Mount Pleasant Baptist Church Sunday School Lesson 71

SIX SEASONS SERIES

(The Distinguished Gentlemen)

BIBLE REFERENCE: (The Book of I Samuel) BOOK OF STUDY: I Samuel SEASON OF STUDY: Season of Bringing The Savior Into The World

HISTORY 1 and 2 Samuel form one book in the ancient Hebrew manuscripts. They were not divided into two books until the Old Testament was translated into Greek. We do not know who wrote the books. Certainly, Samuel was a major contributor, but much of the book takes place after his death in 1 Samuel 25. They are called the books of 1 and 2 Samuel, not because Samuel wrote all of them, but because they describe his great ministry in Israel and the legacy of it. (Enduring Word Bible Commentary

INTRODUCTION: Mankind will never know the blessings that are awaiting him from God’s storehouse, until prayer and praying is introduced into his life. God’s blessings for any one day are bountiful, and beyond the greatest imaginations of men. For us to miss out on the abundance of what God provides to us, because in our daily lives we have not yet resorted to prayer, is unfortunate What sufferings we endure; what hungers go unsatisfied; and what battles we lose, all because of a prayerless life. In today’s lesson, we see David finally coming to the realization of what prayer brings into our lives. David, in his great effort to escape the murderous attempts upon him by Saul, is finally driven to the necessity of prayer. In his prior efforts to escape, David had run to the word from the prophet Samuel, the warmth of friendship in Jonathan, and finally to the worship with Ahimelech in the tabernacle, and nothing had broken Saul’s determined efforts to destroy the enemy he saw in David. David had not, up to this time, run to God in prayer! However, now David prays!

DAVID PRAYS THE PRINTED TEXT – (I Samuel 23: 1 – 29) Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing floors.

2 Therefore David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David enquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So, David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 And David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10 Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. 12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. 13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbear to go forth.

14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. 16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. 18 And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. 19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand. 21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. 24 And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore, they called that place Selahammahlekoth. 29 And David went up from thence and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.

DAVID PRAYS EXPLORING THE PRINTED TEXT – (1 Samuel 23: 1 – 29) I. THE ENTREATING THE LORD – (1 Samuel 23: 1 – 6)

David, while running from the advances of King Saul and hiding in the forest in and around Judah, receives the word that the Philistines are raiding the city of Keilah. In these random raids, the Philistines are stealing grain from the threshing floors. The Philistines were literally taking bread out of the mouth of the Israelites.

Until this time David is never shown praying to God for directions as how to defeat Saul and halt the murderous attempts on his life. We are to assume that with David’s faith, it was so ingrained in David that Saul was the anointed of God, that he would not lift a hand against the king, God’s anointed. However, upon receiving the word that the Philistines were attacking Keilah and robbing the threshing floors, David springs into action.

David immediately turns to prayer as the first means of addressing the situation. The text read, “David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines?”

David prays to the Almighty for direction and advice as he and his men face this crisis, and the Lord’s answer to David was to “go.” The “Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

David’s men were not trained soldiers, but according to the scriptures “every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.” These men approach David and said to him, “Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

In other words, the men said to David, “We are afraid just hanging out with you here in Judah, as you run from Saul. We are doubly afraid to go with you to face and fight with the Philistines; a well trained and armed military.”

This respond from his men forced David to return to praying a second time. The men had sown a seed of doubt in the mind of David as to what he thought the Almighty had answered him in his first prayer. Jehovah God speaks again to David and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.”

When the Almighty is trusted in pure faith, He never leads us wrong. Therefore, we read concerning David and his men in their battle against the Philistines to save Keilah, “David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So, David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

II. THE EAGERNESS OF SAUL – (1 Samuel 23: 7 – 8)

David, and his rag-tag group of untrained men, delivering Keilah from the hands of the Philistines, performs like a king to the people of Israel. On the other hand, Saul their king, is continuing to act more like a big spoiled child. It was Saul’s place as king and the commander of Israel’s army to go and defend Keilah. However, Saul, because of his perceived notions that David was his enemy, is so determined to kill David that he places his own personal concerns above the defense of his nation.

Saul is informed that David and his men are in Keilah. Saul wrongly perceived this news as to David’s whereabouts as having being a sign from the Almighty. Saul said, “God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.”

Evil men, lost in their own selfish agendas, are often found assigning to God actions and behaviors that project their evil desires into the will of the Almighty. Saul, empty of God’s Spirit, really believed that because David was in Keilah, God had moved David there for his benefit.

David is in Keilah to deliver God’s people from the Philistines! David is in Keilah on a divine assignment doing what Saul should have done! David is in Keilah following the instructions of Jehovah God!

Saul is now eager to move the entire army of Israel to Keilah to capture David, rather than ready his army for the future battles they faced with the Philistines. “Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.”

III. THE EPHOD AND DAVID – (1 Samuel 23: 9 – 12)

David’s past history with Saul led David to know that once Saul heard of the victory that he and his men won at Keilah, it would not be long before Saul would be in pursuit of him there. “David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him.”

David, having prayed to God concerning the situation at Keilah and God having so clearly answered his prayer, granting he and his men the victory, now moves for the very first time to approach God in prayer concerning the situation he faced with Saul.

We are informed in verse number six, that upon Abiathar’s escape from Nob he brought with him “the ephod” of the priest. “He came down with an ephod in his hand.”

The Ephod was a vest type garment worn by the priest when wishing to enquire or pray to God concerning any situation. David, now at his ends row in his efforts to escape the advances of Saul against him, calls for Abiathar to bring to him the Ephod; “he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.”

Now in the presence of the priest Abiathar and the ephod, David surrenders himself in prayer to the Almighty! “O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. At the answer given David by God, we read, “Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbear to go forth. And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. David, having begun to pray and petition God, and relying on prayer regarding the situation he faced with King Saul, becomes aware that God had been and was still ever present to deliver him from his enemy.

IV. THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF JONATHAN – (1 Samuel 23: 16 -18)

The stronghold of Keilah no longer offered David and his men safe refuge, for Saul had discovered their whereabouts. Therefore, David and his men leaves Keilah. “David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.”

The friendship between David and Jonathan, Saul’s son, seems to grow stronger as Saul’s pursuit of David grows more intense. There must have been a planned system of communication between David and Jonathan, for Jonathan was aware of each move made by David and his men. And now

with David and his men hastening to leave Keilah ahead of Saul’s coming, he is met by Jonathan in the woods of Ziph.

Jonathan’s friendship with David was of a divine origin. David was anointed by Samuel, but from the time of his secret anointing, and from David’s position and King Saul’s determination to slay David, the hope of his ever-becoming king, seemed dim. As he had said to Jonathan his friend, “there seemed to be only one step between David and death.”

But then there was Jonathan! There is not in the scriptures, any evidence that God had revealed to Jonathan any knowledge of David’s future as king of Israel however, maybe out of his human observation skills, Jonathan knew David to be Israel’s future king.

With being the son of Saul, the very first king of Israel, Jonathan at the demise of his father, would have been the second king of Israel. Jonathan however, being in this position, never alludes to himself in conversation that he would ever assume his natural position as king. Jonathan, when speaking of the next king, spoke only of David being in that position, and Jonathan spoke only of David so being without a sense of jealousy but with joy!

Jonathan meets David in the woods of Ziph and as always, Jonathan encourages David in that which God had prepared for David in the future.

Jonathan said to his friend David, “Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.”

V. THE ENEMIES OF DAVID – (1 Samuel 23: 19 – 26)

The Ziphites, or the people of Ziph, upon David and his men moving into this desert area of Judah, summons Saul to gain his favor. Their familiarity and knowledge of this desert area leads them to aid Saul in his search of David.

They ask of Saul, “Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.”

David, knowledgeable of the quagmire into which he had gotten himself and his men, is forced again into the mighty arms of prayer, the only effective weapon in such times, and we hear David pray: “Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. 4 Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. 5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. 6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good.” (Psalm 54: 1 – 6).

VI. THE GOD ELOHIM’ S DELIVERANCE - (1 Samuel 23: 27 – 29)

As the plot thickens, it seems David is trapped, Saul has gained the upper hand, and David, Saul’s prey, will finally be slaughtered. But, the invisible and invincible God, ELOHIM, enters the picture.

“And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.” David and his men are surrounded by the army of Saul. Escape seems impossible!

However, David’s prayer for deliverance worked! The text says, “But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore, they called that place Selahammahlekoth.”

Elohim is the infinite, all-powerful God who shows by His works that He is the creator, sustainer, and supreme judge of the world. Elohim, for David’s deliverance, arranged the affairs of Israel so that at the moment that Saul would capture David and his men, the Philistines would attack Israel. Word of the attack is sent to Saul and Saul is forced to immediately withdraw his troops, and return to defend the homeland over which he was appointed king.

David and his men are once again delivered by the hand of the Almighty!

In David’s prayer in Psalm 54, David relives those trying moments of life, and the last verse reads, “For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies” (Psalm 54: 7).

LIFE APPLICATION CS Lewis was the author of the widely read children’s books, The Narnia Chronicles, as well as many novels for grown-ups and books on issues surrounding the Christian faith. The movie Shadowlands (directed by Richard Attenborough and produced in 1993) tells Lewis’ story, focusing in particular on his relationship with his wife, Joy Gresham. Gresham and Lewis meet while Lewis is a don at Oxford University. After Joy is diagnosed with cancer, the couple marry. The movie invites us to witness their love, their pain, their grief, and their struggles with faith and God. Eventually Joy dies. At one point in the story a friend says to Lewis, “Christopher can scoff Jack, but I know how hard you’ve been praying, and now God is answering your prayers.” Lewis replies “That’s not why I pray, Harry. I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God, it changes me.” Source: Film quote found at Internet Movie Database.

WHAT WE KNOW ALREADY PREMISE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH: 1. God Is 2. God Speaks 3. God Speaks Through That Which Has Already Been Spoken - We believe the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God.

WORKING DEFINITION OF GOD: God is the Personal Spirit, who in Holy Love, Creates, orders and sustains all! God created the physical universe in six (6) days. God brings His Kingdom or creation to perfection in six (6) Seasons.

SEASONS TO SPIRITUAL PERFECTION AND THE KINGDOM God creates the perfect universe and establishes His Kingdom in six (6) seasons. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of the heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:1 - 2). 1. Season of Beginnings - Genesis 1 - 3 2. Season of Boundaries and Borders - Genesis 4 - 11 3. Season of Bringing Christ or the Messiah into the World - Genesis 12 – thru the Gospel of John. 4. Season of Broadcasting Christ to the World - Acts - Revelation 5. Season of Burdens and Tribulations - Revelation 6. Season of Birthing a New Creation – Revelation 7. Bliss