This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the
books of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for
COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
1SAMUEL
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.
2 And 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.
3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.
5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.
David escaped to the caves of Adullam (caves in the vicinity of the city of Adullam - on the Southwest of Jerusalem in the territory of Judah).
6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)
7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;
8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10 And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
Here is a picture of an insecure king. He sits with a spear in his hand as if he believes that everyone is "out to get him." Saul's mind is totally preoccupied with David being his successor (verse 7). In his mind, Saul sees a conspirator under each cloak (verse 8). Because of his disobedience and the realization of the loss of hi joy in the Lord, he is constantly casting accusations at those around him (verse 7-8).
11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?
15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.
When Doeg told Saul how David had gone to Ahimelech the priest, Saul called Ahimelech. Saul accused him of conspiracy, even though he knew that David was anointed to become the successor to his throne.
16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.
17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.
18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
Saul's insecurity and preoccupation with David now turns to fierce anger. He ordered the execution of Ahimelech and all his family. But none of the Israelite warriors would carry out the orders.
20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests.
22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.
23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech, escaped. He went to David and told him what happened. David was heartbroken and realized that it was HIS lie that had caused this horrible destruction (verse 22).
Please continue to follow along with us in Bible Study.
CHAPTER 22
Notice that this distressed servant of God now becomes a leader to all others who were distressed (verse 2). Sometimes God GIVES us trouble so we can HELP others.
If a Christian becomes distressed because of the difficulties of life, he should not LEAVE church, he should become a MINISTER to otherse in distress. Use your experiences to help other peole. Tell them how you were bolstered in your faith when you relied upon God and His grace. This is what David did.
Just read Psalm 22 and Psalm 23, and you can see how David shared his testimony of God's grace in troubled times.
David also sent his family away to the king of Moab and asked him to keep the family safe until God delivered him.
Gad, the prophet, came to David and told him that God wanted David to go to the forest of Hareth.
OH! What a lesson Christians can learn here! When we sin, let us go willingly before God and confess and forsake our sin (1John 1:9). God is faithful to forgive and cleanse. Then we can reside in the peace and joy of His salvation and not become caustic in our attitude toward others.
Doeg had "stretched" the truth and said that Ahimelech had prayed and asked of God concerning David (verse 10). Ahimelech flatly denied that and stated that he'd only done what he felt the king would want considering that Daivd was Saul's son-in-law.
Well, there's ole Doeg the Edomite again! He killed Ahimelech and some 84 more priests of his family. Also he raided the city of Nob, where Ahimelech's kinfol lived and killed everything alive there.
Lying leads to murder.
Hardened hearts lead to murder.
Many righteous people have been murdered by caustic attitudes.
Many lost people have been left to die without Christ because of bad examples instead of pure witness.
OH! How we need to come before God daily in brokenness and plead for Him to guide us in grace, mercy, goodness and truth!
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory: but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."(Philippians 2:3)
And Hebrews 12:15 says,
"Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."
Bitterness can cause a loss of God's grace - which we NEED daily.
A lie has been the match to light many a fire of bitterness and destruction. David learned a great lesson from this. Later he wrote
"....A Psalm of David, I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me."(Psalm 39:1)
Abiathar was given shelter with David. Later, when David became king, he appointed Abiathar and Zadok as priests in the king's court. Abiathar was faithful to David all during David's kingdom.
I think Abiathar's life tells us something about David. His faithfulnes to David for over 40 years certainly shows that he believed David's heart was genuinely toward God. He realized that David really had no intention of causing the destruction of that family. And obviously, Abiathar forgave David for the harm he'd brought to Abiathar's family.
Later, when Solomon and Adonijah were fighting to be successors of David, Abiathar supported Adonijah. But Solomon did not kill Abiathar because of this; instead he showed him mercy. And the REASON cited that Solomon showed mercy toward Abiathar was his faithfulness to David (see 1Kings 2:26-27).
What a man was this David! When he suffered the greatest stress, and bent to sin beneath it, his heart was humbled toward God! When he realized his sin, he owned up to it, confessed, and begged forgiveness. Then he did all he could personally do to set matters right.
THIS is the character of a man of God!