David In Exile

Saul Throws a Javelin at David

“And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.” (1 Samuel 19:10, ESV)

Saul Takes David’s Bed to Kill Him

“So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped.” (1 Samuel 19:12, ESV)

“Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth.” (1 Samuel 19:18, ESV)

Saul Curses His Son for His Friendship with David

“Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”” (1 Samuel 20:1, ESV)

Saul kills priests for befriending David

“And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath.” (1 Samuel 21:10, ESV)

Duty – “And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.” (1 Samuel 23:5, ESV)

Conviction – “May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you.” (1 Samuel 24:12–13, ESV)

“May the LORD therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”” (1 Samuel 24:15, ESV) 

“But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” And David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.”” (1 Samuel 26:9–11, ESV)

Compassion – David’s Lament for Saul

““How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”” (2 Samuel 1:27, ESV)

Questions:

Have you experienced times of “exile”? How did you handle your life with Christ during that time?

What disciplines or habits helped you maintain your connection with God through your exile?

What lessons did you learn?

What can you do to be prepared, should God take you through a time of exile?