Love Israel

Guest (Male): Shalom, and welcome to V'ahavta Yisrael, a Hebrew phrase which means "You shall love Israel." We hope you'll stay with us for the next 30 minutes as our teacher, Dr. Baruch, shares his expository teaching from the Bible.

Dr. Baruch is the senior lecturer at the Zera Avraham Institute based in Israel. Although all courses are taught in Hebrew at the institute, Dr. Baruch is pleased to share this weekly address in English. To find out more about our work in Israel, please visit us on the web at loveisrael.org. That's one word, loveisrael.org. Now, here's Baruch with today's lesson.

Dr. Baruch Korman: We have learned that King Saul desires to put David to death. We have also seen that there has been a disagreement between David and his good friend, Jonathan. Now, this disagreement concerns one thing.

We have seen that Jonathan thought that his father was not truly committed to putting David to death. But we're going to see today that it's clear that Saul is obsessed with one thing, and that is holding on to his kingship, and that means putting David to death. David is going to realize that and also Jonathan.

With that said, take out your Bible and look with me to 1 Samuel and chapter 20. Now, remember the context. It is the new moon. Now, the calendar, and I'm speaking about the biblical calendar, is very important because it's through this calendar that we have the festivals of Israel.

And these festivals are called the Lord's appointed days. And when we understand these appointed times, we see how God is working, what God is going to do to bring about a kingdom outcome. So all of these festivals have to do with a kingdom reality.

And not only that, when we look at, for example, the teaching of the Apostle Paul in Colossians chapter two and verses 16 and 17, we find that these festivals and things such as Shabbat and the dietary laws and the new moon, none of these things are given by God to His people for the purpose of judgment. Rather, we see that these things have kingdom significance.

They give us revelation that we need in order to understand kingdom truth. And not just the kingdom truth, but as we talked about last week, these things are a shadow of what is coming. What's coming? The kingdom of God. But what cast the shadow? Well, the substance of that shadow is indeed Messiah.

So the more that we understand Shabbat, the dietary laws, this new moon celebration, and the biblical appointed days, the more we understand that, the more we will understand who the King is, and we're speaking about Messiah Yeshua, Jesus of Nazareth. And also, we will understand the events that must take place in order that the kingdom of God is indeed established first in this world.

And then we're going to see that there's going to be the second creation when God makes a new heaven and new earth. And what is that called? That is called the New Jerusalem. And that is the final state of the kingdom of God forever and ever and ever.

And let me just simply say that we need to understand that when we talk about eternity, we find that heaven and hell are not eternal. Now, we find that there's two places where every individual is able to spend eternity. It's a decision.

It will either be in the New Jerusalem, that final state of the kingdom of God, or if one has not accepted the gospel, where will he spend eternity? Well, the Bible says in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. Now, it's not an improvement because those whose souls were in hell, they are experiencing torment, and that torment is forever and ever.

We see that, for example, in the book of Revelation, chapter 14 and verse 11. So what is forever? Being cast into that lake that burns with fire and brimstone where there will be eternal sorrow and eternal torment. And again, the key word here is eternal. It never ends. That fear, that suffering, that sorrow, and that torment, it is forever and ever.

And there's only one way that you can escape that, and that is through the grace of God that is offered to humanity through the gospel. Well, let's begin. Look with me, if you would, to that chapter, 1 Samuel chapter 20 and verse 24 where it says: "And David concealed himself in the field and it came about." And we see "HaChodesh," meaning the new month.

Now, I made mention in our last study that when we talk about the new moon, there is either one day of celebration or two days. Now, within this context, we're going to see that this new moon celebration has two days of celebration on the first day and on the second day.

So we read here in verse 24: "And it came about the new moon, and it says that the king sat at bread to eat." Now, that is a very important expression, to eat bread. What does that tell us? Well, it tells us that there is a celebration going on.

In the Bible, we see that one eats for a very specific purpose. As we read, for example, in Deuteronomy chapter eight and verse 10, we eat not because we're hungry, but we eat in order that we might bless the name of God and that we might give thanks to Him and that we might acknowledge the good land that is God's provision that He gives to us. So this is a very important expression that we see over and over biblically, to eat bread, meaning that there is a time of celebration, acknowledgment of God.

Look now to verse 25: "And the king sat at his seat as he had done time and time, and it says that his seat where he sat was against the wall, and it says and Jonathan got up, and we see that Abner, he sat on the side of Saul, but notice something very important as we talked about, but the place of David was unoccupied. It was empty. No one was there."

But notice what the scripture says, verse 26: "But Saul did not speak anything on that day." Now, there's a very important phrase that appears in our verse, verse 26, where it says: "Byom ha hu." I've made mention that that expression, "byom ha hu," on that day, normally points to judgment in the scripture.

And this is certainly what we're going to see here as Saul wants to judge David. Why? In order to put him to death. Why? Because Saul is highly insecure. Secondly, because he's not interested in God's will or God's purposes. When he is rebellious, what does that do? Well, rebelliousness against God's will will bring a demonic influence into one's life.

And we're going to see that displayed in no uncertain terms in our passage today. For notice what he said, and we're speaking about King Saul, that he noticed that David's place was empty, but he didn't say anything on that day for he said: "And we have a word, 'mikre,' which means an event. Something happened."

And he says, "Certainly that he is unclean for the reason he's unclean, he did not come." Meaning something happened, we won't go into what the scripture is referring to, but something happened that rendered him unclean, impure, and therefore he could not attend this new moon celebration. That's what the scripture's saying.

Verse 27: "And it came about on the next day, and then we have 'haChodesh haSheni,' the second day of the month, which means it's the second day of celebration. And also, look at the same expression: 'vayeepaked mekom David,' which means David's place also on the second day was unattended. It was empty. No one was there."

And then we read in the last part of that verse: "And Saul said to Jonathan his son, 'Why has the son of Jesse, that is the son of Jesse, not come also yesterday, also today, to the bread?'" Meaning to eat bread, to acknowledge this new moon and to celebrate together. This was the tradition. When the new moon came, people would gather together with family and they would celebrate this new moon as the scripture, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, tells us to do.

Well, I want you to see what happens thereafter. Look, if you would, to the next scripture, verse 28, where Jonathan answered Saul, and this is what he said: "David has certainly asked from me unto Bethlehem, or Bethlehem." Now, we need to remember something. This is where the family of David lived.

And it's new moon, not only would there be a celebration at the house of the king, but also every family would acknowledge the new moon and they would do a celebration. So it says here that David has asked from me that he might go, that's the implication, to Bethlehem.

Verse 29: "And he said, this is David speaking to Jonathan, 'Send me, please, that the sacrifice of my family that is for us in the city and it says my brother has commanded me,' and the implication is his brother says, 'Come.' He gave him a commandment to come to this."

And then David says, "And now," remember that's a word of urgency, "and now if I have found grace in your eyes," and this is what's important, I highlighted this expression because he says, "Please, allow me to escape." Now, again, this word has to do with fleeing for the purpose of escaping something, not being captured.

And this is a very important term biblically speaking because it tells us that David understands what's going on, that there is a conspiracy, that Saul the king wants to put him to death. Therefore, we find that Saul is told by David, "Let me escape," meaning don't have me be put to death.

And notice what the scripture says. He says that "I will see my brothers, and therefore he did not come to the table of the king." So Saul got his answer on why David for two days, the first day of Rosh Chodesh and now the second day of Rosh Chodesh, the new month, the new moon celebration, why David did not come.

And notice the response of Saul. Look now to verse 30: "And Saul became excessively angry against Jonathan, and he said to him," and notice, and this is another example, one will be even stronger in a moment, but this is another example that Saul is out of control. Notice what he says to his son.

He says to him, "A son of a twisted and rebellious woman are you, for do you not know that I have understood that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your shame and the shame of the nakedness of your mother?" Now, what he's doing is speaking excessively evil in regard to the woman who bore Jonathan. Why? Well, the answer is simple.

Because he is very angry against his son because he now knows something with that term that David spoke. It makes a clear connection that David knows what Saul is about, that Saul wants to put David to death. And this is going to be clearly identified as we continue on. But again, notice how Saul spoke against the mother of Jonathan. And this was to shame him. And notice what he says.

"Do you not know that I am aware that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your shame and to the shame of the nakedness of your mother?" Now, nakedness is always related to shame.

Verse 31: "For all the days which Ben Yishai, that is the son of Jesse, lives upon the ground or upon the earth, we might say," he says, "don't you know that you and your kingdom will not be established? And now," this is what he wants him to do, this is Saul instructing Jonathan, he says, "and now send and take him unto me." Why? Well, notice how verse 31 ends: "ki ben mavet hu," which means this expression "ben mavet" means a son of death. This is usually a term that is applied for a death sentence. And that's what's being said here.

We see that Saul is saying, "According to my desires, what I have deemed as king, he must die." So now, exactly what David has inferred to Jonathan, now it's all clear. Yes, it's certain that King Saul wants to put David to death.

Verse 32: "And Jonathan answered Saul his father and he said to him, 'Why should he die?'" Meaning why should he be put to death? "What has he done?" Now, we're going to see that Saul gives no answer to that question, meaning why is he guilty? What is his sin? What is his iniquity? What has he done that warrants him being put to death?

Notice that Saul does not answer that question with words. There's no explanation. What does he do? Well, this is going to be most informing. Look now to verse 33. Let me just pause for a moment and remind us of something. When someone, it doesn't matter who it is, when someone has a rebellious spirit, we could say it differently, when someone is defiant in being against the will of God, the purposes of God, what's going to happen?

Well, this defiance and this rebelliousness is an invitation to demonic influence to come into our life. If you're a believer, to be oppressed, to be attacked. But again, I want to make it very clear that if you are a believer, then you have been filled with the Holy Spirit and there's no possible way for a demon to possess you.

So you're not going to know demonic possession, but you can be attacked, you can be oppressed, and you will be led in a way that is not pleasing to God because of this demonic influence. So we're going to see clearly, without any doubt whatsoever, that Saul, he is going to behave in a way, he spoke in a way that was certainly not honoring to God, that he was cursing his son's mother.

But it's going to get worse. Look, if you would, to verse 33 where it says: "And Saul," and we have a word for throwing or hurling might be a better way to translate this, "and Saul hurled his spear at him," meaning at his own son, at Jonathan. Why did he do that? Well, here again, another indication of demonic influence. It says, "le-hakoto," which means in order to kill him or slay him.

And then only after this, it says, "and Jonathan knew that it was concluded from his father." And what was concluded by his father? To put David to death, to kill David. So now, there's nothing uncertain whatsoever. Jonathan knows, David knows, and it's all been exposed.

Saul, so out of control that now out of his anger, he wanted to put his son, his eldest son, his firstborn son to death. He cursed his mother and now he's taking action in this anger and being out of control. He is taking action to put Jonathan to death.

Now again, when we are rebellious, when we are defiant against the purposes, the plans, the will of God, we can expect something, that we will lose control. See, one of the fruit of the spirit is self-control. That is such an important revelation of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, when we're able to control ourselves. Not do what the enemy wants, but to walk in humility, to demonstrate submissiveness, and to obey the purposes of God, the will of God, the plan of God. That's what we're called to do.

And through redemption, we've been equipped and anointed with that indwelling spirit in order that we might do what is important to God. See, when you are filled with the spirit, it is going to manifest something very specific. And what is that? It is going to manifest to you an agreement with God. When you are walking under the anointing of the spirit, you're going to agree with God. You're going to see things from His perspective.

You're going to have the access to God's provision, His presence, His powers in order that you accomplish the will of God. That's what a true believer is committed to. Not what they want, not what is in their best interest. What is the believer going to do? He is going to be very similar to Messiah.

Remember Messiah in the Garden of Gethsemane? What did He say? Well, He prayed, "If possible, Lord, remove this cup." Now, why would He say that? Because no one wants to suffer. No one wants to simply just die at the hand of persecutors.

But nevertheless, what did Messiah say as He continued to pray? He said, "Nevertheless, not my will, but Your will be done." That is evidence of the anointing of the spirit. That is how a true servant of the living God, the God of Israel, speaks. So we see here that King Saul is out of control.

Look now to our last verse, verse 34. What was Jonathan's response to his father? Well, verse 34: "And Jonathan rose up from the table with anger, and he did not eat on that day of the month," what day? The second day of the month, "bread." So what did he do? He did not celebrate. Why?

Because he understood his father's sin. He understood that his father wanted to do something. What was that? Well, when we look at the scripture, what his father wanted to do, and we see this in so many verses in this chapter, that his father wanted to do "ra'ah." What is that? Evil.

And how should we understand that word evil? Well, evil is that which is in conflict, which is in disagreement with God's will. That's what Saul wanted to do. Why? Well, we could go back and remember a few things that was said in the biblical text about Saul. It says in the scripture, and a very important word, the word "ma'as." What is that? To loathe something. What was it that Saul loathed? He loathed the word of God. He was not interested in biblical truth.

So when someone is under the influence of demonic power, demonic presence, they're going to be very opposed and loathe the word of God. But when someone is walking in the spirit, when someone is submissive to the instructions of God, the plans of God, the purposes of God, when someone is committed to the will of God, then that person is going to agree with God.

That person is going to walk under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. And what is the Holy Spirit going to do? Well, we see this going back to Genesis one, and that is the Holy Spirit brings order into a situation. What order? God's order. And that's what we are to be committed to, the order of God. That we might agree with Him, that we might be committed to the purposes of God, so that we through obedience that we bring honor and glory and behave righteously before our Heavenly Father.

Why? So that we can be individuals that are pleasing, well-pleasing to God rather than as we see in the life of Saul, someone who's out of control, someone who is not manifesting any of the fruit of the spirit, but rather what is he? Well, he is angry. And not only is he angry, that anger causes him to attempt to kill his eldest son, his firstborn.

Now, this just shows how far removed Saul is from the things of God. And what happens? Well, this is what I want you to see. When we are disagreeing with God, we begin to put ourselves on a course. Now, what is that course? Well, it's like a spiral, but hear this. It is a downward spiral.

What happens? Well, it begins by moving very slowly at first. Little by little, slowly and slowly, we begin to move away from where God wants us to be. But what happens? Well, as we move further and further away from God, the speed of this descent increases. And what happens? Well, we will lose control. This is what we see with Saul's behavior. We lose control and what happens?

Well, what happens is we take an action that is shameful. We see that Saul, the father of Jonathan, what did he want to do? He wanted to put his firstborn son to death. Why? Because he was angry at David. Now, Jonathan had done nothing. He had been loyal, he had been faithful to God, pleasing to God, sensitive to the things of God.

But Saul, he hated his son, wanting to kill his son because he was so aggrieved about David. Who was David? Well, if you remember a few chapters ago, David became the Lord's anointed. What does that mean? He was God's choice to be king. Saul knew that, but because he didn't want to give up his position, he thought the only solution was to do what? To murder, and as the scripture shows us, to murder "dam naki," meaning clean blood or innocent blood.

There was no biblical justification. But when we are influenced by demons, we're not going to have truth. We're not going to have control. We're going to be out of control, doing the purposes of the enemy instead of fulfilling the will of God.

Guest (Male): Well, we hope you will benefit from today's message and share it with others. Please plan to join us each week at this time and on this channel for our broadcast of loveisrael.org. Again, to find out more about us, please visit our website, loveisrael.org. There you will find articles and numerous other lectures by Baruch. These teachings are in video form. May download them or watch them in streaming video. Until next week, may the Lord bless you in our Messiah Yeshua, that is Jesus, as you walk with him. Shalom from Israel.