1 Samuel 27-31 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

September 30, 2012


 *MAY 28 - 1 SAMUEL 27-31 - DAVID: FLEES FROM SAUL TO PHILISTINES*


 *1. 27:6-7 (27, ESV) DAVID: ZIKLAG HIS FIRST HEADQUARTERS. “So that day
Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah
to this day. 7 And the number of days that David lived in the country of
the Philistines was a year and four months.” *What a sad day! Saul had
chased David from his inheritance, and from Your place of worship Father,
driving him into the enemy camp. In spite of it all, we can pray with
David, *Hallowed be your :name!*


 *2. 28:2 (28:1-4) DAVID: AMONG ISRAEL’S ENEMIES. David said to Achish,
“Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to
David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.” *How dangerous
it is for us to resort to our own devices, and fail to wait for Your
salvation, Father! The spirit of the enemy affects us when we are in his
territory! *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 28:5-6 SAUL: THRICE-FOLD FORSAKEN BY GOD. “When Saul saw the army of
the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when
Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams,
or by Urim, or by prophets.” *Sin and rebellion short-circuit Your voice
from getting through to us, Father. If we regard iniquity in our hearts,
You will *not* hear us (Psalm 66:18). *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so
on earth.*


 *4. 28:17-18 (28:7-25) SAUL: SEEKS DEMON INFORMATION. “The LORD has done
to you as he spoke by me, for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your
hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the
voice of the LORD and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek,
therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day.” *Rebellion
produces silence from You Father, and this tempts us to resort to unlawful
and occult communication. O forgive us and our fathers the sin of such
communication, and keep us as You kept David. *Our :daily :bread Give us
this day.*


 *5. 29:9 (29) DAVID: SPARED FROM FIGHTING ISRAEL. And Achish answered
David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel
of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He
shall not go up with us to the battle.’” *Thank You Father, for Your
Sovereign Providential intervention through the lords of the Philistines:
holding David back from sin. We trust You to strengthen us too in face of
temptation, and make a way to escape. * And forgive us our :debts, As we
also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 30:6 (30) DAVID AVENGES ZIKLAG. “And David was greatly distressed, for
the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in
soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in
the LORD his God.” *Even when we in weakness leave Your appointed place of
security; still in mercy You hear our cry Father, and deliver us as You did
for David; and being without respect of persons, You will do it for us! *And
bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 31:11-13 (31) SAUL: HIS DEATH OF INDIGNITY. “But when the inhabitants
of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. 13 all the
valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the
bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and
burned them there. 13 And they took their bones and buried them under the
tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.” *How merciful You are
Father, as shown through these men of Jabesh-Gilead. *But deliver us from
the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 30:18 (30) DAVID: GUIDANCE THROUGH URIM AND THUMMIM. **“David
recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two
wives.” *How faithful You are, Father! We too like David, can trust You to
deliver us from our own people - as well as from our enemies!


 The lessons that we can glean from the above passage can be most helpful
indeed!


 So many of us at times in our life find ourselves in situations like
David. We are forced into worldly situations, where the pressure of such
circumstances tempt us to betray our true convictions and the clear
teaching of the Word of God.


 A number of our friends have become closely associated with the
Palestinians. There is a natural enmity of these people as a whole (though
there are wonderful exceptions) against God’s chosen people Israel. Because
they are better than other people? Not at all. As a matter of fact, God
says they are more stiff-necked and stubborn than many other people.


 But He needed a nation to fulfill His purposes, and to bring forth His
Christ! He also through Abraham raised up many other nations, including the
Arab nations through Ishmael. The Palestinians come from that source.


 So our friends in this context say - “Yes, we know what God has said about
Israel in the Bible, - but” - and then they tear down Israel in an
anti-Semitic spirit.


 David in Philistine territory was likewise tempted to join the Philistines
and war against his own people! What a tragedy had the Philistine lords not
refused him his desire!


 Another lesson: when because of sin God will not speak to us as He refused
His word to Saul - then the occult such as in the New Age teaching and
Eastern religions - come to seduce us. It was a terrible thing what Saul
did, and Samuel from the dead rightly denounced him! Beware of consulting
answers from the occult and the dead. Beware of Ouija boards, horoscopes
and tarot cards. Beware of tea-leaf reading. All of these and much more are
“verboten” for the true believer!


 I have personally received help for other portions of this reading. I am
sure many of you can do likewise.


 *Our Psalm for the day: 148:7-8 PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD. “Praise the
LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, 8 fire and
hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!” *For every reason we
are to glorify and praise You, Father. Uniquely, You are worthy to be
praised: as Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. All creation is Yours, was
first Your idea, and obligates us to praise You. We sense the rightness on
our part to comply, and gladly say, *Hallowed be your :name!*


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