1 Samuel 23
22:5 Why would Gad tell David to leave a stronghold? (a fortified place, survival)
· God doesn’t call us to a peaceful place of safety, God calls us to fight the good fight of faith.
· The righteous man doesn’t avoid all troubles, he is delivered from them
23:1-2 ‘Look’ – He wouldn’t have seen this need had he stayed in Adullam
1. The Philistines were robbing Keilah, starving them
2. David asked the Lord if he should help
3. King Saul was too focused on David to help his own people
Excuses David could have used…
1. It’s Saul’s job (somebody else will do it)
2. I’ve got my own problems (too busy)
3. My men are afraid (nobody else wants to)
4. The Philistines hate me (I’m not the man for this job)
God commands war
1. The enemy had invaded a land
2. The enemy was robbing a people
3. The enemy was killing a people
What should a Christians position on war be?
1. Pacifism? (sermon on the mount, Paul)
2. Just-war-theory? (Jesus cleansing temple, Paul, Augustine)
3. Crusaders? (Israel, middle agers)
The early church were pacifists
1. They believed Jesus was coming back VERY soon
2. They were persecuted by the Romans, why join them?
3. Romans worshiped false gods and idols
4. They believed Jesus spoke against it
· Only #4 remains a possibility today
The middle ages church were crusaders
1. Onward Christian soldiers
2. Goal of expanding Christianity, THEN eliminate injustice
Mixed throughout history- Just war theory
1. Pacifism is for individual b/c an individual can appeal to authority
2. Pacifists make church guidelines into state guidelines
3. Crusaders make state guidelines into church guidelines
4. Just war theory is the hardest to pin down
5. How do we ever know the real situation?
6. Can we really trust our leaders?
Generally accepted Tenets of a just war
1. Competent authority- state, not individuals
2. Probability of success
3. Last resort
4. Just intent- goal of peace and reconciliation
5. Just cause- act of defense against aggression
6. Proportionality- good results should outweigh evil done
7. Discriminate means- attempts to avoid loss of innocent life
Cat and Mouse Game
v. 7-8 Saul told David is in Keilah
v. 13 goes from place to place
v. 14 looks from day to day
v. 14 Saul finds David in the desert, David leaves Ziph
v. 25 Saul finds David in Maon, David escapes b/c of Philistines
The chapter ends with David right on the Dead Sea. Trapped. Safe for the moment, but running out of places to run.
· God doesn’t call us to a peaceful place of safety, God calls us to fight the good fight of faith.
· The righteous man doesn’t avoid all troubles, he is delivered from them
23:1-2 ‘Look’ – He wouldn’t have seen this need had he stayed in Adullam
1. The Philistines were robbing Keilah, starving them
2. David asked the Lord if he should help
3. King Saul was too focused on David to help his own people
Excuses David could have used…
1. It’s Saul’s job (somebody else will do it)
2. I’ve got my own problems (too busy)
3. My men are afraid (nobody else wants to)
4. The Philistines hate me (I’m not the man for this job)
God commands war
1. The enemy had invaded a land
2. The enemy was robbing a people
3. The enemy was killing a people
What should a Christians position on war be?
1. Pacifism? (sermon on the mount, Paul)
2. Just-war-theory? (Jesus cleansing temple, Paul, Augustine)
3. Crusaders? (Israel, middle agers)
The early church were pacifists
1. They believed Jesus was coming back VERY soon
2. They were persecuted by the Romans, why join them?
3. Romans worshiped false gods and idols
4. They believed Jesus spoke against it
· Only #4 remains a possibility today
The middle ages church were crusaders
1. Onward Christian soldiers
2. Goal of expanding Christianity, THEN eliminate injustice
Mixed throughout history- Just war theory
1. Pacifism is for individual b/c an individual can appeal to authority
2. Pacifists make church guidelines into state guidelines
3. Crusaders make state guidelines into church guidelines
4. Just war theory is the hardest to pin down
5. How do we ever know the real situation?
6. Can we really trust our leaders?
Generally accepted Tenets of a just war
1. Competent authority- state, not individuals
2. Probability of success
3. Last resort
4. Just intent- goal of peace and reconciliation
5. Just cause- act of defense against aggression
6. Proportionality- good results should outweigh evil done
7. Discriminate means- attempts to avoid loss of innocent life
Cat and Mouse Game
v. 7-8 Saul told David is in Keilah
v. 13 goes from place to place
v. 14 looks from day to day
v. 14 Saul finds David in the desert, David leaves Ziph
v. 25 Saul finds David in Maon, David escapes b/c of Philistines
The chapter ends with David right on the Dead Sea. Trapped. Safe for the moment, but running out of places to run.
posted by matthew at 8:53 PM
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