365 Reflections

1 Samuel 23:2 (ESV) Therefore David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And the LORD said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah." David is going to enter the training of the Lord. How so? He’s going to be betrayed by the very people he is sent to save. The training will begin even before he gets to them. For after David inquires of God here about attacking the Philistines and saving Keilah his own men are afraid. 1 Samuel 23:3 (ESV) But David's men said to him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" Remember these are that rag-tag group of rejects from the kingdom of Saul who haven’t go much strength or experience with victory. But when they show fear David prays again... 1 Samuel 23:4-5 (ESV) Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistine...

David has descended into a lonely and discomforting place. He runs from Saul and ends up acting mad in the presence of his enemies. He’s got nothing and no one. And yet in the very next scene we see who God sends David when David is down. 1 Samuel 22:2 (ESV) And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.  You want to know how to make a difference in the world? Be willing to love the people who need it. How often we fall for the lie that those who are already adored by millions need our love as well. How often we see the failures of celebrity culture in both the world and the church. How often we spend the bulk of our love on those who will reject it because they don’t believe they need it. David gets the people Saul rejected. The distressed, the debtors and the bitter in soul. These are his “army.” But they will not remain ...

David's flight from Saul is one of incredible detail. We see where he goes, who he meets, what he wants and where he ends up. Why? Because we are looking at a moment in David's life where his faith waned and his strength was sapped. Like all of us, he found himself making questionable decisions along the way. First, we see David lie to the Priest for the purpose of self-preservation: 1 Samuel 21:2 (ESV) And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. He hasn't been sent by the King, he's running from him. Then we see David want and secure a sword. And what an ironic choice he's given: 1 Samuel 21:9 (ESV) And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a c...

Jonathan and David present many pictures of the Lord Jesus Christ for us. In previous posts, I have related David to the Church as those "in Christ" and Saul to the world's systems/governments and domain. Now Saul stands in many ways for not just the system of the world but the evidentiary wrath of God imposed upon the community of men who have forsaken His Word and sought their own adulation. Remember how Romans 1 describes the wrath of God - not as some sort of future state of the ungodly (although it is) - but as a present handing over to the desires of men's hearts: Romans 1:24 (ESV) Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts t o impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, Romans 1:26 (ESV) For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passion s . For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; Romans 1:28 (ESV) And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a ...

When you consider Saul to be a picture of the worldly powers and David to be a picture of the Church these chapters in 1 Samuel continue to inform God's people that God will do multiple things to protect His own. 1 Samuel 19:22–24 (ESV) Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” Saul has sent people to catch David for him. After the Spirit comes upon them and stops their vengeful quest, Saul himself goes to get the job done himself. When he arrives where David is hiding with Samuel the Spirit comes upon him and he strips and prophesi...

The David and Saul dynamic shows us the often challenging relationship the Church will have with the world. If we take David as a picture of those in Christ and Saul as a picture of the world we will gain an understanding of the good and bad of an often strained relationship. We see Saul swinging from one extreme to the next throughout chapter 19: 1 Samuel 19:1 (ESV)   And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. Jonathan quickly intervenes for David bringing peace between him and Saul: 1 Samuel 19:6–7 (ESV)  And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before. Things will not stay peaceful for long... soon there's war and then more friction: 1 Samuel 19:8–10 (ES...

Our world is at odds with God. There's no doubt about that from scripture's perspective. We are born rebellious and hateful toward Him. Our hearts need to be changed if we are to experience His goodness and grace. The story of Saul's animosity of David provides a clear picture of what we should expect from the higher ranks of our world. 1 Samuel 18:27–30 (ESV)   David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually. 30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highl...

1 Samuel 18:12–16 (ESV) Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them. There are some key statements about Saul's attitude toward David in this passage. It is mentioned throughout the chapter that Saul is afraid of him. Then it's "fearful awe of him." Saul sees David's great success and grows more afraid.  Saul can read the signs. Things are bad for him and he will take this out on David for the next several chapters. The lesson David is about to learn is one he will later write about: Psalm 146:3 (ESV) Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in...

The interplay of Jonathan and David is a picture of the Christian and His Lord. I believe at some times in the text David can show us a picture of Christ and then at other times Jonathan can. When we get to 1 Samuel 18, it is Jonathan's turn to show us Christ's actions for His Church. David is about to enter into a dark season. He's defeated Goliath but Saul's radar is already up about him. Having investigated his background Saul will grow more suspicious. Eventually, David will be celebrated more than Saul by the young ladies of the nation and the switch will be flipped. Nevertheless, the scripture gives us a beautiful picture of how God prepares His men for the rough seasons of life. Jonathan immediately takes to David. And in loving kindness, Jonathan gives David the very things he will need for his upcoming dark season: 1 Samuel 18:3–4 (ESV) Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the ro...