Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20020609.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTION TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part XXXI: Applying Lessons Of The Past To Current Tests Of Faith
(1 Samuel 26:1-25)
  1. Introduction
    1. Every believer sins -- 1 John 1:10 tells us if we deny this, we make God a liar, and that makes us sin!
    2. Yet, it is important to God that we overcome temptations to sin in repeat temptations, Revelation 3:21a.
    3. 1 Samuel 26 in light of David's previous failure in 1 Samuel 24 is an invaluable lesson in overcoming!
  2. Applying Lessons Of The Past To Current Tests Of Faith, 1 Samuel 26:1-25.
    1. As once before, when David tried to hide from Saul in the hill of Hachilah near Jeshimon, the Ziphites told Saul David was in the region so Saul would come looking for David, 1 Sam. 26:1-4; 23:19-24a.
    2. As it happened once before, David was placed in the place of temptation to take revenge against Saul:
      1. In 1 Samuel 23:26 following the Ziphites' informing Saul on David's whereabouts, David feared of his close encounter with Saul's pursuers, and this emotional dread motivated him to give in to the temptation to cut off a part of Saul's robe in revenge in 1 Samuel 24:3-5.
      2. Since the Ziphites had again informed on David, and Saul was out seeking him for harm, David was placed the second time in the position of having the temptation to avenge himself against Saul:
        1. This second encounter with Saul in the land of Ziph did not include a cave where Saul all alone relieved himself surrounded by David's men: rather, Saul slept in an open area surrounded by 3,000 elite soldiers in an effort to avoid being surprised by David as he had before, 1 Sam. 26:2-5 versus 1 Samuel 24:3! Saul intended such a repeat encounter with David to be more foreboding for David!
        2. Yet, when David and his associate, Abishai moved down to the encampment, they discovered God had caused Saul and his troops to fall into a deep, vulnerable sleep, 1 Samuel 26:6-7, 12b.
        3. Hence, David's associate, as his men had previously done in 1 Samuel 24:4, again announced to David that God had delivered Saul into his hand, and even offered to strike Saul in David's behalf so David would not have to sin avenging himself of Saul's wrongs, 1 Samuel 24:8.
    3. Yet, David OVERCAME his taste for VENGEANCE this SECOND time around, having learned from his FORMER failure AND God's WORK in his LIFE to let GOD take vengeance FOR him:
      1. In the previous similar encounter, David had given in to the temptation to take vengeance by cutting off part of Saul's outer robe, an act that later deeply bothered his conscience, 1 Samuel 24:4-5.
      2. In this second encounter, David flatly omitted either striking Saul himself or even letting his associate, Abishai do so for him even though Abishai freely volunteered to do so, 1 Samuel 26:9.
      3. In fact, David apparently learned from God's intervention in his behalf with the way he had been wronged with Nabal in 1 Samuel 25:39 that God would either kill Saul or that Saul would die some other way or fall in battle with the Philistines, 1 Samuel 26:10.
      4. In any event, since Saul even in his spiritual hardness was still the Lord's anointed, David honored Scripture regarding the treatment of God's human leaders in not harming Saul, 26:9, 11a. (Ex. 22:28)
      5. Rather, David merely took Saul's spear and cruse of water which were not part of his clothing with the full intent of returning them undamaged (cf. 1 Samuel 26:12 with 26:22) to prove to Saul from a distance that he had no intention of harming Saul's person, 1 Samuel 26:13-18.
      6. David thus neutralized Saul's desire to pursue him for the time being, 1 Samuel 26:19-25a.
      7. As before, David verbalized his trust in God to judge in his favor regarding his relationship with Saul (1 Samuel 26:23-24) and went his way with Saul returning to his own home, 1 Samuel 26:25b.
Lesson: (1) David's (a) wounding his conscience in his first opportunity to take vengeance against Saul (b) coupled with his being encouraged God would avenge him by his dealings with Nabal (c) were applied to his SECOND temptation to avenge himself against Saul, (2) so he overcame the temptation even to harm Saul's goods. David overcame the temptation for vengeance by applying PAST lessons.

Application: Repeat temptations coming our way are to be handled by BUILDING upon the LESSONS of our PAST walk with God: when we have had a wounded conscience in failing in a past temptation, or found God helping in a similar past test, we are to recall these to overcome repeat temptations NOW!