The Rock Of Parting

THE ROCK OF PARTING

1 Samuel 23:25-28

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: TEXAS REPEAT

1. In the wild west of the 1800’s, a cowboy stopped in at a saloon for a drink. Going out, he found his horse stolen. He went back in the saloon and yelled, "Which one of you rascals stole my horse?!" No one answered. He spun his pistol in the air and said...

2. "Alright, I'm gonna drink one more Dr. Pepper, and if my horse ain't back outside, I'm gonna do what I had to do in Texas! And I don't like to do what I dun in Texas!" Fear crossed the local’s faces.

3. After his Dr. Pepper, he walked outside, and his horse had been returned. He saddled up and was riding away when the bartender shouted, "Mister, before you go...what happened in Texas?" The cowboy looked back and said, "I had to walk home."

B. SAUL’S ATTEMPTS TO KILL DAVID

1. 3 Times with a spear (1 Sam 18:11; 19:10);

2. Sent David into harm’s way (1 Sam. 18:13, 25);

3. Told Jonathan to kill him (1 Sam. 19:1);

4. Sent men to David’s house (1 Sam. 19:11);

5. Sent 3 companies of soldiers to kill David when he was with Samuel (1 Sam. 19:18);

6. Saul took army to Keilah to kill him (1 Sam. 23:7-8);

7. “Day after day Saul searched for him” (23:14);

8. Saul to the Desert of Maon to kill (1 Sam 23:25-28);

9. When David at En Gedi – Saul with 3,000 troops – (1 Sam. 24:1-22);

10. David at hill of Hakilah (1 Sam. 26:1-25). This was Saul’s final attempt to kill David. We’re going to read about a pivotal moment in the persecution of David when God intervened to shift the momentum. David memorialized this event by giving that place a special name!

C. TEXT

“25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David. 26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” 28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.” 1 Sam. 23:25-28

D. MAIN IDEA – ASPECTS OF THE ROCK

1. Saul was chasing David and was hot on his trail. Saul enlisted more and more soldiers to kill David. During today’s incident, there was a rock that kept David and King Saul apart. Saul was on one side of the mountain and David on the other – both circling it – and David was trying to keep ahead of Saul’s army.

2. Just then a messenger came to tell the King that the Philistines had invaded the land. So Saul broke off the pursuit of David, just in the nick of time! David named that rock Sela Hammahlekoth, the “Rock of Parting.”

3. I want us to look at three aspects of David’s relationship with this rock and see why David gave the rock this name. First...

I. THIS ROCK WAS DAVID’S STRONGHOLD

A. DAVID NEEDED A REFUGE

1. When David heard/ perceived that Saul was coming after him, he “went down to the rock” (1 Sam. 23:25). This was the place David fled to when he was in danger and was seeking safety.

2. This Rock was David’s refuge, a place of shelter or protection, as from danger or hardship. It’s the kind of place where you find help, relief, and comfort in times of trouble. This place brought comfort, reassured him, and was like a harbor from a storm. David went to the “Rock that is higher than I.”

3. That’s what we need to do -- go to “the Rock of our salvation.” Go to God our stronghold, who’s our refuge from trouble.

B. DESCRIPTION OF THIS ROCK

1. The Hebrew word Tsur means more than a piece of rock. It was rather a great mountain of rock or a mighty rock cliff. It probably had caves where David & his men could take refuge, as he did when he fled from King Saul.

2. Under this great rock David could find shade from the heat of the day. It was also a landmark to help a him find his way in that vast wilderness.

C. DAVID CALLED GOD JEHOVAH-TSURI

1. David referred to God as a Rock. “The Lord is my Rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior! 2 Sam. 22:2-3,32,47. Also Ps. 19:14; 28:1; 31:2-3; 42:9; 62:2,7; 71:3; 89:26; 92:15; 94:22; 95:1; 144:1.