Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20070114.htm

THE PREINCARNATE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST
Part XX: Christ's Work With Adult Men: Protecting Them In Their Bad Decisions When They Revere Him
(Psalm 34:1-22)
  1. Introduction
    1. Male heads of households are responsible for the welfare of their subordinates. That being so, when they make a bad decision, the cost can be very costly and heart wrenching!
    2. The Preincarnate ministry of Christ included protecting David from a bad situation he faced due to bad decisions he had made as a leader, a ministry David applied to all men who revere the Lord (as follows):
  2. Christ's Work With Adult Men: Protecting Them In Their Bad Decisions When They Revere Him.
    1. The Preincarnate Christ Whom we learned in this series appeared as the "Angel of the Lord" in the Old Testament ministered to those who feared Him, Psalm 34:7; Ryrie St. Bib., KJV, 1978, ftn. to Gen. 16:10.
    2. In view of the context and content of Psalm 34, this ministry extends to all adult males who revere the Lord, protecting them and their subordinates from the effects of their own bad decisions and moves:
      1. Psalm 34 was written after God delivered David from the Philistines when he faked insanity before the Philistine Achish (Abimelech is the "dynastic title" that appears in the Psalm 34 introductory notes and Achish is his personal name as used in 1 Samuel 21), Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Psalm 34; 1 Samuel 21:10-15.
      2. Now, this whole predicament was actually self-inflicted through a series of bad choices by David:
        1. Saul had already made his intentions clear regarding his plan to kill David, 1 Samuel 20:30-31.
        2. Thus, Jonathan had directed David to flee from Saul for his life, 1 Sam. 20:35-42 with 20:20-22.
        3. Now, in fleeing from Saul, David used poor judgment and made several bad choices that landed him and others in trouble: (1) when David approached the high priest, Ahimelech alone without Saul's army that David had led (1 Samuel 18:5b), Ahimelech suspected trouble, 1 Samuel 21:1. David tried to settle Ahimelech by lying to him, claiming he was on a secret mission for Saul and needed food, 1 Sam. 21:2-3. Ahimelech believed David and so gave him food, a deed that later cost him and his people their lives at the hand of Doeg the Edomite who saw Ahimelech help David, 1 Sam. 21:3-7; 22:9-18! (2) Next, David requested and Ahimelech gave him the sword of the Philistine, Goliath whom David had slain, for the sword had since been kept in the tabernacle, 1 Sam. 21:8-9. This was another foolish move, for David then fled with Goliath's sword to Philistine territory [1 Sam. 21:10; Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to 1 Samuel 21:10] where that sword attracted negative attention toward David from the Philistines who recalled the songs the women of Israel sang honoring David above Saul for his victory over Goliath, cf. 1 Samuel 21:11 in view of 1 Samuel 18:6-7!
        4. So, fearing for his life due to these bad moves that threatened not only his own life, but the lives of his men and the priests and their people, David faked his insanity that he might be repulsed by the Philistine ruler, Achish, and so be thrust out of Philistine territory alive, 1 Samuel 21:12-15!
      3. David then wrote Psalm 34 to honor the Lord Who saved him from death in the trouble he had faced!
      4. That Psalm uses the Hebrew word, geber, meaning an adult male warrior who is a head of household in verse 8 in the context of the "Angel of the Lord" Who encamps around about those who revere Him to deliver them, Psalm 34:7-8! (Kittel, Bib. Hebr., p. 1002; Theol. Wrdbk. of the O. T., v. I, p. 148-149)
      5. So, David urged adult males to experience God's help if they have made bad decisions like he had, Ps. 34:8. Though "breadwinners" like lions might hunger (as had David in coming to the priest, 1 Sam. 21:3-6), those who feared God [under the Law] would not know such shortages, Psalm 34:9-10!
      6. By revering God, David explained this meant (a) avoiding evil and lying speech [versus his lie to the priest! We believe David later repented of this deceit and its tragic results, cf. 1 Sam. 22:21-23], Psalm 34:13, (b) seeking peace (Psalm 34:14b) and (c) departing from evil to do good (Psalm 34:14a).
      7. God thus notes these qualities as signs that a man reveres Him, and graciously delivers him when he or others around him face trouble over the bad administrative decisions he has made, Psalm 34:15-22!
Lesson: David testified from his own life that God protects men and their subordinates from their own bad decisions if they revere Him in being truthful, seeking peace and departing from evil to do good.

Application: May we as adult men revere God by speaking the truth, seeking peace and departing from evil to do good that God may protect us from our own bad decisions that trouble us and other people.