Rev. David Holwick ZL King David series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
November 12, 1995
1 Samuel 24:8-19
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I. Do you get mad or get even?
A. Getting even ranks high with many people.
Joseph Kennedy's advice to son John:
"Don't get mad, get even."
B. Think of the worst enemy you ever had.
1) Was there ever an opportunity to get even?
2) If so, did you?
C. Enemies are no fun, but there is a third way to deal with them.
II. Hard facts about revenge.
A. We are tempted to seek revenge in many situations.
1) At work, when boss treats us unfairly.
2) With friends, when they turn on us.
3) In marriage, when we are betrayed by spouse.
B. The vicious cycle.
1) Injury - we have been personally hurt and treated unfairly.
2) Vulnerability - the one who caused the injury lets down
his guard.
3) Depravity - sensing that vulnerability, the human nature
strikes so as to return injury.
C. Verbal gymnastics.
1) "My rights."
No one is going to walk over me.
I am not a doormat, and I refuse to lie down and
take this.
2) "Justified retaliation."
I've done right...he's done me wrong and I am
justified in getting even.
D. How God feels about revenge.
1) Revenge usually represents evil paying for evil, with a
little extra thrown in. Gen 4:23-24
"Lamech said to his wives, 'Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for
injuring me.
If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven
times.'"
2) God cares about justice and will bring it about for us, in
his own good time.
III. The Situation.
A. David is in wilderness (En Gedi) with 600 desperate men.
B. Saul is pursuing him with 3,000 man strike force, and unwittingly
meets him in cave.
(If truth be told, Saul is going to the bathroom.)
IV. The Temptation.
A. Man's encouragement - "This is the day!" 24:4
1) It's a classic example of how different people can look at
the same situation, yet come to totally different
conclusions about the role that God has in it.
2) Providence and temptation can be awfully close in appearance.
a) We must remember that God's will must be done God's way.
b) Avoid the temptation of the "short cut."
B. Human nature's response. (corner cut) 24:4b
1) David gives in to the crowd, at least symbolically.
2) In 15:27f the tearing of a robe is interpreted as the
tearing away of a kingdom.
a) It would be seen as symbolism of treason.
b) It could also have been a way of humiliating the king.
Similar to American Indian concept of "counting coup."
V. The conscience at work. 24:5
A. Cutting the robe is against David's better judgment, and he
feels regret.
In "Focus on the Family," Rolf Zettersten writes:
A good friend in North Carolina bought a new car with a
voice-warning system.
At first Edwin was amused to hear the soft female voice gently
remind him that his seat belt wasn't fastened...
Edwin affectionately called this voice the 'little woman'.
He soon discovered his little woman was programmed to warn him
about his gasoline.
'Your fuel level is low,' she said one time in her sweet voice.
Edwin nodded his head and thanked her.
He figured he still had enough gas to go another 50 miles, so
he kept on driving.
But a few minutes later, her voice interrupted again with the
same warning.
And so it went over and over.
Although he knew it was the same recording, Edwin thought her
voice sounded harsher each time.
Finally, he stopped his car and crawled under the dashboard.
After a quick search, he found the appropriate wires and gave
them a good yank.
So much for the 'little woman.'
He was still smiling to himself a few miles later when his car
began sputtering and coughing.
He ran out of gas!
Somewhere inside the dashboard, Edwin was sure he could hear
the 'little woman' laughing.
The little voice God has put inside us, although ignored or even
disconnected, often tells us exactly what we need to know.
#1836
B. David remembers his human ties with Saul.
1) David refers to Saul as "my master" (v. 6), "my Lord
the King" (v. 8) and "my father" (v. 11).
2) David's experience is a painful reminder than all of
us will know in life what it is to love someone
who thinks of himself as our enemy.
VI. Temptation conquered. 24:6-7
A. David followed a principle: the king is sacrosanct.
1) Some fundamentalists apply this to wayward preachers.
2) But every human should be treated as special to God.
B. David defended this principle before his men.
1) He rebukes, literally "tears into," his men and
forbids them to finish Saul off. 24:7
C. Don't follow circumstances. Follow convictions.
1) Don't do something just because it seems set up for
you.
2) Do what is right instead.
VII. The Conversation.
A. David to Saul. 24:8-15
1) The problem is that king listened to David's critics. 24:9
a) People's conclusions are usually controlled by those
whose information they listen to, and Saul had
listened to the wrong people.
2) David cut off the corner without killing Saul. 24:10-11
a) He never meant harm to the king.
b) Often when we cannot hear the good sense people make
with their words we can see it in their actions.
3) David plays down his own significance.
a) "Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?" 24:14
4) David turns the case over to God to take care of.
a) This is his strongest point.
b) David does not depend on a change of heart in Saul,
but commits himself to God.
c) Judgment is coming, but from God and not David.
d) God will "defend, vindicate, and rescue me." 24:15
B. Saul to David.
1) He is deeply moved.
2) He clearly confesses that David is innocent. 24:17-18
3) He formally blesses David. 24:19
4) He asked David to enter into covenant to preserve his
family. 24:21
C. They part with a truce, but no real peace.
1) Reconciliation is not always possible.
2) "As far as it depends on you, be at peace..." Rom 12:18
VIII. Fight by the Spirit, not the flesh.
A. David chose to do what was right in eyes of God, not men.
B. Tough principles to practice against revenge.
1) Since humans are depraved ... EXPECT to be mistreated.
2) Since mistreatment is inevitable ... ANTICIPATE feelings of
revenge.
3) Since revenge is predictable ... REFUSE to fight in the flesh.
C. When our ways are pleasing to God, he makes even our enemies
be at peace with us. Prov 16:7
D. Christians must conquer resentment.
1) Don't let anger cripple you.
2) Commit it to God.
Dear God:
I acknowledge this moment that Jesus Christ took away my
sins when I didn't deserve it.
I confess to you that I am resentful of _______________.
Even though Jesus died for me and my sins, I am holding
against ______________ the way he or she is treating me.
Please forgive me.
I ask you to free me from this bondage and to keep me from
it the rest of my life.
I claim God's power through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
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Study notes: >>>>
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Charles Swindoll, "David - A Man After God's Heart" Bible study.
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I. Hard facts about revenge.
A. Where we are tempted by it.
1) At work, when boss treats us unfairly.
2) With friends, when they turn on us.
3) In family, when we are rejected by spouse.
B. What we call it.
1) "My rights."
2) "Justified retaliation."
C. How God feels about it.
1) Revenge usually represents evil paying for evil.
2) People should leave revenge to God.
D. Why we do it.
1) Injury.
2) Vulnerability.
3) Depravity.
II. David and Saul.
A. Situation.
1) David in wilderness with 400 desperate men.
2) Saul is pursuing him, unwittingly meets him in cave.
B. Temptation.
1) Man's encouragement - "Here's your chance..." 24:4
2) Human nature's response. (corner cut) 24:4b
3) The conscience at work. 24:5
4) Temptation conquered. 24:6-7
a) David followed a principle: the king is sacrosanct.
b) He defended principle before his men.
C. Conversation.
1) David to Saul. 24:8-15
2) Saul to David.
D. Observation.
1) David chose to do what was right in eyes of God, not men.
2) When our ways are pleasing to God, he makes even our
enemies be at peace with us. Prov 16:7
III. Tough principles to practice against revenge.
A. Since humans are depraved ... EXPECT to be mistreated.
B. Since mistreatment is inevitable ... ANTICIPATE feelings of
revenge.
C. Since revenge is predictable ... REFUSE to fight in the flesh.
IV. Christians must conquer resentment.
A. [Prayer to handle resentment]
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