The Life of David
K-GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE ICEBREAKER If you won a million dollars, what would you do with it?
QUESTIONS 1) Have you ever had to make a big decision and didn’t know what to do? Briefly describe the decision and the process you took to make the decision.
2) David faced some opposition from his own men with the first dilemma in I Samuel 23. Have you ever had people question a decision you made?
The Life of David “What Do You Do When You Don’t Know What to Do?”
3) Why is praying to the LORD about your decision first so important?
4) In David’s second dilemma, he asked Abiathar for help, and Jonathan later comes to help. Why is counsel so important when making a big decision?
5) In both instances, David asks God the same question twice to confirm His answer. Why do we often want God to tell us twice before committing to something?
6) God cares more about the person He’s making you to be rather than what you do. Discuss this statement.
7) After you have prayed about the decision, read God’s Word, and asked for counsel, commit the decision to God. To commit means to entrust, hand over, consign. What happens to us when we fully give God our decision(s)?
PRAYER - Spend some time discussing prayer requests and praises.
10.21.15
Background to I Samuel 23 After hearing from Jonathan that Saul wanted him dead, David runs away to visit
Ahimelech, the priest, in Nob (I Samuel 21:1-9). Ahimelech gives David Goliath’s sword and food. Doeg, Saul’s head shepherd, saw this happen and reported it all to Saul (I Samuel 21:7; 22:9-21). David ends up in a cave where 400 men in distress, in debt, or discontented gathered around him and became his soldiers (I Samuel 22:1-2). David ends up in the forest of Hereth in the land of Judah when counseled by a prophet (I Samuel 22:5). After Saul hears everything from Doeg, he asks Doeg to kill Ahimelech and 85 of the priests for helping David (I Samuel 22:9-21). Saul continues to pursue David.
Scenario #1: Should David fight the Philistines (I Samuel 23:1-6)? When faced with a big decision, David inquires of the Lord. When David was told, “Look the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” he inquired of the LORD saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”- I Samuel 23:2
After God says yes, David meets doubt and resistance from his men (see I Samuel 22:2; 23:3). David inquires of the LORD once more. Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, “God down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” – I Samuel 23:4 Scenario #2: Should David leave Keilah in fear of the people surrendering him to Saul (I Samuel 23:7-28)? David asks Abiathar, the priest, to use sacred lots and stones to determine the will of God (the ephod).
I Samuel 23:1-18
When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account ofme. Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will.” – I Samuel 23:9-11
1
Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” 2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David's men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks 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, as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please 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, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. 14 And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand. Saul Pursues David 15 David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
The Ephod was a sleeveless vest the High Priest would wear over his tunic when he entered the Holy Place, seeking God’s counsel (see Exodus 28:4-30). “Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. These are garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash.” – Exodus 28:3-4
It contained a breastpiece/plate that had 4 rows of 3 precious stones, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. This was considered the breastplate of decision. “Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions – the work of a skilled craftsman. Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD.” – Exodus 28:15, 29
The Urim and Thummim were also placed on the breastpiece to receive oracles from God (see Numbers 27:21; Deut. 33:8; I Samuel 23:6-13; 28:6; Ezra 2:63). They were perhaps stones of different colors or small objects engraved with symbols or letters of the alphabet, one of them representing yes, the other no.
“Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Tus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.” – Exodus 28:30 David asks the LORD a second time to confirm. Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will.” – I Samuel 23:12 Jonathan came to encourage David when he was in the desert of Horesh. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. – I Samuel 23:16-18
QUESTIONS 1) Have you ever had to make a big decision and didn’t know what to do? Briefly describe the decision and the process you took to make the decision.
2) David faced some opposition from his own men with the first dilemma in I Samuel 23. Have you ever had people question a decision you made?
The Life of David “What Do You Do When You Don’t Know What to Do?”
3) Why is praying to the LORD about your decision first so important?
4) In David’s second dilemma, he asked Abiathar for help, and Jonathan later comes to help. Why is counsel so important when making a big decision?
5) In both instances, David asks God the same question twice to confirm His answer. Why do we often want God to tell us twice before committing to something?
6) God cares more about the person He’s making you to be rather than what you do. Discuss this statement.
7) After you have prayed about the decision, read God’s Word, and asked for counsel, commit the decision to God. To commit means to entrust, hand over, consign. What happens to us when we fully give God our decision(s)?
PRAYER - Spend some time discussing prayer requests and praises.
10.21.15
Background to I Samuel 23 After hearing from Jonathan that Saul wanted him dead, David runs away to visit
Ahimelech, the priest, in Nob (I Samuel 21:1-9). Ahimelech gives David Goliath’s sword and food. Doeg, Saul’s head shepherd, saw this happen and reported it all to Saul (I Samuel 21:7; 22:9-21). David ends up in a cave where 400 men in distress, in debt, or discontented gathered around him and became his soldiers (I Samuel 22:1-2). David ends up in the forest of Hereth in the land of Judah when counseled by a prophet (I Samuel 22:5). After Saul hears everything from Doeg, he asks Doeg to kill Ahimelech and 85 of the priests for helping David (I Samuel 22:9-21). Saul continues to pursue David.
Scenario #1: Should David fight the Philistines (I Samuel 23:1-6)? When faced with a big decision, David inquires of the Lord. When David was told, “Look the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” he inquired of the LORD saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”- I Samuel 23:2
After God says yes, David meets doubt and resistance from his men (see I Samuel 22:2; 23:3). David inquires of the LORD once more. Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, “God down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” – I Samuel 23:4 Scenario #2: Should David leave Keilah in fear of the people surrendering him to Saul (I Samuel 23:7-28)? David asks Abiathar, the priest, to use sacred lots and stones to determine the will of God (the ephod).
I Samuel 23:1-18
When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account ofme. Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will.” – I Samuel 23:9-11
1
Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” 2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David's men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks 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, as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please 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, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. 14 And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand. Saul Pursues David 15 David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
The Ephod was a sleeveless vest the High Priest would wear over his tunic when he entered the Holy Place, seeking God’s counsel (see Exodus 28:4-30). “Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. These are garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash.” – Exodus 28:3-4
It contained a breastpiece/plate that had 4 rows of 3 precious stones, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. This was considered the breastplate of decision. “Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions – the work of a skilled craftsman. Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD.” – Exodus 28:15, 29
The Urim and Thummim were also placed on the breastpiece to receive oracles from God (see Numbers 27:21; Deut. 33:8; I Samuel 23:6-13; 28:6; Ezra 2:63). They were perhaps stones of different colors or small objects engraved with symbols or letters of the alphabet, one of them representing yes, the other no.
“Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Tus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.” – Exodus 28:30 David asks the LORD a second time to confirm. Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will.” – I Samuel 23:12 Jonathan came to encourage David when he was in the desert of Horesh. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. – I Samuel 23:16-18
