What do you do when someone is trying to kill you? And that someone is the most powerful man in the nation? You run. You hide. That was what David did. King Saul even killed 85 priests, including Ahimelech at Nob just because he helped David while he was running from Saul. (1 Sam. 22). Above all, David prayed… a lot. He ran and he prayed along the way.
1 Samuel 23
10 Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” 12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will surrender you.” 13 Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit. 14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.
Facts:
1) David asked God two questions: a) Will Saul come after me here at Keilah? Yes, he will. b) Will the men of Keilah surrender me to him? Yes, they will.
Context: David just rescued Keilah from the Philistines. (1 Sam 23:1-5) How would you feel when people you helped turn you to your enemy to be killed?
2) What did David do? He ran again. He and his men went wherever they could go. They stayed in the wilderness to hide from Saul. v.13-14
3) Saul sought David every day. He did not stop pursuing David to kill him.
4) BUT God saved David from Saul. He did not let Saul find David.
Lessons to learn:
1) Doing a good thing does not always bring good reward. David helped Keilah yet the people of Keilah did not return his favor.
2) How to respond in crisis, in fear? To pray and to act. David prayed and asked God. When God answered, David still had to run from his enemies.
3) At the end, it was God who delivered David. Saul gave up the pursuit when he learned that David escaped from Keilah. God replied David and David responded accordingly. He ran and hid. Saul sought to kill David every day. But God did not let Saul find David.
Application:
When in crisis, in fear, in anxiety, pray… tell God about it. Do what you have to do and God will see you through it. Pray and run… run to God!