Let God take care of your Nabal's

1 Samuel 25:32-43

Yesterday, we left the story of Abigail being used by God to keep David from avenging an insult from her husband, Nabal.  Now let us continue the story in verses 32-36, “And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

A man who does not understand God’s ways would have ignored Abigail, her small token of food and meat would not come close to what was waiting for David and his men if they killed Nabal and his family.  But David understood something many of us miss, it is not the hours or the skill we have that provides wealth it is God.  David understood Abigail was God’s messenger and he granted her appeal. 

Now the story gets interesting, David returns to his people, and Abigail returns home to find a drunk Nabal who has had a party fit for a king.  This foolish man did not know the danger he and his men were in, until the next day when he was recovering from his hangover.  When Abigail told Nabal about what she had done and how close he had come to being killed, he had a stroke.  And for ten days he was in a coma and then he died.

Now if you like a happy ending read the rest of the story, but remember their customs were very different from ours.  “When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord who championed my cause against Nabal’s insults and restrained His servant from doing evil. The Lord brought Nabal’s evil deeds back on his own head.”
Then David sent messengers to speak to Abigail about marrying him. When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to bring you to him as a wife.”
She stood up, then bowed her face to the ground and said, “Here I am, your servant, to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers. And so she became his wife.
David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and the two of them became his wives. But Saul gave his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti, son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Lady Saves the Day

September 13, 2017

 1 Samuel 25:14-35

Yesterday, we left off where David and four hundred armed men are going to Nabal’s camp to kill him and all his people.  But God, I’m so thankful that God put in the heart of a young man in Nabal’s camp to go and share with Abigail what took place when David’s ten men arrived at Nabal’s camp.  One of the young men under Nabal realized the foolishness of Nabal’s actions and reported it to Abigail. 

Verse 17 gives a lot of information about the kind of man Nabal was and the shallow opinions his servants had of him.  Verse 17, “Now, therefore, know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”  One might read between the lines and know that this was not the first time this servant had come to Abigail to bail out her husband from harm.

Shall we look at this very wise and beautiful lady and see the actions she took to save her family and household.  Picking up the story in verses 18-31: “Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband, Nabal. And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”

When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

Now it is necessary for us to understand this, Abigail treated David as superior and humbled herself before him.  She called her husband a worthless man yet she interceded with David to save his life.  She also suggested she was the LORD’s agent in keeping David from needless bloodshed.  She took responsibility for Nabal’s sin against David and his men and talked about David’s future as a lasting dynasty.  And it seems strange that Abigail would tell David to remember her in that she was a married woman, but time proves she was correct.  Tomorrow we will explore David’s response to Abigail.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Compares David to a runaway slave

1 Samuel 25:1-13

Being a descendant of someone does not mean you will have his or her integrity or wisdom, for Nabal was a descendant of Caleb who was a friend of Joshua.  Today we are going to examine a wealthy man named Nabal, for Scripture tells us the following; “And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Nabal and the name of his wife, Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite.”

Nabal’s home was in Maon about a mile from his workplace in Carmel, and David and his men were also in Carmel and David had given orders to not only protect the young men who watched over Nabal’s sheep but to also protect the sheep. 

So it was the time of shearing the sheep, and that is a festive occasion because the wool had great value.  So David sent ten of his young men to remind Nabal of how they had protected both sheep and shepherds and ask for a small part of his profits. 

Now at that time, it seems clear that Nabal and all of Judah and Israel were aware of David and the family he came from, and this is the way Nabal responded to the men David had sent to him.  In verses 10-12, “And Nabal answered David's servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” So David's young men turned away and came back and told him all this.”

What Nabal has done at this point is compare David to a runaway slave, and assume David has his hands full trying to keep King Saul from taking his life.  Nabal, like many today that are arrogant and insulting to the people of God, is going to find he made a big mistake.

David is not happy with the response of Nabal, and this is the account in verses 12-13, “And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.”

How do you believe Nabal and his shepherds are going to fare against David’s four hundred armed soldiers?  Tomorrow we will explore the outcome, and see a “But God” moment.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Mercy, honor and fear of the LORD

1 Samuel 24

The twenty-fourth chapter is about mercy, honor and fear of the LORD, for God had delivered King Saul into David’s hands.  It is all taking place in a cave near Wildgoats Rock, and Saul needed to relieve himself.  This is a special God moment for David and his men who are hiding in the innermost part of the cave while Saul is taking care of business.  Scripture gives this account; “And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. And afterward, David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.”

Have you ever wondered what class and honor look like?  Then read verses 8-15, “Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed.’ See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. May, the Lord judge between you and me, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! May the Lord, therefore, be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”

Now there are other messages we can take from these verses, but none more significant than trust, David trusted the Lord to protect him, Saul is outside of the cave with three thousand of the best fighting men in all of Israel.  And once David has exposed his hiding place he and his 400 to 600 men are as good as dead, “But God.” 

What does a King whose life has been spared do; we find the answer in verses 16-22?  “As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day? And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house.” And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.”

What an amazing lesson for you and me, it teaches us to fear the Lord, trusting in His grace and being grace givers, and allowing the Lord to fight our battles!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Define the word friend

September 5, 2017

1 Samuel 23:15-29

If I were I to try to define the word friend, and needed an example to make clear what friendship is, I would use Jonathan.  If someone asked me to give an example of loyalty, I would use the case of Jonathan.  First, to enter into a friendship one must have a relationship to be a friend one forms a bond, many a person believes they have friends when all they have is acquaintances.  David and Jonathan had a bond; they loved each other and wanted the best for the other.  Shall we explore the word loyalty, a trust between two or more persons, they are faithful to each other, and can rely on one another at all times?

This is what King Saul’s son Jonathan had with David, they had a relationship built on trust and love for one another.  Some of you may have had experience with the IRS coming after your resources, that’s not a good place to find yourself, but it is a walk in the park compared to the King with all his resources wanting your life.

Let’s pick up the account in 1 Samuel 23:15-18, “David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.”  Do you understand that Jonathan is putting his life at risk to come to David, that is what a friend will do?  How many face book friends are going to put their life at risk for you, try learning the meaning of the word “zero.”  Jonathan is teaching us the truth; friendship is not just a word it is always an action.  He is willing to give up his right to be King so that David may take his place.

The Ziphites are an example of betrayal, David and his men were living among them, and they went to Saul and told him where David was.  You might find Psalm 54 of interest, it is David’s crying out to the Lord for protection against his enemies.

Now as Saul came down to Ziphites, David and his men had moved to the wilderness of Maon and David was told that the King and his army were closing in on him.  David went to one side of the mountain and Saul to the other side and word came to Saul that the Philistines had made a raid on the land.  That my dear reader is a “But God” moment, for God has already said David will be the King of Israel and Judah.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Should I or should I not?

 1 Samuel 23:1-14

Should I or should I not, that a question that confronts all of us, but do we ask the question of the one that will always give us the right answer?  David had learned to seek the counsel of the LORD; men will give you their feelings, or opinions but God who all knowing will guide you in truth.  So shall we look at the question David is asking of the LORD in verses two verses of chapter 23?  “Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

So it a done deal for David or is it, no asking the question is step one, listening for the answer is step two, but then often the problem comes when those under the leader says no way am I going to do that.  It necessary to understand David not king over these people, but he is greatly respected by them.  So maybe some of the people with influence ask David to go back and make sure that what God is saying for they were fearful.

This we do know David ask the question of the LORD a second time, and this was the answer found in verse four and five. “Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.”   

Would it be wonderful if we learn something from the Scripture, no head knowledge, but application?   And doing what David is doing would serve each of us; it would be a life changer.

When you have engaged the enemy of your nation and won a major battle it hard to keep that information from the press, and it got back to King Saul he saw an opportunity to once and for all kill David and that ragtag group that was hanging out with him.  You see Keilar was a walled city with gates and one the King and his men surrounded the city David would be trapped in side.  Now Saul had no moral compass if he had to kill all the people of Keilar to kill David, so be it.

When David heard about the King’s plan he asks the Lord, the following; “Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will surrender you.” Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.” (1 Samuel 23:10-14)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Doeg of our life

1 Samuel 22:9-23

Most David’s, have a Doeg the Edomite showing up in their lives at just the wrong time.  At the time he saw David with the priest of Nob, I am sure he had no ill thoughts to either man.  But when the opportunity came for him to use that information to advance his role with the King, all changed, he is now the enemy of both men.  If you have not had a Doeg in your life yet, just wait the evil one has one waiting for you.

As recorded in Scripture, old Doeg added a little to what happened, it is not recorded that David asked for Ahimelech to inquire of the Lord for him, nor that he did so.  He did give David the bread he asked for and the sword of Goliath.  He became a tool of the evil one at the moment he made the priest look as if he was conspiring against the king.

Now it was just the changing of a few things, but to a Leader who is driven by fear and knows David is his replacement he is not willing to listen to anyone, not even the priest.  So Saul requires not only Ahimelech to come to him but all of his father’s family.  You need to put this in your mind that a leader, boss, or King that is driven by fear is not going to listen, and this poor priest had no understanding of what he was encountering.

Listen to the exchange between the King and priest; “And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” And Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.”  Note: the priest does confess he prays for David often, but once more it is not recorded he did it that day.

So King Saul does what one expects of a fool, he orders his men to kill the priest and his father’s household.  Saul runs into a problem, his most trusted servants and soldiers will not kill men who they do not believe have done anything close to a death sentence.  But who steps up to the plate, you are right on, Doeg has no problem killing eighty-five priests and every living thing in Nob.  Only one escaped he was one of Ahimelech sons, and his name was Abiathar.

As David gets the report from Abiathar you get to see something scarce in leadership, he takes the blame for what has happened to the priest and Nob.  And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. “And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me, you shall be in safekeeping.”

Why did David make such a promise to Abiathar, because God had already made a commitment to David on his Kingship over Israel and Judah?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Misfits, not Warriors

 1 Samuel 22:1-8

Often it requires more than joining the story to understand what is taking place at this time in the life of David.  David’s move or escape to the cave of Adullam puts him back in King Saul territory and once the word is out that Saul wants to kill David his family fears they also may be on the hit list.  Not only did his family come to David but also those who were in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him.  Can you imagine what that would look like in 2018; it would not be a secret very long over half of the United States would be there.  Only about four hundred men showed up, many of them were misfits, not warriors.

Why was David a man after God’s own heart and the answer found in his actions, not in just the words he spoke?  God commanded all people to honor their father and mother, and look at David’s first act, he goes to the King of Moab and asks if he will allow his mom and dad to stay with him till he knows what God will is for him.  Now we do not fully understand what his connection was with the King of Moab, but it may have been as simple as “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”  But Scripture tells us they stay with the King of Moab all the time David was in the stronghold.

David also listens to men of God such as Samuel, and the prophet Gad, who told David to depart the fortress and go into the land of Judah, so David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

Have you hear the term, “the old is forever new” well Saul is a master at manipulation and I bet many of you have worked for a guy like that.  He was telling his closest soldiers that they would be foolish to believe David a member of the tribe of Judah would reward them with positions of authority if he became king.  Next, he went for the poor me card, my son, my flesh and blood is the reason for this he entered into an agreement with David against me.  

Now Jonathan must not have been at the meeting, or for sure he would have said dad that just not right.  In fact, we know it not true for later he dies fighting beside his father.  My mother would often tell us as kids when we were not doing as she wished, you're going to be so sorry when I'm gone or dead; that manipulation, and sometimes it works.  It worked for King Saul, “None of you is sorry for me of discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.”  Now, that a bald-face lie, but it worked, and Doeg the Edomite rats out the priest at Nob.

Tomorrow we will examine the cost of what Doeg the Edomite and servant of King Saul words did to this priest.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

David's special mission leads to acting like a mad man

1 Samuel 21

Judge not, less you be judged, came into my thinking as I read over this chapter of David fleeing death by the hand of Saul.  It is a terrible place to put yourself into the story, having your wife the daughter of the King telling you this is your choice, letting you down on a rope from our window, or in the morning daddy is going to cut off your head.  I trust the wife; I’m on the rope, not giving any thought to my overnight kit, just a good pair of running shoes.  When I hit the ground I’m thinking who can I trust, for everyone knows that Saul and I are having some misunderstanding, now that’s being diplomatically correct, the dude wants to kill me.

So where do I run to the priest of Nob, his name is Ahimelech, and he seems not all that excited to see me, in fact, he is fearful and wants to know why I’m alone.  If I share the truth with the priest and he helps me his life is in danger, so I come up with a lie, and if I could have seen the future I would have called it spin for I know God does not like me to lie.  But then a lie is a lie no matter what they will call it in the years to come.  So this was my story, Ahimelech I am on a special mission from the King and it is so urgent I did not even pack my overnight kit, and I was wondering if you had some grub, you know food and by the way how about a sword?

Somewhere in my memory, I recall the sword of Goliath the one I put in my tent ended up at this tabernacle and Ahimelech told me it was the only weapon in the place and it was mine for the taking.  But when it came to the consecrated bread he was a little more reluctant, it was only for the priest, and if I had had sex it disqualified me.  So I told him that before going into battle they always kept the young men away from women.  He goes on to say the young men’s bodies are consecrated even on an ordinary mission, so of course, their bodies are consecrated today.  The priest hands over the bread and the sword and you will never guess who saw it all coming down.  It was a servant of Saul’s his name was Doeg the Edomite, what do you think he is going to do?

Think about my options, if I say in Judea or Israel someone is going to rat on me, and if I go to Gath, it is a leading city of the Philistines.  But I’m not well known by the Philistines, in that I’ve killed everyone I come across, so Gath seems like an excellent place to hang out.  Now I wonder why I went to King Achish of Gath and did not visit with some of the people?  Maybe I got use to hanging out in King's palaces.    

Let me share what Samuel wrote on this in chapter 21:11-15, “And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David, the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”

And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish, the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Do I lack mad men that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

I sure hope you enjoyed the story, it a “But God” story and each day we will explore what faith in a big God will do for a man, any man, and especially David.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Looking Back

Looking Back

Back in 2009 at the beginning of my first try at blogging, my goal was to leave a record of what the Bible and Jesus Christ has meant in my life.  So I attempted to do it in a way they might read, and this was that effort.  God used five men to introduce me the Jesus I knew so much about but had never bowed my knee to, and it all happened in a Hotel room, but that's another story.

What the Book has meant to me.

When I was just a child, Mother and Dad gave it to me; they said son, in this book, is a lot of history. It also will guide your path and bring you victory, but you must not be foolish, read it daily.  And often at my father’s knee, he read the book to me, and when we went to church, they opened it up you see.  The book was read and taught; its many stories astonished me. That book has a special place in my childhood memories.

But as a teenager that book was put on the shelf and out of my mind, only to be carried to church and back home.  I still remember its message, how the Christ had died for me, but it was not in keeping with what the world had to offer me.

For many years the book only served one thing you see, it took space on our table so others, like Mom and Dad, could see.  But then something happened, it changed my life you see, a group of men took an interest in me.  The one who began to cut my hair at the age of thirteen ask me to come to a study of the book that can set a man free.

I had no clue that I was not free and resented it you see, that someone like my barber could say such a thing to me.  He told me the Christ, who I claimed to know, had told the same thing to some other people just like me. That if I knew the truth, the truth would set me free.  I went with my barber to the book study, on setting men free, and those five men were used of God, to help one like me.

It took many months before it came to me that life was in Jesus and that was the beginning of my victory.  I found He was life and that He would come and live in me; now that book is so precious, it brings such joy to me, it helps me walk and talk the life of liberty and yet, I understand you may not agree with me.

So I prayed this prayer; Dear Jesus will you open our eyes to see, the wonder of being in a relationship with thee.  The freedom from wants, and the joy of giving to those who are in need, like widows and orphans and others you send to me, and the freedom to let you have your way with me.

Now this book is not magic nor is it a good luck charm, its often called the “Word of God” and many just call it the “Bible” but in it is all “Truth” and its authors are many, but it comes from just one source.  Timothy states it best; All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Bob Rice

http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

Your #1 Enemy is Fear

1 Samuel 20

Fear is the enemy, and so the question must be asked, does God use fear to put somebody or something in the order of His will?  We are often told in Scripture to fear God, to have a worshipful understanding of God’s authority over all life.  But we are also commanded in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 

If fear is allowed to take up residence in one's life it has a reverse affect than what love would do, Where love is patient, fear is not, where love is kind, fear is not, where love does not envy or boast, fear does.  Fear always insists on its own way, Love does not.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, fear does not have the ability to do any of these! 

It is always a choice to obey God or to put self in the driver's seat.  And it is also evident that when looking at His commandments, there are no ifs in them.   The if’s, when allowed bring Rebellion into our heart and minds and it is ever so clear as we look at two men, Jonathan and Saul.  Saul’s rebellion began when he allowed fear of men over the fear of God, and he tried using the if’s to justify his action with Samuel.  Fear is a sin, many places in Scripture we are admonished to look to the Lord when apprehension comes to our door.

As we explore chapter 20, we see David fleeing from Naioth in Ramah and coming to Jonathan to ask this question; what have I done?  What is my guilt?  And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?  Now it seems that the King has done a good job of hiding his fear of David to this point from Jonathan, and so David makes his case before Jonathan and the two of them devise a plan to look into Saul's heart.

This is the deal, David is required to eat at the Kings table, and his place is empty, and the first day Saul did not say anything because he believed David was not clean so he would not come into the Kings presence, but on the second day Saul inquires of his son about David.  And Jonathan told him the lie that he had agreed to speak to get his reactions.  He did not get what he had hoped for, shall we look at verses 30-34, “Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David because his father had disgraced him.”

The next morning Jonathan followed the plan he and David had come up with and went into the field with a young boy and shot the three arrows, and as the kid was looking for them, these were the code words to David, get out of Dodge.  Not the words, these were the words found in verse 37-38, “And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” And Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!” So Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. But the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Are your plan in contrast to God's

1 Samuel 19:11-24

I know the plans I have for you, that is the heart of many parents for their children, but if those are not God’s plans then there is a high probability your ideas are in contrast to God’s plan for your child.  But King Saul also had plans for David; they were not the kind most father-in-laws would have for their son-in-law.  He did not kill David but he tried to, and this is after giving his oath in the name of God to Jonathan.  This was his oath; “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.”

Now Saul has told all in the house of David to watch him for the next morning Saul is going to kill him.  But the King forgot the power of love, love overcomes fear, it puts the other person first, and that is what Michal, David’s wife did.  She told David you must leave tonight, and she lowered him with a rope out of the window and he ran.  But when one grows up in the house of a deceiver they pick up many of the dad or mother’s habits and “Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats hair at its head and covered it with the clothes.  And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head. Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’”  (1 Samuel 19:13-17) It sure looks like she is dad’s girl; she got the lies and deception down very well. 

If you are David where are you going?  That is a good question, but look at what David did, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him.  Picking up the story in verse 18b-24, “And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went, he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 

It looks as if God planned to put Saul’s plan for David on hold, and how about Saul the King of Israel laying naked all that day and all that night before God’s prophet Samuel?  There is a lot to learn if we have ears to hear and eyes to see what the Spirit of God is teaching us!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What if you were Jonathan

1 Samuel 19: 1-10

Do you ever put yourself in the story?  What if you were Jonathan, and this thought came into my mind, you may identify with Jonathan in ways I can’t?  But if I were Jonathan and had a dad like Saul it would be a tough place, especially when ordered by him to kill a man I care for as myself.  Now that I’ve entered the story it requires me to search my heart, how can I honor my dad as commanded and also honor God who tells me not to murder?  And Jonathan did what was correct; he chose God’s commandment over the desire of his dad who was driven by fear, and fear like religion’s end game leads to death.   

Do you recall the encounter Peter and the apostles had with the council on speaking in the name of Jesus found in Acts 5:29? “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”  That is why Jonathan also decided to obey God and not a man, a sagacious young man, and one of my heroes of the faith.  The reasons are many, but this I’ve come to believe, at any point in our lives we will not have more than 2 or 3 friends, many relationships, but not friends, I know that comes as a shock to all of the Face Book folks.  Tell me how many people you can say this about; “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”  Now that is an unusual relationship especially for men, but you will know, and the friends will also know and share in it.

With that as the backdrop of the story, King Saul tells Jonathan and the servants he wants David dead, and we would call that taking out a contract or the hiring of a hit on David.  Saul is crafty and understands that if you want a job done well the best way to achieve the goal is do it yourself, and that is what’s going to happen.  Picking up the story in verse two through seven, “And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul, his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.”  David is back in the King’s house and then war breaks out with the Philistines and David goes out and wins the battle.  Who gets the press, not Saul, but David?  Do you recall when Jonathan went into the Philistine’s camp, and he and his shield bearer had a great victory?  King Saul took the credit and it reminds me of a sissy President that took credit for what the Navy Seals did in battle.

So when David came home, he was playing the harp for Saul and the King tried to pin him to the wall with a spear, with that act David knew it was time to leave the King’s service and run!  Where did you see yourself in the story?  My prayer is that you have a Jonathan in your life, someone willing to risk much to stand in the gap for you.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice