DAVID'S SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
Acts 13:22 (ESV) — 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
1 Samuel 13:13–14 (ESV) — 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
THE SCHOOL AT NOB
1 Samuel 21:1 (ESV) — 1 Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?”
…And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” 1 Samuel 21:1 (ESV)
Samuel 21:2 (NIV) David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.’
1 Samuel 22:7 (ESV) — 7 And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,
1 Samuel 22:11–13 (ESV) — 11 Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king. 12 And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 And Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?”
1 Samuel 22:14 (ESV) — 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house?
1 Samuel 22:15 (ESV) — 15 Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.”
1 Samuel 22:16–17 (ESV) — 16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.” 17 And the king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
1 Samuel 22:18 (ESV) — 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod.
1 Samuel 22:19 (ESV) — 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword.
1 Samuel 22:20 (ESV) — 20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.
1 Samuel 22:22 (ESV) — 22 And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father’s house.
1 Samuel 22:23 (ESV) — 23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping.”
“I’m going to help you settle these issues now, so that you don’t trust yourself and make bad decisions later when the stakes are so much higher. I want you to be assured that when everything’s looking as bad as it can get, sooner or later I will break through and deliver you.” —God
THE SCHOOL AT GATH
1 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV) — 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Samuel 21:12–15 (ESV) — 12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”
Psalm 34:1–4 (ESV) — 1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:13 (ESV) — 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
David learned about lying the hard way
Psalm 34:18 (ESV) — 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 51:17 (ESV) — 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Psalm 34:19 (ESV) — 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
THE SCHOOL AT ADULLAM
SAY THE NAME OF JESUS
Psalm 142:3–5 (ESV) — 3 When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. 4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. 5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
