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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 6 August 2025:
1 Samuel 23:1–2 — Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” 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.”
David’s first instinct when faced with the plight of others is not to rush ahead based on his personal strength or compassion, but to inquire of the Lord. Even when he sees injustice, he pauses to ask God whether he should engage. This pattern of seeking God before acting is a consistent mark of David’s leadership. He does not presume that opportunity equals obligation — he waits on divine instruction. In contrast to Saul, who increasingly acts based on insecurity and self-interest, David consults the Lord at every major turn, establishing himself as a leader after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). In our own lives, we must not assume that good intentions are enough — only obedience leads to fruitfulness.
1 Samuel 23:3-4 — 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?” 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.”
David is not only seeking God for himself — he seeks clarity for the sake of the people he’s leading. His men are afraid, and rather than silencing their concerns with force or ego, David returns to prayer. God graciously confirms His will a second time, giving both reassurance and direction. Leadership in the Spirit requires humility to ask again and patience to help others grow in faith, not just command them from a place of superior conviction. Christ, our true Shepherd, did not break a bruised reed or quench a faintly burning wick (Isaiah 42:3). David models this kind of servant-leader trust.
1 Samuel 23:5 — 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.
David’s obedience brings deliverance not just to his men, but to an entire city. Courageous faith, when joined with God’s direction, brings blessing far beyond the immediate circle of obedience. But this victory also sets up the tension of the chapter: Will the people he rescued now betray him?
1 Samuel 23:7–8 — 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.” And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
Saul deceives himself into thinking his selfish pursuit is God’s will. He even uses spiritual language — “God has given him into my hand” — to justify his plans. This is a sobering reminder that religious language can mask rebellion, and even sinful motives can be dressed up in the name of God. Saul is not listening to God; he is hijacking God’s name to justify his own paranoia. As Jesus warned, not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” is actually doing the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21).
1 Samuel 23:7–8 is a striking example of how Saul wrongly interprets God’s providence as supporting his sinful actions. This kind of twisted proclamation — attributing God’s favor to sinful intentions or actions — appears in several other places in Scripture. Below are some key examples:
- Judges 17:2–3 – Micah’s stolen silver — “And he said to his mother, ‘The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you… I took it.’ And his mother said, ‘Blessed be my son by the Lord.’” Despite the fact that Micah stole the silver, when he confesses and returns it, his mother pronounces a blessing in God’s name, and then they use it to make an idol! It’s a corruption of worship under the guise of piety.
- Exodus 32:4–6 – The golden calf — “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron and the people worship a man-made idol and call it Yahweh (see v. 5). They think they are honoring the Lord with a festival, but it is actually apostasy. This is perhaps the ultimate example of misattributing God’s name to sin.
- Luke 18:11 – The Pharisee in the temple — “God, I thank you that I am not like other men…” The Pharisee boasts in his self-righteousness, thinking his spiritual pride and contempt for others is grounds for God’s blessing. But Jesus makes clear that he is not justified before God.
- Hosea 12:7–8 – Ephraim claims innocence while cheating — “Ephraim has said, ‘Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.’” Here, Israel equates material success with righteousness, refusing to admit their deceit and injustice. But God sees through it.
- Jeremiah 7:9–10 – “We are delivered!” — “Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely… and then come and stand before me… and say, ‘We are delivered!’ — only to go on doing all these abominations?” This is a direct rebuke of those who treat God’s covenant as a license to sin. They think being God’s people means He will bless them regardless, but they are abusing His name.
- John 11:49–51 – Caiaphas “prophesies” Jesus must die — “It is better for you that one man should die for the people…” — Though Caiaphas unwittingly speaks a prophetic truth, his intent is wicked — he wants to kill Jesus to preserve political power. He claims a higher purpose for a sinful plan, just like Saul.
- Amos 8:5 – Greedy merchants “worshiping” — “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain?… We will make the ephah small and the shekel great….” They observe religious holidays outwardly, but can’t wait to return to cheating people — their hearts are far from God, though they pretend to honor Him.
These passages show a pattern of spiritual deception where people: Misinterpret God’s providence as approval of their sin (like Saul). Use religious language or rituals to cover unrighteous motives. Assume that success, power, or ritual observance equates to divine favor. Replace true worship with idolatry, pride, or injustice, and claim God’s blessing. As Isaiah 5:20 warns: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil…”
1 Samuel 23:10–13 — 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. 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.” 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.” Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go.
David’s prayer reveals not only his dependence on God, but his realism. He does not assume loyalty from the people he just saved. Instead, he brings the hard questions to God: “Will they betray me?” The answer is yes. But what is remarkable is what David doesn’t do — he doesn’t retaliate, shame the city, or try to hold on to Keilah. He accepts God’s word, adapts in faith, and moves on. This moment teaches several deep truths:
First, we must seek God not only for direction in the present but also for wisdom about potential futures. David asks “what if” questions, and God answers him. This is not fortune-telling — it is guidance that comes from a relationship.
Second, God’s sovereignty does not negate human responsibility. God says the people will surrender David — if he stays. So David makes a choice and leaves. The threat was real, but it was conditional. God’s foreknowledge and human choice are not opposed; they coexist in divine tension.
Third, leadership requires discernment, not just courage. David could have stayed and fought, but that would have endangered his men and the city. Instead, he shows the wisdom of Jesus, who also withdrew from places when threats escalated prematurely (John 7:1; Matthew 12:15).
This passage reveals some very important principles for our lives: We cannot make good decisions simply from our limited perceptions and understanding. We must go to God for answers to our important questions, questions that only He can answer. God gives us a choice to obey Him or not. Either way, there are definite consequences. If we trust in ourselves and ignore the counsel of God, it will lead to destruction. David sought answers from God concerning what might happen in Keilah. God tells David that Saul will come down and the people of Keilah will surrender David into Saul’s hands. So, David leaves and lives. First, if David hadn’t consulted God, he would have been killed – “He will come…. They will surrender you.” Second, David’s fate was not predetermined but depended upon His response to God’s word. Had David not listened to God, he would have died. David had decisions to make. The Bible is clear that there is predestination (God has a plan that will happen), but there is debate about what exactly is predetermined. It would appear that God’s predetermined plan accommodates our freedom to choose as well as the consequences of our choices.
Some believe that concepts of “free will” challenge the Sovereignty of God. I believe that, in His Sovereignty, God has given us freedom to choose, and our choices have consequences which don’t alter God’s overall plan. When I tell my kids to take out the trash, they have choices to make, whether and how they will obey. One way or another though, the trash is going to get taken out. Consider what Mordecai said to Esther as she struggled with her perilous decision to approach the king or not on behalf of the Jews: “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this (Esther 4:14)?” God’s plan is at work. We must choose whether or not we will listen to Him, obey Him, and follow Him or go our own way and suffer the consequences. If we choose to be a part of God’s plan, we have to listen to what He is telling us through Bible study and prayer. We then have to do what He says, one decision at a time, day-by-day.
1 Samuel 23:14 — 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.
This verse is a quiet banner over the entire chapter: “God did not give him into his hand.” Though Saul seeks David daily, God protects His servant continually. Even when it seems like evil is winning, God is in control. This is the unshakable peace of trusting in divine providence.
1 Samuel 23:16–17 — And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 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.”
Jonathan encourages David not with platitudes, but with a word rooted in God’s promises. He reminds David that he will be king. The most loyal friendships are those that draw us back to faith in God’s plan. Jonathan also displays incredible humility — he knows David will be king and that he himself will not. He does not fight to preserve his own position. He yields to God’s will and commits himself to David’s success, much like John the Baptist said of Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). That kind of loyalty, humility, and surrender to God’s plan makes Jonathan one of Scripture’s greatest unsung heroes.
1 Samuel 23:21 — And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me.”
Saul blesses the Ziphites for betraying David. It is a grotesque display of spiritual blindness, invoking God’s blessing on an act of injustice. This shows how sin distorts not only our behavior but our entire moral compass. Saul is convinced he is righteous because he still uses the language of religion, but his heart is far from God (Isaiah 29:13).
1 Samuel 23:26–27 — Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side. David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.”
At the moment David seems cornered, God intervenes — not with a miracle from heaven, but with the interruption of an enemy raid. The deliverance comes through circumstance, not spectacle, but it is no less divine. God can frustrate the plans of evil men with a simple shift in timing. This reminds us that God’s hand is always at work, even in what looks like coincidence. As Romans 8:28 says, “God works all things together for good for those who love Him.”
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 6 August 2025: God doesn’t just lead us through the obvious battles — He directs us through the uncertainties, the betrayals, and even the betrayals after our victories. Like David, we must inquire of the Lord daily, not just to know what is right, but to discern what might happen and prepare wisely. Today, practice listening to God before you act. Bring Him the “what if” questions you’re facing, whether relational, vocational, or spiritual. Write them down. Pray. Wait for clarity. And then obey — even if the answer means letting go, walking away, or moving on. God will protect His plan through your obedience and sometimes even through divine redirection you never saw coming.
Pray: “Father, help me to live with the humility and dependence of David, who did not trust his own wisdom but turned to You for every decision. Teach me to listen when You speak and to move when You lead. Strengthen my hand in You, as Jonathan did for David. Keep me from the blindness of Saul, who used Your name but didn’t walk in Your truth. May my steps align with Your purpose, and may I trust You when circumstances seem uncertain. Thank You that Your plan is never defeated and that You are always working for the good of those who love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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