Sun.’s Devo - David Escapes Saul

Read: 1 Samuel 22:1-23:29; John 10:1-21; Psalm 115:1-18; Proverbs 15:18-19 David’s men grew to about 400 men which included his family and those who were dissatisfied with Saul’s reign. David had to move around so much just to stay ahead of Saul that he decided to find a place for his parents to stay. He found a refuge in Mizpeh in Moab. They king agreed to let David’s parents live there safely. *** Gad, a prophet told David to move back to the land of Judah. Saul got news he was back in Judah and reminded his men that David had nothing to give them if they joined him. He, Saul could promise them promotion and land. He accused them of helping David who was trying to kill him. (Satan always accuses God’s people of what he is doing.) David was not trying to kill Saul, Saul was trying to kill David, without a cause. Saul accused Jonathan of telling David to kill Saul, which was also a lie. *** Doeg saw his chance to take Jonathan’s place and told Saul what he saw in Nob. Saul sent for Ahimelech and accused him of siding with David. Ahimelech proclaimed his innocence, but Saul told his men to kill him and his family anyway. None of his men would kill the priest, so Doeg had to do it. He had to kill 85 priests and their families. Once Doeg had made the choice to deliver David he crossed the line, and once he murdered the priest, murder consumed him. He killed probably over 200 innocent people that day. This also was a fulfillment of prophecy over Eli’s family that they would all die before their time. *** One priest, Abiathar, escaped and made it to David. He told him everything that happened and David took him in. Abiathar had brought the ephod with him with the Ummin and the Thummin which was used to get answers from God. *** Meanwhile the Philistines were stealing the harvest from the people in the city of Keilah. God told them to go help them and they did. God gave them victory but when Saul found out where they were he went to capture David. David asked the Lord if the people of Keilah would give him up and God said they would, so David and his men escaped before Saul could get there. *** Jonathan met with David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God because David was going to be the next king. Jonathan promised to stand with him and be his second in command. *** David was in the area of Zith and the men of Zith betrayed where he was to Saul. They promised to capture David and turn him over to Saul. Saul was so glad that finally he had met someone loyal to him. *** Saul and his army were so close to David and were about to discover him and his men when Saul received an urgent call to come home because the Philistines were attacking Israel. Saul left for home. God saved David and his men at the last moment. *** In John, Jesus told them about the thief and the robber who is Satan. He would try to infiltrate the sheep but the real sheep know the voice of the Shepherd and they won’t be deceived by him. Every epistle in the New Testament warned of false teachers and false prophets. They were the ones who try to look like the sheep but their desire is to benefit themselves and to deceive the sheep. Satan’s desire is to steal, kill and destroy the sheep. Jesus wants us to have an abundant life. *** Here is how you can know the difference: the good shepherd will lay down his life for his sheep, but the one who works for the enemy will run when he sees trouble coming. He will abandon his sheep and look out for himself instead. *** Jesus would voluntarily lay down his life for the sheep which he did on the cross. All of this talk was over whether Jesus healed the blind man by the name of the Lord or whether he did it by Satan’s power. This miracle was the deciding issue to either prove he was the Messiah or he wasn’t. The people had a hard time thinking he had healed the blind man by the power of the devil. They asked, “Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Finally, they were thinking for themselves. *** Lord, may we not be blinded or deceived by intruders into your church. May we have discernment and recognize the truth. Thank you that you are our great Shepherd.