DAVID INQUIRES OF THE LORD

1 Samuel 23: 1-29

Key Verse: 23:4

In the previous passage we learned David’s leadership quality which consisted of sacrifice and service. David became a leader for all kinds of people. David took care of many desperate people though he was fleeing from Saul. In reality, David was running towards God. The main theme of 1 Samuel is ‘a man after God’ own heart.” How did David become a man after God’s own heart? He became a man after God’s own heart through his humble prayers. The book of 1 Samuel begins with a woman of prayer Hannah and ends with a man of prayer David. God raised a man of prayer in David. In the unusual and extreme circumstances, David inquired of the Lord and received God’s protection and assurance. Many people disappointed David but God was faithful. In this chapter, David had no country, no friends, and no place to hide, and was surrounded and hunted by his enemies but he found God as his rock and refugee in his prayers. David met God in the worst time of his life as a fugitive and found strength in God alone. Psalms is replete with David’s earnest prayers to the Lord. Let’s learn how to draw near to God in our spiritual crisis so that we may experience God’s goodness and faithfulness to his servants. I pray that God may mold us to become a man after God’s own heart through our prayer life.

PART I DAVID SAVES KEILAH (1-6)

In this chapter David was in a dire situation. In chapter 22, King Saul killed Ahimelech and eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also sacked Nob, the town of priests. It was a senseless massacre of priests. Saul was a mad man who shed so many innocent bloods. But Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech escaped and joined David. As the chapter 23 opened, David was told that the Philistines were looting Keilah. What did David do? Look at verses 1 and 2. “When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors," he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

Though David himself was running for his life, David heard that the people of Keilah were losing their harvests due to the Philistines invasion. They would not have any food to feed their families. David decided to help his own country men who were invaded by their enemies. David could have ignored their urgent situation and closed his eyes to their problems because he had his own serious life security problem. But that was not his character. He cared about others first. He regarded their problem as his own problem. He stretched out his helping hands. He put his own people’s need before his own need. Though his hands were full trying to hide from Saul, and provide for the needs of his six hundred men, yet David unselfishly thought of the welfare of others. He showed his shepherd heart for the people. This reminds us of Jesus’ shepherd life in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Jesus risked his own life to help his sheep. One Sabbath day Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand and the Pharisees accused him charging that he violated the Sabbath law. They began to plot how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:1-6) We see David’s true shepherd heart for the people. What did he do first? Look at verse 2a. “He inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” David’s prayer is simple and clear. Though he wanted to go and rescue his own flocks, he asked for God’s direction. This is very beautiful. Having been anointed unto the throne, David considered himself the protector of Israel, and was ready to deploy his men for the rescue operation. He had an intense love for his country and people. Yet he would not act without first seeking counsel of the Lord. The more we seek direction from God in fervent prayer, the more God is honored and the more we are benefited. The more we love God, the more we want to seek his direction. David loved God and he loved to see God in his prayers. God loved to see David coming to him in prayers. David established his close relationship with God through his prayers.

How did God answer? Look at verse 2b. “The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah” David got a green light from God. When we seek God sincerely, humbly, trustfully with the desire to please him, God will answer our prayers faithfully. The Lord responded to David’s inquiry. He not only revealed his will, but gave promise that he should be successful. God is delighted to answer his children’s humble inquiry. God’s answer was prompt and it was assuring. But there was opposition for David’s decision and the Lord’s answer. Look at verse 3. “But David's men said to him, ‘Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!’" David’s men said, “Hey, David! Wait a minute! You did not ask us. You cannot fight without us. We have fear.” I think David’s men had a point. They will face double jeopardy if they expose themselves from their hiding place. If they attack the Philistine forces, then Saul’s army will come behind them and attack them. Then, where will they turn? They will be sandwiched between the Philistines and Saul’s army. His men were afraid of being caught between two powerful armies. This presented a real test to David’s confidence in the Lord. David’s leadership was tested by his wavering and fearful soldiers. David’s men planted doubt and fear. Sometimes unbelieving coworkers and friends hinder God’s great plan.

How did David overcome this situation? He regarded his men not as an obstacle but as coworkers. David decided to listen to their suggestions and at the same time he wanted to win their support. What is the number one spiritual rule in winning the spiritual battle in 1 Samuel? “Do not fight with your friends and coworkers. Know your enemy.” David followed this rule faithfully. David again turned to the Lord in his prayers. Look at verse 4. “Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand."

Look at the word, “Once again.” David was humble enough to pray once again until his men were willing to follow his lead. God who answered his first inquiry to save Keilah would help his men to accept his will because all things are possible with God. David did not storm at his men, and he did not denounce them as cowards saying, “Where is your gut? You chickens.” Nor did he argue and attempt to reason with them. David brought this matter to God once again. David only depended on God. We can learn from David that the best way to answer the objections of faint-hearted coworkers and to secure their co-operation is to refer them unto God through prayers. God answered his second inquiry with more assurance of victory. How sure is the fulfillment of that promise! We always lose by acting independently of God, but we never lose by seeking counsel, guidance and grace from him. God did not ignore David’s inquiry. He was not displeased by his asking a second time. How gracious and patient God is! He not only responded to David’s petition, but he gave an answer more explicit than at the first, for he now assured David of entire victory. God trained David how to pray in the worst possible human situation so that he may become a man after God’s own heart. David was not a perfect man but he was a man of prayer. When he sinned against God, he also prayed with tears of repentance. God accepted his prayer and forgave his sin of adultery. Prayer is to glorify God’s name and reveal his sovereign will in our life. Prayer is to surrender our will to God’s will. Abraham was a man of prayer. In Genesis 18:16-33 Abraham pleads for Sodom? How many times did he pray to God for saving that city? He prayed five times. He repeated his prayers. Jesus carried his mission with prayers. He began his ministry with the early morning prayers in a solitary place listening to God. (Mark 1:35) It was his sweet hour for Jesus to be with his Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed three times to seek God’s will not his will. Jesus won the victory to obey the will of God through his intense prayers. In crisis God wants us to pray. Luke 11:9-10 says, "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” God assures us to receive answers when we come to him with humble prayers. I got an urgent prayer request last Thursday from Phillip saying, “We need your help again.  Nathan's visa will expire in a couple of days and we are probably going to have to make an emergency trip back to America.  There seems to be no way to get the visa without getting his birth certificate notarized in the states by the Chinese embassy in Washington.” So we prayed for Nathan’s visa. Then I got another email several hours later, “We prayed last night about the matter and decided to try one more time to ask mercy from the official.  This morning Sarah went and was able to obtain a 1 year visa for Nathan.  Thankfully I can focus on preparing the exam now. “One more time that was the key for Nathan to get the visa. But Sarah had to be humble to request one more time. That one more time was God’s test of her faith. Sometimes we have fear and doubt about our plans and desires to serve God’s will. There is a fear factor to serve the will of God. We have to pray many times until we receive God’s assurance. Look at verse 5. “So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.” Encouraged by God’s answer and assurance, David and his men came out their hiding and attacked the Philistines. Not only did they completely rout the enemy, but they captured their cattle, which supplied food for David’s men. David’s shepherd heart and prayer saved Keilah. God used David in exile because he would become a shepherd king after God’s own heart. Look at verse 6. “(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)” Though this verse is in parenthesis, this is a significant spiritual victory to David. The ephod was a part of the priestly garment and it was used to seek the will of God. The presence of the high priest and his ephod symbolized God’s siding with David and his camp while Saul lost all connections to God because he killed all the priests. God turned the tragic deaths of many priests into a blessing to David and his future kingdom.

PART II SAUL PURSUES DAVID (7-18)

We see David at his best in 1-6 and now we see Saul at his worst. Saul was pursuing David’s life while David is saving people. What a contrast of different life! Surely David’s victory over the common enemy should have brought joy to Saul. It was abundantly clear that God was with David and Saul could not win against God. Saul should have rewarded David for saving Keilah risking his own life. But instead he was happy to capture David while he was in Keilah. Look at verses 7-8. “Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, "God has handed him over to me, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars. And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.” Saul falsely assumed that God handed David over to him. He was sure to capture David because Keilah was a town with gates and bars. David was trapped when his army surrounded it. There was no escape exit door. So Saul mobilized his army to besiege David and his men. David and his men met crisis again because he saved the city of Keilah. In crisis, once more David thus turns to the living God, and casts all his care upon Him. He inquired of the Lord again. Look at verses 9-12. “When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." David said, "O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant." And the LORD said, "He will." Again David asked, "Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will." David asked two questions and God answered them quickly. Though David saved Keilah, they would hand David to Saul. This must have been saddening to David’s heart because people of Keilah was not thankful for his rescue operation. Now David and his six hundreds men left Keilah to avoid another massacre. David was willing to expose himself and his men to further hardships, rather than endanger the lives of Keilah! David knew God’s direction and acted according to God’s will. In the meantime we did not see Saul’s prayer life. He did not inquire of the Lord. Instead, he inquired of the medium according to 1 Samuel 28:7. “Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.’ "There is one in Endor," they said.” Saul became a symbol of human failure without God.

Look at verse 14. “David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.´ Having no particular place to hide, they went forth wherever they thought best. Verse 14b shows that it was God’s hand that shielded David from his enemies. As long as God is with us, nothing can harm us. God said to Abraham in Genesis 15:b,“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield.” M. Paul Lim was in the danger zone in Thailand but God protected him and he completed his mission and returned home safely.

Look at verses 15-17. “While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. “Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this." The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.” This is the last time David and Jonathan met together. In spite of Saul, David and Jonathan remained to be friends in God’s covenant. Jonathan helped David to find strength in God. Jonathan removed fear from David and assured his kingship by saying, “Even my father Saul knows it.” Jonathan shared his father’s secret with David. In the midst of suffering and uncertainty, Jonathan’s friendship with encouragement was like an oasis in the dry desert. Unfortunately, Jonathan died in the battle without seeing David to become the king.

PART III GOD SAVES DAVID (19-29)

Look at vs. 19. The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? Now, O king, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for handing him over to the king." The Ziphites also betrayed David to Saul though they belonged to the same tribe of Judah. David found no tribes who sided with him. David became aware of this, so he escaped the desert of Maon. Saul pursued him there.

Look at vs. 26-29. Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. 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 and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Ham-mah-lekoth. And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

How often did things get worse before get better? David’s capture was imminent because David and Saul were in the same mountain. Only a mountain separated them. Escape seemed to be impossible, outnumbered and surrounded, David was on the brink of being captured. How marvelously and how graciously God times things! At the right time God moved the Philistines to invade a portion of Saul’s territory. Saul halted his search and kill operation for David and withdrew. God stretched his hands and saved David on the brink of destruction. Thus, without striking a blow, David was delivered. God does hear and answer the prayer of faith! David and his little force now had their opportunity to escape, and fled to the strong holds of Engedi, on the shore of the Dead Sea. God protected David as he gave him the promise of victory. The worst time in human condition is the best time in God so that we may know God in prayers. In crisis President Abraham Lincoln prayed daily and saved the Union during the Civil War. We are facing national and personal crisis today with recession deepening and the brink of war and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. We have to prepare the Summer Bible conference in this hot and dry summer. What can we do? We have to inquire of the Lord through our daily prayer meetings. I had many crisis in my life and God enabled me to pray more so that I may seek God in humility. God delivered me from the robbers and doubts and fear. I praise God for his faithfulness answering all my prayers.

In conclusion, David prayed to God for deliverance in Psalm 54 when the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?” Let’s look at Psalm 54 to understand David’s prayer life

“Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life-- men without regard for God. Selah Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them. I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good. For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.”

Exile in the wilderness and life threatening situation and human betrayal turned David to God. When he had no one to turn, he turned to the Lord. The Lord did not disappoint him and delivered him from his enemies. Do you confront the worst of your life? It is time for us to turn to the Lord. I pray that we may learn David’s prayer life praising God in all circumstances and experiencing his goodness. There is only triumph when we draw near to God in our humility. May God bless our summer conference preparation with the early morning prayers!

Let’ read the key verse 23:4 “Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand."”