Friday, October 2, 2015

I Samuel 23: Saul The Pursuer

As you read the Psalms, you will find many written by David when he was on the run from Saul (Psalm 54 may have been composed during the events of this chapter.)  Saul's pursuit of David never resulted in the young man's capture, but it did unleash the heart of David in worship and prayer to God for deliverance, a treasure of writings that we can still enjoy millennia later.

In verses 1-14, we hear the story of the city of Keilah.  Word comes to David that the Philistines are oppressing the citizens of that Israelite town.  After inquiring of the Lord (twice), David's forces go down to liberate the town and drive off the Philistines, which they do successfully.  However, news of David's exploits reaches Saul and he immediately raises an army to go to war against David.  (Funny how he couldn't be bothered to save the people of Keilah when it was the Philistines attacking them; now that his enemy David is known to be there, it's all hands on deck!)

David is concerned that his new friends in Keilah will hand him over to Saul when the army arrives.  Sure enough, after inquiring of the Lord, David learns that they will indeed give him to Saul.  (That's gratitude for you!)  David and his men quickly leave Keilah and flee to "wherever they could go" (vs. 13).  Eventually they make it to the Wilderness of Ziph.

The Ziphites send a message to Saul: "David is here hiding among us.  Come and get him!"  Saul, once more thinking that everything is all about him, replies, "May you be blessed by the Lord for showing me compassion!" (vs. 21)  David, however, again eludes Saul the pursuer and is able to slip out of his grasp.  Try as he might, Saul simply cannot capture David when it is not the Lord's will.


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