Burunche’s Blog

Numbers 27:12-23Joshua Chosen to Lead Israel

One day the Lord said to Moses, “Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel. After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron, for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

Then Moses said to the Lord, “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people. Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him. When direction from the Lord is needed, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim—one of the sacred lots cast before the Lord—to determine his will. This is how Joshua and the rest of the community of Israel will determine everything they should do.”

So Moses did as the Lord commanded. He presented Joshua to Eleazar the priest and the whole community. Moses laid his hands on him and commissioned him to lead the people, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Moses knew the day was coming, but he still hoped that God would relent. Moses obeyed God perfectly in every action save one. At the waters of Meribah, the crowd taunted and threatened Moses until he reached his breaking point. Although God had instructed Moses to speak to the rock so that it would yield water, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, shouting, “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” (Numbers 20:10) Although God did cause water to gush from the rock, He was angry at Moses for failing to honor Him by speaking to the rock, rather than hitting it. (The first time God brought water from a rock, he did have Moses strike the rock, but this time God wanted Moses to honor Him by speaking to the rock, instead of striking it. If water gushed when Moses spoke, then there could be no confusion that Moses had happened to strike a weak spot in the rock, releasing water. For this failing, God told Moses that he would never enter the Promised Land but would die on the east side of the Jordan.

But why was God choosing Joshua to succeed Moses? First, there was Joshua’s closeness to God. Exodus 33:11 Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.

Joshua habitually spent time with God, praying and listening to Him. God wanted a man who would listen as closely as Moses had done. And then there was the spying incident as described in Numbers 13. The Israelites were on the border of Canaan and Moses sent twelve men, one from each tribe, to spy out the land. Caleb represented the tribe of Judah and Joshua represented the tribe of Ephraim. Although the spies came back raving about how fruitful the land was, they obsessed over the presence of giants, as if God was going to abandon them once they crossed the Jordan River. Only Caleb and Joshua responded in faith.

Numbers 14:6-9 tells us, “Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”

At the end of the day, the Israelites made a half-hearted attempt to enter Canaan despite God’s orders to retreat and return to the wilderness. This sortie proved disastrous, and in addition, God ordained that all the people who had failed to trust Him would die in the wilderness while their children would enter Canaan. But God also vowed that both Caleb and Joshua would prosper and enter Canaan because they had acted faithfully. Now God was ordering Moses to anoint Joshua as his successor. Although righteous, Caleb was older than Joshua; hence, Joshua was chosen as leader.

But now Joshua has a major problem: Moses has been incredibly successful for forty years. How can Joshua possibly compete with that record? If we assume that Joshua was at least 20 when the Israelites left Egypt, he is now 60 years old. Joshua lives to the age of 110, so he has another 50 years in which he will lead the Israelites. During that time, the Israelites will cross the Jordan River, destroy most of the giants, and conquer most of the land of Canaan. There will be a few exceptions; however, those failures are not Joshua’s fault. Moses has never been a military man; he’s the one sitting on top of a mountain providing prayer support while Joshua leads the troops below. And Joshua will be highly successful in battle. But there’s another key to Joshua’s success.

Joshua 1:1-9 tells us, “After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

WOW! This is God Almighty giving these orders. Look at the promises:

1. The time has come for you to lead these people-OK, Joshua, no more soul-searching or agonizing over what to do. God is directing you.
2. “I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.” God is promising Joshua continuous victory in battle, even if there are giants.
3. “For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.” Joshua already knows about Moses’ relationship with God, for Joshua accompanied Moses to the tabernacle and remained there to commune with God by himself.
4. ““Be strong and courageous,” God repeats this three times, indicating that this command stands and cannot be revoked.
5. “Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left.” This is not the time to divert from Moses’ teaching.
6. “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”  If you don’t follow God’s commands, you can’t get God’s results.
7. “Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Here is the key to following a legend: Don’t worry about measuring up to the legend, but instead, follow the Lord. “For only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, many of us feel totally inadequate. You are calling us to follow highly successful people, and we are terrified that we will fail to measure up. Help us to remember that when You call us, You will enable us and help us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

But wait! What was that in the distance? Some rare desert flower appeared to have suddenly blossomed in flaming colors.” Surely,” the shepherd mused, “I thought I knew all the common desert blossoms, but this is a new one.” As the shepherd moved closer, he realized that the bush was not bearing flowers but flames reaching to the heavens, and the bush was not consumed by the flames. Little did the shepherd realize that his life was about to change forever. Later, that same shepherd would record his experience in what we now know as Exodus 3:1-22, describing the morning that his life changed forever.

One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

“Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”

God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”

But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”

God replied to Moses, “I am who I am. Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.

This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.

“Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me. He told me, “I have been watching closely, and I see how the Egyptians are treating you. I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.”’

“The elders of Israel will accept your message. Then you and the elders must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord, our God.’

“But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him. So I will raise my hand and strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then at last he will let you go. And I will cause the Egyptians to look favorably on you. They will give you gifts when you go so you will not leave empty-handed. Every Israelite woman will ask for articles of silver and gold and fine clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and from the foreign women in their houses. You will dress your sons and daughters with these, stripping the Egyptians of their wealth.”

While Moses had been raised in a palace as Pharoah’s daughter’s adopted son, he was forty years out from Egypt. After killing an Egyptian overseer who was beating a Hebrew slave, Moses had had to flee for his life, eventually finding his way to the camp of Jethro, a priest of Midian. Moses had found love and happiness with one of Jethro’s daughters, who had borne him two sons. Now Moses was a senior citizen, herding sheep and rejoicing in the peace of the desert. Life wasn’t easy but it was good, and Moses wanted nothing more than to herd the flocks and watch his sons marry and give him grandchildren. But God had other ideas.

Suddenly, Moses found himself in a confrontation with God, the same God about whom his parents had taught him when he was quite young, the same God whose presence he had sensed in the desert. And God was calling Moses to do something totally radical: he was to confront the most powerful ruler in the world and lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. Not only would Moses lead the Hebrews out of Egypt, but as they were leaving, the Hebrews would strip the Egyptians of their wealth.

Moses’ first reaction to God’s call was probably, “Huh? Who, me?” But as for separating the Egyptians from their wealth, Moses couldn’t believe it. Moses had grown up with the current Pharaoh and had been educated along with him. Moses knew just how class-conscious and materialistic the Egyptians were, particularly the upper classes. “Lord,” Moses thought to himself, “If You can strip the Egyptians of their wealth, You are truly a miracle worker!” God only smiled. He heard Moses thinking that thought, and He knew what He would do to convince the Egyptians. By the time God was through with the Egyptians, they would be thoroughly glad to be rid of the Hebrews and would give them everything just to get them out of their country.

Few callings from God are more dramatic than that of Moses. But consider the situation. Moses has been out of Egypt forty years and has established himself as a local leader with Jethro’s band. Moses is content to remain as a senior citizen, a chief of some kind, and an honored elder. Now God is calling Moses to do something so magnificent, so radical, that it boggles the imagination. God has to get Moses’ attention somehow, and He uses a burning bush.

God is calling Moses to do something that would challenge a much younger man. But all the time Moses has been herding sheep and goats in harsh places, God has been preparing him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God knows that herding Israelites is going to be far more challenging and stressful than herding sheep and goats. After forty years in this harsh environment, Moses is familiar with its demands and limitations. Such local knowledge is invaluable and cannot be gained overnight. Moses also has local connections in the wilderness, and these too will prove invaluable.

One mistake we might make as we age is assuming that God only calls young people to His work. If you believe, that, let me tell you about Nana Roberta Hampton. Nana Roberta taught school until she was 58, at which point, she joined Wycliffe Bible Translators and began teaching missionary children and progressed to training literacy teachers to teach their native tongues. One of Nana Roberta’s favorite phrases was “Rejoicing in Jesus!” In November 1994, we attended a retirement party for Nana Roberta in Ghana, and she was telling me she felt a little tired. Why? Well, it seems that two weeks previously, she had gone to a remote village. She began the journey in a pickup truck, then transferred to a motorcycle as far as a stream, then crossed the stream in a canoe, and then was picked on the back of a bicycle to the village. After fulfilling her purpose at that village, she repeated her journey in reverse and was now admitting she felt a little tired. Nana was 80 at the time. Even when Nana Roberta no longer lived in Ghana full-time, she still returned several times for various literacy conferences, last returning at age 85. Nana lived to be 93 and continued to praise God; in fact, she probably praised God and rejoiced in Him with her very last breath. Nana Roberta always promised that she would pray for us forever.  

God knows that Moses will not only lead the Israelites out of Egypt but also shepherd them through the wilderness for forty years. God knows that He will give Moses all the laws necessary for the Israelites to live godly lives, even though they won’t want to obey. And God knows all the things Moses is going to suffer. But God also knows that He will give Moses the strength and the power to endure and that Moses will not only lead the Israelites but will also join Jesus and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. While Moses is eyeing retirement, God is calling him into new employment.

Perhaps you are at mid-life and think you are too old for a radical change in your life. I was forty and my husband was forty-six when we first came to Ghana. Perhaps you are older and think all life has to offer you is retirement. My husband will soon be eighty-four and I will soon be seventy-eight. We are still ministering to the people God has placed in our hearts. What can we learn from the story of Moses’ call?

1. Sometimes God uses dramatic events to call us. On the other hand, sometimes, God simply gives us strong feelings that we must step out and serve in a certain area.
2. Age is no barrier. In many parts of the world, the elderly are respected for their wisdom. Age can be an advantage, for you might be weaker but also craftier!
3. If God calls you, He has already been preparing you and will continue to do so.
4. God can equip you even when you don’t realize it. Think about Moses spending forty years herding sheep and goats in the same wilderness through which he will later lead two million Israelites.

There’s a lot more to Moses’ call, and we will continue to examine it tomorrow. But remember that God loves you, God knows you, and God will never leave you or turn His back on you!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, speak to the hearts of all who read these words. Let them know that You have a purpose for their lives and that Your plans are far greater than theirs. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 28:10-12 Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. 12 As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.

13-19 At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”

The next morning Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it. He named that place Bethel (which means “house of God”), although it was previously called Luz.

It all starts because Jacob is a greedy, self-serving jerk. Traditionally, if Jacob is cooking, and anybody arrives, Jacob is honor-bound to feed them, no questions asked. But there’s a problem. Jacob has a twin-a big strapping macho man so covered in red hair that even his name means “hairy.” Esau is only the eldest by a few minutes, but he takes whatever he wants, and today Esau wants Jacob’s stew NOW! Fed up with Esau strutting around currying favor with their father, Jacob decides to bargain a little. When Esau demands some of Jacob’s stew, Jacob agrees, but asks Esau to trade his rights as the first-born son. “Sure!” says Esau. “What good is a birthright if I starve to death?”

Then the twins’ mother Rebekah helps Jacob deceive his father Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing that should have gone to Esau. This blessing is irrevocable, so now Jacob has gained both the birthright and all the other benefits of the first born. Esau is furious, and Jacob knows he must leave quickly. Esau has married two Hittite women who make Rebekah’s life miserable. Rebekah demands that Isaac allow Jacob to return to Haran to Rebekah’s people to find a wife, and Isaac agrees. Now Jacob is on the run from his brother and evidently traveling alone and with few resources because he is using a stone for a pillow.  

Jacob certainly doesn’t look much like patriarchal material-a pampered, selfish jerk who has hidden behind his mother to dodge his brother’s wrath. And yet, God is about to call Jacob in a spectacular fashion. Jacob is out there camped by the side of the road, sleeping on the ground when God gives him a phenomenal vision of angels and of God Himself, promising, “Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.”

God is calling Jacob to become much more than he ever has before. If God were to ask us, we might look at Jacob and say, “No way! This guy is a cheat, a thief, and a manipulator. God, what do You think You’re doing?” But God knows something we don’t: Jacob is about to enter a twenty-year-long apprenticeship in how to become a patriarch. God knows Jacob is going to work for Uncle Laban, who will be trickier and more deceptive than Jacob has ever thought of being. Jacob is going to learn first-hand how it feels to be manipulated and to have promised rewards pulled away or changed. By the time those twenty years are completed, Jacob will be a different man, one that God can use. \

Once more, we see God calling someone into a totally new phase of life. What can we learn from God’s call to Jacob?

1. God knows our potential better than we do. Jacob thinks he’s just a single guy going off to Haran to marry a wife. He hasn’t accomplished anything else apart from cheating Esau.
2. God has bigger plans for us than we do for ourselves. Jacob has no inkling of God’s magnificent plans, for when he finally returns twenty years later, he will have two wives, two concubines, twelve sons, and a daughter, plus huge herds of sheep and goats.
3. Once God calls us, God will continue to reaffirm that call by the way He arranges our circumstances. When Uncle Laban tries to cheat Jacob by repeatedly changing Jacob’s wages, God gives Jacob insight so that Laban’s plans fail.
4. When we accept God’s call and follow His leading, God can do miracles in our lives.

Perhaps today you feel like Jacob on the way to Haran. Your resources are slim and your prospects uncertain. Ask God to show you His perfect will for your life and then hang on! Tings are about to get exciting.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, many of us feel ashamed because we don’t think You have ever called us to do anything. But You are our Creator, the One who knows us better than we do ourselves. Lord, please reveal Your perfect will to those searching for Your purpose for their lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

There are as many kinds of callings as there are people. But first, let’s look at one of the common fallacies, the idea that God must speak in an audible voice for it to be a valid call.

“You keep saying, ‘God told me’, but God never tells me anything!” The words echoed in the church classroom where several of us were gathered for a prayer meeting. The speaker was a wonderful lady who was a great woman of faith. Daily, this lady who was legally blind, took two city buses to work and the same buses to return home. While some of us wanted to blather about walking in faith, this lady was literally doing so. But it was a typical charismatic prayer meeting in which people were sharing things God had revealed to them, and they were employing the phrase “God told me.”

While the members of the meeting were describing the quiet leading of the Holy Spirit, this poor lady thought God was speaking to the rest of us in an audible voice. It took a great deal of explaining that night before the lady realized that God was not ignoring her and that He was guiding her every movement as she made that perilous commute twice a day. In fact, this lady probably had more faith contained in her little finger than the rest of us altogether.

Throughout the month of January, we studied the ways in which God comforted King David. David was God’s choice to govern Israel, and yet, there is no evidence that God ever spoke to David audibly. When Samuel showed up and anointed David as a future king, nobody was more shocked than David. In fact, what the writer of 1 Samuel did not record was David’s likely reaction: “Who? ME???”

Years ago, we attended a church which had a vibrant Children’s Church. Leading the Children’s Church was Miss Donna. Knowing that most ministries always need help, we approached Miss Donna, offering assistance; however, Miss Donna refused our offer…until several months later. We were at a meeting for coaches of youth soccer/football teams when Miss Donna called me out of the meeting.

“Can you take Children’s Church for Sunday? The material is in the truck.” Donna began.

“Do you mean this Sunday or permanently?” I asked.

“Permanently!” replied Donna, as she grabbed a stack of printed paper, shoved it into my hands, and hopped in her truck, speeding out of the parking lot. We later learned that Donna was not only quitting the church, but also her marriage. And that encounter was our “calling” to lead Children’s Church, a story that demands its own telling at another time.

Later, when we tried to get other church members to help us with Children’s Church, the replies were always the same: “Oh, I don’t feel called!” My response was simple: “Can you read? Do you love Jesus? Then you are called!” Needless to say, I didn’t win many friends that way, nor did we succeed in recruiting help; nonetheless, sometimes God uses our availability to call us. For starters, let’s look at a 500-year-old guy living somewhere in Mesopotamia, who’s about to get the shock of his life.

Genesis 6:9-16 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!

“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.

17-22 “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”

So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

Noah already has a reputation for craziness with his neighbors. When everybody else is getting drunk and having orgies, Noah and his family members refuse to participate. When people are having sex indiscriminately, Noah isn’t interested. In fact, Noah’s neighbors can’t understand him at all and generally leave him alone. But now Noah is about to do the craziest thing the neighbors have ever seen, for he is about to build a huge boat hundreds of miles from any large body of water. And when the neighbors ask Noah why he is collecting wood for the boat, Noah answers, “God told me to do this.” The neighbors’ only reaction is “Huh?”

Does God speak to Noah audibly? Only God and Noah know for sure, but it’s quite possible. Somehow, Noah receives specific instructions about the size of the ark, the kind of wood to be used, and the animals and birds to be gathered. Considering the size of the boat and the diversity of the creatures, the writer of Genesis has obviously given us the condensed version of God’s instructions to Noah.

It takes Noah 100 years to build the ark; meanwhile, the neighbors view Noah as free entertainment. “Oh, let’s run over to Noah’s place and see what weird stuff he’s doing today!” For 100 years, God’s calling on Noah’s life tests him. We think we are doing well if we follow God specifically for a few days, a few weeks, a few months, or a few years. But Noah continues to fulfill God’s calling for an entire century, while the neighbors continue to jeer.

What can we learn about God’s calling from Noah’s story?

1. A calling is for a lifetime, not for a few days or weeks. The next time you’re feeling sorry for yourself because you are struggling to fulfill God’s will for your life, think about Noah and the length of his ministry.
2. A calling can be uncomfortable or even life-threatening. Does Noah get thrown out of the local council of elders? Do the neighbors complain about the noise of the construction? Does Noah lose what few friends he has had? Do men threaten Noah’s life?
3. A calling can work a hardship on one’s family. Think about Noah’s family. Do they believe in God’s call on Noah’s life as much as he does? Evidently, Noah’s sons help him build the ark, so they too are enduring 100 years of public disdain. When the women of Noah’s family go to the local well, the ladies titter behind their veils. When Noah’s sons go to market, the men with whom they have grown up slap them on the back and make vile jokes.
4. God’s calling is forever. Romans 11:29 tells us, “ForGod’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” God never makes mistakes when He calls someone and He is willing to wait while humans vacillate between obedience and rebellion. We have no idea how long Noah has struggled with this calling before starting to build the ark.
5. God chooses the right people for the job, whether or not they feel qualified. There’s a saying that God does not call the qualified, but He qualifies the called. As far as we know, Noah has never built anything before in his life, but now he’s becoming a ship builder by the grace of God.

Do you feel God is calling you to do something, but you aren’t quite sure? Ask God to reveal Himself to you. God is a good Father and He never plays guessing games.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, many of us feel Your calling, but we are unsure and afraid we are deluding ourselves. Please comfort all those in this dilemma and confirm those calls. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Samuel 15:13 A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell King David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”

14 “Then we must flee at once or it will be too late!” was David’s instant response to his men. “If we get out of the city before he arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be saved.”

15 “We are with you,” his aides replied. “Do as you think best.”

16 So the king and his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his young wives to keep the palace in order. 17-18 David paused at the edge of the city to let his troops move past him to lead the way—six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath, and the Cherethites and Pelethites.

19-20 But suddenly the king turned to Ittai, the captain of the six hundred Gittites, and said to him, “What are you doing here? Go on back with your men to Jerusalem, to your king, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile. It seems but yesterday that you arrived, and now today should I force you to wander with us, who knows where? Go on back and take your troops with you, and may the Lord be merciful to you.”

21 But Ittai replied, “I vow by God and by your own life that wherever you go, I will go, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death.”

22 So David replied, “All right, come with us.” Then Ittai and his six hundred men and their families went along.

23 There was deep sadness throughout the city as the king and his retinue passed by, crossed Kidron Brook, and went out into the country. 24 Abiathar and Zadok and the Levites took the Ark of the Covenant of God and set it down beside the road until everyone had passed. 25-26 Then, following David’s instructions, Zadok took the Ark back into the city. “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again. But if he is through with me, well, let him do what seems best to him.”

27 Then the king told Zadok, “Look, here is my plan. Return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28 I will stop at the ford of the Jordan River and wait there for a message from you. Let me know what happens in Jerusalem before I disappear into the wilderness.”

29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the Ark of God back into the city and stayed there.

30 David walked up the road that led to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the mountain. 31 When someone told David that Ahithophel, his advisor, was backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, please make Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!” 32 As they reached the spot at the top of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, David found Hushai the Archite waiting for him with torn clothing and earth upon his head.

33-34 But David told him, “If you go with me, you will only be a burden; return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will counsel you as I did your father.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice. 35-36 Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, are there. Tell them the plans that are being made to capture me, and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to find me and tell me what is going on.”

37 So David’s friend Hushai returned to the city, getting there just as Absalom arrived.

The whole mess began with one lousy decision, but eventually, it nearly cost David his kingship and his life. Rather than go to war, David was lazing around the palace in Jerusalem, where he saw Bathsheba, the wife of one of his mighty men, had sex with her, and then had her husband Uriah killed in battle. At that point, the prophet Nathan warned David that because David had brought violence to an innocent man’s family, now the sword would not depart from his house. And trouble was brewing, for David’s son Absalom would eventually try to take over the kingdom.

Had there been movies or videos in David’s day, David’s son Absalom would have been a huge star. Absalom was tall, handsome, and charismatic. Absalom waged a publicity campaign, subtly implying that David was old and incompetent and that he, Absalom, would make a far better king. The story is found in 2 Samuel 13-17 and is a complicated one. Absalom goes to Hebron to have himself crowned as king, and Ahithophel, David’s most trusted advisor, chooses to side with him, abandoning David.

2 Samuel 16:23 tells us that “Absalom did whatever Ahithophel told him to, just as David had; for every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.” But Ahithophel’s first advice to Absalom is for Absalom to go to a rooftop and have sex with all of David’s concubines to prove that he is virile and that he is now king. Ahithophel has now made two mistakes: he has sided with Absalom and has given Absalom ungodly advice. This act of flagrant open sexual congress smacks of forbidden Canaanite fertility rite, for this is what a pagan king would do. Ahithophel has abandoned God, and now God is about to abandon Ahithophel.

There are innumerable lessons we might draw from these few chapters, but this morning we are concentrating on Ahithophel’s treachery, the way God frustrates it, and the way God comforts David. Until now, David has trusted Ahithophel completely as a friend and advisor; however, now David must pray against his former friend. 2 Samuel 15:31 says, “When someone told David that Ahithophel, his advisor, was backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, please make Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!”

When Ahithophel advises Absalom to give him 12,000 troops so he can swiftly arrest David, Hushai the Archite makes a sage comment: “The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time.”  Although Ahithophel’s plan might have worked, Hushai convinces Absalom to gather a huge force to attack David; meanwhile, Hushai sends an urgent message to David to cross the Jordan immediately. Absalom takes Hushai’s advice, and Ahithophel goes home and commits suicide, realizing that he has lost his place as trusted advisor.

How must David feel when he learns Ahithophel is siding with Absalom? For years, David has followed Ahithophel’s advice and has counted Ahithophel as one of his closest friends and confidants. David has believed Ahithophel to be a godly man; yet look at the horrible advice he is now giving Absalom. Never in David’s wildest dreams has he imagined that Ahithophel would prove treacherous; yet, Ahithophel is advising Absalom and the elders to capture David, God’s anointed, and drag him back to Jerusalem. This betrayal hurts just as deeply as that of Absalom.

Wikipedia tells us that in Rabbinical literature, “The Talmud speaks of this counsellor of David as “a man, like Balaam, whose great wisdom was not received in humility as a gift from heaven, and so became a stumbling block to him.”^[2] He was “one of those who, while casting longing eyes upon things not belonging to them, also lose the things they possess.”^[3] Accordingly, Ahitophel was granted access by Almighty God into the Divine powers of God. And being thus familiar with Divine wisdom and knowledge as imparted through the Holy Spirit, he was consulted as an oracle like the Urim and Thummim.^[4] “..and great as was his wisdom, it was equaled by his scholarship. Therefore, David did not hesitate to submit himself to his instruction, even though Ahitophel was a very young man at his death, not more than thirty-three years old. The one thing lacking in him was sincere piety, which proved his undoing in the end, for it induced him to participate in Absalom’s rebellion against David.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahitophel

Although Ahithophel is a wise man, he is not the only wise man in Israel, and now God provides Hushai, an elderly sage, to both comfort David and to confound Ahithophel and Absalom. Hushai proves more than equal to the task, for his cunning advice buys David time so David can escape the onslaught that Ahithophel wishes to unleash.

One of the biggest challenges in leadership is finding wise advisors who will give godly counsel. Until the Absalom incident, David has depended heavily on Ahithophel; however, he must seek guidance elsewhere. Notice that Hushai approaches David; David does not have to send for Hushai. God already knows Ahithophel will betray David and is providing a respected older man who can win the confidence of Absalom and the elders. In the midst of David’s anxieties, God is providing relief.

God does not play favorites, and He will do the same thing for you that He has done for David. For every Ahithophel, there will always be a Hushai if we search long enough. Sometimes we are so dazzled by someone’s appearance or their eloquence that we fail to realize that individual might simply be an accomplished liar. It is a highly human mistake to see what we want to see and to choose those parts of someone else’s behavior that will reinforce our preconceived notions about them. Shysters count on this phenomenon all the time.

Today, you might be reeling from the discovery that a trusted friend has abandoned you in hopes of financial gain or promotion. Do not worry or fear! God is still on the throne, and He can provide the guidance you need at the right time. Remember that no matter how much we might love people, God is the only One who will never change, God is the only true Source of wisdom, and God is the only One who loves us completely. Take comfort, for God sees, God hears, God knows, and God is our Helper.

Psalm 46 tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, many of us are hurting from betrayals. Friends have proven false, and we are stumbling in the dark. Lord, we praise You, that You are the Source of light, and that Your light shines in the darkness and the darkness has NOT overcome it! Please send Your light into our minds and hearts that we may glorify You in our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Samuel 2:1-4 After this, David asked the Lord, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?”

“Yes,” the Lord replied.

Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?”

“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.

David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron. Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah.

Saul is dead, and the kingdom is dividing. At the word of the Lord, David moves to villages around Hebron. While Hebron is in Judah, it is a distance from Jerusalem and even further from most of the land of Benjamin. Abner, Saul’s former military commander and uncle, is about to anoint one of Saul’s remaining sons as king; however, the men of Judah remember Samuel’s anointing of David and spontaneously come to anoint David as king over Judah.

Hebron has a long and honorable spiritual history. Originally, Hebron was the town Caleb requested as part of his inheritance when Joshua was dividing the land. When Moses sent twelve spies out to spy out the Promised Land, Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who avowed that God would defeat all the Canaanites, including the giants. For his faith, Caleb was allowed to enter Canaan and was promised to receive the city of Hebron. The story is told in Joshua 14:6-15

A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’

“Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.”

So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as his portion of land. Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath-arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the descendants of Anak.)

Judges 1: 20 The town of Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised. And Caleb drove out the people living there, who were descendants of the three sons of Anak.

Every Israelite knows the story of Caleb and how God gave him the city of Hebron, if he would drive out the giants. Caleb and his relatives completely eliminated the giants, taking over the town and renaming it. Now upon God’s advice, David is beginning to establish his kingdom, starting with his tribe of Judah, using Hebron as a temporary capital.

What’s so important about these few verses is the way David begins his kingship. David doesn’t struggle to gain control over all of Israel but begins by consulting God and then moving to the Hebron area. It is the men of Judah who come together to anoint David as king. Whoever recorded 2 Samuel was very careful about details; had David sent messengers all over Judah or Israel seeking support, we would know it.

The men of Judah anoint David as king because they recognize the validity of Samuel’s earlier anointing. These days, we know very little about anointing; however, the Bible speaks about it a great deal. God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to Jesse’s house to anoint one of his sons. When Samuel saw all those tall strapping men, he was certain that one of them would be the next king; however, it was only when Jesse called David in from the sheep pasture that God allowed Samuel to proceed to anoint David. Centuries later, Saint Paul will write to Christians in Rome, saying, “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” (Romans 11:29)

God is comforting David by moving the men of Judah to anoint him as king. This spontaneous act on the part of these people is the first affirmation that David will eventually become king over all Israel. What can we learn from this story?

Perhaps God has called you to a work. The work has been long and difficult and you have found yourself surrounded by nay-sayers. Take heart! The same God who called David from the sheep fold to become a king will confirm you in your calling just as He did for David. Do not give up! Do not despair! God is still on the throne and He is still Melech Ha’ Olam, King of the Universe. God’s gifts and His calling remain with you and He will never leave you or forsake you!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives, knowing that You are the Source of our comfort, our joy, our strength, and our hope. You are the Source of our provision. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Samuel 31:1-6 Meanwhile the Philistines had begun the battle against Israel, and the Israelis fled from them and were slaughtered wholesale on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines closed in on Saul and killed his sons Jonathan, Abinidab, and Malchishua.

Then the archers overtook Saul and wounded him badly. He groaned to his armor bearer, “Kill me with your sword before these heathen Philistines capture me and torture me.” But his armor bearer was afraid to, so Saul took his own sword and fell upon the point of the blade, and it pierced him through. When his armor bearer saw that he was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. So Saul, his armor bearer, his three sons, and his troops died together that same day.

When Saul refused to obey God and annihilate the Amalekites, he not only lost a kingdom, but also the promise of success in battle. What might have happened had Saul repented? We will never know. Then Saul bent all his efforts at slaughtering David, only for God to protect David and his men. Desperate, Saul consulted a medium who raised the specter of Samuel. Samuel told Saul that Saul and his men would die the following day. Now Samuel’s prediction is coming true, Saul and his sons have died, and all Saul’s men are fleeing the battlefield.

You would think David would be happy that Saul’s threats have been permanently removed, but you would be wrong. Even though David has feared Saul, he has never hated him, recognizing that Saul has been under the influence of evil spirits. In the beginning, David was Saul’s court musician and his military commander. Saul called him “son” and treated him like a son. David’s father thought so little of him that he was willing for David to risk his life, fighting off wild animals to care for the family sheep while his older brothers lazed around at the family house. When David first began serving Saul, he really did think of him as a father; however, Saul failed completely as a father figure, being willing to sacrifice David for his own ambition. Throughout all David’s sufferings from Saul, throughout all David’s retreats into the wilderness, David has never lost hope that Saul would one day come to his senses, repent and worship the Lord, and again embrace David as a son. Then David and Jonathan could be together, and David would be at peace.

It’s not only Saul and his three sons who have died on the top of Mount Gilboa, but David’s hope for reconciliation with Saul has died as well. Never again can David wake up in the morning, hoping that today will be the day all the madness will end, Saul will come to his senses, and the persecution will stop. After all, David never sought the anointing of the Lord; Samuel anointed David at God’s instruction. But rather than repent and admit that David’s anointing was the work of the Lord, Saul blamed David and tried to kill him.

David is devastated! As David told Abishai, he knew Saul would die one day, but he never thought it would be so soon or that Saul’s sons would also die with him. Now David’s hopes for Saul’s repentance and for reconciliation lie dead in the dust. David honors Saul and Jonathan by the only means he has: he composes a dirge to be sung throughout all generations. When we read these verses, we can almost see David weeping and hear his heart breaking. And God’s heart is breaking also, for God always wants us to repent and to turn to Him.

1 Samuel 1: 17-18 Then David composed a dirge for Saul and Jonathan and afterward commanded that it be sung throughout Israel. It is quoted here from the book Heroic Ballads.

19 O Israel, your pride and joy lies dead upon the hills; mighty heroes have fallen.

20 Don’t tell the Philistines, lest they rejoice. Hide it from the cities of Gath and Ashkelon,

Lest the heathen nations laugh in triumph.

21 O Mount Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, let no crops of grain grow on your slopes. For there the mighty Saul has died; he is God’s appointed king no more.

22 Both Saul and Jonathan slew their strongest foes, and did not return from battle empty-handed.

23 How much they were loved, how wonderful they were—Both Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

24 But now, O women of Israel, weep for Saul; he enriched you with fine clothing and gold ornaments.

25 These mighty heroes have fallen in the midst of the battle. Jonathan is slain upon the hills.

26 How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan; how much I loved you! And your love for me was deeper than the love of women!

27 The mighty ones have fallen, stripped of their weapons, and dead.

Evidently, prior to David uttering this curse on Mount Gilboa, people might have been farming there; however, ever since David’s day, no crops grow there, only wildflowers and some shrubs. During the summer, Mount Gilboa is bare and rocky, in stark contrast to the fertile Jezreel valley below.

What is remarkable about this story is David’s response to Saul’s death. Certainly, David and Jonathan have been the closest of friends; however, David has spent years avoiding Saul’s attacks. At one point, David even sent his parents to Moab so they would be safe. But now that Saul has died, David is grieving Saul-perhaps not the crazed and obsessed ruler, slaughtering people on a whim. But David is grieving that a man bearing the anointing of God has failed and has fallen to his worst enemies. And David is grieving for what Saul might have been and was not, for Saul could have been a glorious success had he obeyed God. All that handsome physique, all that physical strength, all that talent, all wasted because Saul refused to worship God and obey him! And how horrible that Saul’s sons have died defending their father. Certainly, Jonathan at least has deserved a far better father than Saul.

There is also one other thing David is grieving: Now the burden of kingship will really and truly fall on him. David has seen how Saul failed to bear up under that responsibility, but will he do any better? In all this grief, God is the One who can comfort David and give him hope.

As I am writing these words, I am thinking about departed loved ones who have died in January. One year ago today, my beloved sister-in-law died after a long illness. Five years ago, we lost my stepmother, Mary. Mary was one of those wonderful people with a bottomless fund of wisdom, and even when we were in Ghana, I would call her regularly just to hear her comments on everything. Although both these ladies faced severe health problems, as long as they were alive, their families still could hope that things might miraculously improve. But death is final, and hopes also die. I can only pray for these families, that God will strengthen them and comfort them.

When we lose friends and family, God is the only One who can truly comfort us, for He alone knows our hearts and the depth of our grief. Barbara Johnson, a Christian writer who endured a great deal of suffering, once wrote a book entitled Splashes of Joy in the Cesspools of Life. (Johnson wrote a number of other books as well; however, I am especially fond of this title.) Johnson and her husband started a group entitled “Spatula Ministries,” because they felt that when people got bad news, it might take a spatula to scrape them off the ceiling. Although Barbara and Bill Johnson are both with Jesus, Spatula Ministries continues to care for hurting people. (https://officialbarbarajohnsonlibrary.com/spatula-ministries ) Spatula Ministries has these goals:

1. Supporting parents in crisis

2. Providing hope through shared experiences

3. Offering practical resources for healing

4. Creating communities of understanding

5. Sharing God’s love through practical support

If you are grieving, I can thoroughly recommend Spatula Ministries and their resources. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help all those who are grieving to find their comfort in You, for You are the Ultimate Comforter. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Samuel 26:1-4 Now the men from Ziph came back to Saul at Gibeah to tell him that David had returned to the wilderness and was hiding on Hachilah Hill. So Saul took his elite corps of three thousand troops and went to hunt him down. Saul camped along the road at the edge of the wilderness where David was hiding, but David knew of Saul’s arrival and sent out spies to watch his movements.

You’ve got to hand it to the men of Ziph; they’re consistent. When these guys start out as traitors, they remain treacherous. Never mind that David and his men have probably been protecting Ziph, these guys are still drooling at the possibility of gaining goodies from King Saul. So they run up to Gibeah, Saul’s hometown to inform Saul that David is back in their neighborhood. But once more, things aren’t going to work quite the way these men think.

5-7 David slipped over to Saul’s camp one night to look around. King Saul and General Abner were sleeping inside a ring formed by the slumbering soldiers.

“Any volunteers to go down there with me?” David asked Ahimelech (the Hittite) and Abishai (Joab’s brother and the son of Zeruiah).

“I’ll go with you,” Abishai replied. So David and Abishai went to Saul’s camp and found him asleep, with his spear in the ground beside his head.

8 “God has put your enemy within your power this time for sure,” Abishai whispered to David. “Let me go and put that spear through him. I’ll pin him to the earth with it—I’ll not need to strike a second time!”

9-11 “No,” David said. “Don’t kill him, for who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s chosen king? Surely God will strike him down some day, or he will die in battle or of old age. But God forbid that I should kill the man he has chosen to be king! But I’ll tell you what—we’ll take his spear and his jug of water and then get out of here!”

What a temptation! David and Abishai both know that if Saul dies, the persecution of David will cease immediately. Those special troops Saul has been dragging all over the country would far rather have David as commander than Saul, for Saul is becoming crazier by the day. When Saul and his spies aren’t around, you can hear one man muttering things under his breath. “Why are we chasing David through the wilderness rather than protecting Israel from the Philistines and other marauding tribes? When David was leading us, things were done sensibly. Now we never know what Saul will think of next. Worse, Saul loses his temper over nothing. Being around Saul is dangerous. I wish we could just go home and leave David alone!”

“Hush!” says this man’s friend. “Abner is passing, and he’s Saul’s general. If Saul learns of your complaints, you may never live to reach your home! Remember, Saul has already tried to spear David and his own son Jonathan.”

12-13 So David took the spear and jug of water, and they got away without anyone seeing them or even waking up, because the Lord had put them sound asleep. They climbed the mountain slope opposite the camp until they were at a safe distance.

14 Then David shouted down to Abner and Saul, “Wake up, Abner!”

“Who is it?” Abner demanded.

15-16 “Well, Abner, you’re a great fellow, aren’t you?” David taunted. “Where in all Israel is there anyone as wonderful? So why haven’t you guarded your master the king when someone came to kill him? This isn’t good at all! I swear by the Lord that you ought to die for your carelessness. Where is the king’s spear and the jug of water that was beside his head? Look and see!”

Once more, David is proving that he has had Saul in his grasp and has spared Saul’s life. Once more, Saul is forced to confess that David is more virtuous than he.

17-20 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that you, my son David?”

And David replied, “Yes, sir, it is. Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What is my crime? If the Lord has stirred you up against me, then let him accept my peace offering. But if this is simply the scheme of a man, then may he be cursed by God. For you have driven me out of my home so that I can’t be with the Lord’s people, and you have sent me away to worship heathen gods. Must I die on foreign soil, far from the presence of Jehovah? Why should the king of Israel come out to hunt my life like a partridge on the mountains?”

21-25 Then Saul confessed, “I have done wrong. Come back home, my son, and I’ll no longer try to harm you; for you saved my life today. I have been a fool, and very, very wrong.”

“Here is your spear, sir,” David replied. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. The Lord gives his own reward for doing good and for being loyal, and I refused to kill you even when the Lord placed you in my power. Now may the Lord save my life, even as I have saved yours today. May he rescue me from all my troubles.”

And Saul said to David, “Blessings on you, my son David. You shall do heroic deeds and be a great conqueror.”

Then David went away and Saul returned home.

“Come back home, my son?” Are you kidding? No matter how many promises Saul makes, David isn’t about to trust Saul again. While Saul might be begging David to come home right now, in a few minutes Saul might be trying to spear David again. David simply returns Saul’s spear and water jug and returns to the wilderness.

The most amazing part of this story is David’s refusal to take vengeance on Saul. “No,” David said. “Don’t kill him, for who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s chosen king? Surely God will strike him down some day, or he will die in battle or of old age. But God forbid that I should kill the man he has chosen to be king!”

David respects the anointing God has placed on Saul and refuses to violate it out of respect for God. Besides, God has placed the same anointing on David. If David violates Saul’s anointing, he is essentially violating his own anointing as well, and David loves and respects God. David also trusts God to handle Saul and to do it in such a fashion that David will not have Saul’s blood on his hands.

How do we respond when a superior turns vicious and vindictive? Look at David’s response: first, David doesn’t stay to be abused or killed. David removes himself from the situation. Second, David trusts God to handle things. Only God knows the human heart and only God can truly deal with people. Even though David is quite young, he has seen enough to realize that God is able to bring perfect solutions to thorny problems while he cannot. Proverbs 20:22 says, “Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.”

When God has called us to a task, our job is to be faithful and to leave the results to Him. We can also safely leave our reputations with God, for He has said in Psalm 75:4-10 I warned the proud to cease their arrogance! I told the wicked to lower their insolent gaze and to stop being stubborn and proud. For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another. In Jehovah’s hand there is a cup of pale and sparkling wine. It is his judgment, poured out upon the wicked of the earth. They must drain that cup to the dregs.

But as for me, I shall forever declare the praises of the God of Jacob. “I will cut off the strength of evil men,” says the Lord, “and increase the power of good men in their place.”

God also assures us in Revelation 3:8 I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Here in Ghana, there is a Gospel song that says, “When Jesus says yes, nobody can say no!” If God has called you to do something, rest assured, He will help you complete that task. Truly, “When Jesus says yes, nobody can say no!”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and praying for us. Lord, help us to trust You to bring Your perfect Will to pass in our lives. Help us to trust You to handle those who persecute us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Samuel 24:1-6 After Saul’s return from his battle with the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of Engedi; so he took three thousand special troops and went to search for him among the rocks and wild goats of the desert. At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to go to the bathroom, but as it happened, David and his men were hiding in the cave!

“Now’s your time!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today is the day the Lord was talking about when he said, ‘I will certainly put Saul into your power, to do with as you wish’!” Then David crept forward and quietly slit off the bottom of Saul’s robe! But then his conscience began bothering him.

“I shouldn’t have done it,” he said to his men. “It is a serious sin to attack God’s chosen king in any way.”

Well! If ever someone deserved punishment, that man is King Saul. After driving David out of his home and wiping out eighty-five priests and their entire village for helping David, now Saul is hunting David among the rocks and caves of Engedi near the Dead Sea. When Saul enters a large cave to defecate, he has no idea that David and his men are hiding in the back of the cave. Although David’s men are urging him to kill Saul, David settles for cutting off a small piece of Saul’s robe as he is squatting-just enough to prove to Saul that David could have done something far worse. And David also warns his men so that they also do not attack Saul. But David is fed up with being a fugitive and chooses to confront Saul verbally.

7-8 These words of David persuaded his men not to kill Saul.

After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.

9-15 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? This very day you have seen it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave, and some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm him—he is the Lord’s chosen king.’ See what I have in my hand? It is the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you! Doesn’t this convince you that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for my life?

“The Lord will decide between us. Perhaps he will kill you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. As that old proverb says, ‘Wicked is as wicked does,’ but despite your wickedness, I’ll not touch you. And who is the king of Israel trying to catch, anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a flea? May the Lord judge as to which of us is right and punish whichever one of us is guilty. He is my lawyer and defender, and he will rescue me from your power!”

Saul can scarcely believe it when he hears David calling to him from the cave, waving a piece of Saul’s robe in his hand. Saul has spent entire nights planning how he will torture David if he catches him; now David has had Saul in his power and has refused to harm him.

16-21 Saul called back, “Is it really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. Yes, you have been wonderfully kind to me today, for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you didn’t kill me. Who else in all the world would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and Israel shall be yours to rule. Oh, swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”

22 So David promised, and Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their cave.

Saul might be demonically influenced, but he still has some shreds of decency left. Now Saul is blown away by the realization that David, the same man Saul has hunted throughout Israel has spared Saul’s life. Such an act is contrary to everything Saul has ever thought, for Saul is not a believer and David is. Note something else: Saul has 3,000 special troops while David only has 600 men, and David and his men are trapped in a large cave. Were Saul to continue attacking David, he could wipe out David and his ragtag band of soldiers right now. Saul knows David’s exact location, so what is preventing Saul from proceeding to eliminate David?

Saul’s statements indicate that God has sent the convicting power of the Holy Spirit on Saul and Saul is having a moment of spiritual clarity. Saul finally accepts the fact that David will become king over Israel and begs David to be kind to Saul’s family. David promises, and Saul leaves. You might think that this is the last time Saul will ever pursue David, but no. Later, Saul will renew his pursuit, even though he has acknowledged to David that David will eventually become king.  

David’s actions demonstrate how God wants us to behave toward those who have hurt us and persecuted us. Deuteronomy 32:35 says, “Vengeance is mine, and I decree the punishment of all her (Israel’s) enemies: Their doom is sealed.” How many times has God spoken those words to David while David is out herding sheep in rain, in wind, in biting cold, or in heat and dust? Certainly, David might have thought angry thoughts about his mocking older brothers lying safely in the house, or about his father, who has treated him as being expendable. And what about David’s mother? Why hasn’t she tried to protect David?

One of the miracles of David’s early life is that he has not allowed the hardships he has borne to embitter him. Long before David ever encountered Saul or killed Goliath, David endured enough suffering to cause him to hate his family had not God shown him a better way. David’s constant dialogue with God has protected him from self-pity.

Centuries later, Saint Paul will quote that same verse from Deuteronomy as he advises the Roman Christians. Romans 12:17-19 tells us, “Never pay back evil for evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honest clear through. Don’t quarrel with anyone. Be at peace with everyone, just as much as possible.

Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it. Don’t take the law into your own hands. Instead, feed your enemy if he is hungry. If he is thirsty give him something to drink and you will be “heaping coals of fire on his head.” In other words, he will feel ashamed of himself for what he has done to you. Don’t let evil get the upper hand, but conquer evil by doing good.”

Workplace conflicts can hurt us severely, for many of us spend far more time at work than we do at home. Such pain is particularly true for those in helping professions such as the ministry or health care, for there are no limits on the amount of time such professions may demand. For years, I served as the only doctor in two different Ghanaian mission hospitals, and I learned to sleep in clothing that allowed me to answer calls from the night watchman. Later, when cell phones became available, I made sure that my phone was always charged and within an arm’s reach when I was sleeping. Before cell phones, I could get a little rest by traveling out of town; however, once cell phones became prevalent, I could receive calls from anywhere as long as I was still in the country. My standing joke was that my adrenal glands were so exhausted, they were panting with their tongues hanging out.

In such circumstances, it’s tempting to descend into pettiness to pay someone back for misunderstanding or slighting us. But God doesn’t have two sets of rules, one for times when people treat us well and the other when people mistreat us. Read Ephesians 4 and you will realize that the church at Ephesus was being torn apart by petty wrangling. Paul begins that chapter by saying, “I beg you—I, a prisoner here in jail for serving the Lord—to live and act in a way worthy of those who have been chosen for such wonderful blessings as these. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Try always to be led along together by the Holy Spirit and so be at peace with one another.” (Ephesians 4:1-3) Ephesians 4:31 tells us, “Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ.”

Once we have committed our lives to God, we must play by His rules and not by ours. Remember, God is the One who forgives us our sins when we confess them to Him. If we desire forgiveness from God, we must freely offer forgiveness to those who hurt us. Jesus has ordered us to do so. Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! “May God help us so that we will take David as our example and extend mercy to the merciless!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives and to forgive those who have hurt us, praying for them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Samuel 23:1-6 One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah robbing the threshing floors.

David asked the Lord, “Shall I go and attack them?”

“Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.

But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah; we certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”

David asked the Lord again, and the Lord again replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”

They went to Keilah and slaughtered the Philistines and confiscated their cattle, and so the people of Keilah were saved. (Abiathar the priest went to Keilah with David, taking his ephod with him to get answers for David from the Lord.) 

7 -13 Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah.

“Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now! God has delivered him to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled city!”

So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men. But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and to ask the Lord what he should do.

“O Lord God of Israel,” David said, “I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here. Will the men of Keilah surrender me to him? And will Saul actually come, as I have heard? O Lord God of Israel, please tell me.”

And the Lord said, “He will come.”

“And will these men of Keilah betray me to Saul?” David persisted.

And the Lord replied, “Yes, they will betray you.”

So David and his men—about six hundred of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go there after all. 

David’s army now numbers 600 men, and they are running from Saul, hiding in caves in the southern part of Israel south of Hebron. The men of Keilah are opportunists who welcome David as long as he is delivering them from the Philistines but who then message Saul that he should come arrest David. Of course, there is the small fact that Saul has already threatened to destroy Keilah if its citizens refuse to hand David over to him. These people are caught in a dilemma: save the guy who has delivered them but possibly face total destruction of the city by Saul, or placate their crazy ruler. The Ghanaians have a saying that “When two elephants fight, it’s the grass that gets trampled.” The Keilah people fear that they will wind up as trampled grass, so they take the expedient way out, messaging Saul.

14-20 David now lived in the wilderness caves in the hill country of Ziph. One day near Horesh he received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him. Saul hunted him day after day, but the Lord didn’t let him find him.

(Prince Jonathan now went to find David; he met him at Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God.

 “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel and I will be next to you, as my father is well aware.” So the two of them renewed their pact of friendship; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan returned home.)

But now the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah and betrayed David to him.

“We know where he is hiding,” they said. “He is in the caves of Horesh on Hachilah Hill, down in the southern part of the wilderness. Come on down, sir, and we will catch him for you and your fondest wish will be fulfilled!”

Next, it’s the men of Ziph who try to betray David to Saul. Why is everybody so afraid? Despite isolation, word has gotten around concerning the complete destruction of the town of Nob, including eighty-five priests, their families, and animals. Now people are terrified to help David for fear that their town will be the next one to be destroyed. The men of Ziph are willing to lead Saul to David; however, once more, David and his men escape.

24-29 So the men of Ziph returned home. But when David heard that Saul was on his way to Ziph, he and his men went even further into the wilderness of Maon in the south of the desert. But Saul followed them there. He and David were now on opposite sides of a mountain. As Saul and his men began to close in, David tried his best to escape, but it was no use. But just then a message reached Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel again, so Saul quit the chase and returned to fight the Philistines. Ever since that time the place where David was camped has been called, “The Rock of Escape.” David then went to live in the caves of Engedi.

Talk about a thriller situation! David and his men are trapped with Saul and his army closing in on them. Suddenly, a panting messenger runs up to Saul. “King Saul,” the messenger gasps, “come quickly! The Philistines are raiding and we desperately need your help!” Muttering curses under his breath, Saul breaks off the hunt for David and heads north to meet the Philistines. Meanwhile, David and his men travel eastward to Engedi (now known as Ein-gedi) near the Dead Sea.

David’s wilderness adventures would make an excellent adventure movie, but what can we learn from his experiences?

1. Helping people does not guarantee that they won’t betray you. When David and his men show up at Keilah, the Philistines are raiding the threshing floors. Not only do David and his men thoroughly trounce the Philistines, but they even confiscate the cattle the Philistines have already captured as they have raided their way across the countryside. Presumably, David leaves those cattle for the people of Keilah, meaning that they have their harvest plus more cattle than they possessed before. Do the citizens of Keilah remain loyal to David? Are you kidding? The second word reaches Keilah that they either hand David over or be wiped out, they are more than ready to hand David over. Loyalty only goes so far, and everybody has heard of the tragedy at Nob. You should always help people and do the right thing; however, remember that those same people have other pressures on them. Your help does not guarantee their loyalty.
2. When God is on your side, He delivers you, even if it’s at the last second. The Bible indicates that Saul had David trapped on a mountain when he had to break off chasing David to go fight the Philistines. Notice though, that David was doing everything he could to help himself. God won’t deliver you as long as you are sitting still, refusing to lift a finger to extricate yourself from your problems.
3. We can still gain comfort from God, even when friends prove false and we are in danger. God is the One who knows all the details of our lives. J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was fond of saying that “Man is immortal until his work is done.” God has far more for David to do and is not about to allow Saul to slaughter him.

Throughout David’s life, he continued to write psalms. Psalm 142 is supposedly the one David wrote while hiding in that cave in Engedi.

142 1-2 How I plead with God, how I implore his mercy, pouring out my troubles before him. 3 For I am overwhelmed and desperate, and you alone know which way I ought to turn to miss the traps my enemies have set for me. 4 (There’s one—just over there to the right!) No one gives me a passing thought. No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. 5 Then I prayed to Jehovah. “Lord,” I pled, “you are my only place of refuge. Only you can keep me safe.

6 “Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. 7 Bring me out of prison so that I can thank you. The godly will rejoice with me for all your help.”

You might identify with David. Perhaps people you have helped have failed you when you needed help. Remember that only God knows the whole story. Forgive those people but remember that God is the One who never fails, who never changes. Trust Him!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to rely on You, no matter the circumstances and to forgive those who disappoint us, realizing they may be suffering in ways we cannot see. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.