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Return to Learning to Wait on God Series Return to Wed. Bible Study Series 1
Samuel 22 “The Downward
Progression of Sin”[1] Series:
“Learning to Wait on God: The Life of David Before He Became King”
1 Samuel 16-31 Think
about it:
Sin is a downward progression. The
first step may be a small one, yet the destination is always the same…destruction.
Such was the case in the life of Saul.
What a flip-flop occurred in the life of Saul!
Here was a man who was anointed by God as king, who experienced the
blessing of God in early military battles, a man who even prophesied.
Yet as we see him in 1 Samuel 22, he is a paranoid man (8), a man with no
regard for the Lord (17), an emotionally unstable man. Review:
What happened to David in 1 Samuel 21? I.
Scene #1: David at Nob with
Ahimelech (1-9)
What happened at Nob?
A. David met with Ahimelech
(1-2).
1. Ahimelech was afraid (1).
2. David assured the priest
(2).
B. David made two requests.
1. He asked for bread (3-6).
2. He asked for a sword
(8-9).
C. David was seen by a
servant of Saul (7). II.
Scene #2: David at
A. David's reputation preceded
him (10-11).
B. David's response was
instinctive (12-13).
1. He was afraid (12).
2. He pretended to be insane
(13).
C. David's enemy wrote him
off (14-15). **Reminder:
Psalm 56 and Psalm 34 grew out of these experiences for David. Outline
of 1 Samuel 22 I.
David on the Run (1-5)
A. To the
1. With his father's family
2. With others in distress
B. To Mizpah in
C. To the II.
Saul on the Hunt (6-19)
A. Saul chastises his
officials (6-8).
1. "You have conspired
against me!"
2. "You don't care about
me!"
B. Doeg becomes an informant
(9-10).
1. "I know where David
was."
2. "I know who helped
him--Ahimelech."
C. Saul does the unthinkable
(11-19).
1. He sends for Ahimelech,
his family, and the priests (11).
2. He accuses Ahimelech of
betrayal (12-13).
3. He ignores Ahimelech's
commendation of David (14-15).
4. He gives the order to kill
the priests of the Lord (16-17).
5. He orders Doeg to massacre
85 priests, their families, and possessions (18-19). III.
David still on the Run (20-23)
A. What Abiathar did (20-21)
1. He escaped to David (20).
2. He informed David of the
atrocity (21).
B. What David did (22-23)
1. He took responsibility for
the bloodshed.
2. He invited Abiathar to
stay with him. Lessons: 1.
Sin is a downward progression. The
first step(s) may be a small one, yet the destination is always the
same--destruction. Just ask Saul. 2.
We must determine to stay close to the Lord, to obey Him in every detail. 3.
God doesn't reward those who start well, only those who finish well. 4.
People who run from God hurt not only themselves, but those around them. Let’s
take a look at the story which involves three scenes… I.
David on the Run (1-5)
While on the run, we see David move to three locations in vv 1-5. David
first moved to Adullam, about 20 miles southwest of
A. To the
Q: David was not alone there.
Who was with him?
1. With his father's family
Q: Why did his family come?
2. With others in distress Sounds
like a quite a crew! 400 men that
had one thing in common--nobody else wanted them!
They were in distress, or in debt, or discontented, and they flocked to
David their leader.
Discuss: What kind of lessons
did God teach David with this experience? How
to lead people who by nature don't like to follow!
B. To Mizpah in
Q: Why did David go to
Q: Who had been from
Discuss: What do we learn
about God from this?
C. To the
The
Q: Why did David to there?
V 5 The prophet Gad told him
to (notice the type of people David receives counsel from, as opposed to Saul)
Q: When Saul found out
David's whereabouts, how did he respond? II.
Saul on the Hunt (6-19)
Q: Where was Saul?
V 6 In Gibeah Here
is a paranoid man! He has his spear
in his hand, and hatred in his heart.
A. Saul chastises his
officials (6-8).
Q: What does Saul try to do
to his leaders in v 7? Bride them to
cooperate. Then he blasts them in v 8 with two accusations.
1. "You have conspired
against me!"
2. "You don't care about
me!"
Discuss: How would you
describe Saul's temperament at this point?
B. Doeg becomes an
informant (9-10).
Q: Who was Doeg?
See 21:7 What does he reveal
to Saul?
1. "I know where David
was."
2. "I know who helped
him…Ahimelech."
C. Saul does the
unthinkable (11-19).
Notice 5 unthinkable actions...
1. He sends for Ahimelech,
his family, and the priests (11).
2. He accuses Ahimelech of
betrayal (12-13).
3. He ignores Ahimelech's
commendation of David (14-15).
Q: Why wouldn't Saul consider
Ahimelech's explanation? He didn't
want to hear the truth. His mind was
already made up, blinded by jealous anger.
4. He gives the order to kill
the priests of the Lord (16-17).
Q: How did Saul's officials
respond in v 17? Wouldn't obey
5. He orders Doeg to massacre
85 priests, their families, and possessions (18-19).
Q: Why do you think Doeg did
what the others considered unthinkable? He
saw it as a chance to "move up the executive ladder" and win Saul's
favor. In so doing, he won the favor
of the king, and certainly forfeited the favor of the Lord.
Discuss: Why were the rest of
the priests murdered, in addition to Ahimelech?
Discuss: To reject David,
Saul had to reject the Lord, too. Why
so?
Note: We see this today when
relationships turn sour. If I am at
odds with a brother and refuse to humble myself, ask forgiveness or grant
forgiveness, and seek reconciliation with my brother, I will inevitably turn
from the Lord. We see this in
marriage III.
David still on the Run (20-23)
A. What Abiathar did
(20-21)
1. He escaped to David (20).
2. He informed David of the
atrocity (21).
B. What David did (22-23)
1. He took responsibility for
the bloodshed. Q:
Why so?
2. He invited Abiathar to
stay with him.
As the B.K.C. points out, "This marked the beginning of David's
priestly staff which would later lead the tabernacle worship in
Q: What does this gesture
reveal about David? Lessons:
What is God teaching us about Himself
and His ways in this chapter? 1.
Sin is a downward progression. The
first step may be a small one, yet the destination is always the same…destruction. Just ask
Saul. 2.
We must determine to stay close to the Lord, to obey Him in every detail. 3.
God doesn't reward those who start well, only those who finish well. [1]
These are unedited
teaching notes used initially for a Wednesday evening Bible study at |