CENTRAL THOUGHT
Those who live Godly in Jesus must suffer persecution.
HYMN: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.
TEXT: 1 Sam. 18:1-16, 19: 1-17.
INTRODUCTION
Despite the fact that David was anointed King in his youthful age, he behaved himself and did not allow pride of the position get into his head. He remained cool-headed and dedicated to his shepherd business from where he was called out for anointing. He gained his experience of self-defense and protection of his people during this process which he later used to defeat Goliath.
After this victory, one expected that David would enjoy some peaceful rest in his father’s land especially from his brethren but contrary was the case. The devil in his usual manner devised other means to cause him problems using his own people. Their King, Saul, was the instrument the devil found useful. The victory became talk of the city and women formed music as a result. Thus, this situation of joy became a source of jealousy against his popularity by King Saul, who tried in vain severally to kill him. God intervened and kept him, though not without some pain afflicted on him by the devil through kill King Saul.
In this lesson therefore, we shall be looking at how David comported himself at these trying times, some pains he suffered and why God allowed them, as well as some possible lessons derivable from them.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
1.To establish the source of David’s afflictions.
2.To Know how and why he was afflicted.
3.To see how he suffered affliction and his response during the problems.
4.To establish how we should comport ourselves in times of affliction.
5.To know the benefits when we overcome afflictions.
BIBLE TRUTH
Q1A. WHAT MADE SAUL DETERMINED TO KILL DAVID? ( 1 Sam. 18:6-9): ANY LESSON FROM THIS?
David applied the self-defense and protective experience he gained from his shepherd duties to the situation he was faced with and came up successful. He killed Goliath and liberated the Israelites from bondage to the philistines when he went further, fought wars and conquered the enemies completely. This was an issue which brought great joy to the entire people and their women went about the streets singing in jubilation. They sang that Saul killed his thousands but David killed his ten thousand. Saul saw this as attributing more honor to David than himself and that David was becoming more popular than himself the king. Saul therefore, resolved to kill David. Thank God that he could not succeed. In one word therefore, Saul wanted to kill David because he was jealous of him.
We have many lessons from this issue and they include the following:
•Saul by his disobedience allowed the devil to control him, filling his heart with jealousy.
•Saul was very selfish and self-centered and did not know that the hand of God was upon David.
•David though lived his life righteously; the devil still went after his life. All who will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution ( 2Tim. 3:12).The devil always wants to discourage and cause us to sin against God.
•The devil wanted to stop David’s bright future. Believers should realize that their arch-enemy is the Devil.
Q1B. WHAT WERE THE VARIOUS WAYS DAVID WAS AFFLICTED BY SAUL? 1 Sam. 18:11, 20-21; 19:1-2; 23:7-8, 14-15, 19-20; 24:1-2; 26:1-2.
David, like brethren of old listed in the roll call of faith in the book of Hebrews chapter eleven, suffered a lot for the kingdom sake. He slept in the caves, as a result of Saul’s pursuit. David thus, was afflicted severally by Saul and in many ways such as: threats to his life, assassination attempts, intimidation, self-exiled, blackmail, mockery and insult among others. He was ostracized and was in the bush for a long time like a fugitive in his own land without committing any atrocity against his father land.
Q1C. HOW DID GOD DELIVER DAVID DURING HIS AFLICTION PERIOD? ANY LESSON FOR US TODAY? 1 Sam. 19:1-7, 11-12; 22:5; 23: 11-14; Isaiah 26:3.
God gave him favor before his enemy. He used his enemy’s son Jonathan to reveal the devil’s plan against him and protect him from his father’s intention. God covered David from the reach of Saul in the cave. Jonathan, man’s intended heir who naturally should have joined his father to eliminate David, instead protected him and became his confidant. No wonder scripture says, if our ways please the lord, He makes even our enemies to be at peace with us (Pro:16:7). God protects us in many ways. He can hide us from the enemies, provide us ways to escape, produce fear or rumor to the enemy, weaken the hands of our enemies, deliver him into our hands and belittle our errors or offence in the eyes of our enemies to free us from their wrath. He does in most cases, frustrate the enemy’s devices and imaginations to prove not only that He is the Almighty, but also that we are His and He loves us. This also makes the heathen get converted to Him.
Q2. IDENTIFY THE THINGS WHICH HELPED DAVID IN HIS TIMES OF TRIAL. ( 1 Sam. 18:12-14, 28-30) AND HOW CAN WE APPLY THIS TO OUR LIVES TODAY? (Psalms 1:1-3; Pro 9:10; Luke 21:15).
David’s military prowess was a very strong factor that enabled his success physically. He actually survived his trying period because, he loved, feared and obeyed his God as well as behaved himself in all his dealings with people. He maintained a conscience like Paul did, as is expected of all true believers, void of offence towards God and towards men (Acts. 24:16). Added to this, David believed in allowing God’s time to come and not his. Thus, he refused to fight for himself and the grace of God in him enabled the victory over his enemy.
He knew and applied the word of God to his life. He so delighted in the scriptures that he esteemed it more than his necessary food. He took the word of God as his lamp and light which leads him through his paths (Psalms. 119:105). David knew he had no hiding place from God and thus did live a transparent life, and boldly admitted his faults even openly despising the shame there from. This he actually exhibited greatly when he eventually became the king.
We study lessons like this to equip us in our times of trials also. David, like many of us who are passing through afflictions of some sort in one way or the other, in our locality, behaved himself wisely and Godly. He was patient, did not fight back, looked onto God for deliverance, did not cry hopelessly, sort for strength and direction from his Maker, did not blame God for his predicaments in the hands of King Saul and this eventually led to his victory in the hands of His God. Though many could call our approach foolishness, a child of God should not mind what they say. We should live our lives to please God and Him alone. Surely, He will prove to the world that we are the wise ones someday. We should endeavor to emulate these examples shown by David. He was a man of passion like we are today. Since he overcame using these Godly principles, we too can and will definitely succeed in our days. We must not bow down to the pressures of life and friends to do contrary to God’s perfect will.
Q3. WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN ABOUT DAVID’S REACTION IN TIMES OF AFFLICTION? (1 Sam 24:3-12; 26:7-12; 1 Sam 1:6-15; Matt 5:43-48; Rom 2:14, 17-21).
David with perfect understanding of God’s dealings with man, allowed God to guide him in the matter. He did not take laws into his hands to get rid of King Saul. Though God has chosen and ordained him as the next king, David waited for God’s perfect will in times of the appropriate timing of taking over. David had so many opportunities of eliminating Saul, but did not. He saw him as God’s anointed. Even on one occasion when he would have easily killed him but decided not to, and only cut off a little of his clothes to let him know he had the opportunity to have taken his life, David lamented doing even that at all.
Numerous lessons which include the following can be learned:
•We can wait for and take turn concerning many things in life.
•God has his perfect time and will for us. We have need of patience, as we trust Him for His promises. (Heb. 10:36)
•David understood that God does not incorporate sin and unrighteous principles or theories into His dealings and thus, does not also want to do things that are questionable.
•It is wise to examine opportunities Biblically to be sure that they are really from God.
•David was Godly, tactful and overcame all the troubles and then eventually crowned as king. If we too do well, we will earn man’s respect and also make it to heaven on the last day.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
Believers should realize that they are no more their own but have been bought with a prize- the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Once we appropriate this advantage of accepting the sacrifice, it is a pointer that we belong to God. Our ways of life and entire orientation ought to change from the natural, ordinary or carnal mindedness unto a new spiritual man’s way of living. Our reasoning, talking, behavior, dressing, reaction to situation, conduct and the totality of our ways should show the difference and make men acknowledge it in our lives even when we do not intend it to be published ( 2 Cor 5:17) Even when men see us as foolish, what matters to the believer is what God actually calls us. We should as believers, see things from God’s perspective; be watchful and prayerful because the days are evil.
MEMORY VERSE
Psalms 34:19
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the lord delivereth him from them all”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Monday: God contends with they that contend with us ( Gen.12:3; Isaiah 26:3). We need to hold our peace then and allow Him
Tuesday: God at times allows afflictions and persecutions on the believer to glorify His name.
(Acts 14:22; 2Tim 2:12; 3:12).
Wednesday: Our calling is to save the lost and not to kill the ungodly. (Matt 5:43-48)
Thursday: Be watchful and vigilant to overcome the devil
(1Pet. 5:8)
Friday: Vengeance if need be should be left for God else we avenge wrongly.
( Rom. 12:19-21)
Saturday: God watches over the righteous and keeps him in safety.
(Isaiah. 26:3; 43:1-2)