Which Kingdom is Forever?

So our passage today is the entire chapter of 1 Samuel chapter 22.

1 Samuel 22 · chapter mention

! 23 verses this time.

And it is action-packed.

This chapter has got me, just my mind, I can't turn it off.

It's so wonderful.

I hope you'll enjoy it.

Although I'm sure we'll walk away like we always do with maybe even more questions.

So please hear this and receive it as God's inspired, inerrant,

authoritative, powerful word for you and me, his people.

Remember, all of God's word is breathed out by him,

and it's useful for teaching, rebuking, instructing his people in righteousness.

1 Samuel 22.

So David left Gath.

Remember, Gath is the capital of the Philistines,

one of the five cities where Goliath is from.

And he took refuge in the cave of Adullam.

When David's brothers and his father's whole family heard,

they went down and joined him there.

In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented,

rallied around him, and he became their leader.

About 400 men were with him.

From there, David went to Mizpah of Moab,

where he said to the king of Moab,

remember, this is a different kingdom.

It's not Israel, and it's not Philistia.

It's where Ruth is from.

Please let my father and mother stay with you

until I know what God will do for me.

So he left them there in the care of the king of Moab,

and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.

Then the prophet Gad said to David,

don't stay in the stronghold.

Leave and return to the land of Judah.

So David left and went to the forest of Hereth,

which is in Judah.

Verse 6,

Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered.

At that time, Saul was in Gibeah,

sitting under the tamarisk tree at the high place.

His spear was in his hand,

and all his servants were standing around him.

Saul said to his servants,

listen, men of Benjamin,

is Jesse's son going to give you all the fields,

give all of you fields and vineyards?

Do you think he'll make all of you commanders of households

and commanders of hundreds, commanders of thousands?

That's why all of you have conspired against me.

Nobody tells me when my own son makes a covenant with Jesse's son.

None of you cares about me or tells me of your cares

or tells me that my son has stirred up my own servant

to wait in ambush for me, as he is the case today.

Then Doeg the Edomite,

who was in charge of Saul's servants, answered,

I saw Jesse's son come to Ahimelech,

son of Ahitab, at Nob.

Ahimelech, the priest, inquired of the Lord for him

and gave him provisions.

He also gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.

The king sent messengers to summon the priest.

Ahimelech, son of Ahitab,

and his father's whole family were priests in Nob.

All of them came to the king.

Then Saul said,

Listen, son of Ahitab,

I'm at your service, my lord, he said.

Saul asked him,

Why did you and Jesse's son conspire against me?

You gave him bread and a sword

and inquired of God for him

so he could rise up against me

and wait in ambush,

as is the case today.

Ahimelech replied to the king,

Who among all your servants is as faithful as David?

He is the king's son-in-law,

captain of your bodyguard,

and honored in your house.

Was today the first time I inquired of the Lord for him?

Of course not.

Please don't let the king make an accusation

against your servant

or any of my father's family,

for your servant didn't have any idea about all of this.

And the king said,

You will die, Ahimelech,

you and your father's whole family.

Then the king ordered the guards standing by him,

Turn and kill the priests of the Lord,

because they sided with David.

For they knew he was fleeing,

but they didn't tell me.

The king's servants would not lift a hand

to execute the priests of the Lord.

So the king said to Doeg,

Go and execute the priests.

So Doeg the Edomite went

and executed the priests himself.

On that day,

he killed 85 men who wore linen ephods.

He also struck down Nob,

the city of the priests, with the sword.

Both men and women,

infants and nursing babies,

oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

However, one of the sons of Ahimelech,

son of Ahitab, escaped.

His name was Abiathar.

And he fled to David.

Abiathar told David that Saul had killed

the priests of the Lord.

Then David said to Abiathar,

I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day

and that he was sure to report to Saul.

I am myself responsible for the lives

of everyone in your father's family.

Stay with me.

Don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid.

For the one who wants to take my life

wants to take your life.

You will be safe with me.

The word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

Please be seated.

The grass withers and the flower fades,

but the word of the Lord stands forever.

Let's pray.

Lord, we ask that by the power of your Holy Spirit,

you'll please help us to

behold by faith

the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ

and the war in this world

against the kingdom of Jesus.

Lord, we pray that you'll help us

to understand this passage

as your Holy Spirit intended it all along

and that our faith in Christ will be strengthened.

We ask this for your glory.

Amen.

A crown is merely a hat

that lets the rain in.

That's what Frederick the Great,

the king of Prussia,

had to say about it.

He knew that the crown was

a symbol of kingdoms of this earth,

not practical.

And it's not just a literal kingdom.

It's anything we hold on to

and put our hope in for our security.

Think of all the things that will soon be gone,

could be stripped away from any one of us at any time.

Health,

title,

a loved one,

an office,

that thing that gives us security,

a job.

None of these kingdoms of this world

will last, will they?

Charles Spurgeon made this observation.

A man who is filled with himself

has no room for God.

And a man who thinks his kingdom is eternal

has forgotten

that he is but a tenant at will

and the landlord

is coming to collect the keys.

Saul is a king

who forgot this

or never learned this lesson.

And the theme of this passage

as I want to walk us through it

is a question.

Which kingdom

is forever?

Which kingdom

is forever?

forever?

All the odds

are stacked against

the kingdom of heaven.

And this

wonderful chapter

has at least six scenes.

I've used six

as our dividing point,

but sometimes

within one scene

they're in two different places

in just a matter of

two or three verses.

So let's do our best

to understand this passage

and with God's help

to apply

what he wants

us to learn from it.

The first scene is

look at chapter 22

verse 1.

Where is it?

Where's the first scene?

It's the cave.

The cave.

Verse 1 says

David therefore departed

and escaped

to the cave

of Adullam.

From the outside

if we were to travel

in Israel

we would see

yellow stone

that looks a little bit

like red rocks here

but yellow

or down

what should be called

the garden of the God.

You know

it looks like that

on the outside

and then from inside

the cave

it's massive.

It's like this

massive room

and you can see

the blue sky

out on the outside

of it.

It's in southern Israel.

We don't know

how far

shepherd boy David

would have wandered

with his sheep

exploring all the

nooks and crannies

of this geography

but this was the cave

where he ended up.

And notice

what's interesting

is that we get

insights into

what's going on

in the rest of Israel

through the main characters

that we've been following

until now.

We read that

when his brothers

and all his father's

house heard of it

they went down there

to him.

So now it's become

public news.

David and Saul

are not on good terms

and it makes sense

for those related

to David

who might also be viewed

by Saul as a threat

to get out of town

quickly

escape to the mountains.

David

we're told Jesse

had eight sons

and David was the youngest

later on in Chronicles

it says

six brothers

so it's possible

that one of the brothers

died young

before he had children

therefore he wasn't

listed later on.

But this is a big household

in addition to all

of their servants.

Remember they're just

a couple generations

away from wealthy Boaz

who owned a lot of fields

and so we can understand

quite a few people there.

And then verse 2

of chapter 22

gives us even more insights.

Apparently the word spread

David

who Saul

is trying to hunt down

he's in the cave

of a dolem

and people start whispering

and everyone

who was in distress

everyone who was in debt

and everyone

who was discontented

literally bitter of soul

gathered to David

and he became captain

over them.

There were about

400 men

with him

in addition to their families

and others.

God's anointed

David

in a cave

hidden from sight

from the perspective

of the world

yet the power

of his person

draws the distressed

the hunted

the weak

those who don't like

Saul's kingdom

they run to him.

God raises up

an army

of those

that ultimately

God has caused

to hate

the dominion

of darkness

those who are sick

of the pattern

of the world

gather

around God's

anointed.

Isn't that a great

scene for us?

A hidden kingdom

and an army

of bankrupt

soldiers

which kingdom

is forever?

Saul

with all the land

the weapons

the official army

or this

ragtag group

out of sight

Benjamin

Keech

commented

David's kingdom

began in a cave

with men in debt

so the kingdom

of heaven

is not made

of those

who are whole

but the sick

this is the condition

of the church

in the wilderness

it is a gathered

people

separated

from the world's

kingdom

acknowledging

no captain

but the anointed

one

that's us

church

we're in the time

of wilderness

from the eyes

of the world

we're weak

and the church

it's not the kingdom

that you'd want

to put your money on

but those who came

to God's anointed

were ones who rejected

the kingdom

of Saul

they were bankrupt

they were in debt

and so the Lord

Jesus receives

not those who are

self-righteous

he says

come unto me

all you who are

weary

heavy laden

he said

blessed are the

poor in spirit

spiritually bankrupt

come to him

Jesus Christ

the true anointed

one

not based on

merit

but based on

your need

of him

and that's

the application

for this first

scene in the cave

now the second

scene

is a place

where it couldn't

be more different

in many ways

look at verse 3

where's the next

scene take place

it's the palace

in Moab

the palace

in Moab

in verse 3

so David

goes next

to Mizpah

the capital

of a different

nation called

Moab

you remember

the name of

David's dad

I think you kids

know this one

what was David's

dad's name

Jesse

Jesse's dad

was Obed

so David's

grandpa

Obed

was half

Moabite

he was

the son

of Ruth

and Ruth

married Boaz

and Ruth

if you remember

was from Moab

and they were

immigrants

to Bethlehem

at least

Ruth was

and when he

gets there

David says

to the king

of Moab

please let

my father

and mother

come here

with you

till I know

what God

will do

for me

I love

how in

just one

verse

we see

a man

submitted

to God

and the

submission

to God

it's waiting

upon the

Lord

and also

not passive

at the same

time

I am going

to take my

parents there

under the

protection of

the king

of Moab

but I'm

also going

to wait

on the

Lord

and to

see

what he

will do

the true

king of

God's

people

will do

the will

of God

patient

not passive

Matthew Henry

commented

David does

not say

till I know

what I shall

do for

myself

but what

God

will do

for me

are you

needing to

wait upon

the Lord

these days

in your

life

David

leaves his

parents

in the

hand of

this king

but his

heart

is waiting

upon the

Lord

in verse

four

so he

brought them

before the

king of

Moab

and they

dwelt

with him

all the

time

that David

was in

the

stronghold

in God's

providence

the commandment

that we

focused on

from the

moral law

today

was the

fifth one

and here's

David

under

persecution

in distress

and yet

by God's

power

giving us

a beautiful

picture

here of

obeying the

fifth commandment

under his

father and

mother

even in a

really hard

situation

so David

says what

will God

have me

do

and he

also says

where will

God

have me

go

remember in

verse three

David says

till I know

what God

has

and now

what God

has for

David is

answered

in verse

five

will you

look at

verse

five

the prophet

Gad

said so

this is

God

giving

David a

prophetic

word of

guidance

do not

stay in

the

stronghold

depart

and go

to the

land

of

Judah

this is

significant

for only

reasons the

Holy Spirit

could know

so David

departed

and went

into the

forest

at

Hereth

when we

thought he

was going

to be

okay

he'd

taken

provisions

took care

of his

parents

put himself

in a

stronghold

he's

buckling

down

he's got

an army

of 400

God

sends him

somewhere

less safe

go down

into Judah

more into

the open

in the

forest

and look

how it

turns out

look at

verse six

when Saul

heard that

David and

the men

who were

with him

had been

discovered

in other

words that's

the very

next thing

that follows

from obeying

where God

sent him

is being

discovered

by Saul

it's no

accident

this is

God's

direction

which

kingdom

is forever

the one

who listens

to the

Lord

patiently

waits on

God

even when

it seems

foolish

in the

eyes

of the

world

Andrew

Fuller

drew a

wonderful

application

from this

true faith

does not

outrun

providence

but waits

for a

clear

warrant

the command

to go

into the

land

of Judah

was a

command

to return

to the

place

of promise

and danger

it teaches

us that we

are safer

in a

forest

by God's

command

than in a

castle

of our

own

choosing

amen

well that's

what we

get at the

scene that

begins

in the

palace

of Moab

and ends

in the

forest

of Judah

the third

scene is

this

a tamarisk

tree

I had to

look up

what is a

tamarisk

tree

and in the

USA they are

an invasive

species that

destroy others

but in Israel

they're native

so I don't

I'm not going to

read any symbolism

into it

it just was

a tree

up on a

high place

in the land

of the

Benjamin tribe

Gibeah

capital

the headquarters

for Saul

and it was

common for

there to be

these big

trees on

high places

which it

gives you

shade

in an

arid

nation

and a

good vantage

point to

look out

over all

the land

and see

the major

trade routes

coming through

if there's

foot soldiers

posing a

threat

you've got

a good

place to

look at

it from

well in

this next

scene

beginning at

verse 6

the focus

moves from

David to

Saul

when Saul

heard that

David and

the men

who were

with him

had been

discovered

Saul was

staying in

Gibeah

under a

tamarisk

tree

and the

Hebrew word

is

at

Ramah

and that

made me

immediately

think of

Samuel

remember

Samuel is

from those

mountain peaks

called Ramah

but it's

just the same

Hebrew word

and it means

a high place

I wondered

though

because the

Hebrew makes

you think

of Samuel

if it's

also supposed

to like

help us

foreshadow

what's about

to happen

next

how God

prophesied

through

Samuel

something

to do

with

the

priest

of the

line

of

Eli

do you

remember

that

so keep

that in

the back

of your

mind

as you

heard that

Hebrew word

for high

place

and notice

the picture

that is

painted for

us in

God's word

in our

mind's eye

of Saul

up on a

high place

where you

can see

all around

no one

can sneak

up on

him

in the

shade

with his

spear

in his

hand

Saul

sits there

plotting

murder

with a

conscience

obviously

seared

and hardened

by the

world

and by

Satan

and all

his servants

are standing

about him

what he

says next

in verse

seven

gives us

an insight

into his

spiritual

condition

he's a

troubled

man full

of suspicion

and inward

misery

verse seven

hear now

you

Benjamites

he's reminding

them you're

loyal to

our tribe

so it's the

king causing

division within

a nation

will this

son of

Jesse

I wonder

if that's

deliberate

as well

remember

Saul heard

that David

has been

discovered

and his

family is

no longer

in Bethlehem

with all

their land

where's

Jesse

now

will he

give every

one of you

fields

and vineyards

well obviously

his own

family lost

all of that

what is he

going to give

you that I

can't

will he

make you

captains

of thousands

and captains

of hundreds

and then in

verse eight

he says all

of you have

conspired

against me

it's almost

like instead

of just

comparing himself

to David

now he's

just complaining

and whining

and there is

no one

who reveals

to me

that my

son has

made a

covenant

with the

son of

Jesse

and there

is no

one of

you who

is sorry

for me

this is

Saul's

tone

Spurgeon

observed

Saul

accuses

everyone

of

conspiracy

because

his own

heart

is not

right

with God

he complains

no one

is sorry

for him

for the

selfish man

always believes

the whole

world is in

debt

to his

sorrows

while he

ignores

the grief

he causes

the Lord's

anointed

that's the

end of

Spurgeon's

demolition

of Saul

which

kingdom

will last

forever

Saul

rages

Benjamin

Keith

pointed out

against the

covenant

between his

son and

David

because

Saul

cannot

comprehend

a covenant

based on

love

and divine

election

rather than

political

advantage

you know

in

Corinthians

the church

that's in

covenant

with God

based on

God's

divine

election

and love

for us

in Christ

before the

foundations

of the

world

that's an

aroma of

death

to the

world

but to

those who

are sick

of the

pattern

of the

world

it's an

aroma

of life

they're

drawn

to that

the

quote

goes on

as Saul

viewed the

covenant

between

Jonathan

and David

as a

conspiracy

so the

carnal

mind

views the

secret

purposes

of God

in the

covenant

of grace

as a

threat

to its

own

earthly

sovereignty

which

kingdom

lasts

forever

that's

the end

of the

tamarisk

tree scene

per se

because now

we have

another

character

catching up

with us

from the

previous

chapter

look at

verse 6

I'm sorry

verse 9

then answered

Doeg

the Edomite

the Edomites

were descendants

of Esau

who did not

want the

covenant

blessing

and he

was set

over the

servants

of Saul

we're told

in the

previous

chapter

he was

the chief

herdsman

there's a

little reminder

remember Saul's

the one

always chasing

his donkeys

around

he's not

a shepherd

among the

sheep

he's the

one driving

a herd

and this

is his

chief

herdsman

and he

said

I saw

the son

of Jesse

going to

Nob

to Ahimelech

the son

of Ahitub

verse 9

he's bearing

true witness

right

verse 10

he inquired

of the

Lord

for him

and gave

him

provisions

and gave

him the

sword of

Goliath

the Philistine

he mentions

the sword

of Goliath

the Philistine

specifically

this has been

preserved you could

say in the

national

museum

you know

this is

something we're

very proud

of

and God

is reminding

him this

victory was

of my

power

my doing

and this

symbol of

my power

working through

man is going

to this

anointed

one

and now

Doeg

while technically

these words

were true

the way in

which he said

it the effect

it had on

Saul

omitting

the fact

that the

priest also

had words

and questioning

and thinking

through and

was acting

in innocence

following God's

moral law

all of that's

left out

of his

report

Spurgeon

commented

Doeg is the

very pattern

of a

malicious

tongue

he tells

the truth

but with

a lying

intent

he saw

the son

of Jesse

at the

house of

God

but his

heart

was with

Saul's

spear

as the

next

actions

make very

clear

verse 11

so the

king sent

to call

Ahimelech

the priest

the son

of Ahitab

and all

his father's

house

the priests

who were

in Nob

and they

all came

to the

king

what a

sight that

would be

all of

the priests

of the

line

of Ahitab

meaning

descendants

of Eli

and before

that

descendants

of Aaron

all

traveling

now

taking

time

coming

all the

way

to give

their

audience

to the

king

Saul

in verse

12

Saul said

hear me

now

son of

Ahitab

doesn't

even call

him

priest

mediator

representative

of the

most high

God

no fear

of God

no respect

for the

office

that God

appointed

he answered

here I am

my Lord

Saul says

why have you

conspired

against me

you and

the son

of Jesse

and that

you have

given

him bread

and a sword

and have

inquired

of God

for him

that he

should rise

against me

to lie

in wait

as in

this day

well we

don't know

the body

language

of king

Saul

we know

the spear

is always

in his

hand

and put

yourself

in the

position

of this

priest

the

himalek

showing

up

being

accused

having

this

malicious

witness

set him

up

what

testimony

would you

give

for those

who have

legal training

notice also

a very

broken

courtroom

here

we could

call this

scene

the hellish

courtroom

Saul's

the prosecutor

he's also

going to be

the judge

Doeg is

the witness

he proves

to be a

malicious

witness

who also

turns out

to be

the executioner

it's a

courtroom

from hell

verse 14

so Ahimelech

answered the

king and

said

who among

all your

servants

is as

faithful

as

David

bring

it on

King

Saul

he's

the king's

son-in-law

he goes

at your

bidding

he's

honored

in your

house

in other

words

I have

no idea

that you're

against him

I'm a

priest

doing what

priests do

that's my

job

verse 15

did I

then begin

to inquire

God for

him

far be it

from me

I didn't

begin then

I consult

with him

I minister

to him

because he's

an Israelite

anyone in

God's

covenant

I'm

going to

serve

and minister

to

let not

the king

impute

anything

to his

servant

saying

Saul

don't

throw

on me

guilt

that I

didn't

deserve

in this

case

I am

innocent

is what

he's

saying

or to

any of

the house

of my

father

for your

servant

knew nothing

of all

of this

little

or much

I had

no idea

of all

your

conspiracy

theories

King

Saul

priest

gives a

bold

witness

and at

the cost

of his

own

life

he

speaks

well

of

God's

anointed

one

he

stands

up

against

this

tyrant

and this

is his

highest

duty

to bear

witness

for the

savior

for the

deliverer

the

anointed

messiah

even

if

it

cost

you

your

life

verse

16

the king

said

you shall

surely

die

a

himalek

didn't

consider

his

plea

of

innocence

and

he

extends

now

the

punishment

beyond

the one

who he

thinks

has

messed

up

unto

him

and

all

his

father's

house

verse

17

then

the

king

said

to

the

guards

who

stood

about

him

turn

and

kill

the

priests

of the

Lord

because

their

hand

is also

with

David

and

because

they

knew

when

he

fled

and

did

not

tell

it

to

me

I

love

how

Spurgeon

takes

this

scene

and

helps

us

to

see

a

pattern

in

all

the

Old

Testament

that

continues

on

in

the

church

in

previous

chapter

Saul's

spear

had

missed

David

so

now

Saul

turns

it

against

the

priests

of

the

Lord

here's

the

pattern

it

is

the

old

story

of

the

serpent

trying

to

bruise

the

heel

of

the

woman

seed

when

he

cannot

reach

the

head

he

strikes

the

members

of

the

body

don't

we

see

that

over

and

over

and

over

and

over

that's

the

end

of

Spurgeon's

quote

and

now

Saul

gives

a

command

for

the

servants

to

kill

the

entire

line

of

priests

and

this

command

was

null

legally

not

a

legitimate

command

because

it

contradicts

the

law

of

God

himself

could

the

command

of

the

king

of

kings

is

the

one

that

appointed

these

priests

to

do

their

job

and

to

have

the

right

of

a

due

process

but

the

servants

of

the

king

would

not

lift

their

hands

to

strike

the

priests

of

the

Lord

and

this

refusal

by

the

guards

it's

a

good

example

for

us

that

when

man's

government

commands

the

slaughter

of

the

innocent

we

must

!

So

Doeg

the

Edomite

turned

and

struck

the

priests

and

killed

on

that

day

85

men

who

wore

a

linen

ephod

the

linen

ephod

if

you

remember