David: Responding in Meekness in Times of Mistreatment
I. DAVID’S APPROACH TO PERSONAL CONFLICT
A. An important aspect of David’s life was how he responded when mistreated or falsely accused.
B. David committed his spirit, or the most important issues in his life, into God’s hands.
4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength.
5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me. (Ps. 31:4-5)
15 My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies… (Ps. 31:15)
C. Jesus committed His cause into God’s hands.
46 He said, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." (Lk. 23:46)
23 When He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who
judges righteously… (1 Pet. 2:23)
D. Foundational principle: We are not our own because Jesus bought us and now owns us. Therefore, He is responsible for us.
He owns our money, reputation, ministry position and impact, etc. Therefore, He is responsible to be our source in these
areas.
19 You are not your own…20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which
are God's. (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
E. We respond to pressure according to how we see Jesus as the one who has ownership over our life.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,"
says the Lord. (Rom. 12:19)
II. DAVID AND SAUL AT THE WILDERNESS OF ENGEDI (1 SAM. 24)
A. David finds Saul sleeping in a cave in the wilderness of Engedi.
1 When Saul had returned from following the Philistines…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…3 So he came to…a
cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave. (1 Sam. 24:1-2)
B. David feels convicted after he responded wrongly to Saul.
4 The men of David said, "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.'" David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe…5 David's
heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe. 6 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…" 7 David restrained his servants with these
words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. (1 Sam. 24:4-7)
C. David temporarily convinces Saul that he does not seek to harm him.
8 David arose afterward…and called out to Saul…9 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…I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.'…11 "See the corner
of your robe in my hand! 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…Yet you hunt my life to take it. (1 Sam. 24:8-11)
D. David commits his cause into God’s hands.
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…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." (1 Sam. 24:12-15)
III. DAVID AND SAUL AT THE WILDERNESS OF ZIPH (1 SAM. 26)
A. Saul continues to pursue David with 3,000 men.
2 Saul…went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David…
7 There Saul lay sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head….8 Then Abishai said to David,
"God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear.
(1 Sam. 24:2-8)
B. David continues to refuse to kill Saul.
9 David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be
guiltless?" 10 David said, "As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die…11 The LORD
forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed…12 David took the spear and the jug of water by
Saul's head…For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them. (1 Sam. 24:9-12)
C. David rebukes Abner, the captain of Saul’s army for not protecting Saul.
13 David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great distance being between them…
15 David said to Abner, "...Why then have you not guarded your lord the king?…
now see where the king's spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head." 17 Saul knew David's voice, and said, "Is
that your voice, my son David?"…18 He (David) said, "Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done,
or what evil is in my hand?
D. David commits his cause into God’s hands again.
21 Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your
eyes this day..." 22 David answered and said, "Here is the king's spear…23 May the LORD repay every man…for the
LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed. 24 And
indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the LORD, and let
Him deliver me out of all tribulation." 25 Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both
do great things and also still prevail."(1 Sam. 26:21-25)