Saul, David’s enemy for years, is dead. Slain on the battlefield. And his body desecrated by the Philistines! Shameful treatment, especially for a King!

Yet David, in the Spirit of the Lord, called his potential murderer, “the beauty of Israel!” He earnestly lamented “the mighty have fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:19)

What sad news for the people of Israel.

Then comes verse 20 of 2 Samuel chapter 1, the “point” of today’s little Bible Study here. Concerning the King’s death … “Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.”

Wow!

In essence, David just wrote … DO NOT TELL YOUR BAD NEWS TO YOUR ENEMIES!

In fact, be careful where you tell any bad news!

Do not give the devil’s crowd (exactly what the Philistines symbolized) reason to rejoice over your failures, your catastrophes!

If we would resolve to be more careful anytime the temptation came to spread bad news … Christianity might be transformed! Our local Churches certainly would!

David simply would not publish the bad news of (even) Saul’s death! What godly wisdom!

Paul, in Philippians 4:8, even teaches us not to “think” on anything of a “bad report!” That is, think only on items that have a “good report!”

And John elsewhere urges us to live so that we have “good report” of the brethren! (3 John Verse 12, to be specific.)

Look what a “good report” does in Proverbs 15:30 … “A good report maketh the bones fat.” Sounds healthy!

Minimize “bad reports!”

Maximize “good reports!”

End of today’s Lesson.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

(Do NOT tell at the beauty shop or barber shop the bad news from Church! Or the latest gossip on some struggling Chrisitan! Adopt this prayer about negative conversation … “Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14)

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Read this verse with me. See if anything unusual strikes you. I see here a glaring “absence!”

“Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.” 1 Samuel 31:1, the first verse of the Book’s last chapter.

This is the day King Saul died. As well as his sons, slain by the persistent and deadly Philistines.

The “absence” I mentioned?

There is no “David” on the scene!

Do you recall another Day the Israelites were in battle against these Philistines? And David was present?

That was the day the uncircumcised giant Goliath met his death! Killed by David, a brave young man.

But Saul had chased David away, under threat of death!

No David, no victory!

Wow!

A godly man does, in a real sense, bring “protection” and “security” and a sense of “victory” to those around him.

“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” So says Proverbs 28:1 here.

By the way, we here see that a nation can rise or fall, win or lose … based on the quality of leadership they have!

America, take note!

My point today is simply this … live a godly life. Commune with the Lord intimately. Resolve to be pure.

And God will use you mightily!

Once Scripture called Jesus “a polished shaft!”

A veritable “weapon” in the Hands of God!

“And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me.” Isaiah 49:2

Oh, to be that kind of man, woman, leader!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

What a challenge this morning!

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His life reads like a story book. One adventure after another! And 1st Samuel chapter 30 is no exception.

Here are some details. Having returned from a previous exploit, David finds his home “base” plundered by an enemy!

Ziklag, near the Philistine border with Israel, had become a kind of headquarters for David and his men, his followers having grown into a small army.

Upon arrival, a shocking surprise awaited them all!

An enemy, the Amalekites by name, had kidnapped all David’s (and his men’s) Wives and Children. They had apparently looted the city as well. In fact, they had robbed a number of Phillistine cities!

David wisely sought the Lord’s guidance … and then engaged his little force for a “God approved” battle!

Then another problem arose. All 600 of David’s “troops” could not march and fight. They were simply too exhausted to go any further. Note: They had all fought valiantly for some time.

Here are the exact statistics … 400 were able to go with their commander. But 200 were not!

Long story short, to get to the “point” of today’s lesson. David and company located the culprits, attacked them and regained all their families and property!

In fact, David recovered more than just the most recently stolen property, his and his men’s, but also collected loot (primarily cattle, sheep and goats) previously and illegally taken (by the Amalekites) from weaker cities!

Now, the men return “home” to Ziklag.

Here’s the problem. It was customary in that ancient day to share the “spoil” of battle equally, soldiers and officers and commander alike!

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE 200 MEN WHO WERE TOO WEAK TO GO AND FIGHT? DO THEY GET NOTHING? AFTER ALL, THEY RISKED NOTHING! BUT THEY ARE “IN THE ARMY!”

Well, some of David’s men who fought so hard wanted to deny the ones who stayed “home” any bounty at all. Here’s what they said … “Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.” 1st Samuel 30:22

But David, the wise administrator, thought differently! This became a law in Israel, David’s decision about the matter …

“Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.” 1st Samuel 30:23-24

Those who “stayed by the stuff” will get their share as much as those who “went to battle!”

Wow!

And here’s my thought today … many in the Lord’s family cannot go to the battlefields of foreign missionary service. South America somewhere or Asia or some remote Island!

But if they, even though staying behind due to some legitimate reason, are nonetheless “in the army” … praying or giving or supporting the active soldiers of the Cross in some way … they should be (and will be) equally rewarded!

David again … “As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.”

Wow!

Though a stay-at-home Christian … not going abroad to witness for Jesus … be a praying, giving, knowledgeable member of God’s Army … and you too will someday hear “Well Done!”

An award, a payday awaits your faithfulness!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Encouraging!

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I realize that many people remember David, not for the goodness of his character, but for the horrid blot that is recorded against him in the Bible. Well, two blots perhaps! The Bathsheba affair … and later the numbering the people of Israel.

But, especially as a young man, David’s character was pristine.

Once, and David may not have been where he should have, an enemy of Israel (a chief Philistine named Achish) said of our little hero, of David … “I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God.” David had been that good to the man (of questionable character) who was King of Gath! (I’ve quoted 1 Samuel 29:9.)

It’s one thing when a man’s friends speak well of him. It’s quite another for a man’s enemies to speak well of him! But that’s exactly what has occurred here!

Again, King Achish to David … “I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God.”

The adjective “good,” spelled “tob” in Hebrew, means “honest, fair, favorable, beneficial.”

Wow!

But look HOW good!

“As an angel of God!”

To this heathen King’s mind, his perception … David had done no wrong!

What a testimony!

Jesus warned us … “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!” Luke 6:26

Well, all men did NOT speak well of David. Saul’s crowd especially!

Now … Peter chimes in … “Have a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”

Live right, everywhere you go!

Apparently, David did, at least as a young man.

Living like an angel!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

What a challenge!

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Based on his Psalms (73 of them specifically being written by him), David KNEW the Lord. Knew Him intimately, one might truly claim.

For example, Psalm 16:8, where David wrote … “I have set the LORD always before me.” What a lifestyle!

Yet David’s nemesis (a long-standing rival, an archenemy) … none other than King Saul of Israel … did NOT live such a godly life.

He chose time and time again (add a few more times now) NOT to commune with the Lord!

To the point that one day God chose NOT to walk with Saul any longer. Yes, God does have some “deadlines!”

Once Saul crossed that Line … he never heard from God again, not directly anyway.

To this grave extent … “And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.” 1 Samuel 28:6

God had become totally “silent” in the life of stubborn King Saul!

This is astounding!

In the New Testament virtually the same thing happened between King Herod and Jesus. Our Lord had been arrested and Pilate shuffled Him off on Herod, the King. “And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.” Luke 23:8-9

Wow!

My point today …

If you are living a life that is in harmony with God, if He is daily communing with you … REALIZE HOW VERY BLESSED YOU ARE AS AN INDIVIDUAL!

If God speaks to you as you read His Word!

If you sense His Presence and see His manifest answers to your prayers!

If you are filled (consciously) with His Spirit, His Holy Spirit!

Quit reading this Article right now … and go praise the great God Who walks with you and talks with you and loves you as His very Own!

How honored you are!

— Dr. Miike Bagwell

Hallelujah!

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