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Love Your Enemies
1 Samuel 24, Remsen Bible Fellowship, 03/28/2021
Introduction
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
These are the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:43-48. Do you find them uncomfortable? I do. Jesus doesn’t say tolerate your enemies, hate your enemies, be understanding of your enemies, or fight your enemies. Jesus says: love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. I grew up primarily reading the New King James which translates that phrase pray for those who spitefully use you. This is emphatically not the message of a culture obsessed with self-care. We think of ways to cut people off, to not have to deal with them, and in darker moments, we look for ways to get even and assert our power over our enemies.
As with all sinful inclinations, this is not a new part of the human condition. David faced the same temptation, the temptation to take vengeance into his own hands and to literally cut off his enemies, not once, but at least three times. This theme of vengeance withheld, of David refusing to take the life of his enemies and to instead entrust his situation to the Lord, is the theme which binds together chapters 24-26. We will come back and dwell on that more specifically in future studies, but this morning I want to begin with the positive side of that negative statement: if David doesn’t seek vengeance, what is he doing instead? Loving his enemies.
Patience. Loving your enemies means trusting God’s timing. v1-7
When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.
The tension in this scene is palpable. Verse one opens with Saul returning from his dealings with the Philistines, and we sense a shift in the focus of the author, as he doesn’t even tell us how that went. The Philistines have been an ever-present menace in the book of 1 Samuel, yet here as we enter this story all we know is that Saul left to chase them (1 Samuel 23:28), and now he has returned to his real business: chasing David.
And Saul comes out in full force. He takes his “chosen men” the three-thousand who have shone themselves truly worthy in battle, and marches into the wilderness of En-Gedi outnumbering David’s forces 5 to 1. This wilderness of En-Gedi is just that: wilderness. The spring of En-Gedi was an oasis in the midst of some otherwise uninviting country, as evidenced by the name of the place: Wildgoats’ Rocks. Wild goats and wild sheep are both pretty notorious for their abilities to eek out a living in some of the roughest country there is. They are the sort of animal that doesn’t have natural defenses to fight or the speed to flee from predators, so they pick these places to live where they can climb around on steep and dangerous cliff faces and rocky crags that no bear or lion or wild dog could handle.
And it is here that David and his men are making their temporary dwelling. But then the unexpected happens. Saul, hot on David’s trail, needs to relieve himself. This Hebrew euphemism is not talking about taking a nap-Saul is needing to take a pit stop along the wilderness highway, if you will. There are other euphemisms for bowel movements in the Old Testament, but this particular one, to “cover his feet” in Hebrew, is only used in one other place. This is pointed out by R.F. Youngblood, who says the following: “The narrator may have chosen this particular euphemism for defecation because it occurs elsewhere only in Judges 3:24, where it is used of Eglon king of Moab, who “alone in the upper room of his summer palace” (Jdg 3:20) was killed by the judge Ehud. Saul king of Israel, going inside the cave in search of privacy, is similarly unaware that he is placing himself in mortal danger.”
What Saul doesn’t know is that in the recesses of this cave are 600 men, most of whom are chomping at the bit to kill him. They say to David here is an opportunity from God! Kill him now! Imagine you’re in their position-running scared, to Gath, to Moab, to Judah, criss-crossing the land. Always on the razor edge of hunger, at least twice now within a hair’s breadth of being caught by the king. And now here he is, totally exposed-literally!-right in front of you. Everything happens for a reason, right? The reason here seems obvious. It’s David’s turn to be the hunter, not the hunted.
So in the latter half of verse 4 we find David sneaking down carefully (imagine how tense this would be in a rocky cave in which every sound would echo!) and slicing off the corner of Saul’s robe. Wait, slicing what?! He should be slicing his abdomen, his heart, his head, but his robe? What is this nonsense?
As if this were not enough, he gets back to his men and is conscience stricken-he should not even have sliced Saul’s robe, as this would be seen as an act of violence and rebellion against the king. I think we ought to see this as sin, considering the only other time we find this phrase in the Old Testament is 2 Samuel 24, where David is conscience stricken, heart stricken, after having conducted the census contrary to God’s will.
We find David’s reasoning along these lines in verse 6, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.” David sees an incongruity, an incompatibility, between trusting in the God who anointed Saul and seeking to do Saul harm. David’s men don’t see this, and we are told that David had to persuade them otherwise. But persuade, though accurate, is a pretty tame translation of the Hebrew phase. Several commentators note that this phrase means to “tear apart.” It’s as if David has to verbally tear into his men to get them off the idea that he should have been tearing into Saul with his sword. Saul is the Lord’s anointed. For David to do violence to him is to cease trusting God and to trust in his own power and plan.
Brothers and sisters, if we are to love our enemies, it has to begin with this sort of rock-solid confidence in the plan of God in our lives and for our lives. A trust that God in his Divine Providence isn’t just working things out for our temporary relief, but rather for our eternal good. David takes a long-term view here that is utterly necessary for us if we are to maintain obedience in any area, but especially when it comes to dealing with those who would use and abuse us. He knows Saul is in the wrong. But that does not justify him wronging Saul in return. Do you believe that God is in control of every situation? Do you believe that he is indeed just, and will vindicate his children in the end?
I think the words of Peter are helpful to us here. In 1 Peter 2:19-24 he writes, For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Truth. Loving your enemies means speaking the truth in love. v8-15
8 Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 See, 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, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. 12 May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! 15 May the LORD therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”
Lest we take the first point, that we are to trust God, and interpret that as an imperative to be doormats, what we see David to next is to speak. He speaks, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:15, the truth in love. I think we see three facets of his speech to Saul which are instructive for us.
First, he speaks the truth respectfully. Though Saul is out hunting David’s life, David calls out to him, My lord the king! In verse 11 he says, see, my father. There is no hint of bitterness in his words. Even as he calls into question the reasons for Saul’s hunting and hatred of him, David is careful to paint things in an inviting way: Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks to do you harm’? Does David think this is all the result of some bad counsel? No. But instead of being accusatory toward Saul (eg, why is your heart so wicked and foolish?), David is offering Saul the opportunity to distance himself from what are wicked and foolish thoughts. So again, David is respectful.
Second, David speaks the truth frankly. He reasons clearly with Saul about the irrationality of his paranoia. As stated above, he does so in a way which is respectful, but it isn’t squishy. In verse 10 he lets Saul in on the fact that he was in the cave with him and everyone else wanted Saul killed-but David said no. Does Saul question this? Well, David has the corner of Saul’s robe in his hand to prove the case. Imagine you’re Saul hearing this-you look down at the corner of your robe and realize there is no corner of my robe. It must be a mixture of humiliation, shock, and terror. His life was in David’s hands. But David did not press that advantage, he did not kill the Lord’s anointed. And so David can say in verse 11, there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. You can’t be much more clear or frank than that.
Third, David speaks the truth about God’s judgement. This may not be the first thing to mind when we think of speaking the truth in love, but it is an important aspect of doing so. In both verses 12 and 15 David invokes the Lord as the ultimate judge of this situation, and the implication is clear: he isn’t going to side with Saul. Rather, he will plead [David’s] cause and deliver [his] life from [Saul’s] hand. If this weren’t clear enough, David quotes an ancient proverb in verse 13, Out of the wicked comes wickedness. Again, David isn’t exactly hiding his meaning: evaluate your actions, Saul, and think about how God sees them.
So loving our enemies begins with trusting God. But it also includes speaking the truth in love: respectfully, clearly, and honestly. But is love all trust and words?
Action. Loving your enemies means good to them. V16-22
As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Finally, as the chapter concludes, we hear from Saul. And he seems genuinely heartbroken over the situation. Now, we’re conditioned already in this book to be pretty skeptical of Saul’s tears, and to wonder if they are of a crocodilian nature. But nonetheless he does seem moved by David’s mercy toward him and acknowledges that David has repaid him good as opposed to the evil he has dealt in David’s direction (v17). Not only this, take into account how public this is. Before both armies it would seem, these two men are crying out to one another. And Saul doesn’t even have categories for the mercy he has received from David. In verse 19 he asks, For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? The obvious answer to that rhetorical: of course not! Yet here David has done just that. Saul then turns to invoke a blessing upon David: may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. Maybe he should have said, for what you didn’t do.
But, like the manipulative person in your life, if you give Saul an inch he wants a whole mile. David spares his life, and now Saul starts asking for favors. He acknowledges in v20 that David will have the throne (though Jonathan told us that Saul already knew this back in 23:17), then in v21 he wants David to swear by the Lord that he won’t utterly destroy the house of Saul. Now we know from David’s covenant with Saul’s son Jonathan in chapter 20 that David has essentially already agreed to this. But we need to realize what a big ask this is, and how audacious and frankly uncouth it is of Saul to request. If one family dynasty is to replace another of course the new king would destroy all of the male family members of the previous dynasty, this is how you keep order in an authoritarian monarchy. Yet David, though spitefully used and persecuted by Saul at every turn, extends this kindness to him. He swears to Saul that he will not cut off his descendants or name from Israel. Loving his enemy started with trusting God, moved to speaking the truth, but it came to fulfillment in actual action. He would not take vengeance on Saul’s family. In fact, we will find later on his positive embrace of some who are Saul’s descendants.
Do you struggle with this? Does the command to love your enemies seem unfair, impractical, or just plain strange? Friend, realize that the only basis you have for hope in this life or the next is that this is precisely the kind of unfair, impractical, and strange love which has been extended to you in Christ. The apostle Paul says in Romans 5:10-11, 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Do you see what he called us? Enemies. You and I are natural enemies of God because of our sin. And yet he sent his Son to reconcile us to himself by his death on the cross, where he not only passed over the opportunity to punish us, but voluntarily took that punishment on himself. David’s greater Son has a mercy which extends even beyond that which was given by David in the cave.
Have you received his love, his forgiveness of your rebellious and enemy status? If not, come to him, it is free for all who believe. The king has declared pardon, and not only pardon, but reconciliation: status as a child of the king for all who come to the Father through faith in his Son. If you have already received him: Freely you have received, freely give. The Father loved you when you were his enemy. Now you are free to love your enemies, because of him.