Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / 1 Samuel 26 (Part 1) Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh
Transcript
- 0:12I believe, you know, where we are in our Bibles.
- 0:14So meet me in the book of 1st Samuel chapter 26.
- 0:24First Samuel chapter 26. Lord, we love your word.
- 0:45It is our sustenance. It is the wisdom of God for
- 0:49salvation. Lord, we need you to help us
- 0:53understand all that. You have to say.
- 0:56And on a Friday night, Lord were many have worked.
- 0:59Many might be exhausted, and tired, Quicken us to be
- 1:03students. And to receive all that you have
- 1:06to say speak to our hearts illuminate, our minds show us
- 1:12where in our lives, exactly. We need to be challenged or
- 1:15where we need to be comforted. And so Lord, May the Holy Spirit
- 1:19rest upon the ministry of the word, it may we leave here,
- 1:22blessed, knowing that our savior has spoken to us We cherish all
- 1:27that you have in this book. We long to understand that so
- 1:30that we can apply it and then you would be blessed to see your
- 1:34reflection, all the more clear in our hearts.
- 1:37We ask these things in the precious name, Of Jesus Christ.
- 1:42Amen. Over the last few chapters.
- 1:48We've been exploring in our study David and particular,
- 1:53overcoming One Challenge, after the next and those challenges
- 1:58being overcome should challenge us.
- 2:02It should challenge us in our personal Reliance upon God and
- 2:06various circumstances. And it should also challenged us
- 2:10to develop in our christ-like character within the complexity
- 2:14of Human Relationships. And after we looked into each
- 2:19situation with with great depth you and I get the impression
- 2:23that the rhythm of this man's trials has left them.
- 2:26Almost out of breath. This man did not even have the
- 2:29time to just breathe because one thing after the other surface
- 2:35before him and demanded so much faith, and so much love, and so
- 2:39much of the power of the spirit, to produce a righteousness, that
- 2:43would glorify God. And as we come to this chapter,
- 2:48we will realize that the Relentless Pursuit and
- 2:52persecution and pressure will only continue.
- 2:56We would think that as we come closer to the end of this book,
- 3:00that David's tests, and is tribulations, would be on the
- 3:03decline, but we would think wrongly if that's the case,
- 3:07because that is quite the opposite.
- 3:10Even though God seems to be plucking one enemy out of his
- 3:13life after the other. As we approach this chapter,
- 3:17even though Saul has been silenced for a time, even though
- 3:21a man like Nable and a ball has been put to death.
- 3:26We will see here that things And Times of difficulty have not
- 3:31been put to rest just yet. Join me in verse 1.
- 3:36Then the zip fights came to Saul at Gibby has saying, is not
- 3:43David hiding himself, on the hill of Hela, which is on the
- 3:48east of Yeshua mom. Sews all arose and went down to
- 3:52the Wilderness of ziff with 3,000 chosen, men of Israel to
- 3:58seek David in the wilderness of ziv.
- 4:02And Saul and can't on the hill of Hela, which is beside the
- 4:06road of the east of. Yes, Yuma.
- 4:09But David remained in the wilderness when he saw that Saul
- 4:12came after him into the Wilderness David sent out spies
- 4:17and learned that Saul had indeed come This is quite fascinating.
- 4:26As we come to these first two verses they sound very familiar,
- 4:30don't they? Why do they sound familiar?
- 4:33Can somebody share? Why Let me ask you this.
- 4:38Have you heard of the zip fights before?
- 4:41Yes, I hope maybe you weren't there that week if you don't
- 4:44know the answer to that. And have you heard the words of
- 4:47these zip fights before? Yes.
- 4:51Yes. I mean, you're looking at me.
- 4:52I hope it's a. Yes, yes.
- 4:54We have almost identical to the words that we see in first
- 4:59Samuel chapter 23, these if fights are resurfacing, again,
- 5:05if you go to chapter 23, look at verse 19, very quickly in your
- 5:07Bibles. And this is, it fights went up
- 5:10to Salt Lake. If you are saying is not David
- 5:12hiding, Among Us in the strongholds of at horesh, on the
- 5:15hill of Hela, which is south of yes, Yuma.
- 5:20This same group of people are informing Saul again about
- 5:24David's whereabouts with almost exact same wording.
- 5:29And as we reflect upon this, this copy paste, betrayal of
- 5:32David. And this repetitive reporting to
- 5:35Saul actually gives us insight about the Christian Life.
- 5:38It does. First consider this, as you look
- 5:42at these two verses in chapter 26, we learn about the
- 5:45viciousness of man. The the possibility of
- 5:51wickedness, the extent of evil that can be known and reached.
- 5:56If the Holy Spirit does not restrain a human heart consider
- 6:00this that as Believers we are actively seeking out how we can
- 6:04do good, that's what the Holy Spirit does he changes your
- 6:07desires and you are if you're filled with him to look out for
- 6:10ways that you can make Christ known, or you can share Christ
- 6:14but those who are empty of of him, those who do not have this
- 6:17transformed heart. If they Continue to resist.
- 6:20Their conscience are actually capable of looking for evil to
- 6:25perform in the world and that makes our world dark and makes
- 6:29it dangerous and makes it cruel and makes the believer cry out
- 6:33for a total Redemption over the whole universe, not just the
- 6:36human race. And as we come to these men, we
- 6:39see a perfect example of that. That's so, so dark in the human
- 6:44heart. Get that even those who are
- 6:45closest to, you are willing to betray.
- 6:48You can I ask this question which tribe were the zip fights
- 6:53from Judah. Good.
- 6:56And where's David from Judah? So, the closest people to him
- 7:02concerning tribe are the ones that are betraying him.
- 7:05Almost the most. This is painful, this is not
- 7:08easy. It's one thing for it to happen
- 7:10at one time, but for it to happen again at a different
- 7:14time, it's painful, it's not easy.
- 7:17And we wonder how is it that those who are supposed to be
- 7:20called to love us and serve us and protect us are willing to do
- 7:24one thing after The other to do, just the opposite.
- 7:27Well, if you think it's foreign, it's not David experienced, it
- 7:31David is going through just that, not just one act of
- 7:34betrayal, but a continual Act of betrayal.
- 7:39And so it's just another thrust into the soul.
- 7:42This is extremely difficult to grasp and such disappointments
- 7:46should cause us to rejoice. In the fact that there is one
- 7:49person who is perfect, and that's Christ and Christ Alone.
- 7:52The most loving person in your life pails.
- 7:55In comparison to the perfect brimming love of Jesus Christ.
- 7:58So if somebody has failed you in life even it's somebody who
- 8:02shares your own blood realize there's there is blood that is
- 8:05more precious than that. You don't just learn about the
- 8:10viciousness of man. We learn about something
- 8:12concerning as we heard about persistence.
- 8:15The Persistence of sin. The zip fights here.
- 8:19Give us an illustration. Of the determination of
- 8:22Temptation in our lives. Sin is not going to give up on
- 8:27you so easily. Sin is not going to let you live
- 8:31peaceably. Without interruption, without
- 8:34invitation the last that we heard of saw before coming to
- 8:37this chapter, is that he apparently repented?
- 8:40He stood in the shadow of David's righteousness.
- 8:42He was so struck by the response of a man who deserved to do much
- 8:47more damage than good and he ends his quest to kill David and
- 8:52he goes home. He sits in his living room and
- 8:55we don't hear from him until this very chapter.
- 8:58And you know what awaken Saul again to what he had apparently.
- 9:03Turn from the zip fights. A familiar voice, familiar,
- 9:09whisper, and you, and I need to understand that this return of
- 9:14salt, to his vomit as horrific as it is, as disappointing as it
- 9:19is, is a great reflection upon the common backsliding of many,
- 9:22many people. Who are in a type of cycle in
- 9:28their Holiness and you makes you wonder how to solve forget, how
- 9:32do you forget King Saul that? The last time you brought three
- 9:37thousand men, just like in chapter 23, the last time you
- 9:39try to do that, didn't you recognize the questionable?
- 9:42Interruption to your plans? Then you see God's Providence
- 9:46interrupt? Did you forget the feeling that
- 9:50you knew when you are faced with a man who's shown the the
- 9:55righteousness of God and it's so exposed your wickedness?
- 9:58Did you forget the piercing feeling there?
- 10:02It seems like all of that was totally dismissed, totally
- 10:05forgot about by the suggestion of this group of people.
- 10:11And it's important for us to realize that the actions of the
- 10:15zip fights. Our picture of old sins
- 10:16revisiting us. They are.
- 10:21The determination of Temptation. Listen, the World, the Flesh,
- 10:25the devil will not sit back quietly while you pursue
- 10:28holiness. Though we are called to daily
- 10:32die to ourselves. Satan has a mission for your
- 10:34life as you crucify, your flesh. You know what Satan wants to do,
- 10:37Resurrect The Old Man in you and he has different ways of doing
- 10:41it. So that means we got to Be
- 10:44watchful at all times. We got to be careful especially
- 10:48when we believe we have overcome a certain habit or a certain
- 10:52certain sin or trespass or iniquity in the past such sins
- 10:56are ready to entice us again, such sins have no shame of
- 11:01reintroducing themselves to you and I And draws back to what we
- 11:07promised. We would never do again.
- 11:11Can I can I tell you personally, how I've seen this happen in
- 11:14people's lives, more than ever friendships, friendships at a
- 11:20moment. Somebody determines to live
- 11:22wholeheartedly, for Christ. It's amazing.
- 11:24How even after season a long season of just pursuing Christ
- 11:30on that narrow road. People that were once with you
- 11:34on that Broad, Road, reintroduce themselves on the side of the
- 11:37narrow to say, we miss you, man. Why don't you come back?
- 11:40Why don't you join us again? There's a lot of room here.
- 11:42Remember our memories and often many likes all here.
- 11:47Fall victim to it. Like this advice familiar
- 11:53companions revisit us to tempt us and unfortunately this man
- 11:57didn't show much hesitation he jump right to it.
- 12:01Saul's response in verse 2. Echoes the same response to the
- 12:05initial invitation of the device as they were trying to help Saul
- 12:10satisfy his desires. And as we come to this point and
- 12:14makes you also think as we reflect upon the last chapter,
- 12:17David faced a challenge with a different person, they Mabel and
- 12:21what's so interesting there is when you contrast, when you
- 12:26contrast Saul and the ball when you contrast eats too many, You
- 12:31have to have to meditate upon God's treatment of these two men
- 12:34and why they differ so much. Because here's my question, as I
- 12:37read verse to solve a rose, got why do you just kill them right
- 12:41there on the spot? After all that?
- 12:43He's done. The, the man that he's caused.
- 12:47I mean, you are willing to intervene when the ball just
- 12:50said a word. But this man has killed your
- 12:51priest. He has driven your anointed one
- 12:54Into the Wilderness into caves, he has caused so many of those
- 12:58who belong to your people. Suffer under his Reign and
- 13:02you're letting him live to see another day.
- 13:06And so I was reading verse 2 and I thought to myself this is the
- 13:09question that rush through my mind.
- 13:10Why did he why did the Lord swiftly, discipline the ball?
- 13:17But he's allowing Saul to continue on with his quest?
- 13:21Is that is that a legitimate question?
- 13:23I think. So.
- 13:25Why don't you just put an end to end once and for all?
- 13:28When it came to the one man, he was paralyzed with a stroke and
- 13:30you killed them there. And here's another man who again
- 13:33is trying to make the person that you were trying to put on
- 13:37the throne be eradicated from the face of the Earth.
- 13:42I think there are many possible answers to why this is the case.
- 13:46And let me give you one tonight to consider.
- 13:48I believe. It's because God still had more
- 13:50for David to learn through Saul's evil.
- 13:54That has not yet been accomplished.
- 13:58There was still a character for David to develop.
- 14:02There were still manifestations of God's presence and power and
- 14:05love to be known through the actions of a wicked man like
- 14:09Saul. And when you think about the
- 14:11bomb, Whatever God wanted to do through him was was was done it
- 14:17sufficed, but there was still a curriculum for David to be
- 14:21completing in his relationship with Saul.
- 14:24You know what that tells me? I hope it comforts you that the
- 14:27Lord is very precise. He's very involved with not just
- 14:35who not just what, but how long in terms of our suffering.
- 14:40I want to prove that to you. In the New Testament, go to the
- 14:42Book of Revelation chapter 2 The Lord Jesus himself, addresses a
- 14:47church that is undergoing suffering.
- 14:49And when you come to chapter 2, he addresses the, the Church of
- 14:52Smyrna, a small Church, a pure Church, a poor Church.
- 15:00And I want you to see what the Lord says.
- 15:04To this church. And in verse 9 of chapter 2, I
- 15:09know your tribulation and your poverty but you are rich and the
- 15:13slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not but
- 15:17are the synagogue of Satan. Now, look at verse 10, do not
- 15:21fear what you are about to suffer behold, the devil is
- 15:23about to throw, some of you into prison that you may be tested.
- 15:27And for 10 days, you will have tribulation.
- 15:33For 10 days, you will have tribulation, you know, what?
- 15:35That tells me that God is Not Just Sovereign over the
- 15:38suffering. He is Sovereign over the
- 15:40duration of it. I'm telling you that this is
- 15:43going to last for 10 days and if you are faithful during those
- 15:46ten days, you will be rewarded. I praise God.
- 15:50That he is so involved. He's so particular.
- 15:54He is so precise that he even knows the endurance of what I am
- 15:59going through. He has a calendar set.
- 16:05Just like you receive a syllabus for your school and God has a
- 16:08syllabus for your sanctification.
- 16:11He knows exactly what and how long you must go through
- 16:15something in order for you to be more complete and
- 16:17christlikeness. And that should give us a
- 16:19profound rest and trust that the Lord knows exactly on what
- 16:23morning. I will wake up and everything
- 16:25will change and that morning might be the morning of the
- 16:30Eternal Bliss of heaven where you come into His presence
- 16:33forever and ever and it might be in this life.
- 16:37And so, as you come to realize why God does something different
- 16:40within the bond does something different with with Saul
- 16:43understand this. He knows exactly what he's doing
- 16:45with each of those men in David's life.
- 16:49And so as you perceive and as you look out into this world as
- 16:52you look back into your own life and think why did God make that
- 16:55last so long and then another instance he was so short.
- 16:58Why is God? So short with somebody else's
- 17:00sickness here but with my sickness it seems to go on
- 17:03forever and ever and ever, God knows.
- 17:06He knows exactly what he's doing and you have to trust the timing
- 17:10not just his sovereignty. In general this the timing of
- 17:14it. Every second is determined by
- 17:18calendar of a loving God who is established from eternity past.
- 17:23And that might worry some and that might cause some people to
- 17:26be philosophical. I choose to rest in that.
- 17:28I choose to know that this God is loving and no matter how long
- 17:33he let something happen, it's because it's going to be for my
- 17:36good and His glory. That's the case here with Saul.
- 17:41And so we come back that as he arises with his choices, met
- 17:45choice of men and he comes with strength with seemingly.
- 17:50No Interruption from Heaven, God knows what he is doing with his
- 17:54man. God knows what he is doing with
- 17:56us and we come to verse 3. Sawing camps on the hill.
- 18:03David remains in the wilderness. Now, look at the second part of
- 18:06verse 3, when he saw that saw came after him into the
- 18:10Wilderness David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed
- 18:14come In these verses you. And I discover yet another
- 18:18distinctive of christ-like character that must be developed
- 18:22in our lives. Where after this, right?
- 18:24We're after sanctification, we're after Holiness.
- 18:27Lord, what is it in my life and needs to be changed.
- 18:28So I can be more like your son. Well, here's another thing to
- 18:31look into. This was not a difficult
- 18:33conclusion for David to make. He has seen three thousand men
- 18:37in a Wilderness before. He's been in this land before,
- 18:40he's seen the site before. And so, as he looks out into the
- 18:44Horizon and he sees the Same band of men in the same area
- 18:48that he has been in before he realizes, this is happening.
- 18:53This is actually happening but what he chooses to do in verse 4
- 18:57is extremely important, he wants to confirm what his eyes have
- 19:02seen or whatever report he has received.
- 19:05He is going to Great Lengths to make sure through this
- 19:09investigation that what he perceives as actually true.
- 19:14He sends out spies why? I think every church needs a
- 19:20series on what I'm about to say, man.
- 19:22Like a series not like one message every few months, I'm
- 19:25more convinced as you do church, that you really, really need
- 19:28this to be a series. Why?
- 19:30Why is David sending out spies to learn.
- 19:33If saw, had indeed come because wisdom teaches us to reserve our
- 19:38accusations until there is proof.
- 19:45Until there is proof provided. No accusation, should be made,
- 19:48not even in your own thoughts. A person who makes a judgment
- 19:54before doing his part to get as much clarity as possible.
- 19:58Is what the Bible calls. I'm sorry, a fool, a fool.
- 20:04Can I show you? An example of an adverse market
- 20:07up my brother and my sister, it's in the Book of Proverbs and
- 20:1018:13 A very general. Very general thought that has
- 20:21many applications. If one gives an answer before he
- 20:26hears it is his folly and shame Proverbs 18:13 if one gives an
- 20:34answer before he hears it is his folly and shame now now so
- 20:39listen I said fool, you know the Bible says not only are you
- 20:42foolish it's actually a shameful thing.
- 20:47You should blush, you should be embarrassed.
- 20:51That's what the Bible says, if one gives an answer so you can
- 20:54apply this. As I said, it's a very, it is a
- 20:56specific kind of insight, but it's very Broad in its
- 21:00application. Let me give you one application
- 21:02if you, if you give an answer or an assumption about someone or
- 21:07something without without doing your part to receive as much
- 21:11answers as possible to make the best judgment, you're a fool.
- 21:17And you should be embarrassed about yourself.
- 21:20That's the Bible's language. And for good reason.
- 21:24And I know that there are many people here, who are studying,
- 21:28counseling, can I officer can offer a tip if you're pursuing
- 21:31that kind of ministry? if you're going to be pursuing
- 21:35counseling, you're going to learn many things, but here's
- 21:38one thing that I've seen work And that's to ask as many
- 21:43questions as possible, so that you can make the best.
- 21:48Conclusion. In someone's life, concerning a
- 21:53circumstance or situation, wisdom is proven in many ways.
- 21:58And one way that it manifests in a person's life is that they
- 22:01know how to ask the right questions. fools, don't ask
- 22:08questions, fools go quick to answers because they think the
- 22:12quicker I get to the answer, the smarter I may appear to be It's
- 22:18not about speed, it's about substance.
- 22:22It's not about seeming to be clever, it's about being
- 22:25careful. When you're dealing with what
- 22:27you hear and what you even see with your own eyes.
- 22:29If you're truly a wise person, you will do your part to
- 22:34calculate things before you have an answer.
- 22:39And that's what this man is doing because no good doctor.
- 22:43Dares to give a prescription without first doing a process of
- 22:48elimination and asking for the symptoms.
- 22:51So they didn't know what kind of diagnosis to make.
- 22:55And no healthy Christian or no healthy leader.
- 22:58In a Ministry makes quick answers or judgments.
- 23:02Upon things without first inquiring and investigating
- 23:06because you're dealing with people's lives here.
- 23:11And as you come to this, you see it.
- 23:13You see it laid out. So obviously, and if we're not
- 23:16careful with this, you might put people's lives in danger on a
- 23:19one-to-one basis. But I believe it's one of the
- 23:21root causes for all the trouble that we see in many churches.
- 23:25Because many people in churches, make decisions and judgements
- 23:30simply based off hearsay, that's it.
- 23:32All they need is for, like one or two persons to say one thing,
- 23:36and that's it for them, they're convinced.
- 23:38You're going to destroy your life.
- 23:40Listen, you're going to destroy relationships.
- 23:43That shouldn't have been destroyed.
- 23:45You will for certain Satan is so clever.
- 23:49And if he can find somebody, who can believe something.
- 23:52So easily, just based on one or two things, You're going to be
- 23:56swallowed up in no, no time. They don't exercise wisdom when
- 24:03they fail to do this. But listen, when people fail to
- 24:06investigate like David as they don't just fail in wisdom, you
- 24:09know what else they fail in love.
- 24:13Love hear me carefully a person who makes quick, judgments, a
- 24:18person who presumes a person who makes commentary without
- 24:24inquiring is not just a foolish person.
- 24:28The Bible says, they are an unloving person.
- 24:35I was thinking about this and I thought to myself in that famous
- 24:38chapter of First Corinthians 13. There are many manifestations of
- 24:41how love lives in and through a person and if I were to ask you
- 24:46what's the most difficult thing about loving like Godly love.
- 24:49What would you say giving your time forgiving?
- 24:54I mean, I'd like to hear it. What's the hardest thing about
- 24:56love, patience. Love is patient.
- 25:00Love is kind. What else is hard about love?
- 25:07Selfishness. You beat me to Agra geese.
- 25:15Can I tell you what? I believe one of the hardest
- 25:17things about love is it's not about having to help somebody
- 25:21move out of their house on a Saturday.
- 25:25It's not having to have to do the Dirty Work in the church
- 25:30when nobody else wants to do it. That's easy.
- 25:32Compared to what I'm about to show you.
- 25:35I want to show you what I believe is one of the most
- 25:36difficult things. One of the one of the Menifee
- 25:39stations of love that is lacking the most in the world.
- 25:42And even especially among Believers.
- 25:45First Corinthians chapter 13 verse 7. 1st Corinthians.
- 25:59Chapter 13 verse 7. Love.
- 26:06Bears, all things, and here it is believes all things.
- 26:14Hopes, all things. Endures.
- 26:17All things. Love.
- 26:21Beliefs all things you just told us not to believe everything and
- 26:25to do investigation. I know.
- 26:28But let's look at a different Paradigm here.
- 26:31What does it mean for love to believe all things?
- 26:33Anybody have an answer to that? If you think it means to believe
- 26:37everything you hear, I'll give you a heads up.
- 26:39That's not the answer. That's not love.
- 26:43That's being irresponsible. And that's actually being
- 26:47destructive to yourself and to others.
- 26:50Love is not being gullible. Love is not being naive, so we
- 26:53eliminated that. What is it mean?
- 26:54Then for love to believe all things.
- 27:08Okay. So it has a hopeful
- 27:11interpretation of people's words and actions that was that is
- 27:15that way of saying it it has a hopeful interpretation of
- 27:19people's words and actions I think that pretty much sums it
- 27:21up and maybe there are other answers to it.
- 27:24What does it mean for love to believe all things?
- 27:30Very good love will believe the best about someone until they
- 27:35prove otherwise very good. Any other answers.
- 27:39These are wonderful answers. Love believes all things.
- 27:47Love believes all things. Well, I can assure you again
- 27:54that it doesn't mean that you trust everything that you see or
- 27:56hear, that's not love. But what it does mean here is
- 28:00that as a Believer you war with the thoughts in your mind that
- 28:06wants to assume the worst about somebody else.
- 28:11Love that believes all things does not condemn someone so
- 28:18quickly in the heart, even this kind of love is not cynical.
- 28:24This kind of love, doesn't allow you to assume that everybody is
- 28:31is wicked and evil. And wants to do harm and has ill
- 28:37intent. This kind of love doesn't
- 28:40automatically say your motives are this this this and that
- 28:46without any proof. It's a very, very specific way
- 28:51of love and I believe it is very much lacking.
- 28:54You know why? Because all of us are prone to
- 28:57immediately question people. All of us are prone to making
- 29:02judgments about people. And I know what you're thinking,
- 29:06as I'm saying these things but what about discernment?
- 29:09What about discernment or do? We tolerate things?
- 29:13Are we not supposed to be careful?
- 29:15We'll get there. But this is important to
- 29:18understand. This kind of love isn't safe for
- 29:23certain. This person is doing this for
- 29:25this reason and it's always wrong reason.
- 29:29This kind of love doesn't interpret some of these words
- 29:30that are not clear and assume that it is because they are
- 29:34trying to do something for self or trying to attack or trying to
- 29:37harm or trying to plan something.
- 29:40This is what this kind of love is.
- 29:43I think a Biblical example of that is job and his friends job
- 29:46was suffering and his friends came on the scene and they
- 29:49assumed your suffering is because of a personal sin.
- 29:51Was there any proof of sin? No.
- 29:55And so those friends as wise as they may have been in their own
- 29:58eyes lack, this kind of love, they would not believe the best.
- 30:02They would not believe about the most righteous out.
- 30:05Come out of this situation. They assume they presume you
- 30:08must have done something evil. And if you think that this is
- 30:12not a common Temptation with, in church life, you haven't been in
- 30:15church. Long enough.
- 30:17Let me give you a very simple. I can give you a bib example for
- 30:19liking. Yes, job and his friends.
- 30:21Okay. Let's let's make it very, very
- 30:22real. All right.
- 30:25Here you are in the basement of this church after service, and
- 30:28it's busy. And people are walking by and
- 30:30talking and here you are standing alone for a moment and
- 30:33somebody that, you know, walks right by you and they don't look
- 30:37at you. They don't even say hi to you.
- 30:41In fact, they exit the room without acknowledging your
- 30:43presence. The failure of this kind of
- 30:48love, you know what? It sounds like in the heart.
- 30:52How rude. What's this person's deal?
- 30:57Not going to say hi to me. Or do they think I have to say
- 31:01hi if they want to talk? So I have to always come up to
- 31:03them. She must struggle with pride.
- 31:08She probably she probably thinks she's better than everybody
- 31:10else. So so she has to, she has to
- 31:13wait for me to tap her on the shoulder and say hi.
- 31:15She didn't even say if I was, if I was that person and I walked
- 31:18by I would definitely say hi every single time.
- 31:23There's Giggles here because you probably felt that right?
- 31:27Or what do we do when a new person comes to church?
- 31:31We never seen them before. And they're trying to adjust
- 31:36themselves and they're trying to get to know people.
- 31:38And we automatically assume what, what do we assume what?
- 31:41What goes through our minds? Probably here to try to find a
- 31:45wife. Probably your to try to find a
- 31:50husband. It could be true.
- 31:53But why do we presume it all the time?
- 31:54What if they're here to find God?
- 31:57You see what I'm saying? Yeah, really just got it.
- 31:59Got really real in this Bible study tonight.
- 32:03Let's go back to the illustration of being in the
- 32:05basement and that person walks by you.
- 32:10What is love? Believing all things sound like
- 32:13When that friend that usually says, hi to you in that moment.
- 32:15Doesn't say hi to you and walks right by you.
- 32:18Also, and so must be very busy. They must have a lot on their
- 32:23mind. I hope they're okay. you know
- 32:29what next time, if they do that they walk by, they come back
- 32:31into this room and make sure to say hi, love believes all
- 32:35things. And, you know, the consequences
- 32:39of failing to Love in This Way. Can I tell you like, what's the
- 32:41big deal? I'll tell you the big deal.
- 32:42If you fail, if I fail to love in this way, you will never know
- 32:47possible, friendships that can blossom with much fruit and
- 32:52fragrance and testimony, you will never open your heart up to
- 32:57another. You will always be cynical.
- 32:59Always be analytical, always assuming the worst And if we're
- 33:04not careful, if we make this broad application towards
- 33:08everybody, we are indirectly accusing.
- 33:10God of his inability to sanctify somebody.
- 33:14In the innermost parts of who they are.
- 33:17We're almost saying God you are unable to do a work in
- 33:19somebody's heart where I can actually take them at their
- 33:22word. I know what you're thinking.
- 33:25I know it. I know it.
- 33:29So what are you saying? She's believe everybody.
- 33:33No, just hope for the best. When things are unclear.
- 33:37I'm not talking about when it's like clear, evil when it's clear
- 33:40sin, when it's clear wrong, when it's clear rudeness.
- 33:42When it's when it's clear anger, I'm talking about things that
- 33:45are not clear things that are up for interpretation.
- 33:49When is ambiguous fight your thoughts to go for the best.
- 33:55Now, for the worst that will protect your relationships.
- 33:58That will not cause you to be unnecessarily distant from
- 34:01somebody else. It will nourish.
- 34:06And it will give God glory. David is loving Saul here.
- 34:14You know, how he's loving Saul? Because the last time David
- 34:16encountered saw saw had apparently repented, and David
- 34:20wants to believe that he really repented.
- 34:22And so, he's going to have these spies investigate to make sure
- 34:26that what he had heard was not true.
- 34:29And before him making any plan or conclusion, or response to
- 34:33what he had seen with his own eyes or even heard from other
- 34:36reports, he wants to do all that he can to ensure.
- 34:40I hope he really did repent because I believe it.
- 34:43I want to believe that he really repented This love tolerate
- 34:49abuse. This love allows somebody who is
- 34:55constantly using such a truth to manipulate people into abuse
- 34:59people's love. That's, that's not how that's
- 35:01not how it works. And you have to come next week
- 35:04to realize how David wisely though.
- 35:05He is loving Saul distance himself from the man.
- 35:10We'll get to that. That means you have to come next
- 35:12week. So he sent spies love believes
- 35:17all things you believe and hope for the best and verse 5, then
- 35:20David Rose and came to the place where saw had encamped.
- 35:23And David saw the place where Saul a with Abner, the son of
- 35:26Nur, the commander of his army saw was lying within the
- 35:30encampment, while the Army was encamped around him. so now this
- 35:36man Now this man himself goes into the scene while the
- 35:42Midnight Hour cloaks the Wilderness while the stars in
- 35:48the sky, bring about a hint of Illumination.
- 35:52This man comes to see it for himself and he's trying to
- 35:56figure out what is the most appropriate way to deal with
- 36:00this? And it seems like he figure
- 36:03something out because we read in verse 6, then David said to a
- 36:05female like the hittite have two jobs brother abishai, the son of
- 36:10Zechariah, who will go down with me into the camp to Saul.
- 36:15And ibish I said I will go down with you.
- 36:20So he invites these two men. Not, I don't know if you wanted
- 36:23both, maybe he was just asking for one or the other, but
- 36:26abishai is the one who answers and he is introduced to us for
- 36:31the first time here though is not the the last time we're
- 36:33going to see of him. We're going to see him down down
- 36:35the road and the story of David and first and second Samuel, but
- 36:39he outshines. And his courage compared to a,
- 36:41he Malik, he does. This is a very Noble thing,
- 36:44because David is not giving clear.
- 36:45Instructions of what's about to happen, he just makes the
- 36:47invitation and I wish I said, let's do this.
- 36:49I'm by your side, whatever you ask, I will do it.
- 36:53Wonderful picture of when Jesus tells us to do something, we
- 36:55don't know the outcome. We just trust and Obey for
- 36:57there's no other way. But to be happy in Jesus, trust
- 37:01and obey. He'll go, and we don't know what
- 37:05David has in mind at this point, but we trust that he is going to
- 37:08righteously respond. That's what we're hoping for.
- 37:11You're going to righteously respond, you're going to do what
- 37:13you did in the cave. I didn't get e.
- 37:16You're going to figure out a way to convict this man.
- 37:18Again, you're not going to give in to the pressure of slaying
- 37:21him, because he took back his word, that's what we're hoping
- 37:24for. But at the same time, as David
- 37:26makes this invitation to abishai, David is about to, in
- 37:30his pursuit of good. Be invited in a different way
- 37:33himself. What do I mean by that?
- 37:36In this moment we're about to see two powerful pulls to
- 37:41temptation. To do wrong to do the opposite
- 37:45of what he was planning to do. And as you look at, these
- 37:49components surrounding these Temptations, you and I will
- 37:52understand something about Temptation and our own lives and
- 37:55that's important. We want to expose the strategies
- 37:59of Satan and sin in our lives so that we know how to better
- 38:02respond to them. And temptation to us is just
- 38:08just this invitation in the hardest suggestion to do
- 38:10something wrong but it's more complicated than that.
- 38:13Because there are certain context and there are certain
- 38:16sources that make Temptation so much stronger.
- 38:20And that's what we see here. And verse 7.
- 38:24So, David and abishai went to the Army by night and their
- 38:29lace, all sleeping within the equipment, with his spear stuck
- 38:33in the ground at his head and Abner the Army lay around him.
- 38:40What? Sticks out.
- 38:41What I mean, this is a very detailed scene.
- 38:44But what sticks out about the scene?
- 38:46Why is the Bible giving us this description of what's about to
- 38:50take place? What, what, what is highlighted
- 38:52in your eyes? Sleep.
- 38:57Yeah, so there's a vulnerability here, right?
- 39:00Saw a sleeping and your, I don't think of anything more
- 39:03vulnerable than being asleep. He's asleep.
- 39:05And his spear is right by his head.
- 39:08Very vulnerable, which also means very great opportunity.
- 39:11What other things? The Army around him.
- 39:15So there is there is a great protection there.
- 39:17Yes. So there's a suspense element to
- 39:20this. What else?
- 39:25The sleep is an important thing. And another thing, They went to
- 39:30the Army by what? It's nighttime.
- 39:36The fact that it's night, the fact that Saul is asleep.
- 39:39The fact that all the men are around are also asleep.
- 39:43Suggest something to us. It suggests that As David is
- 39:48about to receive an invitation to sin, it is done within the
- 39:52context of secrecy. The fact that again that it's
- 39:58not day Sinners love to Sinha at night by the way.
- 40:03The fact that there is no light, the fact that there are no
- 40:05Witnesses makes this all the more difficult to resist.
- 40:09And the Insight from verse 7 in our own lives is that secrecy is
- 40:14a great encouragement to sin against God and others.
- 40:20When we, when we believe that our actions, in our words and
- 40:23our Deeds are not being witnessed are not being heard,
- 40:28when there's no surveillance, then we are all the more
- 40:32emboldened to do wrong. And that's what we see here with
- 40:36this description David here. Possibly could sense that Miss
- 40:41fear itself. Arousing, the desire to do wrong
- 40:46because this is different than the cave.
- 40:49This is way different. I want you to think about, as
- 40:52he's here, right here. He can actually take that spear,
- 40:55that same spear. That's all throughout him so
- 40:59many times. You can take that very, how, how
- 41:01fulfilling would that be and to thrust it in his Temple and to
- 41:05pin him to the Earth and he could have escaped as easily as
- 41:10he entered in and to add on top of it.
- 41:13He could have caught a cause of great confusion.
- 41:16Among the army of Saul say who did This and it would just add a
- 41:20cherry on top of all the Revenge that he had just executed.
- 41:26And so we see here that there is a great opportunity and secrecy,
- 41:30it's always an enticement to do wrong.
- 41:33Temptation doesn't only suggest to you and I the pleasure or the
- 41:37prophet of sin Temptation, also Whispers to you, A plan of
- 41:45Escape. Temptation, also suggest to you.
- 41:52You can get away with it. Nobody will know.
- 41:57Did you ever hear that when you're tempted?
- 42:00You can get away with it, it's dark.
- 42:04Everybody's sleeping. but even though David could have kept his
- 42:10murder a mystery, I wonder if the words of his new wife
- 42:15resounded in his conscience. Remember what Abigail said to
- 42:19David when he was on his way to assassinate nabal, If you don't
- 42:23remember, go back to 25:31. When Abigail speaks to this,
- 42:28man. David.
- 42:31My Lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for
- 42:37having shed blood without cause, or from my Lord, working
- 42:41salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well
- 42:44with my Lord, then remember your servant.
- 42:47Oh, you might be able to get away with a David.
- 42:50You might be able to have killed Saul and on your way back to
- 42:53your own man. Look over to abishai says this
- 42:56is a secret between you and me but I'll tell you something you
- 42:59can't run away from and that's Nying conscience.
- 43:04Where you will forever look back at such an atrocious thing and
- 43:08be haunted. Especially if you have the Holy
- 43:10Spirit living in you, And there are many people who are living
- 43:14in Daily torment because of his secrets and many years ago.
- 43:20And Abigail because of her discernment wanted to protect
- 43:23David from such a tormenting future.
- 43:25Why would you do something that you would regret for the rest of
- 43:28your life? And so, we have to understand
- 43:32that, although, there might be peace externally, although
- 43:35you'll never be sentence. Although your pastors would
- 43:37never find out, although you would stay in the ministry team,
- 43:40although people would think you're the holiest person in
- 43:42town when you go to bed at night and you layer it, pillow your
- 43:46head on your pillow. What's in the thoughts?
- 43:50How's that conscious going to testify that?
- 43:52Inner peace will be lacking? And if you want to see how that
- 43:57looks like go to Salt, you don't have to turn there but I'm
- 43:58saying in your own time go to Psalm 32 and see, just how much
- 44:01David describes the inner turmoil of unconfessed sin.
- 44:08And there is great relief when we confess him, even though it's
- 44:11been pent up for years, when you release it in the presence of
- 44:14God and those who have harmed and hurt, that same solemn
- 44:17promises us comfort and balm and a release.
- 44:22So if you're in this place and your conscience has been
- 44:24tormented for years, you can put it to an end by just humbling
- 44:27yourself before God. And before those who you have
- 44:29offended, But David won't even enter into that.
- 44:34And so the secrecy of this moment could very well been a
- 44:38greater appeal to do evil, but look at verse 8.
- 44:41Now you got another Dynamic to this.
- 44:44Then abishai said to David, God has given your enemy into your
- 44:49hand this day. Now, please let me pin him to
- 44:54the Earth with one stroke of the spear.
- 44:56And I will not strike him twice. I just want to I wish I can see
- 45:01that site. Like, where did they say it was
- 45:02Saul right at their feet with you?
- 45:04Just like a meter. I don't know.
- 45:06But he must have whispered it with intensity in his ear.
- 45:08Let me do this. This is God.
- 45:13What are some elements in verse 8 that give us insight about the
- 45:16nature of Temptation. There are many things in here.
- 45:20I want to hear from you. If you have any idea, look at
- 45:23look at verse a very carefully. Look at look at what is being
- 45:26said, look at, who is saying it. And we will understand some
- 45:32things about temptation. Very good one element to this is
- 45:38that there is apparently Divine approval upon this act is not
- 45:42our culture decaying wood such lies.
- 45:45Is there not a cushioning to perversion and to Rebellion by
- 45:50assuming that God God approves or how about the believer who
- 45:55attempts to convince themselves that God will understand.
- 46:00So Temptation always tries to convince us that God sees it
- 46:06differently than how the Bible says he sees it.
- 46:10Or that God has some special treatment towards you because
- 46:14you've been serving him for so long and surely you need some
- 46:17kind of relief and surely you need some kind of quick answer
- 46:21and surely you need some kind of satisfaction to the flesh.
- 46:24So just send a little bit. He'll understand.
- 46:25You think that's ridiculous. You'd be amazed to know what
- 46:28runs through people's minds when they are premeditating sin.
- 46:32Divine approval, very good observation, anything else.
- 46:35Look at verse 8 carefully again, oh, you're back there.
- 46:45I was looking for. You say that again?
- 46:53Yeah. So there's an element of
- 46:54personal reward. Something that we you will take
- 46:56out of this. Absolutely.
- 46:57That's every time or else. We wouldn't be tempted to sin.
- 47:09Did you notice it? He didn't say, please strike
- 47:12him. He said, let me pin him to the
- 47:14Earth. Let me pin him to the Earth.
- 47:18That makes it much more easier to swallow.
- 47:21Well, okay, fine. You do it.
- 47:23I didn't do it. And if anybody asked abishai,
- 47:27did it? And here's the thing, here's
- 47:28what happens to us. We think we can be so
- 47:31sophisticated with our sin that we can trick God and see me to
- 47:34be Guiltless when we are in fact guilty.
- 47:38Right? We tried to let well, was it me?
- 47:41Lord and we try to we try to manipulate the Lord, who knows
- 47:45our hearts, who knows, our motives, who knows the extent of
- 47:47our involvement in the wrong. That's done.
- 47:49Whether it is Corporate, whether it's between you and another.
- 47:54And so there is always the temptation to blame somebody
- 47:59else for a wrong that you're doing or that you have
- 48:01committed. And sometimes in premeditated
- 48:05sin, we already convinced ourselves.
- 48:06I can blame this on somebody else.
- 48:09We're Wicked, we are wicked creatures.
- 48:12We're not even done yet. There's so much more in verse 8.
- 48:14Yes, Right? And so it's a trust in man.
- 48:19It's not a trust in God. So quick, easy answer to
- 48:23something as we're about to find out in David's answer, that
- 48:26should be relied upon God in his perfect timing.
- 48:35Very good. You guys got it.
- 48:38You guys touch on. Many of them abishai.
- 48:40Assures him. Look, let me pin him to the
- 48:43Earth with one stroke of the spirit.
- 48:45And I will not strike him twice. What is he trying to say there?
- 48:49David? This will be very quick.
- 48:55It won't be ugly. I won't Massacre.
- 48:58The guy it'll be clean. It'll be one time and it will be
- 49:03over. Isn't Temptation?
- 49:05Sound the same just one time. Just once never again, just one
- 49:10time. I will I will I won't go
- 49:14overboard. I'll just do the bare minimum of
- 49:18my sinning and just satisfy and scratch this itch a little bit
- 49:22and then I'll pull back. It's the same idea here.
- 49:26He's trying to doll up the sin. He's trying to put flowers on
- 49:31it. He's trying to say it's not that
- 49:33big of a deal and let me add one more, you guys did wonderful.
- 49:38Let me add one more. The source of the temptation.
- 49:41Abishai. when we got abishai is first impression, we saw a
- 49:48faithful man, a man of Courage, but this is where he is in a
- 49:50lesser light, he has fallen short, very quickly, and if you
- 49:54read later on, you'll realize that abishai is in fact, a
- 49:57relative to David So the source of Temptation is somebody who is
- 50:02respected and loved by David and it is often the case that you
- 50:07and I find it more difficult to resist when we somebody that we
- 50:11respect doing wrong or enticing us to do wrong.
- 50:15Right. Have you been there?
- 50:18You look at somebody who's living in a certain way who's
- 50:21posting in a certain way, who dresses in a certain way, who
- 50:25talks in a certain way, who spends their money in a certain
- 50:28way who jokes and a certain way. And they have a position in the
- 50:34church or they respected in society or their famous worship,
- 50:39leader author, whatever the case.
- 50:40Well if they are doing it, surely I can If they can get
- 50:45away with it and surely I can and here's the problem, you will
- 50:49get into a lot of trouble when you measure up your Holiness to
- 50:53anybody else. Except the Lord, Jesus Christ.
- 50:56Your duty and mind is to allow the standard being the Savior,
- 51:00anything less, and you'll get into a lot of trouble.
- 51:02So it doesn't matter if the person is well respected in
- 51:05church. It doesn't matter what their
- 51:06spiritual gifts are if it goes against your conscience and it
- 51:09goes against God's word. It's a no no.
- 51:13Abishai is suggesting it and the source makes it that much more
- 51:16seductive and so we see all these things.
- 51:19Just piling up upon David and you add on top of it, the
- 51:23element of secrecy. What is he going to do?
- 51:29What we see here in verse 9. But David said to abishai, do
- 51:37not destroy him for who can put out his hand against the Lord's
- 51:40anointed and be Guiltless. If you think about it, there is
- 51:46so much opportunity. This is a golden chance to
- 51:49satisfy something in the man's heart and this is more of an
- 51:54opportunity than being in the cave because this time you can
- 51:57actually get away with it. This time he can actually just
- 52:01disappear into the Horizon and people would be confounded and
- 52:07there could have been a conspiracy within that somebody
- 52:09within the camp, Musta killed Saul and with all that taken
- 52:12into consideration. How does somebody overcome this
- 52:17compelling urge? And I was reflecting upon it
- 52:22because David does and like him, you and I cannot relieve
- 52:27ourselves with the false promises of Temptation.
- 52:31Especially the one that says you can get away with the
- 52:33consequences you can escape. You can evade, you can avoid,
- 52:38you can come out, untouched. Because when you and I believe
- 52:44that false promise, we will see that it lied to us.
- 52:47But how we're supposed to deal with?
- 52:50Those lies is to counter it with a better and truer promise.
- 52:56And that better ensure promise in the midst of Temptation,
- 52:59while it says, you can escape the consequences of this sin is
- 53:03found in the New Testament. And if there is a verse to
- 53:06memorize, if you have not memorized this verse yet, can I
- 53:12give you homework for next week? Memorize, this reference.
- 53:16It's not complicated. And it could very well save you
- 53:20from much heartache. First Corinthians 10:13.
- 53:27No temptation has overtaken. You that is not common to man,
- 53:32God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your
- 53:36ability. But with the Temptation, he will
- 53:39also provide the way of Escape. He will also provide the way of
- 53:46Escape. That's the real Escape that we
- 53:47want in temptation. That's the real Escape that we
- 53:52want. As we face in that, you may be
- 53:55able to endure it to endure it. That's a very important part
- 54:00when you're in Temptation, it doesn't mean that God is going
- 54:04to immediately deliver you from that temptation, but he will
- 54:06give you the strength necessary to do, what endure it that as it
- 54:11comes to you day after day like Joseph, in that house, you're
- 54:15able to endure and endure and resist and resist and Because
- 54:21here's the idea. When sin says to you, you can
- 54:25get away with me. God says, at the same time I can
- 54:29help you get away from this sin. When sin says to you, you can
- 54:35get away with me. God says to you, I can get you
- 54:38out of this sin. Both are promises one is true.
- 54:44One is a lie. One will lead you to pain and
- 54:47regret the other to life and peace.
- 54:54David chose to believe that he can overcome this temptation, no
- 54:58matter how strong it was. Do you know what that means?
- 55:02This is what it means. There is not one Temptation in
- 55:05your life by God's sovereignty that has the right or the
- 55:09ability to overtake. You meaning, not one person can
- 55:12ever say as they sit in that office with their Pastor or sit
- 55:15across a coffee table with their good friend at church, not one
- 55:18person can ever say It was too tempting for me and I couldn't
- 55:23overcome it. Because to say that was to say
- 55:26that God is a liar. To say it was just too strong of
- 55:32a nerds, that opportunity was too great.
- 55:34The money was too big. The person was too beautiful.
- 55:40To say that you could not overcome as to say that, God
- 55:42could not help you. So, we have to realize what's at
- 55:47stake here when we make such claims to seem to justify our
- 55:51shortcomings. We come back as we conclude
- 55:55these verses. Verse 9.
- 55:57David says, how can you put out your hand against the Lord's
- 56:01anointed and be Guiltless? There's consequences.
- 56:03He immediately combated these these thoughts with the very
- 56:07idea that you will not get away. Be sure your sin will find you
- 56:11out. Saw might not know his army.
- 56:13Might not know. My men might not know, my wife
- 56:16might not know, but God will know.
- 56:19And that's enough for me to say no.
- 56:21And then look at verse 10. And David said, as the Lord
- 56:27lives, the Lord will strike him or his day will come to die or
- 56:32he will go down into battle and perish.
- 56:38Notice what he's saying to abishai?
- 56:39Listen God will deal with him, God will strike him or God will
- 56:43allow him to die as natural Death Or there's a time where
- 56:47you might even die in war but we're not going to do it now,
- 56:49here's my question, how did David come to such a conclusion?
- 56:53What convince them of this truth that he is sharing with abishai?
- 56:57Just think back. What he experienced with nabel,
- 57:03he saw it with his own eyes that God can intervene in a moment
- 57:09and deal with a person or a situation.
- 57:11If he chooses, and that testimony was enough to realize
- 57:15that if God did it, then he can do it here.
- 57:18And now and here's what we have to understand you and I must
- 57:21console our souls by being able to look back at how God has led
- 57:26you to this point and be able to apply that for tomorrow.
- 57:31It's very important to even within our souls are even on
- 57:35paper because your brain will forget, but paper won't to
- 57:39record and rehearse the faithfulness of God, and
- 57:42particular ways in your life, so that you were able to look back
- 57:45at those memorials and save, God, did it, then he can do it
- 57:48now. But the most important reference
- 57:51book is not your Journal. It's the word of God that when
- 57:55you come to the scriptures and you see how God is dealing with
- 57:58people and situations, I mean that's why you For Samuel, for
- 58:02example, that's why the Bible is not just a systematic book of
- 58:06theology, it's not justification.
- 58:08Means this and sanctification means this, there's narrative
- 58:12their stories, there's examples. Why?
- 58:15To make it more engaging no, to show us how God has dealt with
- 58:20people throughout human history and to say, well if God did it
- 58:23then surely he can do it. Now, here's the trouble that
- 58:26people get into. When they apply that,
- 58:28hermeneutic that interpretation of the text is, when you see God
- 58:32doing something and then you think that God has to do it that
- 58:34way, in your particular situation, that's where people
- 58:36get in trouble. And David doesn't even apply
- 58:41that. David didn't say.
- 58:44Abishai member enable. God killed him.
- 58:46God will kill Saul to. He didn't say that.
- 58:49He says God May strike him. God made you that or god named.
- 58:53I, and a different way, or maybe made me die in war.
- 58:57The principal is there. God is faithful.
- 59:00Vengeance is mine. I don't know how God is going to
- 59:03do it. I just know that he will, I
- 59:06don't know his methods, but I know the end.
- 59:10I know his promise and I trust that he is Sovereign enough to
- 59:12deal with it in his own way. And I can rest in that truth
- 59:15alone, God will figure it out on my behalf.
- 59:20That is extremely important to understand or else you and I can
- 59:23take scriptures and Miss apply them to our lives, and then be
- 59:27disappointed because we put an expectation on God.
- 59:30The Bible says, to never put on God, you can't just go to a
- 59:34particular story in the Bible and say this is how God has to
- 59:36do it. No.
- 59:39Well, you can't hear somebody else's testimony of how they met
- 59:42their wife. They met their husband, how God
- 59:45LED them into Ministry and say, if God doesn't do it that way.
- 59:47And surely I am not going to be led who do not know, God is
- 59:51creative, his vast in his wisdom and in his application and is
- 59:55leading. And David himself understands
- 59:58that he is God will do it in his perfect way.
- 1:00:02And we read in verse 11 as we close in these next two verses
- 1:00:06the Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the
- 1:00:08Lord's anointed but take now the spear that is at his head take
- 1:00:12the jar of water and let us go. So David took the spear and the
- 1:00:17jar of water and Saul's at Sol's head and they went away.
- 1:00:21Now, look at this, no man saw it or knew it nor did any awake for
- 1:00:27they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord had
- 1:00:29fallen upon them. Now I know that last part is
- 1:00:33very intriguing but let's Reserve that and our concluding
- 1:00:36thoughts. And that clock is not my friend
- 1:00:38tonight. David took the spear and the jar
- 1:00:43of water from Saul's head and they went away.
- 1:00:46So In This Moment he knew what he was going to do.
- 1:00:50He had a different plan and we're going to find out next
- 1:00:53week that he's going to do something very similar to what
- 1:00:55he did with the corner of Saul's robe in that cave at engedi.
- 1:00:59So we ask for these props that he's going to use for a sermon
- 1:01:02the next day. It's amazing.
- 1:01:04Here is that as he asked for these instruments, we are told
- 1:01:07here that no, man, saw it or knew it Northern any awake.
- 1:01:11Now we already knew that We already seen that that
- 1:01:15description is already been given to us, but I like to think
- 1:01:19that although the main application is because there was
- 1:01:21a sovereign Act of God on that. Seen that David innocence is
- 1:01:26doing good by not striking Saul, he is going to take these props
- 1:01:32and the next day is going to make a public.
- 1:01:34But in this moment, if we can apply this in any way, it's
- 1:01:37this, that David is doing good in secret.
- 1:01:42Nobody is aware of what he is doing at this moment and if
- 1:01:45there's anything that you and I, as Christians should be
- 1:01:47occupying ourselves in the dark. It's not to sin in a way where
- 1:01:50we can preserve our reputation, its to do good, even though
- 1:01:54nobody else knows her season. Do that if you're going to do
- 1:01:58anything in secret, do that. Treat others when nobody can see
- 1:02:03it and record it and praise you for it.
- 1:02:07Do when everybody's asleep? Do and nobody sees you or
- 1:02:11recognizes you or can Pat you on the back?
- 1:02:15David is doing something righteous.
- 1:02:18Without anybody being able to say you are righteous.
- 1:02:20You are wonderful. You are Godly.
- 1:02:23And I think that should be what you and I as Believers should be
- 1:02:27doing in the dark. Loving God, loving people,
- 1:02:32honoring his name because true character is known when nobody
- 1:02:37else is watching. That's true character.
- 1:02:41It's not. I mean, as much as the pulpit is
- 1:02:43important. True character is what the
- 1:02:46pastor does out of the pulpit. And many examples as such.
- 1:02:53Because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.
- 1:02:58So the holy spirit gives us commentary to how it is that out
- 1:03:01of 3,000, men. David.
- 1:03:03And I wish I were able to in stealth hop over these bodies
- 1:03:07and be able to climb back into wherever they were hiding
- 1:03:10without anybody being alarmed or awakened.
- 1:03:13And all of that, that this, this Slumber was accredited to a
- 1:03:17sovereign Act of God. God, put this wonderful blanket
- 1:03:23over these people and let them rest with a soundness and a
- 1:03:27richness. That I'm sure you would like.
- 1:03:31and I would like, Why is the Bible telling us this?
- 1:03:37I can give you one reason. Because the Bible wants to show
- 1:03:40us that God is Sovereign even over things that we don't think
- 1:03:45he is Sovereign over. the things that we think that God is not
- 1:03:50involved with, he is very much involved with Things that we
- 1:03:54don't think God cares about God. Very much cares about.
- 1:03:57And guess what? God is Not Just Sovereign over
- 1:04:00the nation's. God is Not Just Sovereign over
- 1:04:01politicians, God is Sovereign over sleep.
- 1:04:05Yes. He can keep you asleep.
- 1:04:10He can keep you awake. And this case, he makes sure
- 1:04:14that the king stays asleep. So that his servant would be
- 1:04:17able to respond appropriately to the evil that he is
- 1:04:20experiencing. And can you tell me of another
- 1:04:24story where? Another king was not put to
- 1:04:26sleep but was kept awake because of providential Act of God.
- 1:04:31Very good. Anybody hear him?
- 1:04:37The Book of Esther chapter 6, verse 1.
- 1:04:40With a King of Persia, we are told could not sleep that night.
- 1:04:44He could not sleep that night and he asked for a record in a
- 1:04:48book with the Deeds of men in, his kingdom were kept.
- 1:04:53And in that record, we're told about, Mordecai's great
- 1:04:57deliverance from assassins who are going to kill the king and
- 1:05:01that set off a series of events, that would not only save a
- 1:05:05particular few, but with saved the entire nation of Your who
- 1:05:10were exiled in that land from genocide.
- 1:05:13What's amazing about the Book of Esther is that The Mention Of
- 1:05:15God is Not brought up once but that's done by Divine Design.
- 1:05:19When you read Esther and you realize and you have you have
- 1:05:21academics. You say Esther shouldn't be in
- 1:05:23our Bibles because God is not mentioned there.
- 1:05:25Well I would say to those academics, have you heard of the
- 1:05:27doctrine of Providence? Because when you read Esther,
- 1:05:31the whole idea is God, is working in the background, and
- 1:05:35you just see one providential episode.
- 1:05:37After the next, here's my main point.
- 1:05:39God kept Saul asleep here. And God kept another king awake.
- 1:05:43And another time, God is Sovereign even oversleep.
- 1:05:47And sometimes it's for an individual to experience a test
- 1:05:51so that they can prove themselves before God, and
- 1:05:53sometimes it's to preserve an entire race in humanity.
- 1:05:59So verse like this should cause us to worship The God, Who is
- 1:06:02Sovereign over sleep, The God, Who can say, you're going to
- 1:06:05stay asleep a little longer than usual.
- 1:06:08That's going to happen. This God is powerful.
- 1:06:12Our God is powerful. And God always does his
- 1:06:16Sovereign work for men's good. And His glory, let's pray.
- 1:06:42Lord, we thank you for this Bible study, thank you for the
- 1:06:46wonderful answers in the engagement tonight. well, we
- 1:06:50pray that these truths would be reserved in our hearts and that
- 1:06:55God you would be Empowering us until obedience with these
- 1:07:01things that we've heard. Lord, if there's anything that
- 1:07:03sticks out tonight. Surely there are many things for
- 1:07:05different people but Lord help us to love in the way you've
- 1:07:08called this to love. Help us to love in a way that
- 1:07:11believes all things and to know the wise way of going about
- 1:07:15that. But Lord if our hearts are bent
- 1:07:19on being negative towards people, if our hearts never
- 1:07:23opens up to others because we are always cynical Lord open our
- 1:07:31hearts, teach us how to love in this way.
- 1:07:36Lord of anybody's experiencing temptation.
- 1:07:40Perhaps it's been this past week.
- 1:07:41Perhaps, it was this afternoon. Perhaps it's been a much longer
- 1:07:44than that. Lord.
- 1:07:46Would you have trumpeted the truths of Temptation by exposing
- 1:07:49the lies of sin? And Lord in those moments where
- 1:07:53we feel as though we can escape the consequences?
- 1:07:56Like, David help us believe the better promise of escaping this.
- 1:07:59In itself that we don't have to do this, because you promised
- 1:08:03that there is not even one Temptation that can overtake us,
- 1:08:06apart from our will. Lord, we want to be holy and we
- 1:08:11want to love you. And we went on our, you and
- 1:08:13worship you. Thank you for these truth.
- 1:08:16Be glorified. Be glorified in song As we sing
- 1:08:21to you in, Thanksgiving. In Jesus name, we pray.
- 1:08:25Amen. And amen.
- 1:08:26Let's stand as we conclude tonight and Worship the Lord.