1 Samuel 27:1–12 David Flees to the Philistines

[Study Aired August 3, 2026]

The study highlights David fleeing to the Philistines and living in Ziklag, under king Achish. The reason for going to the Philistines was that David feared that one day, he would die by Saul’s hand. In Ziklag, David and his men were involved in secret raids of Israel’s enemies. However, David deceived king Achish that he and his men were actually raiding his fellow Israelites.  

David and His Men Went to Gath

1Sa 27:1  And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. 

David saying that he shall perish by the hand of Saul one day implies that as the Lord’s elect, we must be weary of the devices of the devil which will cost us our lives of being robbed of the kingship as he uses our brothers and sisters from the church system of this world (Saul) as his instrument to put us to death spiritually. 

2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.  

David going to the land of the Philistines suggests that if he remained in Israel, he shall surely be killed by Saul and his men. This action by David signifies that if we remain as the Lord’s elect in the church system of this world or Babylon, we shall surely die spiritually. The Philistines represent our flesh and being under the influence of our flesh means being of the world. David going to the land of the Philistines, therefore, means hiding among the people of this world, just as Jesus did when his brethren from the church system of His day wanted to kill him because of His message. We, His elect, are in this world and not of this world. We are therefore hiding in plain sight among the people of this world, from our brothers and sisters in Babylon. 

Joh 8:59  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. 

Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 
Luk 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
Luk 4:30  But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 

It is when one is given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven that we are recognized or seen as the Lord’s elect among the people of this world. It is the same as Jesus being recognized by the disciples when their eyes were opened after a meal. It is when Jesus serves us the meal of His word that our eyes are opened to recognize who Jesus is. As He is, so are we. It is when people’s eyes are opened by the meal we serve that they recognize who we are – representatives of Jesus.

Luk 24:30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 
Luk 24:31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

1Sa 27:2  And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 

David went over from Israel to Achish, king of Gath, with six hundred men. The number six is the number of man. Therefore, David going to Gath with six hundred men indicates that they represent mere men, like the Philistines, who have received the grace of the Lord. That is why many cannot recognize the Lord’s elect. 

Jdg 3:31  And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Act 14:14  Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
Act 14:15  And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 

What distinguished David and his men from the Philistines and the people of Israel was that they were going through the Lord’s judgment, when they went to Gath. Incidentally, Gath means ‘winepress’, which stands for judgment. It is also instructive to note that Achish means ‘I will blacken.’ It emphasizes the point that David and his men were undergoing the judgment of the Lord. During times of judgment, it seems our heavens are blackened, as we cannot see the light from the sun, which represents Christ.

Paul, during the time of his journey to Rome, experienced the judgment of the Lord, such that he could not see the sun or the stars for many days. All of us have in one way or another, experienced, or are yet to experience, the judgment of the Lord where we wonder whether the Lord, who is the sun, is with us.

Act 27:18  And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 
Act 27:19  And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 
Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. 

Isa 54:7  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. 
Isa 54:8  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. 

1Sa 27:3  And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 
1Sa 27:4  And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.  

As indicated, David dwelling with Achish at Gath shows that David was undergoing the judgment of the Lord. The fact that every man lived with his household at Gath shows us that everyone’s work shall be made manifest through the judgment of the Lord. 

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

In another perspective, David and his men living among the Philistines in Gath shows us that they were still of the flesh, and as a result, they could not please the Lord. When we are of the flesh, it is impossible to bear the testimony of Christ, and our brothers and sisters of the church system of this world do not see us as a threat to their perceived status as heirs of the Lord. That is why Saul did not continue his pursuit of David. In a similar vein, Esau, who represents people of this world, stopped his pursuit of Jacob, who signifies the Lord’s elect, when he realized that Jacob had gone back to Babylon (Haran). It shows that when our lives are not different from our brothers and sisters in Babylon, we do not pose a threat to them. 

Gen 27:43  Now therefore, my son [Jacob], obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; 
Gen 27:44  And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away; 
Gen 27:45  Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? 

David and His Men Came to Dwell at Ziklag

1Sa 27:5  And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 
1Sa 27:6  Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 

In spite of David’s status as heir apparent to the throne of Saul, he was very respectful to Achish, the king of Gath, such that he called him Lord. It implies that we must submit to those in authority. We must look to the leaders of this world as God’s ministers, who are executing the Lord’s will as they reign over us. 

Rom 13:5  Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 
Rom 13:6  For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 
Rom 13:7  Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. 

1Sa 27:7  And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 

It is instructive to note that David stayed in the land of the Philistines for a period of sixteen months. The number sixteen is an amplification of the number eight, which signifies the birth of the new man. It is the birth of the new man which causes us to reign over the flesh. 

2Ch 27:6  So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God.
2Ch 27:8  He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.

2Ki 15:2  He [Azariah] was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 

2Ch 26:3  Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 

What we are therefore being told in verse 7 about David’s stay in the land of the Philistines is that it was during this period he started reigning over his flesh. Through the Lord’s judgment, we learn righteousness as our flesh is dying and the new man attains ascendency over our flesh. At this point, we begin to exhibit more of the qualities of the new man. Our love (obedience) for the Lord is deepened as we put off our flesh on the eight day, which is amplified in the sixteenth day, resulting in the following:

1Co 13:4  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 
1Co 13:5  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 
1Co 13:6  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 
1Co 13:7  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1Co 13:8  Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 

David’s Raids Against Israel’s Enemies

1Sa 27:8  Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. 

The Geshurites, Girzites and the Amalekites all represent our flesh. As indicated, David’s stay in Gath was characterized by the amplification of the new man, as the old man or the flesh continues to die. The defeat of the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites shows various phases of our victory over the flesh, as the Lord’s elect, represented by David and his men. If we are to please the Lord, then we must overcome the flesh which is hostile to God.

Rom 8:6  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 
Rom 8:7  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 
Rom 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Gal 5:17  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 

For example, Geshurites means ‘proud behavior.’ The defeat of Geshurites therefore represents our victory over the pride of life in our walk with Christ. Girzites means ‘cutters off.’ David’s victory over Girzites refers to our victory over the flesh which cuts us off from the life of Christ. Amalekites are descendants of Esau, and as we are aware, Esau was a man of the field, and we know that the field represents the world. What this means is that the Amalekites signify our love of the world which is characterized by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. The defeat of the Amalekites by David and his men indicates that David and his men were being delivered from the love of the world. Loving the world means that we exhibit the following characteristics:

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Gal 5:20  idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 
Gal 5:21  envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

David and his men overcoming the Geshurites, Girzites and the Amalekites means that we are being delivered from the deeds of the flesh, as the flesh is dying daily. The dying of the flesh results in us producing the fruit of the spirit which shows itself in the following:

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 
Gal 5:23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 
Gal 5:24  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

1Sa 27:9  And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 

David leaving no man or woman alive indicates that in our war against our flesh, we should be ruthless, such that we do not allow some areas of our flesh to still exert dominion over us. There are many who think that we cannot overcome the flesh, and therefore they allow certain habits of the flesh to flourish under the guise that we cannot completely eradicate sin in our lives. Yes, the Bible does not speak about complete eradication of sin in our lives, but sin must be rare in our lives as the flesh is being destroyed daily. 

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 
Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 
Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  

In verse 9, David and his men killed all men and women during their raids, but took the sheep, oxen, asses, camels and apparel. The sheep, oxen, asses and camels represent spiritual riches in Christ. As we are being given victory over our flesh, our spiritual insight is being enriched. It also means that our Lord will supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Php 4:20  Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2Co 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:  

The apparel or garment taken from the conquest refers to the righteousness of Christ being imputed on us, as we continue this journey of overcoming the flesh.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.     

1Sa 27:10  And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 

The Jerahmeelites were the descendants of Jerahmeel, the great grandson of Judah. The Kenites were the tribe from which the father-in-law of Moses was a member. To the people of this world, symbolized by Achish, our victory over the flesh is hidden from their sight as shown by David not disclosing the specific victories that he had won with his men. Instead, they think that we are like them who are hostile to the church system of this world because we do not participate in the churches’ activities. 

1Sa 27:11  And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. 

Again, in this verse, the emphasis is the thoroughness of our victory over the flesh such that we leave nothing of the flesh alive to hurt us. This implies that we must not entertain any leaven or false doctrine which empowers our flesh to cause havoc in our walk with Christ. 

Gal 5:9  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 
Gal 5:10  I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 

1Sa 27:12  And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever. 

What Achish, the king of Gath, said about David in regard to the people of Israel’s hatred for him, is true in the sense that we are hated by our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon because of the truth we speak.  They consider us as spiritually dead in the streets of the church system of this world.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 
Rev 11:9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 

The people of this world, represented by Achish, think that we are like them or working for them (servants) since they hate the church system of this world. However, we do not hate our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world because they refuse to hear us. Rather, we appreciate how the Lord had used them to bring us to Christ and that it is through their unbelief that we have received mercy from the Lord to become His elect. Our confidence is that in the fullness of time, the mercy we have received from the Lord shall be extended to them to become part of the children of the Lord.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 
Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. 

1 Samuel 26:1–25 David Spares Saul Again

[Study Aired July 27, 2026]

Our study for today can be divided into three sections. The first section deals with Saul’s renewed pursuit of David. This forced David to sneak into Saul’s camp and finds him sleeping. The second section focuses on David’s  refusal to kill Saul but choosing to reason with him. The final part of the study highlights Saul’s confession of his sin of wanting to kill David.

Saul’s Renewed Pursuit of David

1Sa 26:1  And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 
1Sa 26:2  Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 

Ziphites means ‘smelters.’ Hence they represent all those whom the Lord uses as instruments of His judgment. As instruments of the Lord’s judgment, it is no wonder these Ziphites went to report to Saul of the hiding place of David and his men, to put more fire under David and his men. 

These Ziphites are likened to us when we were in Babylon where we persecuted the Lord’s elect, just like Paul, when he was pursuing the Lord’s disciples before his conversion. 

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 
Act 9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.   

Hachilah means ‘dark’ and Jeshimon signifies ‘wilderness.’ David hiding in Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, implies that David is hiding in this dark world which is a wilderness. As we have stated previously, Jesus hid among the people when they wanted to kill him after his first preaching in the synagogue. Therefore, David hiding in the wilderness means David hiding in the midst of the people of this world.  

Isa 14:17  That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?    

Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 
Luk 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him (Jesus) out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 
Luk 4:30  But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 

Saul’s relentless pursuit of David demonstrates how our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world regard us as a real threat to their reign with Christ. Saul choosing three thousand men of Israel in verse 2, is to show us the state of our brothers and sisters in the church system. The number three thousand in the negative context represents those who fall away in the heat of the battle against our flesh. 

Exo 32:28  And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. 

Jos 7:4  So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 

What verse 2 therefore implies is that we must all fall away first, before we are given to become overcomers. 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

1Sa 26:3  And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 
1Sa 26:4  David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 
1Sa 26:5  And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 

As indicated earlier, Hachilah means dark. The fact that Saul and his men dwelt in Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon shows that our brothers and sisters are darkened in their understanding of the word of the Lord due to lack of water and food in the church in the wilderness (Jeshimon). We were at a certain stage of our walk also darkened in our understanding when we were in the churches of this world, just like David, before he escaped from Saul.  

Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Eph 4:19  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 
Eph 4:20  But ye have not so learned Christ; 

David coming to know where Saul and his men lay signifies our coming to understand our spiritually dead state, when we were in the church system of this world or Babylon.

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) 

1Sa 26:6  Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 
1Sa 26:7  So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 

David, together with Abishai, his nephew, risked their lives to observe Saul and his men at their camp. The fact that they were two implies that they serve as witnesses of Christ. David and Abishai going to the camp of Saul and his men, therefore, signifies how as the Lord’s elect, we are not ignorant of the devil and his devices. 

2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

Our defense against the wiles (clever tricks or lies) of the devil is to put on the full armor of the Lord, so that we can be able to stand. 

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

It is significant to note that David and Abishai observed that Saul and all his men were sleeping, with Saul’s spear stucked in the ground. The spear is comparable to the sword, which is the word of the Lord. 

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

The spear being stuck in the ground means that it is partial buried by earth. In other words, the word of the Lord is tainted by man’s wisdom and tradition. What we are being told therefore, is that our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon, represented by Saul and his men, are spiritually asleep as a result of the false doctrine (contaminated word of the Lord) propagated by their leaders. We were also in this situation, until the Lord came to us to show us the truth of His word. 

2Pe 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
2Pe 2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 

1Sa 26:8  Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 
1Sa 26:9  And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? 
1Sa 26:10  David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 

Abishai thought that the Lord had given David the opportunity to avenge his enemy, Saul, when they found them sleeping in the camp. David however, ordered Abishai, not to stretch forth his hands against the Lord’s anointed. As the Lord’s elect, we are not to fight our own battles. The battle belongs to the Lord, and therefore, it is the Lord who avenges our enemies on our behalf. 

1Sa 17:47  And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.  

2Ch 20:15  And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 

When we take up the sword against our enemies, it shows that we are fighting our own battle and as a result, we shall perish by the sword. This was the lesson that the Lord Jesus taught Peter, when he took a sword and cut the ear of one of those who came to arrest Jesus. 

Mat 26:51  And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.
Mat 26:52  Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

1Sa 26:11  The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
1Sa 26:12  So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them. 

David taking the spear and a jar of water from the camp of Saul and his men signifies the Lord taking away the truth from the church system of this world, and giving it to us, His elect, who are privileged to be given the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom. As a result, we are refined by the fire of the word of the Lord, while our brothers and sisters become worse and worse. 

Mat 13:10  Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 
Mat 13:11  And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 
Mat 13:12  For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 

It is instructive to note that the Lord caused Saul and his men to fall in deep sleep. This is what the Lord is doing today. While we are being enlightened to know more about Christ, the Lord has darkened the understanding of our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world, such that seeing, they see not, and hearing, they hear not. 

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15  For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

David Choosing to Reason With Saul

1Sa 26:13  Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 
1Sa 26:14  And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?
1Sa 26:15  And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
1Sa 26:16  This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD’S anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 

The king’s spear and the jar of water that David took from Saul when he came with Abishai, were used as exhibit, to demonstrate how Abner had been negligent of his duty to protect the king by sleeping deep. As a result, he must die. This incidence brings to mind the time that Jesus was in agony in the  Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest. He was with the disciples and expected them to keep watch with Him, but they all fell asleep. It shows how we operated under the influence of our flesh when we were in the church system of this world. The flesh being weak, we were not able to keep watch during our stay in Babylon. 

Mat 26:40  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 
Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 
Mat 26:43  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
Mat 26:44  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 

1Sa 26:17  And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 
1Sa 26:18  And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 
1Sa 26:19  Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
1Sa 26:20  Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. 

Saul hearing the voice of David and calling him his son shows that he did not understand why he kept pursuing David to kill him. This indicates that he did not have his own free will to do what he wants. Just as the Lord raised Pharaoh to resist His will of letting the children of Israel go out of Egypt to the promised land, the Lord was using Saul as His instrument of judgment of David, His elect. All of these throw out of the window, the false doctrine that we have our own free will and can do what we want.

Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 
Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

David struggled at this point in his life to understand the significance of what he was going through as he questioned Saul in verses 18 to 20. He did not know that the Lord was using Saul as His instrument of judgment to destroy his flesh. We all struggle to understand why we sometimes go through what we go through. This is what Paul said about our struggles:

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 

The verse above shows us that even when we do not have all the answers to our hardships, we must still cling on to hope. 

In verse 19, David made a profound statement that if it is the Lord who had stirred up Saul to pursue him, then he would let the Lord accept an offering. It indicates that the Lord wants us to offer our bodies as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him. This is the spiritual worship that the Lord is requiring from each of us as His elect, and He is achieving it through His judgment of our flesh.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Saul’s Confession of His Sins

1Sa 26:21  Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.   

This is the second time in this study of the Book of Samuel that we see Saul admitting he had sinned. In the first instance in 1 Samuel 24:17, Saul repented of his actions against David at that time, and went on to declare David as being more righteous than him. However, he continued to pursue David. Repentance alone is not enough. We must bring forth fruit that commensurates with our repentance as indicated by Jesus as follows: 

Luk 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 

1Sa 26:22  And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 
1Sa 26:23  The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed. 

David prepared to return the spear of Saul shows us that when we repent of our sins and start to lead lives commensurate with our repentance, the Lord will ensure that what we have lost in Him shall be regained.

Joe 2:25  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 
Joe 2:26  And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. 
Joe 2:27  And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.  

We, the Lord’s elect, are the ones who are mourning in Zion as a result of the Lord’s judgment of our old man. As indicated in verse 23, the Lord will render to us His righteousness and His faithfulness in the fulness of time. 

Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 
Isa 61:4  And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 
Isa 61:5  And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 
Isa 61:6  But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 
Isa 61:7  For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. 

1Sa 26:24  And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 
1Sa 26:25  Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. 

In verse 24, David told Saul that as Saul’s life had been precious to him that day, may his life be precious in the sight of the Lord and that he is hoping that the Lord would deliver him from all his trouble. As we shall see later in this study of Samuel, indeed, the Lord was faithful to David and delivered him from all his troubles. This is David’s testimony of how the Lord came to his aid in the fulness of time:

Psa 34:6  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 
Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 
Psa 34:8  Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 

These verses are to let us know that the Lord will surely show up in the fullness of time, to deliver us from all our troubles. Are you weary of what you are going through? Have you lost hope of the situation that you find yourself in and that there is no way of escape? Let’s lift our eyes off our circumstance and look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He will surely come to our rescue in the fullness of time to restore all that the locust, the cankerworm,  the caterpillar, and the palmerworm had eaten. Remember that against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and became the father of many nations. Against all hope, let’s lift our eyes off our circumstances and look to Jesus, who is able to do exceedingly beyond what we can ask or think. 

Rom 4:18  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 

Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

In verse 25, Saul ended up blessing David and prophesied that David shall do great things and shall still prevail. This implies that in the fullness of time, our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world and the people of this world shall rejoice and bless us as saviors or the sons of God. 

Rom 8:18  I am sure that what we are suffering now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us.
Rom 8:19  In fact, all creation is eagerly waiting for God to show who his children are. 
Rom 8:20  Meanwhile, creation is confused, but not because it wants to be confused. God made it this way in the hope 
Rom 8:21  that creation would be set free from decay and would share in the glorious freedom of his children. (CEV)

Thank you Jesus, for the privilege of knowing you in this age. Amen!!

1 Samuel 25:23–44 David Marries Abigail, Part 2

[Study Aired July 20, 2026]

Today’s study is a continuation of how David came to marry Abigail. It reveals Abigail’s wisdom in acting with grace and secretly bringing a peace offering to David and humbling herself to take the blame for her husband’s foolishness. Abigail also made her husband, Nabal, aware of her encounter with David and his men who were bent on taking revenge against him. As a result, Nabal’s heart died within him and finally gave up the ghost after ten days. 

Nabal’s death, therefore, paved the way for David to be married to Abigail, who represents the church of the Lord’s elect. The study therefore highlights our coming into the church of the firstborn or the heavenly Jerusalem.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,   

Abigail Meets David

1Sa 25:23  And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
1Sa 25:24  And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

In this context, we can look at David as representing the Lord and Abigail as the church of the Lord’s elect. Abigail seeing David is therefore we, His elect, coming to see Christ as He is. As we get to know Christ in the spirit through His word, we purify ourselves to be like Him. 

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

Abigail lighting off the ass and bowing down to David signifies that as we are being given victory over our flesh, represented here as an ass, our obedience or submission to the Lord is being perfected. Verse 23 therefore, is similar to the following verse:

Gen 24:64  And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. 

In this case, Isaac represents Christ and Rebekah signifies the church of the Lord’s elect. It is when we come to know the Lord in the spirit through His word that we are given victory over our flesh as we see Rebekah light off her camel. 

Abigail falling at David’s feet and asking David to let the iniquity of Nabal come upon her in verse 24 shows us that our suffering as the Lord’s elect in this life is for the salvation of the human race. Abigail asking David to let the iniquity of Nabal fall upon her is the same as Paul saying that he wished that he was accursed regarding his fleshly brethren or Israel. 

Rom 9:2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 
Rom 9:3  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 
Rom 9:4  Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 

As saviors of the world, our suffering in this age complements the suffering of Christ for the atonement of all humanity. We are therefore, saviors of this world.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. 

1Sa 25:25  Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. 

Abigail regarding Nabal as the man of Belial is significant. According to Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Dictionary, Belial can mean wicked, ruin or destruction. Nabal being described as the man of Belial shows that he represents the devil who comes to steal, kill and destroy as shown in the word of the Lord.

Joh 10:10  The thief [the devil] cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

As we shall see later in this study, Abigail ended up marrying David when Nabal died. It indicates that as the Lord’s elect, we have the devil as our father, before we are married to Christ. 

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  

Abigail telling David that she did not see the young men that David sent implies that when we had the devil as our father, we did not recognize the Lord’s elect whom the Lord sent to us. At that time of our walk with Christ, our spiritual condition is described as follows:

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 

1Sa 25:26  Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

It is important to note here in verse 26 that Abigail’s asserted that it is the Lord who had withheld David’s hand from shedding the blood of Nabal. This assertion throws out the false doctrine that we have our own unhindered will to do good or to commit evil. To do evil or good is all of the Lord. Yes, we do make choices, but our decisions are influenced by the Lord. This is exactly what the following verse is seeking to address:

Pro 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.   

Abigail also stated that those who hated David and sought evil against him would be as Nabal. As we shall see later, Nabal died suddenly. This implies that they who seek to do evil against us as the Lord’s elect, shall not prosper in their scheme. It also indicates that vengeance belongs to the Lord and that we do not need to avenge the evil that is meted out to us. We are, however, admonished to do good to those who hate us and in so doing, we heap coals of fire on their head. 

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 
Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

1Sa 25:27  And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord. 

The blessing that Abigail brought to David and his young men was the food that she provided for their upkeep. The details of her provision are as follows:

1Sa 25:18  Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.  

As indicated, Abigail represents the church or the assembly of the Lord’s elect. In the previous study we showed the spiritual significance of the food and the drink that Abigail or the church of the Lord’s elect provides to us as follows: 

All the food and the drink (wine) represent the word of the Lord. Remembering that the number two signifies a witness, the fact that there were two hundred (2x10x10) loaves and cakes of fig and two bottles of wine means that we must have a witness of two or more in the scriptures to establish a doctrine. Abigail bringing the food and the drinks implies that it is in the assembly of the Lord’s elect that we become exposed to the truth of the word of the Lord and are given to establish doctrines based on two or more witnesses. 

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 

It is also important to note that there were five already-dressed sheep and five measures of parched corn. The parched corn is dried kernel of corn that has been dry-roasted or toasted over heat. Both the parched corn and the already-dressed sheep represent the meat of the Lord’s word. The number five means grace through faith. Abigail bringing five measures of parched corn and five already-dressed sheep means that it is in the church of the Lord’s elect that we receive grace through faith to understand the meat of the word of the Lord. 

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

Abigail also told David here in verse 27 that what she had provided is a blessing. It is indeed a blessing to be given the keys of the kingdom of heaven to understand the truth of the Lord’s word through what every joint supplies.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.  

1Sa 25:28  I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. 

In verse 28, the Lord through Abigail told David that the Lord would make a sure house for him. In the Bible, the first time that the word “house” was used referred to a family. 

Gen 7:1  And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

What we are therefore being told is that the Lord has prepared a family for us, His elect. This family is the house of the Lord of our brothers and sisters in Christ or the church of the firstborn. It is important to note that it is the Lord who prepares us this family to help us fight the battles of the Lord. This means that it is through what every joint supplies that we are given to see that the battles we are going through in this life are the Lord’s battles. Our being brought into this family of the Lord’s elect is also to ensure that evil is not found in us all our days as shown in verse 28. This is possible through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

1Sa 25:29  Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. 

It is reassuring to note that even though the Lord will raise up adversaries to seek our lives as instruments of the Lord’s judgment, they shall be destroyed by the Lord in the final analysis. By comparing scripture with scripture, we can see that this verse is the same as the following verse:

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 
Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

1Sa 25:30  And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 

The work that the Lord Jesus did in the life of David according to all the good that he had spoken about refers to what the Lord is doing in this age regarding His elect. This involves granting us the grace to understand the mysteries of His kingdom, judging us in this age to conform to His image as we learn righteousness and providing our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. This work of the Lord is what makes us overcomers and qualifies us to be rewarded with the rulership of this world when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. 

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.    

1Sa 25:31  That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

Here Abigail is admonishing David that he should not have a troubled conscience because of his desire to spill blood of Nabal for no good reason and that he should not claim his own victory. What Abigail said emphasizes the role of the body of Christ. It is the church’s duty, through what every joint supplies, to teach us to avoid evil. We are not to repay evil with evil, but allow the Lord to take vengeance on our behalf. Victory is the work of the Lord and does not rest in man.

Pro 21:31  The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD. (GW) 

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

Abigail also reminded David that when the LORD has dealt well with him, he should remember her. When the Lord has granted us the grace to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and continues to deliver us from the influence of the flesh through His judgment, we should continue to provoke our brothers and sisters to love and good works and not forsake the assembling of the Lord’s elect.

Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 
Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  

1Sa 25:32  And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:
1Sa 25:33  And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. 
1Sa 25:34  For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. 

In verse 32, David showed His appreciation to the Lord for bringing Abigail his way. We must be grateful to the Lord in bringing us to this assembly of His elect. It is through the church that our eyes are opened, our ears hear the mysteries of the kingdom, and our feet are restrained from evil as we see David confess to Abigail that her intervention had prevented him from committing evil. 

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 
Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Heb 12:26  Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 

Abigail Came to Nabal

1Sa 25:35  So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person. 

What is important here is the fact that David told Abigail that he has harkened to her voice and has accepted her. As indicated, Abigail represents the church of the Lord’s elect. It is in the church of the Lord’s elect that we must pay heed to the voice of the Lord through what every joint supplies. 

Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

David accepting Abigail signifies our need to submit to the church of the firstborn through its leadership. 

1Th 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1Th 5:13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 

1Sa 25:36  And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 
1Sa 25:37  But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 
1Sa 25:38  And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.

Nabal here can also represent the people of this world and our brothers and sisters in Babylon, who are under the sway of the devil. Abigail came to meet Nabal feasting as his heart was merry. The people of this world, including our brothers and sisters in Babylon are focused on feasting, which gives temporal enjoyment. A careful look at the Bible shows that most of the feasting recorded had to do with pagan kings. Gradually, the church system of this world embraced these temporary enjoyment through feasting as we see them celebrating Christmas, Easter, birthdays, mother’s day, father’s day, etc. However, this is not consistent with our walk with Christ. The Bible depicts the Christian walk as a stranger on a journey who does not meddle with the affairs of this world. We are also likened to a soldier in a war who must embrace suffering as the way to overcome an adversary. 

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  

2Ti 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 
2Ti 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

With Nabal being drunk, Abigail was not able to say anything to him.  Spiritually, Nabal being drunk means that Nabal was under the fury of the Lord to bring him to his death. When we are being brought to spiritual death, there is no way that we can hear the word of the Lord, as we see Abigail’s inability to talk to Nabal. 

Isa 63:6  And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

Verses 37 and 38 show us the death of Nabal who was being judged by the Lord. The fact that Nabal died after ten days signifies that Nabal’s sins have reached the heavens, since the number ten means the fullness of the flesh. 

David Marries Abigail

1Sa 25:39  And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 
1Sa 25:40  And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. 

In verse 39, David was very grateful to the Lord for preventing him from committing the sin of murder. It shows us that to do good or evil is not by ourselves and that it is the Lord who works all things after the counsel of His own will. 

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

The death of Nabal offered David the opportunity to be married to Abigail. It signifies the Lord destroying all that held us bound to Babylon or the church system of this world, in order for us to be joined to the church of the Lord’s elect represented by Abigail. What held us bound to Babylon is the false doctrines in our heavens which are symbolized by the great river Euphrates as shown below:

Rev 9:13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 
Rev 9:14  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 

1Sa 25:41  And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 
1Sa 25:42  And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 

It is worth noting that Abigail was ready to wash the feet of the servants sent by David. We are in the church of the Lord’s elect to serve our brothers and sisters. 

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 

Finally, Abigail became the wife of David. It highlights our ultimate marriage to Christ in the fullness of time, when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. 

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 
Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

1Sa 25:43  David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. 
1Sa 25:44  But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim. 

The mention in verses 43 and 44 of David’s wives Ahinoam and Michal (who was given to another man by Saul) is another way of saying that we used to be part of various church systems of this world, until Christ came to drag us out to become part of the church of the Lord’s elect, symbolized by Abigail. 

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 

May His name be praised, Amen!!

1 Samuel 25:1–22 David Marries Abigail, Part 1

[Study Aired July 13, 2026]

Our study for today focuses on Samuel’s death and how David ended up marrying Abigail. The study highlights the events leading to David coming to see the wickedness of Nabal, Abigail’s husband. David and his men decided to do evil to Nabal. This prompted Abigail to intervene on behalf of Nabal. 

As we are aware, it is the spirit that gives life. This story of David and him marrying Abigail will not benefit us if we only look at the letter. This study therefore looks at the spiritual significance of how David came to be married to Abigail. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

The Death of Samuel

1Sa 25:1  And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 

While Samuel was alive, he was very supportive of David, who was under the judgment of the Lord, using Saul as His instrument of judgment. Samuel therefore represents our Lord Jesus. When we are under the judgment of the Lord, it seems to us as if our Lord is dead. In other words, we come to think that the Lord has forsaken us. 

Isa 54:7  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. 
Isa 54:8  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. 

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 

The death of Samuel prompted David to seek refuge in the wilderness of Paran. According to Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Dictionary, Paran means ‘place of Caverns’ which represents large, massive underground caves. David was therefore trying to hide from the judgment of the Lord, as we all do, by taking refuge in underground caves.

Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Introducing Nabal and Abigail

1Sa 25:2  And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 

Nabal signifies the devil, as we shall see from the story later in the study. He was introduced as one whose business was in Carmel and was a great man. Carmel means ‘garden land’ and spiritually, land represents our bodies. Nabal’s possession being in Carmel therefore means that the devil has dominion over our flesh. That is to say that he empowers our flesh.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?  

Nabal being described as a great man implies that the Lord had created him as a prince of this world. 

Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 

Nabal had three thousand sheep. Sheep on a negative note denotes our brothers and sisters who are not yet part of the Lord’s elect. These brothers and sisters are under the dominion of the devil through false doctrines. 

Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.    

The number three thousand, on a negative note, represents the Lord’s people who have fallen away and are under the dominion of the devil. It represents therefore, our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon. 

Exo 32:28  And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell.

Jos 7:4  So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai. 

Nabal having a thousand goats also expresses the fact that the devil has dominion over those who have fallen away.  

Deu 32:30  How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

Jos 23:10  One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

1Sa 25:3  Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 

Here in verse 3, Abigail is introduced as a woman of good understanding and of beautiful countenance. She represents the church of the Lord’s elect. Being married to Nabal implies that we must first have the devil as our father, before we are given to have Christ as our husband or father. 

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 
Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  

Nabal was described as a churlish and evil in his doings, which emphasizes his role as the devil. Caleb in the Bible, represents the Lord’s elect. Nabal being of the house of Celeb shows us that the devil and his cohorts focus more on the house of the Lord than the people of this world. The coming of seven more wicked spirits to inhabit a person whose “house” had been emptied and swept clean emphasizes this point of the devil wanting to be where the action is – in the midst of the Lord’s people. 

Mat 12:43  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 
Mat 12:44  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 
Mat 12:45  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. 

1Sa 25:4  And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 
1Sa 25:5  And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: 
1Sa 25:6  And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. 

In the Bible, the shearing of sheep signifies our submission to the Lord’s will as shown in the following verse:

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 

Nabal shearing his sheep therefore means our submission to the devil at a certain stage of our walk with Christ was all part of the Lord’s will for our lives. David sending ten young men to Nabal in verse 5 emphasizes our subjugation to the devil at a certain time of our walk with Christ. We must remember that the number ten denotes the fullness of our flesh, and therefore the ten young men sent by David shows us that we were full of the flesh and as a result, we had respect for those who live in prosperity, which is contrary to the teachings of the word of the Lord. 

Psa 73:2  But as for me [David], my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 
Psa 73:3  For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 

Jas 2:2  For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 
Jas 2:3  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 
Jas 2:4  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 

1Sa 25:7  And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. 
1Sa 25:8  Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. 
1Sa 25:9  And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 

In verse 7, David and his men being with the shepherds of Nabal signifies our submission to the leadership of the church system of this world at a certain stage of our walk with Christ. During that time, we worked so hard to please our leaders instead of Christ and were looking forward to the Lord blessing us physically. We did not know, however, that we were serving our father the devil at that time, who is not a rewarder. It is only in Christ that we are rewarded for our work in the Lord in this life and the age to come. 

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  

1Sa 25:10  And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 
1Sa 25:11  Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? 

From Nabal’s response to David’s servants, we can see that Nabal did not care about David and his men. The devil’s doctrine is for us to only focus on our own welfare. This is what happens in many denominations of the churches of this world where they only pay attention to only those that belong to their denomination. However, the Lord enjoins us not only to look at our own interest, but that of others. This is because when we attend to the needs of others, we are ministering to the Lord. 

Php 2:3  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 
Php 2:4  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 

Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

1Sa 25:12  So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. 
1Sa 25:13  And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff. 

In these verses, we see that David was getting ready with his men to avenge evil with evil, which is not what the Lord wants us to do. 

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 
Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 
Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 

We can see from verse 13 that David and his men were not there yet in terms of their spiritual maturity. Growing up in Christ is a process which takes a lifetime. All of us have areas in our walk with Christ which we have to overcome in this race of life, if we are to be crowned. The word of the Lord shows us how we are to run this race. We must forget what is behind us and strive for those things which are before us. 

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 
Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 

Abigail’s Intervention

1Sa 25:14  But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. 

Abigail represents the church of the Lord’s elect. As indicated earlier, the fact that she was married to Nabal implies that we must have the devil as our father, before we are given to have Christ as our father. 

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 

Abigail being informed of David and his men’s evil intention against Nabal was for her to intervene, to prevent bloodshed on the hands of David and his men. This shows us the key role of the church of the Lord’s elect – to present us faultless through Christ before God. This is accomplished through what every joint supplies in the body.

Jud 1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 
Jud 1:25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

1Sa 25:15  But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: 
1Sa 25:16  They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
1Sa 25:17  Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. 

There is no denying that David and his men were very helpful to Nabal and his men. They kept watch day and night and ensured that Nabal’s men and their sheep were kept safe. However, the fact that David and his men were not rewarded by Nabal gave the devil the opportunity to use David and his men to determine evil against Nabal. David and his men forgot that their reward is in Christ. The Lord is indeed a rewarder in this life and in the world to come. He will not forget our labor as we prioritize our relationship with Him. 

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you [what to eat, drink and being clothed].  

In verse 17, the young men wanted Abigail to prevent evil against Nabal and his men. It signifies the role of the church of the Lord’s elect in helping us avoid evil. As indicated, this is done through what every joint supplies.

1Sa 25:18  Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. 
1Sa 25:19  And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal. 
1Sa 25:20  And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. 

What Abigail brought with her to see David and his men is very significant. She took two hundred loaves, two bottles of wine, five sheep already dressed, five measures of parched corn, an hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs. All the food and the drink (wine) represent the word of the Lord. Remembering that the number two signifies a witness, the fact that there were two hundred (2x10x10) loaves and cakes of fig and two bottles of wine means that we must have a witness of two or more in the scriptures to establish a doctrine. Abigail bringing the food and the drinks implies that it is in the assembly of the Lord’s elect that we become exposed to the truth of the word of the Lord and are given to establish doctrines based on two or more witnesses. 

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 

It is also important to note that there were five already-dressed sheep and five measures of parched corn. The parched corn is dried kernels of corn that have been dry-roasted or toasted over heat. Both the parched corn and the already-dressed sheep represent the meat of the Lord’s word. The number five means grace through faith. Abigail bringing five measures of parched corn and five already-dressed sheep means that it is in the church of the Lord’s elect that we receive grace through faith to understand the meat of the word of the Lord. 

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

Abigail not consulting her husband Nabal about what she was going to do for David and his men signifies that the church of the firstborn or the Lord’s elect is not under the control of the prince of the power of the air (the devil). It is our Lord Jesus Christ that we are answerable to. He is our high priest, who sympathizes with us, because he had gone through what we are going through. 

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 
Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

1Sa 25:21  Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. 
1Sa 25:22  So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. 

At this point, David taught that all his labor in helping Nabal’s men was in vain. As a result, he was going to shed the blood of Nabal and his men. He did not know at that time that even our works in supporting the church system of this world or Babylon, at a certain stage of our walk with Christ is all of the Lord and that it is the Lord who directs our path and reward us accordingly. 

Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.  

It is worth noting that even Nebuchadnezzar was rewarded for the work the Lord gave him to do in coming to destroy Jerusalem. How much more will our Father and High Priest, Jesus, our Lord, not reward us His elect, as we seek Him daily? He will surely come to our aid in the fulness of time.

Eze 29:18  “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was rubbed bare, yet neither he nor his army got anything from Tyre to pay for the labor that he had performed against her.
Eze 29:19  Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off its wealth and despoil it and plunder it; and it shall be the wages for his army.
Eze 29:20  I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me, declares the Lord GOD. 

We thank the Lord that we have a God who is a rewarder. Our labor in the Lord will never be in vain. May His name be praised. Amen!!

1 Samuel 24:1–22 David Spares Saul’s Life 

[Study Aired July 6, 2026]

In today’s study, we shall look at how David displayed incredible grace as He spared the life of king Saul in the cave of Engedi. This is because David had respect for the “Lord’s anointed” in spite of the pressure by his men. As a result, he overcame evil with good.

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 
Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 
Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.  

Saul Went After David in the Cave of Engedi

1Sa 24:1  And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. 

As we have stated in previous studies, Saul represents our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon who have been rejected of ruling with Christ at the coming age when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. Saul returning from fighting the Philistines in verse 1, shows us that during our time in Babylon, we did win some victories over our flesh. In other words, we started off our walk with Christ on a good note in Babylon. However, over time, through imbibing false doctrines propagated in Babylon, we were hindered from obeying the truth.

Gal 5:7  Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 
Gal 5:8  This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
Gal 5:9  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 

David signifies the Lord’s elect. Engedi was a vibrant, freshwater oasis situated in the harsh Judean desert. The name Engedi means ‘fountain’ or ‘spring of the young goat.’ In the Bible, young goats represent the Lord’s elect. Therefore, David being in the wilderness of Engedi in verse 1, implies that although we are in this world of wilderness, as the Lord’s elect, we are favored to have access to the truth of the Lord’s word (fountain) signified by Engedi.    

2Th 2:13  But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.  (ESV)

Saul being told that David was in the wilderness of Engedi was of the Lord, who was using Saul as His instrument of judgment of David. This shows us that the Lord uses our brothers and sisters of the churches of this world to judge us, His elect, for the destruction of our flesh. For example, the Lord used the Jews to persecute the Lord’s disciples in the early church.  

Act 8:1: “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” (NIV)

1 Th 2:14–15: “…For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out…” (ESV)

Act 13:50: “But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” (NIV)

1Sa 24:2  Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 

The number three thousand, on a negative note, denotes the Lord’s people who have fallen away. It therefore, represents our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon. Saul taking three thousand men out of Israel to pursue David and his men shows us that it is our fallen away brothers and sisters in the church system of this world whom the Lord uses to persecute us.

Exo 32:28  And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell.

Jos 7:4  So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai. 

It is also significant to note that Saul and his men sought David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. Rocks in the Bible can signify our hiding place from the judgment of the Lord. In other words, rocks represent our natural attempts to avoid the judgment of the Lord.

1Sa 13:6  When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

As we are aware, we, His elect, are the wild goats which were set free into the wilderness to suffer, to complement the suffering of Christ. 

Lev 16:9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 
Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:  

1Sa 24:3  And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 

On his journey to where David and his men were, Saul came across several sheepfolds on the side of the road, and one of them was built near the entrance to the cave where David and his men were hiding at the back. In this case, the cave represents where we die to the flesh. 

Gen 23:11  Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.   

Gen 23:20  And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.

Saul relieving himself in the cave means our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world despise the Lord’s judgment of our flesh which leads to the death of our flesh. At a certain time of our walk with the Lord, we also despised the Lord’s judgment leading to the death of our flesh. 

Psa 107:10  Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains, 
Psa 107:11  because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. 

1Sa 24:4  And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. 
1Sa 24:5  And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 
1Sa 24:6  And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
1Sa 24:7  So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

In the minds of the men with David, they thought that the Lord has given Saul to David to be murdered. However, David only cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe as evidence, to show Saul that he had the opportunity to kill him but refused. David cutting off the skirt of Saul’s robe signifies that the kingdom of Israel has been taken away from Saul and given to David. 

1Sa 15:27  And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 
1Sa 15:28  And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. 

Spiritually, we, His elect, have been chosen to reign with Christ at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Babylon. As we shall see later in the study, Saul himself confirmed David’s rulership when David showed him the cut skirt. In other words, we, His elect, have obtained mercy in this age at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Babylon.  

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

In verses 5 and 6, David later regretted for cutting off Saul’s skirt, because he regarded Saul as the Lord’s anointed, and therefore he thought that he should not have stretched forth his hand against him. 

1Ch 16:20  And when they (the people of Israel) went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; 
1Ch 16:21  He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
1Ch 16:22  Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 

David’s regret shows that he trembled at the word of the Lord and wanted to be obedient to it. On the other hand, the men with him were not yet trembling at the word of the Lord. This indicates their spiritual immaturity at that time of their walk with Christ. We all came to the body of Christ of the Lord’s elect in our immature stage, where we are given the meat of the Lord’s word to grow through what every joint supplies. 

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

As indicated in verse 7, David, as a leader, enjoined his men to have regard for the Lord’s anointed. His men therefore did not rise up against Saul as he left the cave. As the Lord’s elect, we must tremble at the word of the Lord. 

Isa 66:5  Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. 

David Confronts Saul

1Sa 24:8  David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 

It is instructive to note that it was when Saul looked behind him that he saw David bowing to him. It signifies that it is when we look back that we see ourselves as the Lord’s elect, submitting to the dictates of the leadership of the church system of this world or Babylon, when we started our walk with Christ. That was the time that we were swayed by every wind of doctrine and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. 

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

1Sa 24:9  And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 

In verse 9, David’s assertion that Saul listens to men is the reason why he wanted to hurt him. This implies that when we substitute the word of truth for the lies perpetuated by men, we end up hating the Lord’s elect as we blame them for our troubles. These doctrines of men lead to envy, hatred and murder of the true sons of God. It is through these doctrines of men which led the leadership of the church system of Jesus’ days, to hate and murder him. 

Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 
Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 
Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

As He is so are we. It is the same doctrines of men which cause our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world to hate us and consider us as dead in the street of Jerusalem. 

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 
Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  

1Sa 24:10  Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed.
1Sa 24:11  Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. 
1Sa 24:12  The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
1Sa 24:13  As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.  

As David mentioned to Saul, our brothers and sisters of the church system of this world think that the Lord’s elect or the church of the firstborn poses a threat to their reigning with Christ. Throughout the Bible, there were many instances of our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world considering us as the problem and not the solution. For example, Cain killed Abel thinking that Abel was the problem. Esau hated Jacob and wanted to kill him, because he thought that Jacob had robbed him of his inheritance. The Jews killed Jesus thinking He posed a threat to their traditional way of worship. In the same manner, the Jews wanted to kill Paul and the Lord’s disciples because they thought that they were the problem. 

Act 17:5  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them (Paul and Silas) out to the people. 
Act 17:6  And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 

Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 
Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 
Rom 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 
Rom 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 

As David stated in verse 12, our hands are not upon our brothers and sisters in Babylon. They do not recognize that it is the Lord who has the prerogative to show mercy to whom He wants to show mercy in this age. 

Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 
Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 
Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.      

1Sa 24:15  The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. 

The Lord is indeed the Judge who pleads our cause and delivers us from those that He uses to afflict us. As we know from the word of the Lord, the Lord’s deliverance makes a way for us to escape the trial, as He grants us the grace to bear it. 

1 Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

The reason the Lord may not immediately stop the affliction He brings our way but gives us grace to bear it is that He wants the affliction to accomplish a specific purpose in our lives in terms of learning more righteousness. This is what David learned later in his life, through the afflictions the Lord brought on him, using Saul as His instrument of judgment. 

Psa 119:71  It is good for me [David] that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 

Psa 119:74  They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. 
Psa 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 

1Sa 24:16  And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 
1Sa 24:17  And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 

It seems in verse 16 and 17, that Saul repented of his actions against David at that time, and went on to declare David as being more righteous than him. As we can see later in the review of this Book of Samuel, even after this encounter, he continued to pursue David to kill him.  What this is showing us is that repentance alone is not enough. We must bring forth fruit which is commensurate with our repentance. 

Luk 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 

1Sa 24:18  And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 
1Sa 24:19  For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. 

These verses imply that as the Lord’s elect, we must do good even when evil is meted out to us. 

Rom 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 
Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 
Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 

As Peter stated, we must add to our faith, virtue or moral excellence, if we are to be assured of the reward of reigning with Christ. Moral excellence encompasses doing good to even those who do evil against us.

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 

David is Assured of the Kingship

1Sa 24:20  And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. 
1Sa 24:21  Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. 
1Sa 24:22  And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

From verse 20, we see that the Lord was assuring David through the mouth of Saul that he would reign as king of Israel. Just as the Lord said of the servant who hid the one talent that out of his own mouth, He would judge him. Saul admitting that David would become king attests of our reign over our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world, when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

Luk 19:22  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 

David swearing to Saul not to cut off his seed and that he would not destroy his name out of his father’s house, shows us that we are the saviors of our brothers and sisters in Babylon in the fullness of time. In other words, we, His elect, shall not cut off any of the Lord’s people who have gone astray. We shall be merciful to them even as the Lord has shown us mercy. 

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.   

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. 

May the Name of the Lord be praised for His wonderful plan of salvation. Amen!!

1 Samuel 23:1–29 David Saved the City of Keilah 

[Study Aired June 29, 2026]

Our study for today can be categorized into four sections. The first one relates to David rescuing Keilah from the Philistines. The second part deals with the Lord’s warning and escape from Keilah. The third section of the study is about Jonathan coming to encourage David. Finally, the study concludes with the Ziphites informing Saul about David and David’s narrow escape. This study therefore illustrates the principle that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of them all.

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 
Psa 34:20  He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. 

David Rescued Keilah from the Philistines

1Sa 23:1  Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing floors. 
1Sa 23:2  Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 

Here in verse 1, David was told that the Philistines were fighting against Keilah and that they were robbing their threshing floors. Keilah means ‘fortress.’ Therefore, what verse 1 signifies is that taking refuge in Christ as our fortress involves being at war against our flesh, denoted by the Philistines. In the Bible, a threshing floor is a flat, hard surface used to separate edible grain from inedible husks and chaff. Because of the intense labor and wind-swept separation involved, it serves as a powerful biblical metaphor for the Lord’s judgment. The threshing floor therefore represents the suffering we go through from the hand of the Lord or the judgment of the Lord. This implies that the Philistines robbing the threshing floor of those in Keilah that when we are of the flesh, we are robbed of the need to go through the Lord’s judgment.

We all, naturally, do not want to suffer. This means that living according to the flesh (Philistines) robs us of the need to suffer. However, if we have taken refuge in Christ, then we are enjoined to suffer, just as our Lord suffered for our sake.

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 

1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

In verse 2, David enquired of the Lord whether to go to the rescue of the Israelites in Keilah or not. The Lord responded that David should go and destroy the Philistines to save those in Keilah. Verse 2 signifies that it is through enquiring of the Lord through His word we come to know that we must fight the fight of faith against our flesh to save our lives. We must also realize that it is not all those who come to enquire of the Lord who are given to know what the Lord is saying. It is only the Lord’s elect, signified by David, who are given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.  

1Sa 23:3  And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 
1Sa 23:4  Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 

As we can see in verse 3, David’s men were afraid of confronting the Philistines in Keilah. This implies that they were not spiritually matured like David. These men were new to the church of the Lord’s elect and were as we were still holding to the mentality that we cannot win the war against our flesh (Philistines). 

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

For the sake of these immature believers, David enquired of the Lord again and came to the same conclusion that the Lord would grant them victory over the Philistines or their flesh. He did not rebuke them for their unbelief, but was very patient with them. We must therefore be patient with our brothers and sisters in the faith. 

1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 

David enquiring from the Lord again also shows us one of the principles that helps us to be guided when studying the word of the Lord. The number two means a ‘witness’, and therefore David enquiring from the Lord for the second time implies that we must have a witness when we study the word of the Lord. In other words, we are to have at least a second scriptural witness to establish a Scriptural truth or doctrine.

Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 

1Sa 23:5  So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.  

Through faith in the word of the Lord, David and his men went to Keilah and defeated the Philistines, thus, delivering the inhabitants of Keilah from the hands of the Philistines. What this is showing us is that through faith in the word of the Lord, we shall overcome our flesh.

Heb 11:32  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 
Heb 11:33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 
Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 

1Sa 23:6  And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 

As indicated in the previous study, Abiathar, which means ‘my father is great’, was the only one who escaped from the slaughter of the priests at Nob, to join David and those with him. His escape represents our escape from the church system of this world or Babylon, to join the church of the Lord’s elect or the Heavenly Jerusalem. 

An ephod, on a positive note, signifies the sacred priestly garment. As we are aware, garments in the Bible represent our righteousness, which is of the Lord. In other words, our righteousness is the Lord’s righteousness. 

Exo 28:4  And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 

Exo 28:6  And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. 

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. 

Jer 33:16  In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. 

On a negative note, the ephod represents an idol. This indicates that self-righteousness is an idol of our hearts, which prevents us from knowing the Lord.

Jdg 8:27  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 

Jdg 17:5  And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 

Going back to verse 6, we can see that Abiathar had not put on the ephod yet after his escape from Nob. This implies that when we came to the church of the Lord’s elect, we were not yet clothed in Christ’s righteousness, since in Babylon, we believed in our own righteousness. However, Abiathar having the ephod in his hand when he came to Keilah in verse 6, signifies that coming to the assembly of the Lord’s elect brings us closer to Christ’s righteousness or it is at hand. In other words, Christ’s righteousness is within our reach through faith. 

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

Divine Warning and Escape from Keilah

1Sa 23:7  And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 
1Sa 23:8  And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 

As we can see, the Lord had raised Saul and his men as His instrument of judgment of David and his men. Saul and his men symbolize the people of this world, including our brothers and sisters in Babylon, whom the Lord uses sometimes as His instrument of judgment against the Lord’s elect. In the Bible, the Lord, on some occasions, used some foreign nations to judge His people as shown in the following verses:

Isa 10:5  O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
Isa 10:6  I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.  

In the mind of Saul and his men, they thought they had cornered David and his men and that there was no way of escape. Sometimes we come to situations that we cannot figure out how we can get out of them. In our desperation, we forget that it is the Lord who is in charge. The Lord has given us assurance through His word that we should not fear whatever comes our way in this life, because He is the one in charge.

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. 

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 

1Sa 23:9  And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 
1Sa 23:10  Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 
1Sa 23:11  Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down. 
1Sa 23:12  Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. 
1Sa 23:13  Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. 

As indicated earlier, the ephod represents the Lord’s righteousness which is imputed on us, His elect. David asking Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod in verse 9 means David appealed to the righteousness of the Lord to show him the way forward. 

Verses 10 to 13 show us that as we come before the Lord in our desperation, the Lord hears us and shows us a way out, such that we are able to bear whatever trouble we find ourselves in. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 
1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

Comparing scripture with scripture, we can see that verses 10–13 of this study are the same as Psalm 107 where we find ourselves in trouble such that we have no way out. In our desperation, we cry out to the Lord, and in His mercy, the Lord brings us to our safe haven. 

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 

Jonathan Encourages David

1Sa 23:14  And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 
1Sa 23:15  And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. 
1Sa 23:16  And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 
1Sa 23:17  And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. 
1Sa 23:18  And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

In our time of trial, we need to be strengthened by our brothers and sisters in the Lord as we see Jonathan coming to Ziph to encourage David’s hand in God. This walk with Christ is a lonely journey, and therefore we need to be strengthened in Christ. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest, He was in deep agony as He prayed and was strengthened by an angel. This angel represents us, His elect, as we encourage one another in the Lord especially during times when we are under the judgment of the Lord.

Luk 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 
Luk 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 

Our Lord Jesus specifically told Peter that after he is converted, he should strengthen his brothers, which emphasizes the fact that we are to strengthen one another in the Lord. 

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.  

The fact that David and Jonathan made a covenant in verse 18 before the Lord, signifies that we are in a covenant relationship with each other as the Lord’s elect, to strengthen one another both in good times and in bad times. 

1Th 5:11  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (ESV)

Heb 10:24  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 
Heb 10:25  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (ESV)

In essence, what every joint supplies in the body of Christ is to build each other up.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

The Ziphites Inform Saul and David’s Narrow Escape

1Sa 23:19  Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 
1Sa 23:20  Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. 
1Sa 23:21  And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. 
1Sa 23:22  Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly. 
1Sa 23:23  See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. 

Ziphites means ‘smelters.’ Hence they represent all those that the Lord uses as instruments of His judgment. As instruments of the Lord’s judgment, it is no wonder that these Ziphites went to report to Saul the hiding place of David and his men, to put more fire under David and his men. 

These Ziphites are likened to us when we were in Babylon where we were more interested in pleasing our leaders and persecuting the Lord’s elect.    

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 

Col 3:22  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 

Here in verse 21, Saul was blessing the Lord for His compassion toward him for being told by the Ziphites where David and his men were. This signifies that there are many who please the Lord with their mouth, but their hearts are far away from Him. 

Isa 29:13  Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: 
Isa 29:14  Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. 

1Sa 23:24  And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 
1Sa 23:25  Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

Although David and his men did not know that the Ziphites were looking for him and his men to hand them over to Saul, the Lord guided the steps of David and his men to lead them out of Ziph to the wilderness of Maon. Through the guidance of the Lord, our steps are ordered, such that we are kept from being harmed by anyone.

Psa 37:23  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 
Psa 37:24  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.   

We must remember that when Cain killed his brother Abel, the Lord came and told him that as part of his punishment, he shall be a fugitive and a vagabond or wanderer. In response, Cain told the Lord that his punishment was too much and that anyone who finds him would kill him. To this end, the Lord put a mark on Cain such that no one could harm him as he wanders from place to place. If the Lord could protect Cain through a mark on his forehead, how much more would the Lord protect us, His beloved, who cry to Him day and night? He would surely take care of us, just as he protected David from the hand of Saul and his men.  

Gen 4:12  When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
Gen 4:13  And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 
Gen 4:14  Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 
Gen 4:15  And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 

As the Lord’s elect, we also carry on our forehead a mark by the Lord such that no one can harm us in this life.

Eze 9:3  And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; 
Eze 9:4  And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 
Eze 9:5  And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

1Sa 23:26  And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 
1Sa 23:27  But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 
1Sa 23:28  Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth. 
1Sa 23:29  And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi. 

In verse 26, we see Saul and his men on one side of the mountain and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. It demonstrates the gulf between the Lord’s elect and our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon. Coming from Babylon to the church of the firstborn requires climbing a mountain. This mountain is the false doctrines in our heavens which acts as a blockade which separates the Lord’s children from the children of the devil. As we can see from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, there is a great gulf between the Lord’s elect and the people of this world, including our brothers and sisters of this world.  

Luk 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 
Luk 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 
Luk 16:25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 
Luk 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 

Verses 27-29 also show us how the Lord diverted the attention of Saul and his men to pursue after the Philistines instead of David and his men. It emphasizes the fact that Lord knows how to take care of His own and has assured us in His word that none can pluck us out of His hand. 

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 
Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 
Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one. 

We thank the Lord for involving us in His wonderful plan of His salvation. May His name be praised. Amen!!

1 Samuel 22:1–23 David at the Cave of Adullam

[Study Aired June 22, 2026]

The study for today provides two contrasting characteristics. We have the Lord’s elect, represented by David, his family and all those distressed and burdened, on one hand, and the other being our brethren in the church system of this world or Babylon, signified by Saul and Doeg, his accomplice.  While David’s reliance on the Lord was growing as he sought refuge in the cave of Adullam, king Saul was in a downward spiral of tyranny and wickedness, culminating in the murder of the priests at Nob. 

David at the Cave of Adullam

1Sa 22:1  David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. 
1Sa 22:2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 

From the previous chapter, we saw that David had to behave like a madman to escape from king Achish of Gath, when the people recognized David and his exploits during the war of Israel and the Philistines. David therefore had to escape from Gath to the cave of Adullam in Judah of Israel. As indicated in the previous study, Gath means ‘winepress’ and it symbolizes the Lord’s judgment on David or His elect. Adullam means ‘justice of the people.’ Therefore, David escaping from Gath and coming to the cave of Adullam implies taking refuge in Christ, Who executes justice for all who are oppressed, even when we are under His judgment. 

Psalm 103:6 “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed”.

Psalm 140:12 “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and will execute justice for the needy”.

Luke 18:7 “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?”.

Taking refuge in Christ also involves coming to the assembly of the Lord’s elect or the heavenly Jerusalem or the church of the firstborn. In the case of David, his coming to Adullam made it possible for him to be gathered with his brethren and all of his father’s house, which signify the assembly of the Lord’s elect. 

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 
Heb 12:26  Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 
Heb 12:27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 

In addition, all those in distress, in debt and discontented gathered together with David as their captain at the cave of Adullam. The four hundred men (400 = 4X10X10) who were gathered together with David represent the whole of the Lord’s elect, who will serve as witnesses of Christ as they take refuge in Christ.  As we are aware, the number four signifies the whole of the matter under discussion, and the two tens denote being witnesses. We all come to the assembly of the Lord’s elect, full of the flesh (the significance of the number ten), before the Lord judges us to learn righteousness. Here in Hebrews 12:26-27, above, we are told that it is in the assembly of the Lord’s elect that our earth and heavens are shaken to remove everything of the flesh. In other words, it is through the Lord’s judgment that we learn righteousness.

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 

When the Lord came to us, we were in distress. In other words, we were in extreme anxiety, not knowing what to do, when Christ came to us and brought us to the church of the firstborn.

Rom 5:6  While we were still helpless [powerless to provide for our salvation] at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. AMP   

As shown in verse 2, we were also indebted to Christ, and there was no way that we could repay Him. However, in His mercy, He forgave us our debt.

Mat 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 
Mat 18:24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 
Mat 18:25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 
Mat 18:26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 
Mat 18:27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 

Before we became part of the assembly of the Lord’s elect, we were also discontented, which showed itself in our anxiety over what to eat, drink and to be clothed with. However, through the Lord’s mercy, we are now content with what the Lord is doing in our lives. 

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 

We see here in verse 2 that David became the captain of all those gathered. Jesus being the son of David, represents David. Therefore, it is our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the captain of our salvation.  

Luk 18:38  And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 

Heb 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 

1Sa 22:3  And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. 
1Sa 22:4  And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. 

Mizpeh means ‘watchtower’ and Moab denotes ‘of his father.’ David going to Mizpeh of Moab therefore means that being in Christ is being kept safe in the watchtower of our Father, God. On a positive note, David sending his parents to the king of Moab signifies David committing his parents to the protection of the Lord, who is our refuge and fortress.

Psa 91:1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 
Psa 91:2  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 
Psa 91:3  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 
Psa 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Psa 91:5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 
Psa 91:6  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.   

In another perspective, David’s father here signifies all the men of faith who lived their lives in Christ. David’s mother represents the church of the Lord’s elect. Therefore, David’s father and mother being secured in Moab in verse 4 shows us that we, His elect as men of faith, representing the church of the firstborn, are fully secured in Christ. 

Psa 18:2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 

David making a statement in verse 3 that he is committing his parents to the care of the king of Moab, until he figured out what the Lord would do for him shows us that David was maturing in his walk with Christ. This is because he recognized that all that he was going through was of the Lord. It also demonstrates the confidence that David had in the Lord that He will show up or deliver him from all that he was going through. 

Psa 56:8  You have kept record of my days of wandering. You have stored my tears in your bottle and counted each of them. 

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

1Sa 22:5  And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth. 

The Lord, through one of His prophets, advised David not to stay in the cave of Adullam or the hold, but rather go to the land of Judah. Hareth means ‘forest’ and therefore the Lord wanted David to hide in a forest. As we are aware, a forest is a large area covered with trees. In the Bible, human beings are described as trees as shown in the following verses:  

Mar 8:24  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 

Jdg 9:8  The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 

Therefore, David coming to the forest of Hareth means that because the Lord is our refuge, we can hide in the midst of the people of this world. It is significant to know that when the people wanted to kill Jesus, He hid in the midst of the people.

Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 
Luk 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him (Jesus) out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 
Luk 4:30  But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 

Saul Kills the Priests at Nob

1Sa 22:6  When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;) 
1Sa 22:7  Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds; 
1Sa 22:8  That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 

The situation of Saul at Gibeah in verse 6 is worthy of mention. He was under a tree in Ramah, having a spear in his hands, and all his servants were standing about him. As indicated earlier, trees symbolize men, and Saul under a tree signifies being under the influence of men, as we see many of our brothers and sisters in Babylon under the influence of men who claim to be sent by the Lord. In previous studies, we indicated that Saul’s spear denotes the false doctrines which darken our understanding of the word of the Lord. Just as Saul had his servants around him, many of the leaders of the church system of this world or Babylon are surrounded by brethren who work for their leader as servants, instead of co-laborers of the vineyard of the Lord.  

1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 

In verses 7-8, Saul lamented about how all Israel had conspired against him by not telling him about how his son Jonathan had stirred up David against him. Here Saul was behaving as typical of the leaders of the church system of this world whose message are always centered about themselves, but not Christ. These leaders always demand their congregation’s loyalty and not about their loyalty to Christ.

2Co 4:5  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 
2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.   

1Sa 22:9  Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 
1Sa 22:10  And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 

Doeg being an Edomite means that he was a descendant of Esau and therefore was not part of the commonwealth of Israel. It also shows that Doeg was of the flesh or dominated by the flesh. As we can see here in verse 9, he occupied a key position in Saul’s regime where he was head over the servants of Saul. This demonstrates how the leadership of the church system of this world or Babylon, signified by Saul’s regime, is dominated by those who are full of the flesh and do not have an inkling of life in the spirit. Doeg, therefore, represents these men who take control of silly women or the church system of this world or Babylon, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.  

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 
2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 
2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Doeg wanting to please Saul signifies many who have their conscience seared such that they prefer to please men for an advantage, instead of pleasing the Lord. 

1Sa 22:11  Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 
1Sa 22:12  And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. 
1Sa 22:13  And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 
1Sa 22:14  Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house? 
1Sa 22:15  Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. 

Although Ahimelech thought he was ministering to the needs of the Lord’s elect, by ministering to David, Saul accused him of helping David to rise up against him. When we minister to the spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters in Babylon, whom the Lord brings our way, the leadership of Babylon thinks that we are usurping their authority. If you can remember, the chief priests and the elders of the people questioned the authority which Jesus had regarding the good work He was doing in ministering to the spiritual needs of the people. However, the Lord, being full of the wisdom of God, exposed their hypocrisy.   

Mat 21:23  And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
Mat 21:24  And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 
Mat 21:25  The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 
Mat 21:26  But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. 
Mat 21:27  And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

1Sa 22:16  And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house. 
1Sa 22:17  And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. 

As indicated in the previous study, Ahimelech, together with his father’s house of priests, represents the church of the Lord’s elect. Saul and the people gathered around him, on the other hand, signify our brethren in the church system of this world or Babylon. Saul requesting the footmen that stood about him to kill the priests shows us how our brothers and sisters in Babylon consider us as spiritually dead in the street of Jerusalem or the corridors of Babylon. 

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 
Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  

Just as Pilate and his wife did not want to have anything to do with Jesus’ death, because he was innocent, in a similar way, these footmen were just like Pilate and his wife, who did not want to have anything to do with the death of Ahimelech and his father’s household of priests. 

Mat 27:17  Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 
Mat 27:18  For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 
Mat 27:19  When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 

This shows us that as He is, so are we, His elect, in this life. In other words, what the Lord Jesus passed through in His life here on earth is not different from what we are going through. Because Jesus went through what we are going through, He is touched by our feelings of infirmities, and therefore He is able to show us mercy and grant us grace in our time of trouble.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

1Sa 22:18  And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 
1Sa 22:19  And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 

Doeg, who was the head of Saul’s servants, killed all the eighty-five priests of the household of Ahimelech’s father. In addition, he killed all the men, women, children, sucklings and their animals. This is to show us that the devil’s enmity against us through our brothers and sisters in Babylon, does not only affect us, His elect, but it extends to our family, our resources and even the works of our hands. We must remember that when the devil came to sift Job, he laid his hands not only on Job, but also his children and his resources. 

Fortunately, the Lord takes care of everything that we have – our children, resources, work, etc. 

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 
Php 4:20  Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

1Sa 22:20  And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 
1Sa 22:21  And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD’S priests. 
1Sa 22:22  And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.
1Sa 22:23  Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard. 

Although Doeg murdered all the people in Ahimelech’s father’s house, Abiathar was able to escape, as he fled after David. On a negative perspective, we can say that all the priests who were killed by Doeg represent the many who are called but not chosen. On the other hand, it was only Abiathar, which means ‘my father is great’, who escaped and joined David’s men. Abiathar in this case signifies the few (the Lord’s elect) who are called and chosen. 

Jer 44:28  Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs.   

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen. 

Verses 20 – 23 therefore signify our escape from the church system of this world or Babylon to the church of the Lord’s elect or the heavenly Jerusalem. As shown in verse 23, it is in the assembly of the Lord’s elect that there is safety, as we abide under the shadow of the wings of the Lord.

Psa 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 
Psa 91:5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 
Psa 91:6  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  

Thanks be to the Lord who has helped us escape the snare of the fowler. May His name be praised. Amen!!

1 Samuel 21:1–15 David and the Holy Bread

[Study Aired June 15, 2026]

The study for today can be divided into two parts. The first part deals with David seeking support from a priest at Nob, where he ended up receiving holy bread and Goliath’s sword. The second part focuses on David’s escape to Gath where he feigned madness. As indicated in all our studies, today’s study will highlight what the spirit is saying to us through David’s actions. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.  

David and the Holy Bread

1Sa 21:1  Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? 

Nob means ‘fruit’ and that of Ahimelech indicates that ‘my brother is king.’  It is in the church of the Lord’s elect that we start to produce fruit of the spirit and are promised kingship. In verse 1, Ahimelech the priest is a symbol of our brothers and sisters who are called and chosen by the Lord for the role of being a royal priesthood. Therefore, David coming to Nob to Ahimelech the priest shows our exit from the church system of this world or Babylon to the church of the first born or Heavenly Jerusalem, where we start the process of bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

Ahimelech seeing David alone and not with an entourage, made him fearful of repercussions that may arise from aiding him. At this point, David was under the judgment of the Lord as Saul sought to kill him. During these trial times, we become vulnerable like David. However, amid his suffering, David sought Ahimelech, a symbol of the Lord’s elect. Verse 1 therefore assures us that in our times of trials, there is nothing wrong in seeking support from our brothers and sisters in Christ. This verse therefore offers reassurance to us that asking for support is not a sign of weakness, but rather an essential part of overcoming hardship the Lord has brought on us. In other words, the support we receive from our brothers and sisters is the way of the Lord for us to be able to bear the suffering we are going through.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

1Sa 21:2  And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. 

David lying to Ahimelech the priest that king Saul had sent him on a business and that he had stationed the young men with him at a certain place shows that David was still of the flesh in his walk with the Lord. Thus, the need for his sins to be burnt out of him through the Lord’s judgment. In other words, we need to learn righteousness by the things that we suffer. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

Psa 119:67  Before I (David) was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. 
Psa 119:68  Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. 

1Sa 21:3  Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. 

As indicated earlier, David coming to Ahimelech the priest is our coming to the heavenly Jerusalem or the church of the firstborn, where we are to receive support from our brothers and sisters or what every joint supplies.  

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

David requesting Ahimelech to give him five loaves of bread signifies our need to feed on the word of truth by what every joint supplies by the grace of the Lord through faith (the significance of the number five). This truth of the word of the Lord is like hail that destroys the refuge of lies or the false doctrines in our heavens or hearts and minds. 

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

It is important to note that it is while we are being judged that our understanding of the word of the Lord is also enlightened. That is what is happening to us, His elect (David) as we receive these five loaves of bread from Ahimelech or what every joint supplies. It is the same as hearing the voice of the Lord in the midst of the fire. It also implies the Lord coming to us with hail for rain and flaming fire on our land, which is our bodies. 

Psa 105:32  He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.

Psa 148:8  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:  

Deu 4:36  Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.   

1Sa 21:4  And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. 

It is important to distinguish here in verse 4, the difference between common bread and hallowed bread. The common bread spiritually represents man’s wisdom and tradition which emanates as smoke from our bottomless pit (our hearts and minds), which darkens our understanding of the word and therefore makes it impossible to know Christ and His word. This is what is propagated by the false apostles (locusts) parading in the corridors of the church system of this world. 

Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 
Rev 9:3  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Mar 7:9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 

Mar 7:13  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. 

According to verse 4, the hallowed bread, on the other hand, is available only to those who have kept themselves from women. The women here in verse 4 represent the churches of this world. This hallowed bread, which represents the truth of the word of the Lord or the mysteries of the kingdom, is available only to those who have kept themselves from the leaven or the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition of the Pharisees or the church system of this world.  

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

Mat 16:6  Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Mat 16:7  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 
Mat 16:8  Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 

Mat 16:11  How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 
Mat 16:12  Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

1Sa 21:5  And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

An easier to understand translation of this verse is shown as follows:

1Sa 21:5  And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?” (ESV)

David’s response to Ahimelech the priest when clarifying whether he and his young men have kept themselves from women is that when they were on a mission, they keep themselves from women and especially in this case, when they were visiting Ahimelech the priest in a temple. Our mission as the Lord’s elect in this life is to become an overcomer. Being an overcomer entails keeping ourselves from women or the churches of this world with their false doctrines, especially when we have become part of the church of the firstborn or the Heavenly Jerusalem. Many of our brothers and sisters who started well in the faith have become victims of these women, collectively called the harlot, who lurks around the corner looking for whom to devour. This is the present danger that we face as the Lord’s elect, as shown in the following verses:

Pro 7:7  And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, 
Pro 7:8  Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, 
Pro 7:9  In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 
Pro 7:10  And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
Pro 7:11  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 
Pro 7:12  Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
Pro 7:13  So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 
Pro 7:14  I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 
Pro 7:15  Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. 
Pro 7:16  I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 
Pro 7:17  I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 
Pro 7:18  Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 
Pro 7:19  For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
Pro 7:20  He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 
Pro 7:21  With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
Pro 7:22  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
Pro 7:23  Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

1Sa 21:6  So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.  

The Priest giving the hallowed bread to David signifies our coming to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven through what every joint supplies in the assembly of the Lord’s elect. The Priest here, who represents what every joint supplies, is Christ, who opens our eyes to see and ears to hear. The hot bread before the presence of the Lord in the temple is to remind us that the Lord’s truth cannot be tainted by any false doctrine. It is bread that is taken out of the Lord’s presence and is in the hands of a priest which can be contaminated with false doctrine. However, in our case, it is Christ Himself who is availing to us His truth, just as He opened the understanding of the disciples after His resurrection.  

Luk 24:44  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 
Luk 24:45  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

1Sa 21:7  Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.  

The statement that Doeg was detained before the Lord is to show us that both good and evil are all working according to the counsel of the Lord. This Doeg was the one responsible for killing all the priests in Nod under the instruction of king Saul, as we shall see in the next chapter. 

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

1Sa 22:18  And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
1Sa 22:19  And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

The presence of Doeg, who belonged to Saul as his chief herdsman was all of the Lord to show us the enmity of our brothers and sisters in Babylon against us. The killing of the priests under the instruction of Saul shows us, the Lord’s elect, how our brothers and sisters in Babylon consider us as spiritually dead in the streets of Jerusalem or the corridors of the church system of this world. 

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 
Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Goliath’s Sword Given to David

1Sa 21:8  And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste. 
1Sa 21:9  And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me. 

David needed a sword for his protection, and Ahimelech gave him the sword of Goliath. The question is, “What is the spiritual significance of Goliath’s sword in the hand of David?” A sword on a positive note denotes the word of the Lord as shown in the following verse:

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Goliath’s sword signifies a negative application of sword, and it indicates false doctrines of man’s wisdom and traditions. David taking possession of Goliath’s sword implies that as the Lord’s elect, we are given power over false doctrine such that it cannot hurt us. As the Lord declared, we are given power over serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, such that they cannot hurt us. This power over serpents and scorpions refers to the sting from their mouth or their false doctrines which cannot hurt us. 

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

David Flees to Gath

1Sa 21:10  And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 
1Sa 21:11  And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
1Sa 21:12  And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

Gath means ‘winepress’, which signifies judgment. It is instructive to note that the name of the king of Gath (Achish) means ‘I will blacken or terrify.’ David fleeing to Achish, the king of Gath, therefore implies David being given over to Satan to terrify him, just as Job was given over to Satan to sift him.

Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he [Job] hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

David thought he could hide in Gath without being recognized. However, the fact that the servants knew who he was, in terms of his conquest, made it difficult for David to continue to hide in Gath. As a result, he became afraid of king Achish. When we are under the Lord’s judgment, sometimes we wonder why things happen the way they do, making us easily discouraged. As a result, we become apprehensive just like David. 

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

The word “perplexed” (from the Greek aporeo) in 2 Corinthians 4:8 literally means to ‘be at a loss’, to be unable to find a way out, or to wonder why things are happening the way they are. However, Paul concluded that God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

1Sa 21:13  And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 
1Sa 21:14  Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 
1Sa 21:15  Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house? 

In this study, David was not matured enough to understand why he was going through such suffering. Being afraid of King Achish, he feigned being mad to escape from Gath. Here in these verses, we can see David depending on his own wisdom of the flesh to escape from the Philistines. However, the Lord in His mercy, overlooked it.

Act 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: 
Act 17:31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 

As we mature in Christ, through the Lord’s judgment, we come to see just like Paul, that all things work together for our good. Years later, as David had matured through the Lord’s judgment, he penned Psalm 34 which speaks of His maturity in the Lord as follows:

Psa 34:1  A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Ahimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

Psa 34:4  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 

Psa 34:6  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 
Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 
Psa 34:8  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 

Psa 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Pas 34:20  He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

Pas 34:22  The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Amen!!   

1 Samuel 20:24–42 Saul’s Anger Against David

[Study Aired June 8, 2026]

In today’s study, our focus will be centered on three areas – Saul’s questioning Jonathan about David’s absence, His anger towards David, when he realized that he had intentionally absented himself from the New Moon feast and Jonathan’s signal to give direction to David regarding what he should do. 

The chapter ends with David and Jonathan sharing an emotional farewell as they part ways, while comforting themselves of the covenant they swore to each other in the name of the Lord.

Saul Questions David’s Absence

1Sa 20:24  So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat. 
1Sa 20:25  And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty. 
1Sa 20:26  Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean. 

As indicated in our previous study, David hiding himself signifies David taking refuge in Christ as His protector, redeemer, comforter, etc. 

Psa 32:7  Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. 
Psa 32:8  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.  

It is instructive to note that David hid himself in the field which symbolizes the world. This reminds us of our Lord Jesus Christ while he was here on earth. The people wanted to kill him after His sermon in the synagogue as they thrust Him out of the city. However, he escaped by going through the midst of the people. Spiritually, our hiding place is being in Christ. Outwardly, being in the midst of the people of the world hides us from our Babylonian brothers and sisters who want to harm us.

Joh 8:59  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Luk 4:20  And he (Jesus) closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 
Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 
Luk 4:22  And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? 
Luk 4:23  And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. 
Luk 4:24  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 
Luk 4:25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luk 4:26  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
Luk 4:27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. 
Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 
Luk 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 
Luk 4:30  But he passing through the midst of them went his way. 

Here in verse 24, King Saul sat down to eat meat as part of the new moon festivities. Saul represents our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world. Saul, sitting at table to eat meat at the new moon implies that it is the church system of this world which observes days, months, times and years, which is part of the weak and beggarly elements, which disqualify us for the prize of the higher calling of the Lord. 

Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.    

It was while Saul sat at the table to eat meat that he noticed that David was missing. Initially, he thought that David’s absence was due to his sinful deeds. This implies that what our brothers and sisters feed on in terms of the word of the Lord, only cause them to regard us, His elect, as being sinful, just as the Pharisees regarded Jesus as being sinful as they accused Him of possessing demons, blaspheming and associating with sinners. As the Lord is, so are we in this life. If the church system of Jesus’ days accused Him of being a sinner, they will do the same with us. 

1Pe 4:3  For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 
1Pe 4:4  With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; (ESV)

Mar 3:22  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 

Joh 15:20  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 
Joh 15:21  But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 

1Sa 20:27  And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
1Sa 20:28  And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: 
1Sa 20:29  And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table. 

It was on the second day of the month that Saul noticed David’s absence from their New Moon feast. The second day in the scriptures, in the negative context, signifies the time in our lives as the Lord’s elect that we come to see the enmity against us by our brothers and sisters in Babylon, after our escape from Babylon. 

Jdg 20:24  And the children of Israel (our Babylonian brothers and sisters) came near against the children of Benjamin (the Lord’s elect) the second day.
Jdg 20:25  And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

Jonathan, a symbol of the Lord’s elect still trapped in Babylon, tried to explain to Saul, that David asked for permission to visit his family in Bethlehem. It is insightful to note that Bethlehem means ‘the house of bread.’ What this implies is that David’s destination after leaving Babylon was to join the church of the Lord’s elect (Bethlehem) or the church of the firstborn or the heavenly Jerusalem. 

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 
Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 

As stated in verse 29, Jonathan told his father Saul that David was going to join his family for a sacrifice in Bethlehem. It is through what every joint supplies in the gathering of the family of the Lord’s elect, that we can offer ourselves as living sacrifice to the Lord. 

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Our exit from our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world is what draws out their hatred against us, making us come to see clearly the deplorable state of the church. Their hatred against us becomes obvious as they consider us, the Lord’s elect, as spiritually dead in the streets of the church system of this world or Jerusalem. 

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 
Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  

1Sa 20:30  Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness? 

As indicated, Saul’s anger against his son, Jonathan, who was an elect but still trapped in Babylon,  shows us the hatred of the church system of this world against the Lord’s elect. What Saul said in his anger against Jonathan speaks volumes of the church system of this world or Babylon. Saul referred to his son as the son of the perverse rebellious woman in verse 30. This is a concise and clear description of the woman who represents the church system of this world, who rebels against her husband Christ and is a harlot. 

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 

Saul also made a profound statement to Jonathan in verse 30 by saying that choosing David, the son of Jesse, amounts to unveiling his own confusion and his mother’s nakedness. Jonathan’s mother signifies Babylon. This shows why our brothers and sisters in Babylon do not want to recognize us as the Lord’s elect. This is because doing so means bearing witness to their confusion and also unveiling the sinful state of the church system, which is symbolized by Jonathan’s mother’s nakedness. That is why the church system of this world hates us and considers us as dead in their corridors of worship or the streets of Jerusalem.

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 
Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 
Mat 10:24  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 
Mat 10:25  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? 

1Sa 20:31  For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. 

Saul’s statement in verse 31 that as long as David lives, he, Jonathan shall not inherit the promise of being established in the kingdom. This is a prophesy that it is the Lord’s elect who shall be established and reign as kings with Christ at the expense of our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world. In other words, we, His elect, have obtained mercy at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Babylon in this age, to reign with Christ in the fullness of time. 

Rom 11:28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. 

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

The fact that Saul told Jonathan in verse 31 that David must surely die attests to the fact that our brothers and sisters see us as spiritually dead in the street of Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified. 

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 

1Sa 20:32  And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? 
1Sa 20:33  And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. 
1Sa 20:34  So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. 

It is at this point that Jonathan came to realize that his father Saul intended to kill David. The throwing of Saul’s javelin to smite Jonathan served as a witness of Saul’s intention to kill David. As indicated in previous studies, the javelin in the hand of Saul signifies false doctrines which comes out of the smoke from his bottomless pit or his heart and mind, which darkens the sun and the air. That is to say that the javelin thrown at Jonathan in verse 33 represents the false doctrines which darken our understanding of the word of truth and makes us spiritually dead while in Babylon. 

Although the javelin thrown at Jonathan did not slay him, it was a sign for him to escape Babylon with David. However, unlike Moses, who left the king’s palace in Egypt to suffer with the Lord’s people, Jonathan did not run away with David as he was not ready to suffer with David for the Lord’s sake. As we shall see later in the study, he ended up dying with his father Saul.

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 
Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 
Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

In verse 34, Jonathan refused to eat meat on the second day of the feast as he grieved for David. This suggest that Jonathan stopped imbibing the false doctrines spewed in the streets of Babylon and was concerned about the Lord’s elect (David). There are few people in Babylon who are aware of the damnable heresies spewed in Babylon and have come to appreciate the word of the Lord through the Lord’s elect. However, they do not want to leave Babylon because of their strong ties with the brothers and sisters there. Just as Jonathan died with his father Saul, such people run the risk of becoming spiritually dead.

2Sa 1:4  And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 

2Sa 1:11  Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 
2Sa 1:12  And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.     

Jonathan’s Signal to Give Direction to David

1Sa 20:35  And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. 
1Sa 20:36  And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 
1Sa 20:37  And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? 
1Sa 20:38  And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 
1Sa 20:39  But the lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 

As shown in the previous study, when Jonathan tells the young lad that the arrows he shot were close by, then it means that David’s life was not in danger. The rationale behind this riddle is that if what we are looking for is close by, then we do not need to exert effort to find it. That is the greasy kind of religion which permeates the church system of this world where we thought we were already saved and therefore did not need to strive for the mastery. The Lord wants us to persevere in our quest to know Him. 

Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

On the other hand, if the arrows shot by Jonathan are beyond the reach of the young man, it signifies that the judgment of the Lord is at hand and that David must run for his life. It also means that Lord intentionally hides His truths, mysteries, and deep wisdom, and as the Lord’s royals or elect, we must search for it. This searching out is a lifetime pursuit which involves hearing the voice of the Lord in the midst of the fire of our affliction. 

Pro 25:2  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings (the Lord’s elect) is to search out a matter. 

Deu 4:36  Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.   

As shown in verses 36 and 37, Jonathan told the young lad that the arrows were beyond him. This implies that the judgment of the Lord is nigh to David and that he must run for his life as a scapegoat let loose in the wilderness to complement the suffering of Christ.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:  

The lad not knowing Jonathan’s signal for David to run away implies that when we were young in the faith during our time in the churches of this world, we did not know about the mysteries of the kingdom as we had not been given the keys of David yet. 

Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

1Sa 20:40  And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city. 
1Sa 20:41  And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 
1Sa 20:42  And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city. 

Jonathan giving the young lad his artillery in verse 40, to be taken back to the city symbolically shows how Jonathan’s heart is attached to the city, which represents the church system of this world or Babylon. As a result, he could not leave Babylon with David. He was not ready to suffer reproach as we go to meet the Lord outside the camp of the church system of this world. 

Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 
Heb 13:14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.  

In verse 42, Jonathan going back to the city as David departed as a scapegoat into the wilderness shows how the Lord separates us for His purpose even from those who have been helpful to us in our earlier walk with Christ. It also shows how David was prepared to suffer in his pursuit of Christ while Jonathan was not ready to leave Babylon to suffer reproach. As the deer pants for the water, so was David’s heart (the heart of the Lord’s elect) focused on Christ. 

Psa 42:1  To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
Psa 42:2  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? 

We thank the Lord for how far He has brought us in our walk with Him, and our prayer is that He continues to uphold us in Him to the very end. Amen!!

1 Samuel 20:1–23 David’s Distress and Covenant With Jonathan

[Study Aired June 1, 2026]

Our study for today highlights David’s distress in the midst of Saul’s relentless pursuit to assassinate him.  He therefore complained to his friend Jonathan of his present distress and sought Jonathan to be a true friend. The study also focuses on the renewal of covenant between David and Jonathan emphasizing David’s commitment to show kindness to Jonathan’s descendants.

Pro 17:17  A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

David’s Distress

1Sa 20:1  And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? 

As indicated in the previous study, David represents the Lord’s elect who had escaped from Babylon or the church system of this world. Jonathan, on the other hand, is also a symbol of the Lord’s elect who was still trapped in Babylon due to his strong bond with his father, Saul. His unwillingness to leave with David to suffer, as a scapegoat let loose in the wilderness, would cost him his life later.

Here in verse 1, David was wondering why he was going through such a life-threatening experience as if some strange thing was happening to him. That was also our experience at a certain stage of our walk with the Lord, when the Lord came to judge us so that we could learn righteousness. Just like David, we were all not prepared for the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh, when He came with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness into our lives.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

1Sa 20:2  And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 
1Sa 20:3  And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death. 

Jonathan believed that his father Saul did not mean evil against David. Assuring David that he would not die implies that when we were in Babylon as the Lord’s elect, we did not see the present danger of our spiritual death through continued fellowship with the church system of this world. This was because we were not given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven at that stage of our walk with the Lord.   

The fact that Jonathan did not know the intent of his father shows us that at that stage of our walk, we did not have a clue that the devil was our father and not our Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 
Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 
Joh 8:41  Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 

David confessing that he was one step away from death in verse 3 is to let us know that as the Lord’s elect, we are being given over to death throughout our walk with the Lord. 

2Co 4:11  For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 
2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you.  

1Sa 20:4  Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. 
1Sa 20:5  And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 

The friendship and love between Jonathan and David is what must pertain among the Lord’s elect. As the Lord indicated, we are to love one another  to demonstrate that we are really the Lord’s disciples. In another perspective, we can say that Jonathan’s love for David demonstrates the love of the Lord for us, His brothers. Jonathan telling David in verse 4 that he would do whatever David desires is the Lord telling us that whatsoever we desire in His name, He would do it for us.   

Mar 11:24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

As we can see in verse 5, David was running away to hide himself in the field for three days, as a way to avoid sitting with King Saul at meat during the new moon festival. As we have indicated, Saul represents the church system of this world or Babylon. Therefore, David avoiding sitting at meat with Saul as part of the celebration of the new moon implies that we must run away from Babylon with its false doctrines (meat) and the weak and beggarly elements of observing days, months, etc., which would endanger our walk with Christ.

Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.   

We can see from this story of David that leaving Babylon is a process. We may leave Babylon physically, but still remain in bondage to its false doctrines, observing birthdays, Christmas, Easter, etc. These are some of the idols of the heart which mitigate against our spiritual growth in Christ. 

David running away to hide himself signifies our seeking refuge in Christ, who is our hiding place. 

Psa 32:7  Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. 

The fact that David was going to hide himself for three days implies that taking refuge in Christ is a process, resulting in our spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgment (the significance of the number three). In other words, taking refuge in Christ involves suffering.   

1Sa 20:6  If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 
1Sa 20:7  If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 

David’s decision to skip the New Moon festivities because of its potential to endanger his life is a stern warning for us, His elect.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

Through this New Moon celebration, the Lord would use it to let both David and Jonathan know Saul’s murderous intention regarding David. In other words, if Saul gets angry about the absence of David from the New Moon feast, then it means that he had evil intent towards David. This implies that at a certain stage of our walk, the Lord wants us to know how we are hated by the world including our brothers and sisters in Babylon. Knowing that we are hated by the world which includes our brothers and sisters in Babylon shows that we are maturing spiritually in Him. As we are aware, it is children who are not able to discern easily those who hate them.   

Joh 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 
Joh 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:20  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 
Joh 15:21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

1Sa 20:8  Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? 
1Sa 20:9  And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? 

Here in verse 8, David reminded Jonathan of the covenant they made before the Lord. As the Lord’s elect, our relationship with each other is governed by a covenant of love. It is through loving one another that we demonstrate that we are indeed the Lord’s disciples. This love shows itself in dealing kindly with one another as we see David reminding Jonathan in verse 8. 

Joh 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 
Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

In verse 9, Jonathan’s statement that if he knew that his father meant evil, he would have told David shows us that at that stage of our walk, where we were the Lord’s elect but were still trapped in Babylon, we did not know that we are hated by the world including our brothers and sisters in Babylon. This is because we were not given yet to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, since we were just like the multitude. 

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

Who Would Tell David about Saul’s Behavior?

1Sa 20:10  Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly? 
1Sa 20:11  And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. 
1Sa 20:12  And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee; 
1Sa 20:13  The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father. 

In verse 10, David wanted to know who would inform him of Saul’s reaction when he realized that David was absent from the feast. In response to David’s question, Jonathan took David into the field to show him how he would relay the message to David. As we can see, both Jonathan and David represent the Lord’s elect. Jonathan taking David to the field implies that although, we, His elect, are of the world, we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, to one another, which the people of the world are not given to understand.  

1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 
1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 

1Sa 20:14  And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: 
1Sa 20:15  But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David everyone from the face of the earth. 

As the Lord’s elect, we are to show the kindness of the Lord to one another. This kindness to each other is from one age to another or age-enduring. It is insightful to note in verse 15, that Jonathan was in a way prophesying that David would overcome his enemies. In other words, as the Lord’s elect, we are promised victory over our enemies. According to the word of the Lord, our ultimate enemy is not flesh and blood, but Satan and spiritual forces of evil. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

1Sa 20:16  So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies. 
1Sa 20:17  And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 

It is important to note that Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David. This house of David is the assembly or the church of the Lord’s elect. We are all in a covenant relationship with one another as the Lord’s elect.  

1Pe 4:8  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (ESV)

Rom 13:8  Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. (ESV)

Jonathan making David swear again in verse 17 is to remind us that we are witnesses to the fact that we are to love one another. Jonathan loving David as his own soul implies that when one member suffers, we all suffer together. 

1Co 12:26  If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 

1Sa 20:18  Then Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
1Sa 20:19  And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. 

As we can see in verse 18, David was going to miss the new moon festivities because he had to run for his life. What this signifies is that our continued attachment to the weak and elementary principles of this world (beggarly elements) would cost us our lives.

Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. 

In verse 19, David was required to stay away for three days in order to have the response from Jonathan about whether Saul meant evil or not. These three days represent the period of our judgment, where we grow in maturity, able to discern between good and evil. David being required to remain at the stone called Ezel indicates that we must be ready to depart (Ezel means departure) permanently from Babylon. This departure is predicated on our being able to discern that our continued fellowship with the church system of this world or Babylon (represented by Saul) would cost us our life.

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 
Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.    

1Sa 20:20  And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. 
1Sa 20:21  And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORD liveth. 
1Sa 20:22  But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away. 

As we have indicated earlier, the Lord was seeking an occasion to judge David. In the negative context, arrows signifies the judgment of the Lord as shown in the following verses:

Psa 38:2  For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

Psa 144:6  Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

Eze 5:16  When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

The fact that Jonathan intended to shoot three arrows affirms the fact that what David was about to go through was part of the process of his spiritual maturity through the judgment of the Lord. Jonathan sending a lad or a young man to go and find the shot arrows signifies that David was a novice at that stage of his walk with Christ and therefore needed to mature spiritually through the judgment of the Lord. 

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

As shown in verse 21, if Jonathan tells the young man that the arrows he shot were close by, then it means that David’s life was not in danger. The rationale behind this riddle is that if what we are looking for is close by, then we do not need to exert effort to find it. That is the greasy kind of religion which permeates in the church system of this world where we thought we were already saved and therefore did not need to strive for the mastery. The Lord wants us to persevere in our quest to know Him. 

Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 

In verse 22, if the arrows shot by Jonathan are beyond the reach of the young man, it signifies that the judgment of the Lord is at hand and that David must run for his life. It also means that the Lord intentionally hides his truths, mysteries, and deep wisdom and as the Lord’s royals, we must search for it. This searching out is a lifetime pursuit which involves hearing the voice of the Lord in the midst of the fire of our affliction. 

Pro 25:2  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings (the Lord’s elect) is to search out a matter. 

Deu 4:36  Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.   

1Sa 20:23  And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me forever. 

The matter which Jonathan and David had spoken about pertains to David’s  salvation. This suggests that what every joint supplies in the body of Christ concerns our salvation and therefore, we must pay attention to it. 

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.  

Jonathan reassuring David that the Lord was in their midst is to let us know that whenever two or three of us are gathered in His name, He is there in our midst.  

Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 
Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 

May the Name of the Lord be Praised. Amen!!