Havasu Christian Church
Series in I Samuel
December 1, 2024
I Samuel 26:1-25
“Sold out by the Ziphites again!”
INTRO: In the 1880s, there was an enormous effort made by the United States Army. Troops and equipment were sent to Fort Huachuca in Arizona. The fort s still there, South and East of Tucson. The reason for this great effort was made was to capture or kill a small band of Indians, led by Geronimo. He would attack farms and ranches on the Arizona side of the border, until the Army got after him. Then he and his braves would slip across the border into Mexico, and start all over. When things got hot in Mexico, they would cross back into the U.S. and begin again. Finally, both countries had enough and decided to cooperate to end this.
Fear gripped the Southwest during the final summer of Chiricahua freedom in 1886. Geronimo led through Naiche, who was still chief. The final free band of Chiricahua numbered only 37. They included 18 warriors, 13 women, and six children including two infants. They remained at large for five months while around 5,000 employees of the United States Army (a quarter of the force) were stationed in the area to track the Apache. Around 3,000 Mexican soldiers and a little less than 1,000 volunteers were also put to the task.
These men never did capture Geronimo, although some of the women and children were caught. Geronimo finally chose to give up. He was tired of running. Lieutenant Charles Gatewood pursued Geronimo and his band deep into the Sierra Madre. At a place in the mountains called Bavispe, he knew he was closing in. Gatewood sent two Apache scouts forward who some of the free Chiricahua band had personally known. The scouts told Geronimo and his band that the rest of their people, including their families, had been sent thousands of miles away. This had the intended effect. Geronimo held a conference with Gatewood and agreed to surrender.
“Once I moved about like the wind. Now I surrender to you and that is all,” Geronimo said.
David is in hiding once again, and guess who comes along and rats him out? That’s right; the Ziphites! They’ve already done this once, but once again, they decide to help Saul! Saul comes after David and his 600 men with 3000 troops! Let’s see what happened!
1 Samuel 23:19 Then Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
I’m not sure why these guys were so intent on helping Saul get rid of David… but they sure were doing it!
1 Samuel 26:1–25 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?”
2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness,
4 David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming.
5 David then arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.
6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him.
8 Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”
9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’S anointed and be without guilt?”
10 David also said, “As the LORD lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish.
11 “The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’S anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”
12 So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul’s head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance with a large area between them.
14 David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15 So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord.
16 “This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, all of you must surely die, because you did not guard your lord, the LORD’S anointed. And now, see where the king’s spear is and the jug of water that was at his head.”
17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.”
18 He also said, “Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?
19 “Now therefore, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If the LORD has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it is men, cursed are they before the LORD, for they have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
20 “Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, just as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.”
22 David replied, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it.
23 “The LORD will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I refused to stretch out my hand against the LORD’S anointed.
24 “Now behold, as your life was highly valued in my sight this day, so may my life be highly valued in the sight of the LORD, and may He deliver me from all distress.”
25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
- David made a Godly decision.
- It would have been easy to decide to do what benefited him in the moment.
- He had motive.
- He had opportunity.
- “I won’t kill the Lord’s anointed.”
- Even though he is trying to kill me.
- Even though I’m being treated as a criminal when I’ve done nothing to deserve it.
- Even though I’ve been torn away from my home.
- Even though I can’t even worship the Lord like I should.
- David influenced Abishai in a positive way.
- David asks for a volunteer.
- Abishai jumps at the chance.
- This is pretty crazy.
- Let’s assume that no one in the camp is awake.
- Let’s assume they are all sound sleepers.
- Let’s assume that neither of us will get clumsy in the dark.
- Let’s assume that no one in the camp will wake up to go to the bathroom.
- It’s still a long shot, getting in and getting out again.
- Abishai trusted David… or he was nuts!
- Abishai volunteers again…. “Let me kill king Saul for you!
- You don’t want to be guilty of the blood of the Lord’s anointed? I’ll take that guilt for you!
- David says “NO!”
- He could have taken this “easier way out.” But David chose not to.
- He chose to forgive!
- David “called out” Abner for neglecting his duty.
- David is concerned for the safety of the very king that is trying to kill him.
- Look what could have happened!
- Abner, you are an important man!
- Your biggest job is to protect the king!
- YOU FAILED!
- You should die for your failure!
- He should have at least had sentries out.
- David “Called out” Saul
- David shows Saul his spear and jug.
- I had the chance… again… to kill you, but I chose not to!
- If this problem between you and me is because someone has lied to you, may they be cursed.
- “If someone put you up to this…”
- David is still trying to make things right between himself and Saul.
If this is God’s doing, let me make a sacrifice!
Conclusion: I almost skipped this chapter since it is so similar to what happened in the cave. Not similar in circumstances, but similar in outcome.
David had the chance to kill Saul, but he refused.
But there are some things to learn from this passage.
- David did not let his circumstances determine his decisions.
- David’s life is terrible.
- There were lots of people looking to him for leadership, livelihood, and protection.
- Living in the wilderness,
- In hiding,
- His own countrymen are selling him out.
- Saul is hunting him.
- Most of us would say David would have been morally justified to take Saul’s life.
- The men around him most likely would have felt the same way.
- Saul’s soldiers might even have felt relieved.
- It certainly would have been the easy way.
- But it would not have been the RIGHT way!
- David chose the Godly path! David chose to forgive.
- We too are often faced with choices… Which path will you choose?
- The easy way?
- Or the right way?
- David influenced his soldier, Abishai, to do right as well… or at least not to do wrong.
- David could have “kept his hands clean” and let Abishai be the guilty party!
- Abishai seems perfectly happy to do the deed.
- It will be the easy way out for him too!
- Their running would have been at an end.
- Think about how you can be a positive influence for Jesus to those around you!
- Just like David “called out” Abner and Saul. We also have people to “call out.”
- Don’t expect pagans to live like Christians!
- They don’t know any better.
- They are trying to live their lives in a way they hope makes them happy.
- Tell those pagans about the difference that Jesus makes in YOUR life!
- When they come to Jesus, then it’s time for correction.
- Quote from a famous Christian Philosopher: “You’ve got to catch a fish before you can clean it…. Billy Steffer
- We have Christian brothers & sisters that sometimes need to be “called out.”
- Often, we can do this by example.
- Show them how to do what’s right.
- Lead them by doing what is right yourself!
- Other times, they can be “called out” by a sermon, Sunday school lesson, or a bible study.
- But often, it’s going to take more than that.
- If you can’t do it out of concern, with kindness, you probably aren’t the person to correct people.
- Calling out a brother or sister should break your heart, not make you feel superior.
- Jesus had some “David moments.”
- Jesus did what was right, even when it cost Him His life. “Let this cup pass from me!!”
- “Not My will, but Your will!”
- Jesus “Called out” those who were leading His people the wrong way.
- Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees all felt the wrath of Jesus!
- All this while He gently reached out to people that the “religious leaders” believed were beneath their contempt.
- Jesus’ influence over the 12, and the countless others who followed Him in His earthly Ministry was HUGE!
- That influence extends to our world today.
- Principles that Jesus taught have shaped the entire western world.
- Laws
- Customs
- Morals
- It especially extends to those of us who call Him Lord!
- We call ourselves FOLLOWERS of Jesus!
- ARE WE?
- Jesus kept giving people the chance to repent!
- Good thing! He still does!
