David Pursued By Saul Series

Scripture

In our study of the life of David, we are now following David as a fugitive on the run from King Saul. Initially, David’s faith in the Lord was superseded by his fear of Saul. But then David came to realize that God was sovereignly watching over him. As a result, David’s trust in the Lord grew. He sought the Lord’s guidance in different circumstances. Then we read how David was once again pursued by Saul. But we also see God’s providence toward him.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 23:15-29:

15 David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 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.” 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 20 Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.” 21 And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. 22 Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning. 23 See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” 28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi. (1 Samuel 23:15-29)

Introduction

In his book A Sweet and Bitter Providence, John Piper offers these thoughts about God’s providence:

Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next and then finally to heaven. Life is a winding and troubled road. Switchback after switchback. And the point of biblical stories like Joseph and Job and Esther and Ruth is to help us feel in our bones (not just know in our heads) that God is for us in all these strange turns. God is not just showing up after the trouble and cleaning it up. He is plotting the course and managing the troubles with far-reaching purposes for our good and for the glory of Jesus Christ.

David had been anointed by the Prophet Samuel as the future king over Israel as a teenager. But rather than have a life leading from one blessing to the next, David experienced “a winding and troubled road” (to use Piper’s phrase). King Saul was insanely jealous over David, and sought strenuously to hunt him down and have him killed. As I mentioned, initially, David’s faith in the Lord was superseded by his fear of Saul. But then David came to realize that God was sovereignly watching over him. As a result, David’s trust in the Lord grew. And, as David saw more and more of God’s providential care toward him, his faith grew even more.

Lesson

First Samuel 23:15-29 shows us how God providentially cares for believers.

Let’s use the following outline:

1. God Provides Encouragement When Needed (23:15-18)

2. God Provides Protection When Needed (23:19-29)

I. God Provides Encouragement When Needed (23:15-18)

First, God provides encouragement when needed.

When we last left David, he had heard that the Philistines were fighting against the city of Keilah, which was near the border of the Philistia (23:1). After inquiring of the Lord, and receiving his affirmation, David went and saved the inhabitants of Keilah (23:2-5). Then David heard that Saul had learned that he was in Keilah (23:7). David again inquired of the Lord, and the Lord directed him to get out of Keilah. David left Keilah and remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph (23:8-14).