King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Chapters: I Samuel Chapter 23- 24, Psalm Chapter 7, 17.27,120
Message: When Trouble Comes
Hello My Friend,
I just realized that I had included 1 Samuel 23 in the reading for yesterday so forgive me for any confusion and the longer devotional from yesterday. Perhaps God wanted me to show a different perspective on the subject, but as I was reading the chapters for today it reminded me of how many Gospel songs there are in regards to the pain that we are feeling and how they can actually uplift us when we are feeling at our worst, [Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.]
The peace of God, now that is something that we all seek and when we have it we have full confidence that God is with us and will carry us through our darkest hour. When have no peace it is just the opposite, in fact, it is utter chaos as we attempt to make sense out of what we are going through while trying to muddle through it. I am not going to lie, I have been on both sides as we all have been and sometimes all in one day and we all get that way, [Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.]
David, was no exception, in fact, you can see it in the Psalms that he wrote, often in the same prayers or songs. As we continue in the reading of 1 Samuel, Saul is still on the hunt for David, and it did not matter where David ended up, the people knew who he was so they were either seeking his help or selling him out. When the people of Keilah found out that David was there they sought his help when the Philistines attacked.
[1 Samuel 23:1-5 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2 Therefore David enquired 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. 3 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? 4 Then David enquired 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. 5 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.]
[Behold, we be afraid here in Judah:] David’s men were scared, it was one thing to protect David from the few men that Saul had pursuing him it was another to go up against the Philistines who were much larger in number. When it looks like the odds are stacked up against us the best thing we can do is not only pray to God, but sing to Him.
[Psalms 27:1-6 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. 4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.]
[For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion:] There is nothing more comforting that to be covered under the wings of Jesus. When life becomes unbearable and we start losing hope of things ever changing we must keep singing praises to God for He will set us upon the Rock that is so high that everyone will see the hand of God upon our lives, [Psalms 27:13-14 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.]
Not every town feared David because they knew he was a great man of war and gladly wanted him on their side to help them, but they were few and far between. At the same time, they feared Saul because he killed anyone who even appeared to be helping David. When Saul found out that David was in Keilah, he thought that God had delivered him into his hands. And David, would soon find out that Keilah was not really on his side.
[1 Samuel 23:6-8,12-14 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. 7 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. 8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 12 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. 13 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. 14 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.]
[that he came down with an ephod in his hand.] What was the purpose for the ephod every time David asked God whether or not he needed to fight or lay low? It was not for David to put on himself, but for the priest to put on. This was a special ephod that included the Urim and Thummim in it, this ensured him that he can go to God with the priest vouching for him. The priest was the middleman for the one to come to God with the full assurance that God will hear their prayers, [Exodus 28:30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.]
[but God delivered him not into his hand.] While we are facing our troubles it may seem like there is no end to them and that God is nowhere near, but the truth is that He right there protecting us. In fact, He delivers us from the hands of so many that we would cringe if we knew about it.
[Psalms 120:1-7 A Song of degrees. In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. 2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. 3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. 5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! 6 My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. 7 I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.]
[My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.] Until we see Jesus our soul will forever dwell among those who hate peace, and while we can find peace that passes all understanding through our faith in Jesus, we need to understand that Jesus did not come here to bring the peace, but the sword, [Matthew 10:34-36 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.]
Jesus, was not kidding when He said that our foes are often of our own household, I mean look at David, Saul, is his father-in-law. Now, Jesus is actually referring to the ones who cause division, the reason being is that they often hinder us in our walk with Him, but every now and then we do find some who will support us. As David was in the wilderness of Ziph Jonathan met up with him, he encourages him, prays with him, and assures him that he will support him as being the next king.
[1 Samuel 23:16-21 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 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. 18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. 19 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? 20 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. 21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.]
[thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee;] This reminds me of just how fragile life is, and even though things may not turn out the way we would like, it is the hope that carries us through. We are not promised tomorrow, but that should never deter us from hoping that they will, [Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.]
[Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood,] Unfortunately, when the people of Ziph found out that David was there they were all to willing to let Saul know that he was there. This time Saul got pretty close, but once again God stepped in.
[1 Samuel 23:24-27,29 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. 25 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. 26 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. 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.]
[David made haste to get away for fear of Saul;] Like I said earlier, sometimes we have full confidence and fear in God all in the same day. You see, God knows what is deep down in our heart, not the one that deceives us through our emotions and feelings, but the one that God sees.
[Psalms 17:1-5,13-15 A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. 2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. 3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. 5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. 13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14 From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. 15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.]
[deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:] What is God’s sword for the wicked? None other than the words that come out of His mouth. The wicked can come at us with weapons to kill the body, but the most powerful weapon in the world is the Word of God, [Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.]
God, knows our hearts far better than we ourselves know them, and His Word opens up to us hidden depths of which we ourselves never dreamed. Let me tell you, we all have some wicked in us, given the right circumstance and state of mind, if we are not grounded in Christ, we are capable of doing the most unthinkable things as well. Saul, was about to learn what God’s mercy is all about when David had the opportunity to kill him.
[1 Samuel 24:1-5 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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.]
[David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.] David, knew that this was not the way that God would have him become king. Now, if Saul would have attacked him and he was defending himself that would have been a different story, but in this case it was not for him to take the law into his own hands. In fact, this is what David told his men and even Saul when David told him that he could have easily killed him.
[1 Samuel 24:6,8,10-11 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. 8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 10 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. 11 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.]
[yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand:] Saul, actually knew what David was capable of, David, is assuring him that God will judge him for what he is doing, but it will not be by his own hand. Finally, David, starts to realize that of he will be the next king, and that God will surely make that happen. Right then, and for a second, Saul realizes the same thing.
[1 Samuel 24:17-22 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18 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. 19 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. 20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. 21 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. 22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.]
[for thou hast rewarded me good,] You see, hatred, jealously, intimidation, grief, bitterness, fear, pride, these are all things that cloud our judgment, and that is exactly we do not take things into our own hands. God, does want us to defend ourselves, He does not expect us to just let someone attack us, but it is not in His will for us to strike first, that is unless He tells us. If we trust in His Word, His promise and life by faith, even if it is roller coaster faith sometimes, we will always receive the promise.
[Psalms 7:1-3,5,8-10,17 O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: 2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. 3 O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; 5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah. 8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. 9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. 10 My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. 11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. 17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.]
[according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.] Think about it, this is an actual song that David sang to God about His judgment of both the righteous and the wicked. Each and every one of us will stand before Jesus to be judged according to our righteousness. And yes, judgment does come to God’s people first, but the judgment the righteous face is not the same as the great white throne judgment in which the those who do not know Him will get cast into the lake of fire.
[Matthew 25:31-34,41 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [1 Samuel 24:15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.]
Today’s Prayer: God, You make it easy to do the right thing, what is hard is keeping ourselves from those who do not. They will stoop at nothing to bring difficulties to discourage or change us into their way of thinking, some may even try to harm us. Lord, You are my Rock, my strength, my power, and my grace to endure all the troubles that come. Nothing is too hard or impossible with You, so, as I walk with You by faith, trusting You, I know that everything will work out for good. Lead me and guide me, protect me, and keep me in Your peace so that I might praise You all day long. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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