David: Flesh or Faith
Life of David • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 36:53
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· 31 viewsBelievers must choose daily to lve in the Flesh or by Faith.
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In today’s Tic Toc / Reddit/ Microblog world, the distribution of headlines and news stories has changed. Gone are the days when people depended upon the radio and listened for ...the REST of the story.
I, and I believe many of you, have seen so many “dead to right” videos that only portrayed a snippet of what really happened.
I have already seen 2 different situations this season where an NFL fan got knocked unconscious by another fan throwing fists. Then upon further review, in both situations, the ones delivering the knock-out blows are the victims of physical aggression.
When my son was in elementary school I had to teach him not to participate in to shenanigans, because often the instigator is not the one seen by the teacher.
Likewise, the events of today’s text taken out of the bigger context reveal only a frightened liar and those around him. I’m convinced that you are like me in that sometimes I act in the flesh, and sometimes I live by faith.
The Bible does not portray its heroes as perfect (except Jesus) and today’s text depicts David and the priesthood on both sides of this line.
Transition: Join be as we look at 5 characters and identify traits that we should emulate or avoid. The first character is...
David – a man with Flaws
David – a man with Flaws
Chapter 20 concludes with Jonathan admitting to David that things are dangerous for him and perhaps the best option is to flee. This chapter begins with David’s appearance a couple miles SE of Saul’s hometown of Gibeah.
In order to understand Nob and Ahimelech, we need the reminder of “previously in 1 Samuel...”
Chapter 2 introduces the godlessness of Eli’s sons, which causes the Lord to reject the family. In today’s text one of Eli’s descendants, Ahimelech, is still occupying the priesthood, but there is an asterisk next to his name because 1 Sam 2:33 has not yet been fulfilled.
33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.
In 4:10 the Philistine rout the Israeli army by capturing the Ark of the Covenant and leveling the town of Shiloh where the Tabernacle was set up. We saw earlier in Saul’s and David’s battles with Philistines that they had several strongholds, so Saul moves the center of worship to Nob, closer to his home of Gibea.
Now that David is on the run, we have an idea as to why chapter 21 opens as it does. With 2:33 hanging over Ahimelech’s head, he is suspicious of someone associated with Saul traveling alone.
David acts in the Flesh (chapter 21)
David acts in the Flesh (chapter 21)
David is controlled by Fright in Nod
David is controlled by Fright in Nod
Needs provisions: food & weaponry – The Priest only has used ceremonial bread and offers it as long as the consumers were ceremonially clean. We’ll come back to this bread a little later in the sermon. The priest offers the only sword he has. [some have noted that when David walked in faith he refused Saul’s sword, but now that he is running in fear, he asks for the sword.]
“the King” – some commentators believe this is an attempt to deceive, rather than a blatant lie. David IS on mission from the King of kings, but Ahimelech thinks “king” means Saul.
His men on mission with him – David has led men before, but we don’t know how many are with him here. 5 loaves of bread is not going to feed many. Some believe David is lying about the rendezvous. But Jesus speaks of this event in Mathhew and mentions that others ate with him.
I don’t think we need to find a noble twist to David’s lie. I believe he is acting out of fear and is willing to lie get what he thinks he needs. The Bible makes not attempts to hide man’s faithless moments. Man’s failures underscore the extent of God’s mercy.
Richard Phillips writes, “At Nob, David sought to protect himself with a lie, permitted his behavior to endanger others, and exulted in the worldly weapons he acquired. How much better it would have been if the sight of Goliath’s sword had reminded David of how God had earlier answered his faith, and how willing God is to help those who call on his name![i]
David demonstrates Flight to Gath
David demonstrates Flight to Gath
With a little nourishment and Goliath’s sword, he runs toward Goliath’s hometown. Perhaps he thinks the people will cower when they see the sword. Perhaps he thinks the people won’t recognize the sword.
When we are acting in the flesh, we excuse all sorts of foolishness.
While David hoped he could hide in Gath, The townsmen have not forgotten the Battle that saw their champion defeated or the 200 countrymen who lost body parts when David paid a dowry to Saul.
Phillips goes on to write, “Adding insult to injury, David had the audacity to stroll into town wearing the sword of their hero, with which David had cut off Goliath of Gath’s head![ii]”
4. David’s only way away from Achish is another lie. David fakes insanity. The superstitious Ancient Near Eastern people groups thought that attacking a mentally ill person would anger their gods. Achish is surrounded by enough insanity that he doesn’t want to risk it, and sends David away.
Transition: Something happens within David after leaving Gath. Even though he has lied repeatedly, God has not given up on David, and David begins to once again act like the leader God knows him to be. He begins caring for others around him.
David acts in Faith (22:1-5; 20-23)
David acts in Faith (22:1-5; 20-23)
David is ready to Fight from Moab to Hereth (22:1-2)
David is ready to Fight from Moab to Hereth (22:1-2)
David begins to build an unlikely army from those described as distressed, in debt, and discontent. Winfred Neely does a masterful description of these types of oppression.
a) distress means “to suffer overwhelming external pressure,” often brought on by enemies (Is 51:13). The men who came to David were distressed by the circumstances of life.
b) debt - Creditors took advantage of these men, charging them exorbitant interest, making heartless demands on them, refusing to grant forgiveness of debts in the seventh year, and perhaps even trying to force them and their children into slavery, driving them to even more financial ruin and heartache.
c) Discontented is literally “bitter of soul,” and “bitter” here means “the emotional response to a destructive, heart-crushing situation”[iii]
Doesn’t this describe most of us when we come to Christ? Christ accepts, adopts, and restores us when we were overwhelmed, indebted to sin, and bitter from our crushing situation. Yet these are the very types of people whom David used to build a mighty army.
2. David protects his aged family. (22:3-4)
The best explanation as to why David would make this request of Moab (a foreign country) is possibly because of his ancestor Ruth who had come from there.
3. David marches toward the enemy (22:5) – right back into Saul’s backyard!
Transition: As David is marching toward Hereth, let’s look at the priest who supplied him in Nod.
Ahimelech – a priest with Baggage (1 Sam 2:33)
Ahimelech – a priest with Baggage (1 Sam 2:33)
Picture of Mercy (Mt 12:2-4)
Picture of Mercy (Mt 12:2-4)
I told you we would come back to the bread. Each sabbath 12 hot loaves of bread were placed on the table in the worship space signifying the 12 tribes. As the fresh bread went in, the old bread was given to the priests.
The fact that there are 5 instead of 12 loaves tells me that Ahimelech is giving from his personal belongings, not the bread that belonged to the Lord.
Even though this bread no longer belongs directly to the Lord, it is still treated with honor and had limitation on how it could be consumed.
In Matthew 12 the Pharisees scold Jesus for his disciples not following the sabbath food laws. Jesus points back to this incident and vindicates the actions that were motivated by mercy.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
Person of Truth (1 Sam 22:14-15)
Person of Truth (1 Sam 22:14-15)
Ahimelech, I believe, was trying to do the honest thing as a man caught in the middle.
He made the best decision he could with the information he had regarding David, his mission, and his partners.
Later (v.14), Ahimelech defends David as being honorable, and claims that he has always tried to be truthful and avoid taking sides. In v.15 he pleads that Saul would not hold him accountable for information that he didn’t have at the moment.
Transition: Let’s look briefly at 2 comparatively minor characters, before returning to the star of the story.
Doag – a scoundrel without scruples
Doag – a scoundrel without scruples
An opportunistic spy (21:7)
An opportunistic spy (21:7)
In just 1 brief verse Doag is mentioned in the middle of the David/Ahimelech meeting. We don’t know much, but he comes back in chapter 22. All we know from chapter 21 is that he is an:
Edomite – he was a foreigner whom Saul would use for his purpose, but more so, God would use to fulfill prophecy.
Chief Herdsman – some have noticed that David had been a simple shepherd for his father, but Doag had been the big rancher for Saul.
An unrestrained terrorist (22:18)
An unrestrained terrorist (22:18)
· When Saul’s servants refused the order to kill their won priests, Doag carries out on Ahimelech’s family the instructions (v.19) that God had given to Saul regarding Amalekites, that was the final straw of disobedience.
Transition: Ahimelech was a priest living on borrowed time because God had withdrawn His blessing on Eli’s family. Saul is on borrowed time because God has withdrawn His blessing. At the end of our age will be another imposter to acts while on borrowed time.
Saul – a warning of who is coming (1 Jn 2:18-26)
Saul – a warning of who is coming (1 Jn 2:18-26)
When a leader loses influence and power, he rules by intimidation. That is where we find Saul in 22:6.
An ineffective leader
An ineffective leader
Exaggerates conflict– there is no real threat from Jesse’s family, but Saul is convinced they are the enemy and must be destroyed.
Mutiny by soldiers – his own guards know that he is crossing a line that they are not willing to cross, So Saul finds a mercenary
A ruthless enemy (anti-Christ)
A ruthless enemy (anti-Christ)
1 John speaks in the New Testament of a coming Anti-Christ, but also admits that throughout history there have been many who stood opposed to God.
The rampant, murderous actions of Saul against those who are appointed by God to carry out the plan of God is exactly the warplan that the Anti-Christ will use during the Great Tribulation.
If David is a type of the coming perfect King (Jesus), Saul fits the role of the arch nemesis (Anti-Christ)
Transition: in Chapter 22 we see Doag who thinks he ended the priestly family. We see Saul who thinks he ordered it, and we find David who thinks he is to blame. But they have all conveniently forgotten the greatest character of the story.
God – a Patient Provider at Work
God – a Patient Provider at Work
At work in David
At work in David
The change in David is seen in the men from Adullam and Abithar in the final 3 verses of chapter 22
Somewhere between Nob and Moab David finds time to reflect and writes Psalm 34 with themes about God’s provision.
Somewhere between Gath and Hereth he writes Psalm 56 about God’s protection.
At work in Ahimelech’s family
At work in Ahimelech’s family
A wicked priesthood needed to be purged (1 Sam 2:33)
1 righteous surviving priest is all God needs to re-establish tabernacle service under David so that his son Solomon can build a great temple for God.
You may not be many, but if God could use one Abiathar in this way, He could use one Jesus to save humanity, and He can use one you to finish His will for your life.
Transition: God brought situations into David’s life that prompted him to write the Psalms. The experiences of the Psalms point forward to the person of Christ. And in Psalm 34 we see Christ work in and for us.
At work in us
At work in us
1. David turned to deceit when he failed to trust God to be his provider. When David thought more about who God is, he wrote for us:
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
2. David turned to deceit when he was in need of protection, then he wrote for us:
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
3. When David was hungry he went to the priest for bread, when we are in need, Christ IS the bread. As he said in
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Jesus IS the living bread that sustains us. Jesus’ flesh was the bread that gives us life when we are distressed, in debt, and discontent.
As we gather around the table, we give thanks for the life-giving bread come down from Heaven. David was an earthly king with flaws who points us to the only Perfect King, Jesus.
[i] Phillips, Richard D. 2012. 1 Samuel. Edited by Philip Graham Ryken and Richard D. Phillips, Duguid Iain M. 1st ed. Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.
[ii] Ibid.,
[iii] Neely, Winfred O. 2014. “1 Samuel.” In The Moody Bible Commentary, edited by Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, 430–31. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
Pointing us to the PERFECT King who knows suffering and saves us in righteousness.