Sermon – “He Made the Right Choice”

Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.) 4 Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Now it hap-pened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 And he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.” 7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. 9 And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? 10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. 12 Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? 15 Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.” 16 So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 Then he said to David: “You are more right-eous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Therefore swear now to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.” 22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

7 Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ 19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”

“Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will con-tinue following the LORD your God. 15 However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.

Well. Happy Fourth of July and there were two days early for that but you know I won’t see you Monday so happy Fourth of July I hope you enjoy. As we celebrate our nation’s freedom our nation’s independence and as a said you know I pray that we never take it for granted that we have the ability to freely come through those doors of the doors whatever church we may want to enter into to worship the Lord praise of all we have the freedom. Praise the Lord that there is not a dictator or the enemy out there forbidding us to be able to worship never take it for granted because many have paid the sacrifice that we can have this freedom to calm and worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ amen. So Happy birthday America and may you all have a wonderful and joyous Fourth of July celebration as we celebrate our nation. Let’s go to the Lord in prayer before I begin this morning Father we do want to just take a moment just sank you for your presence in our lives we thank you Father God for the the love that you demonstrated toward us in a lot and as you allowed your son Jesus to come and die that we might have life Father we thank you for the nation that we live in Father notice we look around him as we see the news and we see so many things we realize it. Our nation has slid far from where it should be but father I just we are still thankful for a nation more there’s still hope for our nation and father just pray that the church the church as a whole or God would go to our knees in prayer that we would pray for our nation we would seek your face father that your spirit would move upon this nation and speak to the hearts and the minds and of the people that that we as a nation or would turn our hearts back towards you that we would walk in your ways that we would be faithful while or just. We know there’s hope and we just pray for that we just pray that you would move God just bless this nation with your presence and father again we just pray that your spirit will move freely today that we would hear the words. Have force or touch each of our hearts and Father help us to praise you to worship you to serve you better lives or be a reflection of you in Jesus name Amen. The smarting a message the title he made the right choice. And the person I’m speaking of that made the right choice is King David and so many talking about David in Seoul this morning going to the Old Testament actually most most of my scripture this morning comes from First Samuel. So this dug into the book in such a wonderful wonderful account and like it’s a story it’s an account of God working in and through his people. First say no chapter twenty four. It’s actually the whole chapter verses one through twenty two. So it’s kind of a short chapter. Now what happened when saw had return from following the Philistines that it WAS TOLD him saying take note. David is in the wilderness of N. good I then saw took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in the rocks of the wild gives So he came to the sheepfold by the road where there was a cave and Saul went in to attend to his needs. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave. Then the men of David said to him. This is the day of which the Lord said to you Behold I will deliver your enemy into your hand that you may do to him as it seems good to you and David arose and secretly cut off a corner of sols room. Now I want to pause. Some might wonder what how did he sneak up there behind saw and cut off the corner of his robe was David that stealth like was he that quiet. Well it could be that after so attended to his needs that he took a nap because they say in the you know the hot regions like that it wasn’t uncommon for. Soldiers are kings or whomever to go and have a little afternoon siesta. If you will it wasn’t the Spanish or the next into come up with that. So he may have been taking a little nap or David might have been actually very close to him and Saul might not have seen him he might have just been able to reach up and take out corner of his robe. So I don’t know exactly how it happened but it was probably one of those one of those ways. Now happen afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s row. And he said to his men the Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master the Lord’s anointed to stretch out my hand against him seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. So David restrained his servants with these words and did I did not allow them to rise against Saul and Saul got up from the cave and went on his way. So David also arose afterward went out of the cave and called out to Saul saying my lord the king when Saul looked behind him David stooped with his face to face to the earth and bowed down and David said to Saul. Why do you listen to the words of men who say indeed that David seeks you harm. Look this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you to the liver due today into my hand in the cave and someone urged me to kill you but ma spared you and I said I will not stretch out my hand against my Lord for He is the Lord’s anointed. Moreover my father see you see the corner of your robe in my hand for him that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand and I have not sinned against you. Yet you haunt my life to take it. Let the Lord judge between. You and me and let the Lord avenge me or knew by my hand schelm but my hand shall not be against you as a proverb of the ancients say wickedness proceeds from the wicked. But my hand shall not be against you after would. After were after whom the king of Israel here after whom has the king of Israel come out in the tongue twister this morning. Whom do you pursue a dog a dead dog a flea therefore let the Lord Judge be judge and judge between you and me and see him plead my case and deliver me out of your hand. So it was when David had finished speaking these words to Saul that Saul said Is this your voice my son David and soul lifted up his voice and wept. Then he said to David you are more righteous than I For you have rewarded me with the good. Whereas I have rewarded you with evil and you have shown this day how you have dealt with me for when the Lord deliver me into your hands you did not kill me for if a man finds his enemy will he let him get away safely. Therefore May the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day and now I know indeed that you shall surely be king and that the Kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Therefore swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name for my father’s house. So David swore to Saul and Saul went home. But David and his men went up to the stronghold. They got at his blessing so the hearing and reading of His Holy Word. David could call him father and he could call David son because he was indeed. David was Saul son in law because he had married. Saul’s daughter this passage today. Takes us way back to the history into the history of Israel and you know oftentimes we’ll get up there share the word and preach with the thought that everyone might understand exactly what we’re talking about and who we’re talking about but you know. I do realize most everyone here probably does but there may be people watching on the web that don’t have a good understanding and might be saying well who is this Saul who is this King Saul or who is this David. So you know want to share just a little bit of the history of who Saul was and how do we get to this place where Saul was seeking David to take his life how do we get there but before I do that I want to share another little bit of an example there are most people here know that you know I work at the railroad and you know there are times when the management will come down with decisions or rules or. Job procedures that craftspeople those that have worked on locomotives or or worked on the facility for many years will say what in the world are they thinking. This is just a crazy idea. You know they’ll come up with things and will say it’s going to take longer to do the job you know it’s a longer process and it’s probably going to cost them a lot more money if they would do it this way management has a tendency of not going and asking the workers. What do you think about this how should we do this so the seasoned veterans I should say have come up with the saying we’ll just give them what they want to they can’t stand no more. I think you’re picking up what I’m putting down. We’re just giving you know it’s like it’s their train set. We’ll give them what they want eventually Mabel they’ll figure out that. Wow this is really a this was really a dumb move. Well this is kind of how we’ve arrived at this place in this passage today. So here’s where I’m going to get into. The history. You have to go back in Samuel little further than and then Chapter twenty four the give them what they want part you’re going to see how we get to that the nation of Israel God delivered out of bondage in Egypt how they got there was during the Great Famine. Whenever. Joseph had his father and his brothers and everybody brought down to Egypt. So they were there were seventy of them that come in but they were there for four hundred years in slavery in Egypt four hundred years they were there but the people cried out to God and God sent them of the liver or not the liver was Moses so so God through Moses delivered the people out of bondage in Egypt. So with a course they go into the wilderness is going to be a very brief summary. But they wound up they get to the Promised Land they get to the promised land and of course Israel sees the other nations around them and all these other nations had a king all these nations had a king someone that would lead the army into battle someone that could be their protector someone that they could go to they had a visible King someone they could see and they became a little envious. But the problem is they didn’t really understand that King was going to take a certain percentage of all their crops or their money they didn’t say that that King could rule over them like a dictator they didn’t see all that but you know Israel didn’t need a king because they had a king and their king was Jova God they had the king that ruled the kings of the earth but yet they cried out for a king oh God we want to King to go be forced We want to King like the other nations around us. So what they God Do gave them what they want. So they could stand no more he gave the. Want they want they cried out for a king. Even though God knew that it would not be the best thing for them he knew that but yet he gave it. He gave in and gave them a king he knew that it would have been best if they would have said to the other nations around them. Our King is the great I am you follow our way. You watch and see how God blesses us when we are faithful to God instead of saying we want to be like them they should have set the example. Amen. I mean that’s the way we should be we should not want to be like the world. We should live it and let the world see the blessing that God has you know is to us and want to be like us but God gave him what they wanted in first say mule Chapter ten going back burst seventeen through nineteen then Samuel called the people together to the Lord at misfortune and said to the children of Israel Thus says the Lord God of Israel. I brought up Israel out of Egypt and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms from him from those whom oppressed you but you have today rejected your God who can self save you from all your adversaries and your tribulations and you have said to him. No said a king over us by them saying we want a king they rejected their god it wasn’t their leaders that wasn’t their judges that they rejected but they rejected God when they said no we want a king. So this is how Saul wound up becoming king over Israel because of the cries of the people but I also must point out that God did not abandon them. He did. Abandoned them. Yes he gave them a king but yet he gave them this promise and he is still in control of Israel. He was still the ruler and he demanded or commanded that they remain loyal to him them and their king in first say no chapter twelve versus thirteen to fifteen says Now therefore Here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired and take note The Lord has set a king over you there is a mighty big word here. If you write only two letters but if you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey his voice and do not rebel against the command of the Lord then both you and the king who reigns ever you will continue following the Lord your God However if you do not obey the voice of the Lord and rebel against the commandment of the Lord. Then the hand of the Lord will be against you as it was against your father’s Wow. If a nation. I know that he’s speaking directly to the nation of Israel but I know that God blesses the nation that blesses him God blesses the nation that is faithful to him and it can even his individual god blesses the person that is faithful to him to walk in His ways. If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice He will bless you I don’t I’m not talking about he’s going to just shower down all kinds of material blessings. I’m talking about he will bless you with His love He will bless you with his presence he will bless you with life and then. Saul reign for two years did pretty good for two years. I re more than two years but let me have a better. Make that clear after he had reigned for two years maybe I should have said. He disobeyed to command to lower his first act of disobedience was when he offered a sacrifice. It was not permitted that the king offer the sacrifice it was for the priest to offer the sacrifice same of the prophet declared to solve then that if he would have continued in faith and continued to obey the Lord that God would have us stablished his kingdom over Israel forever but since he disobey His Kingdom disobeyed his kingdom would not continue his second major act of disobedience was in the battle against him our kites many are probably familiar with that story. God had called Israel to go to destroy the amount. This was one evil wicked nation and God gave the command to solve through Samuel he says you are to go and destroy the amount of kites you are to utterly completely destroy them every man woman and child and not only every man woman and child but the livestock everything completely destroyed and some might say well this seems awful harsh coming from a loving God He was completely removing the sin completely removing that sinful nation was God’s intent. So God gave him that command but you know what Saul did he spared to King they spared some of the livestock they spared some of they plundered the land instead of the straw in the land or destroying the entire Amalekite kingdom as he told them to do he spared some and that’s not what God told him to do he disobeyed the word of the Lord. Samuel comes and he said. He greets all souls that I’ve been faithful have obeyed the Lord. You’ve read it. Samal says what’s the bleeding of the sheep that I hear. Well he said we save some of the sheep for sacrifice. Oh and there’s a king while we spared the king. So all says is that what God told you to do now are Same deal said to solves is that what God told you to do. No he disobeyed the direct command of the Lord. Saul knew then that the Kingdom would be taken from his hand he knew then he allowed the influence of the people to change what God told him to do that was Saul’s excuse the people asked to spare the livestock that we could sacrifice he blamed it on the people he was the king he was the king. So whenever he knew that the kingdom will be taken it would be given to someone else he became bitter he came. He became bitter and he was obsessed with trying to kill David to keep David from inheriting the king that he had ruled you know it’s amazing how differently people respond to God how differently people respond to God’s command for God to for beatings to him I found a little girl a little story about a young girl her and her father were at the harbor one day and the young girl said the Rafah other she says I don’t understand how the same win can take some ships out to sea and the same wind brings other ships into. See what the father said what the Pens upon the position of the sales is but it’s the same with men in the world as it is with ships at sea one sails have them work. By the same breeze which sweeps others and the other direction. C. out implies to David and Saul. Saul out the wind the sweep him downward in a spiral. But yet David chose to be obedient to God and sweep him heavenward so missed his opportunity to make the right choice to obey God That’s wot titled this he made the right choice. Saul made the wrong choice. David made the right choice and First Samuel fifteen twenty fourth or twenty eight Then Saul said the same you. I have sinned for I have transgressed the command of the Lord and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice now therefore please pardon my sin and return with me that I may worship the Lord but Samuel said to Saul I will not return with you for you have a rejected the word of the Lord and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel and as Samuel turned around to go away. So all sees the edge of his robe and tore it so Samuel said to him The Lord has torn the Kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your name. To a neighbor of yours who is better than you if you ever read those to him put in the gather you see the connection there. Saul reached out and grabbed the robe of Samuel went toward And he says today. God has torn the kingdom from your hand jump back to our passage today and what the David do. He cut off the garment of his robe House him. Balik how symbolic put yourself in solid shoes when he turns around when he realizes that I wonder if his mind went back to that day that he grabbed Samuel’s robe and Samuel spoke to him today God has torn the kingdom from your hand how symbolic that is how amazing you know so it brought with him three thousand men in his quest to kill David David had about six hundred men with him six hundred men and they were all hiding in a cave. So this with parenting was a very big cave. So goes into that cave or see it was a place where the shepherds could find shelter during times of bad weather else safety at night keep them from harm but it goes into relieving self or take care of the his needs very simple That’s a fact of life we ought to do that you know as I was searching this out they said the commentary say that all the soldiers know Israel was very sanitary if you will so all the soldiers even they had a little shovel or scoop but they had to go take care of their needs as it said Saul had to do they were supposed to dig a hole and bury it take care of it very sanitary so they were faithful to do what God commanded them to do so the soul enters into this cave you wonder how could six hundred men be in there and Saul not see him see them. You know have you ever been outside on a very bright sunny day and walk into a dimly lit room or like your basement or somewhere and you’re like I can’t see where I’m going you know it takes a little bit for your eyes to adjust. You know that could have been in play here that. We never saw walked into that cave just come in from the outside as kind of then we lit in there so they might not have to been hit real well but. Or had a chance to get hidden whenever they seemed so common you know you might have been kind of blinded from the sunlight. This area where this happened you know they know where it is they say it’s characterized by being crazy. They got said that right or craggy craggy with perpendicular precipice. Now this precipice I had to look that up because I didn’t know that word I learned a new word this week. There are very high vertical overhanging faces of rock. So you pictured them as like rocks that come out this way in places where the men could get in and hide behind so that had a lot of hiding places and David and his man were very familiar with this terrain but King Saul most likely was not but the most important thing about this entire thing is the choice that they’ve had made that day in a cave. I feel that that’s probably one of the most important choices that David made in his life that was most important decision was to follow God but the most important decision is to not take solves life. You know David’s men were urging him. Here’s today. God has delivered him in your hand killing but saw David said No David was capable of seeing the situation at all of its levels meaning that he knew full well that killing the helpless Saul would not put the end to his troubles or the troubles of his men most importantly David recognize Saul as the Lord’s anointed and this is crucial to understanding why David may destroys the king is consecrated he has involved. He shares God’s holiness. If the came the kingdom can be won by murder. Rather than by the choice of God then the usurper is opening self wired up to him. Also being murdered his budget is made that a lot of legitimacy as God’s anointed might always be in question had he taken it by killing King Saul. So what a stark difference between David’s choice and Saul’s choice when Saul disobeyed God spared the best of the livestock and the king he said was because he listened to the people. David did not allow the urging of the people to sway him from doing what he knew was right he understood that a Jew was not even to curse the rulers. How often have we cursed our rulers a Jew was not even allowed to curse the rulers let alone kill one because cursing a ruler was a sin in the same category as blasting mean. The Lord God. Because that ruler was anointed by God. You see the connection. So he chose mercy over revenge his troops are saying killing man he’s tried to take your life so many times one occasion. David was playing a harp and trying to soothe Saul and he took a spear and tried to kill David I mean he could have claimed self-defense. This man tried to kill me numerous times but he chose mercy instead doesn’t go along with their status called us and love Diana me love Dinon a me first five reveals David’s heart. Now what happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut souls robe. He was troubled in his heart just because he cut the corner off of his robe. He was convicted in his heart this reveals they. His faithfulness It reveals his tenderness. It reveals the compassion the love that he had in his heart you know many people would have responded just like David’s men sometimes it seems like they were thirsty for revenge because they knew how many times he tried to kill him but Dave was not going to be the one to remove Saul from the throne and David’s heart. God put so all there and it was going to be God The removing not David David listen to his heart that day the last part of our passage revealed sols heart didn’t. Bursa seventeen through twenty one then he said to David your more righteous than I for you every word of me with good whereas I have rewarded you with evil he had evil one his heart and you have shown this day how you have dealt with me for when the Lord deliver me into your hands you did not kill me for a man find his enemy will you let him walk get away safely. Therefore May the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day and now I know indeed that you shall surely be king and that the king of Israel shall be established in your hand. Therefore swear. Now to me that by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name for my father’s house even after Saud came to the knowledge and realize it sunk into his heart that he’s not going to be king any longer that is going to go to David what was his concern about a self. Instead of having the concern for the nation he was supposed to be ruling over. He was worried about his name David was worried about being faithful to God and not touching God’s anointed the believers today. You and I we have an annoying team and it’s in John Chapter two verse twenty seven. But the knowing that you received from him abides in you and you have no need that anyone should teach you but as his anointed teaches you about every thing and is true and is no lie. Jest just as it has been taught to you abide in Him if we abide in Him remain faithful to him he remains faithful to us and will abide in us we have the knowing team but how can we apply this lesson from the Old testament to our lives today. Don’t speak harshly or badly about the anointed of the Lord don’t speak harshly or badly about that pastor or believer because they are God’s anointed they have the anointed of the Holy Spirit choose mercy choose compassion not revenge. That’s a lesson that we can have today when the Spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all truth for he will not speak of his own of only own authority but whatever he hears he will speak and will declare to you that’s the message sets our hearts. Listen to the voice of the Lord listen to that still small voice and what choice will you make. I hope that we make the choice like David did that we would choose mercy even against an enemy. That’s kind of prove what have a horse have a school was about this morning when your enemy strikes you on the right cheek turn to him also the left when he takes from you your tunic also giving your coat or maybe that is your way around when I ask you to go. Ask you to go or for Chicago mile go to with the reveal the heart of the Lord to your enemy and to your neighbors choose Grace choose mercy Amen. Man.