David Saves Keilah (David In The Wilderness)

1 Samuel 23:1-4 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” ² he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” ³ But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!” ⁴ Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.”

It was Saul’s job to protect Keliah and it was Saul’s job to fight the Philistines, but Saul wasn’t doing his job, so the LORD called David to do it.

If Saul wasn’t up to the task, God would send someone who was. God directed David to act like a king even if he was not in the eyes of the people as king yet.

This was a crazy thing to do. David has enough trouble with Saul and he didn’t need to add trouble from the Philistines. And this would bring David out in the open for King Saul. This was a dangerous course of action.

David did this for two reasons. He had the command of God, but David also had a heart for the people. David is willing to put himself in danger to obey the command of God but also to meet the needs of the people.

God doesn’t mind us confirming His word, especially when He directs us to do something hard or unusual. The second time the LORD not only confirmed His previous command, but He also gave a promise with the confirmation: “I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

1 Samuel 23:5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. David does what God told him to do. It’s not enough just to ask or know God’s will. We need to have a heart that’s willing obey God’s will, even when it is difficult.

David saved the inhabitants of Keliah: God blessed the obedience of David by perfectly keeping His promise to David.

1 Samuel 23:6-8 (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.) ⁷ Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” ⁸ And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

Saul believes that God has blessed him and given David into his hands. It was true that God led David to Keliah, and it was true that this exposed David to Saul’s attack. But it was not true that the LORD had delivered him into Saul’s hand.

Saul called up all his forces for battle: They were not called up to go against the Philistines, but against David. Saul wouldn’t go to Keliah to save his people from the Philistines, but he would go there to hunt and kill David. Saul is totally motivated by self-interest.

1 Samuel 23:9-13  When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” ¹⁰ David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. ¹¹ Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will.” ¹² Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will.” ¹³ So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

David seems to be between a rock and a hard place. But it was the word of the LORD that led him there. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

David seeks God through the priest’s ephod using the Urim and Thummim.

David could have stood and fought and there was something in him that probably wanted to. But David knew that it was not what the Lord wanted and that a lot of innocent people would get hurt in the battle. So, David humbles himself and retreats. David is not the kind of man to sneak away from a battle, but he doesn’t let his pride get the best of him. David’s humble heart saved the city of Keliah 2.

1 Samuel 23:14-15 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. ¹⁵ While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.

Ziph was a town near the southern tip of the Dead Sea, with very difficult terrain. It was not a comfortable or easy place to navigate. But God guided and protected David, even when it wasn’t comfortable or easy.

This is an essential time for God’s work in David’s life. His journey to be a man after God’s own heart may have begun in the shepherd’s field but it continues here in the wilderness.

Saul was a determined enemy, unrelenting in his pursuit of David. Saul was so obsessed with killing David that he didn’t pay attention to the actual work God called him to do.

Saul can be as determined as he wants, but Saul is not dictating these events — God is. Man can intend, attempt, and work all kinds of evil against us but God is always in charge.

1 Samuel 23:16-18 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. ¹⁷ “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” ¹⁸ The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

God sends David’s best friend Jonathan to him. Why? Because God knows what David needs. Jonathan couldn’t rescue David, give David all the answers or even stay with David. God sent Jonathan to help David find strength in the Lord.          This was a precious gift.

Jonathan is looking forward to the day when David is king, and Jonathan will be by his side. But that day (during this period of time) will not come to pass because Jonathan dies before David becomes king. So, Jonathan’s words here are a mix of divine promises and also expressions of hope and desire.

This is the last time David and Jonathan saw each other in this context and setting. But not on this earth.  (Ezekiel 37:24-25 and Jeremiah 30:9)

1 Samuel 23:19-23 The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? ²⁰ Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.” ²¹ Saul replied, “The Lord bless you for your concern for me. ²² Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. ²³ Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.”

For every faithful Jonathan, there is also a Ziphite willing to betray you. Many a godly man or woman has known both friends and betrayers, even Jesus did.

Saul tells the Ziphites the Lord bless you: Saul is so spiritually warped that he said this to the betrayers of an innocent man. (empty words)

It wasn’t David’s craftiness that kept him from Saul’s clutches; it was the goodness and faithfulness of the LORD.

During this time, David expressed his heart and his thoughts to the LORD in song, and that song is Psalm 54. The title to that Psalm reads: For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

David here cries out to the Lord for help and expresses his confidence in the Lord. Psalm 54:1-7 Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. ² Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. ³ Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me—people without regard for God. ⁴ Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. ⁵ Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them. ⁶ I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good. ⁷ You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

David’s focus here is on God and not on his enemies, because David is learning that when his focus is on God, his enemies become very small and weak.

1 Samuel 23:24-26 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. ²⁵ Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock (stronghold of Jehovah, of security) and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.²⁶ Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, David has listened to the Lord. Sought God and followed His direction. Obeyed with every step. And now Saul’s forces are closing in on David and his men to capture them… Save me, O God, by your name;

1 Samuel 23:27-29 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” ²⁸ Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth. ²⁹ And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

David asked, and the Lord answered, and out of the blue— actually, out of heaven — a messenger came to Saul, and drew him away from David to go and fight the Philistines who were attacking Israel.

The hand of God was so evident that David and his men made a memorial of that spot: they called that place (Sela Hammahlekoth) the Rock of Escape.

(Why would Saul leave at this moment to go fight the Philistines?)

God’s timing is always perfect. Let me explain: God foreknew David would be in this difficult spot, about to be captured. So, at just the right time He moves the Philistines to attack Israel. God also figured into the equation the time it would take the messenger to find and tell Saul. Perfect! Because our God is Perfect.