God Became A Servant To His Creation

 The Servant's Arrival

Book of Mark Chapter 1

If we are familiar with the New Testament, we know this disciple Mark, is called John Mark in many places.

Mark was not one of the twelve disciples who became the Apostles.

John was his Hebrew name and Mark was his Roman name.

Mark was led to the Lord by the Apostle Peter and is said to have spent a lot of time with Peter and this is where he learned most of his doctrine and where he learned about the Lord because of Peter's close relationship with the Lord.

We can see the struggles of the Apostle Peter in the New Testament but we can also see that when Peter finally understood the Lord Jesus Christ, Peter became steadfast and dependable and a true Saint of God.

The Apostle reminds us our own struggles in the life of becoming a Christian.

We know that Mark also spent some time with the Apostle Paul and Barnabas and was kin to Barnabas.

The Book of Mark was written before the destruction of the Jewish Temple as we can tell because of what was written.

It may have been written around 50 AD.

Some say it was written to the Roman world which means it was written to the Gentile world.

The purpose of the Book of Mark is to show that Jesus is unquestionably the Son of God!

Mar 1:1  The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 

Mar 1:2  As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 

In the Book of Mark, our Lord Jesus is declared to be the Son of God at His baptism.

In the Book of Mark, our Lord Jesus is declared to be the Son of God at His transfiguration both times by the Heavenly voice of His father.

Our lessons in this quarter will teach us of the Lord Jesus Christ as God's Heavenly Servant come to this earth to save all those who believe the truth of the Messiah.

Mark wrote that even the demons said that Jesus was the Son of God.

Mark wrote that even at the end of the life of Jesus, even a Roman Centurion said that Our Lord Jesus was the Son of God.

Mark wrote that Jesus Himself said that He was the Son of God!

I do not know about you, but I believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, a third part of the Holy Trinity!

Still one God, but in three persons.

These lessons from the Book of Mark are intended to help our learning more about our Savior who came as a Servant.

The Bible begins by teaching us that God created us in His image and this was true until sin entered into the world.

The Lord Jesus spent His life teaching us, that He will remove the curse of sin and we can once again be created in the image of God our Savior!

The Lord Jesus is our example in all things and Mark begins with the baptism of the Messiah!

There is no salvation that comes from baptism, but it seems that baptism is still essential if we are to walk in the ways of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The Apostle Peter wrote:

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 

The Apostle Paul:

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Again, we are not saved by baptism, but it is included in our walk with the Lord Jesus.

If we pay attention, we will see that our baptism should be a full immersion if we are to be like Christ.

Buried and then raised to a new life.

In the baptism of our Lord Jesus we get a picture of what happens when we decide to totally submit to the Lord.

Joh 13:17  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. 

*****Mar 1:9  And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 

Nazareth was a small town where Joseph and Mary came to raise Jesus.

The word Nazareth means separated.

Joseph and Mary wanted a place where the Lord Jesus would be safe, as Herod had already tried to murder the Lord.

The Lord Jesus had grown up in peaceful seclusion, but in this time nearly thirty years, He had grown in favor with God and man.

Luk 2:52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

The town of Nazareth was not mentioned in the Old Testament.

Our Lord Jesus left the city of Nazareth to be baptized and then He began His ministry of salvation.

The Lord Jesus was immediately recognized by His forerunner John the Baptist.

Mat 3:13  Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 

This is the first place that our Heavenly Father made the world to know that the Lord Jesus was His Son.

Luk 3:21  Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 

Luk 3:22  And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

The Lord Jesus left all behind to begin the ministry He had come from Heaven to perform.

He left a cheerful home.

He left a close nit family.

He left behind a good profession; He was a carpenter.

He left his childhood friends.

Many a missionary will do these same things.

Many servants of God have to do these same things.

Many believers have to do these same things today.

He began His ministry to save this wicked world.

He had only thirty-six months to complete His mission.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

1Pe 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 

1Pe 2:23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

We should understand that the decision we make to follow the Lord Jesus, is an important decision probably the greatest decision we will make all our lifetime.

It involves surrendering our all and sacrificing ourselves completely to the Lord, but a decision not to follow the Lord will lead to a tragic life that is wasted on sin.

Mark describes to us what happened on the day of His baptism.

*****Mar 1:10  And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 

Mar 1:11  And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

We can only imagine what it means to say that the heavens opened up.

The Lord Jesus was being commissioned and set apart by Heaven itself.

The Spirit of God came down from Heaven in the actions of a dove not looking like a dove.

Watch how a dove lands as it ends its flight to see this.

It is different from all other birds.

This event identified the Lord Jesus as the promised Messiah.

This event declared that the Holy Spirit of our Heavenly Father brought His power down from Heaven to do the work God had promised written in the Scriptures.

Notice the Holy Spirit descended upon our Lord not inside of Him.

**We should know that when we are called to the work of God and we accept that calling, we are also empowered by our Heavenly Father to do the work given to us by God Himself.

The only difference being that the Holy Spirit will move into us and abide in us forever, if we show faith in the work that the Lord Jesus has done to save us.

Before the Lord Jesus we had an evil spirit. After accepting the Lord Jesus Christ, that evil spirit is replaced with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will not share His existence with an evil spirit inside us!

First, we must decide to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ and the work He has done for our salvation. This is where our faith becomes so important. We must be willing to surrender all we have, even our own life.

Mar_8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

**Second, as we begin that work, He has given to us, we must identify with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luk 10:16  He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. 

Most of us lack the commitment to serve the Lord! 

We just do not identify ourselves with the Lord and the world never sees us as a follower of Christ Jesus.

That word "opened" means that God ripped the heavens apart to give His Son this message.

The baptism of Jesus involved God's approval and also God's encouragement!

Remember the Lord Jesus was one hundred percent God, but He was also one hundred percent human.

The Lord Jesus Christ had to pay an enormous price to serve His Heavenly Father!

As a human He needed the perfect assurance of God just as we do.

Psa 2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Isa 42:5  Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 

Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

Again this is where our faith comes in.

God will see to it that we know His will for us, but we can also have the assurance that we are in His will for us!

God will speak to our hearts and give us signs of His approval.

Once the Holy Spirit was upon the Lord Jesus, He drove Him straight into the wilderness.

He had to be tested. We should understand that without a test we will never have a testimony!

*****Mar 1:12  And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 

Mar 1:13  And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. 

Without a doubt, we are going to face temptation all the days of our lives!

We must have a good understanding of just what temptation is!

We should study this time of temptation of our Lord Jesus to learn all we can.

Why had the Lord Jesus been sent to earth?

1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

1Jn 3:9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 

Because the Lord Jesus had come to destroy the works of the Devil then, the first thing that Jesus did was to enter into the conflict with the Devil.

This means we are wrong if we do not inform Satan that we are the "born again" children of God!

We cannot be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

We do not have to challenge Satan, but we do have to stand our ground against him!

Satan is our true enemy, but we should have no fear of him!

We see that the Lord Jesus allows Satan to tempt Him for forty days and nights.

The Devil could not have victory over the Lord Jesus and therefore he left, but he had plans to continue to tempt the Lord Jesus all the days He remained upon this earth.

Luk 4:13  And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 

We should understand that the temptations we go through are steppingstones and not stumbling stones.

They are simply opportunities for the Holy Spirit to make us stronger and earn rewards.

When we are stronger, we are more able to do the things that God requires of us.

When we face temptation, we need to sit down with God and seek His power to overcome that temptation.

Remember, the battle with Satan is the Lord's battle, we must not allow ourselves to be drawn into the middle of it!

Satan will do everything he can to arouse our flesh to sin, and we must use the strength of the Holy Spirit block him.

John the Baptist had completed his job as forerunner and it was time for him get out of the way, so the Lord Jesus could begin His own ministry which was far more important.

John had told his own disciples it was time he got out of the way of the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

Joh 3:28  Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 

Joh 3:29  He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease. 

It may not seem fare for John to be put in prison, but we must cling to our faith that God always does the right thing.

It was not God who caused the arrest of John the Baptist, but He did allow it to take place.

*****Mar 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 

Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 

In the process of time, at least a complete year had passed between verse 13 and verse 14.

John the Apostle gives us most of the information that Mark leaves out during this period of time.

The Lord Jesus had selected His disciples during this time.

The Lord Jesus had moved His headquarters to Capernaum during this time period.

The Lord Jesus had gone to Jerusalem to observe the Passover Feast.

The Lord had met Nicodemus.

The ministry of the Lord Jesus was moving along at a fast pace for the kingdom of God was truly at hand!

Our own ministries to our friends and family need to move on at a faster pace today, because the kingdom of God is surely at hand today and the return of the Lord.

God saves us for two purposes:

1) To obey Him and He gives us the Bible to know what to obey.

2) To lead others to obey Him and this means people of all nations and all cultures.

God's goal is for all mankind to become His family.

This means those who freely choose to join the family of God!

God calls us children to put us in the right frame of mind so we can learn to obey just as we instill this in our own children.

The Gospel declares that time is fulfilled.

All the things of the Old Testament had brought the people to the time of the Church.

Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 

Jesus the Messiah came to bring salvation to all mankind.

Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 

Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

The law had been in place and had done its educational work.

Rom 3:20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

Gal_3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal_3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

It was now time for "faith" to take the center stage of our salvation.

Repentance came to the forefront.

Just to repent is not enough!

Payment must be made for the laws that were broken.

This is why we must believe and place our faith in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus lived a sinless life as our example of what it takes to please God.

We have to become sin free to please God.

This is where the Gospel and Grace comes in.

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 

Rom 3:26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 

The world was an open door for the spread of the Gospel.

Elijah had come in the person of John the Baptist.

John had moved out of the way so the Gospel could be preached around the world, beginning with the Lord Jesus to the Jews and then the Gentiles and the Apostles to the uttermost parts of the world, which remains our job today.

The Church is now in its last days and the return of Jesus Christ is very near.

And the Lord Jesus shows us how we are to minister.

*****Mar 1:21  And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 

We see that the Lord Jesus began His ministry with worship, immediately.

That word “straightway” means immediately.

The Jews worshipped on the Sabbath (Saturday) and Jesus chose the synagogue at Capernaum.

To the Jew, the synagogue was the most important institution and it was the center of their worship.

Most of them only went to the Temple three times a year, but to the synagogue they went every Saturday.

The synagogue was also the place of learning and education.

It is like Sunday School of today, where the Scriptures are to be studied by all ages.

The Lord Jesus seized on this opportunity to teach in this synagogue.

See, Jesus was the only One who knew how much time He had left and we know He had only about three years before that cross.

Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 

Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 

We are in those dark days now awaiting the return of the Lord Jesus.

In fact, our nation is becoming darker and we might not have much longer to freely teach the Bible.

What do we do?

We lose time and just allow it to pass by.

We ignore time and just let it pass.

We neglect time with a non-caring attitude.

We abuse time, and do the opposite of what we should be doing.

This sounds harsh, but we have very little time to reach our children and grandchildren and even friends that we know who are lost.

I’m just as guilty as anyone else.

The Lord Jesus seized upon the little time He had left and this is the story behind the Gospels.

The Lord Jesus did not waste time!

None of the average people had a copy of the Scriptures, but there was one in the Synagogue.

In fact, services and discussions were conducted daily in most synagogues.

Even when the Jews were scattered around the world, no matter how small a group of them were, they would build them a synagogue.

In some cities there were more than one synagogue.

It is said that there were more than one hundred synagogues in Jerusalem even in the time of Jesus.

A service in a synagogue would have prayers, Scripture reading, and then discussion.

Distinguished persons, local or strangers, were invited to take part in the service and we see that our Lord Jesus joined in and began to read from the Scriptures.

The Apostle Paul used this same strategy.

*****Mar 1:22  And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. 

These Jews were aroused by the teaching of Jesus Christ because He preached the truth, with authority.

The Scribes taught using tradition of the elders, the oral law with enough Scripture as the source of their authority.

Their teaching was second handed, because they only repeated what the Rabbis taught.

The scribes use the words "it has been said".

Jesus taught with personal authority because He is the Author!

The Lord Jesus used the phrase, "I say unto you".

What is the best time to teach people? When they gather on their day of worship. 

The sabbath for the Jews.

What is the best method of teaching on the day of worship? Preaching.

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

1Co 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 

1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 

1Th 1:5  For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 

1Co 1:17  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 

1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 

1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 

1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

The Lord Jesus was certain and He was positive.

The Lord Jesus stressed our need for the truth in this world full of Satan's lies.

The Lord Jesus preached on matters of the heart and life. The world only teaches thoughts and rationalism.

The Lord Jesus preached life and life eternal, while all others preached religion, philosophy.

The Lord Jesus practiced and lived what He preached, while others twist and interprets the laws of God to their own liking and live by their own thoughts.

2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 

2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 

2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 

The Lord preached to make everyone part of His family and all others preached division of family and groups as it is today.

Amen

God Will Judge All Transgressions

Judgment for Saul's Transgressions

Book of 1 Samuel Chapter 31, Book of 2 Samuel Chapter 1, Book of 1 Chronicles Chapter 10

In the end we see that King Saul's life was a tragedy and his death as the closing scene of the life of a man who refused to be obedient to the Lord.

In this study of the First Book of Samuel we can see that there is nothing more certain in this life than the Word of God!

Whatever God has said is the truth and will take place!

Heaven and Earth will certainly pass away, but the Word of God will never pass away.

So it is with the "judgment of God"!

When God says judgment is coming, then judgment is certainly coming!

Because God is a holy God, He must judge all that is unholy, or He would no longer be holy Himself!

Judgment is a necessary expression of God's character; however God's judgment is always fair!

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 

Some of that judgment will come during this Church Age as there has been some of God's judgment in every age.

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

However this is not the final judgment begins with the return of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is Our Lord Jesus who will render God's judgment, when He returns!

Joh 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 

Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Mat 16:27  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 

Mat 16:28  Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. 

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

So let us look at the judgment of God against Saul.

*****1Sa 31:1  Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 

1Sa 31:2  And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. 

We should remember that Jonathan was David's best friend and Jonathan would have helped David to be the next king if he could have.

Much of Israel would have insisted that Jonathan or one of his brothers be the next king and there would have been division in the people of Israel.

We see the evidence of what happens, as today America is more divided than we have ever been because of sinful politics and wicked politicians and corruption.

Yes, the swamp does actually exist

The very people who are saying that conservative thinking people will destroy democracy are the ones who are using every effort to destroy democracy and make America a one-party system and remain in power for ever.

How could anyone believe that as individuals we have the freedom to kill innocent children in the womb.

We should never have the freedom to murder any innocent human being!

We should also be very clear that there is nothing more certain than the Word of God and God loves all of His children!

Saul's troops stood no chance against the massive army of the Philistines, but this would have been irrelevant had Saul been obedient to the Lord God Jehovah.

As Saul watched from safety, he saw his army being slaughtered by the Philistines.

Then he witnessed the slaughter of his own sons, there were three that died this day.

David and his men had been sent back to Ziklag and they were not present to witness these things, as David would have surely tried to help his dear friend Johnathan.

When God pronounces judgment, that judgment will certainly take place!

God will not allow His children to witness His judgment!

The Church will be saved from the coming wrath of God!

The Lord had warned Saul of his disobedience and his wicked life.

In fact, God has warned us all of His judgment against disobedience!

All those who oppose God and reject the Word of God, will also see a similar judgment as did Saul.

We can also see that our actions can cause harm to our own children, even if some of our children trust in God as did Jonathan.

Part of the judgment on King Saul was the fact that he had to witness the death of his sons before he met his own death.

God will take away many of the righteous before the evil that is to come, as I believe He is doing now with so many good Christians going on home to be with the Lord.

This means that those who are the strongest will witness more of the evilness that will come before the Rapture of the Church.

Isa 57:1  The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 

King Saul knew his own end was very near, and he chose to take his own life rather than allow the Philistines to abuse him before his death.

This thing also teaches us just how wicked the Philistines were as are many of the Palestinians today.

It is hatred that drives them today, just as it did in the early days of Israel.

*****1Sa 31:3  And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 

1Sa 31:4  Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 

1Sa 31:5  And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 

1Sa 31:6  So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

As the Philistines turned their attention to King Saul, he was struck with an arrow which may have been enough to cause his death, but not a quick death.

Saul became afraid that he would still be alive when the Philistines caught up with him.

This also shows us that there is no amount of armor that will protect us from the judgment of God.

Saul's life had been a tragedy since he had forsaken the Lord and his death came just as Samuel had told him.

Saul's last enemy was the enemy that we should all fear the most, our own wicked selves.

Saul was his own worst enemy and it led to his suicide!

There is no punishment for suicide and it is said by many to be a coward's way out of this world.

Today suicide is considered to be a symptom of some form of insanity, but this is not very true.

It is more a sign of hopelessness!

This places a lot of blame on our government and its policies and a lack of truth and it's corruption.

Suicide comes to those who have lost all hope or are in desperation.

Suicide is actually the murder of your own self!

I am not sure that it is insanity at all, but is more of a picture of those who have no hope in the things of this world.

Suicides are one of the leading causes of death in the America we love.

In 2021, 48,183 Americans died by suicide.

Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.

Every day, approximately 132 Americans die by suicide.

There is one suicide death in the US every 10.9 minutes.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-old Americans.

The highest suicide rates (per 100,000) in the US are among white males (26.4), followed by American Indian/Alaska Native males (25), and Black males (14.1).

**There is one suicide death for every estimated twenty-five suicide attempts.

There are approximately 1,204,575 annual attempts in the U.S. (using 25:1 ratio) or one attempt every 26.2 seconds.

This event brought a sad ending to the first King of Israel.

We should not have pity on King Saul because these things were his own doing and because he was disobedient to Jehovah.

The judgment of God will come on all those who are disobedient to the Word of God and this is what God says not me.

This was the sad end to Saul's Kingdom.

Saul had not reigned very long before he began to separate himself from the people he was supposed to care for.

This is what the government is most guilty of, they separate themselves from the people they were elected to care for!

Government begins to tell us they know more about how to take care of us than we do ourselves, especially our children.

It is a fact that every unruly government has tried this tactic throughout the ages. 

They start by brainwashing the children and just allowing the old folks to die off.

Saul was soon separated from Samuel who was God's representative.

He was soon separated from David who tried his best to help Saul and to do only God's will.

Saul executed God's priests.

We see that Church persecution is always higher when governments go against the Word of God!

We should ask, what are they afraid of? They are afraid of things they say they do not believe in!

Saul asked in vain for God's help, but that help did not come because he would not repent.

Without repentance there is no forgiveness!

The homosexual world should understand this!

The transsexual world should understand this.

All sinners should understand this and we are all sinners!

Saul called in vain for Samuel's help through witchcraft when it was impossible to talk to Samuel.

Saul died an early death because he had forsaken the Lord!

It appeared that Saul had taken the sword of his armor bearer or some sword other than his own and used it to kill himself, so it would not look like a suicide.

He was still trying to protect his legacy.

The armor bearer then thought if he escaped his own death, he would be accused of killing King Saul and therefore took his own life.

This is the "circle of deception" when we try to live in this manner!

Saul and most of his house died together because Saul was what the Bible calls a reprobate.

We are ruled in America today by a bunch of reprobates!

Saul was rejected because of his worthlessness to the plan of God.

The Lord expects us to take a look at ourselves to see if we are reprobates!

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 

Saul was a man in a hurry to cause his own doom!

This is the trait of most all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

They are all in a hurry to get to Hell when the Lord Jesus provides a perfect path to avoid Hell!

God has given these over to believe a lie and God will not force anyone to obey Him.

To forsake God is to be lost! God will forsake all those who forsake Him!

God offered Saul room to repent, but Saul had rejected all the Word of God and refused to repent.

Once we are rejected of God, there is no more opportunity to obtain salvation!

*****2Sa 1:23  Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 

2Sa 1:24  Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 

2Sa 1:25  How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 

2Sa 1:26  I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 

2Sa 1:27  How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! 

David had just returned to Ziklag with all his family and all that was stolen by the Amalekites.

On his third day back to the place he was living, another Amalekite showed up with news of the battle between the Philistines and Israel.

Saul and Jonathan and much of Israel were now dead.

This man said he was from the camp of King Saul which was the first clue that the things he said were not true.

After Samuel had pointed out the sins of Saul in his battle with the Amalekites, it would be hard to believe that Saul had an Amalekite in his camp unless he was a prisoner and the Lord had said to not make them prisoners but to execute them for their atrocities against other humans.

David knew these things so he had asked how he knew Saul and Jonathan were dead.

He said that Saul had attempted to kill himself with a spear and faced a long slow death and King Saul had asked this Amalekite to finish the job for him and he did, and brought some of Saul's personal items and gave them to David.

We already know that Saul had fallen on the sword of his armor barer or some other sword and had succeeded in his death.

His armor barer seeing the death of his king then took his own life.

David then killed this Amalekite knowing his version of the story was filled with lies or he would have tried to save King Saul.

David and his men grieved over the news from the battlefield.

David the musician authored a poem (the word "elegy" means poem) for Saul and Jonathan which is part of our lesson today.

God expects us to have a personal relationship with Him and He also expects us to be friendly with those we love and those who are our enemies.

There are some people we get especially close to and are influenced by them.

This love and respect are different from the love of a spouse and a spouse should always have our heart second only to the Lord our Savior and then our children!

I can tell you from experience that many a soldier can get this close to those around him, and it is not some immoral thing but comrades in arms dependent upon one another for survival.

Saul and Jonathan may have disagreed on many things, especially about David, but Jonathan remained dedicated to Israel and to his father.

Jonathan remained close to Jehovah even though his father had forsaken Jehovah.

What Jonathan had not been was a friend to his father. He had become David's faithful friend and had remained that way.

This is the theme of these words of David.

David reveals his heart to us by showing his grief for Saul and Jonathan.

David had lived like a fugitive, but he still had respect for those who were anointed of God.

His wives and his family had to suffer through the same hardships as he did.

Saul had hunted David down for seven years and David had every reason to rejoice at the death of Saul, yet it brought sorrow and grief.

We do not read in any of the Scripture where David showed disrespect or dishonored God's anointed ruler in any way.

Our lesson is, when a leader commits corruption and wickedness, or makes the wrong decisions, he is to be corrected.

We are not to condone such a ruler!

We are still to honor that position of leadership!

God used Saul to keep the Philistines from causing harm to God's people and he had done a fair job and would have done a much better job had remained close to Jehovah.

When we read of the love of Johnathan for David, we should be reminded of the love of our Lord Jesus that He has for each of His children.

This is not some feeble love!

This is not some immoral love! The soul of our Lord Jesus is so closely knit in us that nothing can

separate us from the love of Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus shows an unselfish love for each believer!

Jonathan could not expect to gain some advantage from his friendship and neither does our Lord.

Johnathan said to David: 1Sa 20:4  Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. 

Is this not what the Lord Jesus has said to each of us?

Our Lord says, you have not because you ask not because we ask for the wrong reasons. (not the exact words)

The Lord Jesus took off His royalty and took upon Himself the ways of a shepherd, just so He could save us even when we were His enemies at that time.

It is we who are enriched by the love of Christ!

We keep forgetting that love is an action word and not about lust.

The Lord Jesus proved His love for us by His actions on Mount Calvary!

It was not nails and rope that kept the Lord Jesus upon that cross, it was His great love for us!

Where are our actions for Him? Where is our great love for the Lord Jesus?

Why did King Saul die?

*****1Ch 10:13  So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 

1Ch 10:14  And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. 

Saul died because of his disobedience.

Saul died because he did not keep the Word of God.

Saul died because he went to someone described as having a familiar spirit and did not trust the Word of God for the answers he needed.

Samuel was dead and Saul could not call upon the old prophet for God's word. It was impossible!

Familiar spirits are sorcerers or necromancers who say they can call up the dead to answer questions. They can only call up an evil spirit who can impersonate a believer. They cannot call up God's children. There is a great unpassable gulf between Heaven and Hell and between Hell and Paradise at that time.

Deu 18:11  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Isa 8:19  And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

Lev 20:6  And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. 

Lev 20:7  Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. 

Lev 20:8  And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you. 

We already know that all those that died in the Old Testament went to a place called Paradise or that place called Hell both of them in the same general location at this time and no one could pass from one side or the other.

Luk 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 

The Lord Jesus Christ took all the saints in Paradise on to Heaven when He returned to Heaven and Hell expanded itself.

Luk_23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 

Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 

Rev 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 

Mat 27:52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 

Mat 27:53  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

These are the ones the Lord took with Him on to Heaven.

Isa 5:14  Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

Now Hell is large enough to keep all those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and Hell continues to grow because there is no end to sin in the Church Age.

The Lord will return to get all the saints that have died and those who are still alive at the end of the Church Age. This is called the Rapture of the Church not the progressive Church because there is no such thing.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

Amen. 

Child Traffickers Are Predators

Equal Parts

Book of 1 Samuel Chapter 30

As we begin to see the story of David in the Bible, we see him as a young man, a man after God's own heart, fleeing for his life from a king who wanted him dead.

Chapter 27 describes to us how David left the promised land and moved into a territory of the Philistines.

If God teaches us one important thing after we are saved, it is that we are not to associate with the enemies of God.

Yes, we live amongst them, but we are still to come out from them and be separate from the ways of the world.

David himself began to doubt the promises of God.

David began living a life of deception and lies.

Lying to and deceiving any person is one of the worst evils that can be committed by us!

These things will always damage any relationship!

If lies and deception are not exposed, they will cause all sorts of problems for the liar and the deceiver, and we see this in America every day not only from people but also from our own government.

Chapter 28 tells us that Saul got so desperate for a spirit different from his own, that he sought one from the world of the occult.

We see that people can get tired of their way of life but they usually still reject God's way.

Saul had not understood the truth of the Holy Spirit because he had rebelled against the Lord.

When we go to the world of the occult instead of to our Holy God, we are treading on dangerous ground that is also unholy ground!

Saul had reached that point where the Lord would not answer him, and he was desperate for the truth of God, but he refused to read the Word of God, which he had a copy given to him by Samuel.

What does God say?

Gen 6:3  And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man,

Saul had reached that point in his life where God had left him to do his own thing and he found that it was not working out so well, but it was too late for Saul.

When we face desperate situations, seeking the Lord for the answer, but we continue living with sin and iniquity without repentance, the Lord will not hear us.

Psa 66:18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

It is a serious offense against the Lord to go the occult, who are the children of the Devil.

There is no such thing as a white witch or a dark witch.

They all try to take the place of God.

For no one knows more than God nor can they.

Just the fact that we think we could get some good advice from someone other than God is a terrible sin!

The fate of a disobedient person is that of utter despair and hopelessness!

The truth is, God has the power to hold each of us in His hand and work out all things for each believer!

Chapter 29 

In this chapter we find that "all" evil associations will create problems for us!

Being closely tied to worldliness will lead us down the path of destruction and death!

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

What was the solution to David's predicament? His solution was Jehovah God!

The Lord has the answer to every question that we have!

God has the power to deliver all His people!

God moves events daily to be make His will prevail!

We seem to have the ability to get ourselves into predicaments that we cannot handle, but God has the power to deliver us through these things.

Now Chapter 30

*****1Sa 30:1  And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 

1Sa 30:2  And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 

The first thing we should notice is that it was the Amalekites that had escaped from King Saul that had done these things to David and his men.

None of the Israelites had obeyed God in destroying the Amalekites and they were a truly wicked people.

They would cause trouble for Israel as long as they existed!

We see that they used the same tactics. They went after the young and the innocent who could not protect themselves.

There is a word we have for that and it is "predator".

They did not always kill everyone, but they made slaves out of all of them even the children.

They were traffickers in human beings!

It is no wonder that God had chosen to destroy them.

Enslavement, being held in bondage is one of the most terrible evils on the face of this earth.

But child trafficking is allowed to continue by most all governments which should be enough proof that the elite and those with government connections of each nation are involved in these things or they would have been stopped long ago.

We should demand more action than we are getting from our government!

David and his men had returned from the battlefield and found that their women and children and all their possessions had been taken by the Amalekites and their homes burned.

We should remember that David had forsaken the Promised Land and was living amongst the Philistines at this time and was about to go to war against his own people, but God had intervened and the Philistines had sent David back to Ziklag afraid that he would turn against them in the midst of the battle.

It had taken David and his men about three days to return home to Ziklag.

While the Israelites and the Philistines were about to go to war, the Amalekites had chosen this time to attack many vulnerable locations that had been left undefended including Ziklag.

Was God involved in this?

We know for sure that the providence of God is involved in everything that goes on in this world, to lead this world to the day of the return of Jesus Christ but God does not cause evil.

Another thing we know for sure is that this instant brought David back to Jehovah God from which he had strayed.

David had nowhere else to turn except to return to Jehovah.

The Lord should be the first place we turn to and not the last place we turn to.

David had lost his wives and his family and all his friends and his army was turning against him.

We would have expected David to ask for the council of God before he joined the Philistines but he did not.

We would have expected David to ask for the council of God when he joined with King Achish to war with Israel but he did not.

David now asks for the council of God, to know if should pursue after the Amalekites.

*****1Sa 30:3  So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 

1Sa 30:4  Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 

1Sa 30:5  And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 

1Sa 30:6  And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

There is one thing that it seems we are never prepared for.

We are never prepared for the unexpected events of sorrow.

We do not know what will happen to us or our family from one moment to the next, and we do not know how to prepare for it.

There is only one preparation that we can make and it is to have a close personal relationship with the Lord.

David had allowed his relationship with Jehovah to suffer because of the actions of King Saul, but we are never to blame the things that happen to us on the Lord.

Yes, the providence of God is at work in this world, but God is not the blame for these things that happen to us, especially if we have forsaken Him.

Terrible things happen to all people, the good and the wicked.

We must know where to go when these things happen to us, and that place to go is to the Lord.

If we go to hang out with the enemies of God, and to be a part of their wickedness, then we may expect to be met with evil tidings when we return home again.

We have been called according to the purpose of God and it is that purpose where we should show our strength.

When we walk outside of the umbrella of God's protection, we should know we will get burned.

We must encourage ourselves through the Lord and He will overrule our thoughts, and He will bring the Light of Jesus out of darkness, and He will bring peace out of trouble.

It is never too late to call upon the Lord!

*****1Sa 30:7  And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. 

1Sa 30:8  And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 

1Sa 30:9  So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed. 

There was no one else to go to but to the Lord!

What a promise was made to David by Jehovah!

God said to David yes, to pursue after these marauders.

God said you will surely catch up with them.

God said you will surely overtake them and get all your possessions back and all your family.

How could David not go after these people who God had doomed to destruction.

In typology the Amalekites represent the flesh.

What had God said about the flesh?

Mat 18:8  Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 

Mat 18:9  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. 

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

David with six hundred men chased after the Amalekites until they reached the brook Besor.

*****1Sa 30:10  But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.

David and his men had spent the last three days traveling to get back home.

They had left home in hot pursuit of those who had taken their families and their possessions and they faced the brook Besor with extremely high banks and torrential waters.

Today this place is called the Besor Ravine.

Some of David's men just were too worn out to go any further.

They were in a state of total exhaustion!

It was at this time they found a half-dead Egyptian lying in a field.

*****1Sa 30:11  And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water; 

1Sa 30:12  And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. 

1Sa 30:13  And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick

This Egyptian had not eaten in three days and had been too tired to make it to the Brook for water.

Once this man revived, David began to interrogate him and David began to find out some things about these Amalekites.

This man had been a slave to one of the Amalekites, but he had become too sick to travel and he was left behind to die.

He told David how these Amalekites had raided three separate places, one of them being Ziklag.

*****1Sa 30:14  We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. 

The Amalekites had raided the Cherethites and killed men and took their possessions.

These Cherethites were connected to Philistines who for some reason did not go to war with the other Philistines.

It was these Cherethites that had come from Crete not the Philistines who probably came from Egypt.

We see later that these same Cherethites become the bodyguards to King David and after David for his son Solomon.

These Amalekites had raided a portion of Judah and had done the same thing.

These Amalekites had raided the Negev of Caleb, which was near Hebron, another portion of Judah given to Caleb by Joshua.

They had raided Ziklag and burnt it to the ground and took all the wives and children as slaves and took all of the possessions of David and his men.

We can see the hatred they had for Israel.

Since this man knew so much, David took him with him because he knew the plans of the Amalekites.

This Egyptian agreed to go under two conditions.

1) That David would not kill him.

2) That David would not return him to his master.

*****1Sa 30:15  And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company. 

1Sa 30:16  And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 

The lesson we are to learn here is that we are to have compassion for those in need even if they are our enemies.

By showing this man compassion David learned the whereabouts of those who had his family.

We should take notice that these Amalekites had raided places in Israel where the soldiers had left to join the war with the Philistines.

We should also notice that these Amalekites had raided places of the Philistines where the soldiers had left to join the war with the Israelites.

They had raided Ziklag because they knew that David and his men had left to join the war with the Israelites but God had stopped David from the slaughter of his own people.

David could never have been King of Israel had he done so!

Another day and these Amalekites would have returned to their homeland and divided the spoils and it would have been much harder for David and his men to regain their possessions and their families. so we can see the hand of God in the background.

He had told David that he would get his family back and all his possessions.

These Amalekites felt safe enough to celebrate their victories before they reached home and this is when David found them with the help of that Egyptian.

They saw no visible sign of danger and yet they were nearest to destruction.

This is what we see in the world today.

Those who are wicked and corrupt do not see the signs of danger, yet they are very near to their own destruction, because the Lord's vengeance is very near!

In typology these things teach us of the return of Jesus Christ.

1Th 5:1  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 

1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 

1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 

We that trust in the Lord know, that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near, but another way to look at this is the fact that the triumphing of wicked is about to end.

Job 20:5  That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 

Job 20:6  Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 

Job 20:7  Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? 

This was the perfect time for David to attack and he did.

*****1Sa 30:17  And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. 

1Sa 30:18  And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.

The Amalekites were a people condemned to death and God used David as the hand of judgment in this case.

Just like the Lord Jesus Christ, David had come to set the captives free.

This is another picture in the Bible of a wonderful "deliverance" constructed by Jehovah God!

David recovered everything he had lost and his family.

There were still about four hundred of these Amalekite that escaped this day using camels to escape.

In addition David recovered all the spoils these raiders had taken from those various places.

*****1Sa 30:19  And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all. 

1Sa 30:20  And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil. 

All the possessions of David and his men were recovered along with wives and family unharmed.

While David’s men rounded up all their own property, they also rounded up all the animals and the possessions that were left behind by the fleeing Amalekites.

It is these things that were called David's spoils and it will be these things that will be divided among all the other of David's followers and friends.

In typology we can see a relationship with the Lord Jesus when He made us free.

1) We were captives of sin: We sin and we cannot help it, it is in our genes. No matter how much we try, we sin and come short of the Glory of God.

Alone we cannot break free from that sin, but by the power of our Lord Jesus we are made free from sin.

2) We were captured of death: Death had us in its grasp and refused to let us go! We die, every one of us and there is nothing we can do about it.

From dust we came and to dust we will return, but by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ death no more has a hold on us.

Death is now our ticket to the glory world.

3) We were held captive by Hell. Before we gave ourselves to the Lord Jesus, we were bound for Hell and there was nothing we could do about it.

The Lord Jesus has made us free from Death, Hell, and the Grave and are now acceptable to God through His Son.

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 

Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Now let us look at the theme of our lesson today.

*****1Sa 30:21  And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. 

1Sa 30:22  Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. 

1Sa 30:23  Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. 

1Sa 30:24  For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. 

1Sa 30:25  And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. 

The more we look at David, we can see why God chose him to be King of Israel, still recognizing that he was only human and not a perfect man.

Those two hundred who had been too tired to help pursue the enemy, rushed out to meet David and his other men.

David did not rebuke them nor show scorn at them, but allowed them to join in the celebration.

Some in David's army did not feel the same as did David.

Notice the Bible calls them wicked men and of Belial. Belial means worthless and lawless.

These men were opposed to sharing with these men the spoils of the Amalekites.

David declared two facts:

1) The victory was the Lord's, so those spoils were a gift from Him to be shared.

2) It is just as important to supply the needs of every soldier, as it is to supply the needs of the combat soldier, or the army will never be ready when called upon again for battle.

Justice demanded that they all shared and shared alike.

This principle of equal distribution remained a permanent law all the time of King David.

Of all the gifts the Lord allows us to receive, the gift of salvation is given equally to all those who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

We must never be greedy with the gifts God shares with us while we are alive.

A greedy heart will mistreat all others.

A greedy person seldom reaches out with a helping hand.

A greedy person will in many cases is aroused to cheat and steal, in order to satisfy that greed.

God's Word is truly clear:

We must always be just in our dealings with other people whether Christian or those of the world.

Covetousness is condemned by our All-knowing Savior!

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 

Col 3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 

Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 

God demands that we treat people justly, and fairly!

God says we are to be generous in dealing with people!

A Christian is not to be greedy or to covet another's possessions.

All good gifts come from above and God will never change His ways!

Jas_1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Amen! 

The Rebellious Government

 David Honors Saul

Book of 1 Samuel Chapters 24 and 26

Since our manual skips so much of 1 Samuel, lets highlight some of the things that took place from Chapter 21 through Chapter 23.

In Chapter 21:

We see where David had to flee from King Saul who had become full of envy and jealousy.

This was a picture of desperation and God's deliverance from that desperation.

Most all us humans will face circumstances that cause distress in our lives at one point or another and probably more than once.

These things will cause us much pain and agony when there seems to be no way out of these things.

The comfort of the Lord Jesus can get us through these things.

David later wrote in Psalms 34 that it was the Lord who delivered him from all these things.

In Chapter 22:

We see that many of the soldiers of Saul's army deserted and came to join David, including his own brothers who became concerned that King Saul would cause them and their family’s harm.

David hides his father Jesse and his mother in another nation to keep Saul from causing them harm.

We can see that corrupt leaders will do anything to get their way and we are witnessing it firsthand in our own nation today.

Even as our own leaders have a set of laws for themselves and a set of laws for the people.

Our lesson is that we should do what we can to take care of our parents.

We also see that God will guide us in every decision if we include Him in our life.

We desperately need the guidance of God.

We also see where King Saul caused the slaughter of the High Priest and much of the priesthood for no good reason, other than they obeyed the Word of God.

We could see this happen in our own nation at any time!

There is terrible evil, injustice and murder going on in our nation!

God saved Abiathar the new High Priest and sent him to David.

This is the same Abiathar who later turns on David.

We know that lying and deception are the traits of the Devil, and they cause devastating consequences!

Chapter 23:

We see the courage of David.

Even though David is a fugitive from injustice, he takes the time to protect his nation from the Philistines.

David was fearless man after God's own heart!

We must realize that when the enemies of God attack us, we need what David had and that is courage.

If we give in to fear, we will never be delivered from the oppressions and enemies of this life!

Any person or anything else that works to defeat us in this life, stands as our enemy and an oppressor, and are the enemies of God.

We must develop a Spirit of Courage within us.

Our enemies will always find us, but the power of God will work to help us!

It is Jonathan the son of King Saul that reminds David that he (David) will one day be the King of Israel.

We may get some help from those related to our enemy, but we may also see our friends betray us.

Our Protector and our Helper is our God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now Chapter 24 where find our lesson today:

The life of King Saul is mercifully spared by David who had more than one opportunity to end the life of Saul.

David had respect for the office of the king.

David knew to honor those who God had put in place.

As much as we dislike him, we must still pray for our president.

We ask ourselves how we can love someone who seems to be so evil according to the Word of God.

It is not a simple thing to repay good for those who are evil, but it is the command of God.

To do good to someone who is evil does not say we are compromising with their evil and we must avoid that for this is not God's intent.

It is only our Lord God who can change the heart of our president and those that council him!

Our president has surrounded himself with wickedness and wicked people and these are the ones pulling his strings.

*****1Sa 24:1  And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.

David's hideout had been discovered.

David had found no safety on the western desert side of Judah because of spies, many of the Ziphites were spies for King Saul.

The Ziphites were afraid of King Saul.

Engedi was located east of Hebron close by the Dead Sea and had an oasis within it with plenty of fresh water and fruitful vineyards.

It was also a place of rugged terrain where wild goats roamed.

*****1Sa 24:2  Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 

1Sa 24:3  And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

Saul gathered three thousand chosen men and again went in pursuit of David like he was some criminal, when David had done nothing to deserve such a thing.

We can see just how much Saul hated David seeking after him so soon after a war with the Philistines.

David later wrote about this event in the Book of Psalms.

Psa 57:4  My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. 

Psa 57:6  They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.

Unknown to Saul, David, and those with him were hiding far back in that same cave.

Some of David's men felt that the appearance of Saul was the providence of God, which it was, but not for the reason's that they assumed.

They felt that God had placed David’s enemy into his own hand, and it did seem that way, but God was surely testing David and David passed this test.

*****1Sa 24:4  And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.

1Sa 24:5  And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

1Sa 24:6  And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. 

1Sa 24:7  So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.  

You see, our character and our integrity are far more important than our revenge.

David refused to take the life of King Saul and in faith, trusted God and to prove to Saul that he was not his enemy.

David actually condemned himself for cutting off a piece of his robe, as a lack of respect for God's anointed.

David had spared his enemy and only David understood why he had done such a thing.

David was a man of war, and brave as a lion.

David was made of nobler stuff than assassins are made of.

David could not find it in himself to kill his king while he was asleep.

David felt that if God wanted him to be King of Israel, then it would not be by his own hands, and He left it in God's hands.

We should clearly understand that if God has a special calling for us, He does not need our help to get there, He just needs our willingness to serve.

If we want to remove our president, then it must be by the vote and not by assassination or any other means such as that. David Honors Saul

*****1Sa 24:8  David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 

We must understand that sin hardens the heart.

Sin makes the unbeliever hate the Word of God!

Sin makes the unbeliever despise the mercy of God.

In a world that is rotten to the core, they misunderstand the vengeance of God against them.

They certainly have no understanding of God's "grace"!

David exhibits God's "grace" to a man who has relentlessly been after him, to slaughter him.

David was innocent of all the charges against him, but Saul wanted to murder him because of envy and jealousy.

David humbled himself again and said to Saul that he only ran to protect his life and that he was still a humbled servant to his king.

David bowed to the earth saying, "my master".

David extended every courtesy to King Saul as his king, with respect and honor.

The proof was that as Saul was sleeping, David could have killed him, but he had too much respect for God to do such a thing.

David had the evidence that this was true with that piece of Saul's robe.

*****1Sa 24:9  And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 

1Sa 24:10  Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed. 

1Sa 24:11  Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. 

1Sa 24:12  The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 

We now see that David has set a dynamic example for the Church in his humility and his loyalty.

Saul had been anointed by oil by God's prophet Samuel at God's command.

In this, he was certainly a type of Christ though in his life he turned to sin and rebelled against God.

It was Saul who was rebellious and not David.

In America today it is our president and his officials who are rebellious and not the true Church and not most of the secular people.

Saul needed to acknowledge this simple fact.

David warned Saul of the "judgment" of God.

Today as we watch the news, we see that it is our own government that is rebellious and not the Church and not most of the average people.

We have allowed liberalism to rule in our government and we can see the results with our own eyes.

Liberalism is filthy, wicked, and immoral!

We need to warn our government of the "Judgment of God" even if they will not listen.

In fact, this is the message we should have to our family, our friends, and all those we meet.

Our presidents’ councilors are some of the most degradable people in our nation and they are proud of it! 

The Bible would say they were "worthless fellows" and "vain".

The Kingdom of Israel had been assured first to David and then, to the Son of David by birth, the Lord Jesus Christ.

David was showing patience because we all must rely on God's timing, because all these things will take place according to the patience of God.

2Pe_3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

We must show the same patience because both these things are Divinely assured!

David decided he could wait upon God's timing, and we must do this also.

It is not our job to force the issues that are in the hands of God!

We see that Saul shed tears and made vows, but we also know that Saul never repented.

Without repentance there will be no forgiveness!

Saul was quick to fall back into his old sin of envy.

Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 

Jas 4:5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

We are to live lives of humility and not lives of envy.

In Chapter 25 we see after his many years of service beginning as a child, Samuel died.

Samuel had served as Prophet and Judge and Samuel was the last "Judge" of Israel.

The death of Samuel reminds us of all that one day we will die unless the "Rapture takes place before our death.

It can in our case, as the Rapture is the next major event on God's calendar.

The Era of the Judges ended and the Monarchy of Israel had begun.

The monarchy of Israel will end with Christ Jesus sitting upon the throne of Israel for one thousand years.

We know that David retreated even farther away from Saul's pursuit.

David found a new wife in Abigail.

Abigail was a precious example of a woman of courage and character but David was wrong to make her his wife.

The same need is here today, not only for women but for all God's children.

God's judgement fell upon Nabal, and it cost him his life.

David also had another wife, which again he should not have had.

Ahinoam a woman from Jezreel we know nothing about, and Michal, who had been given by King Saul to another man but was still married to David.

We see that David was a man after God's own heart, but he was not a perfect man and none of us are.

*****1Sa 26:1  And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 

1Sa 26:2  Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 

1Sa 26:3  And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 

1Sa 26:4  David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.

We see the Ziphites betrayed David for a second time.

David was hiding on the hill of Hachilah which was in a desert and a wasteland and the Ziphites made Saul aware of this place of David.

This hideout gave David the advantage over his approaching enemy.

Saul came with three thousand of his best troops and David sent out spies to verify these things.

*****1Sa 26:5  And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 

1Sa 26:6  Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 

1Sa 26:7  So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

Because of the terrain and the fact that David knew this wilderness better than Saul, David was able to sneak up on the camp of Saul.

Remember this was a place of Mountain Goats.

David had a sister named Zeruiah and her sons would play an important part in the history of David's reign over Israel.

They had also gone to David because they were afraid that Saul would also cause them harm and their families.

David and his nephew sneaked into the camp of Saul and again David could have taken Saul's life had he so chosen to do so but he would not.

Abishai would one day save David's life in one of his wars with the Philistines.

2Sa 21:17  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. 

No matter what we think, David had the assurance that he would be the next King of Israel and we can believe that this made him a little bolder in his actions toward King Saul, but he would still not take his life.

Today, we know that the Lord will return, and Armageddon is a real war, but we should never try to do things that might hasten these things to come about, even if we could, when it is impossible for us to know the schedule that only God knows.

Abishai said to David to allow him to kill Saul and he would guarantee that he needed only one blow with his spear and Saul would not be able to cry out, but David would not allow it.

David said let us take his spear and his canteen of water.

God would say:

1Ch 16:22  Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 

*****1Sa 26:8  Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 

1Sa 26:9  And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless? 

1Sa 26:10  David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 

We must understand God's does not need our help when it comes to His vengeance.

We absolutely cannot do the things God has planned for those who hate Him!

The only thing we can do, if we try to take vengeance on those that hate God is, multiply sins against ourselves!

This is a thing we must avoid!

David refused to cause harm to Saul because he was God's anointed.

David realized he was never to cause harm to anyone God had anointed.

To be anointed is to be set aside for God's use.

This is why we are to pray for the leaders of our nation.

Only God knows the purpose for which He has called our leaders.

David said he could not cause harm to Saul because he was God's anointed.

David said he could not cause harm to Saul because the Lord Himself would judge Saul.

David feared the Lord and what the Lord would do to him if he caused harm to Saul.

These reasons are good enough reasons for us to use.

*****1Sa 26:11  The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 

1Sa 26:12  So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them. 

David and Abishai sneaked back out of Saul's camp unnoticed, but they took Saul's spear and his canteen of water.

Once again, he confronted Saul with the proof that he could have killed him.

David had demonstrated the utmost respect in allowing God's anointed to live.

Our lesson is that whether we like them or not, we need to show respect to our leaders, maybe not to the person themselves but for the position they hold.

This includes the ruler of our nation.

This includes the preachers of the Gospel.

This includes the supervisors we work for and others we consider to be leaders.

We do not have to like them, but we should respect the position and maybe not so much the person.

When a leader is corrupt, his corruption is to be opposed but his office is to be honored!

We are not to indulge in the corruption of any leader for then, we are giving him a license to continue in his or her corruption.

This is what is happening in America today! 

Many of our presidents’ councilors are just as corrupt as he is or more and along with at least two previous presidents. 

They are urging him to go even further in his wickedness.

This is the greatest problem we have in America today.

We have corrupt leaders and far too many who are indulging in their corruptness.

They are just piling on sins to themselves!

God will take vengeance upon corrupt leaders, but the people who encourage him are just making Hell much much worse when they get there.

Hell will be much hotter for those who indulge in corruption.

God will not accept the prayers of those who serve corruption.

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 

2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Those around our president have encouraged him to continue in his corruption, and both him and they will suffer in damnation and the vengeance of God.

This is the clear teaching of the Word of God! 

It is the same for every corrupt leader in this world!

We must remember, it is God who decides who will lead our nation and He does this for His own reasons.

This does not mean we are to sit at home refusing to vote, because this is our opportunity to express our voice over wickedness and corruption.

When God says certain thing are to happen, they do not require us to sin to get them accomplished!

There is never a good reason to go against the Word of God!

This is the clear teaching of the Word of God! 

Amen