1 Samuel 25:10

1 Samuel 25:10 says, And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.   Nabol replied to David's request by asking who David was to be asking him for help.  He also implied that David could be a runaway slave.  Though praises for David’s victories over the Philistines had been sung by the people of Israel, either Nabal hadn't heard of him or chose to ignore his knowledge of who David was. We may be known for our great faith in the Christian community,  but that doesn't mean that we are known by everyone in the world, and if we were to ask them for help, we should not be surprised if they ask who we think we are to ask them.  Verse eleven asks, Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?  Nabal then asked if he should give the provisions that he had for his shearers to someone that he did not know.   Of course, we know that this was not all his provisions available, but he didn't want to give up anything more.  People of the world and too often Christians as well are unwilling to give of their excess to help those in need, especially people that they don't know.  Verse twelve states, So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.  The young men that David sent returned to him and told him what Nabal had said.  This was all they could do.  If we are tasked by a fellow Christian to ask someone for help in a particular time of need, that is all that we can do.  We cannot make them help.  Verse thirteen adds, And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.  David told his men to arm themselves, and they did as did David himself.  He took four hundred with him and left the rest to guard their stuff.  As we engage in the battle against Satan and his forces today, we need to put on the armor of God, and some of us may be actively involved in the battle while others are guarding our stuff.   I believe that as long as we are faithful to God that He will lead us to our role in the battle.  Verse fourteen states,adds,  But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.  One of the young men of Nabal told his wife what had happened when David sent his request to Nabal.  Verse fifteen, But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:  The young man then began to give David a good report about the time David and his forces had camped out with them.  In our interactions with the world today, they should be able to give a good report of how we treated them.  Verse sixteen continues, They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.  The young man went on to say that while in the company of David and his men that they protected them day and night.  This was not really the responsibility of David and his men, but they took it on even as they were running for their lives.  We should never allow our circumstances to keep us from helping others, even the lost people of the world, when we have an opportunity.  Verse seventeen concludes, Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.  The young man told Abigail to consider what she would do, because there was now evil proposed against Nabal and his household because he wouldn't listen when anyone tried to reason with him.  Matthew Henry says that being a son of Belial meant that Nabal was morose and unable to listen and understand what anyone might tell him.  Some people today are so much under the control of Satan that it is very hard to reason with them.  Verse eighteen says, Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.  Abigail didn't go and try to reason with Nabal, but she took action.  She gathered many supplies and loaded them on asses, ready to be transported.  Sometimes, we may need to take action, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, instead of trying to reason with someone who is unwilling to listen. Verse nineteen adds, And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.  Abigail sent her servants ahead of her saying she would follow them, but she didn't tell Nabal what she was doing.  This really was a situation where she could have been putting her life in danger to help David and actually to help Nabal himself.  There may be times when we have to put ourselves in danger in order to do the right thing concerning others.  Verse twenty continues, And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. She met David and his men as they were on the way to go to war with Nabal.   Sometimes, confronting people head on is our only option, and we may not always have a clear indication of which side God is on. We are not told that either Abigail or David had consulted God about their actions, but we always should.

1 Samuel 25:1

1 Samuel 25:1 says, And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.  At this time, Samuel died, and all of Israel mourned.  Samuel was a great prophet of God who told God's truth to the people of Israel, even Saul concerning his loss of the kingship.  Still, his last few years had been lived in relative obscurity, and he had feared Saul might kill him.  After Samuel was buried, David went to the wilderness of Paran.  Matthew Henry says this may have been to mourn or because having lost a faithful friend who was also a prophet and the one who had ordained him king, David feared for his life even more.  Verse two adds,  And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.  Verse three adds, Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.  We have an account of a man named Nabol, one of the descendants of Caleb, who had been a faithful and fearless man of God. Nabol was rich and married to a beautiful wife, but was said to have been churlish and evil in his dealings with other people.  Just because one's parents, or grandparents even, have been faithful Christians does mean that their children and grandchildren will be.  All that we can do as Christian parents is to lead them to a knowledge of Jesus Christ.   We cannot accept Him as Savior and Lord for them.  Verse four states, And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.  Verse five adds, And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:  When David heard Nabol was having his sheep sheared, he sent some young men to appeal to Nabol for help.  Matthew Henry says that Nabol might not have been the best person to appeal to because of his character, but at this time he also could not have claimed he had no ability to help.  If we go to people of the world for help in times of trouble, we need to realize that it might be better to go to our fellow Christians.  If we go to our fellow Christians and they have the ability to help and don't, then there is probably something wrong.  Verse six continues, And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.  David told the young men to wish Nabol peace and prosperity.  We should also never wish anyone harm today as followers of Christ, but should reach out to them with the gospel.  I don't believe God ever expects us to wish evil for others, not even if they are our enemies.  Verse seven says, And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.  David told the young men to remind Nabol of the time David and his men had camped with his shepherds, and they had neither harmed them nor allowed harm to come to them.  David had acted in Nabol's best interest at that time, and I believe that we as Christians should always act in a way that is at least in the spiritual best interest of others.  Verse eight adds, Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.  David then told Nabol to ask his shepherds if what he said was true and then asked for him to provide them with whatever help he could.  We as followers of Christ should always be able to say that we have acted in a way that puts others first, especially if they are fellow Christians.  Nabol was after all a part of the nation of Israel, God's chosen people.  Verse nine continues, And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.  The young men went to Nabol and told him what David had said.  All we can do as Christians is to faithfully share the message of the gospel that Jesus Christ has sent us to share.  Then, as with Nabol and David’s request, it is upto them how they answer. 

1 Samuel 24:7

1 Samuel 24:7 says, And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?   David asked Saul where he had heard that David was out to destroy him.  David was getting to the heart of the matter, or the truth, and so should we attempt to get to the truth if people view us as a threat today.  Verse ten adds, Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.  David told Saul that he could see for himself that God placed him in a position where David could have easily killed him, but David would not take that action against Saul, whom God had anointed as king.  We need yo make sure that we don't confuse opportunity with God's will.  Verse eleven continues, Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.  David still respectfully called Saul his father, and offered the skirt of Saul’s robe as proof that he could have killed him but he had no intention of doing so.  He then said that Saul continued to try and kill him even though he was no threat to him..  Sometimes, all we can do today if threatened for our Christian beliefs is present the truth of the situation to disspell their lies or perception of the situation.  Verse twelve says, The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.  David then told Saul to let the LORD judge between them.  Saul was the leader of God's Chosen people, so this was a reasonable request.  We may not expect everyone to listen to God when there is a dispute between them and us, but we certainly can expect those who profess to be Christians to do so.  Verse thirteen adds, As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.  David then referred to the proverb of the ancients to support the fact that he wasn't trying to kill Saul.  David said that even though wickedkness came from the hand of the wicked that David himself was not one of the wicked.  Verse fourteen continues, After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.  David then asked Saul who he was attempting to kill, and compared himself to a dead dog or a flea.  David was saying he offered no more of a threat to Saul than a dead dog or a flea.  He should have been inconsequential to Saul.   We as followers of Christ should be of no threat to forcibly take over power from those in power today than a flea, unless God has directed us to do so.  If He has, then we have no reason to continue to try and bargain with them. Verse fifteen concludes,The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.  David then told Saul once more to allow God to decide the truth of the matter.  This is really all that we can do today as Christians.  Of course, if such a situation arises,we need to make sure that we are following God's will.  Verse sixteen says, And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.  After David ended his appeal to Saul, Saul asked if it was really David his son. Saul then lifted up his voice and wept.  I believe that Saul at times actually was sane and willing to listen to reason, and sometimes today even those who would destroy us as Christians have moments when they see us as no threat physically.  Of course, I also believe that spiritually we should always be a threat to their beliefs.  Verse seventeen adds, And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.  Saul then stated the heart of the matter, and that was that David was more righteous than he was.  Saul continued by saying whereas David had wanted only good for Saul, he had wanted only evil for David.  We need to be able to stand innocent if accused of attempting to harm those in power today, even if they want only to destroy us.  As long as we stand with God, everything will ultimately be okay.  Verse eighteen continues, And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.  Saul acknowledged that David had proven that day that he was not attempting to kill Saul, based on the fact that God had delivered Saul into his hand and David hadn't killed him.  Saul at least acknowledged that God was behind David having the opportunity to kill him.  We may not always be able to get people today to acknowledge that God is behind our actions, but we should never assume that if He places us in a position to destroy someone who is out to destroy us that we should do so.  Verse nineteen states, For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.  Saul said that it made no sense for a man to let his enemy go if he had an opportunity to kill him, as David had with Saul.  Saul then asked for God to reward David for his good deed that day.  Of course, if Saul was really following God's will, none of this would have happened.  People are still paying lip service to God today without really having a personal relationship with Him.  Verse twenty adds, And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.  Saul then acknowledged that he knew that David would one day be king, which means that Jonathan his son would not.  Even if people today recognize that one day we as Christians will be with God forever and that they haven't accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord they won't, we cannot expect them to always be truthful in their acknowledging this, as we will see later on that Saul wasn't.  Verse twenty-one continues, Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.  Saul then asked David to swear that he would not destroy his descendants, as Saul himself might have done to David's.  We should never be guilty of wanting destroy anyone, much less their descendants.  As Christiaans, we should not be out to destroy non- Christians, but should be reaching out to them with God's love and mercy by sharing the gospel with them.  Verse twenty-two concludes, And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.  After David swore to Saul that he wouldn't harm his descendants when he came into power, Saul went home, but David and his men stayed in the hold.  Just because someone may acknowledge that we as followers of Christ are in the right doesn't mean that we are to let our guard down. 

1 Samuel 24:1

1 Samuel 24:1 says, And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.  After returning from fighting the Philistines, Saul was told where David now was.  It seems that many of the people of Israel were still loyal to Saul, even though David had done more overall to protect them from the Philistines.  There are people today, even some Christians, who are loyal to political leaders no matter what, but we a Christians need to seek God's guidance as we place our loyalty in political leaders.  Verse two adds, Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.  Saul took three thousand chosen men, that we would think were his best fighters, to go and hunt David.  This was an overwhelming force to go against David and his small force.  As followers of Christ, we are always going to be outnumbered in the world today, but God has already given us the everlasting victory through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse three continues, And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.  When Saul got there, he went into a cave.  This was a very large cave, and David and his men were hidden inside it.  Saul was alone,and David had an ideal opportunity to kill him, but this still wasn't David’s intention.  Verse four states, And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.  David’s men told him that God had delivered Saul into his hand as He had promised.  David could have listened to them and killed Saul and justified it as being God's will, but instead he cut off a piece of Saul's robe.  Not every opportunity that we have to destroy our enemies today is given to us by God, and we need to be careful about assuming that they are.  Verse five adds, And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.  Afterwards, David was remorseful about what he had done,even though it should have shown Saul that David wasn't trying to kill him.  If we as followers of Christ take actions today that we later realize were not what God would have us do, then we should be remorseful when we realize it. Six continues, And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.  David said the LORD forbid him from harming Saul, who was God's anointed as king.  Even though Saul had proven himself to be in defiance of God and David had already been anointed to replace him, David still was not going to take matters into his own hands, even tough the opportunity to kill Saul was there.  We need to be careful that in our fight against evil today that we don't confuse opportunity with God's will.  I also believe that if God has placed a preacher in a church that we should support him instead of attempting to undermine him if we don't like him.

1 Samuel 23:19

1 Samuel 23:19 says, Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?  The Ziphites came to Saul when David aas hiding out in their woods.  They asked Saul if he knew that.  These were some of David’s kinsmen, and he certainly had done them no harm, but they were more interested in ingratiating themselves to Saul then in helping Davd.  We should not be surprised if people that we think are friends, or maybe are even family, would betray us if they thought it would help them.  Verse twenty adds,  Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.  They invited Saul to come down and said they would deliver David into his hand.  These were some of God's people, but they weren't asking God for guidance.  As Christians we must always seek God's will first, even in matters relating to the government.   Verse twenty-one states, And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.  Saul was still going through the motions of being a man of God who was doing God's bidding.  He pronounced God's blessing on them, even while he was no longer blessed by God, but was rejected instead.  People still attempt to control God's blessings while they refuse to obey His directions.  Verse twenty-two adds, Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.  Saul basically told them to go and find out for sure where David was, because he said he had been told that David dealt very subtilly.   Of course, the real reason Saul was having difficulty finding and killing David was because God was protecting him.  God is still protecting us as followers of Christ today.  Verse twenty-three continues, See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.  Saul told them to go and find all of David's hiding places and then return and tell him.  Saul said he would then go and search David out from all the thousands of people in Judah.  He was confident that he could get around God's protection of David.  People may think that they can get around God's protection of Christians today, but we are forever secure by our faith and His power.  Verse twenty-four states, And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.  The men of Ziph returned ahead of Saul, but David had moved on to the plain south of Jeshimon.  I believe God was leading David in his moves, just as He should be leading us no matter what we are doing.  Verse twenty-five adds, Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.  David had moved because he heard Saul was coming after him, and Saul pursued him.  Verse twenty-six continues, And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.  David hurried to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men basically surrounded David and his men.  I still am not sure if David was afraid of Saul, or if he was afraid of having to kill him.  If David was still putting his faith God, he had no reason to fear Saul, and if we put our faith in God, we have no reason to fear anyone. Verse twenty-seven concludes, But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.  By attacking Israel, the Philistines also saved David, since when Saul heard that the Philistines were attacking, he left to fight them.  Verse twenty-eight says, Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.  At least Saul was still putting defending Israel against the Philistines ahead of his desire to kill David.  Sometimes,  non Christians fighting amongst themselves can be beneficial to Christians, even if this is not their intention.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.  David used this opportunity to leave where he was and to go to the strongholds at Engedi.  God had saved David again, though he may  or may not have acknowledged it.  God may save us from destruction many times as His followers today without our even realizing it.

1 Samuel 23:7

1 Samuel 23:7 says, And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.  When Saul heard that David was at Keilah, he was arrogant enough to believe that God had delivered David to him so that he could kill him.  He had evidently forgotten that one of the reasons he hated David so much was because God was with David and not with him.  At times today, people still want to justify their actions by claiming God is on their side, often while doing things that go against His commandments.  Verse eight adds, And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.  Saul, who had done nothing to help the people at Keilah, now called the people of Israel together to go and besiege David there, even though David was the one who had helped them even though he knew it could put him in danger from Saul.  Sometimes, even if we know that we are putting ourself in danger by helping someone, we still need to do it, if we like David have sought God's guidance in the situation.  Verse nine continues, And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.  David knew that Saul was up to something that was no good, so he asked Abiathar to bring him the ephod.  He would use this to seek God's guidance, just as we should use prayer and the Bible to do so today.  Verse ten declares, Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.  David brought his concerns reverently before God, just as we must today, especially in times of trouble.  Verse eleven adds, Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.  David asked God if Saul would come down and if the people of Keilah would deliver him up to Saul.   The first answer David got was that Saul would come down.  This didn't totally answer David’s question.  When we pray to God for guidance today, He may not immediately give us a complete answer to our questions.  Verse twelve adds, Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.  David again asked God the question about the people of Keilah, and God said that they would give him up to Saul.  This probably wasn't the answer David wanted to hear, especially since he and his men had just saved them from the Philistines.  We cannot always expect people to act honorably towards us simply because we have helped them, but we should always seek God's will in dealing with the situation.  Verse thirteen continues, Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. After seeking God's guidance, David and his men left Keilah, going wherever they could go to stay safe.  Saul heard David had left, so he didn't go to Keilah.  Had God really been delivering David into Saul’s hand, he would have still been there.  At times today, we still hear people saying that God is going to do something, either in their life or in the world as a whole, and it doesn't happen.   This simply means that God wasn't behind their claim to begin with.  Verse fourteen states, And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.  David lived in many places in the wilderness and in the mountain of the wilderness of Ziph, and Saul hunted him every day, but God kept David safe.  Whatever happens in our life today, we as followers of Christ are forever safe in God's hands, even if our life here is taken from us for His sake.  Verse fifteen adds, And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.  David was hiding in the woods at Ziph at this time.  Verse sixteen says, And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.  Saul may not have been able to find David, but Jonathan was.  I believe that this was because Jonathan was still following God's guidance in his life.  We cannot be more loyal to our parents than we are to God and still be effective Christians, especially if we know that what they want goes against God's will.  Verse seventeen adds, And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.  Jonathan gave David assurance that Saul would not find him and that he would be the king of Israel.  Jonathan then also assured David that he would serve David and not attempt to seize power, as he might have claimed was his right.  Jonathan was still putting himself in danger to even speak to David since Saul was hunting David to kill him.  I believe Jonathan was relying on God's guidance in the situation, and so must we today as Christians.  Verse eighteen continues, And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.  Once again,  Jonathan and David made a covenant with each other before the Lord.  As followers of Christ, any covenant that we make today should be before the Lord.

1 Samuel 23:1

1 Samuel 23:1 says, Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.  Though David was on the run and hiding from Saul with a limited number of men and resources, when the city of Keilah was under attack by the Philistines, the people still came to David for help and not to Saul.  This would have been an ideal time for David to put his safety first and refuse to help them.  There may be times when our fellow Christians, or even non Christians come to us for help and it would be safer for us to deny them our help, but hopefully we will put our faith in God and help them.  Verse two adds, Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.  At least David was wise enough to first ask God for guidance in whether to help them or not.  Of course, his question implied even more.  He didn't ask if he should go and fight the Philistines, but asked if he should go and defeat them under God's guidance and power.   God told David to go, defeat the Philistines, and save Keilah.  As we engage in battle with the world today, under God's guidance and by His power, the vicory is already ours.  Verse three adds, And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?  David’s men weren't so certain about going.  They said they were already afraid of Saul where they were in Judah, and asked how much more danger would they put themselves in if they went to fight the Philistines.  This would give Saul and opportunity to find them as well.  We cannot allow fear to rule our lives today, but under God's guidance and by His power we must be ready to take on any enemy that we need to, even if doing so doesn't seem logical.  Verse four states, Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.  After his men questioned him, David again inquired of God, and he got the same answer.  Though we should be ready to accept God's answer the first time we ask Him about something and He has told us to do it, if it involves the safety of others, we may feel the need to ask Him again to be certain.  Verse five adds, So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.  David and his men obeyed God and went to Keilah, defeated the Philistines, and saved the city.  This was all done by God's empowering David and his men, and if we today are to be successful in our war against Satan and his forces, it will only be by the power of God that we are.  Verse six continues, And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.  Abiathar,  Abimelech's only surviving son, came to David at Keilah with an ephod in his hand.  Matthew Henry says this was the ephod of the high priest which contained the urim and thummin, which would have brought great comfort to David, since he couldn't go to the house of worship where they were at.  We need to acknowledge that if for some reason we cannot get to a house of worship today that as followers of Christ the Holy Spirit is always with us, and we are in God's presence no matter where we are.  Of course, this doesn't mean that we are to use any excuse to not gather together with our fellow believers.