John Martin - Class 4: David my Servant Shall be King

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

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   My dear brethren and sisters and young people, last evening we left David in the wilderness of Judah. And you will remember that he was there at the advice of the prophet Gad. And Gad, by the word of Yahweh, brethren and sisters and young people, had sent him into a very, very dangerous locality.

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   And you remember also that at the advice of Gad that the 600 said to David, we be afraid here in Judah. And we pointed out that here was a great test for David. That God had made, brethren and sisters, the realm of his tribulation. He had made his realm the realm of Judah.

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   He wanted to move outside of us. And he was to experience like we experience all the trials and tribulations. Not that come upon us from the world only. But more particularly those things which we suffer amongst our own kind, our brethren and sisters. And David had many lessons brought home to him in the wilderness of Judea.

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   One of which was the basic gratitude of the men of Keilah. Another one was the treacherous way in which the Ziphites, on two separate occasions, betrayed him to Saul. He saw how fair that the had been generated. And he realized, brethren and sisters, that no longer could he hope ever that Saul would be reconciled to him.

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   And he also saw that there were men behind Saul who were determined to feed and defend his hatred. Who were determined to see that David was going to be chased right out of the confines of Israel and kept away from the throne. And one such man was Abner the son of Mer. A man whose name means the father of life.

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   And it was in the darkness of night that David called him in question. And we know the story how that Abishai and David went down the hill of Hecala. Across the ravine. And to the slope of the hill on the other side. And took Saul's spear. And his water bottle. Went back again up the other slope.

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   And how he called Abner in question. And called upon him the mightiest man in Israel. But he hadn't done too well that night. And David called him in question as he pointed out because he knew. That ambition burned in the heart of that man. That he was ruthless and determined. And that he was one of those men.

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   That was behind Saul. Banning his hatred to David. In the vain hope that he himself one day might reach the benefit. And come to the throne. And we learn a lesson. Than the attitude of Abner. A man that could say. That Yahweh had made a promise to David. That he would be king.

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   That he strengthened himself for the house of Saul. In defiance of his knowledge of that promise. And then so far as to say to Ish-bosheth. That if he wasn't careful. That Abner himself would fulfill the promises of Yahweh. And that he would translate the kingdom of Saul. To the kingdom of David. As Yahweh had promised.

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    What a turn of mind. What a turn of mind in a human being. That not only does he dare to defy what he knows to be wrong. But that he has the audacity to say. That when the time comes. That if he can't get his own way to come to the throne. Then he can by his own scheming.

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    Think about a fulfillment of the promises of Yahweh. What a turn of mind that could think that way. Brothers and sisters and young people. That man was diseased. Absolutely diseased. In his thinking. And he was murdered by Joab and Abishael. And taken out of the way. And was in no position to fulfill either his own ambitions.

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    Or the promise of Yahweh. And had rested solely with the mighty God of heaven. To bring David to the throne. And not to the likes of Abner. Who would have brought David there. Yes. To feather his own nest. And to make sure that he had a prominent position. In David's kingdom. He's got a prominent position.

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    Six feet under the ground. And that's the lot. Brothers and sisters. Of all those who are driven by ambition. As Abner the son of Ner was. And you know. On the occasion. In the 26th chapter of the 1st of Samuel. On the occasion where this was recorded. We noticed a weak response of Saul.

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    To the appeal of David. And I want you to notice what Saul said on this occasion. When David was calling to them across the ravine. In the darkness of night. Calling upon Saul. To manifest a bit of common sense. And Saul says in verse 21. I have sinned. Return my son David. For I will no more do thee harm.

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    Because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day. Behold I have played the fool. And have heard exceedingly. And he made a passionate appeal. Brothers and sisters. To David to return. Now what do you think you would have done. On this occasion. There was Saul saying. Look I have sinned David. Come on boy.

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    Come home. I have played the fool. I have been an idiot. I have been in the wrong. I won't hurt you anymore. David's answer was. Send one of your young men. And you can have your spear.

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    Come and get your spear. Why should he come and get his spear? Because the spear. Brothers and sisters. Was Saul's symbol. As the bow was Jonathan. And what David was telling him. In effect was this. I don't believe you Saul. I don't trust you. You're a liar. And a hypocrite. Come and get your spear.

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    And continue on your way. I will not trust you. And neither he did. Brothers and sisters. And at this moment of time. When David virtually. Had a triumph over Saul. His own mind was beginning to slip on this issue. And David. The shepherd boy of Bethlehem. The courageous man. Who went in and out.

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    Before the sheep of Israel. And fought their battles for them. Was getting tired of it all. Growing despondent. And David. Brothers and sisters. Was about to make. A mistake. He was brought out of it. Of course. By Yahweh. But there's a great lesson in this for us. And when Saul had departed. We read in verse 25.

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    Then Saul said to David. Blessed be thou my son David. Thou shalt both do great things. And shalt also still prevail. So David went on his way. And Saul returned to his place. And as they parted. To go their separate ways. Brothers and sisters. And young people. There settled over David. A melancholy spirit.

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    Of despair. And the first verse. Of chapter 17. Is eloquent. When it says that David said. In his heart. I shall now perish. What a terrific thing that was. He didn't say it aloud to his 600. He didn't say it aloud to God. He said it in his heart. I shall perish. And he had grown so despondent.

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    That now his turn of mind was such that. Oh what's the good of us. And I can imagine his spirit at this stage. What on earth the good of going on like this. I shall surely perish. But remember this. Brothers and sisters. It was only a few. Perhaps hours before. That he had said in verse 10 of chapter 26.

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    That Saul would perish. And that he would come to the throne. I won't touch the Lord's anointed he says. Because he will die in battle. He'll perish. He'll descend into battle. And perish. That was David's mind. Confident that God would direct the issue. Saul would perish. He would come to the throne. But now as he saw Saul and his company.

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    Pack up their equipment. And march away from the hill of Hecala. And David fading away into the night. Towards these 600. It just seemed to David. It was all utterly useless. To go on with this sort of thing. And here he was in the wilderness of Judea. He couldn't trust that man. Come and get your spear.

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    And take it with you. He could no longer trust him. Abner was there. There were others there. And the great gloom of despair. Just overtook David. And he could take no more of it. And he wanted to get out of it. Clear out of the whole place. And be done with it. And how many times have you and I thought that?

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    Well I can't speak for you. But I'm going to tell you. That a good part of my life. Is contemplating just how far. I can get away from it all. Because you get tired of. Not the truth. David never got tired of the truth. We're never tired of the truth. The truth is wonderful.

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    But it's the administration of the truth. That hurts. Brothers and sisters. When you've got to work in an atmosphere. Where there is criticism. There's troubles. There's anguish. There's petty mindedness. Small mindedness. There's bickerings and arguing. And you think to yourself. Oh what's the use. I'll take my family somewhere. And we'll live the truth in our own way.

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    In our own time. And you know that's wrong. And David knew that it was wrong. But who could blame him? In the 143rd Psalm. I believe that these were his sentiments on this occasion. So pathetically expressed here. In the 143rd Psalm.

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    In the 143rd Psalm verses 3 and 4. We read. For the enemy has persecuted my soul. He has smitted my life down to the ground. He has made me to dwell in darkness. As those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate. And there was the mind of David.

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    The enemy had persecuted him. And what was the enemy doing? The enemy was making him dwell in darkness. It was in the darkness of that night. Brothers and sisters. That David saw the hopelessness of it all. And you can imagine him. Just standing there with Abishai. And witnessing the camp of Saul. Perhaps breaking up.

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    And Saul moving away. Because the appeal of David had been rejected. David said get out of it. You can have your spiel. I want none of it. And Saul realized of course. It was no good hunting him. Because the time he got across that ravine. David would have melted away. Into the wilderness of Judea.

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    And he never found him. And so Saul was on his way back. And there in the depths of that night. David just thought. Oh look. The enemy is persecuting my soul. He's smitten my life to the ground. He's making me dwell in darkness. And they're determined to get me in the land of the dead.

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    And that's where he went. Into the land of the dead. And his heart was in him. Was desolate. Back in the 27th Psalm. He had expressed another thought. Concerning the heart. Brothers and sisters. And this is what his heart should have been doing.

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    Back in the 27th Psalm. And here this Psalm says. Verse 2. When the wicked even mine enemies. And my foes. Came up upon me. To eat up my flesh. They stumbled and fell. Though an host should camp against me. My heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me. In this will I be confident.

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    One thing have I desired of Yahweh. That will I seek after. That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh. All the days of my life. To behold the beauty of Yahweh. And to inquire in his temple. And if David had kept those thoughts uppermost in his mind. Then his heart would not have taken the turn that it did.

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    And his heart. Brothers and sisters. Would not fear. They were hosts in camp against him. But it didn't. And like all humankind. He despairs. And there's not one single person. In this audience. That would dare to accuse him before God. For thinking like he did on that occasion. For we brethren and sisters.

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    Buckle under. Under much less pressure than that. We buckle under. Under any pressure. And who could blame David. God could. But who amongst us could blame him. For turning away. And saying well I've had it. And so we read. In that 27th chapter. Of the first of Samuel. That he and his 600.

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    They arose. And they went down again. Unto Achish. King of Gath. And in verse 2. Of that 27th chapter. We read that David arose. And passed over with the 600 men. That were with him. Unto Achish. King of Gath. And so they made their way. Brothers and sisters. From the wilderness of Judah here.

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    They made their way. Once again. Past the cave of Adalim. Further and further westward. Until they came to the city of Gath. Which was in this region here. A city which had the name. Of Mitheg Amar. The bridle of the mother city. Because it was the opening. It was the gateway. To the land of the Philistines.

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    And the man in control. Was a man called Achish. And we've had a look at him. Haven't we? In the record. He was one of those. Easy going type of chaps. Believe anything. And David was able. On separate occasions. To hoodwink this fellow. Into believing. That he was his friend. He was one of those.

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    Easy going sort of fellows. That you don't generally find. Among the people. Like the Philistines. But once again. David found refuge. In the city of Gath. The hometown of Goliath. And we learn. In verse 4. And it was told Saul. That David was fled to Gath. And he sought no more again for him.

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    He sought no more again for him. Two reasons why he didn't seek for him. Brethren and sisters. One is because his desire upon David. Had been partly fulfilled. He had got him outside the confines of Judah. He knew that David's heart had sunk within him. He knew that when David headed in that direction.

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    That David was virtually giving up. As far as holding his place in Judah was concerned. Saul was self satisfied about that. And the second reason he didn't seek for him. Is that he didn't have the gumption. To go into the land of the Philistines. And so he sought no more for David. And David's words to Abner and to Saul.

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    On the occasion of the hill of Hakala. Had come true. He said you're driving me. You're driving me from the inheritance of Yahweh. And saying go and serve other gods. And into that dangerous locality went David. The mighty king of Israel. The shepherd boy of Bethlehem. And now brethren and sisters. He's in isolation.

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    Oh yes. He's got 600 men with him. But they were poor help to him in times of stress and triumph. Very poor help to him in times of stress and triumph. And David requested that in this position. That Achish might give him a city to dwell in. David even in the land of the Philistines.

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    Was separate from the world. Learned that lesson. He couldn't tolerate living in Gath. And there's a lesson for our young people. As well as for our brethren and sisters. Down to the city of Gath he went. But he couldn't tolerate living in that city. And so he told Achish. Why should I abide in the royal city with you?

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    Taking an attitude of humility. But in reality I believe. Desiring to get somewhere right away on their own. That they could live as a separate community. And that's perhaps what the Christ of Elwes will do. If Christ delays is coming that much longer. I don't know how in the heck we're going to live in this society.

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    And David went away from the city of Gath. And down he went to the city of Ziklag. Which Achish gave to. Right down here in the south. Right on the border of the desert. Where the Bedouin tribes were apt to wander around. And to raid upon the latter portions of Judah. And upon the land of the Philistines.

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    And David was happy there brethren and sisters. As happy as he could be. Because he was separate from the Philistines. But he was also separate from the Israelites. And that hurt him. And he spent 16 miserable months. In the land of the Philistines. 16 months. A full year and full months we're told.

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    At the end of verse 7. He dwelt in the city of Ziklag. And there he was. Deathless. Away from the inheritance of Yahweh. And in the midst of his enemies. But it wasn't all gloom. President and sisters. There were streaks of sunlight on the horizon. The dawn was coming. But he didn't know it.

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    And David was being prepared in this area. Not prepared I should say. But protected in this area. For mighty things. A new era was about to dawn. And there were indications of it coming to David. And it was on this occasion that we learn. That men were flocking to him out of Israel.

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    Now in the first of Chronicles chapter 12. I'd like you to turn to this record. And we learn a very significant thing. They were dark days in the land of the Philistines. But there were rays of light. Brethren and sisters. And we read in the first of Chronicles chapter 12. Verse 1. Now these are they.

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    That came to David to Ziklag. While he kept himself close. Because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men. Helpers of the war. They were armed with bows. And could use both right hand and the left. In hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow. Even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.

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    And that brethren and sisters to David. Would have been a tremendous inspiration. And then the record goes on to name how many came. Only 22 came down there. Of Saul's brethren of Benjamin. But it may as well have been the whole 3,000 of Saul's army. Because these men came down. And some of them are given their genealogies.

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    They're all described as mighty men. Helpers of the war. They were the inner core of Saul's kingdom. They were 22 valuable converts. And they came to David where? At Ziklag in the land of the Philistines. Saul's brethren of Benjamin. And there was the lifeblood of the nation. Pulsating out of the body. The dead body of the nation.

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    Running out of Saul's kingdom. And running into David's kingdom. David had thrown the priest. He had killed all the people of Nob. The place of fruit. Abiathah had fled with the cloth of the ephod. Samuel was gone. More were going out of Saul's kingdom. And there brethren and sisters. They were screaming to David.

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    And Saul's kingdom was weakening. David's cloth was strengthening. And it was all because. One man had rejected the word of Yahweh. And had decided to run his show on the basis of politics. And the other man had stuck to the integrity of his heart. And determined. Above all else that Yahweh was going to rule in his camp.

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    And people saw that. And more and more people were coming to see it. And in the record of these chronicles here. Where we not only have the people who came to him in Ziglag. But it goes back. In retrospective. And gives us the men who came to him when he was at the cave of Adalim.

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    And we learn in verse 8. That of the Gadites. They separated themselves under David. Into the whole of the wilderness. Men of might. Men of war. Fit for the battle. That could handle shield and buckler. Whose faces were the faces of lions. And were as swift as the roads upon the mountains. Men of the Gadites.

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    Where did they come from? Gilead. Here was the president of Elijah. Faces like lions. Feet as swift as roads. And they came to a region, brethren and sisters. There was just a wild region of undulating hills. Tossed about in wild confusion. With the fresh winds of the Arabian plateau. Blowing across the heights of Gilead.

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    It was a fresh, healthy, hardy region. Where men were men. And these men of Gad came down over the heights of Gilead. They swam the river Jordan in flood. We learn in verse 15. These are they that went over Jordan in the first month. When it had overflown all his banks. And they put the flight all them of the valleys.

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    Both towards the east and towards the west. Look at the sort of men that were coming to David. Out of the hills of Gilead. Out of the Jordan. It's in flood. So what? They swam the place. There were opposition. It says that they came to David. Not that they came because everybody wanted them to go.

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    They separated themselves to come to David. Note that. They had to separate themselves to come to David. Separate themselves from who? From members of their own religion.

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    From their brothers and sisters. And they were fighting them on the plane to get through. This was the opposition that was brought against David. And these men. Nothing was going to stop them. And they were prepared to separate themselves. And they did separate themselves. And they fought the river Jordan. And they fought their brethren and sisters.

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    And they fought their way across the cave of Dullam. And they came to David and shook him by the hand. And said. We're for you. And they were the sort of men that David wanted. Because they were men of might. Fit for the battle. And the creed of the nation was coming to him.

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    And all Saul was left with. Was the apathetic and the indifferent. The don't care lessens. The ones who never read the word of God anyway. And who couldn't care about the principles of the truth. And those who did care about the principles of the truth. As they saw that kingdom deteriorate. They weren't going to stand for it.

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    And we read in verse 16. And there came the children of Benjamin and Judah. Unto David. And David went out to meet them. And answered and said unto them. If ye become peaceably unto me to help me. Mine heart shall be knit unto you. But if ye become to betray me. To my enemies.

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    Seeing there is no wrong in mine hands. The God of our fathers. Look thereon and rebuke it. And that's the way David greeted them. Brothers and sisters. In other words. He was honest. And this was his policy. A policy of honesty. And so when the men of Benjamin and Judah came to him.

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    He went out and he met them. Now look. He said I want to get things straight. I want to be perfectly understood. This issue. I want to know what basis are coming here. If you're coming here in peace. To join me. We're going to be at unity. Notice that. Our heart shall be knit.

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    The Hebrew word is one. We'll be in unity brethren. We'll stand in unity together. But if you've come here to betray me. I'm not going to condemn you. Not my priorities. But I'm warning you. The God of our fathers. Or what's that? And the spirit came upon one of them. But he strode forward and said.

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    Look. We're here to help you David. And they were made captains of the band. They were good men. They weren't going to tolerate. Brothers and sisters. The things that were going on. These are the sort of people. That were coming in with David. Verse 19. And there fell some of Manasseh to David.

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    When did they fall to him? When he came with the Philistines. Against Saul to battle. And so when David left Viglag here. And he came up the plain of the Sharon. And he made his way to the path of Megiddo. He had to go right through the territory of Manasseh. And as the Philistines are marching up here.

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    First the four lords of the Philistines. Followed by the fifth lord. Achish king of Gath. And coming up last David. And as the Philistines are marching up the plain of Sharon. Towards the kingdom of Saul to fight against it. The people of Manasseh are coming into David's flock. Falling to him out of Manasseh.

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    Joining his band. Everywhere he went. There was indications. Brothers and sisters. That the kingdom itself. The nation itself. Had had enough. And they wanted to get back to the old paths. To the standard of the truth. To the power of Israel. To the promises made to the fathers. To the worship of the tabernacle.

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    To the joys and the glory of the kingdom of Israel. That had enough. And David had these rays of light. Freaking across the dark paths. Which he trod in the city of the Philistines. It wasn't all discouragement. Until finally. In verse 22 we read. Look at that expression. Until it was a great host.

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    Like the host of God. And his mind would have went back. Would it not? At the time of Jacob. Who came back to meet his brother Esau. With a great host. And he met the host of God. And there were two camps. Ma and Naim. A name which means the two camps. And there.

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    The great host of God. Met Jacob. To encourage him. Against Esau his brother. And he and David. Had coming to him. Brethren and sisters. Shaking him by the hand. Encouraging him. And telling him. That they believed. What he believed in principle. And they weren't going to stand. For what was going on in the kingdom of Saul.

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    And they had come now. To the only place. Where they found. A kindred spirit. And although. As I pointed out before. There was a lot of malcontents. In the 600. Who came to David. Not because they loved the truth. Or him. But because they hated Saul. And that sort of loyalty. Is not worth the paper.

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    It's written on. Brethren and sisters. Not worth a cracker. This is the loyalty. That David wanted. Loyalty which said. We're not going to tolerate. What's going on. But we're going to join him with you. And we want to help you. David. Because we want to fight. The war of God. And that loyalty.

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    Was worth everything. And therefore. David had coming to him. Wonderful help. But as the lifeblood. Was draining out of the nation. Brethren and sisters. David wasn't the only one to see it. You mark my words. David wasn't the only one to see it. The Philistines were watching it too. And David could see that building up.

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    It couldn't. This thing which wasn't done in a corner. These people weren't coming to David. In the secrecy of night. It was done openly. And the Philistines were seeing this. And they knew that now had come the moment of truth for Saul. And they saw the cream of the nation coming down. They had no longer to worry about the Gadites.

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    They were a problem to the Philistines. They were men. They had no longer to worry about those men of Benjamin. They could split a hair with a stone out of a swing. Whether it was the left or the right hand. It didn't make any difference. They were with David. They had no longer to worry about the mighty men of Judah.

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    They were with David. And the Philistines were watching this. And they were preparing to make their own onslaught against Israel. And this was a tragedy. And so in the first of Chronicles chapter 28. I'm sorry. First of Samuel 28. If we go back in the record. We read a very significant statement.

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    In the first of Samuel 28. And it came to pass in those days. And those are the days when these men were pouring into David. But the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare. To fight with Israel. Yes. There was a golden opportunity now. An Achish. Poor simple Achish. Who took every man at face value.

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    At the end of verse 2. He said to David. Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head forever. That was a dangerous policy. He thought that David was in with him. Lock, stop and bow. Because in verse 12 of the previous chapter. Achish believed David saying. He has made his people Israel to utterly abhor him.

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    Therefore shall he be my servant forever. And David was telling Achish when he was at Ziglad. As he made raids upon the Bedouin tribes of the south. Mainly upon the Amalekites. He was coming back to Achish and telling him. He said where have you been today David? Oh in the Judah. You think I did nothing in there.

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    Now I'll get my own back. Good boy. Good boy. He believed him. And when they went to fight. And they got their armies together and moved north. Achish said to David. You're going to be the keeper of my head forever. He's been keeping his head forever alright. Like Goliath outside the walls of Jerusalem.

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    Once they got up on the battle of Jalbaah. But Achish, the man who was easily fooled. A man who wore his heart on his sleeve. And said everybody at their word. Believed that David was on the side of the Philistines. He was no more on the side of the Philistines. Any more than I'm on the side of the Roman Catholics.

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    And that's exactly the position that David saw. Because the word Philistine means a wallower in the dust. And Israel means a prince with God. And David saw that difference clearly. He never lost sight of that difference. And when he lamented the fall of Israel. He was lamenting the fall of his brethren and sisters.

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    He wasn't rejoicing over the fall of his enemies. He was lamenting the fall of his friends. But Achish thought that he had David. He was going to be the keeper of his head forever. And so how it came about was this. There were five laws of the Philistines. Representing the five great cities of the Philistines.

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    And they go to their armies together. And this was their plan. They had found that coming up through the three veils here. Of Sorek, Elah and Adjalom. That they found difficulty in penetrating to the inner region of the Judean hills. Because obviously those up on the Judean hills had the advantage over them.

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    So they decided that for strategic purposes. They would march north. Right up the plain of Sharon. Where they'd be absolutely unhindered. Manasseh couldn't do anything about stopping them. March up here. Stop at this place just here. And then they would gather their forces together. Pass through the part of Megiddo. And come around and down north.

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    Through the north. Because there was a great valley. The valley of Jezreel. Which ran down here. Opening up the whole of the north. The hills of Samaria were not so high. They were far more wide and open. And you could bring carriers to this area. And so that coming down from the north.

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    They would have an easy access to the hills of Judah. And so they began to march north. And they came to a place. Called Aphek. Now you look at chapter 29. In the first of Samuel chapter 29.

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    Now the Philistines gathered together. All their armies to Aphek. Aphek, brother and sister. Was south of the path of Megiddo. And so before the Philistines went through the path of Megiddo. And by the way. I keep repeating this. I suppose it's some pressure up in the middle of the land. But I've seen the path of Megiddo.

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    I'm getting like Lindsay Cahoon, aren't I? But I've seen the path of Megiddo. And it's terrific. To stand upon the hill of Megiddo itself. Where the path goes right around the foot of the hill. And it winds its way around. It's quite a broad opening. Which runs straight through these hills. There's the finger of Carmel going up here.

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    Here's the hills of Samaria. And the path of Megiddo. Is a very broad path. Opening out onto the broad plain of Jezreel. Now the Philistines came to the very opening of that path. To Aphek. Why would they gather their armies together at Aphek? Well, brother and sister. Aphek to the Philistines meant a lot.

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    Because you see. Aphek not only means strength. But it was the place, brother and sister. Where the Philistines had inflicted. One of their great major victories over Israel. And it was the place where they had beaten Israel. And where they had taken the ark into captivity. And I can imagine the five lords of the Philistines.

99. 31:59

    Gathering there. Not only gathering their forces numerically. But gathering moral support. Moral strength. At a place which means strength. And they would be exhorting each other. And exhort each other they did. And we know they did. And we know what that meant to them. Because the apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthians. In words which the Philistines used.

100. 32:22

     Quit yourselves like men. They had said on the day that they took the ark. Not on this day. But on the day they took the ark. Quit yourselves like men. Be strong. And Paul quoted that catch cry. Why would Paul quote the catch cry of the Philistines to the Corinthians? When he called upon them to quit themselves into Christian warfare.

101. 32:41

     Why quote the catch cry of the Philistines? For this reason I believe, brethren and sisters. That there's not the shadow of a doubt. That the Philistines were amongst the most courageous of all the nations of Canaan. Not only the most courageous. But they had an excellent policy. They would never accept the principle of defense.

102. 33:02

     You wait until the end of this record. Later on. You'll find they'll never accept the principle of defense. And the principle of the Philistines was. That attack was the best defense. And they had that catch cry. Be strong and quit yourselves like men. And when Paul quoted that to the Christians. He was exhorting them.

103. 33:21

     Not to be like a Philistine morally. But to emulate his courage and his policy. Of getting out there and grasping hold of your opportunities. And there they were at Apex. A most significant spot. Gathering their moral strength to fight against Israel. And as they spoke about this. One Lord to the other. The four lords got together.

104. 33:43

     And they said. Now what about this chap David? Achish reckons he's alright. But then Achish is Achish. He'd accept Pharaoh king of Egypt. But we're not so sure. And David might be alright at Ziglag. On his own. But what about we get on the. In the strength of battle. And he sees the armies of Israel.

105. 34:14

     What a glorious opportunity they said. In verse four. To be reconciled to his master. Coming up. As David did very of course. Subconsciously. He brought up the rear.

106. 34:28

     That would be quite deliberate. Friends and sisters. And I can imagine that David would have been right behind the Philistines. A long way behind. Because David's heart would have been troubled. The Philistines were carrying him. Towards a battle with Israel. And David wouldn't know which way to turn. And his mind would be in turmoil.

107. 34:45

     His heart would be overcharged. With worry and anxiety. What on earth is he going to do? When they get up there. On the plain of Esrae Long. What's he going to do? The Philistines have an idea what he might do. He might be reconciled to his master. And what better way to be reconciled to his master.

108. 34:59

     Than in the midst of the battle. That David with his mighty host. Like the great host of God. Should suddenly come into the war. On Israel's behalf. At the rear of the Philistines. Oh no. The forelord said. Let's rule him out. They went to Achish. While Achish said. Oh no. He's a good chap.

109. 35:15

     Listen Achish. Send him home. Well. Achish. Four against one. He couldn't argue. So he goes to David. And he says. Look. It's Yahweh Livers. Yahweh Livers. He knew David's hope. You've been upright. You haven't harmed me at all. But look. I'm in favour of you. But look. The other fellows. You know David.

110. 35:40

     After all said and done. We can't afford to divide our forces. Would you go home? And David says. What have I done? But. Why can't I come with you? Would you please go home? All right. You can imagine him. Going for the nick of his life. Home. And breathing a sigh of relief.

111. 35:58

     President Susan. As he headed down towards Ziglag. Now I want to leave. Saul. And the army to the Philistines. When David left them up here. He made his way right back to Ziglag. And they went through the path of Megiddo. They went right up here. And they came up and stayed at a place called Shunan.

112. 36:15

     Which is just out from the hill of Morai. Now you can see what happened. Instead of going on to the plane of Essel and coming straight through. They found that by this time. Saul had known what was going on. And he went north. And he gathered his armies against them on Mount Gilboa.

113. 36:31

     And without a shadow of a doubt. He had the advantage. Saul obviously had the advantage here. Because the slopes of Gilboa command the whole region here. And so the Philistines found their way blocked by Saul. And that's what happened. In the meanwhile David makes his way back to Ziglag. And when he got back to Ziglag.

114. 36:51

     He found a tragedy. In chapter 30. And it came to pass. When David and his men were come to Ziglag on the third day. That the Amalekites had invaded the south. And Ziglag. And had smitten Ziglag. And had burned it with fire. What a tragedy. Brothers and sisters. As he came down south.

115. 37:11

     And you can imagine him. After three days marching. Down the plain of the Sharon. Down the western seaboard of Palestine. Coming down to the region of the south. And where the desert opened on. To the wilderness of Paran. And other places down south. As he came down there. And he saw the smoke rising over Ziglag.

116. 37:28

     And of course he knew what he'd been doing to the Amalekites. He'd been playing havoc with the Amalekites. And now the Amalekites had had their revenge. And you can imagine the tormented thought. That David and his 600 men. As they saw that city burnt to the ground. And not a soul there. Absolute silence reign.

117. 37:45

     Except for probably the crackling of burning timber. And there were his men. His wives and his children gone. Including Abigail. Father's joy and her children. It was a time of great anxiety. And David, brethren and sisters. Was in the most extreme position perhaps. He's ever been in. Because they wept in verse 4 tells us.

118. 38:05

     Until they had no more power to cry. They were exhausted with grief. And verse 6 tells us. That they were greatly distressed. For the people spake of stoning him. And all the people was grieved. Every man for his sons and for his daughters. And in the midst of that great extremity. David took a deep spiritual breath.

119. 38:29

     When the 600 were ready to stone him to death. When there was nothing but burning embers. He took a deep spiritual breath. And David encouraged himself. In the Lord his God. What a wonderful expression that is. Brothers and sisters. He encouraged himself. There was nobody else to encourage him. There wasn't a soul among them.

120. 38:51

     That could encourage him on this occasion. And he's alone. Alone in the land of the Philistines. Look at the thoughts of the man's heart. You contemplate for the moment. What was going on. Here's a man who loved Israel. He's just left a powerful army of the Philistines. He knows well enough. That the army that he left.

121. 39:08

     Is more than a match for Saul's army now. That the nation has been bled of its strength. So he comes down heavy of heart. He knows that Saul's in for the greatest fight of his life. And his heart's bleeding for this man. Who didn't have to go the way that he did. Thinking of Jonathan and all these things.

122. 39:24

     And now sorrow upon sorrow. There was his wife and children gone. And everybody else's wives and children. Sorrow upon sorrow. The 600 are gathering around with black luck. After it exhausted in grief. Three days fourth March. Worn out with grief. Glowing at him and ready to stone him to death. And David takes a deep spiritual breath.

123. 39:46

     And strengthens himself in the Lord his God. Bring me that ephod. And you know brethren and sisters. The moment of truth had arrived for two men. And I want you to notice this. And I'm going to present this not as a thought which I feel is a conjecture. But I think that there is.

124. 40:04

     In the divine record here of the history. There's a wonderful balance in the way that this record is produced for us. It's written by the Spirit of God. And now we see dawning the moment of truth for two men. For David the shepherd boy of Bethlehem. And for Saul of Gibeah. And it's remarkable how that from now on this record runs parallel.

125. 40:27

     David's troubles in Ziklag. Saul's troubles at Gilboa. And David said bring me hither the ephod. So did Saul. The record in the 28th chapter of the 1st of Samuel says in verse 6. That when Saul inquired of Yahweh. He answered him not. Neither by dreams. Nor by urine. Which of course is another term for the ephod.

126. 40:51

     Nor by prophets. And there on the mountains of Gilboa. Is a desperate man with an ephod. Inquiring of that ephod. Absolute silence. And there's another desperate man. And there's another desperate man with an ephod. Inquiring at the ephod. And getting all the information he requires. The moment of truth had arrived. And although David didn't know it brethren and sisters.

127. 41:14

     At the blackest point of his life. Around the corner was a blaze of glory. But he could never have seen it. No man on earth could have imagined. What was around the corner. And it was all coming together. And two men were going to their destinies. It's remarkable how this record is run.

128. 41:32

     Parallel one with the other. And so David is told. Shall I pursue them? Get after them David. Yes and you'll recover everything says God. And so the 600 took to their hills. And they raced down south against the Amalekites. And you can imagine brethren and sisters. How would you run brethren? You brothers with a wife and family.

129. 41:51

     How would you run against the Amalekites? You'd run till you'd drop dead. But bear this in mind. These men had already marched for three days. They were worn out. Not only worn out physically. But they were worn out emotionally. And they weren't cold and hard like us. These were worn people. And when they'd lost their wives and children.

130. 42:10

     They gave them to their feelings. And they were exhausted emotionally. But God says get after them. And so picking up their strength. They went for their life after those Amalekites. So they came to the brook Besor. But there were 200 men when they came to the brook Besor. Right down south here on the beginning of the desert.

131. 42:24

     That could no longer continue and collapse. And David got all of his 400s. Says come on. Leave them there. Put all the stuff together. He symbolized with their feelings. You look after this. And they pressed relentlessly on brethren and sisters. Because God had told them to. Look at the determination. Not a determination only to obey Yahweh.

132. 42:44

     But a determination driven by anxiety for their family's sake. And as they go down through the sands of the desert. With not a sign of life. Because that area was a destitute area. They saw a figure staggering through the sand. Dragging himself through the sand. Perhaps crashing down again and again. They drag him up.

133. 43:01

     Who are you? I'm an Egyptian. Where are you coming from? I'm a servant of the Amalekites. He says I got sick. And the Amalekites don't like sick people. They leave them to die.

134. 43:17

     And you know there's a lesson. And the lack of compassion brethren and sisters. And the Amalekites had. Upon that Egyptian. Cost them their lives.

135. 43:29

     It was just a lack of compassion. Someone had got sick. So they just kicked him out on the sand. And said you're a hindrance. But David found him. Can you bring us to the Amalekites? Yes he said I can. But you won't kill me will you? No sir David. And he brought them to the Amalekites.

136. 43:48

     And we read in verse 17. That David smote them. This is the first of Samuel chapter 30 verse 17. That David smote them from the twilight. Even under 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. And David recovered all the Amalekites.

137. 44:14

     And carried away. And David rescued his two wives. From twilight. Even under the evening of the next day. Now look at that. When we talk about this record. When we talk about men. Here's what we're talking about. Look. Quite apart from the moral considerations of this word. This was the breed of people.

138. 44:33

     They brought up in those days. When they didn't have the opulence. That we live in brethren and sisters. And they didn't have a menara GTF. The mighty little boy is always talking about. And they never had all the comforts of our home life. And that marched for three days. From Apex down to Ziggler.

139. 44:47

     They were worn out physically and emotionally. They took to their heels. Immediately upon the instructions they got from God. They got to the brook Vesau. Where two hundred of them just collapsed. In a heap of exhaustion. The other four hundred pressed on. They got to the camp at the evening of that day.

140. 45:01

     And they fought until the evening of the next. They don't breed them like that today. And you can imagine. Fighting for their lives. And the lives of their families. And they never lost a single soul. And Saul lost everything on Mount Gilboa. He lost everything brethren and sisters. He lost the kingdom even.

141. 45:24

     Because of his folly and stupidity. And David gained all. And as we look upon David now. As he returns to Ziggler. He comes back to Ziggler. And in verse 26 we read. And when David came to Ziggler. He sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah. Even to his friends. Saying behold a present for you.

142. 45:47

     Of the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh. Verse 31. And he sent them to those which were in Hebron. And to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt. And there was the beginning of a new day brethren and sisters. Back in Ziggler. He had a host of spoil.

143. 46:05

     Because this Amalekite host had evidently raided a whole area. Not only Ziggler. They raided a whole area. And they had a huge heap of spoil. And David all brought it back. And he fed it into Judah. Fed it into Judah. And there going into Judah. Brothers and sisters. Was greeting cards from David.

144. 46:22

     And they were ready to receive them. And the men of Judah were getting all these presents. It was pouring into Hebron. And the people were beginning to see. That he was the man they wanted. And there was David's affinity with the people of Judah. Oh he called them his friends. They betrayed him a lot of them.

145. 46:38

     But now they saw that David was not their enemy. That David was prepared to share his gains with the people of Israel. He wasn't prepared to share them with the Philistines. And so David was preparing himself for the great day. And Saul was going to his doom. And it's to Saul now. We turn brethren and sisters.

146. 46:55

     And to see how that his moment of truth came. And back in the first of Samuel chapter 28. We have the melancholy picture. Of the end of Saul. And what a picture it is. I want you to try and capture the whole scene here. As we stood upon the hill of Megiddo. And I just drank all this in.

147. 47:16

     Could see as vividly brethren and sisters. As if the whole thing was taking place before you. Could see the whole principle involved. Because the area of which we now speak. Is not an area where there's any doubt at all. But as you look down. From the part of Megiddo here. You find the hills of Samaria.

148. 47:32

     Blending with the slopes of Gilboa. Which slopes down to the plain. Gilboa is 1250 feet above sea level. Not very high. But when you consider that it slopes straight into the plain. Which goes to about 15 miles long. And about 12 miles wide. A magnificent valley. The scene is quite beautiful. And there is the slopes of Gilboa.

149. 47:53

     And Saul got the whole panorama in front of him. Just over from Mount Gilboa. Another little mountain. All out on the stone. Called the mountain of Moray.

150. 48:02

     And beyond that. Shunem. Where the Philistines were. And beyond that again. For about two more miles. Was Endor. Where the witch resided. So he got Saul on Gilboa. About eight miles from him. Shunem. In full sight of Gilboa. Mark you. He would have thought. Everything that went on in that camp. Eight miles from him was Shunem.

151. 48:21

     And about two miles further on. Was Endor. And you could take all that in one broad sweep. Across that plain. And as Saul was there. I believe. Brother and sister. That his mind would have been filled. With what could have been. Possibilities. Possibilities. I want you to notice verse 5. Of the first of Samuel 28.

152. 48:47

     And when Saul saw. The host of the Philistines. He was afraid. And his heart. Greatly. Tremble. All students. Of the word of God. Will. Automatically leap. To the conclusion. We're going to reach now. His heart. Greatly. Tremble. Where did it greatly tremble? On the slopes of Gilboa. And there was another man. Who stood upon the slopes of Gilboa.

153. 49:14

     Brothers and sisters. Whose heart. Also greatly trembled. When he saw the host. Encamped at Shunem. And because his heart. And the heart of his host. Tremble. They called the name of the place. At the foot of Gilboa. The well of Herod. Which means the well of trembling. And that's recorded in the 7th chapter of Judges.

154. 49:33

     In verse 1. The well of Herod. And the word. Tremble here. In the first of Samuel 28. Verse 5. Is Herod. And there was Saul. In the very spot. Where Gideon had stood. With 300 men. And Saul. Ticked down. He was 3,000 men. And he was looking right down. On the well of trembling.

155. 49:56

     And his heart was. Herod. Tremble. And he was looking at the well of Herod. Not only that. Brethren and sisters. But he was going shortly. To pay a visit. To the witch of Endor. And when he went to. Endor. In the evil atmosphere. Of this witch. He was standing. In the very locality.

156. 50:21

     Where Sisera. The mighty man. Of the Gentiles. Was brought to his final end. By Barak. With the help of a woman. And God. For Psalm 83. And verse 10. Says. That Sisera. Met his doom. At Endor. And there was Saul. With the panorama. Of Israel's history. Before him. And as he looked down.

157. 50:44

     Over the host. Of the Philistines. And he could have easily seen them. His heart was trembling. And he would have. Must have remembered. He couldn't help but remember. That Gideon was here. With 300 men. He couldn't help but remember. That further over. To the north. On Mount Tabor. Which is about a thousand feet.

158. 50:59

     Above the floor of the valley. Of almost a perfect cone. That Barak had stood there. With 10,000 meager men. Facing an enormous host. And there were three men. Who were bound up in the history of the nation. And the difference between Gideon and Barak. And between them and Saul. Was that God had departed from Saul.

159. 51:20

     And that was the tragedy of the situation. And as Saul would have thought about Gideon. Going down and praying. Brothers and sisters. And getting the signs from God. Of a fleece. Wet one night. Dry the next. Of a little barley cake. Barley being a quarter meal. The second grade food. The one they had at Passover time.

160. 51:39

     He who was despised and rejected of men. Rolling down a hill. And bowling over all the tents of the Midianites. Of Barak. Inquiring of a woman. Deborah. And getting inspiration and strength from her. Because they believed in God. And Saul asking God through the ephod. And nothing but abject silence. Silence. This was the tragedy of the moment.

161. 52:00

     And then we see one of the most melancholy pictures. That's ever been presented in the word of God. Saul and a couple of his men. In desperation. To get something. To find somebody. Who could do something for him. In a desperate situation. And he makes his way by night. And I can picture him.

162. 52:19

     Down the slopes of Gilboa. To the floor of the valley. He's got eight miles to end all. Between him and Endor. The host of the Philistines. Silently. Secretly. Creeping and inching his way across that plain. Through the host of the Philistines. Dreading every moment of it. On to Endor. And a witch. What a tragedy.

163. 52:47

     And a witch. One who had a familiar spirit. The Hebrew word means a water skin. Because it had a hollow. It made a hollow sound. As one murmuring. A person who could throw their voice. Fool you. Bewitch you. They were wizards. A word which means a knowing one. That peep and matter. That Isaiah talked about.

164. 53:11

     These are the people. In the inspiration of the first days of his reign. That Saul had swept out of the nation. As verse 3 tells us. And he had not only swept them out of the way. But Samuel had died also. And it's rather significant. Brothers and sisters. That the death of Samuel is announced.

165. 53:26

     In verse 3 again. Along with the way that Saul had destroyed the witches. And I believe there's great reason for this. Now you listen to this. Across to the witch of Endor he goes. And you know the story. That she feared. To accede to his request. Because she said Saul has killed all us sort of people.

166. 53:46

     And he guaranteed her safety. And there in that melancholy night. He came to the woman by night. We read in verse 8. It was night in every sense of the word. And she is purported to have raised Samuel from the dead. She could no more raise Samuel from the dead than I can.

167. 54:05

     Brothers and sisters. Because God hates witchcraft. And although she didn't bring Samuel up to the dead. Saul believed he was there. And there before Saul. Although he couldn't see anything. The woman converting with him. And bringing to him this message of doom. He believed Samuel was there. And I'm going to show you something now.

168. 54:26

     Which I think is absolutely terrific in this record. It shows a great lesson that we've got to learn. You know when Saul. At the beginning of his reign. He started very auspiciously. He rescued the men of Jabez Gilead. He made himself prominent in the nation. He was a humble young man. They had to go and get him among the staff.

169. 54:44

     Because he was too embarrassed to come forward. But all that had gone. Because of his anger. And the mad spirit that dominated him. Because he refused to hearken to God's word. And slowly. Step by step. And then it accelerated. Until downhill he went. And he degenerated to such a state. That here he is in the blackness of night.

170. 55:03

     In his cloak. Which used to heighten the Philistines. On the plain of Jezreel. Filled with the history of the nation. And God's victory. And inquiring of a witch. And ringing in his ears. As Samuel was talking to him. As he believed Samuel was talking to him. He said to Samuel in verse 15.

171. 55:25

     I am so distressed. For the Philistines make war against me. And God. Is departed. From me. What a sad situation. But that's what Samuel told him. When he grabbed all of the scared of Samuel. Brothers and sisters. And he pulled it so hard. That he tore it. And Samuel turned around. So. So.

172. 55:54

     The strength of Israel. Will not repent. You're finished boy. You're finished. And here he is at last. Before Samuel. God departed from me. And of course. We believe that this woman. Would have known all these things. Everybody knew these things. It was becoming obvious to all. But Saul believed. That Samuel was talking to him.

173. 56:16

     And in his mind. They would have come rushing those words. As when he came back. From slaying the Amalekites. He refused. Brothers and sisters. He refused to kill the Amalekites. Because of popular feeling. Of personal feeling. Because the people had prevailed. Above the word of God. And now Samuel had told him. Because he would not kill the Amalekites.

174. 56:35

     Behold. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. And there he was. In witchcraft. And the word of God. Had caught him in that situation at last. And at the hour of his doom. God had brought him in the footstool of a witch. And Samuel had told him. That's where he'd finish. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.

175. 56:55

     And then Samuel repeated to him. The condemnation. Because you obeyed not the voice of Yahweh. In verse 18. Nor executed his fierce wrath upon Amalek. Therefore had Yahweh done this thing unto thee this day. And what do we learn? That David returned to Ziglag. After the slaughter. Of the Amalekites. And the word of God had turned a full circle.

176. 57:26

     The same condemnation rested upon Saul. Now as it rested upon him at the beginning of his kingdom. He was condemned, brethren and sisters and young people. Because he fooled around in the world. Because he compromised the principles of truth. Having compromised them once. He did it again. And again. And again. Until finally when David in exile is surrounded by the voice of God.

177. 57:53

     Talking to him through Gad the prophet. Through Abias and the priest. Through the ephod which he had. Having several means of communication. In Saul's ears there rings no voice of Yahweh. And he's standing with a witch. And there's Samuel a man that condemned him. And said rebellion Saul. Is as the sin of witchcraft.

178. 58:14

     You wouldn't kill Amalek. And at that very moment of time. The young shepherd boy of Bethlehem. Now grown to manhood. Was slaughtering the Amalekites. And the word of God had turned a full circle. Yes Yahweh departed from him all right. And the voice of God had never altered. Because you obeyed not the voice of Yahweh.

179. 58:39

     And there's a lesson for us. We compromise to our own detriment. Brothers and sisters. One compromise leads to another. Because once you compromise. It's harder to go back. Compromise a second time. And it's even harder to go back. And it leads on and on and on and on. Inexorably to the very position where Saul stood.

180. 59:00

     When he had to seek to other means of communication. A man desperate and forlorn. And he collapsed at the place of the witch of Endor. Collapsed on a bed. Worn out and exhausted. No doubt weeping his heart out. Broken hearted. And the witch of Endor moved with compassion. A witch. Killed for him the fatted calf.

181. 59:23

     A witch of Endor. Killed for him the fatted calf which he had in the house. And fed him and his two men. And sent them on their way. Their melancholy journey again. Back through the ranks of the Philistines. Up the slopes of Gilboa. To await the dawning of the moment of truth. Something he could never escape.

182. 59:44

     It was a tremendous lesson. And in the 30th chapter. The 31st chapter. We have the record of Saul falling upon Mount Gilboa. Now the Philistines fought against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from the Philistines. And fell down slain. In Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul. And upon his sons.

183. 1:00:12

     And the Philistines slew Jonathan. And the rest of his sons. And in verse 4. Saul said unto his arm of bearer. Draw thy sword and thrust me through therewith. Lest these uncircumcised come. And thrust me through and abuse me. You see not even Saul. Brothers and sisters. In all his degeneracy. Not even Saul could submit to the indignity.

184. 1:00:34

     Of being killed by the uncircumcised Philistines. And you know there's something very tragic. Something very tragic about this. You can never. I could never feel. I don't know how you feel about this. I could never bring myself to feel on this occasion. That here was a moment of joy. It wasn't a moment of joy at all.

185. 1:00:51

     Because there is Saul and Jonathan. You can see them scrambling up the slopes of Gilboa. They had the strategic advantage. Brothers and sisters. But they had lost every form of defence. God has departed from me. And so up the slopes of Gilboa. In the most impossible position. The Philistines stormed up there. Like Israel going up the Golden Heights.

186. 1:01:11

     Overthrew the host of the Philistines. Jonathan and Saul desperately trying to keep them at bay. And a shower of arrows coming over. And the great men of Israel. And great men they were. In a sense. Jonathan a very great man. Saul in his own way a great man. Falling upon the heights of Gilboa.

187. 1:01:30

     Something very tragic about all that. Because you see brothers and sisters. It wasn't the end of a man. As David saw it. It wasn't the destruction of an enemy. It wasn't a personal victory for David. The Christadelphians had been beaten.

188. 1:01:48

     That's what hurts. It was the Christadelphians that had got beaten. Not Saul of Gideon. But the Israel of God. Had been defeated. And there was no need for them to be defeated. They could have had their hearts met together as one. They could have all stood upon the slopes of Gilboa. Drank of the well of Harith.

189. 1:02:10

     Remembered Gideon. They could have all looked down like Barek did upon Caesar's host. They could have all been there as one. David could have been one side of Saul. Joab and Jonathan the other. Abishai behind them. There should have been no fear in Israel. They could have swept the valley clear of the Philistines.

190. 1:02:27

     The wallowers in the dust. And cleaned the whole area up. And there could have been glory for everybody. If only Saul had obeyed the voice of Yahweh. That was all that was necessary. And the only thing that stood between Saul. And obedience to God was Saul. And that's the only thing that stands in our way.

191. 1:02:44

     Brethren and sisters. And where do you think we're going to stand in this city? Where do you think we're going to stand in this city? If envy enters into the picture. If blind jealousy clouds our eyes and our hearts of the truth of God's word. If we aspire to be leaders when we haven't got the qualifications.

192. 1:03:01

     And because of bitter frustration there with. We then turn to whistling and backbiting. Where do you think we're going to stand? If we as a community can't pull together. And the host of the Philistines can see outside. The defenses of so-called Christendom coming down. And they're making inroads into all sorts of communities.

193. 1:03:17

     And how do you think we're going to stand together brothers and sisters. If we as a community can't all bow. Every one of us bow to the voice of Yahweh. Even though it might hurt this fellow and that fellow out there. How do you think we're going to bring our children up in this society.

194. 1:03:32

     And keep them from being slaughtered by the Philistines. If brothers and sisters don't try and help them bring their children up. So that I can say to my children. You can't do so and so. Because uncle and auntie so and so don't let their children do so and so. And if all the uncles and aunties of my children do with their children what I do.

195. 1:03:51

     Then I've got a better chance of seeing that my children grow up decently. In an age that has forgotten the meaning of the term. And that's what happened in the kingdom of Israel. And do you think we're any different? We go on as if some separate segment. Completely apart from all this. It's the same God brothers and sisters.

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     That spoke to Saul that speaks to us. It's the same God that delivered David that will deliver us. He's still the creator of heaven and earth. He's never changed. He's still the God of the Christadelphians. He's still prepared to fight our battles. But he will ask nothing more or less of us. Than we submit to the power of his book.

197. 1:04:31

     And give away this idea of I, I, I, I. And it's significant on this day. That Abner the son of Mer was not killed.

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     And he would have been right over the tops of Gilboa. And halfway down the Jordan Valley. As Saul and Jonathan gave their life to the nation.

199. 1:04:53

     It was a terrific occasion. And one which brought forth from David. The second of Samuel chapter one. And I've never been able to read it. Brothers and sisters without being moved. Never. Because it revealed to us the real spirit of the man David. But before we read that. I want to read you the epitaph.

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     It could almost be put over Saul's grave. In Hosea chapter 13. And this was the epitaph of Saul. As he lay slain upon the mountains of Gilboa. In Hosea 13. Amen.

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     Verses 9 to 11. Listen to this. Brothers and sisters of the God of Israel. Listen to it. Hosea 13 verses 9 to 11. O Israel. Israel. Thou hast destroyed thyself. But in me is thine help. I will be thy king. Where is there any other that they may save thee in all thy cities?

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     And thy judges of whom thou saidest. Give me a king and princess. I gave thee a king in my anger. And I took him away in my wrath. O Israel. You've destroyed yourself. And that was true, brothers and sisters. They destroyed themselves. And so will we. And how did they destroy themselves? Samuel gave no other form into the Saul.

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     He never went into all the details. He could have gone into a lot of details. The basic condemnation of Saul was. Because thou hast rejected the word of God. God hath rejected thee. He destroyed himself. And God is our king, brothers and sisters. And there is the way in which he rules amongst us.

204. 1:06:55

     Now we're not talking now simply of a book. So we revere the covers of a book. Or the pages of a book. That's only pen and ink when all is said and done. It's no different than any other book in the world. As far as its materials are concerned. But it's the ideas that are contained in that book.

205. 1:07:12

     It's the ideas that flow out of it from its exposition. That get into the minds and the hearts of people. And charge them like the charge of electricity. That they become stimulated. And inspired to go under greater heights. You close that book amongst our community. And we destroy ourselves. That's what God told us through Hosea.

206. 1:07:31

     And how do we close the book amongst us? By saying, oh well, you know, all these stories about the Old Testament. That's a dead letter. We might not say that in as many words. But I've heard a kindred spirit expressed. We hear expressions like, all we need is love. One of the Beatles tunes.

207. 1:07:52

     And a dog I wanted to put them on as a lecture title once. In a place where I once visited. Because that's all he reckoned we needed. And we hear things like, once you know the truth and the fundamentals. That's all that's necessary. God doesn't expect you to understand anything else. As if when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

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     He wants to gather into himself a kindergarten or a little milk bottle. Because that's the milk of the Word. As beautiful as it is. And Peter says, to desire the sincere milk of the Word. That ye may grow thereby.

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     And these are the things we've got to get into it. And if we don't get these things into it, we destroy ourselves. There's no need. There's no need for animosity. There's no need for envy. There's a need for every one of us to assist each other in understanding the book. To get our own heads into it.

210. 1:08:45

     And to make sure that other people get their heads into it. To talk about it together. And then hand in hand to live it together. That's all that's needed. And we will overthrow the world. Let alone the Philistines. But they destroy themselves. Because God says, I'll be a king. But you don't want me.

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     So he said, we'll want a king like all other nations. So he said, I gave you a king in my anger. And I swept him away in my wrath. And God was angry when he took away Saul on the mountains of Gilbar. Did that give David the right to be angry, brethren and sisters?

212. 1:09:19

     Let's have a look at the second of Samuel 1. And we'll conclude with a short chapter with just a few thoughts from us. Look at David's reaction to the fall of Israel. First of all, a young man comes into the camp of Zigglash. And this young man came in with his clothes rent and earth upon his head.

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     He was a hypocrite, this young fellow. And he was going to come in and he was going to gain favour with David. As David says later on in the book of Samuel, he thought that he was going to bring me good tidings. He came with all these external aspects of mourning. But he was coming to give David good tidings.

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     This is what David himself said later. In the second of Samuel chapter 4 or 5 I think it is. He said he thought he was going to bring me good tidings. But he came with all the external appearances of mourning. Clothes torn and earth upon his head. And with a mournful look on his face.

215. 1:10:13

     Oh, Israel has fallen. Israel has fallen. Thinking that David will say, are they gone? You little beauty. It's all dead. Oh, the way is clear and open for me. If you go into the kingdom. He's got a sad mistake on that day. As it came into David's heart, brethren and sisters, like the knell of doom.

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     And he said to him, who are you? And he said of all things in verse 8, I am an Amalekite. He was a mistake revealing his identity. But I want to show you something now. He had in his hands the crown of the king of Israel. He had the crown that was upon the head of the king of Israel.

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     And who had it? An Amalekite. Now, if that's not poetic justice, what is? Into the camp of David. An Amalekite brought the crown of the king of Israel. And it was Saul, brethren and sisters, as the king of Israel, who refused to remove the crown of Agag, king of the Amalekites. And there's an Amalekite, poetic justice.

218. 1:11:27

     And he's got the crown of the king of Israel. And he thought he was going to bring David good tidings. And David killed him. Or ordered him to be killed. He couldn't stand to think that Yahweh's anointed, even though in the extremities of life should have been smitten by an Amalekite. It seemed out of character to David.

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     And he could see the hypocrisy of this man before him. As he later on said, he thought he was bringing me good tidings. And I dealt with him in accordance with the integrity of my heart. And he destroyed him. As he did all the Amalekites. And then, brethren and sisters, David wrote a song.

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     And he called the name of the song, The Bow. In verse 18 of the first of Samuel 1. It says there, Also he bade them teach the children of Judah, it says, the use of the bow. But look at the words, the use of, are in italics. They're no part of the original.

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     He taught the children of Judah the bow. And behold, it is written in the book of the upright one, Jasher. And the book of Jasher, brethren and sisters, was evidently a collection of poems and of songs and of historical records which were never to be forgotten in Israel. And in the book of the upright one went a song called The Bow.

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     And why would David call it The Bow? Because this song was dedicated to one of the greatest men that ever graced God's earth. Jonathan. And his bow never turned back, he says, in verse 22. The bow of Jonathan never turned back. And here was a song dedicated to the memory of a great man, brethren and sisters.

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     And there was something very moving about this because here are brethren who loved each other. For the truth's sake, although they were in two opposite camps. Two opposite camps. But there's no wall or barrier that could ever be erected by man. There is no division made by humankind, brethren and sisters, that can divide brother from brother when the truth burns in the heart of either.

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     And when you travel around the world, you people that have only stayed in this city are fortunate in one respect and yet have missed out on so much. And when you travel around this world and you find there are people everywhere with that same hope beating in their heart that you may go away filled with the power of the book and think you're going to do a lot of good but you come home feeling that you're a tiny little cog in an immense machinery that God has constructed for the purpose of glorifying his name on the earth.

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     And you're drawn irresistibly to those people who labour for the same cause. And here was a song dedicated to Jonathan, one of the loveliest men that ever lived. And David's heart bled. But it was not for Jonathan that the song opened. The beauty of Israel, he says in verse 19, is slain upon thy high places.

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     This is what David didn't want. The truth is fallen. The beauty of Israel is fallen. He says, tell it not in Gath. Don't let the people of Gath hear about this. Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon. It was too late, brethren and sisters. Saul's armour was going all around the streets of Ashkelon.

227. 1:14:29

     It was going into Ashdod. It was going into Gath. It was going into all the cities of the Philistines. And as they brought the armour of Saul, the Philistines were flocking into the streets and chanting the songs to their god, Gatholon. And rejoicing over the fact that the world had beaten the Christadelphians.

228. 1:14:46

     And the Christadelphians had destroyed themselves because they'd rejected the word of God. And David says, never let it be heard in the streets of Ashkelon. He was too late. Saul's armour was carried through the streets of Ashkelon. And the daughters of the uncircumcised were in triumph. And he speaks in verse 23 of Saul and Jonathan.

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     He says, Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. What an expression. You know, he's not talking about Saul as an individual, nor is he talking about Jonathan as an individual. The words lovely and pleasant are related words and they are related to the way in which people are related to each other.

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     What he means is, not that Saul was lovely or that Jonathan was lovely, but that Saul and Jonathan's friendship was one of the loveliest things that the nation had ever seen. And that's what those words, the words indicate, a relationship between two people. The word lovely means to have an affection for as a friend.

231. 1:15:58

     And the word, the word there, the word pleasant, is a word which means delightful and sweet. And so he was saying that whatever we may think of Saul, brethren and sisters, whatever we might have thought of Saul, yet when you see him and his son together, as they were never divided, despite the fact that they argued over the matter of David, despite the fact that Saul on one occasion wanted to pierce his son to the wall, yet the record stands as a stark testimony to the great loyalty that Jonathan had for his father.

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     And there were moments when his father expressed great love for his son, but Jonathan said, my father will do nothing, but he tells me. And David called upon all his sons, and look at this, the companionship between Saul and Jonathan, he says, was lovely and terribly sweet. And in their death, they were not divided.

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     There was a lesson, and there's a lesson to each one of us too, brethren and sisters. There's a lesson there for everybody to learn. And if Jonathan could overlook his father's faults, as great as they were, in an endeavour to try, by the power of the word dwelling in Jonathan himself, to bring Saul to see the sense of accepting David.

234. 1:17:12

     If Jonathan could live with his father, brethren and sisters, through the processes of life, and all the troubles his father brought upon him, and is revealed to Israel, father and son, a companionship that became an absolute example to the nation, it was only because Jonathan was tolerant towards his father, and because he tried desperately to bring his father to see common sense, and because there was a paternal instinct in Saul, which could not help but reach out of the Jonathan, as a boy that he must have been justly proud of, and a boy that exemplified in his life, all that Saul wanted to do, but the flesh stood between him and it, and yet David saw this as something which was lovely and pleasant, and I reckon that's absolutely beautiful, and as he speaks about it, he said, look at them, on the mountains of Gilboa, both of them fallen on the mountains of Gilboa, both of them laying there together, they were not divided in their death, they died as they lived together, tremendous, brethren and sisters, enormous lesson for us, with all our differences of character and personality, tremendous lesson, and in death they were not divided, and he calls upon the people of Israel to cry for Saul, to remember the things that were good about him, to weep because Saul did some good things, he clothed them, he put ornaments of gold upon them, he cared for them in a way, to wipe out all the things that were evil, and to try as best they could to remember some virtue that the man may have had, and to cry for him,

235. 1:18:46

     and the men of Jabesh Gilead, when they hung Saul's armor in the city of Beth Shand, Beth Shand, the house of ease and rest, right at the slopes of the valley of Jezreel, which ran to the Jordan valley, right in those slopes next to the hill of Gilboa, there they hung the body of Saul and his son, and the men of Jabesh Gilead crossed the river Jordan, they took David at his word, they honoured their king and their lord, because he at one time had done them a good turn, they never forgot it, says them and sisters, and they went at the risk of their lives, and took the bodies of those men down, and brought them back to Jabesh, burnt them, cremated them, gathered their bones together, and buried them at Jabesh with an honourable burial, and they were men that never forgot the goodness that Saul had done to them, and were prepared to overlook all else, and of course, in this lament of which David calls upon all Israel to mourn because the truth had suffered, in this lament of the day, brethren and sisters, in which he calls upon them to remember the companionship of Saul and Jonathan, and to emulate that, when two almost incompatible characters were able to get along because there was a union between them, a bond, which kept them together, even though they went through different phases of their lives, they never were divided, not even in death, and he called upon Israel, generally, to weep for Saul because of all that he'd done for them, and now he comes to the most touching thing of all,

236. 1:20:15

     that never mind about the nation, never mind about Saul, these are things he's called upon them to do, but now he speaks about his own personal relationship to Jonathan, and it's fitting that the song dedicated to the bone, the symbol of Jonathan, should finish on a personal note, and he said, I'm distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan, and I don't suppose any one of us could imagine how distressed he really was, the last time he'd seen that man was in the wood of Zip, when Saul was hunting him like a single flea, as he said himself, Jonathan found him, strengthened his hand in God, and said, my father will never find you David, and you'll be the king, and I'll be next to that, but he couldn't, he couldn't be next to him, because he was dead, and David said, I'm distressed, but Jonathan, and the love you've had for me, he said, is something which is quite apart, and separate, from any other love I've ever known, the love of women, yes, deep and abiding as that may be, wonderful and sweet, as the love of the opposite sex may be for each other, Jonathan, my brother Jonathan, our love was beyond that, we had an agape love, we were prepared, Jonathan, to sacrifice for each other, we were prepared to die for each other, and Jonathan had said, you'll be king, and I'll be next to thee, but he couldn't be, and it's my opinion, brethren and sisters, that one of the great things of the kingdom age is going to be to see the resurrection of such people like Jonathan and David,

237. 1:21:56

     and to see their relationship taken up again, and David will be in the kingdom, and he'll be a great man, and I believe Jonathan will be next to him, just one of those personal opinions of mine, and I've got no basis for having it, except this fact that it seems to me tremendously fitting that a man like Jonathan, who, there was nobody in all his love who showed more loyalty to him, and as I said it before, and I'll say it again, there were 600 men that came over to David on his side of the fence, and there was no one of them that could match the loyalty of Jonathan who remained where he was, because they knew, both of them yet, that it was not a matter of hatred of a common enemy, it was the love of a common ideal that mattered, and where you've got two people with the love of a common ideal, you've got a love that transcends the love of women, and so he was distressed for Jonathan and wrote this wonderful song, and I can imagine, brethren and sisters, that as the war clouds blew away and David made his way back, as we shall see him make his way back, to Hebron, and to climb up again to the heights of Zion, so one of the saddest things that would have occupied his thought as the glory came to him was the fact that the place which he had obviously reserved for Jonathan could not be filled, and there was no man, no man that could fill that position, but pray God that in the kingdom age

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     when these two great men will be raised from the dead and the kingdom will be set up, that we shall be there and one of the glories and the joys of the kingdom will be to see that relationship renewed again.