1Samuel 22-23

Thursday Evening Bible Study

April 26, 2012

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision

Saul was anointed to be the first king, but through Saul’s continued disobedience to God’s commands, God has told Saul that he will no longer king. Samuel snuck off and anointed a young man named David to be king. In God’s eyes, David is the king, but in the nation’s eyes, Saul is still king.

I do think that somehow word has gotten out of Samuel anointing David to be king.

Saul is paranoid of losing his kingdom to David. Jonathan knows David will be king. Even the Philistines considered David to be king.

We’ve seen God begin to use David in a big way to help the nation starting with his victory over Goliath.

In a sense, David has developed a “ministry” – protecting the nation against the Philistines.

With each of David’s victories, Saul grew in jealousy of David. He has made attempts on David’s life by throwing javelins at him. Even when Jonathan tried to intercede for David, Saul responded by throwing a javelin at Jonathan.

David is now a man on the run. First he flees to the Philistine city of Gath – bad idea …

22:1-5 Cave of Adullam

:1 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.

:1 cave of Adullam – ‘Adullam – “justice of the people”.

About ten miles east of Gath. About 13 miles southwest of Bethlehem.

:1 his brothers

David’s brothers had been in Saul’s army, but now they desert the army and join up with their little brother. It could be that they sense that their own lives are at risk now. The whole family senses that they are at risk.

:1 escaped to the cave

David wrote a couple of songs when he was hiding in caves. There were several times in David’s life when this might have been written, but perhaps this was the occasion.

(Ps 142:1-2 NKJV) — A Contemplation Of David. A Prayer When He Was in the Cave. 1 I cry out to the Lord with my voice; With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. 2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble.

:2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

:2 distress … debt … discontented

Sounds like a group of losers.

Lesson

Usefulness

These are the fellows who will one day be known as David’s “Mighty Men”.

Robin Hood had his “Merry Men”, David had his “Mighty Men”.

David’s men would become famous for their great battles.

They didn’t start off as “mighty”. They started off in trouble.

It seems that when God wants to do a great work, He often starts with people that are not that special.

Gideon – Gideon wasn’t the most famous man in Israel. When he gathered an army, God had him send most of them home – they had too many.

When Peter and John gave their defense before the mighty Sanhedrin after being arrested:

(Ac 4:13 NKJV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

(1 Co 1:26 NKJV) For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

Play Gayle Erwin’s “Foolish Things” clip.

Do you often wonder if God could ever use you?

God can use anyone, as long as we’re in a place to realize that we must be dependent upon Him.

:3 Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.”

:3 Mizpah of Moab

There are quite a few “Mizpah”s in the Bible. I’m not sure where this one is, except that it’s in Moab, which would put it on the east of the Dead Sea.

Why does David take his parents to the pagan Moabites?

The Moabites were enemies of Saul. (1Sa 14:47)

(1 Sa 14:47 NKJV) —47 So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he harassed them.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

David’s dad, Jesse, is the grandson of a Moabite, Ruth. (Rut 4:17)

(Ru 4:17 NKJV) Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

David takes his family to the country of his great grandmother Ruth.

Lesson

Take care of your family

David is taking responsibility for his family. He’s taking care of his parents.

(1 Ti 5:8 NKJV) But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

:4 So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

:5 Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

:4 the stronghold – matsuwd – stronghold.

Play Masada map clip.

A related word is “Masada”, where Herod would one day build a summer palace, and where the Jews would make a last ditch effort to hold off the Romans in AD 73, until finally all committing suicide. Some have suggested that David may have been hiding out here for a while.

:5 the prophet Gad

Through his emails, he was known as “eGad”

He is called “David’s seer” (2 Sam. 24:11). There are three different times when we see him being used in David’s life (here, 2Sam. 24:11-19; 2Chr. 29:25). I wonder if he met David at Naioth, the place of Samuel’s “school of the prophets” (1Sam. 19).

1.Here, as he gives direction for David to get moving.

2.When David sins by numbering the nation, Gad is the one who is used to speak for the Lord and give David choices about how he is to be disciplined. It is Gad that suggests that David build an altar and sacrifice at the threshing floor of Araunah, eventually leading to David’s purchase of the site for Solomon’s temple. (2Sam. 24:11-19)

3.Gad had input, along with the prophet Nathan, into how David set up the Levites to provide for continuous worship in the temple (2Chr. 29:25).

:5 forest of Hereth

See map. David went from Gath to Adullam, then to Moab, then to Masada, then back to Hereth.

22:6-23 Saul kills priests

:6 When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered—now Saul was staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him—

:7 then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds?

:6 with his spear in his hand

I guess he kept his spear in his hand in case he wanted to throw it at someone. But as we’ve seen, Saul doesn’t seem to have been too good at throwing spears, since every time he throws one, he misses.

:6 Hear now, you Benjamites!

Saul is from the tribe of Benjamin. David is from Judah. If David were king, he wouldn’t be so nice to the Benjamites.

Probably the people most loyal to Saul were those from his own tribe, Benjamin. Apparently Saul has been quite generous in giving good jobs and land to his own tribe. He’s hinting that if David became king, he wouldn’t be so generous to them as Saul.

We keep reading about the various leaders and their tribes. Your main support base is your tribe. Saul originally thought he was unqualified to be king because he came from the smallest tribe. It’s like running for President when your home state is Rhode Island.

:8 All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.”

:8 not one of you who is sorry for me

Lesson

Poor Me

One of Saul’s greatest problems is that his focus is solely upon himself. Look how many times the word “me” or “my” is used in this one sentence.

The Bible says we ought to be more concerned about others than our own selves.

(Php 2:3–4 NKJV) —3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

When you hear yourself talking about how much “you” have been hurt or deprived, it’s possible that you’re heading down the wrong path.

Our focus ought to be more on others than ourselves.

Jesus didn’t think of Himself. He thought of us. Above all. Paul goes on in Phil. 2 to talk about how we ought to be more like Jesus.

(Php 2:5–9 NKJV) —5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

I think we can easily run into problems that lead to paranoia when our focus is solely upon our own selves. I think that we lose perspective on what is really important when we only focus on our own selves.

:9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, “I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

:10 And he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

:9 Doeg the Edomite

We saw him briefly when David first ran to Nob to get bread from the priest Ahimelech (1Sam. 21). This was when David had lied to the priest in order to get bread and a sword. We’re now going to see the consequences of David’s lie.

Extra credit: Read Psalm 52 – David’s commentary about Doeg…

David would write a song about Doeg.

(Ps 52:1-3 NKJV) — To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of David Told Saul, and Said to Him, “David Has Gone to the House of Ahimelech.” 1 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. 2 Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3 You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah

I’d say David wasn’t a fan of Doeg’s.

:11 So the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king.

:12 And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub!” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.”

:13 Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?”

:14 So Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house?

Ahimelech is blown away with Saul’s accusations. Everyone knows how loyal David is.

:15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.”

This wasn’t the first time that the priest had inquired of God for David. David was a man who wanted to know God’s will.

:15 your servant knew nothing of all this

Here’s where David’s responsibility lay.

Lesson

Be up front.

I’m sure that David reasoned, “What Ahimelech doesn’t know can’t hurt him”.

And perhaps even if David had been honest with Ahimelech, Ahimelech might have still helped David. But at least he would have had the responsibility of deciding himself to betray King Saul.

The problem is that David didn’t give Ahimelech the chance to make up his own mind. In a sense, David made the decision for Ahimelech by not being honest with him.

:16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

:17 Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.” But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord.

Saul’s servants want nothing to do with killing priests.

Note from Warren Wiersbe – Saul struggled to kill the Amalekites, but he doesn’t seem to have a problem ordering the death of God’s priests.

:18 And the king said to Doeg, “You turn and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod.

:19 Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword.

Not only were eighty-five priests killed, but when Doeg arrived at Nob, he killed the families of the priests as well.

It may be that this was designed to strike fear in the nation to not conspire against Saul, but I have this feeling that instead the nation will become disgusted at Saul in having the priests killed.

:20 Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.

:20 Abiathar – ‘Ebyathar – “my father is great”.

Abiathar apparently escapes with the garments of the high priest (1Sam. 23:6,9).

(1 Sa 23:6 NKJV) —6 Now it happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he went down with an ephod in his hand.

:21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests.

:22 So David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s house.

:23 Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.”

:22 I have caused the death of all

David recognizes that he had a hand in causing the death of the priests with his lie.

23:1-13 David saves Keilah

:1 Then they told David, saying, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors.”

:1 Keilah – Q@‘iylah – “fortress”

Keilah is in the same vicinity as the Forest of Hereth and Adullam.

:1 they told David …

This is just like what happened when Gideon faced the Midianites. It seems that Israel’s enemies like to come and steal the profits of their hard work.

This is the kind of thing that David used to take care of when he was employed by Saul. David had been looked at as a man who could take on the Philistines. Even though David is “on the outs” with Saul, people are coming to him, looking for help.

:2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.”

:2 David inquired of the Lord

How did David enquire of the Lord?

It’s probably through the prophet Gad. Abiathar the priest hasn’t arrived yet.

Lesson

Ask God

It might seem that this was a “no-brainer”. After all, David was the man to handle the Philistines.

But David asks God for direction. He doesn’t assume anything.

It’s also a little more than dangerous.

:3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

:3 David’s men said to him

David’s men have a good point. Even their friends are chasing them. Do they need to get their enemies mad too?

Lesson

Listen to counsel.

It is a wise thing to listen to the counsel of your friends.

(Pr 12:15 NKJV) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.

(Pr 24:6 NKJV) For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

You might think, “He’s already asked God, why should he listen to his friends?”

Sometimes friends have a good bit of advice. Sometimes we’ve only talked ourselves into thinking that we’ve heard from God.

We need to listen and weigh out the things others say.

:4 Then David inquired of the Lord once again. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

:3 David inquired of the Lord once again

Lesson

Obey God rather than men

In the end, David is faced with listening to the counsel of his friends (who mean well), or doing what God has specifically said.

David chooses God.

When Peter and John were arrested for having healed a lame man and preaching about Jesus (Acts 4-5), they were told by the Jewish leaders to stop talking about Jesus. Their response:

The Bible says that we are to obey those in authority over us (Rom. 13:1-5). And for most of the time, this is exactly what we are to do.

But when there is a conflict between what others are saying and what God is saying, we need to choose God.

(Ac 5:29 NKJV) But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.

David is known as the “man after God’s own heart” because he pretty consistently chooses to obey God rather than man.

:5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, struck them with a mighty blow, and took away their livestock. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

:5 David …fought with the Philistines

Lesson

Be careful about stopping your ministry

In a way, David’s “ministry” was to fight the enemies of Israel, like the Philistines.

David could have responded to this cry for help by saying, “Hey, I have enough problems on my hands, I don’t have time to do my “Philistine Ministry”.

But he didn’t.

Jeremiah faced a time of difficulty in his ministry and he thought he would quit. God responded:

(Je 12:5 NLT) “If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?

It’s almost as if God is telling Jeremiah, “You think you have it bad now, you aren’t even close to the difficulty I’m hoping you’ll take care of!”

Sometimes we quit too easily.

The enemy sees it and continues to throw the “little stuff” at you because it works.

God is allowing the little stuff to train you for facing the big stuff.

There is a time to take a break, but be careful that God is the one that’s leading you, and not just because you’re discouraged.

:6 Now it happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he went down with an ephod in his hand.

:6 ephod – a priestly robe that seems to have some kind of connection with asking God for advice.

:7 And Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.”

Saul thinks that David has made a mistake by hiding in a city that only has a few ways in and out.

:8 Then Saul called all the people together for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

:9 When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”

:10 Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.

:11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.”

:12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”

:12 They will deliver you

If I were David, I might think, “I’ve just rescued these people from the Philistines. Surely they will stand with me against Saul!”

God knows they won’t.

God knows that the men of Keilah, rather than showing gratitude to David for rescuing them, will turn and betray David.

Lesson

The fickle human heart

These people owe David their lives. When they called for help with the Philistines, David was the one to rescue them.

And now they’re eager to sell David out to Saul.

Don’t be surprised when people turn on you.

In Acts 14, Barnabas and Saul heal a man who is crippled.

The city responds by having a parade and declaring them to be “gods”.

And yet a few days later some people from another city come in, stir up trouble, and the next thing they know, Paul and Barnabas are being stoned.

What did Paul and Barnabas do?

They moved on to the next city.

:13 So David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition.

:13 about six hundred

David’s group has grown a little. There were four hundred when he was at Adullam (22:2). Now there are six hundred.

23:14-29 Rock of Escape

:14 And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

:14 strong holds – m@tsad – fort, stronghold. Again, perhaps Masada.

:14 Saul sought him every day

Lesson

The enemy never rests

Our enemy never rests either.

(1 Pe 5:8 NKJV) —8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

:15 So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest.

:15 Ziph – Ziyph – “battlement”

Warren Wiersbe writes, “This period of persecution in David’s life was a part of the preparation for the throne. He was already a great soldier; now he needed to suffer in the wilderness to learn not to trust men but to trust the Lord. All of us need “wilderness testings” to bring us closer to the Lord and to make us better equipped to serve Him.”

:16 Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God.

:17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.”

:18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

:17 You shall be king over Israel

Jonathan is a man of faith. He is confidents of what is ahead for David. Even though it doesn’t look very likely that David will ever be king, Jonathan believes it.

:16 strengthened his hand in God

Even though Saul isn’t able to find David, somehow Jonathan is able to find David. Perhaps David sent messengers to Jonathan.

:16 strengthened – chazaq – to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.

The form in Hebrew is a “Piel” stem, meaning an “intensive” form. He really really strengthened David.

(1 Sam 23:16 NASB) encouraged him in God.

(1 Sam 23:16 NIV) helped him find strength in God.

(1 Sam 23:16 NLT) encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.

Lesson

Strengthen your friends in God

It’s good to encourage others. It’s good to remind them of their strengths. It’s good to encourage people to just keep going.

But most important of all, is that we encourage them to be strong in the Lord.

Jesus said that we couldn’t do anything without Him,

(Jn 15:5 NKJV) “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Paul said that with Christ, he could do anything,

(Php 4:13 NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Don’t just be a cheerleader. Be a person who encourages others to find courage in the Lord.

How can I do this?

Share Scripture. As you come across verses in your daily reading that might be a blessing, be sure to share them with your friend.

Pray with your friends. Grab their hands and talk to God.

Play “Pray for Your Neighbor” clip.

Tell them that you are praying for them. Encourage them to keep putting their trust in the Lord.

:19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

:19 the Ziphites came up to Saul

David wrote a song when the Ziphites told Saul about him.

Extra Credit: Read Psalm 54

This would happen twice in David’s life, here and in 1Sam. 26:1

(Ps 54:1-3 NKJV) — To the Chief Musician. With Contemplation of David When the Ziphites Went and Said to Saul, “Is David Not Hiding with Us?” 1 Save me, O God, by Your name, And vindicate me by Your strength. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers have risen up against me, And oppressors have sought after my life; They have not set God before them. Selah

David wrote songs on the run. He didn’t just write songs when he had a break and things were nice.

:19 hill of Hachilah

Play Hachilah map video.

This is in an area out in the middle of nowhere, in the “wilderness” of the tribe of Judah. David is in the middle of nowhere, and they still know where he is.

:20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”

:21 And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.

Caution: Just because someone uses religious language (“Blessed are you of the LORD”) doesn’t mean that they are a nice person.

:22 Please go and find out for sure, and see the place where his hideout is, and who has seen him there. For I am told he is very crafty.

Saul doesn’t want David to get away again. He wants the Ziphites to keep an eye on David.

:23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout all the clans of Judah.”

:24 So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

:24 Maon – Ma‘own – “habitation”

David will stay here for a little while, will leave, and eventually return to this area. Apparently while he is here, he is kind to a group of shepherds belonging to a man named Nabal. This will come into play when we get to 1Samuel 25.

Maon is a city on the edge of the desert. David is still in the desert.

:25 When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David. Therefore he went down to the rock, and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon.

:26 Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. So David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were encircling David and his men to take them.

It looks as if David is surrounded. Saul has men completely surrounding David and his men. All looks hopeless.

:27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!”

:28 Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; so they called that place the Rock of Escape.

:29 Then David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds at En Gedi.

:29 En Gedi – Eyn Gediy – “spring of the young goats”

Play En Gedi map video.

En Gedi is an oasis of sorts on the edge of the Dead Sea. There is a spring up in the hills that runs down the canyon into the Dead Sea.

The area is inhabited by wild goats that roam the hills. We’ll talk more about En Gedi next week.

:28 the Rock of Escape

What an amazing coincidence. Saul gets an important phone call and has to stop the chase, and it allows David to make his escape.

Lesson

Use the exit

This is a great illustration about how God can bring about deliverance.

The Bible says,

(1 Co 10:13 NKJV) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

God will never allow us to be tested or tempted beyond what we can handle.

He will always provide a way of escape.

Sometimes the escape will be to stand and fight the situation.

Sometimes it will be to run away. It could even be through death.

But it’s up to us to take the exit.

David was about to be captured when Saul is suddenly called away.

What does David do? Does he settle down and make himself comfortable until Saul comes back and takes up the chase?

No, he runs to a new hiding place.

When we are faced with a test or a temptation, God will ALWAYS provide a way out. But it’s up to us to take the way out. If you are faced with a temptation, and something comes along that gives you a small break, take advantage of it.

Play Trunk Monkey Alien.

I have to tell you that God may not use a “Trunk Monkey” to rescue you from aliens, but He will provide an escape.

There is no trunk monkey … but …

It may be that you’re sitting at home alone when the most tempting thought enters into your mind. You begin to dwell on it. You wonder, “It wouldn’t hurt if I just looked at the carton of ice-cream, would it?” And then out of the blue, the phone rings and for a brief moment, the ice-cream’s power over you is broken. What do you do when you hang up? Don’t say to yourself, “Let’s see now, where was I?” Take advantage of the exit.

It may be that you will simply remember a Scripture, and that is your moment.

It might simply be the thought that you ought to just say “no”.

Take the exit.