1 Samuel 23:15-29 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 23:15-29. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Samuel 23:15-18 (NIV)
15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.
16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.
17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.”
18 The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
On verses 15-18: When David was hiding from Saul in the desert, Jonathan went to David and helped him find strength in God. He spoke encouraging words to David and reminded David of God’s calling on his life (v17).
What can we learn from this? Praise God for friends like Jonathan, especially when we’re in the desert — someone who helps us find strength in God, who prays with us, who reminds us of God’s faithfulness and our calling, who helps us to look beyond the mountain in front of us to see that God is bigger than the mountain. Thank God for the Jonathans in your life. Also, I pray you would be like Jonathan to others.
1 Samuel 23:19-29 (NIV)
19 The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?
20 Now, O king, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for handing him over to the king.”
21 Saul replied, “The LORD bless you for your concern for me.
22 Go and make further preparation. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty.
23 Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.”
24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.
25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,
27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.”
28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth [which means “rock of parting”].
29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
On verses 19-29: The Ziphites side with Saul and assume the responsibility of handing David over to him (v19-20). Saul blesses them for it (v21), using the language of spiritual blessing to encourage an evil agenda. Together Saul and the Ziphites pursue David (v22-25). Yet God continues to protect David. Verse 26 paints the vivid image of David running down one side of the mountain while Saul and his men are chasing on the other side of the mountain. Just when Saul is closing in on David, Saul is informed that the Philistines are attacking Israel (v27). So Saul breaks off his pursuit to go fight the Philistines (v28) while David escapes to the strongholds of En Gedi (v29).
What can we learn from this? God is our protector and deliverer. So it doesn’t matter how many people are against you. If you have God, you have the advantage. Just like God put a pillar of cloud between Moses’ Israelites and their Egyptian pursuers (Exodus 14:19-20), God was the rock standing protecting David from Saul. David was experiencing the truth of Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Likewise, you will sometimes feel the pressure and hear the noise of the enemy behind you closing in, but Jesus will be the rock between you and the enemy. He will protect you from being truly harmed.
As David himself would write in Psalm 27:1-3: “The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.”
Heavenly Father, thank You that You are my light and my salvation, the stronghold of my life. Therefore I do not need to live in fear of anyone, even when they are trying to attack me. Because You are the rock between me and the enemy, I can be confident and live with courage today. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
