Lesson #27

1SAMUEL 27
Lesson #27
WRONG DECISIONS AND GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

• Memory Verse: Psa 103:1-4

• Read 1Sam 27:1-12 David’s Decision
• A moment of weak faith makes David prone to a wrong decision.
• After David saw God deliver him many times over, after he saw how God anointed him king, After he saw Saul make peace with him, there is a moment of weak faith.
• What was the basis of David’s wrong decision? (1)
• The enemies of faith:
• A humanistic viewpoint.
• Pessimistic reasoning.
• Rationalistic logic.
• David again went to Gath, the place of his enemies and the home of Goliath.
• This was the place where he had to change his behavior and act like he was crazy to save his life.
• What were the results of David’s decision?
• =1= His decision affected others.
• The 600 men in his army.
• His own household
• He caused his household to be put into jeopardy. (30:3)
• =2= He created a false sense of security for one year and 4 months. (4)
• The Philistine king gave David Ziklag to govern.
• This place is 13 miles northwest of Beersheba.
• David used Ziklag as a base to raid the tribes of the northern desert areas.
• Among these tribes were the Amelekites who were Israel’s long time enemy.
• =3= He put himself into submission to enemy forces. (12)
• David compromised himself in his allegiance.
• God used this false allegiance to conquer Israel’s enemies, which tells us that God sometimes uses wrong decisions and turns them to good in His sovereignty.
• =4= The wrong decision opened him up to temptation to compromise his standards. (1Sam 28:1-2 1Sam 30:3)
• He is now expected to fight with Israel’s enemies against Israel.
• God’s intervention:
• God intervenes to prevent David from fighting against Israel. (2Sam 29)
• =5= Those under David’s authority lose their trust in his leadership. (30:6)
• Background on God’s perspective of the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites:
• Read Jos 13:13 (review 1Sam 15:2-3, 7-9)
• God told Joshua to destroy all these people when they took possession of the promised land, but they did not obey.
• God through Samuel told Saul to destroy the Amalekites in 1Sam 15, but Saul kept the king alive, so Samuel killed him.
• The results:
• Even though David’s decision was made in weak faith and was not God’s best and perfect will for him, God used it for His glory.
• God used it to destroy more of Israel’s former enemies.
• God used it to further teach David.
• Application:
• What principles do we learn from this chapter regarding:
• Making decisions?
• Do not make big, life-changing decisions when your faith is weak.
• Compromising with the world or the enemy (Satan) is never God’s very best for the believer and will never produce a totally good harvest of fruit in your life.
• It is always better to totally trust God who will produce the very best fruit and a glorious victory for those who wait on Him.
• If you have made a wrong decision, know that God can use if for His glory in some way if you will repent and trust Him, for God is in the business of redemption and restoration.

HOMEWORK
1SAMUEL 28
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of 1Sam 27
• Write down a wrong decision that you made in the past.

• Write down what you learned through the situation.

• Write down how God brought some good out of the situation.

• Preparation for 1Sam 28
• Read 1Sam 28:1-25
• Why does God not answer Saul when we are told to seek the Lord and that he hears those who call upon him?

• What is Saul’s sin in this chapter?

• Read Lev 19:31
• Read Lev 20:6-7
• Read Deu 18:10-12
• List the things to avoid and why they are so serious.

• Why was the witch of Endor in 1Sam 28 surprised to see Samuel?

• A question to ponder

: Is Samuel’s appearance proof of reincarnation? Why or why not?

• Can you think of any scripture to prove that there is no such thing as reincarnation?

• Why did God use a medium to bring Samuel when we are told not to use mediums?

• Memory Verse: Lev 19:31