Pam Padgett ... teacher
Saul sought to kill David, but it was not the will of God for David to
be killed by Saul, having chosen David to reign over Israel instead of
Saul. And God continually provided a way for David to be delivered.
Reviewing how wonderfully God delivered David strengthens faith in God
... that God will bring about what He has said, is constantly aware of
what we are facing, and is able to help us according to His will and purpose for
us, nothing being impossible for God. Following are a few examples of
God delivering David.
Saul tried to kill David with a javelin as David played music to help
Saul when the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul. David was able
to slip away, and his wife helped him escape. David fled to Samuel in
Ramah, where God protected David in an amazing way ...
1 Samuel 19:18 So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel
to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel
went and dwelt in Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David
is at Naioth in Ramah. 20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and
when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel
standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the
messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when it was told
Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul
sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then
went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he
asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they
be at Naioth in Ramah. 23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and
the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied,
until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he stripped off his clothes
also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked
all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among
the prophets? 1Samuel 20:1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, ....
Three times Saul sent messengers to take David, and each time the Spirit
of God came upon the messengers and they prophesied instead of taking
David. This happened even when Saul, himself, went to Ramah. And David
was able to flee.
At another time, God sent the prophet Gad to instruct David to not stay
in the hold, but to go to Judah. David went to Judah as instructed ...
1 Samuel 22:5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in
the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David
departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.
In another example, when David and his men were at Keilah, Saul thought he could take
David there. But when David heard that Saul planned to come to Keilah,
David inquired of God and was told that Saul would come for him and that
the men of Keilah would deliver David into Saul's hand. Being given
this information, David and his men were able to escape from Keilah
before Saul came ...
1 Samuel 23:7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah.
And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in,
by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8 And Saul called all
the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and
his men. 9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against
him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10
Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard
that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11
Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come
down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee,
tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. 12 Then said
David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of
Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. 13 Then David and
his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah,
and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David
was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
At yet another time, Saul and his men were on one side of a mountain
while David and his men on the other side. Saul and his men were
surrounding David and his men to take them when a messenger came to Saul
telling him that the Philistines had invaded. Saul left searching for
David, for a time, returning to fight against the Philistines ...
1 Samuel 23:25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And
they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the
wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in
the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain,
and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste
to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and
his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a messenger unto
Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the
land. 28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went
against the Philistines: therefore they called that place
Selahammahlekoth.
God chose to deliver David in various ways, but each way of deliverance
worked. And even though Saul searched for David every day, God kept
David safe ...
1 Samuel 23:14 ... And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.