David’s Greatest Victory

Chapter 24
Sermon by Rodney Tan
Melaka Gospel Chapel
Sunday 21/7/2019
Outline
• Recap
• Introduction
• 1) The Temptation (v1-7)
• 2) The Explanation (v8-15)
• 3) The Affirmation (16-22)
• Conclusion
Recap
• David is now completely separated from Saul’s palace
• He is considered an outlaw + rebel + freedom fighter + exile
• David’s trials and triumphs – being betrayed & war victories
• Psalms 34:19
A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him
from them all;
• God was with David & helped him throughout his life
Introduction
• Proverbs 16:32 (NKJV)
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
• God gave grace to show kindness to David’s enemy
• A greater act than defeating the boastful giant Goliath
• Saul’s men had been lying about David
• They told Saul that David was trying to kill Saul (24:9)
Introduction
• Event at the En-Gedi cave gave David the opportunity to prove to Saul
& the leaders that he was not trying to kill Saul.
• David also honours the king even though the king was out of the will
of God.
Caves at En Gedi
1 Samuel 24:1-7 (NKJV)
• (1) Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the
Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Take note! David is in the
Wilderness of En Gedi."
• (2) Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and
went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
• (3) So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a
cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men
were staying in the recesses of the cave.)
• (4) Then the men of David said to him, "This is the day of which the
LORD said to you, 'Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand,
that you may do to him as it seems good to you.' " And David arose
and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
• (5) Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him
because he had cut Saul's robe.
• (6) And he said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this
thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch out my hand
against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD."
• (7) So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not
allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and
went on his way.
1) The Temptation (v1-7)
• David’s prayer in Psalms 54 – he asked God to vindicate him
• God gave David the opportunity to prove to Saul that he wasn’t an outlaw who
was trying to kill Saul & take over his throne
• Saul :
• David’s king,
• His commander and
• Father-in-law (v6,10,11)
• Saul had an evil attitude but
• David never considered Saul to be his enemy.
• God answered David’s request when Saul and his troops came to find David at En
Gedi.
Psalms 54
• (1) For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of
David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, "Is not David
hiding among us?" Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by
your might.
• (2) Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.
• (3) Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life— men
without regard for God. Selah
• (4) Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
• (5) Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness
destroy them.
• (6) I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O
LORD, for it is good.
• (7) For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have
looked in triumph on my foes.
Event at En Gedi Cave
• David & his men were hiding in a large cave – many caves in En Gedi
• Saul came into the cave to rest & relieve himself (v3)
• Law of Moses was very strict about relieving oneself -
esp. in an army camp (refer Deut 23:12-14)
• Saul probably took out his outer garment & put it down on the
ground
• The cave was large & dark – Saul did not see David & his men hiding
(v3)
• David was able to cut Saul’s garment – undetected (v4)
David’s Opportunity
• David now had a clear opportunity to kill Saul
• David’s men –
• insisted that God had arranged the circumstances for David to act (v4)
• great opportunity for revenge
• David –
• opportunity to show mercy & to prove his heart was right
• God –
• opportunity to answer David’s prayer for vindication (Psalm 54:1)
• David was too wise in God’s truth to commit murder
• e.g. Exodus 20:13 “ You shall not murder”.
• Application: always test circumstance by the Word of God
• David’s tender heart –
• He repented openly of his rash act of cutting King Saul’s robe (v5)
• He did not show proper respect for the Lord’s anointed (Saul) (v6)
• David = “a man after God’s own heart”
• Willing to let God to take care of Saul
• Restrained his men from killing Saul (v7)
• Application: leaders must know how to interpret events and respond
in the right way. Don’t just follow the opinions of people.
Romans 12:19-21
• (19) Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath,
for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
• (20) On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is
thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap
burning coals on his head."
• (21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
1 Samuel 24: 8-15
• (8) David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out
to Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him,
David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.
• (9) And David said to Saul: "Why do you listen to the words of men
who say, 'Indeed David seeks your harm'?
• (10) Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you
today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But
my eye spared you, and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against
my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.'
• (11) Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my
hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you,
know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I
have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.
• (12) Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD
avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.
• (13) As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Wickedness proceeds from
the wicked.' But my hand shall not be against you.
• (14) After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you
pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
• (15) Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and
me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand."
2) The Explanation (v8-15)
• David & his men were safe in the cave
• Saul’s men would not dare to attack them
• So, David boldly stepped out of the cave to speak to Saul (v8)
• Saul – shocked to hear the voice of his son-in-law
• David explained –
• Saul had listened to lies (v9)
• Saul could have lost his life in the cave
• David’s kindness saved him (v10-11)
• The piece of robe from Saul’s garment was evidence
• David was telling the truth
• (14) After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you
pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
• (15) Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me,
and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand."
• What a gracious spirit God gave to David
• Application: May we have the same attitude towards our enemies
today!
1 Samuel 24: 16-22
• (16) So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul,
that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up
his voice and wept.
• (17) Then he said to David: "You are more righteous than I; for you
have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.
• (18) And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me;
for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.
• (19) For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely?
Therefore may the LORD reward you with good for what you have
done to me this day.
• (20) And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that
the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
• (21) Therefore swear now to me by the LORD that you will not cut off
my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name
from my father's house."
• (22) So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his
men went up to the stronghold.
3) The Affirmation (v16-22)
• Saul = pitiful as he stands before one who is better (David)
• Saul’s weeping & admission of wrong
• shallow, passing emotions
• not from his heart
• Saul acknowledged David’s kindness
• David spared his life
• But Saul was more concerned for his own family & descendants
• Fear that when David becomes king, he would kill them all
• Did not seek the spiritual welfare of his people
• Saul’s perverse heart :
• admits that David is the rightful king,
• yet still continues to pursue him to kill him (chapter 26).
• 1 Sam 24:20 (Saul’s own admission to David)
I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will

be established in your hands.

• David kept his promises to Saul & vindicated Saul’s honour even after
Saul’s death
Conclusion
• David had won many battles & survived/thrived
• Beauty in David’s character vs. evilness in Saul’s character
• David did more to bring about God’s plan through honourable ways
than he would have with sword & spear
• Greatest wins happened in the En-Gedi cave
• He controlled himself & his men from killing Saul
• Saul himself admitted that David is kind & will be the rightful ruler of Israel
Conclusion
• Proverbs 16:32 (NKJV)
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules
his spirit than he who takes a city.
• Application: Good example to follow esp. for leaders – control
ourselves
Responding to Mistreatment
• 1) Develop a Bible based conscience/thinking (v4-5)
Rom 2:15; 1 Cor 4:4; 1 Tim 1:5
• 2) Maintain proper respect for authority (v6-8)
Rom 13:1-2
• 3) Have a good testimony that people are forced to
acknowledge your integrity (v9-13)
1 Peter 2:12
• 4) Accept that we are unable to accomplish justice (v14-15)