*Disclaimer- I apologize if I don’t have the correct citations, please contact me if I may have inadvertently quoted someone inappropriately. I give anyone anywhere full use of this sermon in any format for any application with or without citation of me. Its all God’s word. If it blesses you and you want to use it- please do. Would love an email or a facebook connect to let me know, but not required. If you’re a tired pastor having long week- preach this thing word for word with no citation. I don’t care. I just want to help other pastors.
• 1 sam 22:6-23 Lots going on in this story- I want to focus on one part of this story- Doeg the edomite Killing the 85 priests. It’s a bloody massacre of a story.
• Why is it in here? What does it have to do with who we are as Christians in 2019 in Auburn Washington. Why does it matter and what does it mean?
• Lets establish some things here
• Doeg is an edomite, possibly a high official . part of an ethnic tribe that hates Israel.
• Why was Doeg with Saul? Possibly to convert to Israel, maybe because God wanted him there. Chp 21 makes it clear that he was in charge of Sauls animals. He was a man of influence
• The scripture 22:7-10 makes it clear. Doeg an enemy of Israel, possible convert, high ranking official, zealously executes 85 of God’s priests and an entire city of innocents.
• Two parts of the plot- Doeg was in chp 21 when David was on the run and in chp 22 when Saul orders the massacre. Doeg agrees- destroys on command. Doeg bridges David sin and Saul Sin
• But is he the real culprit of this story? David is just trying to save himself- priests go down
• Saul? He ordered it. Jonathan? If he had given bread to David he wouldn’t have to have eaten the consecrated bread. Is it David? He lied to the priests in 21 and Doeg was there and told Saul. The easy answer is that its Doeg- He killed the priests- he’s the bad guy
• (Insert sermon about not Killing God’s priests here)
• For people who want easy formulas to live by (God is good- tragic events are bad) this story creates a dilemma
• First- not just simply priests. They are descendants of wicked Eil and Phineas. They hold the ephod. They talk directly to God. Doegs massacre is not a random act of evil. It is the fulfillment of 1 Samuel 2:31 Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. READ 1 Sam 2:27-36
• This massacre of the priests is the fulfillment of the prophecy from the man of God.
• This massacre is the means by which God uses to raise up a righteous line of priests
• Secondly- Doegs actions are influential to begin the demise of Saul. Saul orders it. Doeg does it. Saul failed as a shepherd, and has now failed in his leadership. Saul goes sideways after this
• Doeg makes it happen. He destroys everything. Saul was supposed to destroy the Amelikites and he failed at it- so God pronounced judgement against him earlier- and now he’s doneski
• Thirdly- Doegs massacre signals the end of Saul. Saul rejected Samuel as priest and placed Ahijah, a descendant of Eli. The priests don’t even support Saul- They protect David- Saul turns from God, His word and has Doeg kill the very priests who could bring him back to God.
• This massace is a major turn in the story. Saul is completely spiritually and morally bankrupt. Yahweh has removed his protection from Saul and we will see more of his demise in future chps
• Its very complex- The Priests are still of God, even tho they are under a curse. They can speak to Saul even tho they are under a curse. Doeg Kills the means of Saul redemption while being the judgement upon the priests.
• The Edomite- Understand this- the Edomites are from the line of Esau (Gen 36:1) not the chose line of Jacob
• There is an eternal cosmic conflict between Jacob and Esau and this is part of the conflict of it
What do we do with this story? Is God the author of Evil? The Devil? Man? Who is the author
1. There is real evil in the world
• There are enemies of God that are at war with God’s people until the final summation of all things
• Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
• 1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
• 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
• There is an eternal conflict between the children of the Promise and the seed of Satan from Genesis 3- we see this truth playing out here- Edom is seed of Esau
• Doeg shows that people are up against true evil and that we need a King who can conquer all
• We get caught up in the day to day- this reminds us- there is real evil in the world that wants to destroy the people of God- Don’t get caught slipping- “head on a swivel- stay off your phone”
2. God is completely good and does not cause Evil but can use it nonetheless
• Doeg is a small part of the Biblical record- but look what God used him for- Stop Saul, judge the house of Eli, Correct the Priests, clean the priestly line, chastises David for his lying, moves us closer to the arrival of the savior. Shows us a need for an eternal savior
• IT is completely true that God is 100% Good- Romans 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
• Mk 10:18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
• It is also true that seemingly evil things to us have been turned into Good things- Joseph brought into slavery
• Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
• God is not the direct author of the Evil- but because of his sovereign permissive he will use it
• Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
• Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
• We want a simple answer to a complex world and this story makes it even more complex
• We have to recognize the complexity of our free will and God’s sovereignty (Full trust)
• No different than the crucifixion of Jesus- Evil men killed Jesus and it was part of the plan
• Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
3. God is Sovereign
• What does sovereignty mean? Supreme power or authority- God owns all. Does all. Its all him
• This is a very hard concept for many to grasp- God is in control. God is the ruler. God is the all powerful authority over all things in existence
• Psalm 115:3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
• Romans 9:21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
• Lam3:37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it? (Pro 19:21, Dan 4:35, psa 135:6)
• The Cross is the greatest example of God’s complete sovereignty intersecting with the wickedness of Men. Wicked men crucified Jesus and didn’t even know they were walking out the eternal plan of God. God used their wickedness to accomplish his sovereign will.
What does it mean to you
1. Don’t worry- worry indicates you’re not trusting God
• If I’m David running away from Doeg with one priest after a massacre- I’m trying not to worry
• Worry happens- what about my job, my spouse, my kids, my money, my life, my future
• Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
• Matt 6:25 READ
• Either we are going to trust God in everything- or we’re not trusting him in anything
• Talk to God about it- I’m worried- I don’t want to- Help me to not worry- read the word-
2. Praise God for tribulations- somehow he’ll turn it into good
• Life is hard. No one is getting through this without experiencing some sort of pain
• Doeg did bad. Priests died. A city was destroyed- but it all worked out
• Romans 5:3-4 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
• You cannot develop hope without tribulation. No pain no perseverance
• Its totally Ok to go through something. God is still faithful through it
• Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
• God has an amazing ability to turn bad things into good things. It rarely feels like it at the time but he does- david trusted God.
• He can take the most seemingly benign horrible thing in your life and bring life out of it.
3. Remind yourself of God’s plan- its all going to work out
• Psa 37:9 evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.
• Pro 14:11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown, But the tent of the upright will flourish.
• Rev 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
• Evil will eventually be destroyed from this earth. Those who go to Heaven will not experience any sort of Evil for eternity. (They probably wondered why all these priests had to die)
• There are no evil people or actions in Heaven because there is no sin there. There is sin here
• Remind your self of this- you may not understand the plan, but you can rest in the planner
• God knows what he is doing. He is working his plan. He is brning about his goals. Trust it
• God used Doeg to accomplish his plan. Evil men to crucify Jesus for his plan
• He has you here today for his plan- for you to turn from your sin and turn towards HIM
