Overcoming Evil with Good

Overcoming Evil with Good

 

1 Samuel 24:1-22

Intro: Who are you?

 

Romans 12:21, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

Throughout Scripture, we are given prescriptions that are to help our posture toward others. Prescriptions like “love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you,” or “never repay evil for evil,” or to follow Jesus’ example who “when insulted, but did not insult in return.” But so often we say, if I go about it that way, how will they ever learn? Throughout the Scriptures we are pointed to another way, a better way, and in the New Testament we are given many truths about what to do when faced with evil, we learn the theories, but then when it comes to a situation specifically we say…surely it wasn’t this type of situation Paul or Jesus was referring to…I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do! Paul reminded us that vengeance is the Lord’s, and as we look back on 1 Samuel 24, we will see David not only believe that personally, but give a powerful example to you and me.

 

In 1 Samuel 24, we see David faced with an opportunity to do evil to Saul, or to overcome the evil Saul had been doing to him, and David chose to do good to Saul despite the fact that Saul had been doing all he could to end David’s life. In terms of the backstory, David has been on the run from Saul. This season of his life would last over a decade. Saul had thrown spears at him to try and pin him to the wall, Saul had put David in compromised positions in hope that one of Israel’s enemies would end his life in battle. When that didn’t work, Saul ordered his men and his son to kill David, and after that didn’t work and David escaped, Saul made David public enemy number one and began sending the military to hunt him down like a wild animal.

David has been going from cave to cave, place to place in order to avoid Saul and his army. Saul has been taking out anyone who helped David in any way, and in chapter 23, we see David and his men, now 600 of them, save an Israelite city, but then learn that Saul was coming, so David went back into the wilderness moving from cave to cave.

The chapter ends with Saul in pursuit of David and his men. They learn of David’s location, surrounded he and his men on all sides and David was hurrying to get away from them. It was at that point that word was given to Saul that the Philistines had launched an attack against the land and so Saul and his men take a short break from their pursuit of David, and David and his men end up in the strongholds of a place called Engedi. This  is where we pick up our study this morning.

As we look at overcoming evil with good in our lives, I point out three postures we can pursue to help us. We will look at what to do, what to decide, and our determined direction. Let’s start with what to do… 

 

1. Do What God Says is Good

 

1 Samuel 24:1-7, Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, it was reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats. And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. After a quick break from his pursuit of David, Saul gets back to seeking after him.

 

• David’s location was given to Saul, that location was “the wilderness of Engedi.” Engedi is on the western shore of the Dead Sea. It is called the Dead Sea because it is barren, there is little that grows there, but in one particular area, there are freshwater springs from waterfalls. Those freshwater springs would have been a place of refreshing in a barren land for David and his men. No only were there refreshing springs, but there were many caves in that area to hide in.

 

• Saul learns about this location and takes three thousand chosen men to pursue David there.

 

• If Saul and his company of 3,000 soldiers find David and his men, 600 in total, they would be outnumbered and take out.  

 

• While searching the area, Saul steps into one particular cave alone because he need to “relieve himself.” In other words, he needed to utilize the facilities, nature was calling… He needed to use the restroom!

 

• That particular restroom (cave) did not have an “occupied” sign on the door, nor did Saul knock to see if anyone one in there, however, David and his 600 soldiers were in the inner recesses of that very cave.

 

• Saul was unaware that they were in there, but David and his men saw him and it seems that as soon as he “covered his feet” David’s men suggested that David take Saul out.

 

• This is the first time we have seen Saul vulnerable. He is in darkness, alone, and an easy target.

 

• It would seem that this was David’s golden opportunity to get Saul back, to make him pay for his persecution, to get him back for killing many in the family and city of the priest Ahimilech who helped David.

 

• Many would think that it was a good time to get rid of Saul…David’s men certainly did.

1 Samuel 24:4, Then David’s men said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to hand your enemy over to you, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’”

 

• Apparently at some point, God had told David that his enemy would be handed over to him, and he should do what seemed good to him.

 

• The phrase “as it seems good,” is a word meaning, what is better, what seems best!

 

• But they didn’t stop there, they said David, do what seems best… “to you.”

 

• That leaves room for interpretation…What seems best to David?

Illus. Which one?

Luke 18:19, No one is good except God alone.

 

Isaiah 55:8-9, For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

 

• David’s men, again, had their own thoughts on the matter. In the last chapter they didn’t want to go to Keilah and save the city because they were worried about Saul, their enemy, now, they advise David to take Saul out, to put an end once and for all to the enemy.

 

• They not only saw the situation as a sign from God, they went ahead and interpreted the situation apart from God. They said, “this has got to be the Lord doing this, it’s a sign!

 

• David could have defined the sign the way they did. He could have used this as the golden opportunity, come out to the cave and now he’s king. David could have thought about all Saul had done to him, the spears he threw at him, the soldiers he sent to hunt him down, he could have thought, surely, this is a sign from the Lord, it is the will of the Lord, I’m ready for some revenge…But he didn’t!

 

• Why? Because the way of revenge and retaliation is not the way of the Lord…

 

Illus. In Matthew 5:21-47, Jesus gives the sermon on the mount, and as he is speaking to the people, He goes into a section where he contrasts what the people have hear is good, but what He says to them.

 

Matthew 24:43, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…

Illus. I’m praying for you….

• Upon David’s men encouraging him to go and take Saul out once and for all, David approaches Saul with his sword in hand. But rather than attack Saul, David cuts off a corner of Saul robe.

 

1 Samuel 24:5-6, David got up and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly. But it came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the Lord that I would do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to reach out with my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”

 

• Going to his men, David said far be it from me that I would reach out with my hand against the Lord anointed. Far be it from me because of the Lord that I would do such a thing.

 

• David did not set his hand against Saul, because of the Lord. Far be it from me because of the Lord.

 

1. Decide Against Retaliation

 

1 Samuel 24:7-8, And David rebuked his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul got up, left the cave, and went on his way. Afterward, however, David got up and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

 

• After Saul walked out the cave, David followed, and I picture him coming through the opening as he saw Saul at a distance, “My lord the king!”

 

• David then bowed down with his face to the ground.

 

• David’s posture was that of respect, peace, coupled with an acknowledgment of Saul’s position as the current king. David was not contending against Saul, or seeking to take him out, here he displays this.

1 Samuel 24:9-11, And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David is seeking to harm you’? Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord had handed you over to me today in the cave, and someone said to kill you, but I spared you; and I said, ‘I will not reach out with my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ So, my father, look! Indeed, look at the edge of your robe in my hand! For by the fact that I cut off the edge of your robe but did not kill you, know and understand that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life, to take it.

 

• David had decided against retaliation, and he tells Saul all about it.

 

• Saul, why are you listening to the people who are telling you I am out to harm you?

 

• You were in the palm of my hands, someone told me to kill you and I didn’t. I didn’t harm you, I cut a piece of your robe off as proof.

 

• In verse 11, David declared, “know and perceive there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, I have not sinned against you, but you are lying in wait for my life.

 

• David had decided against retaliation, and this is an important decision for us as well if we are going to overcome evil with good.

 

Illus. Bags flying.

• When we are confronted with evil, it is so easy for us to see how wrong it is clearly. What another person did or has done. So easy it is to get the situation and their wrong our full attention.

 

• David knew all Saul had done, and he makes it clear, this has been your posture, your actions, they were all clear to see. And after stating it all, getting it all out there, David tells Saul what he is going to do in light of what has been done.

 

• First, instead of retaliation, he puts matters in the Lord’s hands.

 

1 Samuel 24:12-15, May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me; 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. After whom has the king of Israel gone out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea? May the Lord therefore be judge and decide between you and me; and may He see and plead my cause and save me from your hand.”

 

• David knew that God could see the entire situation, and he knew that he didn’t need to do anything more to defend himself.

 

• David gave the matter to the Lord, “may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but as for me, my hand shall not be against you.”

 

Romans 12:18-21, If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

• The Lord says, your part is peace, as far as it depends on you. Retaliation, revenge is not the way, leave it in God’s hands.

 

• Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.

 

• David said to Saul, out of the wicked comes wickedness.. Jesus would later say the opposite, that good trees produce good fruit!

 

Illus. As for you…

 

• David said, may the Lord see and decide between you and me, may He save me, but as for me, my hand shall not be against you.

 

1 Peter 2:21-23, For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps, He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

 

Galatians 5:15-17, If you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.

 

 

Illus. Deciding to do the right thing!

 

Proverbs 15:1, A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

 

III.  Decide on the Direction of Righteousness

 

1 Samuel 24:16-22

 

• When Saul heard David’s words, he gave an emotional response to David, it was another moment of clarity for Saul and he would speak what he was blind to, but in the moment could see clearly.

 

• He saw and said that David was more righteous than he was, dealing well with Saul, doing good to Saul, sparing Saul’s life, leaving him unharmed.

 

• Saul continued by saying openly that he knew David would certainly be king.

 

• David was set free in the truth. Saul will go after him again, but what we see here is David’s heart that we see continually, he was a man after God’s own heart.

 

• Saul saw something clearly, who David was, and who he would be.

 

1 Samuel 13:14, But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.

 

1 Samuel 15:28, So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you.

• That word, “better” in reference to David, is a word often used for “good.”

 

• Saul saw David do good to him, “you are more righteous than I.”

 

• He knew what he would have done in David’s sandals. He knew that he personally would have come to a different conclusion. And there is something he sees that David will be rewarded by God for all he has done.

 

• In Saul’s words, he saw David clearly, you will be king, you are more righteous than me.

 

• Saul said you have declared this day that you have done good to me, and he could easily see and then say to David “you have dealt well with me!”

 

James 1:19-22, You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves.

 

• For David, it wasn’t just about lip service, it was about his heart. He was a man after God’s own heart.

2 Corinthians 5:21, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 

• The Bible’s standard of righteousness is God’s own perfection, in every area and aspect of life.

 

• God gives the standard in His Word, that which is acceptable in His sight.

Illus. What do they see?

 

 

1 Samuel 24:1-22