Know God’s Face

January 17, 2021   /   Pastor David Squyres   /   Palms Baptist Church

Know God’s Face

Unfamiliar Stories of David part 2

After the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the United States and Soviet Union established a Moscow Washington Hotline. Symbolized in movies as a red phone. Idea was, if things get really bad, superpowers should be able to talk. Many people treat prayer like a crisis hotline. David didn’t treat prayer like a red phone, he treated it like a cellphone.

The situation: David was on the run from Saul. As he went, he began to attract people to him. 1 Samuel 22:1-2 says that while he was hiding in the cave of Adullam, his brothers and family came to him. Also, everyone who was “bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.” (How big is this cave?)

1 Chronicles tells us warriors joined him. He was traveling with a small army of men. Misfits, outlaws. David had 37 “mighty men” who fought with him. 1 Chronicles 12:1-22 describe David’s mighty men.

What attracted grown warriors to this young man? 3 things:

1. Practical: He wasn’t Saul. Saul was after many of them!

2. Military: He was a man of war. 1 Chronicles 12:22: “great army” David’s a musician who knew how to fight. Where he learn? He said: As a shepherd! Fought lions and bears. Sounds cool have own army. Had to feed them, take families… mess.

3. Spiritual: He was a man of God. 1 Chronicles 12:12:22: “like an army of God.” Not any army; they saw themselves as a spiritual army. Why? Because their leader sought the Lord. Prayed.

Important: People were attracted to David because his connection to God.

 

A big difference between David and Saul:

  • Saul’s name means “asked for” or “prayed for.” He used messengers, priests and even a with to try and understand God’s direction from him.
  • David believed he could

 

Now: Show you David. On the run. Hears about a town in need:

1 Samuel 23:1-13

1 Samuel 23:3:1 Keilah is a walled frontier town. Philistines have the people pinned in their city. Notice they were looting threshing floors. That was their harvest. Philistines would go into town, take harvest. So they would starve. (Like having someone steal your years pay right out bank account.)

Saul, their king, was chosen to fight the Philistines. To protect them. David knows: Saul isn’t going to do anything. So he asks the Lord… should I step in?

1 Sameul 13:2: “Inquire” is sha’al, “ask, inquire,” in particular, asking God for guidance.[ Frequent statement: “David inquired of the Lord.” (8x) Twice in this passage. 1 Sam. 23:2, 23:4, 30:8, 2 Sam. 2:1, 5:19, 5:23, 1 Ch. 14:10, 14:14.

The doctrine of the “priesthood of the Believer” means you can personally approach God without need for another human to make mediation.

1 Samuel 23:2: Notice God spoke to David personally. Directly.

1 Samuel 23:4: When David heard his men were afraid, he asked God for clarification.

1 Samuel 23:5: They “fought” is just one line. It does not communicate the terror of ancient warfare.

1 Samuel 23:5-6: They took the Philistines “livestock.” Why did an invading force have livestock? May been flocks to consume Israelite pasture lands. May have been beasts of burden Philistines would use to carry off Israelite possessions. David had 600 men. Probably hungry. I’ll bet they were glad for that livestock! Ready to a Texas BBQ.

Prayer showed David 3 things:

1. God’s

 

2. God’s

3. God’s

1 Samuel 23:4: “go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”

Notice the word “Hand.” That word represents the strength of an individual. We accomplish our will by our hand.

2 Hands here: Saul’s and God’s:

V.4: I will give the Philistines into your hand.

V.6: Abiathar comes with the ephod “in his hand.”

V.7: Saul says: God has given David into my hand.

V.11: David asks Lord: Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand

V.12: Asks the same question: Will they surrender me into Saul’s hand?

V.14: God did not give him into his hand.

 

 

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