolute Providence of the Lord, over all
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of these things. The orchestration of God over
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David's life in this Valley. And that's what makes this so
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exciting. And so we read in chapter 21
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verse 1, The first steps of David's Exile as a fugitive.
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Then David came to Knob. Hi, Malik.
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The priest. And I melt like, came to me,
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David trembling and said to him, why are you alone?
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And no one with you and David said to him out, like the
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priest, the King has charged me with a matter.
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And said to me, let no one know anything of the matter about
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which I send you and with which I have charged you, I've made an
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appointment with the young men for such and such a place now.
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Then, what do you have? In hand give me five loaves of
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bread or whatever is here and the priest answered David.
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I have no common Bread on hand but there is Holy bread.
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If the young men have kept themselves from women and David
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answered the priest truly woman had been kept from us.
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As always, when I go on an expedition, the vessels of the
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young men are holy even when it is an ordinary Journey, how much
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more today will their vessels be?
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Holy. So the priest gave him the holy
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bread. For there is no bread there but
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the bread of the presence which is removed from before the Lord
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to be replaced by hot bread. On the day, it is taken away.
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David heads to a place called knob.
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This is where he feels led to go.
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This is where his reflex leads him.
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And, and this is where I guess the Tabernacle is now situated.
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Please tell me where was the tabernacle before this in a
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place called? Shiloh.
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Right, Shiloh. This is what we learn in the
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beginning of 1st Samuel, and then the ark was captured by the
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Philistines, it was returned. Now, the ark is in some random
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place called Korea theorem, and now, for some reason, we don't
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know the details, but it's now moved.
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Its now situated in a place called knob, and this is where
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the priests are worshipping. God, and they're trying their
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best to continue the sacrificial system, and this is where David
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goes, this is where he wants to go.
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This is where he feels like he needs to go and he is, he's
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looking for something. he's looking for help but as the
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priest hears or sees David in the Horizon, approaching the
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Tabernacle he meets David and the high priest is fearful He's
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not trembling because of his ah, he's trembling because of a
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concern. Why would why would the priest
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be concerned of David's? Visitation.
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Did that maniacal? Anybody have an idea?
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The answer is kind of there. He's alone.
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But why is that a concern? Who is David?
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Is he a reputable man? Is he related to the king?
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If you see the president's son walking on the street by
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himself, wouldn't that be concerning to you?
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I think I would be concerning and I don't know how David
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looked at this point. We remember, he was, he was out
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in the wilderness for 3 days and 3 nights, he cried a lot.
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He was journeying on foot. And now, David just shows up by
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himself, there's no Entourage. There's no bodyguards, there's
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no even announcement of his arrival.
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He just shows up on the scene, and this is concerning to the
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high priest. What's going on here?
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There's something very suspicious about All of this.
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And so he approaches David. He rightfully asked.
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Why are you alone? And what David does is
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disappointing. It's not very admirable or
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exemplary for a man who has claimed to have such trust in
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God. How does he answer him?
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What's concerning about his answer?
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Does it seem like a reasonable answer?
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This seemed like a good summary. What is he saying?
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Some of you are nodding your head.
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Don't be afraid to answer. Why is your figuring out the
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answer? Not.
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So I'm not saying that fish easily.
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I'm saying if as you're thinking about it, consider this, if
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there's anything that is encouraging by David doing this
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is that he chooses to go to the right place, and its greatest
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time of need David's reaction to go to the house of God is
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something that we should applaud out of all the places he wants
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to go, where God's will can be known.
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We're God's men can be sought after for counsel.
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This is, this is where he goes, and and David.
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Has proven in critical moments of his life that he goes to the
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right people or to the right place.
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Remember when David was first invaded by saw in his own home,
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where did he go at that point? He went to the prophet Samuel,
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he went to the prophet and he was surrounding himself by him
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and those band of prophets. And so, that's something we can
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applaud because I can tell you from experience that, when many
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Christians go through difficult seasons in life, when they're
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faced with trials and tribulations, their attendance
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is an increasing, its decreasing in church.
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You barely see them. You barely hear from them
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because in those moments whether they want to admit it or not,
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they don't believe that being under God's word and God's
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presence that is manifested through the gifts through each
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of us. They don't really trust that
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that will actually build them up or they're believing the lies of
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Satan that they will be condemned and they're not worthy
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to be there because the enemy knows the building up that can
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come the encouragement that can come when we were surrounded by
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God's people in God's house. In God's manifest presence as we
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come as temples of the Holy Spirit.
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He doesn't do that. He goes to the right place but
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as you heard earlier, we're about to discover that he's not
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going to do the right thing at the right place.
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So you had enough time to look at it.
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What's concerning about, David's?
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Answer to the question. Yes, it's a lie.
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It's a lie. Okay.
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So David has proven up to this point that at some critical
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moments, he knew who to go to or where to go to.
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But then again, we see here that David has a weakness And it's a
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pattern at this point and you're going to see in this chapter
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that it's a really it's a rooted issue here with David and here's
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the issue I'm sure you never thought about this concerning
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the man after God's Own heart but the Bible's honest and we
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got to be honest and might shatter your Sunday school
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dreams, but it's true. Nonetheless David had a lying
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problem. He did, he didn't handle
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pressure. Well more specifically he really
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believed that utilizing lies was a way of accomplishing things.
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What did he do in the chapter before this when he was when he
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was planning with Jonathan, what did he suggest?
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Not even suggest? What did he instruct Jonathan to
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do to discover? What's all felt about David
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total? I tell them that I went to
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Bethlehem. Tell him that my dad called me
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there, Tom. That's the reason why I'm not
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there and let's just see how he responds.
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You didn't need to do that. It's all really hated.
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You would come out, one way or another.
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There is other ways of discovering how he felt, but he
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instructs a man of God, like Jonathan to lie.
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And now he comes here before. Listen, Before the high priest
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in the house of God. And he's lying.
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Now some would say no. Well, he's just trying to
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protect, I hate mail like he's not wanting to disclose
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unnecessary information to somebody who's not related to
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the problem. We could try to justify it all
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we want, but you're going to see how David's lies are going to
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get a more and more into trouble and how David's, false security
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and lives are going to fail him over and over again.
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And that's what he's doing here. He's actually operating from a
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place of fear. Fear is a powerful emotion.
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Fear is a very powerful feeling. And if we're not quick to manage
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that, by the power of the spirit, if we're not quick to
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confront fear, then fear will encourage other sins in our
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lives. See, the reason why David is
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lying here is because he thinks that if I tell a lie, he Malik
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the truth or at least suggest my condition and why I'm in this
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place at this time, he might not help me.
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He might not provide for me the things that I need.
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So I have to coat this. I have to I have to have to just
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shut this conversation down and he does and he could have done
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another way, and I just want to get to the request and if I tell
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him the nitty-gritty details, maybe he'll be afraid himself
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and he'll say just get out of here.
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So let me just lie, let me just not tell the truth.
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And so he does that but it's coming from a place of fear.
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I want you to see what God says about fear.
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God, identifies fear and a specific place as a motivator
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for other sins and you have to turn there but it's a great
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Insight from the lips of the prophet, Isaiah or the writings
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rather, and Isaiah 57 verse 11. Look What God Says, through the
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prophet to the nation of Israel and Isaiah 57, Isaiah 57 verse
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we read whom, did you dread and fear so that you lied And did
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not remember me, did not lay it to heart, haven't I held my
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peace even for a long time and you do not fear me?
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Did you see the connection? The connection that God makes
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between the nation's fear and they're lying?
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If we're not careful that feeling can persuade us to
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Forfeit our integrity as Christians.
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That feeling can be so overwhelming, you can hijack,
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our sensibilities, it can hijacked our convictions.
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You see what David was afraid of when he was in this moment was
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what man could do to him or what man would fail to do for him?
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I'm afraid of what's all can do to me and I'm afraid.
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If I tell you the truth, you won't help me.
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And what God says, in the concluding parts of this verse
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is applicable to David and all of us.
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Why? Why are you lying?
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Well, because you're fearful, why are you fearful?
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Because you don't fear me, that's what it is.
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That's ultimately the reason why and fearing God is synonymous
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among for many things. And one of the things that
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fearing God is synonymous with is trusting God.
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You don't trust me. So you fear man, when you fear
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man, you open up the floodgates for all these different kinds of
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sins, including lying, including lying.
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I've seen that firsthand. It's a very sad thing and it can
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persuade even the godliest of people.
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But the great antidote, the great Shield, the great
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protection from allowing that very powerful persuasion of fear
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to take over is to ultimately fear.
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God, keep him ever before you. How powerful he is.
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How muddy is as we heard from from the some earlier from
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Pastor banana. What can man do to me?
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What can man do to me when you continually believe that that
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you're dealing with people that God can stop in a moment that
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God can literally buy one breath make their heart stopped.
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Beating what, what do you have to fear?
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What do you have to fear? David failed to see that and
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because of that, he's encouraged to lie.
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He shuts the conversation down real quick.
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He doesn't want to entertain it. He doesn't want the priests or
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any other priests to ask more questions.
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So he changes the subject in verse 3 now that like enough of
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this and he's very smart. He he presented his answer in
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such a way that he would discourage the priest from even
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asking because it's a secret, don't ask anymore but I need
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something from you. What do you have on hand?
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Give me five loaves of bread or whatever is here?
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Again, it's it's admire about that David Goes to the house of
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God in this trial, but we discovered that he's not coming
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to the house of God for what you come to the house of God for,
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he's not coming for counsel, he's not coming for the priest,
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to determine the will of God in this matter.
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He's coming for for bread for something that would satisfy him
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in the moment and satisfy, maybe for a little bit of the journey
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ahead, but there's no record here of Seeking God, seeking the
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priest to see God on his behalf. He just needs some temporary
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relief. This is, this isn't seem like
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the David that we know. And that's what fear does.
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It transforms you and makes you into a different person.
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It causes you to make decisions and your convictions become
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molded, and bent out of shape and so he asked for a brad.
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Now, here's the question. Why is he coming to the house of
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God for bread? Is that a place to ask for
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bread? Come on, you Exodus students
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many years ago. Is there anything in that house
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of worship? That was suggest that there is
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something to eat. Is a fat from an animal.
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Or is there actual bread? There's actual bread is actual
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bread. In fact, there's a whole piece
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of furniture dedicated for the the table.
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It's called the table of showbread or the bread of the
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presence, where there was twelve loaves.
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Separate into piles of six representing, the 12 tribes of
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Israel and you look at Exodus and Leviticus.
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And what's happening there is these these loaves of bread
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would represent the tribes. They would come before Lord.
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And we spent a whole study on this, you can revisit it.
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If you would like frankincense was placed on them.
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It was an aroma to God but it was also the portion for the
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priest. The priest would every Sabbath
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the priests would eat that bread.
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So it stayed there as an act of worship before God for a week on
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the Sabbath. The priests as a portion for
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their payment they would eat of this bread and then they would
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have replaced that set with a fresh batch.
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Batch of hot bread. The bread was provided by the
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people of Israel, but it was managed by the priest and oh it
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is filled with application concerning our worship and the
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person of Jesus Christ as well. We don't have time to get into
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it. The main point that I want to
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drive from this. Is that this priest who's about
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to give this bread to David? Perhaps he knew it, perhaps he
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didn't. He's showing us that he might be
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doing something wrong. Because in Leviticus 25 verse 9.
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And in that chapter, there's a small portion dedicated to what
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they should do with the bread. Listen to What God Says in
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Leviticus. This is why you don't skip,
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Leviticus brother, don't skip Leviticus sister, Leviticus 25
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9, and it shall be the bread. It shall be for Aaron and his
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sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place since it is for him.
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A Most Holy portion out of the Lord's food offerings, a
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Perpetual do So what does that mean about the bread who's
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supposed to eat it? The priest, the priest alone are
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given this holy bread and they were supposed to eat it in a
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holy place and it was a Perpetual do which suggests that
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would David is about to receive is not legal.
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He's not supposed to eat this bread because this this bread is
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is limited to the Servants of God.
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The sons of Aaron But he's going to receive it.
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In fact, in verse 6 we read it. The priest gave him the holy
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bread but there was no bread there.
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But the bread of the presence and we're told here again, as a
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reminder, which is removed from before the Lord to be replaced
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by hot bread on the day, it is taken away, is this story
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mentioned in the New Testament. thank you reference and all
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Jesus brings up this incident, Jesus brings up this actual
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moment where David receives his holy bread in a confrontation
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with the Pharisees who were trying to accuse his own
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Disciples of breaking the law. And he uses this as a way of
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arguing against a certain point made up by the Pharisees.
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And I'm curious to know in this Bible study tonight, what you
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make of Jesus Motivation by coming to this story first name
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of 21 in the context of the confrontation with these
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Pharisees. So let's go there and our Bibles
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and Matthew chapter 12. And I want you to see if you
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haven't learned it yet. I'm sure you're convinced of it.
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Why you? And I need to know the Old
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Testament to be better, students of the new you, and I cannot
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afford to neglect the Old Testament.
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Even in the name of being a New Covenant people, those who claim
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that after understand, they will not be The greatest of students.
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If they neglect two-thirds of the Bible, would you say Amen to
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that? Amen.
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So we read in Matthew 12 verse 1.
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At that time, Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath.
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His disciples were hungry and they began to pluck heads of
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grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it
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they said to him, look your disciples are doing, what is not
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lawful to do on the Sabbath pause.
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So let's visualize this. We're going to we're going to
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break this up. If you ever want answers in the
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Bible, if you ever want revelation in the Bible, ask the
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text questions, ask the text questions, question number one,
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the Pharisees observe that as Lisa Skype disciples, were
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letting their hands run through the grain fields and plucking,
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the heads of them, and nibbling, on some things that they were
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doing something that was against the law.
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Question. Number one, was it actually
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against the law Was it actually against the law?
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I'm seeing head? Say no and I'm going to ask why
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because when you look at what Jesus says, there's no
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indication that he necessarily corrects them, Is what they're
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doing is wrong. Is it actually a form of work on
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the Sabbath? Who would say, yes.
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Who would say no? Okay, who doesn't know?
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Who's awake, okay. You want the answer?
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I'm sure you have to go back to the Old Testament to find out.
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I'm not going to tell it to you. I'm going to let you turn your
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Bible there and Deuteronomy 23. Verse 25.
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Once you get there, you will get your answer.
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Deuteronomy 23, verse 25. And we're going to see what God
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says about what these disciples did was it, right?
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Or was it wrong? Now, you saw it, right?
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So who says it was against the law?
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Who says, it's not against the law now.
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Okay, if you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you
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may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a
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sickle to your neighbor standing grain.
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So, not only are they, are they doing what's permissible?
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They're doing it. Exactly the way God said to do
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it. They were plucking, the heads of
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the Grain and that was a in accordance with the law.
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And God says, don't take advantage of the situation and
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use a farming instrument, to gather much more than is
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required as you're traveling by, if you're hungry, you can grab
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some with your hand. You're being respectful to your
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neighbor's property, but you're also receiving a means of my
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grace through this law. So question again, were the
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Pharisees right or wrong, they were wrong.
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They were wrong. In fact, the disciples were
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exactly in line with the word of God.
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Interestingly enough, when Jesus responds to them, he responds
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with what we just read in 1st Samuel 21.
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So, go back to Matthew 12. Now look at verse 3, he said to
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them, He said to them, have you not read what David did when he
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was hungry and those who are with him, how he entered the
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house of God, and ate the bread of the presence?
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Which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were
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with him. But only for the priests.
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So let's backtrack here, the disciples are eating the grain
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with their hands of plucking, the heads of the grain.
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The Pharisees see it. They see this as an opportunity
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to condemn Jesus for allowing this Behavior.
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Hey, your disciples are breaking the law.
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Well, if you know the law Pharisees, you would realize,
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no, they're not breaking the law.
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So, what's happening? There we are seeing the
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manifestation of the ugly face of legalism.
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And what legalism looks like often and its fullest form is
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that you have man's tradition supersede God's law.
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Holding greater importance and even greater Authority than what
26:16
is written. And you have many people Bound
26:18
by this devil. But Jesus is answer is
26:22
brilliant. He brings up this situation with
26:27
David. And I'm curious to know, as a
26:31
matter of discussion. Why do you think Jesus points to
26:34
David and his eating of the bread when he was hungry?
26:38
Any ideas? That is one of the most common
26:54
interpretations of this that the Lord is trying to provide a
26:59
principal for mercy here. That the idea here is that
27:05
ceremonial regulations are not more important than human need.
27:11
If there is human need, if there is an emergency situation, then
27:16
there is some room for And neglect or or to even violate
27:22
certain ceremonial laws in order to provide for his people
27:26
provide for human necessity. And I can see in this is this is
27:30
one of the most common understandings of this and I can
27:33
see where people are coming from with that argument.
27:36
But I do not believe that is the primary thing that Jesus is
27:39
trying to communicate here, and I'll tell you why very simple
27:43
observation. Jesus is not promoting primarily
27:49
situational ethics, have you heard of the phrase situational
27:52
ethics? That sometimes it is permissible
27:55
to execute certain things that might be wrong in order to
27:59
perform a greater good. Have you heard of it in some
28:03
situations? It might be okay to lie.
28:07
Because if I lie and it promotes this good then let it happen.
28:11
I mean when you do that the the math and when you when you weigh
28:14
it it seems okay. I don't believe that's what
28:18
Jesus is primarily teaching here.
28:21
For one simple reason I could see that.
28:24
That is the primary argument if the disciples had broken the
28:27
law, but they didn't, you see what I'm saying?
28:31
Why is Jesus using an example of David who?
28:36
It's clear. You can't debate it.
28:38
He did something unlawful. Then we read it.
28:40
He did something. Unlawful, why would he use an
28:45
example of somebody who did something on?
28:47
Full to defend the case of somebody who is Guiltless.
28:52
Are you tracking with me tonight?
28:54
It would make sense to use an argument of somebody who broke
28:57
the law in order to satisfy a need if somebody just broke the
29:03
law in order to satisfy a need correct, but they didn't break
29:08
the law, they were obeying the law, the ones who have it wrong.
29:12
Here are the Pharisees and so I personally believe that this is
29:15
less about upholding situational ethics or upholding the idea
29:21
that sometimes it's okay for things to not be observed.
29:25
In order for a need to be met and this is more of Jesus in his
29:29
Brilliance cornering the Pharisees, and their hypocrisy.
29:36
He's calling for their conviction to be consistent.
29:46
when he brings up David, what he's essentially trying to say
29:48
is you're willing to overlook David.
29:55
Who you Revere, don't you, you Jews?
29:58
You're willing to overlook the fact that he did break the law.
30:02
And then in verse 5, he brings an example of the priest.
30:05
Let's actually read it. Or have you not read in the law?
30:08
How on the Sabbath? The priests in the temple
30:10
profane the Sabbath and are Guiltless.
30:14
In other words if you think that nothing should be done on the
30:17
Sabbath. The priest actually do more work
30:21
on the Sabbath than any other day of the week.
30:24
They're actually they're killing animals and they're burning
30:27
things and they're preparing things and they're doing a lot
30:30
of things on the Sabbath yet. They're Guiltless and the
30:34
strictest Pharisee would never ever condemn a priest from the
30:38
law who is performing their Duty on the Sabbath.
30:42
And Jesus is Calling their attention, even not just the
30:45
priest, but to David. And he's what he's saying, is
30:49
this, why are you not willing to condemn?
30:53
The priest who did much work on the Sabbath.
30:56
Why are you not willing to condemn David who did something
30:59
unlawful? But you're willing to condemn
31:02
unjustly, my disciples for not holding to your tradition.
31:10
You're condemning my followers for something that's violating
31:14
your human law. Are you willing to condemn
31:18
David? Who actually broke the law?
31:19
Are you willing to criticize? The priest.
31:25
Who did much work on the Sabbath?
31:28
And so Jesus is essentially cornering them because of their
31:32
hypocrisy and many would object to what I'm saying because of
31:36
what he says, in verse 7, look at verse 7.
31:40
And if you had known what this means I desire mercy and not
31:44
sacrifice. So he quotes Hosea and that's
31:49
that's where the argument might come from that Jesus is
31:53
providing a principal for mercy and he is, he's not not doing
31:56
that. But the second part of the
32:00
verse, my solidify, what I'm trying to present to you
32:04
tonight. And if you had known what this
32:06
means, I desire. Mercy.
32:07
Not sacrifice comma. You would not have condemned,
32:10
who the Gillis. You would not condemned the
32:15
Guiltless. Your Traditions.
32:18
You Pharisees is so merciless. It's so void of Mercy.
32:28
Because you think that your severe strictness is a form of
32:33
sacrifice to God. When in fact it suffocates my
32:37
people. It suffocates my people and you
32:42
are so adamant about being sacrificial, that you're willing
32:46
to even attack the own law. That gives them to the
32:52
permission to do what you are so condemning.
32:55
Consider that. Consider that so Jesus, in his
32:59
Brilliance Jesus and his Brilliance points to David
33:03
points, the activity of the priests in the Old Testament to
33:05
say, what are you going to do with these guys now?
33:09
What you can do with these guys. What you're seeing here is the
33:12
danger of legalism. It's so blinding.
33:16
It's so powerful. But it is actually satanic.
33:23
It's satanic because when it has its full force unleashed, it
33:29
begins to Trump over the word of God itself, and you have
33:32
millions today that are holding dear to tradition, even for
33:37
those, their salvation as we speak tonight.
33:42
And like the Pharisees, they could even step on the word of
33:45
God and make pronouncements of judgments on people.
33:49
Because they think that this is a form of sacrifice, that is
33:52
pleasing to God. When in fact, it is merciless
33:55
and it can even be damning Jesus is a wonderful apologist.
34:01
He's an incredible, incredible evangelist, and we see that in
34:05
one example. Here, you may not agree with my
34:08
interpretation. I would love to discuss it.
34:11
I would love to discuss it afterwards if you have the time
34:13
to discuss it, but we come back to 1st Samuel.
34:18
First Samuel chapter 21. I hope you're motivated to know
34:25
the Old Testament in order to know better, the New Testament.
34:29
And what we see here Is after the fact, in verse 7 now, a
34:35
certain man of the Servants of Saul was there that day detained
34:38
before the Lord. His name was doe egg, the
34:41
Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsman.
34:44
Remember doeg because next week, we're going to see a lot of do
34:47
egg. He's a troublemaker.
34:51
He's a troublemaker. Who's detained in the house of
34:53
the Lord. Just a reminder.
34:56
There are troublemakers in the house of the Lord.
34:59
And we'll talk about that more next week, God willing but we'll
35:02
move on to verse 8. Then David said to I'm a lake
35:07
Here's a second request. So he received the bread, he had
35:11
some bread to feed some of the men that were with him.
35:14
Then have you not hear a spear or a sword at hand for.
35:19
I've brought neither my sword, nor my weapons with me because
35:22
the king's business required Hast.
35:29
What's concerning about this request There's two main things.
35:38
He's still lying. Where's the LIE?
35:44
The king's business requires haste.
35:49
Really. Did it?
35:53
What an amazing principal. Principal for sin.
35:58
If we do sin, and we're not quick to repent of that sin to
36:02
come before God with that sin, to ask God, to empower us to
36:05
overcome that sin. It will only become easier for
36:10
us to sin. Oftentimes, our first steps into
36:17
sin are met with conviction. Are met with disgust are met
36:24
with disturbance. And something begins to happen
36:28
as we familiarize ourselves with that sin.
36:32
Is that that's in becomes less bothersome to us.
36:36
We justify it. We lose that.
36:38
Sting that comes with it. And what was once a hesitation
36:42
now becomes a habit? What was once something that we
36:46
tread very lightly on now is something we're swimming in.
36:50
David lied. Once to a priest.
36:52
May I remind you where in the house of God, he's willing to do
36:59
it again. It's not becoming part of his
37:02
language. It's not just it's like a
37:04
reflex. Boom boom.
37:05
There it is. And this is going to become more
37:11
troubling for David in this chapter.
37:13
That's one thing. Great observation.
37:15
What's the other concerning thing about his request here?
37:19
What is he asking for sword? Is he asking it in the right
37:25
place? I studied.
37:28
Exodus and so, have you last time I checked?
37:31
I never saw. Oh, Armory in the Tabernacle.
37:35
Never saw it, and God was very specific on what was supposed to
37:38
be in that place. God was very specific or the
37:41
measurements, the materials and even where they were placed,
37:48
What's a weapon doing in God's house?
37:53
He's inquiring. And it's really an illustration
37:57
of how people come to the house of God to demand for things at
37:59
the house of God was never designed to give to you.
38:04
Right, you want to come to church for entertainment?
38:10
The church wasn't designed for that.
38:13
When it come to the house of God, to feel good about yourself
38:15
with Bible less preaching, Church wasn't designed for that.
38:22
Want to come to make friends because you just want friends
38:24
and you're not concerned about personal Holiness, or being
38:28
Sanctified or partnering with people for the king of the house
38:30
of God was not designed for that.
38:34
And it is the duty of the Ministers of God to protect the
38:38
design of the house of God. It's the concern of the people
38:41
of God to preserve the purity of the house of God because
38:46
throughout the life of a church, the life of a Ministry.
38:50
You will have people coming to that place to make suggestions
38:55
and to make requests that are contrary to the blueprint of the
38:58
house of God. And that's what we're seeing
39:01
here. There's a request for a military
39:03
weapon. The Tabernacle was not designed
39:06
to equip soldiers that way. But David makes that request.
39:13
And would you know it there was something tucked in there.
39:17
We read about in verse 9. And the priest said the sword of
39:23
Goliath, the Philistine whom you struck down in the valley of
39:26
elah behold. It is here wrapped in a cloth
39:30
behind the ephod if you will take that, take it for.
39:33
There is none but that here and David said there is none like
39:38
that give it to me. Give it to me.
39:43
So this sword David's trophy essentially over his victory,
39:51
concerning, Goliath in the Philistines.
39:53
Was there? Why was it there?
39:54
I have no idea why they put, I have no clue why it was there
39:57
and it shouldn't have been there, but it was there.
40:00
He receives it. And he Praises it, he Praises
40:05
this weapon and I don't know why he's praising it because that's
40:09
or didn't do much good for Goliath did it.
40:13
Didn't have much to offer Goliath, did it?
40:18
But we're not in a good place spiritually, we tend to praise
40:21
things. We tend to overvalue things that
40:25
are void of the substance that only God and his word and his
40:29
Spirit provide And you would hope that once David took that
40:34
sword into his hands. You would have hoped, wouldn't
40:38
you that in that very scene? He would have had flashbacks.
40:44
He would have had flashbacks of how God's faithful power
40:48
intervened against his foes. You would have hoped that in
40:54
that moment. As he's holding that sword, he
40:56
would have remembered that. It's not by The arm of the
41:00
flesh. It's not by sword, it's not by
41:02
Chariot. But by bold, faith in God.
41:06
Do you see great success, right? it's not by manipulation David,
41:14
it's not by carnal schemes, it's not by the flesh that you get
41:18
things done, it's not by that, it's by trusting in God, you
41:23
would have hoped that in that moment he would have believed
41:25
that But unfortunately as he Embraces that sword as he's
41:29
elated as he's excited about the fact that he has something to
41:32
defend himself with. He makes another disappointing
41:35
decision. Let's read about in verse 10 and
41:39
David Rosen, fled that they from Saul and went to.
41:42
He's the king of gath and the Servants of a, he set them is
41:46
not this David, the king of the land, did they not sing to one
41:49
another of him? And dances Saul has struck down
41:52
his thousands and David his ten thousands The first thing that
41:58
this man does after he receives this weapon, is he flees?
42:02
We're to gath. Why is that concerning?
42:10
Who's from gath Goliath? Where is David going to the
42:16
enemy's Camp? Why?
42:20
Because it's amazing what fear can do to your judgement.
42:25
It's amazing. When you're so out of touch with
42:27
God, it's so amazing. When you've lost sight of
42:30
Christ, what you believe will be a solution to you.
42:35
And Christians are no different, you have Christians who try to
42:39
medicate themselves. With sin when there's a need
42:45
when there's a void, when there's lack of answers, when
42:47
there's long seasons of of great difficulty, they try to medicate
42:50
themselves with sin, they try to comfort themselves with the
42:53
presence of unbelieving people. They try to numb themselves with
42:58
substances. They try to distract themselves
43:02
to death. David is running to the wrong
43:07
Refuge. He is trying to find some kind
43:11
of comfort and because he's operating with worldly wisdom,
43:14
here's the wisdom that he's operating with most likely.
43:16
If I go to the Philistines, there's no way.
43:18
David is going to saw was going to chase me there.
43:21
If I go to the Philistines, there is no way that's all would
43:26
entertain. Our lease will be much more
43:28
hesitant to come there if he knows that I'm there.
43:31
So, let me go there. So you're going to go to gath
43:34
and not only gasps you're going to go to gath with Goliath's
43:36
sword. It's not going to make a great
43:38
impression. Philistines.
43:43
But what you and I are seeing here is the absurdity that we
43:45
fall into when we like the trust that God demands.
43:50
We might not believe it but it's amazing.
43:53
It's amazing. What happens.
43:56
Not just when something is difficult in your life when
43:58
people feel like they lack the motivation that they once knew
44:01
in Christ. It's amazing where they float
44:03
towards. and David is illustrating that so clearly he
44:09
goes to the Philistines And his Fame was so great that the
44:14
Philistines even knew about the song that won the hearts of the
44:17
people of Israel. But did you notice something
44:19
about their comment? Look at verse 11 again, what
44:23
stands out to you and their comment?
44:30
Somebody said it. Not just the question, but his
44:34
identity. How do they identify David?
44:39
The king of the land. Not fascinating, he's not the
44:44
king but even the enemy was so convinced that this man's
44:48
Destiny was for the throne. That didn't even object-- to the
44:50
possibility. The king of the land, they're
44:55
not sing to one another of him and dances.
44:59
And David is freaked out. He realizes that they've
45:04
identified them. I don't know how he thought he
45:05
was going to blend. Among the Philistines, you our
45:10
Enemy Number One to the Philistines, you have destroyed
45:13
their dreams or hopes their strategies.
45:16
And here you are thinking that you're just going to camouflage.
45:19
They identify him and it says here in David and verse 12 took
45:23
these words to heart and was much afraid of a, he's the king
45:27
of gath. So, stop here. he's terrified
45:32
even more now, So his lying his skin, it didn't lead to what he
45:38
thought it would lead to he's in a darker pit.
45:42
He's in a more difficult circumstance that what he began
45:44
with. And so what is this man?
45:48
After God's heart going to do and answers in verse 13, so he
45:54
changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in
45:59
their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let
46:04
his spittle. Run down his beard.
46:07
Behold the future king of Israel.
46:11
Behold the anointed man of God. Can you envision this?
46:16
I can just see it here. He is walking through the
46:19
streets of gath soldiers are looking from hightower's.
46:24
They make the observation they come to me because it says in
46:28
their hands they come to capture him to bring him before the king
46:31
and this man's heart is pounding and he is sweating, he's
46:35
exhausted. And what comes to mind here is
46:38
let me put on an act, let me pretend that I am insane.
46:44
So he falls to the ground. He starts making Groaning noises
46:47
he's salivating all over himself.
46:49
He's scratching himself on the door, perhaps the door to go
46:52
into the King's house. And these guys are looking like,
46:55
what is going on? It's funny, but can I ask you
47:00
something? What is David doing here?
47:03
Something that he's been doing already in this chapter lying?
47:07
Not just with his words now, now with his conduct.
47:13
He went from lying to the priest initially lying to the priest
47:16
again. And now, you are pretending that
47:20
you have gone mad. To persuade somebody of
47:24
something. That is not true.
47:26
We look at this and we think it's innocent and it's just a
47:29
strategy know. We're going to find out that
47:31
David himself realized that this was wrong.
47:34
But here's the point that I want to make, if earlier we learned
47:37
that by his second lie, that when we sin and we refuse to
47:42
deal with the conviction immediately and come before God
47:45
to deal with that sin, it's only easier to send but additionally
47:50
not only is it easier to act upon but sin also becomes worse
47:57
and worse and it's contempt. It gets uglier and uglier more
48:03
degrading in degree than before. And in this case, if you're a
48:09
liar, not only will you lie more but your lies will get more
48:12
outrageous. And more crazy.
48:17
And more outlandish. And even in the evidence of
48:19
proof, you will still lie. Because that's the nature of
48:23
sin. You look at James one and
48:25
there's a progression there. that there is Temptations within
48:29
that entices and if we if we listen to those Temptations, it
48:33
gives birth to sin and sin gives birth to what death It doesn't
48:38
stay in infancy, it grows it, matures it becomes stronger, it
48:43
becomes more vicious, more destructive and that's exactly
48:46
what we're seeing here. We're seeing this progression of
48:48
sin. A weakness in David's life that
48:51
he refused to deal with. So it's going to now deal with
48:54
him. So now he's lying with his
48:56
conduct. Now he's exaggerating his
48:59
behavior in a way that is so shameful and it's an
49:02
embarrassing. This is a child of God saliva,
49:05
coming down your, your beard. Hold on, you're the same guy.
49:09
If I was one of those soldiers, I was said this is the guy that
49:11
killed our Giant. This is who we were afraid of.
49:18
Is that how a man of Faith acts in the presence of his enemies?
49:23
But that that is what, What Fear With Fear can bring somebody.
49:27
That's what sin can bring somebody to.
49:31
We're even now, David and his reputation is becoming tainted.
49:37
and despised, and even to a certain degree mocked But one
49:45
might say, Well, it worked, it worked because look at the
49:48
response here in verse 14. And if he said to his servants
49:51
behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to
49:54
me? Do I like Madmen that you have
49:57
brought this fellow to behave as a madman?
49:59
And my presence shall this fellow come into my house, that
50:01
get him out of here. It worked, it works.
50:05
So, brother, just calm down, don't read too much into things
50:10
and just let it go. It was a little thing and it's
50:13
over. Does the end, justify the means,
50:17
are we not? People of Honor?
50:18
Are we not people of Integrity? Should we not strive for the
50:22
most pure representation that we can have of Christ?
50:26
Yes, would you agree? So, this is not our example,
50:31
that's an interesting ringtone. I will wait for it too.
50:37
Wonderful. It's amazing here.
50:45
That we would rather justify this Behavior, then learn from
50:48
it, right? This is not my example, neither
50:53
should be yours. That is not an example of faith.
50:57
This is an illustration of weakness.
51:01
It worked. Well, let me ask you this, how
51:05
was it that David was was able to flee from this, was it?
51:08
Because he was so smart In This Moment.
51:12
Or was it because of the grace of God?
51:15
I argue for the grace of God. Even though David with his at
51:21
this low Point, even though David is just digging himself
51:23
deeper because of his lie, that shovel of lie that's making this
51:29
thing more and more embarrassing and harmful, even as he is
51:35
headed in the wrong direction, God still visits him with his
51:38
Mercy. Does that sound familiar with
51:40
another figure in the Bible that we studied not too long ago?
51:43
What did God do when Saul was in pursuit of David?
51:46
As he was with Samuel? Did he strike him with
51:49
lightning? What did he do?
51:52
No, he showers him with the presence of God.
51:55
The Holy Spirit comes and arrests him in that moment, and
51:58
he begins to prophesy and worship God.
52:02
And I believe in that moment saw was getting a taste of what he
52:05
wants to knew when he was anointed by God that very
52:09
foreign feeling because he was tormented by an evil spirit.
52:12
Now God for a moment, clothe him with the Holy Spirit, he was now
52:16
able to sense what he knew when he was anointed by that spirit.
52:21
I believe that's God visiting him in his Mercy.
52:23
Even in the pursuit of sin. God stops and not to harm him.
52:27
But the say do you remember what this was like?
52:31
And here's David righteously and deserving to be punished for his
52:36
stupidity. And yet God says, I'm getting
52:38
you out of here. Wow.
52:44
And what do you think? The goodness of God in this
52:46
moment and so many people's lives while they're insane.
52:49
What do you think that kindness is supposed to lead someone to
52:54
Very good. Repentance.
53:01
This David repent after this. David change after this. the
53:09
David had the spiritual sensitivity to recognize that it
53:13
was not my crazy behavior that delivered me but it was God's
53:18
mercy. That delivered me.
53:20
I'm saying, yes, but can I ask you how, you know that?
53:26
All very, very good. Did you hear the answer?
53:30
The answer is not found in first Samuel.
53:31
The answer is found in the book of Psalms.
53:34
There are two Psalms written on this account and one of them is
53:38
Psalm 34, go to Psalm 34 with me as we close this Bibles, that I
53:44
want you to see something quite interesting.
53:53
Look at the title of the song and Psalm 34.
53:58
Psalm 34 of David when he changed his behavior before.
54:03
Abimelech, so that he drove him out and he went away.
54:09
So get this all of Psalm. 34 is written in light of that moment
54:15
that we just read. Yes, this was written after
54:18
David wiped off the spit from his beard.
54:24
This was after David escaped from gath with scabs on his
54:29
knees scratches on his arms because he was acting like
54:32
somebody that was just released from the insane.
54:34
Asylum, He writes this. And what this proves is that
54:41
David recognize something of the mercy of God and being released
54:45
from that situation. But not just recognizing then
54:48
repenting of it. Repenting of all those things
54:52
that we study in first Samuel 21.
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This was a turning point for David, where God said, don't you
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don't deserve this. I'm going to rescue you from
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this. And what's so interesting is
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that when you read the psalm with the lands of 1st Samuel, 21
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and inspires something within you, let me give you an example.
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Look here with me and verse 11. Come O children.
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Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the
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Lord. Really, I didn't see a man who
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fear the lord in first Samuel 21.
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I saw men who feared, man? I saw a man who lied because he
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feared, man who fled to the enemy's Camp because he feared
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man. But remember he's repenting.
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Remember, he changed. Remember he learned from his
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failure and he wants to say, let me tell you that.
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The best thing that you can do is fear.
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God, let me tell you from experience and the Holy Spirit
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design in such a way where you can read this and let it first
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Samuel 21. And you see that this man is
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speaking not just by the spirit, but by experience, I must teach
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you the fear of the Lord, because it is the remedy to the
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fear of man. Come, let me teach you the fear
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of the Lord. Not just that first 12.
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What man is there? Who desires life and loves many
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days that he may see good. He wanted like he was escaping
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for his life. He's like do you want longevity
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and life? Now plus don't look.
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If you were to suggest, if you were to suggest to somebody,
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hey, do you want to live long life?
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What were your instructions be to that person?
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Like your top answer, what would your top answer?
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Be, would you like to live a long life?
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Here's here's one ingredient that you need.
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What would it be? Don't answer.
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But just think, here's David's verse 13.
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Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
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Does that make sense? A lot of 1st Samuel 21, the guy
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was lying through his teeth. But he realized the trouble that
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his lies brought him too. He realized what that's in led
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him into. And so in light of that in the
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Sami goes, let me tell you that. If you want to avoid trouble,
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don't be a liar. I could tell you from experience
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that when you lie, it messes, your life up.
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Turn Away From Evil and do good seek, peace and pursue it.
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And he goes on to describe the mercy of God.
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He goes on to describe that the Lord is near to the
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Brokenhearted. He saves the crushed in spirit.
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Look at verse 19, many are the afflictions of the righteous,
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but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
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She realized in that moment and got that.
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It wasn't the sword was in the sword.
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That was going to help him. It was God's Providence, God's
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power God's intervention, God's grace.
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And what you and I are going to see.
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As we continue to study first, Samuel is that this was a great.
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This is a Monumental moment in, David's, trust in God.
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In this Valley in this chapter, as he is still a fugitive in
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Israel, shall we pray? Let's pray.
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Lord, we thank you. That your word does not shy away
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from the failure of your best men. and we thank you that, you
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have placed these things in the word to encourage us and to
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build us and to remind us That if we are where David was you
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still want to meet us with your mercy?
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and if we choose to continue in our ways, we must take heed and
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see what we are. Potentially leading ourselves
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into. Below.
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We thank you for that concluding truth.
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That while we are even pursuing, while we're still trying to
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recover from the mess of our own mistakes, and our failures, and
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our Rebellion, you want us. You want us to repent, so that
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we can be revived. And so Lord, we ask you tonight.
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That if there's anybody in this place that finds themselves in a
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pattern of sin, that they would realize that in this moment, you
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were communicating your kindness so that they can turn and not
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continue down the path of destruction. and Lord, we pray
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that if there is a fear, not just of man, but if
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circumstances of disease of the unknown That we would be
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learned. We would, we would have
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understanding that that emotion, that haunting feeling that
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anxiety can be the fuel to more sin.
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So it helped us overcome fear. With a trust in the Lord.
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Well, we thank you that you've shown us.
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Another example of the harmony of the Bible of the supernatural
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authorship of this book, and we are just astounded by your
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wisdom. Heavenly father, if even one
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tonight, does not know, Jesus Christ, as their personal Lord
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and Savior Lord, I cannot convince them.
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Enough. I can do my part and present the
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gospel, but it must be your power.
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It must be your conviction, that awakens their conscience.
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Lord, we are powerless, we will become dead intellectuals.
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If you do not come by the spirit and so Lord, save the
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unregenerate, save the unbelieving, and also revive
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those who known you, but I've become dry in the pursuit of
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you. Lord just rescue us from our
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self rescue us from our own sin. Our own lies, the lies of Satan,
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The Temptations of the evil one, where we want to be in your will
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we want to walk with you as closely as possible?
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And we just hope that this Bible study would have provided a
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nudge in the direction of your presence.
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So, Lord, because of what we've heard, because of your
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greatness, we want to worship you and song please.
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Oh, God, In This Moment. If you haven't already sanctify,
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his deeply in Jesus name, we pray Say.
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Amen. Amen.
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Can we stand and Worship the Lord together?