David Saves the City of Keilah. But David’s men said to him, “Listen, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the battle lines of the Philistines?” Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will hand over the Philistines to you.” 1Sa 23:3-4
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MONARCHY
INTRODUCTION
The authorship of these books cannot be determined, but there is abundant evidence that they embody the report of eye-witnesses. Some of the more prominent characters in the scenes described are name as writers in 1Ch_29:29.
The First Book of Samuel records the rise of a new political and spiritual order represented by the kings and the prophets. The establishment of the monarchy, with Saul as the first king, is an epochal event in the development of Israel’s national life.
Of no less importance is the appearance of the “schools of the prophets” under the leadership of Samuel. In these institutions we see the beginning of the movement which made Israel spiritually supreme among the nations.
III. FROM THE ANOINTING OF DAVID TO THE DEATH OF SAUL, I Samuel 16-31
34. Saul Pursues David to Slay Him, I Samuel 21-26
47. How did the people of Keilah show their ingratitude to David?
DAVID SAVES THE CITY OF KEILAH
Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering (robbing) the threshing floors [of the grain].”
So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
But David’s men said to him, “Listen, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the battle lines of the Philistines?”
Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will hand over the Philistines to you.”
So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines; he drove away their cattle and struck them with a great slaughter. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah.
When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
Now when Saul was informed that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has handed him over to me, for he shut himself in by entering a city that has double gates and bars.”
So Saul summoned all the people (soldiers) for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
Then David said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul intends to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account.
Will the men of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.”
Then David asked, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” The LORD said, “They will surrender you.”
Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and left Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit.
David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.
SUCCESS AND SAFETY UNDER GOD’S GUIDANCE
We learn here that those who are called to walk in the maze of human life need to look constantly upward for direction. “It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Our eyes need to be fixed constantly on the Lord. “Lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” We have no priestly ephod to direct us. But if we roll the responsibility of our way on God and wait for Him, the conviction of His plan will steal into our hearts, and this will be corroborated by the advice of experienced friends and the trend of circumstances.
The recompense of the people of Keilah for David’s noble interposition on their behalf was very base, and warns us not to trust in human safeguards, which are so liable to be broken down. The only place of absolute security is in God. Blessed are they whose life is “hid with Christ in God”! David knew that, and in these sad and difficult days, when he was hunted as a partridge on the mountains, he was composing some of his most helpful psalms. See Psa_11:1-7; Psa_54:1-7; Psa_57:1-11. In our own troubled times, how good it is that we should listen to the sweet music of the eternal world which surrounds this one and in which the harried soul may have its abiding-place.
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