God Is My Help

Introduction

A. Chapters 21–23 are a collection of episodes demonstrating that David is on the run from Saul. David finds food from the priests at Nob. He goes to the city of Gath and feigns madness to save himself. In chapter 22, David goes to Adullam and begins living in a cave. Four hundred debt-ridden and disgruntled men join him. They form a mercenary group. Saul has the priests at Nob killed for their giving aid to David, his enemy.

B. When we come to chapter 23, three events take place which illustrates God’s help in hard situations. Our focus this morning is going to be on the work of God in our lives. I mentioned three weeks ago in a sermon “God is at work in every situation or he is at work in none. It is not a hit or miss proposition. We cannot pick and choose when we think he is working. God is at work in all the situations of our lives.” [Singing]

God Provides Direction

A. In 23:1–13, David and his men hear of a Philistine attack against the city of Keilah. David inquires of God if he and his men are to go and protect the city. While God answers yes, the men are uncertain that leaving the relative safety of Judah is wise. A second inquiry brings the same results. David and his men go down to Keilah and save the town and the people. They stay a while within the safety of Keilah. Saul finds out that David is there and amasses a small army to go after David. David inquires of God again if Saul is coming after him and if the people of Keilah will betray David. God answers yes to both questions. So David and his men leave the city.

B. Tucked into the middle of this section is verse 6. It is in parentheses in the NIV. Here is the point of this section. When Saul killed all the priests at Nob, Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son, escaped with the ephod. The ephod was the priestly garment used to help the priest discern the will of God. David then has access to direct communication with God. Saul doesn’t. David is able to hear directly what God’s will is. Saul is left to well established informants to discover where David is. David, then, receives direct divine guidance.

C. That is all well and good for David. God provides direct direction for David, but he doesn’t do that for me. We have no priestly ephod to use. God doesn’t speak in direct voice to me. David received what he needed. But the principle is the same. How did David receive this information? Wasn’t it through the priest? Do we not enjoy the same privilege? What does Hebrews 4:14–16 mean if not that we are able to go through our own high priest and find help in our time of need? David needed help in a time of need. The principle is the same.

D. God provides help in our time of need. Our high priest, Jesus, sits beside the God of this world. He has his ear. He can speak freely on our behalf. He speaks for our defense. He speaks to guide. David didn’t have anything over us. Our high priest is able to help us know that God is working in every situation. No situation we go through escapes the eye of God. He provides help at just the right time. [Singing] “My Jesus Knows Just What I Need.”

God Provides Encouragement

A. In verses 14–18, David and his men are hiding out in the Desert of Ziph. They are once again on the run from Saul. God is keeping Saul from finding David (v. 14). David probably doesn’t know that God is directly hindering Saul from finding him. But God provides something else for David. Someone comes to David to encourage him.

B. Jonathan, Saul’s son, finds David in Horesh. Interestingly, Saul can’t find David but Jonathan can. Notice verse 16. Jonathan came and helped him find strength in God. Jonathan knows that this is where the real strength comes from. It doesn’t come from within. Strength comes from God. Jonathan is God’s messenger of encouragement. Imagine the scene. David and six hundred men wander from area to area. Always one step ahead of Saul and his men. There is no rest. There is no time to relax. David must remain constantly alert to the possible dangers that lurk around him.

C. Into camp comes an old and trusted friend. Jonathan, Saul’s own son arrives to remind him of a promise. In the entire collection known as 1 Samuel God never tells David that he will be king. In fact, it is other people who are telling him that he will be the next king. Here is Jonathan giving him a word from God. This is not a hang tough speech. This is a word from God. God uses Jonathan to make David aware of his will. David has been betrayed by the people of Keilah and he is going to be betrayed by the Ziphites. Tucked in between these two episodes come words of encouragement from the son of his enemy.

D. ILL. “Encouragement”. Words spoken when defeat seems immanent. But not just any words will do. What we need to hear are God’s words. Words which come from God himself and can speak to our hearts. Words like “I will never leave you or forsake you.” God works in all situations. At times he sends us encouragers who help to lift our eyes from our situation and to refocus on the one who sent them. [Singing suggestions: 490 & 916] {Communion}

God’s Providence

A. The last episode in 1 Samuel 23 occurs in verses 19–29. It is a real nail biter. The Ziphites decide that they want to stay on Saul’s good side so they offer to help track David through the wilderness. Saul takes them up on their offer. David hears of this new plot and quickly moves to a new location, but Saul is right behind him. Verse 26, Saul is on one side of the mountain and David and his men are on the other side trying to get away. Saul is closing in.

B. We have seen enough television to know that we need to take a commercial break. You can picture this scene very easily. Saul and his men are pressing in on David. It has been a long time since Saul was this close. Weeks and months have passed and Saul’s anger and hatred have built. There is no doubt what will happen if Saul captures David. Now read the last part of verse 26. “As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, a messenger came to Saul, saying, ‘Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.’ Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David.”

C. That was a close call. It’s a good thing that the Philistines decided to attack when they did. David was lucky that the messenger came when he did. David, can count his lucky stars that Saul didn’t catch him. Regretfully, that may be our reaction. David is lucky. We can read this through the eyes of unbelief by saying David was lucky or we can read this in full faith. Faith that our God is able to deliver in a variety of ways. In this case God uses David’s enemies, the Philistines, to be his savior. We can read this amazed at God’s timing. And laughing at how God can even use the Philistines to do his will.

D. The question is do we think God only works in situations through the pages of the Bible? Is God powerless in our world? Is this just a nice story with no application for us? Will we see situations occur and thank our lucky stars for the way things work out? Or will we see situations through the eyes of faith? Our God is constantly at work in all situations. I may not always understand, but I cannot relegate my life and God’s work to luck.

E. This entire chapter reveals that our God is busy working in David’s life. It is no blow to my ego to say that David was God’s chosen king. David received what he needed at the right times. And David’s protection may be more important than mine. But by principle I know that the God who provided for David is the same God who works in my life. God works in all situations or he works in none at all. We can’t pick and choose. Either we see through the eyes of faith or we see through the eyes of faithlessness. Invitation.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.