How I Know What God Is Going To Do For Me
- Worship is taking time in reading, prayer, study, and listening to have the Holy Spirit inform and remind us of the character of God.
- In the OT, these believers are looking ahead. We have Jesus, the fulfillment of all righteousness and the One who paid all our debt and makes us right with God.
Hebrews 1
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.
2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.
3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
1 Samuel 22.1
So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there.
2 Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.
3 Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 4 So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold.
Psalm 27
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
2 When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.
4 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
Psalm 27.5
For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.
7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
9 Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation!
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.
11 Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
1 Samuel 22
5 One day the prophet Gad told David, “Leave the stronghold and return to the land of Judah.” So David went to the forest of Hereth.
6 The news of his arrival in Judah soon reached Saul. At the time, the king was sitting beneath the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, holding his spear and surrounded by his officers.
7 “Listen here, you men of Benjamin!” Saul shouted to his officers when he heard the news. “Has that son of Jesse promised every one of you fields and vineyards? Has he promised to make you all generals and captains in his army?
8 Is that why you have conspired against me? For not one of you told me when my own son made a solemn pact with the son of Jesse. You’re not even sorry for me. Think of it! My own son—encouraging him to kill me, as he is trying to do this very day!”
9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing there with Saul’s men, spoke up. “When I was at Nob,” he said, “I saw the son of Jesse talking to the priest, Ahimelech son of Ahitub.
10 Ahimelech consulted the Lord for him. Then he gave him food and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
How It Happened Is Troubling: 1 Samuel 21
David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. “Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?”
2 “The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later.
3 Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.”
4 “We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest replied. “But there is the holy bread, which you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently.”
5 “Don’t worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!”
6 Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread.
7 Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the Lord.Is Doeg a pretend believer? Is he a wolf among sheep? He’s a herdsman who’s not content to stay in that position. Detained by the Lord… what’s that? Whatever good comes from being in the presence of the LORD is NOWHERE evident in the life of Doeg. Being present at worship doesn’t make you a worshiper. Simple comparison: David went to hear from the Lord and be guided. Doeg was only in the area.
Psalm 52
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Doeg the Edomite said to Saul, “David has gone to see Ahimelech.”
1 Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?
2 All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies.
3 You love evil more than good and lies more than truth.
Interlude
4 You love to destroy others with your words, you liar!
5 But God will strike you down once and for all.
He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living. Interlude
6 The righteous will see it and be amazed. They will laugh and say,
7 “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God.
They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.”
8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.
I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.
9 I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done.
I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people.
The Slaughter of the Priests
1 Samuel 22.11
King Saul immediately sent for Ahimelech and all his family, who served as priests at Nob.
12 When they arrived, Saul shouted at him, “Listen to me, you son of Ahitub!”
“What is it, my king?” Ahimelech asked.
13 “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me?” Saul demanded. “Why did you give him food and a sword? Why have you consulted God for him? Why have you encouraged him to kill me, as he is trying to do this very day?”
14 “But sir,” Ahimelech replied, “is anyone among all your servants as faithful as David, your son-in-law? Why, he is the captain of your bodyguard and a highly honored member of your household!
15 This was certainly not the first time I had consulted God for him! May the king not accuse me and my family in this matter, for I knew nothing at all of any plot against you.”
16 “You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king shouted. 17 And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to kill the Lord’s priests.
18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments.
19 Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed the priests’ families—men and women, children and babies—and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.
20 Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David.
21 When he told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord,
22 David exclaimed, “I knew it! When I saw Doeg the Edomite there that day, I knew he was sure to tell Saul. Now I have caused the death of all your father’s family. 23 Stay here with me, and don’t be afraid. I will protect you with my own life, for the same person wants to kill us both.”
1 Samuel 23
One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors. 2 David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?”
“Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.
3 But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”
4 So David asked the Lord again, and again the Lord replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”
5 So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah.
6 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him.
7 Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!”
8 So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the Lord what he should do.
10 Then David prayed, “O Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here.
11 Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him? And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O Lord, God of Israel, please tell me.”
And the Lord said, “He will come.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah betray me and my men to Saul?”
And the Lord replied, “Yes, they will betray you.”
Psalm 31
1 O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced.
Save me, for you do what is right.
2Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe.
3 You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone.
5 I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.
6 I hate those who worship worthless idols. I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles,
and you care about the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place.
9 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes.
My body and soul are withering away.
10 I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.
11 I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—
even my friends are afraid to come near me.
When they see me on the street, they run the other way.
12 I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot.
13 I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror.
My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.
14 But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!”
15 My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
16 Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me.
17 Don’t let me be disgraced, O Lord, for I call out to you for help.
Let the wicked be disgraced; let them lie silent in the grave.
18 Silence their lying lips— those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.
19 How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
blessing them before the watching world.
20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.
21 Praise the Lord, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
22 In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!
David Hides in the Wilderness
1 Samuel 23.13
So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go to Keilah after all.
14 David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.
