1 Samuel 26 (Part 2) Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

This world is not an easy world to live in and I remember having

a conversation with a few brothers and the thought, dawned

on me just hearing the different trials and temptations that

people face. And we're facing at the time and

this. This thought ran through my mind

if this is what it's like to live with Christ.

I don't know how people do it without him.

How in the world do you live through this turbulent world?

Without Christ by your side. I don't know how it is.

I don't know how it's done, but I can tell you this with him,

all things are possible and that is what we're seeing with this

men. David as he is, as he is

enduring, a great trial and extended trial that's coming to

an ear end but not just yet. And so we come together to First

1 Samuel 26 · chapter mention

Samuel chapter 26. As we finish this chapter

together beginning in verse 13. If you don't remember what

happened last week Saul is added again.

He wants to chase David down his repentance before this proved to

be futile. It didn't mean anything his

words. Held.

No. Wait.

And David realized that saw and 3000 are right there.

Not too far from his location and he is ready to confront him

to confront him in a very similar way that he did.

When he was hiding in a cave and Saul relieve themselves.

Of providentially in that very same hole in the wall.

And so we see here now, David is ready to communicate his

concerns and to confront Psalm. But before we get into what he

is going to say, we get a description of the setting of

The confrontation. And so, in verse 13, we read

then David went over to the other side and stood far off on

the top of the hill with a great space between them and David

called to the Army. And to Abner the Son of Nur

saying, will you not answer Abner?

Then I have never answered. Who are you, who calls to the

king and David said to Abner, are you not a man who is like,

you and Israel? Why then have you not kept watch

over your lord, the king for one of the people came in to destroy

the king. Your Lord, this thing that you

have done is not good as the Lord lives you deserve to die.

Because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord's

anointed and now see where the Kings spear is, and the jar of

water that was at his head. Remember saw was sound asleep

with three thousand of his men surrounding him in that

Wilderness and the Blackness of that Midnight Hour David and his

assistant that. I'm at least for this Mission.

Come to saw, they find his Spear and his water jug.

They taken instead of slaying Him and Dave's going to use

these props to make the same illustration.

He made when he was in that cave.

I could have killed you but I didn't.

But look at verse 13. Look at the description.

David went over to the other side and stood far off on the

top of the hill with a great space between them.

Now we don't know how much of a distance there was but we know

that perhaps in that Wilderness there were Hills and there is a

specific landscape that provided natural Acoustics for their

communication to be clear even though they were at a distance.

But the more than that, this space, this description of this

Chasm speaks about David's precaution of Saul.

Saw has proven to be unpredictable.

Saw has proven to lack Integrity.

Saw has shown that he can say something, but he doesn't really

mean it. That one day, he appears to be a

type of person. The next, you can be the polar

opposite and David here, realizes that and so, he

distance himself in order to be safe and it's sad to see the

sight of a man who is having to frame his relationship with his

employer and his father-in-law in such a way.

But when somebody proves over and over that, they cannot be a

trustworthy individual or when they repeat the same serious

offense time and time, again, it will cause even the godliest of

men and women to be guarded. And to be distant.

And if we desire for our relationships with other people

to be filled with life and love, then it will require us to take

heed of the warnings of the scriptures.

That tell us exactly what it is. That would cause others who can

be a blessing to our lives to instead be repelled, and to

reserve their affection, and their involvement in our lives.

And guess what? It doesn't take attempted murder

to do it. There are many things in the

scriptures that tell us exactly how friends and close Companions

and potential partners for the kingdom of God, to be to be

separated from one another. Can I give you one?

It's in Proverbs 17. Verse 9 tells us very plainly.

Whoever covers an offense seeks. Love But he who repeats a matter

separates close friends. Here, who repeats him a seesaw,

cause David a step aside, and to communicate from a distance

because he was trying to kill him.

No kidding. I would send a letter.

I wouldn't even voice myself. But scripture tells us in a very

realistic way, how we can do things that may not seem as

serious as taking a sword to someone's neck.

Scripture tells us you're with other insights that all the

takes us to repeat a matter to separate close friends.

Now, this can mean one of two things, number one, to repeat a

matter. Can mean that you take something

that was shared to you personally.

And to give it to someone else who has no, no right to receive

what you have been given. And it goes back to this

principle of lacking Trust of breaking trust.

Any relationship in life that you want to be secure and to

flow with Grace and fragrance, has to be built upon the

foundation of trust. Of trust, and all of us in this

place, long / Security in our friendships and our marriages

and our leadership. And if you want to build that

with anybody, then it must be built upon.

You being a trustworthy individual. and when that is

shattered, It causes great pain and there's nothing more

exhausting. There's nothing more troubling

and painful than feeling suspicious about a person.

God cares about our relationships with one another

he does and so he gives us incredible wisdom of how we

can't protect and how we can nourish those things that God

wants us to enjoy for the sake of his glory.

And I wonder when looking at this proverb in light of God,

because he is a personal being Is there any wonder why he

continually declares his faithfulness to us?

Is there any wonder that he proves his trustworthiness?

Then when he says something he means it.

Then when he promised something he will never break it, That

faithfulness that God has invites us to open our hearts

without reservation. It causes us to be transparent

and causes to arrest and knowing I can trust my God, I believe

him. When he says that he will do it,

if you recorded it, he promised me that he'll never change.

He's the same yesterday today and forever.

And if we strive to be like, our God, like our father, then, we

must also be like him and his faithfulness.

To be committed to our word to be serious with what people

entrust to us. And so scripture tells us that

even by repeating a matter that shouldn't be repeated.

We can we can fracture friendships, we can fracture our

marriages, we can fracture, our Partnerships will another in the

kingdom of God, but to repeat a matter.

Mainly means, I don't think it mainly means that, but I believe

it mainly means That someone to resurface a past wrong to

somebody who has offended them or offended, another person to

repeat a matter means to to unburied something and to berate

somebody with that failure of the past, when it's already been

dealt with when it's already been communicated and it's

already been forgiven, it's something that has been cast

behind your back. But to repeat a matter is to

continually smear it in someone's face for whatever

reason it can be out of wanting to make somebody feel that guilt

again to manipulate, and whatever the case may be, But if

you want to know, one, sure way of wounding a relationship with

someone just bring up their past the past that they have repented

of the past that they've asked forgiveness for bring that up

again. And that is a sure way of

causing someone to to be reserved emotionally and even

physically to distance themselves from you.

And again, I think about our relationship with the Lord, what

causes our relationship to the world to be so sweet and what

causes it to move forward and to advance into grow?

Well, I'll tell you one thing, he never brings up the past,

does he? If at any time, your thoughts

are being brought back to a past failure, I can tell you this.

It's either one of two things, it's yourself or it's the devil.

But it's never gone. Because once you repent, once

you give that at once, you confess it to the Lord, he

assures you, this is never going to be in our conversation again.

That is a glorious thing about our God.

But we worship him for it and we love it, but we're not willing

to give it to others. How can that be?

You, and I, if we want to secure these things that God has gifted

us with an in one, another, these relationships then be like

him, be like him. And so, this is one of many

examples of how, like, David is showing his here in this

physical posture, we can cause people even the most lovely

people to push away from us. God forbid verse 14, finally,

the serenity of the sleep of these men who are surrounded

We're surrounding Saul, rather is about to be broken by the

echoing voice of David, on a top him, some Hill.

And instead of it being addressed to the main source of

the problem, who was Saul, we read that David called to Abner

the commander of Saul's Army. And that's interesting because

we're wondering, why would you do that?

What does AB to have to do with anything?

Is in your main issue, with this man, Saul?

Are you trying to cause more problems than you need in your

life? David?

David is not addressing Abner to try to shame him for just shame

sake. He's not trying to expose him to

embarrass him. David is being very tactical, he

was being very wise as he is confronting Abner from a

distance. What he is.

In essence trying to do is expose saws, poor judgment.

Why do you think that is? Why do you think that David is

confronting Abner's failure to defend his King?

And he idea Why would you do that?

What is he trying to? What's he trying to accomplish

here? Because we read it, right?

You failed, you deserve to die. You didn't keep watch over your

lord, the king, you didn't, you didn't protect the Lord's

anointed remember Abner's responsibility with other

soldiers was while the king sleeps you stay awake.

You're not going to bed, there is a night, watch going on to

make sure that there's no intrusive enemy coming in to

assassinate the man. And all of the men are sleeping.

This is a Monumental mistake. And David addresses it because

David wants to show Saul that the person that you thought

would be, the most faithful to you was not.

And the person who was going to be in, has been the most

faithful to you is the one that you're trying to kill.

He's indirectly telling Saul look at the people who were

supposed to give their lives for you, and they fail to do so.

And the one who could have taken your life Is in fact, the most

Reliant one in your life. So, so who's the real friend

here, Saul Abner. The one who clearly

disappointed, you or me, the one who has given himself to you in

one way or another. And that's exactly what's

Happening Here. Saw was supposed to realize this

and he's doing it in what and such a marvelous way David is

doing it. So brilliantly.

But here's the thing, when we look at saw Saul's choice or his

failure to choose David to be by, his side is a reflection,

it's an illustration of The Sinner who chooses other things

above Christ. This is a picture here of

someone who fails to realize the glories in.

Jesus Christ, the friendship and Jesus Christ, the faithfulness

of Jesus Christ. And they choose to put their

Refuge, they choose to put their security, their salvation,

perhaps in another God, or perhaps in the ways of the

Flesh. And what saw is realizing here

is what by the grace of God, The Sinner will realize sooner than

later. And hopefully sooner not in

eternity, that these things that we thought we can trust, will

ultimately fail us. Like Abner your favorites in the

worldly pleasure that you thought would quench your soul,

the relationships that are centered around Beauty and

sensuality and network for the sake of prosperity.

All these things like Abner will fail you, they will.

And sometimes it takes a rude, awakening.

A slap in the face like Saul here, waking up in the middle of

the night. Realizing I could have been

killed realizing this person or this thing that I've given my

life to my vulnerability, to my heart to my life too.

Did not live up to its promises. And sometimes people sitting

here week after week. They're going to need that rude

awakening before they hear what the preacher has to say.

I hope you don't have to come to that point.

Because at the same time, Saul is going to realize what I hope

you might realize if you're that person in this place.

Then as he wipes the stuff out of his eyes and he sees that his

spear is missing and his personal mug is not in his

bedroom. There.

He sees David. There, he sees the man who is

actually true who actually lives up to his commitment and his

Assurance in his promises. And you need to realize that

David is a representation of Christ himself.

You will not know another like him.

You will not know another Master like him.

I know you've been told that he will Lord over your life, and he

will take joy from you and he will give you the second and

third best, I've heard of her people.

What of God makes me marry somebody that I want to marry.

Like what does that? What have got makes me move to a

place. I don't want to move.

What is that? What of God makes me pursue a

career that that I don't want to do but I have to do because he's

God you don't know. God I'm sorry you don't know.

God. Because there is no one who will

provide for you. Protect you flood your soul with

satisfaction like Jesus Christ. No one.

And you don't need to have sleepovers with sin before you

realize that. You can do it now.

You can know what at this moment, you can ask him to open

your eyes to believe it, and he will do it in a way where he

will leave you marked for the rest of your life. the more I

grow in life, the more I realizing how disappointing life

is really, and I read that Psalm earlier, because just some past

reflection, nothing else, brings the soul, rest, then simple

devotion, personal worship discovering who God is nothing.

and Saul, hopefully will realize What the sinner should realize

without wasting another day? Abner field sauce in will fail

you your dreams, your Pursuits will fail.

You The one whom God has anointed is who you need and

that is the person of Jesus Christ.

Let's read on, shall we? First 17, Saul, recognizes

David's voice and said is this your voice?

My son, David. And David said it is my voice.

My Lord O King now. You and I are going to come to a

portion of scripture that's going to read very familiar to

what we've seen, just two chapters ago.

Remember when David was in the cave, he cuts up corner of

Saul's robe. Saw goes out of the cave.

He walks a little bit and then David comes and he addresses him

it's going to be a very, very similar encounter here you.

And I when we read through the scriptures will see repetition,

we will see Parables repeat themselves in the gospels.

We will even see when you read like First Kings and then you

read Chronicles, you like I've seen this before.

This before but the Holy Spirit knows what he's doing.

Whenever there is something that seems to be similar or even

seems to be identical realize that that repetition is by

Divine Design. Do not ignore it.

Do not skim over it, do not be light with it.

If anything be all the more attentive and diligent to read

between the lines to compare to see, why is it that the Lord is

bringing this up again? Because as you do that, as you

contrast, the text What you will see is differences.

And in the differences, you will find great insights.

So again you come to this portion of scripture, okay?

Here it is again. David's going to confront them.

It's gonna be the same thing. I know the story saw is not

going to kill them and but wait, be careful.

When you read slowly and you flip back and forth, you'll see

the differences and and then you'll be able to say oh wow,

okay, oh what a difference. All this is not as similar as I

thought. It takes time, it takes effort,

but it's worth it. Saul recognizes David's voice

and said, is this your voice? My son, David.

That's all say something similar.

Before he did this David say something similar and David

said, it is my voice. My Lord O King.

What's missing here? There's nothing missing from

Saul's address. There is something missing in

the way. David responds.

Remember David is still choosing the path of respect, even though

this man failed to prove his repentance and he had all the

right to be infuriated. He had all the right to approach

him with superiority with harshness perhaps even with

scorn. But instead, David doesn't want

to just be Guiltless with his sword.

He wants to be blameless with this tongue and so he chooses to

address him with honor because of his office because of his

seniority, whatever the case may be, at the same time, David does

not say he does not give a certain title to Saul.

I encourage you to compare it to First Samuel 24 and to see what

is missing. I'll give you a little bit of

time to figure it out. Go back to 1st Samuel, 24, Look

from verse 8, down a few verses and see if it if it comes up.

My Lord O King. Yes, five more seconds.

Aha, very good. Did you say the same thing?

Look at verse 11 of 1st Samuel, 24.

See my father. See the corner of your robe in

my hand. First day at 26, he does not

refer to him as my father. Now to us that that would mean

because Saul is treating him like everything but a son,

right? But there is something that

happened that we did not touch on when we explore the chapter.

There is something that happened that canceled out the

possibility. For David to refer to him with

this term of endearment. It's the last verse of 1st

Samuel 25, we didn't touch on it, but it's worth noting.

And first Samuel 25 verse 44, saw had given me how his

1 Samuel 25:44

daughter, David's wife to polity.

The son of lionfish, who is of gallium.

Can you imagine that? So as David is wandering, in the

wilderness, saw, strategically separates his wife from him and

gives his daughter to someone else.

This man was so filled with hatred that he wanted to attack

David in any way possible. And so he came after his

marriage. He severed that relationship and

he even causes his daughter to pursue an adulterous

relationship, Think what? What kind of man would be sick

enough to do this? I'll tell you a man who is just

filled with jealousy. A man who's filled with such

Envy. It's amazing.

The lengths that even a hidden feeling can take someone and it

reinforces the thought does it? Not it reinforces the truth that

oftentimes when a man thinks that he is sinning with someone

or against just one person that the consequences of such a thing

go far beyond what you had hoped or planned.

He just had something against David, but he didn't just come

after David. That sin wants to erode

everything it wants to corrupt as much as possible.

And so, it reaches into David's marriage, it reaches into his

family life. We're now his family have to

escape Bethlehem and wander and and foreign places sin, cannot

be contained. In terms of its consequences, it

will spread like cancer. The more it is fed.

It has to be burned out by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And so, we come to this point where now even David you want to

add to the pain of his journey. David loses his wife.

He loses his wife because of his father-in-law's sin.

If you feel the horror of it, good, never forget it.

These things are given to us to make us feel such things.

So he says my Lord my king, he doesn't call them, then call him

my father. And so we read on and we see

something quite interesting here.

Saul recognizes David's voice and said, is this your voice?

My son, David. The words are the same.

But when David heard it, he also saw something else.

Let me put it this way when Saul said it and in chapter 24.

Is this your voice? My son, David.

Something else was in that, that is missing.

Now and again, go back to chapter 24 and compare it,

compare the question. To this chapter in this verse

and see what stands out. You have to go a little further

and chapter 24 to see it. Look for that question and

finish the verse and see what is different.

When you have it, just say it out loud.

Anybody catch you yet? Yes.

Yeah, there's that and but I'm saying look for Saul's

questioning and see what's different with Saul's

questioning and inquiring of this is David's voice compared

to chapter 26. Ah, did you see it?

Let's look at it verse 16. Is this your voice?

My son, David 24:16, and saw lifted up his voice and wept.

Come back to 26:17. Saul recognizes, David's voice.

And said, is this your voice? My son, David, no weeping.

No crying, no Brokenness. Now, emotions are not the

greatest indication of what's happening in.

Someone's heart, they're not, they're not the strongest Clues

and not the strongest signs, because people weep all the time

and it just it just surface-level conviction worldly

sorrow at the same time. We cannot totally ignore the

value that emotions play. Here we see something quite

interesting Saul is being exposed for the same sin that he

had his attempting to commit that he did back in chapter 24.

He's being now confronted for the very same thing, but his

heart is responding to it differently.

It is. There seems to be a coldness and

you're going to see that as you read on there, the right words,

but there seems to be a questionable element to how he

is confessing his sin. Could it be that overtime saws

heart was getting harder and harder and harder?

I argue. Yes.

I argue. Yes.

And that often happens to a person who continues to persist

in the same wrong at one point. You've heard me say this before

at one point there was there was a discomfort and a disturbance

with it and then now there's a tolerating and there's less

agitation. It's almost like it becomes part

of you to the point where you can't even feel the weight of

the seriousness of any Weren't that is that is a result again

of ignoring a conscience, not being in the presence of God's

light in his word and letting yourself be dealt with and

managed by the flesh. Saw cannot even cry about it

anymore. And it's scary when you hear

people talk about their sin, even in the form of confession,

I've seen horrific things and I'm not talking about the sin

itself, but the way it's communicated.

There's no Brokenness there's no concern.

There is no sense of what have I done.

It can just be about. Yeah and it's there's a

difference between that and being comforted to know that God

will forgive you. There is a difference there.

Look at how David responded to his sin, and you'll know exactly

what I'm talking about. There is a healthy level of

being broken over sin. There's an unhealthy, but

there's a healthy and, and Sawyers demonstrating concerning

concerning elements of a heart that is becoming.

I see. and so David responds to him even though there's no

tears, And he says, here in verse 18.

Why does my Lord pursue after his servant?

For what have I done, what evil is on my hands?

Now, therefore let my Lord the king hear the words of his

servant if it is the Lord who are stirred you up against me,

may he accept an offering? But if it is, men, may they be

cursed before the Lord for they have driven me out this day that

I should have no share in the heritage of the Lord saying go

serve other gods. So now he confronts him and he

questions. It's a wonderful thing to ask

questions. He asked questions then he says

before you answer, let me actually continue here.

Why are you doing this? Let's do the process of

elimination is God encourage you to do this?

And one way you can interpret, this is this, because of that

evil spirit, that the Lord has allowed to torment you.

Is that why? If it is May accept your

offering of repentance? If that's not the case, if it's

not the Lord, if it's not that spirit that he is allowed to

chastise, you, can I ask you this?

Is it men. Are you listening to people

again? Are you listening to their

slander and their lies that are stirring you to act in this way?

And look, what he says is quite fascinating, he says, if it is

men, may they be cursed, may they be cursed.

Why? Why such a serious indictment?

Why call of judgment? He gives the reason why he says

for they did what they've driven me out this day that I should

have no share in the heritage of the Lord saying go serve other

gods. You know what, David's complain

to us for him to call upon a curse for these people.

His complaint was not that he was experiencing physical

discomfort. It was not that he lost his

home. It was not that he didn't have a

position anymore. Remember, nobody knows how long

he was in the wilderness but some estimate it was not.

Just weeks or months. It was years.

That's a long time to be living in caves.

But his main grievance is nothing of the sort.

The real reason why he was stirred up with this righteous

indignation was because these men have caused them to be in

Exile. Making him distant from the

people of God. Who worship God in the house of

God. And that is what he wanted, more

than anything else. This is what the sin of these

people have caused me to do to, not be able to come into the

presence of the Lord, and to worship him with other Godly

Saints. That's my complaint.

Isn't that fascinating? I find it quite fascinating.

You know why? Because David's pain.

He Reveals His passion. David's complain to your

reveals, what he cherishes the most in life.

David here in expressing his frustration.

Is revealing what he Longs for the most.

And as I read this, I think That shows really what you and I

treasure in life. Some people are more grieved by

the loss of a job than the loss of sensitivity to God's presence

and leading some people grieve, more of friendships being

tampered with than being in God's house with God's people.

You know, when I read this, I thought to myself of that

initial phase of this whole cobit thing when the whole world

was shut in and nobody can go anywhere and churches across the

world close their doors for us. Season.

Can I ask you a question because we all experience it together in

that time? What was the most frustrating

thing? To you.

What disturb you the most in that season?

What was it? That was taken from you that

cause you to want the world to open up again.

Was it God's house? Was it being with God's people

to sing? God's Praises was it to hear

God's word preached in person as it should be.

Or is it that you couldn't go to your favorite restaurant

anymore? And you couldn't go on vacations

as frequently as you once did. Or you cannot explore this or

that or go to the mall, whatever the case, maybe I can tell you

something, whatever your heart was aching.

For during that time reveals what you love the most in this

life. And in David's case, when he was

put into quarantine in one way, oh, he's I want to be in that

place. I want to smell the sacrifices

on the altar. I want to worship with that

choir. Like we heard in Psalm 42.

I want to lead the people of God and procession so that we can

praise God out loud. That's what I'm longing for.

That's what I'm making for in this life.

One way that, you know, that your satisfaction is in God

alone, is that if everything was taken from you, you would be

just fine. It's true and one way to know

that your satisfaction is not in God alone, is that when things

are taken or things are stolen or things are rotting, whatever

the case, maybe your world seems to fall apart.

David knew, no such thing. Because everything was taken

from this man, even his own pillow, and the only thing that

was running through, his mind was, oh, I want to be able to go

through those Gates Again. I want to be able to see those

priests minister to the Lord. All I want to be able to be as

close to that Ark as possible. That was his cry.

And so he brings us before Saul revealing his his godliness.

And we read here in verse 20. Now, therefore let not my blood

fall to the Earth away from the presence of the Lord.

For the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flee like

one who hunts a Patridge in the mountains.

Then Saul said, now, here's solid responding to this.

This is now his, his confession supposedly, he's about to Now

respond to what he has responded to before.

And he says something here, I have sinned returned.

My son David Frye will no more. Do you harm?

Because my life was precious in your eyes this day behold, I

have acted foolishly and have made a great mistake.

Pretty impressive stuff. So You know why?

Because yes, he confesses again but he's saying something

different than he did before. What did he say before?

Anybody remember what he said when he was confronted by David,

if you go to verse 7 of chapter 24 you'll get it and it's not

the same as what he is saying here.

If anything, this seems like to be a more sincere confession

because before what does he say this?

Somebody figure it out. what did you say to David before when he

was confronted, you are more righteous than I There is no

mention of his sin in chapter 24.

Now he's saying I have sinned I have sinned.

Like this is great. This is an improvement.

This is a move forward. He doesn't just say I've sinned

because I've acted foolishly I made a great mistake so he's not

trying to. He's not trying to hide his sin

by just emphasizing on David's Superior righteousness.

He just speaking plainly. I have sinned.

That sounds more like a sincere confession in chapter 24 and he

says I've acted foolishly. Let me make this point sin and

foolish. Our neighbors. when a person

lives in sin know that they've allowed foolishness to pay rent

in their hearts, Sin and foolishness go hand-in-hand

because a foolish person does not consider the damage and a

destruction of their decisions. They do not calculate such

things. Let me give you an example, the

sin of adultery for example, right?

Scripture speaks about this among other sins.

I want you to just hear this. In Proverbs 6:22, we are told he

Proverbs 6:22

who commits adultery lacks sense.

Why he does it destroys himself. So, a person who is caught up in

the flesh, a person who is caught up in lust and they act

upon it. The scripture says they lack

sense, because they don't realize the potential

destruction that can come to the reputation to their marriage.

To somebody else's. Marriage is all things

redeemable. Absolutely.

Can God forgive all things? You better believe it.

But yet still, God May forgive the sin but not the consequence

of this in consequence of this. Since sometimes comes, Alice and

so here, we see that he acts foolishly confesses it because

sin and foolishness hold hands. It's very difficult to separate

the two. You can never sinned wisely.

You could think that you're smart and your sin but you can't

separate the two. Remember that?

Remember that. but another important difference from this

confession, Stands out. Is the what invitation, for

reconciliation? I have sinned return my son

David. He didn't say that in chapter

24, he just asked, make sure that when you become king that

you leave my descendants alone, this time, he's saying, come

home, come back. I'll give you your job back.

I'll let you come back to what was normal before we can restart

return. My son David That's like that's

wonderful. That's even it's even more

exciting. This is great.

But it's concerning. Return.

My son, David, what is the right answer?

What should they would do? Believers who think black and

white would say go. You're supposed to reconcile is

that not the pursuit of forgiveness isn't at the end

goal that forgiveness would restore absolutely.

That is true. But the call to forgiveness is

not the same as the call for reconciliation.

Listen, our faith is all about forgiveness.

Forgiveness for the believer is not optional.

In fact, I mean, add to that. Forgiveness should not be

delayed our hearts to release somebody else from their

offense. Not harboring bitterness not

meditating upon harm to be done to them.

In fact, being willing to love them, in a sense of acting good

upon them when the opportunity arises that, that's there's no

discussion that there's no debate, there's no at what if

But though, forgiveness is immediate not reconciliation.

Depending upon the severity of the sin.

Will determine whether reconciliation can be immediate

or it can be a process. And that's that's totally okay,

with God. Is the end goal always to be

reconciled? Yes.

Is that always the case? No, because sometimes the most

harmful thing you can do is try to restore something too

quickly. What do you mean by that?

Well, because although all sin is condemned by God, not all sin

have the same consequences. Sometimes it can go deeper it

can it can go further. It can it can be more crushing

more devastating and because of that it doesn't excuse a lack of

forgiveness but it does permit for reconciliation to be

approached with a certain time and a certain patients in order

for it to be genuine and safe. It's all losing his temper here

with David. Is that what he's asking

forgiveness for did he just have an outburst of anger and saying

look I lost my cool man. I'm sorry just let's just let's

just hug it out. Come here.

Is that what he's doing here? No the guys trying to kill him.

He's trying to kill them. And so we can't be so

black-and-white to say. Go ahead.

David. Oh, I know, he's told you over

and over again that he wouldn't do it and he free but just you

gotta do it. Is that wise?

That's not wise. God wants us to exercise wisdom

and all things, including reconciliation.

I want to show you how sin, as an example, how some sent have

more lasting consequences than others, go to the Book of Exodus

very quickly here. It's actually found in the ten

plagues believe it or not I'm sure there's many other

illustrations we can use but here is one to consider.

Let's go to the second plague. Let's go to Exodus chapter 8.

Exodus 8 · chapter mention

And verse 13. Now remember there are certain

plagues that when Pharaoh asked for forgiveness and when he

asked for the plaque to cease, Moses would intercede and in a

moment that plague would be dealt with.

I mean, in a moment but when you come to the plague of the frogs,

something interesting happens, even though God answered

immediately, and destroyed those frogs in order to bring relief

to Egypt, look at verse 13, And the Lord did according to the

word of Moses, the frogs died out in the houses, the

courtyards and the fields and they granted them together.

Rather they gathered them together in heaps and the land

stank. I can show you other plagues

where God blew a win in One Direction.

And the moment that Moses interceded, he blew even a

stronger wind, the other direction.

So that those things can be removed.

In this case when the frogs were were put to death, we are told

look how interesting this is that they had to their shovel

these frogs and make piles and there was a stench There was a

stench afterwards and I believe that's a great picture of how

some sins stink more than others.

Some sins leave and odor, and comparison to others that though

there still sin are not as severe.

And so we have to understand that we have to be very

realistic about these things because I've even had

conversations with people who might have done someone wrong in

a certain way and they pressure and they they want immediate

restoration to normalcy. And as much as that is the goal.

There are some things that take time There's some things that

take time and we have to be patient and understanding of

that when trust is broken, it takes time to rebuild it.

Among other things and David realizes that because we might

want to throw stones at the man. But let's just register the fact

that perhaps, if he had went back into the camp or even go

back to the Palace, that would have been his last, his last

moment. Things could have changed

overnight. And so this is much more complex

than we would like it to be. We have to consider the history

of Saul does this man keep his word.

Does he does. He actually honor what he says?

No, Then we got to be careful here.

What are the circumstances? How do we move about this?

The best way? I hope that helps because

sometimes we oversimplify things.

And we do ourselves harm and we do other people harm as well.

I want you to see how David responds to the invitation

that's all gives to return with him.

First, look, what he does here. In verse 22.

He hears him out he respects him and David answered and said here

is the Spiro King? Let one of the young men come

over and take it so he's not like I'm coming down there.

Is it returned? Okay, he doesn't run into his

presence. He doesn't even call Saul to

come up. To take his possessions.

He says that one of your young servants come here and grab it.

The David become bitter is David not looking for reconciliation.

All you got to do is read the rest of the scriptures.

And this chapter to realize that this man is free from

resentment. But he's not stupid either.

And he's cautious and he's careful and you and I are called

to do the same, but let me let me make this warning because

some people love what I'm about to say.

That although we must be careful.

We must not refuse reconciliation either.

Because there are some people who will take what I'm saying.

And say that's right. That means I'll never have to

talk to that brother and sister again. oh, really That is not

the case because the goal is always reconciliation.

God wants us to have our relationships restored, but the

pressure for a person to do something that would not allow

for healing and try to attempt a close companionship, after a

serious offense, or series of sharp things occurring to them.

Is just as wrong. So we see here that he does not

give his possession directly to him.

And David was, right, David was right and his assessment, all

you have to do is go to the next chapter very quickly.

Look here in verse 4 of chapter 27.

We're going to read this, I can't wait for this chapter.

But look at verse for David actually leaves, Israel, at this

point, we'll get to that next week.

But look what it says here in verse 4.

And when it was told saw that David had fled to gath, he no

longer sought him. Implying, what he was seeking

after him. After all of that return, uh, he

was still willing to kill him. So what happens?

Well, David gives his final words because this is the last

time David and Saul are going to encounter one another.

This is it. And look what he says here.

In verse 24, I want to highlight this before we close behold, as

your life was precious this day, David is speaking as your life

was precious this day in my sight.

So may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may

He deliver me out of all tribulation.

The saw your life was precious to me and you know what?

He says he's not concerned. If his life is precious to saw,

he realizes that it's not But he says, made my life, be precious

in the sight of the Lord. I believe that David's continual

awareness of the presence of God and all that he did, and a

knowledge of God's ability to reward or judge was the

ingredient to the success that he knew in life.

Even solid mit's it. Look at verse 25 and Saul said

to David Blessed, Be you my son David, you will do many things

and will succeed in them. As much as this man, I hated

David. He realized because of the

principles because of how you express your convictions and

what you live by. There is no doubt that you will

be successful in life. I cannot I cannot fight that as

much as I'm trying to fight against you.

And that principle is true for you and I believe it if you and

I live with the knowledge of God watching us recording leading

all these things. If we live in his presence we

will be the safest and we will be the most satisfied.

Do you realize that the reason why Saw made such a tragedy out

of his life is because he lived the exact opposite he could care

less. If he was a precious in the

sight of God, he could care less what?

God Would do or would not do the man lived for other people.

He lived for his impulses and that's why he was spiraling

down, more and more as we continue in this book.

So you see two paths, right before us parallel one heading

up one heading down one key difference.

One person lived with the knowledge of God's presence, the

other one could care less, whether one can care less.

And great men. Great woman of God though.

They are known though, they may not be known the way that they

have known. Such Sweetness in life, is

because they were only concerned about living in the sight of

God. That is how you will know,

maximum Holiness and that is how you will know maximum happiness.

There's a famous saying, I'm not really a fan of it.

You might have said it. This is not a personal offense

to you and I'm not aware that. Anybody has said it's I've known

it for years. Jesus Christ did not die to make

you happy. He died to make you.

Holy have you heard it? So is that that's my choice.

Holy or happy? I would like to rephrase and say

Jesus Christ died to make you holy so you can be happy big

difference. It's not like I have a 4K if I

if I become holy then I'm less happy and if I run really no

happiness, then I shouldn't be holy, you won't get that in the

Bible. That might be clever saying, but

it's not true. Great Men.

Great woman have lived in the sight of God and I want to show

you one example and then we're done, it's in the New Testament.

Luke 1, it's about John the Baptist very, very small

description that we might miss but it is huge and implication

and promise. In Luke 1.

Let's begin in verse 13. But the angel said to him, do

not be afraid. Zechariah for your prayer.

Has been heard and your wife, Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall call his name John.

And you will have joy and gladness and many Will Rejoice

at his birth. Verse 15 for.

He will be great before the Lord.

He will be great before, who, before crowds before Herod,

before Rome know before the Lord.

And how did that man, live. How did he live for him to live?

Great before God's face? There's my man.

There's my servant, he had one outfit in one diet.

We would look at him and say what a poor fellow.

Look how much sacrifice that is to serve God.

People think you're crazy you have to live out in the

wilderness and look at all the people questioning him and

calling him cuckoo. Yeah and the sight of others

perhaps so in the sight of God great And you and I have to

determine who do we want to live before?

Do we want to be great before men who want to be great before?

God, if you choose tonight to be great before God, let me give

you a heads up. You might not get the same

evaluation from Men. But which one matters most,

which one means more, you determine that and I hope you

make the right choice, David lived in the presence of God.

And look at how it is let him up to this point.

Look at all the rewards that are weighted him in his own life

because he had established that conviction and look at the mess

that's all made out of his own. As much as David has been.

So inspirational to this point. It's in chapter 27 that you and

I will see what weariness. And trial can do if we don't

receive strength from a continual trust in God Lord we

thank you for this Bible study. Louis, thank you for these

truths. We thank you for these insights.

We thank you for this time exploring, these wonderful,

wonderful things that you have reserved for us in the

scriptures. Lord, we ask that we would

Implement them by your grace and mercy.

We pray that these things do. They might have cut our hearts

would bring us. New Life.

New Hope New desires. But we pray.

That we would be concerned about what you have to say about our

lives. Loi pray, he would give us

wisdom and our relationships wisdom and our decisions.

But oh God, we pray that you would do a work in our hearts

like you did in this man that while he had lost everything.

His main concern was you. Worshiping you loving you being

with God's people. Lord may we value the things of

God to such a degree. Because in that will we know

great, great pleasure, great Delight.

Superior satisfaction. Lord, we worship you.

We worship you in our conviction.

We worship you in our comfort. We Worship You, Even in our

questions, we worship you because you've given us greater

Clarity. We worship.

You. You are a good God.

You are so faithful. The god of David is our God.

Glory. Be to your name, and Jesus name

we pray. Amen.

The stand and worship of Lord.