Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 25:1-22

Helpful thoughts:

• Nabal’s name means fool.
• One of Nabal’s greatest faults was that no one could speak to him (He would not listen to any criticism).  This rendered him a “worthless man”. (Verse 17)
• David’s appeal was two-fold.  (1) David and Nabal were of the tribe of Judah together, and (2) David and his men had protected Nabal’s flock and servants.  (Nabal would have nothing to give if it weren’t for David’s protection.  Which was confirmed by Nabal’s servant in verse 16.)
  • Nabal mocked David and his father and dishonored their family connection.
  • Nabal rebuked David as a runaway servant of Saul. “There are many servants these days that are breaking away from their masters.”

Questions to consider:

1. What is strange about David’s oath (Verse 22)?  Who would be the ones to suffer if David didn’t execute all of Nabal’s men, whom he now considers to be his enemies?  How did David’s oath differ from Saul’s in 14:44?
2. Even though this oath seemed to possess some kind of wisdom, who does David sound most like in making the threat at all?
3. What is inconsistent with the way David has treated Saul and the way he is planning to treat Nabal?  Romans 12 was appropriate to reference yesterday, is it not worthy of consideration today as well?

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 24:1-22

Helpful ideas:

• In doing anything against Saul, David violated his conscience.
• “Out of the wicked comes wickedness.” (See Question #1 below for more info)
• Saul has now confirmed what Jonathan did in 23:17.  David will be the king.

Questions to consider:

1. Why do we do the things that we do?  Why do we say the things we say? (Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 15:18, James 1:14, Ephesians 4:22-24)
2. Whose glory did David seem to be concerned with, God’s or his own?  How did this help him grow, to have a well-calibrated conscience? (John 15:4-11, 2 Corinthians 3:18)
3. Who was going to make David the king?  Why could David not take vengeance into his own hands? (Romans 12:19)

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 23:15-29

Helpful thoughts:

• Jonathan confirms with no lack of clarity, he intends to support David as the king of Israel.
  • He communicated this to David while “strengthening his hand in God.”  Jonathan knew these things and believed them to be true and best because he was trusting in God.  He found more joy and rest in following God than in dreaming about becoming the king.
• The Ziphites were Isrealites from the tribe of Judah (David’s tribe!).
  • This betrayal was the occasion for the writing of Psalm 54.
• David was not interested in attacking Saul even though he had the high ground.  He chose to evade (We will see why tomorrow).

Questions to consider:

1. How were David and Jonathan able to have peace and joy in the midst of their difficult circumstances? Who did David entrust to help him persevere and to bring about justice?
2. What happens to our understanding and treatment of God when we decide what justice and peace are going to look like (See Saul)?
3. How has God already come to our aid and won our greatest battle on our behalf?

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 23:1-14

Helpful thoughts:

• The ephod was the way the Torah had given Israel a means of determining God’s will concerning things like this battle and whether David and his men should flee.  It was called the Urim and Thummim (Numbers 27:21) and they were kept in a pouch on the ephod.
  • The way that David heard from the Lord before going into battle is not stated.  It was perhaps simply a prophetic revelation.
• God had given the Philistines into David’s hand, but Saul’s perspective was quite different.  He was now crediting God with giving David into his hand (Verse 14 says otherwise).
• David asked the Lord questions that helped him discern how to avoid conflict with Saul and to preserve the city of Keilah.  He wasn’t looking for a fight with Saul.

Questions to consider:

1. What kinds of things do you wish you could use the Urim and Thummim for today?  What has God given us that David did not have? (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
2. Why would Saul believe that God had given David into his hand?  What would he have to base that information on besides his own desires and view of God?  Is it possible to feel very passionately about something and be wrong?  How would we know?  How can we be corrected?
3. How was David’s decision to leave Keilah the wisest and kindest thing to do?  Who benefited from his choice?

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 22:1-23

Helpful thoughts:

• The stronghold of Edom would not be David’s stronghold.  God was to be David’s stronghold.
• Saul has now made it clear to all of his men, if they withheld information from him, they are aiding his “enemy.”
• Eighty five priests and the rest of the city of Nob died that day to make an example of anyone who would side with David from that day forward, even though they all knew that David had been loyal to Saul.
  • It took an Edomite (Someone who had been detained) to be willing to carry out Saul’s order.
  • What Saul was unwilling to do to the Amalekites and king Agag under the command of the Lord, he was now willing to do to a city within his own country.  A city full of priests who were to point people to the LORD!

Questions to consider:

1. Once David heard this command from the Lord to go back to Judah, where was he the safest?  Why?
2. Why didn’t Saul try to have all the armed men executed who wouldn’t obey his command?  How would that have ended?
3. What is still the number one objective of Saul’s heart?  What kinds of things do we become willing to do when our number one objective is to exalt and preserve ourselves?  How is this mentality contrary to the work of Jesus (Philippians 2:5-8)?

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 21:1-15

Helpful thoughts:

• Word had probably spread of Saul’s pursuit of David.  Ahimelech didn’t want any trouble.
• It could be possible that the “King” to whom David was referring was the Lord (1 Samuel 8:7).  Or, David was simply lying.  We tend to try to find reasons to excuse any or all of David’s actions (And/or other OT figures, such as Abraham or Moses).  But, David was not without sin.
• The bread that David received was reserved for the sons of Aaron.  However, there were times when matters of importance required understanding the spirit of the Law over the letter of the Law.
  • Leviticus 1:12-20 gives the example of Aaron’s son not eating the meat that was given for their own sin offering.  They simply didn’t think it would be right to eat the meat that was offered for their own sin.
  • After Jesus was criticized for healing on the Sabbath, he reminded the Jews that they also circumcised on the Sabbath (John 7:21-24).
  • Jesus also mentions this very occurrence in Matthew 12.

Questions to consider:

1. Was David any safer in Gath than he was in Israel?  According to man’s perspective?  But, what about God’s?  Did it really matter where David went?  What had God promised?
2. What did the servants call David in verse 11?  What was the perception of Israel’s leadership outside of Israel?
3. How must David’s heart have felt after having to run away from Saul, begging for bread, and acting insane to escape the king in Gath?  How bad must things have seemed to him to want to go to the Philistines in the first place? (Psalm 18:1-2)

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 20:24-42

Helpful thoughts:

• Saul knew exactly what path Jonathan had chosen, and he cursed him for it.
• Instead of throwing a spear at David, this time Saul tried to pin his own son to the wall.
• David was overcome with gratitude.  Jonathan didn’t just say he was going to help David, he actually did it.  Jonathan has acted on behalf of the future King David.

Questions to consider:

1. What did Jesus say would happen within families as a result of our faith (Luke 12:49-53)?  If we have to choose between pleasing God or pleasing our family, what must we choose?
2. Why didn’t Saul understand Jonathan’s choice?  If Jonathan was thinking the same way Saul was, what would he have done?  If Saul was thinking the same way Jonathan was, what would he have done?
3. Who is your king?  To whom have you pledged your allegiance?

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 20:1-23

Helpful thoughts:

• David twice asks Jonathan to confirm that there was no guilt on his part.  Even though it seemed quite clear that Saul was in the wrong, David desired to get the beam out of his own eye if there was one. (Matthew 7:1-5)
• The defeat of David’s enemies would include the house of Saul!  But, David honored this covenant request from Jonathan by caring for the surviving member of Jonathan’s family (2 Samuel 9).
• Jonathan’s love for David was evidenced by his commitment to help David when helping him survive and succeed would only bring about the end of his own aspirations for the throne.

Questions to consider:

1. Do you have a brother or sister in Christ who you could trust to help reveal blind-spots in your life?  How could a close fellowship like this help you (And them!) to grow in Christ-likeness?
2. Why was helping David better than becoming king for Jonathan?
3. What worldly prominence or values might we be clinging to in ways that keep us from what is better in following Jesus?  (See Philippians 3 for Paul’s testimony)