Day: March 26, 2026

Day 85 – A Year in the Bible – 1 Samuel 22-24

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1 SAMUEL 22 – DAVID ESCAPED TO THE CAVE ADULLAM

David Departed and Escaped to the Cave Adullam
David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. – 1 Samuel‬ ‭22:1-2‬ ‭

He that Seeketh My Life Seeketh Thy Life but with Me Thou Shalt Be in Safeguard
And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD’s priests. And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house. Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard. – 1 Samuel‬ ‭22:20-23‬ ‭

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1 SAMUEL – DAVID AND HIS MEN

Abiathar Came Down with an Ephod in His Hand
And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. – 1 Samuel 23:6

Bring Hither the Ephod
And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. – 1 Samuel 23:9-14

Jonathan Went to David and Strengthened His Hand in God
And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. – 1 Samuel‬ ‭23:16-18

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1 SAMUEL 24 – MINE HAND SHALL NOT BE UPON THEE

I Will Not Put Forth My Hand Against the Lord’s Anointed
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. – 1 Samuel 24:4

And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.– 1 Samuel 24:9-10

As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. – 1 Samuel 24:13-15

Here we have two men that the Lord has anointed. One follows the Lord and one follows his insecurities. One seeks to kill the one he sees as his rival. One honors because in his heart of heart he loves even the one who seeks his life. The Lord’s anointing does not mean everything always goes as God desires and has planned. How much more could these two men have done had they both honored the anointings of God? How much more could we do? There is enough anointing to go around. King Saul could have been used mightily of God but instead he took the anointing of God and laid it aside to take up insecurities and fear. He bought into the schemes of the enemy. David was anointed to be king and he wasn’t in such a hurry or so insecure about what God had for his life that he would destroy another to get there.

Help us, Lord, to learn the lessons of King Saul and David. Help us, Jesus, to follow You and You alone, knowing that You can use us mightily when we keep our eyes, ears, and hearts on You; when we honor those You have anointed; when we realize we are each one called by God to do a work and so my anointing is not a threat to Yours. Help us not to set ourselves up as rivals today, Father. Lord help me not to fall for the schemes of the enemy in this way. Help me to see when I have, confess it, and repent of it. Help me trust Your plan for my life, realizing that the anointing of others is part of Your plan even for my life as my anointing is a part of theirs. Help us all to LOVE each other today so that honor would come naturally. I ask this all in Jesus’ holy and precious Name. Amen! Amen!