The Cat and the Mouse, Part 1

Isn't it interesting, ladies and gentlemen, how the same event can bring two entirely different interpretations? Six hundred men saw this as God's will and opportunity to get back, to take the throne of Saul and that kingdom. And one man sees this as God's will to spare Saul's life. This is God's will for you to kill him.

This is God's will for me to show grace. King David faced a difficult choice. King Saul was trying to kill him and all of a sudden David had the opportunity to end the conflict and rivalry once and for all. King Saul was vulnerable and David had the opportunity to kill him.

And really, wouldn't it be self-defense? But David would not lift his hand against God's anointed king. In all of this, God was trying to get Saul's attention and drive Saul to repentance. This is wisdom for the heart. Stay with us as Stephen Davey opens God's Word with a lesson called The Cat and the Mouse. More people worldwide have watched the animated series, Tom and Jerry, more than any other animated series ever created. In fact, to show you how much times have changed, I found out that the two men that created and wrote the original series from 1940 to 1958 actually won eight Academy Awards. That shows you how times have changed, right? If you've ever watched the cartoon, it has one basic premise.

It's really simple. A rather dim-witted cat, and I'll say nothing more about that, tries to catch a rather clever mouse and in the end the mouse always wins. You just kind of love that, don't you? In fact, Jerry the mouse not only wins, he evades capture, but to the delight of the audience, Tom the cat ends up getting frozen, getting sliced, getting chopped, getting boiled, cut in half, stuck into electrical outlets, pounded into the ground by telephone poles. It's my favorite show, actually.

I love it. Tom always survives, of course, and comes back and the chase is on once again. For decades our English language has sort of described the battle of wits, and it uses the phrase playing cat and mouse. It just struck me that what we have here are a couple of chapters we'll get to in just a few moments where it's sort of brains over brawn. It's a battle of nerves. It's a battle of wits. It's really a chase. Saul is the cat and David is the mouse. Maybe at the very outset, in fact I want to say this here, maybe at the very outset of our study you've arrived, you've come in here, and it's been one more week for you where you have been chased. Unfairly treated, maybe accused, struggling in some battle of wits to survive. You feel like the mouse. You barely have time to catch your breath. Let me encourage you, first of all, to make sure that you're running because you're doing the right thing, not the wrong thing.

In fact, Peter the apostle would encourage us to make sure that if we suffer, we're suffering for righteousness' sake and not for the cause of unrighteousness. And that's a good encouragement, running for doing the right reason. I can remember growing up as a kid, one of the neighbor boys and I in the summertime, we would explore in the woods near our subdivision until dark. And then coming home, in between the woods and our home was an apartment complex, two story, an apartment complex in a central area downstairs in a main corridor was a large gray box with all the fuses and it ran all of the electricity for that entire apartment building. It was all connected to one big gray lever. We'd scout around and make sure nobody was downstairs and then we'd pull that lever and run out of that apartment complex thinking we were just having the greatest of times on one particular occasion.

In fact, it was the last time we ever did it. We scouted around, nobody was down there, pulled the lever, ran out underneath a balcony and just over our heads on that balcony were two young adult men dressed in army fatigues. They heard the slam and the electricity go out and they saw a scurry underneath them and I looked behind me and I saw one of those men leap over that balcony and land on the ground like G.I. Joe. We were off and the chase was on and if it hadn't been for some shortcuts that we knew and we hadn't gotten away, you'd have a different pastor today.

I'm sure of it. We never did that ever again. Well, I want to show you today somebody who's being chased not for doing the wrong thing but for doing the right thing. So if you take your Bibles and turn back to 1 Samuel, let's rejoin our study in the biography of the singer, King David. And I don't mean to trivialize the text as I introduce it.

This is not a cartoon. This happens to be a matter of life and death. Now let me just survey for us and we'll drop in every once in a while to a text in chapter 23 because I want to get to chapter 24. Chapter 23 opens with trouble, trouble in the city of Keilah. It's about three miles south of the cave of Adullam which is where we left David in our last study. Verse 1 tells us that the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floor.

This would have been, of course, incredibly devastating and discouraging and dangerous. The Philistines are robbing the threshing floors. What that means, of course, is after all of the work of the Israelites, after all of the planting and the tending and the harvesting and then the threshing where the wheat is separated from the chaff, perhaps it's already bagged and ready to either sell or distribute to those that live in the city. At that point in time, the Philistines would come in and they'd raid those threshing floors and steal it all away. Somebody tells David, the chapter opens, we're not sure who but what I love is the fact that David, here he is on the run for his life with his now 600 mighty men and they care enough about Israel that they go to hell.

In fact, here at this moment David is acting more like the king than Saul. And so they gather their forces and they basically attack the Philistines, they push them back, they liberate the city, they save the day and evidently they're invited to stay in the city and so now they're invited indoors after perhaps months on the run and they're given more than likely the first homemade meals they've had in quite some time. The trouble is the leaders of this city are loyal to Saul and so they concoct this plan to betray David, a plan that David discovers he and his men, verse 13 tells us, escape and then we're kind of given their desperate conditions all over again and we're told, look there in that verse, that they went wherever they could go. That just kind of summarizes their desperation. Random on the run, they went wherever they could go.

How random is that? In fact, the middle part of verse 14 you're given this statement that kind of sums up his life and Saul sought him every day, read that, every single either directly or indirectly but God did not give him into his hand. So he's betrayed by the citizens of Keilah, he's risked his life to save theirs. David and his men are once again forced to run for their lives. Verse 15 tells us they find another place to hide, look there, in the wilderness of Ziph.

Imagine that, where are you now? I'm hiding out in the wilderness of Ziph. One bright spot while he's out there, Jonathan pays him a visit. Verse 17 informs us that while there Jonathan encourages David, in fact he tells David that he's going to be the next king of Israel and somewhere recently, a few months ago, a year earlier, we're not told, the evident purposes of God for David's life have become known and common knowledge. David is the heir to the throne. What happens is Jonathan just sort of pulls off the mask and delivers Saul's true motive for trying to kill David. Look at verse 17, notice, you shall be king over Israel, I will be next to you, that is I'm going to assist you, Saul my father also knows this. That's what it's all about, David. Everybody knows it, those raving episodes, those spears flying through the air to you, those tears, the chase, Saul is literally fighting in rebellion against the will of God, he's been set down by Samuel, he will fight till he dies and he's also fighting the will of God for your life, David, he knows, he knows, he knows, you're going to become king.

Here in this text, Jonathan and David separate as loyal friends, they'll never see each other again, this side of paradise. And then, about the time you think maybe David will catch his breath, the Ziphites betray him to King Saul and the chase is on again. Look at what the Ziphites say to Saul, verse 19, then the Ziphites went up to Saul and Gibeah saying, is not David hiding among us? Now, verse 20, come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand and Saul said, may you be blessed by the Lord for you have had compassion on me, what a hypocrite.

Saul doesn't need compassion, he needs a spanking, he's a rebellious, spoiled, self-centered little boy. Now, you can just kind of feel the tension mounting and all I'm going to do is read a few verses where David is hiding out, he's on a hill and the armies of Saul are encircling him. Look at verse 25, Saul and his men went to seek him, that is to track him down and David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of man. And when Saul heard that he pursued after David in the wilderness of man, Saul went on one side of the mountain and David and his men on the other side of the mountain and 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 on the land, so Saul returned from pursuing David. That was a close call. The mouse had been cornered.

The cat was ready to pounce. In fact, notice verse 28, that David called this mountain the rock of escape. We got to stop and we got to name this and dedicate this hill. Thank God this is the mountain or the rock of escape.

Even still the chase isn't over. David has to find another place to hide and so chapter 24 opens at verse 1, they are hiding out in the wilderness of En-Gedi. Let me set the scene. En-Gedi can be translated spring of the goat. It was a perfect hideout for David. It was an oasis in the desert wilderness. It had freshwater springs.

It had waterfalls cascading down rocky cliffs, lush vegetation, countless caves dotted in those limestone hills high above the Dead Sea. It would have been a perfect place to not only hide but have a lookout with food and water. They could have spotted Saul's approach from miles away.

Now about this time you would have to say there is no rest for the weary. Keep in mind Saul has entirely convinced the people that David is the aggressor, that David is the liar, that David is the usurper, that David wants to kill him. David here then is living with unfairness and unkindness and injustice.

The truth is the king wants him dead and David has been doing the right thing all along. In order to help you sense some of the despair, let me retell an illustration from John Phillips' commentary on this particular passage. John Phillips, now with the Lord, wrote about one pastor's home in one of the Soviet occupied countries just after World War II. A Lutheran pastor and his family served in a church there. The Lutheran pastor had an attractive single daughter who worked in the office of a government agency, a communist government agency. Eventually the communist party secretary, her boss, gave her a choice. Either she became his mistress or her father would be arrested on trumped up charges, the church closed, the ministry ended. Under constant pressure and in growing fear for her father's life, without her parents ever knowing, she tragically gave in.

Within a few months she discovered that she was going to have a child in anguish, guilt, and despair. She hung herself. She left a note in her pocket explaining what had brought her to utter despair in taking her life. A party leader found her body and the note inside her pocket and he confronted his superior with the note. The official denied it, took the letter, and then privately tore it up. He then secretly forged another letter supposedly from this young lady, slipped it into her pocket, and when she was found by officials the note said that she had been molested by her father and could no longer stand the shame. The police arrested the father.

The church was closed. He was sent to prison where he was often beaten by the other prisoners who hated such criminals. All the while this pastor, his wife and family, the church grieved with these surprising, unexpected, unexplained events.

Several years later that Soviet official responsible for death of that young girl was arrested for embezzlement and placed into the same prison and into the same cell. He confessed to this pastor the truth. For the first time they now knew the story and to this man's utter amazement this father forgave him claiming that the purposes of God would fully be accomplished and understood one day. Take how you feel right now and apply it to this man, David.

Because we know the end of the story we just skip over and go, yeah, yeah, yeah, he's being chased. He's lost his wife, his prospects, his hope. In fact, as he's on the run he will write one of his famous songs relative to what's happening in this context we're studying today and he will say, oh God, save me by thy name. Vindicate me by your might. For strangers have risen against me. Ruthless men seek my life. Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the upholder of my life. In other words, God, if you don't hold me up I'm not going to make it one more day.

It's only at this moment that something unbelievable happens. In fact, 600 of David's men will unanimously agree it can only mean one thing, that God has given David the opportunity to settle the score, to strike back, to get even. Look at verse 2. Then Saul took 3,000 chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the wild goats' rocks. Now let me just say a few words here. Saul has now chosen 3,000 elite troops.

These are the best. These are especially skilled warriors. David has slipped away, not this time.

He's going to chase them down and he's going to crush them. Now David would have been able to see miles away, he would have seen Saul and they chose a cave. Verse 3 references the sheepfolds. What this is referring to is how shepherds would place walls of stone around cave entrances to create a buffer and protection for sheep that they would bring into the cave.

David has chosen one of those caves. Now look at verse 3. And Saul came to the sheepfolds, by the way, where there was a cave and Saul went in to relieve himself. Your translation may read, he covered his feet. It's a euphemism for going to the bathroom. I think this is earthy, it's simple, but I think God has given us this fact to let us know that Saul at this moment is totally vulnerable to an attack. He has no idea that 600 pairs of eyes are watching him sit there in that Texaco gas station reading his newspaper. I mean scholars in fact add the comment from historical studies on even these rather transparent issues that Saul suffered from constipation.

It was called even back in ancient days, the curse of kings. All that to say, Saul wasn't in that cave for a few seconds, more than likely struggling to relieve himself. Evidently so distracted, perhaps in quite a bit of discomfort, almost as much discomfort as my own right now in having to explain this verse to you.

Let's move on. He's so preoccupied and he didn't hear the whispering. Somewhere deep in that cave and here's what they're whispering, verse four, and the man of David said to him, here's the day of which the Lord has said to you. I mean this is it, David. Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, David. The fact that Saul has chosen to use this cave without any guard around him, this is proof from God.

Strike him down. God has set this up. Can you imagine their excitement as they see David slip through the dimness of this cave with Goliath's sword in his hand? Verse four of the middle part.

David arose and stealthily cut off a corner. You would expect it to say a head, a corner of Saul's robe. Not his head, a piece of his robe. You could translate this, David cut off the wing, probably some emblem in his train that signified his royal authority because immediately David feels guilty that he's gone too far. In fact, verse five says his heart struck him. That is his conscience convicted him. You cut a piece of cloth away. Besides, that's your royal robe he's wearing.

Learn it from David here. One of the marks of growing in grace is a sensitive conscience. Even the smallest offense, a minor reaction, that first self-centered thought, it becomes to you too heavy a weight to carry for very long before confessing.

That's a good thing. This is David's chance to get even and he feels guilty now at even touching the king's robe and cutting some of it off because he knew he did it in a spirit of defiance. Verse six, he said to his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord's anointed. He even put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed. So David persuaded his men, he pressed his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul.

Isn't it interesting, ladies and gentlemen, how the same event can bring two entirely different interpretations? Six hundred men saw this as God's will and opportunity to get back, to take the throne of Saul and that kingdom. And one man sees this as God's will to spare Saul's life. This is God's will for you to kill him.

This is God's will for me to show grace. As Saul gets up and leaves the cave, he is oblivious to the fact that the obsession of his murderous envy and hatred has just saved his skin. Now, keep in mind before we get to the next verse that David is not going to harm the king, but he is going to confront the king.

He might not be able to change Saul's heart, but he will deliver the facts and challenge Saul's obsession. Look at verse eight. Afterward, David also arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, my lord the king.

When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. David said to Saul, why do you listen to the words of men who say, behold, David seeks your harm? In other words, Saul, people are talking, but you're listening to the wrong people.

And by the way, they don't want you to lose your crown because they'll lose their own place, their own power, and that's what they really care about. So David effectively begins by saying, stop listening to the wrong gossip, the wrong people. Verse 11, see my father. By the way, a touching reminder, Saul, you're my father-in-law. Look, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand, for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, by that you ought to know and see that there's no wrong or treason in my hands.

I've not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. Philip Keller wrote on this confrontation colorfully these words. Can you see David there at some safe distance away? Can you see him suddenly hold up his arm to display the train of Saul's royal robe, see it fluttering in the wind, one end cut away by the razor-sharp sword of Goliath?

Here was proof. He wasn't just saying to Saul he was loyal, he was acting like it. And the result, by the way, is somewhat unbelievable.

It's wonderful, it's short-lived, but it's wonderful. Saul begins to cry. Look at verse 16, the middle part, Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, you are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, and that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. And Saul was overwhelmed. The truth of this encounter, this close encounter with death, fully realizing what had just happened, it shakes him to the core. Here stands the king of Israel weeping.

King Saul is weeping over this situation, but will anything really change for him? We're just about out of time for today, so we're going to conclude this lesson on Monday when we return. Thanks for tuning in to Wisdom for the Heart.

Stephen Davey is working through a series on the life of King David called The Singer. Today's lesson is entitled The Cat and the Mouse. Between now and our next broadcast, I hope you'll take advantage of a special offer we have for you. It's only available on our website because it's a free ebook that you can download and read. It's called Do Babies Really Go to Heaven When They Die? You'll find this resource on our website, which is wisdomonline.org. Part two of this lesson will air at this same time Monday. Join us for that here on Wisdom for the Heart.