1 Samuel 22:6-23 | Sermons | Grace Church of Mentor

You Are Safe with Me

1 Samuel 22:6-23

A darker passage in the Old Testament, 1 Samuel 22 tells of God’s once-anointed King Saul ordering the massacre of the priests at Nob.

God never changes. Our faithful and loving God will perfectly judge sin, and His mercy is always available to those who will repent. God’s love is greater than the judgment we deserve. God provides safety in His Anointed.

God Alone Is Judge.

The unjust judgement of Saul does not negate God as Judge.

Saul’s posture is one of sulking and stewing with spear in hand. Asking why those around him are against him, he views everyone as an enemy. This self-focused and self-centered behavior is sin. Saul is alienated from his people by paranoia while looking to pay off his servants with vineyards, fields, and positions of power. He must turn to a foreigner and enemy of Israel, Doeg the Edomite, for satisfaction. How devastating that God’s enemy becomes Saul’s friend.

Saul presumes Ahimelech has conspired with David against him, but Ahimelech defends David, proclaiming his loyalty to Saul. Ahimelech explains how David was seeking the guidance of the Lord.

Saul is so sinful that he is willing to commit murder, yet nothing is outside the control of our God Almighty who works even through the darkest of situations. Though Saul orders the massacre, Doeg the Edomite carries out the evil order, and David feels responsible for what happens, it is God alone who sits as Judge.

God’s Word tells us that this is a divine judgement by God. We can see God’s just judgment demonstrated through Saul’s evil plan. Ahimelech was in the line of Eli and his sons. God’s righteous judgment on the wickedness of Eli and his sons was death to them and short lives to those in their household. Because of God’s spoken judgement on Eli and his house, the consequence of sin affected the later generations of priests, including Ahimelech. Saul is culpable for his sinful choice, yet God uses Saul’s wickedness to carry out His judgement on the line of Eli.

Sin is sinful and should not be minimized. Sin is always deserving of the wrath of God. There is none righteous, and no one will escape the wages of sin which is eternal death. Run to the safety that is found only in Jesus!

In God’s Anointed Alone, There Is Safety.

David instructs Abiathar to stay with him and be safe. Though Abiathar is fleeing from Saul and has lost everything, he inherits David’s peril when he aligns with God’s Anointed.

Like Abiathar, we have a choice to make. We must choose between the ways of this world and the son of David, Jesus Christ, the Anointed One.

To identify with God’s Anointed is always costly. We are to bear the cost of Christ’s reproach as we carry out His great commission. May our identity be in Christ alone. We are safe with Jesus.

Application Points

Do you have God’s perspective of sin? Are you examining your heart, striving to sin less and less while growing more and more in Christlikeness?
In what areas are you not completely obeying God? Are you repentant or only making excuses?

Tools for Further Study

Cross References to Explore

Psalm 52; 1 Samuel 2, 3, 15

A Hymn to Encourage: “Jesus, Strong and Kind”

Jesus said that if I thirst, I should come to him. No one else can satisfy; I should come to him.

Jesus said if I am weak, I should come to him. No one else can be my strength; I should come to him.

For the Lord is good and faithful; He will keep us day and night. We can always run to Jesus, Jesus, strong and kind.

Jesus said that if I fear, I should come to him. No one else can be my shield; I should come to him.

Jesus said if I am lost, He will come to me; And he showed me on that cross, He will come to me.