The Bible Recap - Day 104 (1 Samuel 21-24) - Year 5

Episode Date: April 14, 2023

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Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday David fled from Saul with the help of Jonathan and now David is a fugitive. Today we recount a lot of his travels as a man on the lamb. His first stop is in a place called Nob, which a religious headquarters at the time, because he needs supplies, food, and weapons. David runs into a Himalek, the priest, who is the great grandson of Eli, the priest who raised Samuel. A Himalek seems suspicious, but doesn't ask a lot of questions except for why David is alone, and David lies to him. The first thing we need to address here is that David lies to protect his own life.

This is less like Rahab's lie to protect the spies and more like Abraham's lie that Sarah was his sister. When David lies like this, it suggests he doesn't believe God's promise to make him king. And his lie leads to the slaughter of many innocent people and priests. The second thing we need to address is that the holy bread is only supposed to be eaten by the priest.

We see a Himalayan make a concession here, people over-process. And it's hard to know how to feel about this at the time. However, Jesus refers to this rule-bending in Matthew 12 as a reminder that inherent in the law is the spirit of the law, which is that God values mercy over law. While all this is happening, there's another man there who's probably a prisoner of war, Doug the Edomite. Saul had defeated the Edomites, you may recall that they're the descendants of Issa. They were Israel's closest relatives, but also one of their biggest enemies. Doug pays attention to everything that's happening. He may think that any information

he gains can serve as his ticket to freedom. He watches carefully as David takes Goliath's sword, the one he used to behead him, and flees to the land of the Philistines. David goes into enemy territory to escape Saul. First, he goes to meet Akish, the Lord over the city of Gath, who recognizes him. David may have wanted to offer himself to Akish as a mercenary, but the people of Gath, who recognizes him. David may have wanted to offer himself to Aakish as a mercenary, but the people of Gath

are suspicious of David, so he starts acting insane and flees Felistia to go back to Judah. He lives in a cave for a while, and his family meets up with him there, probably because their lives might be at stake as well, on account of him. While he's there, he assembles a rag-tag bunch of followers. They were the outcasts, men who were in distress, in debt, bitter and discontent, and there were 400 of them. They leave the caves and travel east to Moab across the Jordan River, where David drops

his parents off because they're old and unfit for the fugitive lifestyle. And even though the Moabites are enemies of the Israelites, David's great-grandmother Ruth was a Moabite, so their family has some roots in the land. Plus, he and the Moabites now share a common enemy in Saul. Then David heads back west across the Jordan again and stays at the place scripture calls the stronghold. This is probably a place called Masada, which is a big rock in the middle of the Jadean desert.

But then a prophet comes and warns him to leave, so he packs up and goes to a forest. It feels like David is doing more moving around than the Israelites did in the wilderness. At one point Saul gets suspicious that all his servants and troops have betrayed him, so he gives a big speech about traders. Doug, the Edomite, seizes the opportunity to prove that he's no trader, and he spills the beans about Himalek, the priest helping David. Saul summons the Himalayan all of his crew from knob, family and co-workers and everyone, and accuses the Himalayan of being a traitor,

but he pleads innocent and ignorant. Still, Saul orders Doeg to slaughter all of them, including 85 priests. Then Saul's army goes to knob and kills everyone there as well, including animals. Ironically, Saul almost does to knob in the priest what he should have done to the amalicats in the beginning. He kills everyone there as well, including animals. Ironically, Saul almost does to knob in the priest what he should have done to the amalicats in the beginning. He kills everyone, almost everyone.

One of the Himalek's sons escapes. His name is Abiyathar, and he finds David and tells him what happened. David knows he's the reason that Abiyathar's whole family has been massacred, so he pledges loyalty to him, and Abiyathar becomes David's priest for life. Cut to a city in Judah called Keala. It's under the attack of the Philistines, so David is trying to decide if he should go there to help out. David consults with God twice, and God promises

and grants victory. But then Saul gets word of David's whereabouts, and he's like, yes, we found him. All my dreams are coming true. He rallies everybody to go down after him. David suspects all this is happening though, so he inquires of God again and God gives him the inside track. By this time, David's crew has grown to 600 men, but despite how many there are, Saul can't find them.

He keeps seeking David unsuccessfully. I've got news for you Saul, you'll never get what God won't give. Next, David and his crew go to the wilderness of Ziff. It's a desert wasteland in the allotment for Judah. And guess who shows up? Jonathan, he comes to acknowledge that David is Israel's next king, not him,

despite the tradition of primogeniture, and that both he and his father know that now. Meanwhile, some people from Ziff tip Saul off that David is there, and Saul's like, but are you sure? And he has them double check before he makes another trip in the desert.

Can't say I blame him. They confirm it, so he heads down and wouldn't you know it. As soon as David is with insight, Saul gets word that the Philistines have attacked and he has to rush back to war, foiled again. Then David leaves Ziff for an oasis called Ingeti in the Judean wilderness.

Saul comes back after fighting the Philistines and brings 3,000 men with him. And while David and his guys are in a cave, guess who comes into relief himself? Saul, what are the chances? God allows David to be tested here. Will he wait for God's timing or take matters into his own hands?

David's men are quoting God's promises at him as a reason for him to take action, but we don't actually see that God has said these things to David. So it's possible they're just inventing promises or misapplying something that heard. David wisely resists their words. His faith in God enables him to wait well. However, God does permit David to cut off a corner of Saul's robe. It gives David a chance to clarify his intentions with Saul. And you know this had to remind Saul of what happened in 1 Samuel 15, when he pulled off the corner of Samuel's robe, and Samuel said, The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day

and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. David has no faith in the king, but he shows respect for the king and faith in God all at once. He trusts God's sovereignty even over the timing of this wicked ruler's reign. He knows it will come to an end in God's perfect timing, and because he trusts God, he can show honor to the current King as God's anointed over their nation-state. In this exchange, Saul acknowledges that David belongs on the throne, and he asks David not to

kill his descendants. That's typically the way things happen when a new person takes the throne. They kill all the family of the former King to prevent a coup. But David keeps this promise to Saul. He also makes a similar promise to Jonathan in 2015, and he keeps that one as well. Then Saul goes home, and David and his men live in this stronghold. My God shot today was God's incredible timing. From a surprise attack by the Philistines that pull Saul away at the last minute, to Saul's need to relieve himself, just to see approaches the very cave where David was sitting. Everything we read today was so perfectly timed

at almost red-let-choreography. Back and forth and kickball change, I'm glad God invited us into this dance with him where he guides his kids, always making way to fulfill his plan, no matter what attacks the enemy has in mind. He leads so well, and he's where the joy is. Maybe you've been here a minute and you already know this,

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