Devotional comment on 1 Samuel for Aug 17 to Aug 23
These free devotions from a Reformed Presbyterian understanding of the Word of God may be used for personal or family devotions. I suggest you read verses around the daily verse as well, to get the wider context; and also choose another passage of Scripture to read. Any feedback on the way in which this attempt to serve the church can be improved please let me know by emailing covenanter@covenantedreformation.com. These devotions are of course not copyrighted and can be freely given to others.
1 Samuel
Lord’s Day 17th August
Are You Grateful?1 Sam 22: 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’.
How has God blessed David at this point, even though he is still fearful and in danger? The provision of family, a band of men and the arrival of the prophet, second only to Samuel in importance, will surely have strengthened David and enabled him to continue on.
There are a lot of lonely people in the world. Have you family and friends who stick with you through thick and thin? Are you grateful enough for that blessing? There are so many who have nobody. Perhaps you have been selfishly worrying about matters which are really quite petty and minor, and yet you have this great support from family and friends. Today can you think of anyone who is not in such a blessed position? Why not contact them and embrace them more closely as a dear friend?
Monday 18th August
Don’t Just Assume1 Sam 22: 1-9 ‘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. 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.’
There is something else we read about in this chapter which is unrelated to the blessedness of God’s grace. What is the significance of the description of Saul in verse 6?
Saul is not in royal splendour, but sitting under a tree, when he hears of David’s movements. His spear is important as a symbol of his royal authority, but also reminds us of his evil intent. He has used this spear before to try and kill David and his own son Jonathan. In verse 7 we see that Saul appeals to the self interest of the Benjamites. Just as Saul has favoured the Benjamites, so David of the tribe of Judah will favour the Judahites. This takes our mind back to Samuel’s warnings of what a king would do in Ch. 8:11-18. But is Saul correct about his conspiracy theory?
In verse 8, Saul complains of a conspiracy involving his own son. It was a conspiracy, he says, that was aided and abetted by Saul’s own servants because they failed to warn him of the situation. He claims that David lies in ambush to kill him. Of course, it was not a conspiracy at all — it was a pact between David and Jonathan to escape Saul’s evil intentions. Doeg, Judas-like, reveals that he saw David in Nob.
When he says that the priest Ahimelech was seeking guidance from the Lord for David, that was enough for Saul to pour out his murderous intent upon the priests of Nob. As if God was just there for the benefit of certain people. His feeding him and giving him Goliath’s sword was further fuel to the fire of Saul’s rage.
Are you ever jealous that God has assisted others and yet seems not to give you what you want? This is always a temptation for God’s people. Certainly God has helped David, but David was also in a tremendous bind. Often those who seem to have it all are really struggling in a way you are completely unaware of. Perhaps you are always careful to try and encourage those believers you see are in dire straits. But have you considered that the Christian brother or sister who seems to have God’s blessing might also stand in need of your encouragement?
Tuesday 19th August
The Touchstone Of Sound Reasoning1 Sam 22: 10-23 ‘And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 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 enquired 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 enquire 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. 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. 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’.
Remember that Ahimelech had been told by David that David was on a mission for the King and so Ahimelech is quite innocent of any favouritism for David over against Saul. This explains his bold answer, which is just the answer of innocence. In verse 15 he is saying if there is any truth that there is a conspiracy by David against the King, he knows nothing of it. Why do the ungodly hate the honest and straightforward?
Ahimelech’s only crime was to be honest and straightforward. And this is precisely what the ungodly hate. Either they want the deceit in their lives to remain unchallenged because there is a residue of guilt there; or alternatively they are just angry that their behaviour has been exposed as unreasonable. Above all else, because Saul has no religious presuppositions, he must maintain the integrity of his own rationality or reasoning ability to justify his actions. And so when he is exposed or attacked he must retaliate. That the Israelites refuse to kill the priests should have given Saul pause to consider his course of action and his reasoning. Those around him did not agree with him in this matter as in many others. Either Saul was right and the rest were wrong or the rest were right and Saul was wrong.
But even if Saul could still conclude that he may be right while everyone else was wrong, could he have any certainty that this was the case? He should at the very least have revisited his decision to go through with a most terrible of crimes that would affect the lives of the victims and their families and the rest of his society.
Had Saul considered the Law of God, he would not have committed such a crime. Do you make a regular habit of checking to see whether your decisions are made according to the revealed will of God? Are there any decisions you should repent of?
Wednesday 20th August
God Honours Those Who Honour Him1 Sam 22: 11-23 ‘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 enquired 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 enquire 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. 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. 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’.
The death of the priests also represents another stage in the fulfilment of the prophecy concerning the family of Eli. These circumstances also presage the establishment of Jerusalem as the religious capital.
Treating Nob as if it was an enemy of Israel under the Ban, or decree to destruction, its usefulness has a religious centre is now over. And this means that Jerusalem becomes one step closer to becoming the religious capital in Israel.
Saul may have vented his rage and thought that he had given a lesson to people who would side with David, his enemy. But in reality every fair minded man and priest would now be offering up prayers for David would he not?
One priest escapes — Abiathar, who later served as chief priest jointly with Zadok until he was dismissed by Solomon (1 Kings 2:3 5). Saul’s further decline as king is demonstrated by the murder of the priests, because Saul is cut of from any further priestly help.
In our own day governments which reject the Word of God and govern according to the word of men, as Saul did, also are doomed to fail. God will not bless a society which elects the ungodly to rule according to ungodly precepts. Pray today that God will awaken the nation to realise that only when God is honoured will man be honoured (1 Sam. 2:30).
Thursday 21st August
Admit It When You Err1 Sam 22: 22-23 ‘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’.
David admits his own role in the death of the priests and is sorry for it. Yes, David’s duplicity here has contributed to this horrible slaughter. Had he been up front with Ahimelech then he at least would have had the option of framing his answer to Saul in a less naïve way.
A Christian should do this. A Christian should also admit when he is wrong. David did not use the excuse that he did not know what was going to happen and therefore could not have foreseen the tragic event. And he admits in verse 22 that he had a premonition that Doeg would surely tell Saul that he had seen David and heard him in the Tabernacle.
Are there statements or decisions you have made which have hurt others, and which were wrong? Why not contact the offended party today and acknowledge this?
Friday 22nd August
The Power Of Example1 Sam 22: 22-23 ‘ 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’.
Notice the humility of David when this event occurs. He does not deny his part in it even though the evil should quite properly have been laid at the feet of Saul.
We can learn something of the humility of David - a willingness to take responsibility for his actions and words. Admission of guilt is the highest form of humility -not when you’ve been caught and you have run out of arguments, but when you admit it when there still is a place for you to wriggle out of guilt. Humility before men is lacking among men. But humility before God is equally in short supply.
Each one of us needs to admit our sin not just to men but to God. Recently a former US Senator and candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for President of that nation admitted that he had committed adultery although he did not use that term. From this distance, it appears that he only admitted wrongdoing when he was found out. It is good, nonetheless, that he has admitted his shocking behaviour to society, but we read nothing of admitting his guilt to the Triune God.
We can so easily sin carelessly thinking that our sin will be forgiven through the atoning work of Christ. This is true if we are His people and truly repent. But what if your sin involves others who are not covered by the atoning blood? Think of the power of our example. Could your example be a stumbling block for others to come to Christ?
Saturday 23rd August
We Have A Priest
Ps. 52
1 Sam 22: 21-23 ‘ 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’.Although David acknowledged his part in these tragic events, he did not forget the role of Doeg. How does Ps 52 illuminate David’s view of Doeg?
In Psalm 52, Doeg is remembered by David. This Psalm is a warning to the arrogant and wicked man. In verse 5 David writes, ‘God shall likewise destroy thee for ever.’ David then contrasts the end of the wicked Doeg with that of the righteous man. ‘The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: 7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. 9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.’
One of the reasons that David could say this stemmed from the very presence of Abiathar. A priest of God was present with him, and so his access to God was assured. Abiathar, who later became high priest along with Zadok, has come to David.
We have a high priest also. He has offered the perfect sacrifice for sin and has entered the presence of God in the highest heaven. He holds out his arms and says quite simply believe that my death upon the Cross and my perfect sacrifice is sufficient to pay for all your sin and my perfect righteousness credited to you will enable you to stand before God in absolute innocence. Now receive this gift of eternal life by simply trusting me for your salvation. And I promise to be your Great High Priest eternally pleading your innocence before the throne of God.
And is not this High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ not able to do this? He proved Himself to be God by His many miracles. He proved Himself to be approved by the Father in rising from the dead declaring the defeat of sin, death and the Devil.
Yes God’s grace is ever present to save His people. David discovered this in the cave of Adullam. And even though your sin might have had consequences that are now out of your control, God yet beckons to all those who recognize their sin to come to Him for forgiveness and eternal life.
Garnet Milne
