I SAMUEL 26 Lesson # 26
PRESSURED AGAIN
I. Introduction:
A. A Recap or Summary of Three Chapters: 24,25,26. (You can skip this if you have covered it elsewhere)
Note: The author of I Samuel now completes his mini cycle. In chapter 24, David had a chance to take matters in his own hand to take a short-cut, and David resisted the temptation. David succeeded but was no doubt bothered that he did the right thing and still things were not going well for him. In chapter 25, David learns how deep his resentment was when Nabal reminded him of Saul’s action towards him, and he almost explodes in murderous anger. God helps David through it all though by the help of another: Abigail. The Lord helps David to face how much he was hurt by Saul and the anger episode with Nabal fortunately gets resolved. Now in chapter 26 David will be faced with the same temptation and would never had succeeded without the help of Abigail in chapter 25. Without 25, there would not have been a positive chapter 26. Without an Abigail in our lives we would never be able to face the “double temptations”. Without the struggle and victory of 24 (taking no short-cuts) we would never even have a chance of a prevailing in chapter 25 (with our own Nabals and deep seated anger). Now the victories of 24 and 25 set David up for a further temptation: the temptation of repetition.
B. The Burden of Repetition.
Q Have you ever suffered through a difficult episode, a humiliation, or tragedy, or a sorrow and then a few years later something very similar happens again?
Q Did the repetition or similarity almost drive you over the edge?
An = Add a brief story of your own here, only if it helps others share. If they share on their own then do not give one of your stories. Help them see that we face sorrows, temptations, tragedies, etc. often very similar to one another and God is aware of this, which is why He writes this chapter for us.
Note: Our story today is carefully written to look much like the story in 24. Some scholars think this is evidence of one story having been told twice but I believe that I Samuel is too well written. The author has a deliberate intention here. This story is very like and yet unlike the episode in chapter 24. I believe spiritual reasons, not editorial error, dictate the telling of what seems to be such a similar story.
II. Setting the Scene to a Similar Struggle: I Samuel 26:1-12.
A. Setting the Scene to the Story: I Samuel 26:1-5.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 26:1-5.
Q In chapter 23:19, who told Saul where David was hiding?
An = Like our episode here it was the Ziphites.
Q In chapter 24, Saul had 3,000 chosen men with him. How many does he have here in 26:2?
An = Again, it is 3,000 men. David will again have a chance to take matters into his own hands, and again he will not fall in such temptation, again he and Saul will have dialogue when Saul sees what David has done. There are differences though. What is immediately different is David is not hiding in a cave this time, but he is aware of Saul’s arrival and aggressively monitors Saul’s movements. This David is not a passive man. Notice what he does next.
B. The Aggressive and Daring Raid is Planned and Opportunity Knocks. I Samuel 26:6-8.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 26:6-8.
Q What opportunity does David have here that is similar to the episode of chapter 24?
An = The chance to kill Saul. Again the tables have been turned. David is now in a position to take revenge. Again, he is given advice by his close friends that this opportunity for revenge is a “God-given” opportunity.
Q Does repeated opportunity to “do evil in order to accomplish good” or to take a “short-cut” ever justify the action?
Q What physical object seems to be prominent in 26:7,8?
An = The “spear”. The infamous “spear”. This object has been in our “Saul-David” stories almost from the beginning:
>> Have different people look up and read the following scriptural portions: 18:10-11; 19:9-10; 20:33; 22:6.
Q What does the spear represent in these portions?
An = In 18:10-11 and in 19:9-10 Saul tries to kill David with his spear. In 20:33 Saul tries to kill Jonathan, because Jonathan dared to speak fairly about David’s situation. In 22:6 the spear seems to be the symbol of Saul’s authority while he sits at court with his fellow tribesmen and plots (with lies) David’s downfall. The spear does not have good positive connotations for David and the author supplies two stories that David did not know.
Q What is ironic about Abishai’s request to kill Saul with that spear?
An = Abishai wants to use the weapon used in repeated attempts by Saul to kill David so as to bring about justice.
C. David’s Equally Aggressive Choice. I Samuel 26:9-12.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 26:9-12.
Q Why does David not take Abishai’s advice?
An = David gives a two part answer. The First Answer is in 26:9. David again insists that it is wrong to slay the “Lord’s anointed”. He knows he will not be free of guilt if he slays Saul with his own hand. David still respects Saul’s anointed status.
Note: Gordon, p. 188, reminds us that David does not rationalize and let others do his “dirty work” for him. Letting Abishai do the deed would be the same as David doing the deed. Gordon wisely counsels us to never let others do our dirty work for us. Saul will eventually die, but it will not be by David’s hand.
Q Who are “anointed Sauls” in our day that we should not strike?
Q Who are the “Sauls”, the anointed ones in your life, that have hurt you that should not be avenged by your own hand?
Note: The Second Answer is in 26:10.
Q What three scenarios does David foresee for Saul in 26:10?
An = 1) The Lord will strike him. David remembers Nabal (25:38) and has learned from this situation and that God did bring about justice without bloodshed or a “short-cut” on his part. Normally things do not happen this fast in life but God allowed David to see “quick justice” in the case of Nabal and he learned from the situation. 2) Saul’s day will come. 3) Saul could perish in battle (which in fact, this was what was to happen (I Samuel 31).
Note: David is learning theology as he lives life. He has heard all his life that “God is just” and now in his own insecure and tortured life he is beginning to believe it may indeed be true even for him who has seemingly experienced so much injustice. David is willing to trust God. David is acting on his theology. David is learning theology you could never learn in a classroom. Theology is “thought about God” and the best way to learn about another person is not to study writings about them but to actually experience life with them. God is a person, and though study is good and profitable real, “knowledge” of God is gained through our choices and confirmed in our daily lives through the insecure and difficult times we experience.
Note: Notice that in 26:12 we learn that it was God’s doing that David got into the camp in the first place. God had put the army into a deep sleep or the “choice” of David would never had been possible.
Q Is opportunity given to us so we can take short-cuts, or so that we have opportunities to make good choices?
Note: David removes the symbol of Saul’s threat: the spear as well as the jug. David is a crafty and aggressive young man.
III. Dialogue From A Distance: I Samuel 26:13-25.
A. David’s Dialogue With Abner. I Samuel 26:13-16
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 26:13-16.
Note: Gordon, p. 188 thinks the author wants us to understand the “great distance” between the two parties as symbolic. David feels very distant from Saul. David will repeatedly refer to Saul as “King” three times in his speech to Abner (15-16). In the speeches that ensue David will refer to Saul as “king” or as “lord” but no longer as “father”, even though Saul will use such familiar language as son repeatedly in 26:17, 21 and 25 and call David by “name” (Brueggemann, p. 186). (Remember earlier, before the two incidents of David sparing Saul, David was always referred to as the “son of Jesse”.) For David, there is a distance now, that Saul has hunted him again. This will be the last time they will ever speak to one another.
Q Why does David speak to Abner first, instead of speaking first to Saul?
An = We are not directly told, but perhaps speaking to Abner gives Saul a chance to wake up and to view the evidence from an objective point of view, as he listens to David’s presentation of the spear and water jug. Often we understand and hear better when not directly confronted but indirectly confronted. Also, David might think Abner is the one feeding the lies to Saul. David seems assured that Saul is aware of all his goodness and David stills does not understand the jealously angle. He believes someone else in Saul’s court is feeding Saul the lies (26:19).
B. David’s Dialogue with Saul. I Samuel 26:17-25.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 26:17-20.
Q Does David again assert his innocence?
An = (Brueggemann, p. 186) Yes, and David again seeks to understand why Saul is doing what he is doing. He seems puzzled as to why Saul is hunting him. David even repeats the metaphor about the “flea” in verse 20. But there is a new part to this story, a key new part. Q What is the new issue David brings up in the very end of verse 19?
An = David feels he must leave Israel, now that Saul has renewed his “hunting license” for David’s life. To leave Israel is to leave the place where the true God is worshipped. This may sound strange that leaving Israel would entail “serving other gods”. Jews and Christians for centuries have worshipped their lord in the midst of “non-believing” communities.
Q When someone is unjustly driven from the church or feels they must leave the church just to survive, does that person often leave the faith as well?
An = It seems that this is the case. How many folks do we know who no longer call themselves Christians because of the treatment they received at the hands of a “christian leader” and were driven from the “land” or the “church”. Pastors or christian leaders should not have private agendas, especially in regard to issues of “power” and “position”.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 26:21-25.
Q What does Saul seem to confess in 26:21? Is it sincere?
An = It seems that it is a sincere confession. Brueggemann, p. 187, notes that Saul takes responsibility for his own actions. He does not blame God or blame his men: both options that David had offered in 26:19.
Q How does David respond to Saul’s confession of verse 21 in 26:22-24?
An = He holds up the spear, the very spear that Saul “repeatedly” tried to kill David with. Note, this is the 11th time Saul has attempted to kill David. Saul confesses and David just holds up the spear. He does “return” it though, for it is also a symbol of Saul’s power and David has not sought Saul’s power despite what Saul’s paranoia has led Saul to think. David basically says he does not believe Saul’s confession and he refuses Saul’s offer to “return as a son” when he holds up the spear. Instead, David refers his case to God in 26:23-24. David seeks justice not with his king, but only with His ultimate and supreme King: the Lord of all justice and righteousness.
Notes: Our story ends with a speech by Saul. There is no reason to doubt the speech’s sincerity. What is interesting is Saul can only bless David as God’s chosen, much like Balaam can only bless Israel as God’s chosen in Numbers 23:8. Saul’s very actions repeatedly belied his speech, much like Balaam’s actions repeatedly did. However, the truth is the truth, whether spoken by a good prophet or whether spoken by someone drugged by greed (Balaam) or by power (Saul).