David Made Good His Escape

1 Samuel 19:1-24

1 Samuel 19:10b

David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

1. Read verses 1-7. What does Saul tell his son and all the attendants to do to David? (1a) How does Jonathan warn David? (1b-3) What does Jonathan say to Saul concerning David? (4,5) What is Saul’s response? (6) What does Jonathan do?(7)

2. Read verses 8-10. What does David do when war breaks out, and what is the result? (8) What happens to Saul after David’s victory against the Philistines? (9) What does Saul do to David? (10a) What does David do? (10b)

3. Read verses 11-17. Why does Saul send men to David’s house? (11a) How does Michal help David? (11b,12) How does Michal deceive Saul’s men? (13-16) What does Michal say to her father about her actions? (17)

4. Read verses 18-24. Who does David go to after escaping? (18) What does Saul do when he finds out where David is? (19,20a) What happens to the men that Saul sends to capture David?(20b, 21) What does Saul decide to do after he sends his men to capture David three times? (22) What happens to Saul? (23, 24) How does God protect David from Saul? What can we learn from this?

David Made Good His Escape

1 Samuel 19:1-24

1 Samuel 19:10b

David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

In this passage, we will see the providence of God in the life of David especially in time of trials. God protected David through

[1] Jonathan: persuasion (v1-7)

[2] a missed spear (v8-10)

[3] Michal: escape from his house (v11-17)

[4] The Spirit of God: Saul prophesying (v18-24)

May God open our eyes to see the providence of God in our life so that we can fully trust Him and praise Him in the midst of trial!

1. Read verses 1-7. What does Saul tell his son and all the attendants to do to David? (1a) How does Jonathan warn David? (1b-3) What does Jonathan say to Saul concerning David? (4,5) What is Saul’s response? (6) What does Jonathan do?(7)

1-1) Read verses 1-7.

1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan was very fond of David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. 3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.” 4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?” 6 Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.” 7 So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.

1-2) What does Saul tell his son and all the attendants to do to David? (1a)

a) Saul commanded his son and all his servants to kill David.

Previously, Saul tried to kill David by himself privately. (1 Sam 18:11)

He also tried to kill David by the Philistines before. (1 Sam 18:21-25)

Now, he wanted to kill David publicly. (v1a)

He commanded his son and all his servants to kill David.

b) Saul wanted to kill David because of his jealousy. (1Sam 18:9)

David became more popular than Saul after he killed Goliath.

c) Jealousy comes from greed. [Desire to have more: idolatry]

Greed is a form of idolatry. (Col 3:5)

Ultimately, greed comes from rejecting [the sovereignty of] God.

How important it is to be content under the sovereignty of God.

1-3) How does Jonathan warn David? (1b-3)

a) Jonathan [meaning of his name: “YHWH has given”] was very fond of David. (v1b)

He delighted greatly in David.

Jonathan had a covenant with David. (1 Sam 18:3)

b) Jonathan warned David.

My father (Saul) is looking for a chance to kill you.

Be on your guard: Hiding and stay there.

I will speak to my father (Saul) about you and tell you what I find out.

c) Jonathan disobeyed his father.

We should obey our parents; submit to the government, to employers, and church

Leaders.

But we must obey God; His word is more important than anything.

If people including parents command us to do things which God commands not to

do. Then we should obey God, rather than our parents (men). (Acts 5:29)

1-4) What does Jonathan say to Saul concerning David? (4,5)

a) Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul, his father.

“Let not the king do wrong [sin] to his servant David.”

Jonathan told his father that killing David is sin.

Murder out of anger and jealousy breaks the 10 commandments.

b) Jonathan provides convincing reasons not to kill David.

i) David’s perspective

Morally: David did not wrong you. (innocent)

Practically: What David has done has benefited you (Saul) greatly.

David’s Sacrifice for Saul: David risked his life to kill the Philistine.

Therefore, killing David is against an innocent man.

ii) God’s perspective: Spiritually

The Lord won a great victory for Israel.

It was from God: it was for God.

Therefore, killing David is against God.

iii) Saul’s perspective: Morally

Personal experience: You (Saul) saw it (killing Goliath) and were glad.

Morally: Killing David would be wrong.

Therefore killing David is against you (Saul); your conscience.

1-5) What is Saul’s response? (6)

a) Saul listened to Jonathan.

He was persuaded because it was more reasonable: morally, spiritually, and practically.

He became humble before his son.

b) He took this oath.

“David will not be put to death.”

He might be sincere at this time, but eventually, changed his mind.

1-6) What does Jonathan do?(7)

a) Jonathan brought David to Saul.

He worked as a peace maker between Saul and David.

b) Jonathan trusted his father.

In some sense, he was naïve or did not know who his father was.

Eventually, his father, Saul betrayed him later.

2. Read verses 8-10. What does David do when war breaks out, and what is the result? (8) What happens to Saul after David’s victory against the Philistines? (9) What does Saul do to David? (10a) What does David do? (10b)

2-1) Read verses 8-10.

8 Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him. 9 But an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

2-2) What does David do when war breaks out, and what is the result? (8)

a) David went out and fought with the Philistines.

David was faithful to his duty; loyal to king Saul.

He might fight the battle harder than anyone to convince Saul not to kill him.

b) He had great victory:

David struck them with such force and they fled before him

2-3) What happens to Saul after David’s victory against the Philistines? (9)

a) Evil spirits came upon Saul.

He was tempted by an evil spirit.

b) David’s victory might cause Saul’s jealousy again.

2-4) What does Saul do to David? (10a)

a) Saul attacked David with his spear.

Due to jealousy, Saul was not able to hold his hatred toward David.

Despite his oath before God and his son, he decided to kill David again.

b) Power of sinful desire [jealousy and hatred]:

Sinful desire is too powerful for Saul to control.

Saul did not have any power to do good.

Jealousy is extremely dangerous; twisting everything even the truth.

Jealousy causes extreme pain; bone-twisting pain

2-5) What does David do? (10b)

a) David eluded (escape) from Saul: Saul’s spear missed.

Then he ran for his life. He was a refuge for about 20yrs:

From this until David became the king of Israel

b) Why God allowed this kind of trials to David?

We should be able to see the protection/provision of God in the life of David.

To discipline him as a man of God.

Through these, David learned to trust God; the power, grace, love of God.

All his psalms came from his personal relationship with God.

Saul’s intention was evil, but God used this evil for the greater goodness. (Gen

50:20)

3. Read verses 11-17. Why does Saul send men to David’s house? (11a) How does Michal help David? (11b,12) How does Michal deceive Saul’s men? (13-16) What does Michal say to her father about her actions? (17)

3-1) Read verses 11-17

11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head. 14 When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, “He is ill.” 15 Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16 But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”

3-2) Why did Saul send men to David’s house? (11a)

a) Saul sent men to David’s house to kill David in the morning.

It was when he failed to kill David by his spear.

He decided to send others to kill him in his house.

b) Saul’s wickedness is getting worse.

Saul’s oath to God came to nothing.

Jonathan was not able to protect David anymore.

3-3) How did Michal help David? (11,12)

a) Michal warned David to run for his life immediately.

Although she was a Saul’s daughter, but she was David’s wife.

She supported her husband in time of crisis.

b) She said, “You will be killed tomorrow”.

Somehow, Michal knew David’s imminent danger.

Possibly, she noticed men from Saul around her house.

c) She let David down through a window and he fled and escaped.

Michal helped David by letting David down through a window.

d) David’s heart at that time. (Psalm 59)

David desperately prayed to God for His protection. (Psa 59:1,2)

David faithfully expressed his trust in God. (Psa 59:9,10)

David wholeheartedly praised God in time of trouble. (Psa 59:16,17)

3-4) How does Michal deceive Saul’s men? (13-16)

a) Michal took an idol.

The idol was teraphim, a household idol, and a fertility and good luck charm.

Previously, people of Israel removed all kinds of idols before. (1Sam 7:4)

Obviously, some of them [Saul’s family] started worshiping idols again.

b) Michal had an idol at home.

This shows her spiritual problem, which became worse later. (2Sam 6:16-23)

Probably, David did not know about this. [He should have known this.]

Probably, David was not able/ no time to purify his wife spiritually. (Eph 5:26)

3-5) What does Michal say to her father about her actions? (17)

a) She lied to her father to protect herself.

She described David as a man who would murder his wife.

b) Michal; an idol worshiper and a liar.

Daughter and Father are both unfaithful to God.

Outwardly, she was a princess in the kingdom of Israel.

Inwardly, she was an idol worshiper and liar.

c) Saul said David as “My enemy”:

David was faithful servant to Saul.

But Saul considered David as his enemy.

How mistakenly we treat our faithful brothers/sisters in Christ as enemies.

4. Read verses 18-24. Who does David go to after escaping? (18) What does Saul do when he finds out where David is? (19,20a) What happens to the men that Saul sends to capture

David?(20b, 21) What does Saul decide to do after he sends his men to capture David three

times? (22) What happens to Saul? (23, 24) How does God protect David from Saul? What can we learn from this?

4-1) Read verses 18-24

18 When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 19 Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men and they also prophesied. 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said. 23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay that way all that day and night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

4-2) Who does David go to after escaping? (18)

a) David went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him:

David sought godly advice from Samuel.

b) How difficult it is to give any advise in this tragic situation.

Samuel might just have just listened to David’s agony and pray for him to trust

God’s sovereignty.

4-3) What does Saul do when he finds out where David is? (19,20a)

a) Saul sent men to capture David.

Saul is persistently wicked, never give up.

4-4) What happens to the men that Saul sends to capture David?(20b, 21)

a) Saul kept sending men to kill David three times.

God kept sending the Spirit of God to protect David.

b) Saul’s men prophesied with a group of prophets

because the Spirit of God came upon them.

c) The Spirit of God came upon people who did not seek God or want to be filled with the Spirit.

because God was protecting David.

because possibly God was sending the messages to Saul; to stop seeking to kill David.

4-5) What does Saul decide to do after he sends his men to capture David three times? (22)

a) Saul went to Ramah to kill David.

He was determined to kill David against God’s will.

b) Saul knew that killing David was against God’s will.

But he tried it anyway because he did not fear God.

4-6) What happens to Saul? (23, 24)

a) The Spirit of God was upon Saul as well:

Saul also prophesied. (1 Sam 10:10-13)

b) Saul stripped off his robes and prophesied in Samuel’s presence.

God exposed Saul’s wickedness symbolically.

c) What does it mean ‘prophesying/prophesied?’

Prophesying, not only predicting the future, but also speaking the words of God.

Prophesying is also involved praising the Lord (10:10-13; 1Chro 25:1-3)

Saul’s prophecy has nothing to do with salvation or spiritual regeneration.

4-7) How does God protect David from Saul?

God protected David through

i) Jonathan: persuasion (v1-7)

ii) a missed spear (v8-10)

iii) Michal: escape from his house (v11-17)

iv) The Spirit of God: Saul prophesying (v18-24)

4-8) What can we learn from this?

God protects us with His power.

God is in absolute, complete, and total control of our lives.

In Conclusion,

Sometimes, God leads us to the difficult situations like David. And sometimes, we do not understand the ways of God. But God works in higher ways and He keeps His promises to protect his own. May God grant us the Holy Spirit so that we can be sure that your control upon our lives is absolute and total.

David Made Good His Escape 

1 Samuel 19:1-24   

Key verse: 10b

“That night David made good his escape.”

First of all the word “escape” originated from two Latin words: Ex & Cappa which mean to go out of one’s mantle or what covers one.  In ch 16, David was anointed to be a king. In ch 17 God gave David victory over Goliath. In 18, David has been very successful continually. It seems to be a rosy road for him. But from this point on he was harassed by Saul’s jealousy. But there was God’s will behind this and God was training him to be the future king; ultimately producing our true and eternal King Jesus Christ. If David had an easy rise to power, he would be an unstable leader, similar to Saul. But through hardships, David is getting familiar with suffering until he learns to be humble and depend on God.  This experience must have shaped his future leadership. May God help us to learn how to escape in the Lord. 

Part 1. Jonathan defends David(1-7)

In this first part David was able to escape thanks to his loyal friend, Jonathan. In the previous chapter, Saul wanted to kill David by throwing his spear twice as well as several evil schemes. But none of these worked. More surprisingly, none of these changed his heart. HYPERLINK "http://www.studylight.org/desk/?q=1sa+18:29&t=en_nas&sr=1" \t "_blank"  Look at v 1. “Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. but Jonathan had taken a great liking to David ” Imagine! Saul might quote Scripture and said, “Jonathan, the Bible says “Honor your father. I’m your father and your king. You must submit to me and my authority. Go kill David. You are in the perfect place to do so for he trusts you. God has put you in that place so you can obey me now! Just do it!” Was Jonathan supposed to obey his father? No way! He loved David as himself. He knew God was with him, so he wanted to support him according to God’s will. As for Jonathan, God’s authority is much higher than his father’s. How about Saul’s servants? They were great admirers of David, but now became cold; not one of them speaks up for him. What a difficult place it’s for David! Who can he trust? At this atmosphere, in loyalty to David, Jonathan helped him. Look at v 2-3. “and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.  I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.” Also Jonathan now speaks to Saul. Look at v.  4, 5. “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. ⁵ He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The LORD won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?” Jonathan spoke well of David to his father, “Father you have a certain opinion of David. But I don’t share that opinion. I love and support David. You should also submit to God’s will and authority.” It took a lot of courage. Jonathan was bold enough to tell his father that his anger and jealousy against David was nothing but sin. It’s because Saul twisted the truth with his envy to murder David. Saul could not believe that David killed Goliath for a righteous reason. In his mind, he thought that David did it to become famous and to take his throne by saying, “I have to kill this guy before he kills me!” Jonathan tried hard to bring him back to his own senses. Look at v 6. “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.” Thank God. Saul listened Jonathan and even took this oath. And the command to kill David has been nullified. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence. Saul and David are together again as in the “good old days” thanks to Jonathan’s loyal friendship.

Part 2. David escapes from an evil spirit (8-10)

In this part David escaped from Saul who changed his mind again. Look at v 8. “Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.” However it was David’s success that aroused Saul’s jealousy as before. When David was successful again, surely Saul would be tempted to jealousy again. Look at v 9-10. “But an evil spirit from the LORD came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre,¹⁰ Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.” Evil spirits were more than ready to attack Saul, for he was very vulnerable. Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear. What happened to Saul’s change of heart? What happened to his oath that David would not be killed not long ago? All of that was thrown away as easily as the spear was thrown. Saul might think that it just happened. But it didn’t “just happen.” Saul was liable and unprepared to handle temptation and spiritual attack. The devil is opportunistic and had the opportunity to sin close at hand. It’s much like a certain microorganism that is harmless to a healthy person but debilitates a person whose immune system has been weakened. Saul gives in to circumstance instead of mastering his sin.

But by God’s grace David made good his escape that night and fled. David never returned to the palace until he becomes a king of Israel - some 20 years later! From now until the day Saul dies, David lives his life as a fugitive. David was probably scared, angry, confused, and hurt when he left the palace that night. A lot of thoughts must have come into his mind, “I thought everything would be fine since Jonathan had persuaded his father. Where was Jonathan when I needed him? I should have killed Saul this time when he threw his spear at me for a total now of three times.  How could God allow this?” But from God’s point view there was a clear meaning and purpose behind this. Saul meant it for evil, but the LORD meant it for good. Surely God is big enough to work through all things that happen to David, for David’s own good in his life.

Part 3. David flees from Saul thanks to his wife (11-17)

In this 3rd part David escaped thanks to his wife. Look at v 11. “ Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.”’ Usually women are more sensible than men. Michal, David’s wife, saw the “hit men” coming before he did, and she also knew the character of her father better than David did. She told him, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. Michal, David’s wife saves the day. Michal is Saul’s daughter, so there is a conflict of loyalties for Michal. She might wonder if she is acting in her father’s interests & authority or in her husband’s interests & authority. Here she makes the right choice and supports her husband David. Gen 2:24 reads, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Though the Genesis passage speaks specifically of the husband, it is a principle that applies to both partners in a marriage: that the former family loyalties and obligations take a back seat to the loyalty and obligation to the new family under God. She might have said, “David I am here to save your life. Let me tell you what to do.” Instead, she simply told him, “This is what I see. Now it is up to you.” Thank God! David listened to his wife. David did a good job to accept the warning from his wife. Men including me are sometimes so hard headed & hard hearted that they never hear how God might warn them on and off through their wives. If David had ignored this warning because he was too stubborn to listen to his wife, he might have ended up dropping dead. But thank God David listened to her and made an escape successfully!  That night, when David escaped, he prayed and composed a song found in HYPERLINK "http://www.studylight.org/desk/?q=ps+59:1-17&t=en_nas&sr=1" \t "_blank"  Psalms 59. David takes his case before God. “Deliver me from my enemies, O God(1). In this way he takes his case to the Lord in prayer. David ends it with thanks, “You are my strength, I sing praise to you;  you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.”

Look at v 13-17. Michal deceives the men who came to kill David by saying, “He is now sick.” Then Saul sent the messengers again and said, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” When the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’“ God gave her wits & wisdom to escape herself, too. 

Part 4. David flees to Naioth (18-24)

In this last part David wisely escapes by visiting his shepherd. Look at v 18. ^“When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.” Having run away at night from his own house, he could have fled to his hometown, Bethlehem to his father, 7 brothers, and his old friends. He could have attempted to overthrow the authority of the state. But David ran straight to visit Samuel at Ramah; his spiritual father who anointed him as the next king. He needed spiritual guidance instead of human love or comfort from his family. He made the right move.  David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. David might pour out his heart by saying, “Samuel, you anointed me as king, don’t you? Look at what is happening! It’s hard for me. Why is the LORD allowing this?” “Samuel, soon Saul will come. Do I need a sword or gather soldiers?” However Samuel could have told him, “Come down young man! What you really need is to wait on the Lord and worship Him together with us for he is in control. Let’s have 1:1  to have one word of God now and let’s pray with me and other disciples.” 

Look at v 19-21. Now it was told to Saul, that “David is at Naioth in Ramah!” Then Saul sent messengers to take David. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. In such a way God was protecting David, and it’s His way of “disarming” those who came to capture him. Also it’s the Holy Spirit’s warning to these men and to Saul. “I don’t want David captured. I am sending these men home empty handed. Instead of seeking to kill David, you should seek God’s will and submit to His authority.” However when Saul was told about what happened over there, he did not get the message. So he sent other messengers, but they prophesied again. Saul still did not get it. Then Saul sent messengers a third time, and they prophesied too. Three sets of messengers come back, and God must have said the same thing to Saul, “Leave David alone. You will never win this battle against Me and against David.”  

Did Saul give up his plan then? No, Look at v 22-24. ^“Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.  So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” He also stripped off his clothes and prophesied: The Spirit prompted Saul to do this as an expression of deep humility. Saul would not humble himself before God but the sovereign God made a way to humble him. It reminds me of Psalm 2:2, “The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed” Again the bottom line is that this intensified tension has arisen because the king rejected by God was still in power, while the king chosen by God was yet to begin his reign. Surely Saul heard from others and had concluded from his own observations that “the Lord was with him.” (16:18; 18:12, 14, 28) But despite all these, he vehemently rejected the fact that David was the one of whom Samuel had spoken - the man after God’s own heart, (13:14) a neighbor of yours who is better than you. (15:28) Saul was still against the will of God in a stubborn way. But God and His anointed one won’t be changed. When Saul despised the authority of the almighty God, he couldn’t succeed. This is not only the case with Saul. It can happen to anyone, anytime, and anyplace when they choose to disobey God’s will and authority.

Last November, a letter from China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, was delivered to North Korea’s leader, Kim Jung Un, with a simple message: Do not launch a ballistic missile. Twelve days later, Kim did just that. Furthermore Kim carried out a third nuclear test two months ago, making North Korea’s relationship with China fall apart. Interestingly a temporary friendship between China and the USA has been established for traditionally North Korea used to rely on Chinese sovereignty but now chose to take part in a display of power in her advanced missiles and nuclear capabilities. The opposing wills of the leader of nations can lead to war. Likewise it is a part of actual human life and real human relationships to find one’s own will to be against the will of another. Even a two year old child discovers the satisfaction of asserting his own will, only to find himself up against the will of a parent. The Bible clearly speaks of a conflict of wills. On the one hand there is the will of God, the creator of and sovereign ruler over all things. His will entirely good. On the other hand there are the wills of human beings, which are consistently set against the will of God. The Bible shows us that this conflict is the reason that human wills are so often in conflict with one another. If our wills were all in harmony with God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will, we would be in harmony with each other. May the Lord help us to acknowledge and submit to the will of God and his Anointed One, Jesus and live a harmonious life.

Although David was the anointed one in this passage, he is a mere image of our true Lord Jesus, God’s anointed One. Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. Matthew 28:18-20 read, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Lately we’re impressed by Dr. James Kim who is energetic at his old age to serve God’s mission for he believes God’s authority over all nations including North Korea. Inasmuch, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the announcement to the whole world that the will and the purpose of God is that all things should come under the ultimate rule of his anointed one, Jesus Christ. Phil 2:9-11 read, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Here let us think about what might have happened to David personally? At this portion of the passage, David did not say anything but remained silent to observe what God was doing. He must have acknowledged and understood God’s sovereignty and absolute authority for everyone. After escaping several times, now David must have learned how to lean on the Lord for human help is limited. Personally I believe that this is a turning point in his life in relying on the Lord. From this point on, whenever he runs into difficulties, he always chooses to ask for God’s help and ends up praising the Lord. This is the discrepancy between Saul who gave in to his failure and David who escaped himself in the Lord. In this way he wrote many prayers in the book of Psalms. In particular from today’s chapter on, David wrote many poems in the book of Psalms. They are direct expressions of his soul before God in the time of despair. As we study the portion of 1 Samuel concerning David, we can also find how David personally struggled before God in the book of Psalms.  David might learn how to live in a safe way by escaping in the Lord. In such a way his personal example becomes a road map for all of us who are in deep need and the person in danger or in persecution. David had to go through so many misunderstandings and conflicts. Often, he must have been tempted to give up during such hard struggles. But he never gave in because he was trained like in today’s passage and learned how to rely on the Lord.  Becoming a human king itself is not a main goal but God intended to raise him up as true leadership material; that is the name of the game throughout the book of Samuel and he will be blessed as an image of Jesus Christ. Again it reminds me of Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This Psalm ends in v 31, “for he has done it.” Its original Hebrew means, “It is finished” - that is the same remark with the very last cry of Jesus on the cross. In this way he saw through his Lord, his fortress and his personal Lord Jesus Christ who suffered and died for his sins and all mankind. When he had a deep personal relationship with God, he was like a tree planted by streams of water yielding its fruits in season and out of season. 

I heard that some of our second gen children want to escape from UBF when they go to colleges because they want to experience life differently. I understand where they’re coming from. But it may not necessarily be the best choice. I pray that they may make good their escape in the living words of God and find themselves in the Lord very personally and grow as godly leaders like David. 

Also I can not miss one more point that David must have learned from Samuel who shepherds over him through spiritual battle. It reminds me of our recent daily bread from the book of Jeremiah. In such a tender age, God anointed Jeremiah, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” God pointed out to him by saying that I have put my words in your mouth. It means that God’s word has absolute authority and power of creation as well as final judgement. Samuel also must have understood this and rather than being despaired in those days when all Israel did as they saw fit, he carried God’s vision that a group of prophets were light of the world. So Samuel brought up disciples although he had to retire early. In this way he focused on raising up many young Bible teachers filled with Spirit and they were able to teach the absolute and sovereign will of true King, Jesus Christ.

Last week we were literally overwhelmed by breaking news in America such as Boston bombings, highly poisonous (risin) letters, and the explosion in Texas. So we are naturally getting concerned about daily safety. But regardless of all happenings, God is in control because he is the owner of our history. So we put trust in him, his authority, and obey his will.  May the Lord help us to raise up many disciples in this generation to serve all nations. In this way America may be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation once again. 

In 1995 when I came here, I dreamt many dreams to be a successful missionary. But soon I was like David at this passage who met many difficulties and challenges. For instance when we tried to bring our first son Moses to CA from Korea, it looked like it would be impossible for several years. But when we learned to pray without giving up, God brought him here at his right time. Also when we had hard time receiving green cards for more than 9 years, miraculously it was granted in his right time after proper faith training. Msn Esther had a difficult situation due to one patient’s complaint to CA dental board, but God sent the best attorney to defend her. Her attorney then passed away one month after he’d represented her and handled her case skillfully. In many other cases God took care of us again and again with his abundant mercy and grace.

I had to rely on Jonathan like sacrificial servants; M. Isaac Kim or M. John Kwon to survive. Also thanks to my wife’s faith and prayer, I was able to continue to stay in this mission field. Since then I have gradually learned how to rely on the Lord himself. God helped me to lean on His word of promise and helped me to pray earnestly before the Lord. So I learned the fact that like David, ultimately it is hinged upon my personal faith and trust in the Lord in any situation. So I couldn’t but come to the conclusion that God is living and still working in my life so that his purpose may stand powerfully and it is fulfilled by his own zeal and grace. Like Samuel’s group of prophets by God’s grace I’ve been participating in Bible note committee and messenger’s meeting. Like David I am able to boldly confess and conclude that I am in the safest place in the world as long as there is the authority of God’s word and the clear purpose of world mission in my heart. Praise our faithful sovereign Lord who recharges us with His living words so that we could submit ourselves to his will and authority. Through preparing this passage I renewed my heart to live by faith. I may continually make good escape in Him in this short life and render glory to the Lord. When I am struggling to make disciples, I can be faced with some conflicts and misunderstandings. But through the Spring Bible conference, I learned of Jesus’ suffering to be humiliated until he became a man of complete obedience to the will and authority of God his heavenly Father and bring salvation to all sinners on earth by saying, “It is finished!” Through God’s vision, I saw that all young students may know Jesus deeply. May the Lord have mercy on me and increase my personal faith so that I may continually claim victory night and day to render glory to Him.  David points out in Psalm 34:19, “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all” Amen. 

One word:  David made good his escape

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