1 Samuel 27:1

1 Samuel 27:1 says, And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. David still wasn't putting much faith in God, it would seem to me.  He said if he stayed in Israel that Saul would surely kill him, even though this could not happen if God had already anointed him king.  David said going into the land of the Philistines was the only way for him to survive Saul’s wrath.  We need to pray that there never comes a time when we have to leave those who are supposed to be God's people and go to those who are His enemies in order to survive.  Verse two adds, And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.  David and his six hundred men went to Achish, the son of Maich, king of Gath.  This was a decision that David had come to on his own, without consulting the ephod or a prophet, as Matthew Henry says, and he put his plan in action.  We need to make sure that whatever we do as Christiaans today is done under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and is not just our plan.  We certainly should never make plans based on fear.  Verse three continues, And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, David’s wives. his men, and their families, and David dwelt in Achish.  This really wasn't what God had called David to do nor where God had called David to be, not to mention the two wives.  David was called a man after God's own heart, as has been stated, but David was far from perfect.  We as followers of Christ are called to be people after God's own heart, but even when we are called to a specific purpose, we often fail to live up to that calling at all times.  Still, just as God didn't give up on David, He doesn't give up on us.  Verse four concludes, And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.  When Saul heard that David had fled to Gath, he quit hunting him.  David may have been safe from Saul, but I don't believe but he was where God wanted him to be.  We may decide to just live like the rest of the world if we feel persecuted as Christians so that we will be physically safe, but this will never be God's will.  We must have faith that He will protect us no matter what, even if we lose our life because of our faith.   Verse five states, And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?  David asked Achish to give him a place in the country where he could live, because there was no reason for him to live in the royal city.  Matthew Henry says this was partly done to keep Achish from becoming envious with David and partly so David and his men could freely exercise their religion.  As Christians, we should never attempt to compromise with the world just to remain safe.  Verse six adds, Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.  Achish gave David the city of Ziklag.  This had been a part of he tribe of Judah, so Israel regained what had once been their's anyway.  Even if we are not acting under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, God can still bring good from our actions.  Verse seven continues, And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. David lived in the land of the Philistines for sixteen months.  He may have been safe, but he wasn't living by faith in God at this time, but instead by faith in the goodness of his enemies and faith in himself and his plan.  We may devise a plan on our own that keeps us physically safe, but that doesn't mean we are following God's plan for our life.

1 Samuel 26:17

1 Samuel 26:17 says, And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.  When David called out to Abner, though he didn't recognize David’s voice, Saul did.  Saul asked if this was his son David, though he was trying to kill him and had given his wife to another man.  I guess he wanted to make himself sound friendly to David, and people who really hate Christians today often want to make themselves sound friendly.  David told Saul that it was him, even though that left him fairly close to Saul who was doing his best to find and kill him.  We as followers of Christ should never be unwilling to identify who we are, even to our enemies.  Verse eighteen adds, And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?  David once again asked Saul why he as trying to kill him and asked what evil had he ever done to Saul.  If people are out to destroy us as Christians today,  it should never be because we are out to harm them.  Verse nineteen continues, Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.  David said if God was behind Saul’s actions, then together they would bring an offering to set things right.  All we can do ultimately is ask people to examine their reasons for hating us and attempt to make things right under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  If they will not listen to reason, there is little more that we can do. David also said he was forced to live away from God's people in the land where idols were worshipped, which could lead him into temptation to stray away from God.  We should never allow anyone or anything to drive us away from the fellowship of our fellow Christians.  Verse twenty concludes, Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.   David compared himself to a flea or a partridge, insignificant to be hunted by Saul with the intention of killing him.  We should offer no physical threat to people today as Christians.  Verse twenty-one states,Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.  Once more,  Saul said he had played the fool and asked David to return to him.   I don't believe he was sincere, but for that moment he may have been. We may receive sincere apologies from people of the world today, but they probably will never last.  Verse twenty-two adds, And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.  David then told.Saul to send a young man to get Saul’s spear.  He still did not go into the camp to return it.  If our enemies make promises of peace to us today, that doesn't mean we are to let our guard down and move into their camp.  Verse twenty-three continues, The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed.  David said that God would deliver to every man his righteousness, and that God had delivered Saul into his hand that day, but he would not put forth his hand against God's anointed.  Today, even if we have an opportunity to physically destroy our enemies, that doesn't mean that we should, even if it seems that God put us in that position.  Verse twenty-four says, And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.  David said just as he delivered Saul from death that day, he would ask that God deliver him from all his tribulations as well, and most of David's tribulations were caused by Saul.  Ultimately,  we can only place the outcome of our tribulations in God's hands.  Verse twenty-five adds, Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.  Saul then asked that David be blessed and said that he would do great things and prevail.  Of course, this was the source of the problem to start with.  Saul thought David was going to take the kingship away from him and his family.  Of course, God had already done this, just as He has already taken His kingdom away from everyone who will not accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord today.  Then, David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.  Though Saul had once again made promises, David did not just immediately return to fellowship with him.  Just because people make promises of peace with us as Christians today doesn't mean that we are to blindly put our life in their hands.  We may go on our way while they go on their's, but we cannot just accept their words of peace. 

1 Samuel 26:8

1 Samuel 26:8 says,Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.  Abishai asked David for permission to stab Saul through just once with his own spear.  He said that this would be justified because God had delivered Saul into David's hand.  This was the second time that God had placed David in a position where he could have easily killed Saul, and since David had already been anointed as the new king, it would have been easy to justify doing so.  Just because God places us in a position to do something doesn't mean that we are to do it.  Verse nine adds, And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?  David told Abishai not to kill Saul, because no one should put their hand forth against the Lord's anointed.  We as followers of Christ should never be out to destroy those that God has placed in positions of authority in His church today.  Verse ten continues, David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.  David said that God would be in charge of when and how Saul died.  If we believe that someone needs to be removed from their position in the church today, we need to be in prayer about the situation but leave it up to God to control when and how they are removed.  Verse eleven concludes, The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.  David said that the LORD prevented him from destroying the LORD’s anointed, and then told Abishai to take Saul’s spear and water and they would leave.  If we truly believe that someone needs to be removed from a position of authority in the church today, and Saul after all was the leader of God's chosen people, there is nothing wrong with letting them know that we think so and maybe even that we had the opportunity to make it happen had we chosen to do so.  Verse twelve states So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.  David took Saul’s spear and water and they left and they left undetected, because God had caused Saul and all his men to fall into a deep sleep.  We could contend that since God had done this that David should have killed Saul, but I believe that David was doing what he felt God was leading him to do.  We should never just take advantage of an opportunity, even if we believe that God has placed us in a position to do so without making sure that God wants us to do so.  Verse thirteen adds, Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:  David went to the top of a hill a great way off from Saul.  Verse fourteen declares, And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?   David called out to Abner then asking if he were not Abner, the head of Saul's army.  Abner asked who it was that cried out against the king.  He didn't recognize David’s voice, nor did he know that David had been in the camp next to Saul, whom Abner and Saul’s men should have been protecting.  If we call out to those in power today under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, they may not recognize who we are to be doing so.  Verse fifteen adds, And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. David then asked Abner if he wasn't a valiant man and then asked him why he hadn't protected the king from those who could destroy him.  I believe that David may have been taunting them at this point, and don't believe this is something we should ever do.  Of course, it would once again prove that David was not trying to destroy Saul.  Verse sixteen continues, This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.  David told Abner that he deserved to die, because he had not kept Saul safe, and he offered the evidence of where Saul’s spear and water were as proof.  As Christians, we should always be alert and ready to defend the gospel and God's people, but I believe we are too often asleep on the job.

1 Samuel 26:1

1 Samuel 26:1 says, And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?  The Ziphites once again came to Saul to tell him where David was.  They seemed to be intent on gaining favor with Saul, even though David had done nothing to harm them.  Matthew Henty says Saul might have been content to leave David alone if the Ziphites had not stirred his hatred of David up again.  Some people today are still willing to do all that they can to destroy Christians, even if Christians have never done anything to harm them.  They especially seem to be ready to do this if it will make them look better to those in power.  Verse two adds, Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. Once again, Saul took three thousand men in search of David in the wilderness of Ziph.  Saul seemed to have spent much of his time hunting David, who still had done nothing to attempt to harm him nor to replace him.  It seems that people of the world today spend a lot of time either trying to kill Christians or to at least limit their power, even if we have done nothing to harm them.  Verse three continues, And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.  Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, but David was in the wilderness and saw him coming.  It is hard to move three thousand men without being seen, especially if you aren't trying to hide their movements.  If we are spiritually alert, the Holy Spirit will keep anyone from ever sneaking up on us to destroy us, but we must always be alert spiritually.  Verse four states, David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.  David sent out spies to see if this force was really Saul and his army.  Matthew Henry says that David wanted proof that Saul had so quickly forgotten his repentance for trying to kill him.  We are always better off getting proof of the facts than we are if we just make assumptions.  Verse five adds, And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.  David came to where Saul was, and got close enough to see him and Abner the captain of Saul's band lying in a ditch, even though they were surrounded by troops.  I believe this was possible because God was with David.  God is still with us today, and at times will lead us to do what seems impossible.  Verse six says, Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.  David then asked Abimelech and Abishai who would go with him into Saul’s camp.  This could be a very dangerous thing to do, but Abishai said he would go.  We need to be ready to go into what may seem to be a dangerous situation to support our fellow Christians, as long as we know that God is behind what they are doing.  Fear for our own safety should never hold us back.  Verse seven adds, So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.  David and Abishai came into Saul’s camp at night, when Saul was asleep with his spear in the ground nearby.  Abner and the rest of Saul's troops were asleep, even though we would assume that someone should have been on guard.  Spiritually speaking, the enemies of God are always going to be sleeping, but we as followers of Christ must always be spiritually alert.  

1 Samuel 25;39

1Samuei 25:39 says, And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.  After David heard that Nubul was dead, he gave thanks to the LORD for keeping him from doing evil.  I don't believe that God is going to destroy our enemies just to keep us from doing evil, but I do believe that if our enemies that we may have been thinking about doing evil to are destroyed that we should praise God for it.  David then communed with Abigail to take her as his wife.  She had helped David and evidently had impressed him.  Verse forty adds, And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.  Though it said David communed with her, he sent his servants to tell her his plan to marry her.  Matthew Henry says that his affairs may have kept David from being able to come himself.   Verse forty-one continues, And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.  Instead of going to David to become his wife, she at first humbled herself before his servants and asked that she be allowed to be his servant.  She certainly had not planned to end up being David’s wife when she helped him, but had helped him to benefit Nabal as well as David.   We need to be humble in our attitude about ourselves today as well, and do things that will benefit others instead of just us.  Verse forty-two states, And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.  After the messengers left, Abigail hurried after them with her damsels, or maids I would assume, and became David’s wife.  Of course,  David was married to Saul's daughter, who loved him, so I am not sure how he was able to justify marrying someone else, but the next verses do shed some light on this.   I do know that God's plan is never for us to be married to two people at a time, even if it did happen in the Old Testament.  Verse forty-three adds, David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.  David not only married Abigail, but he married Abinoam as well.  So, as we see, David no problem marrying more than one woman at a time, though he was known as a man after God's own heart and I know this was never God's plan for marriage.  As followers of Christ, it is possible for us to still sin, but if we do, we should never attempt to justify it as God's will.  Verse forty-four continues, But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.  As far as Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife, Saul had already given her to Phalti to be his wife.  Michal is the overlooked one in this story I believe.  She loved David and had saved him from her father, and now David was married to someone else and so was she, but I don't believe that it was by her choice.  Sometimes, we a Christians may get caught up in the actions of others that will affect us and have little say in the matter.  At such times, we simply need to remain true to God. 

1 Samuel 25:32

1 Samuel 25:32 says, And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:  David first gave God the credit for sending Abigail to speak to him.  As Christians, all the advice in the world is never going to do us any good unless we know that God is behind the advice.  Verse thirty-three adds, And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.  David then asked that Abigail be blessed, because she had kept him from acting out of anger and avenging what he saw as someone being ungrateful towards him by killing them.  We cannot allow self-pride to cause us to react with anger to those that we feel might have slighted.  Verse thirty-four continues, For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.  David told Abigail that as surely as God lived, had she not come to him, that by  morning none of Nabal’s men would have been alive by morning.  Of course, David had really not sought God's guidance in this situation, but fortunately for David, God was still at work.  Sometimes I believe that God has to work through others to keep us from doing something wrong because we are acting out our own desires or anger instead of following His will.  Verse thirty-five concludes, So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person. David took the supplies that Abigail had brought and told her to go in peace, that he had listened to what she had said.  Of course, all the Godly advice in the world is no good unless we heed it.  David could have listened to her, taken the supplies, and still have attacked Nabal, but he saw God at work in the situation and did what he knew God would want him to do.   We as Christians must always look to God for guidance and never act out of self-will and anger.  Verse thirty-six states, And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.  When Abigail returned to Nabal, he was having a party and was very drunk, so she didn't tell him what she had done.  He might not have been willing to help David, but he was willing to indulge himself.  His heart was merry because he was drunk.  People still are sometimes more willing to indulge themselves in earthly pleasures than they are to help others.  Verse thirty-seven adds, But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.  The next morning, when Nabal was sober, Abigail told him what she had done, and it says his heart died within him and he bacame as a stone.  He should have been grateful to Abigail for what she had done to spare his life, but he fell deeper into despair instead.  Verse thirty-eight continues, And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.  We are told that about ten days later, God smote Nabal and he died.  God has the ability to kill all our enemies, but I believe that as a general rule, He expects us to reach out to them with His love and mercy, and I do know that they will never die without having an opportunity to repent and accept the salvation that Jesus Christ makes available.  

1 Samuel 25:21

1 Samuel 25:21 says, Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.  David said that he had done nothing but good to Nabal, and instead of helping David, he had acted evil before him.  We should realize that just because we help someone that they may not help us when we need it.  Some may want to destroy us instead.  Verse twenty-two adds, So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.  David then acted more like Saul than himself.   He resolved to kill all the men of Nabal’s, but didn't quite attribute his actions to God, though he came close.  It is bad enough if we act out of anger towards others wanting only to destroy them, but it is even worse if we attribute our actions to God's will.  Verse twenty-three states, And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,   When Abigail got to David, she fell down humbly before him.  She did not come making demands or threats, but in humility.  We will sometimes get farther in calming a situation by being humble than we will by being arrogant.  Verse twenty-four adds, And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.  Abigail asked David to put the iniquity that he felt Nabal had done on her as she humbly called herself his handmaiden, or servant.  She was willing to sacrifice herself for her husband.  We may one day have to make a decision about how much we are willing to sacrifice for those that we love, even if they may be in the wrong.  Verse twenty-five continues, Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.  She said that Nabal was weak by nature and lacked understanding and that he was not acting spiteful but simply foolishly.  Those who do not put their faith in God today may often act foolishly towards Christians, even if they are not acting spitefully.  Verse twenty-six says, Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. Abigail then appeals to David not by her own reasoning but by the grace of God.  Ultimately, no matter how we as followers of Christ may feel about people, we must act under the grace of God towards them.  She adds that may God make all David’s enemies as Nabal, beneath his taking vengeance on them out of anger, because as long as David was faithful to God, God would always give him the victory.  This had been David's decision out of anger and not really by God's guidance.  We need to look to God for guidance, especially if we are angry at someone.  Verse twenty-seven adds, And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.  Abigail asked that the blessing she brought to David be applied to the young men who followed Nabal as well.  In other words, she wanted David to show God's mercy to them.  Even if we have a hard time personally showing our mercy to people, we as Christians should always follow God's guidance and show God's mercy to them.  Verse twenty-eight continues, I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.  Abigail again appealed to David to forgive the trespasses that he thought Nabal had committed against him because God was with him and was going to make him great.  Had David acted out of anger, he certainly wouldn't have been a man after God's own heart.  We, as followers of Christ, need to always act in a way that brings honor to God and forgive those who trespass against us and not seek vengeance on them.  Verse twenty-nine states, Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.  She assured David of what he should have already known, and that was that God would keep him safe as long as he was obedient to God.  She basically said that he didn't need to worry about Nabal, who was no real threat to him.  We may get so focused on those that we think have done us wrong that we forget about doing God's will and lose sight of our real enemies.  Verse thirty adds, And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;   Verse thirty-one continues, That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.  She again reminded David to leave things up to God and not act vengeful on his own, and then when God had installed him as king, to remember her kindly.  She was preventing David from making a big mistake and all she asked from him was to be remembered kindly.  We may need someone at times to remind us to act under God's guidance and not out of our own desires, and if they do, we should certainly look kindly on them.