“David, Worship in Our Wanderings”
1 Samuel 21:1-15
Vs. 1-9 Pretense in His presence
Vs. 10-15 Peace amongst the pagans
Intro.
I’m so glad that the Bible doesn’t idolize its heroes aren’t you? That’s the benefit of this chapter before us today as we shall see David acting a lot like you and I. But when we look at the three psalms he wrote (34, 52, 56) during this time we can see how the Lord worked in his heart in spite of his failures and shortcomings. In fact 22 psalms were written during his ten plus years he spends on the run, which goes to show us that adversity births the sweetest praise.
When we last left David he had been waiting three days by the stone of Ezel (the stone that shows the way). There alone in that field he waited for his best friend to come out there and shoot an arrow that would dictate the direction in which his life would be going. And as that arrow went over his head he knew that his life was going in a direction that was out of his control. Ah but we also saw in the text last week that we can be certain of three things when life is out of our control:
- Vs. 24-34 God’s purpose for us is a throne
- Vs. 35-40 God’s path for us is a cross
- Vs. 41-42 God’s plan for us is faith
So in obedience David submitted to the arrows path and left his home, best friend and went from what was known and secure to the unknown. Remember that David was anointed by the Spirit to be king but his life on the run seems to him as though the “Providence’s (God’s power of guidance and care sustaining us to our destiny) of God were running completely contrary to the promises of God!” When this happens what transpires is a crisis of faith. What David learns is something that you and I need to understand that the one time “anointing of the Spirit of God” is not enough we must abide in Him!
Vs. 1-9 Pretense in His presence
Vs. 1 David runs to Nob, a priestly town three miles south of Gibeah in the land allocated to Saul’s tribe, Benjamin. According to 22:18 there were 85 priests plus women and children that lived there taking care of the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. Looking at this section two things stand out:
- First of all we note that David was in search of two things that he needed:
- Vs. 3 Sustenance: David seeks “provisions” in bread to eat that will sustain him.
- Vs. 8 Security: David now doubts and seeks a sword to “protect” himself. Those are the things that David desired in the “House of the Lord” provisions and protection, sustenance and security!
- Second, twice in this section we are told that David was afraid and we all know that fear is the enemy of faith. Now we can all understand why David is afraid but that does not change the fact that his fear causes him to act in ways that are ungodly.
Corrie ten Boom once said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within yourself, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest!” Oh how true these words aren’t they? It is interesting to me to note that in the next chapter David finds refuge in the cave of Adullam and the word means rest!
Someone wisely commented on spiritual maturity by saying that, “It takes a moment to make a convert, but it takes a lifetime to make a saint!” David was doing what You and I often do and that is look at the promises of God through the lenses of our circumstances and what we see of those promises is fuzzy and dim a best aren’t they?
With that said David does go to the “house of the Lord” in search of sustenance and security, I mean he has gone to the right place hasn’t he? Though that is true, based upon his words to Ahimelech he does so less than honestly. Again I suppose all of at times have doubted the Lord’s ability to provide and protect us and have adopted that fear filled mentality that says, “If the Lord is not going to give me that which I need to sustain me, to protect me, then I guess I’ll just have to help him out!” Now don’t misunderstand me here. I’m not justifying David’s actions but I am looking at them through my own actions at times.
The tragedy of David’s example, and if we are honest ours at times as well, is that we spend more time decorating to come into the “House of the Lord” than we do in dedication to enter into His presence. How many of us before we came here this morning spent time preparing our hearts to hear the word of the Lord, sit down with Him in honesty and spoke to Him about our fears and the areas of our heart that needs His touch?
Vs 1b-2 Now Ahimelech is a pretty astute fellow and he questions David as to why he is by himself without a royal escort seeing that he is the King’s son-in-law. David’s answer is a lie as he says that he was on a “secret mission” and that Ahimelech was not to let anyone know about him ever being there.
Furthermore David says that he was not alone as he sent the rest of his crew to an undisclosed place while he went to get provisions for them. The truth of the matter was that David was not in the kings’ business, he was the king’s business and that he was lying to protect himself. When fear comes in through the door of the heart, faith always goes out the window!
Vs. 3-6 As I said David is hungry he needs provisions so he asks the priest for bread. He has come into the “House of the Lord” but he has not come in honestly. How much better would it have been if David would have just told the truth, “I’m scared you see, I’m on the run from Saul who is seeking to kill me. I have no provision or protection. I’m all alone. Can you help me?” When was the last time you were honest in the house of the Lord? When was the last time you told the Lord the truth about where your heart was? Don’t you realize He already knows what’s going on inside of you?
Here’s what’s cool: the fact that Ahimelech tells David that they have no “common bread” and only “holy bread,” tells us some very important things. You see “common bread” was bread that was brought into the tabernacle by way of the offerings. So the fact that they have no “common bread,” tells us that this was a spiritually lean time for the nation.
Now the “Holy Bread” was those 12 loaves one for each tribe that was placed on the table of “showbread” on the right side of the tabernacle opposite the lampstand. It was to be kept fresh and was replaced once a week with hot bread and then those loaves were to be eaten typically by the priests. The idea behind the bread was that of being invited over to the Lord’s House for a meal in which He supplied everything necessary for continual fellowship.
The words “Showbread” literally comes from the words meaning “bread of faces” and spoke of being in the Lord’s presence. Upon eating this bread the priest was saying, “I love you Lord and I’m in your presence fellowshipping with You by that which you have supplied to sustain me!”
Do you get the picture here? David doubted the Lord’s ability to supply his provisions, he was in a spiritually dry time and the Lord was saying through Ahimelech that all he needed to do was be honest before Him and come into His presence and what he lacked would be supplied. How about it dear Christian are you “running on empty” as David was. Are you like him seeking your provision in the “House of the Lord” but with pretense? Here is what the Lord is saying to you and I, “Come into my presence but do so in honesty admitting your fears and doubts and I’ll supply myself to meet your needs!” How great is God’s offer of His presence to meet our spiritual hunger!
Now In Matthew 12:1-8 Jesus gave reference to this very story when the Pharisees objected to the disciples gleaning wheat kernels on the Sabbath. And in so doing Jesus spoke of the truth that the ceremonial law is always superseded by human need. You see religion is always concerned with appearances and covering up our needs making them more presentable trying to make up what we perceive God is lacking.
Oh dear saint we don’t need to do that, all we need to do is the Bread of His presence that He has supplied and partake at His table and He will meet our needs. And we can do that daily. The Lord wants no stale old bread of yesterday’s relationship, He wants to give that hot fresh taste of Himself right now.
Vs. 7-9 Now as all of this is happening it is doing so in front of Doeg the Edomite servant of Saul. We are not sure why he was in the “House of the Lord” but we shall see soon that he will be up to no good. David will tell us in the next chapter that he knew that Doeg would tell Saul what was going on. Doeg’s name means “Anxiety” and boy does not speak volumes to our hearts.
Have you ever gone through times like David? You are in need of the Lord’s provisions and protection and you go into the House of the Lord but old “Anxiety” is waiting for you? You become weighted down by the cares of this life anxious over your future. So what does David do? Well he asks Ahimelech if there are any weapons in the House of the Lord. Again the lie that he needed it because he was in such a hurry that he forgot his sword.
Well all we have is the “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod.” Pay careful attention here Christian and notice that this sword, is wrapped in a cloth placed behind the ephod. Yeh so? Well the ephod was the religious garment that the priest wore and the sword of Goliath was wrapped up in a cloth hidden behind a religious garment.
Are you getting this picture? David came into the “House of the Lord” for provision and protection and the protection of the Lord was covered up by a cloth and hidden by religious garb! That about sums up David’s problem doesn’t it? What about that sword of Goliath that David says, “There is none like it; give it to me”. How was that sword obtained? Well it was obtained by a young shepherd boy who went out on the field of battle armed with the Lord and a sling.
He walked out there and stooped down and picked up five smooth stones one for Goliath and one each for his four brothers. You see David’s problem: he met “Anxiety” and tried to protect himself with a covered sword hidden behind religious clothes, instead of seeing that God wanted to provide Him with the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God! You know what happens when we try to provide the provisions and protection of the Lord in the energy of the flesh? David tells us in the 22 verse of the next chapter “I have caused the death of all the persons of your fathers house”.
Vs. 10-15 Peace amongst the pagans
Vs. 10 David fearfully runs to the one place he thinks Saul will never think of looking for him. And by way of supplies he has 12 pieces of stale bread and Goliath’s sword. Now he runs to the area of Gath where the Philistines lived. And David is trying to find some peace in his life but he has run to the enemy, the world to find it. Upon crossing over to Gath he would have had to cross the valley of Elah where five to ten years earlier he had trusted God and took off Goliath’s head. Are you starting to sense a problem with David’s destination?
You see, the Philistines’ most embarrassing defeat happened when their undefeated champion had his head cut off by his own sword at the hands of a little shepherd boy. Furthermore, to marry the king’s daughter he had killed 200 of their soldiers and mutilated their bodies by circumcising them.
Vs. 11-14 Apparently David didn’t think they would recognize him but they did and when they saw the sword with Goliath’s name on it strapped on his back they took him into custody and brought him before King Achish. Apparently the number one song in Israel that really irritated Saul was not a favorite of theirs either.
Hey Christian let’s just warn you here and now that when you go into the world to seek comfort and peace you are really going to stand out and in fact you are going to just look like you are insane. David decides that the only way out was to fake insanity so he starts to scratch on the doors of the gate to the city and lets his slobber come out of his mouth and onto his beard. Apparently the King, in a touch of irony, said, “Do I need another madman in my city?” The Philistines felt that David’s insanity was a far greater punishment than taking his life so they let him go.
What on earth are we to make of this? Well David gives us insight on this in the psalms he wrote about this. In Psalm 56:1, David writes “Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up”. There is no mention of him being innocent instead he cries out for mercy. Then in the 3rd verse of this psalm he writes “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” In the fourth verse and again repeated in the 10th verse he writes “In God I will praise His word.” The 8th verse he writes “You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”
Ah there it is dear Christian David humbled himself before the Lord and trusted in the provisions and protection of the word of the Lord! In the 8th verse of psalm 52 David writes “I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.” In the 34th psalm he wrote about himself and said, “Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.” In the 18th verse David wrote “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
Finally in the 8th and 9th verses he of that psalm David said, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want for those who fear Him.”
That is it, dear saint, God has given us the bread of His presence as our provisions. He has given us the sword of His spirit as our protection we need only to ask Him and He will bring us peace!