Abounding Grace

Guest (Male): When given the opportunity, will you take things into your own hands or will you wait on the Lord? That's the test before David, the future king of Israel, next on Abounding Grace.

Guest (Male): This is amazing grace. This is unfailing love. That you would take my place. That you would bear my cross. You laid down your life that I would be set free. Oh, Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me.

Guest (Male): We are delighted to share this time together with you as we open the word in search of God's abounding grace. Today, Pastor Ed Taylor opens 1 Samuel 26 and David is faced with a test. His enemy Saul is vulnerable and opportunity presents itself for David to get rid of his enemy. Will he take matters into his own hands? Let's see what went down here on part one of I Played the Fool as we join Pastor Ed on Abounding Grace.

Pastor Ed Taylor: Open your Bibles, would you? 1 Samuel chapter 26 is where we are and where we left off last time. In our study last time, remember David's flesh was provoked. You'll recall by a fool whose name was Nabal. That was what his name means. It means foolish. Which reminded us of the truth that foolishness will always provoke the flesh and foolish people tend to have a way of provoking us in the flesh. Foolish people, foolish decisions, foolish talk. I mean, the essence of foolishness stirs up our flesh. But in David's life, as his flesh was provoked by the decisions and the actions of Nabal, God sent the joy of the father into his life.

Remember who that was? Abigail. Her name means joy of the father. She entered into the picture as God intervenes and interceded on behalf of her husband. Stood in the gap even though she knew who she married. She knew what what David was dealing with. But instead of selling him out, instead of talking down on him, and by the way, for those of you that weren't with us last time in 1 Samuel chapter 25 or you might be listening on the radio right now, get that study as it speaks to specifically much of that study will speak specifically to those of you in a very difficult marriage where you may look at the decisions of your husband or your wife and the title of foolishness or foolish decisions or or simply foolishness is just not God's heart, not God and and you're provoked in the flesh to come against her, to talk about her, to talk to your friends.

You might even be provoked to leave, to abandon. That's not God's heart. God's heart is to bring joy into your life, to intercede. And she not only saved the life, saved her husband's life, saved all his servants' life, but also prevented David from staining his life so early on. David is a man, as we've learned, is a man of up and down. A man after God's own heart and yet there are times when you look at his life and you're just so wow, grateful for the grace of God. And here he is again now after being saved, after being saved from a very See, foolishness provokes the flesh that will then most likely provoke us to make a foolish decision.

And it wasn't what your heart was. David, you'll recall, just sent and said, I protected your flocks. It's customary. Give us some food. Just take care of my men. I'm not asking for much. I'm just asking for what's customary. That's not He didn't wake up in the morning to think, you know, I'm going to make one of the most foolish decisions of my life. But when met with foolishness, his flesh was provoked and then he's about to ready to make a foolish decision, rescued by God. Then in verse 1 of chapter 26 as the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, Is David not hiding in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon?

Then Saul rose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph having 3,000 chosen men of Israel with him to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, by the road. But David stayed in the wilderness and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul had indeed come. The Ziphites, as you'll know, had it out for David. They had already betrayed him once. The Ziphites, if you like to write in your Bible, you can just circle them.

You can just write in the first verse Ziphites. You can write next to it opportunists cuz that's what they were. They were opportunists. They were taking advantage of this difficult situation between David and Saul and they saw it as an opportunity to better themselves. They saw difficulty. They saw opportunity for themselves. Now, it's not surprising and certainly many of you can relate to this. And yet very painful to find opportunists show up in our lives in times of deep crisis. When you're expecting help or you're expecting someone to step in and even maybe some of the people that you expected to help instead they become opportunists trying to take advantage of Well, in this case David's weakness.

In our case, the difficulties of our lives. They did this back in chapter 23 verse 19. The last time though, it led to a chase that was interrupted by the Philistines attacking Saul and he moved on instead of chasing David. So the question to me in already learning that the Ziphites were opportunists, the question to me in this text is, David, why go back? Why go back into an area where you know that you had trouble before? And and there are a couple of things in my mind. Number one, I I think David is at a place in his life right now so close to God that he just trusts God wherever he goes.

He he trusts in this season of his life. He has a level of trust to go back into this area. But we also get insight from his life. So hold your places here. Go over to Psalm number 54. Psalm 54. We look at decisions that people make and on the outside we wonder and I wonder if that's something that's in your life right now where you just you got something going on in your life and you look at their life and you just wonder, you know, why? Why are you doing that or why are you going there and you know, if I was you, how many times have you come up with that?

You know, if I was you, this is what I would do. Can I just caution you, be careful with that phrase if I was you because the very first thing that happens if I was you is that you're not me and I'm not you. And the best thing I can do for you is not compare you to me but just really pray for you and point you to the Lord. That's the best thing I can do for you. It's not sizing up what I see because if we look at David here, I think it would be safe to say David that if I was you, I wouldn't go back to the Ziphites.

Well, what's on his heart? Don't you wish you knew what was on his heart? Well, let's find out. Verse 54. Or excuse me, Psalm 54. There's no verse 54. Verse 1. Save me, oh God, by your name and vindicate me by your strength. Hear my prayer, oh God, and give ears to the words of my mouth for strangers have risen up against me and oppressors have sought after my life. They have not set God before them. But verse 4, Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is with those who uphold my life. Now, with verse 4 alone, it's okay to be around the Ziphites again.

If that's where God's leading you, it 's okay. It says, hey, God is my helper. The Lord is with those who uphold my life. He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in your truth. I will freely sacrifice to you. I will praise your name, oh Lord, for it is good for he has delivered me out of all trouble for my eye has seen his desire upon my enemies. You know, something similar happened with Joshua when Joshua was to lead the children of Israel into the promised land into a land of battle.

God gave him an encouraging word. You know what it was? Everywhere the sole of your feet touches I have given to you. You know, that's a promise that we can hold in our own relationship with God. If God is leading you, go to the Ziphites and you're like, I don't think so. I don't want to be around them anymore. They've already Hey God, don't you remember two chapters ago? Do you remember what they did to me? Do you remember how I helped them and then they sold me out? Do you remember how I had to go on the run?

No, it's just hey, the Ziphites come to Saul again. They are doing it all over again. Saul comes down into the wilderness area. He brings 3,000 people with them. And where's David's heart? You might see his actions and come to a conclusion, but you know where his heart is with the Lord. His heart is with the Lord. You know, somebody can be so intimate and close with the Lord and do things that might just cause you to question. And yet if you knew what God knew, you would just trust him with God. And isn't that a better decision?

Because even if you don't know what God knows, you can still trust that God knows. And just be careful when you get that counsel. Well, if I was you, Well, you can be me for a few days. All right, go for it. Tell me how it goes. And yet we all trust the Lord, don't we? Jeshimon, this area of Jeshimon, it literally means the wilderness. We're getting a hint in David's life. Here he is a fugitive driven out of society, running for his very life, hiding in the hills. And we come now to verse 5 where we have a scene very similar in some of the ingredients of what we've seen earlier.

But the the actions are different. And what we're what we're seeing is very close to what we saw last time back in En Gedi when David's men were in a cave hiding and Saul came in. The Bible says to relieve himself. And then those that were close to David said, hey, this is your chance. We can end this. Let's just be done with it. Take him out. And David, such a sensitivity to the Lord while he could have ended it in his flesh and taking things into his hands on his own hands, he just went and cut the garment.

And after that he cut his robe and then he came out and he David told Saul, I could have taken you out, please. I haven't done anything wrong. And you'll remember those of you that were with us that Saul for the first time acknowledged how wrong he had been. It came out of his lips. He acknowledged how wrong he had been to pursue David. He even admitted that David had never done anything wrong and never intended to harm him. So he had words that sounded spiritual. The words that David would want to hear. And now with this situation God is giving Saul another chance.

I hesitate to say a second chance because in the life of Saul he's gone way more than second chances. He's getting another chance. If we believe what he said in chapter 23, then the rest of the chapter is going to go really well. David I mean, King Saul just took 3,000 people just to say hi to David. You know, that's it. How you doing, David? Found out where you were. I love you and miss you. Let's be friends. If we believe in chapter 23 then the hostilities would be over. And yet it doesn't take long to see from the actions of King Saul that his words were empty because you don't go say hi to King to David and take 3,000 armed men with you.

And isn't it true from the actions of our lives we see what's going on in our hearts and we see what's going on in other people's hearts. And yet there seems to be an indication that David believed Saul to some degree because he doesn't go out to fight. He doesn't match fight to fight. What does he do? He just sends some messengers, some spies. Maybe And I love this. Maybe Saul was right. Maybe he was true. Maybe. And that really is an element of 1 Corinthians chapter 13 type of love where there's that hope. The Bible says that love hopes all things.

And David is You know, in verse 4 I see a little bit of hope here. I see a little bit of man, maybe it's true. And yet David was wise enough in love to find out the facts so he doesn't jeopardize the large group that's with him. It's much larger than ever before. And so he reaches out in love but also waits for the demonstration of what he hopes for. And that is true love where yes, love hopes all things, but man, where's the demonstration before I jeopardize my entire group of people, 600 men. He's got Abigail now.

He's got quite a few people since he started. So verse 5 says David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped and David saw the place where Saul lay and Abner, the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now, Saul lay within the camp with the people and encamped all around him. Then David answered and said to Ahimelech, the Hittite, and to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp? And Abishai said, I'll go down with you. So David and Abishai came to the people by night and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head.

Don't forget this. Saul loved the spear. So much so that the spear was right by his head as he lay. Remember the study we did quite a while ago. You had the difference between what are you going to use, the spear or the harp? What will you do? Will you take things into your own hands or will you be a worshipful person trusting God? So here is he still got the spear. We learn a lot about Saul. Verse 8. Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore please let me strike him at once with the spear right to the earth and I will not have to strike him a second time.

Okay, Abishai. Little excited. But remember this is a military context. Abishai is tired of running. David's tired of running. Why go down into the camp if you weren't going to I mean, it makes sense. But not everything that makes sense is from the Lord. Verse 9. David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless. David said furthermore, as the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him or his day shall come to die or he should go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed.

But please now take the spear and the jug of water that are by his head and let's go. So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul's head and they got away and no man saw it or knew it or awoke for they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them. So get the picture. They're coming. Saul and his 3,000 men, it's a large group of people. They're there. They're surrounding the king which makes sense. He's there sleeping. He has his spear next to him, his jug of water.

David and Abishai decide to go down to the camp together. David seeks to to see King Saul. Abishai sees the opportunity. The second time now it seems that God has given David the opportunity to get rid of the enemy. No doubt something that he's been praying about and writing in his Psalms. If we were just to stop in the first half of the Psalms, just all the things as you read through the Psalms, usually the first half as it that Psalm expressing the heart is all the difficulty all the difficulty and then the second half of the Psalm is, yeah, but the Lord.

Yeah, but the Lord. The Lord's going to take care of it. He's awesome. He's my protector. So if you were just to stop in the first half, I mean, this all makes sense. You're down in the camp. Nobody's awake. There's a deep sleep upon him. Let's just end this. Let's just end it, David. This could give him a fast track to the throne which is rightfully his. He's the anointed king. It's been prophesied. It's been spoken. It's been confirmed. But it wasn't an opportunity from the Lord. Like the cave of En Gedi, it was not an opportunity.

It was a What do you think? It's a test. It was a test. Would David again take things into his own hands? Over and over again David is faced with waiting on the Lord. Now, a couple of things as we look at Abishai and David because they see the same exact thing. Saul's vulnerable. He's asleep. Spear, jug of water. They see the exact same thing. Isn't it interesting to you? It is to me that you can have two people that see the exact same thing and come to two opposite conclusions. It's amazing to me. And it happens all the time in close relationships and friendships.

Happens within marriages where you see the same exact thing but the conclusion is different. How many arguments start this way? I would say a lot. How how many How many difficulties remain this way? I would say a lot. How many mistakes do we make? I would say too many. Too many by seeing or by seeing things so differently. We we need to pray for spiritual eyes. We need to pray for spiritual eyes cuz that's the way to see something, spiritual eyes. And here we have a contrast between two men that see the same situation and one sees it with spiritual eyes.

Who's that? It's David. And the other sees it with fleshly human eyes. That's Abishai. Same thing, two conclusions. One to the spirit, one to the flesh. The difference between David and Abishai is one sees with eyes of faith and the other sees with eyes of flesh. Now, this happens like not on something so uh vital like this. This happens often happens in the life of faith. Would you turn your Bibles over to 2 Kings? 2 Kings chapter 6. This happen This This something is happens quite a bit when you're faced with some huge monumental situation and when you see it with eyes of the flesh, you're fearful, you are scared, you are faithless, and then you start to make really horrible decisions or the Lord opens your eyes.

2 Kings chapter 6. The Lord opens your eyes and you see it with spiritual eyes and you're built up with your faith. You see what God sees. You start to walk in faith. You start to make decisions by faith. You are built up. You know, you see with eyes of flesh. You're beat down. You see with eyes of the spirit. You're built up. You're trusting God. You're surrounded with people like people start to speak to you all these things. You don't know. I believe in God. Why? Because you have spiritual eyes. You see what man can't see or sometimes you see what man refuses to see with eyes of faith.

I I hope by the time we leave today you you want eyes of faith. You you want to be able to see things what man can't see and because what you see is going to going to You see with eyes of faith. You see with spiritual eyes. It's going to change your mind and your mind's going to change your actions and your actions are going to change your life. Your action is going to change your life. And your life is going to make an impact spiritually, not fleshly. And and so this is that that one passage of scripture where you know, it just seems like a very difficult time.

It seems like it all is lost. It seems like there's great difficulty. We're not going to make it. We're going to die. Verse 8. Chapter 6. So the king of Syria was making war against Israel and he took counsel with his servants saying, My camp will be in such and such a place. And the man of God sent to the king of Israel saying, Beware that you do not pass this place for the Syrians are coming down there. Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place, verse 10, of which the man of God had told him and thus he warned him and he was watching there not just once but twice.

Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing and he called his servants and said to him, Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? And one of his servants said, None, my Lord, oh king, but Elisha, the prophet who who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom. Wow. So he said, Go and see where he is that I may send and get him. And it was told him and surely he's in Dothan, verse 14. Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there and they came by night and surrounded the city.

That's a problem. That's that's a huge problem. I mean, how would you feel that you just are surrounded now with chariots and horses with a military presence? When the servant, verse 15, of the man of the God arose early and went out there was the army surrounding the city, horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master, what shall we do? Now his servant only sees with eyes just human eyes. I wonder how many of you are looking at your problems today just with human eyes. This is a problem. Don't misunderstand. This is a problem.

This Elisha's a wanted man. He is now surrounded by an army. We don't know what they're all about. Why are they here? And and Alas, my master, what shall we do? Are words of great despair. What are we going to do? And so he answered, Don't fear for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Do you know what the problem was? He couldn't see that. At this point he could look all around and what did he see? An army surrounding him. Horses and chariots. That's what he saw. And yet notice Elisha prayed for verse 17.

Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see. Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Now, how do you think he felt after that? And all it took was Lord, open his eyes. Let him see what I see. Show his your glory. Show him your protection. Yes, he doesn't say, Oh, don't worry about it. Army's not there. No, no, no. Open his eyes. See what I see. Open his eyes, Lord. And the Bible says that God opened his eyes and he saw.

Now man, as far as I'm concerned, the Bible says that when it says in verse 15, servant of the man went out uh and he it says there was an army surrounding the city. His servant said to him, What am I Master, what am I supposed to do? So the Bible tells me he already saw something, but then at the end of verse 17 the Lord working in his life, he saw something that no one else could see unless the Lord opened his eyes. That's what you need to pray for. That's the world you want to walk in.

That that that's what Paul meant when he said that we walk by faith and not by sight. That's what he meant. You see one thing but you need to see what the Lord sees. David and Abishai are right there with King Saul. They see the exact same thing. One sees and the other one doesn't see.

Guest (Male): We all have problems, but we'll be look at them with human eyes or with the eyes of faith trusting in God. Today's message called I Played the Fool is part of a series in 1 Samuel. You can hear it again at abounding grace radio.com. This is Abounding Grace with Pastor Ed Taylor. Here in the month of October we picked out an excellent book written by Jim Symbala titled Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. If your desire is to live at the center of God's will and purposes, this excellent book will point the way to spiritual vitality not only in the church but in your own life.

Now, I know you'll be encouraged as you read of how God moves in life changing ways. And we'll send you a copy with our thanks for a gift of $25 or more to Abounding Grace. Please remember it's through your financial support that we're able to come to you day by day on this station and others like it. Your gift, whatever the size, would be greatly appreciated and put to good use. Request your book today by calling us toll free at 877-30 Grace. 877-30 Grace. You can also order the book online at Calvary co dot store.

And if you'd rather not have the book but still want to make a donation, that can be done rather easily at Abounding Grace radio.com. We'd like to hear from you before the day is done. Say hello. Tell us what God is up to in your life when you visit Abounding Grace radio.com. Then click on contact us. Don't miss our next study in 1 Samuel with Pastor Ed next time on Abounding Grace and may God richly bless you with his abounding grace.

Guest (Male): This is amazing grace. This is unfailing love. That you would take my place. That you would bear my cross. You laid down your life that I would be set free. Oh, Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me.

Guest (Male): Abounding Grace is brought to you by Calvary Church Colorado here in Aurora.