Refuge & the House of God • 1 Samuel 21

David is fleeing from Saul, who is out to kill him, and David has no one around that he can depend upon. He’s alone. He has nothing. He needs help, support, and protection.

Where would you go if you couldn’t depend on anyone?

David goes to the house of God, where he receives almost everything he needs.

Then David makes a mistake that could cost him his life. He looks for refuge in the wrong place and gets himself in serious trouble. He finds that God uses even his mistakes to teach him about security and safety. It’s not a place or a thing. David learns to take refuge in the Lord.

I’m reading in 1 Samuel 21 (to v. 9)

1. David flees to the house of God at Nob.

A. We’ve seen that the house of God was originally at Shiloh. The priesthood of Eli was corrupt, they wouldn’t listen to God or repent, and so He destroyed Shiloh. The priests regrouped at this village called Nob, not far from Gibeah where Saul had his headquarters, in the land belonging to the tribe of Benjamin.

B. David is in need in a way he’s never known before. He has no supplies, nothing to defend himself with, no place that is safe. He has nothing but the clothes he is wearing.

C. He thinks, “I need God to help me. Maybe I can find help at the house of God.” He’s probably praying, God, please help me, please provide for me.

2. What David first receives at the house of God is mercy and grace.

A. The high priest Ahimelech sees the unusual and suspects danger.

1. It’s out of the ordinary to see David by himself, no entourage, no weapons, no one with him. He’s an important commander, a government official. What’s he doing by himself? Something isn’t right.

2. David says it’s top secret, can’t talk about it, I already directed the guys to the top secret location, all top secret, hush-hush, you know.

B. So at the house of God David first receives mercy and grace.

1. Ahimelech believes David. He doesn’t give David an interrogation. He says, okay, I don’t need to know, that’s good enough for me. He lets it go.

2. But more than that, he meets David’s need through grace.

a. There is no food at hand that a non-priest could eat. The only food is the showbread, or the bread of the Presence.

b. That bread was part of the worship of God. It was baked each week and placed before the holy of holies on the table of God. Grain offerings symbolise all the work of one’s hands. These twelve loaves present all of Israel’s activities before the Lord as an offering of worship.  The Law of Moses says only a consecrated priest and his family could eat that bread, no one else.

c. Ahimelech makes sure David is holy. Yes, every time we set out on a mission we consecrate ourselves. We need the Lord to be with us. Okay.

d. David is in need and Ahimelech goes far beyond what the Law says because this is the spirit of the law. The meaning of God’s law is that people would have the right relationship to God and to one another, which is love. The spirit of the law demands compassion to the needy. 1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

e. The grace of God places human need above ceremonial requirements.

C. So the house of God supplies David’s need for mercy and grace.

3. The house of God also answers David’s need with abundant food.

A. David would be happy with anything that looks like food.

B. Abimelech gives David bread that is like no other.

1. It is baked by holy priests to be perfect because it’s for God.

2. It comes from the holy presence of God, off His own table.

3. It is beyond what he needs. Each loaf was to be made with 18 cups of fine flour. Have you ever eaten a loaf that big? David received 12 loaves that big.

C. Therefore David finds his needs met way beyond what he asked or thought.

4. But Doeg the Edomite is there also at the house of God.

A. He’s not an Israelite, but he works for Saul as the chief of his herdsmen.

B. He is detained before the Lord on this day. That means he is prevented from leaving. He would rather go, but he has to stay there for some reason that we don’t know. Maybe it’s to do with arranging for sheep and oxen for the sacrifices that needed to be offered regularly. He’s not a nice guy, so I don’t think it’s for some reason pertaining to God. He’s there and can’t go.

C. Not everyone at the house of God is there to serve God. Some people serve themselves. They are a danger. David sees him. He knows he can’t take refuge at the house of God. He has to leave. 

4. David asks for weapons at the house of God.

A. It’s kind of a desperate question, isn’t it? You expect Ahimelech to say, “Well, David, weapons are not really our kind of thing here at the house of God. That’s a little too much to ask for.”

B. But in fact, it’s a sword that is like no other. It is a sword of swords. David has seen a bunch of swords in his short life. This one is the best sword he’s ever seen.

C. And Ahimelech reminds him how it came to be there. “You remember, you went out with five smooth stones and a sling, no armour, no weapons. You went out in the name of the Lord, in His presence. The Lord enabled you by His Spirit upon you. He was with you.” Now, David already knew all that, but it’s nice to receive a timely reminder, isn’t it?

D. You wouldn’t expect it, but at the house of God there is a weapon for you that is like no other: it’s another way to think about the word of God.

1. Paul in Ephesians 6 calls it the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

2. It is defensive weapon. When someone attacks you are able to deflect the thrust. At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and they spoke the praises of God in other languages, some joked that they were filled with sweet wine—they’re just drunk, ignore them. Peter deflects that cut by the Spirit, with the word of God— it’s too early to be drunk, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. 

3. The word of God is also an offensive weapon, because the Holy Spirit will direct you to use this word or that word when you are speaking to someone about Jesus, and that word will go right into their heart and do its work. It never returns to God without doing what He sent it for. You don’t speak it to kill, you speak it to save life. It’s a hammer that breaks rock, a fire that burns, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is a weapon that is like no other.

5. David makes a mistake as he seeks refuge, vv. 10-15.

A. He has supplies, he has a weapon, but the third thing he seeks is refuge, and he knows he can’t stay at the house of God. He has to leave that place and find refuge.

B. Maybe he figures that lots of Hebrews are working for the Philistines. He would be like one of them and he’d be disguised and fit in.

C. He didn’t think anyone would recognise him but they did and started talking: hey, isn’t that David as in the songs? They give him more kills than Saul. He’s like the king of Israel, right? 

D. David is greatly afraid. He’s really made a mistake and put himself in terrible danger.

E. He pretends to be crazy and Achish says, I don’t need any more crazy guys than I have already. Get rid of him. They weren’t sure but that insanity could be catching. That’s why they didn’t want anything to do with David.

F. David escapes. He’ll have to find some other kind of refuge but at least he’s safe for now. God saved David when he made a mistake.

G. We know this from Psalm 34. David didn’t write it on the spot. But the incident stuck with him and as he meditated on it the Holy Spirit gave him understanding.

1. In that psalm he doesn’t glorify himself for being so clever that he faked out Achish and all his guys. Look how wonderful I am!

2. No—this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his fears. God got me out of my own mistake. He was still with me. The angel of the Lord encamped around me and saved me.

5. So what?

A. David learned that God can meet his needs at the house of God.

1. I hope you understand that God’s word satisfies your soul and your practical needs just like David experienced.

2. And that His word is a weapon for you that is like no other, that can truly defend you and win your battles.

3. That church is good even if you know it already. That reminder is timely and good.

B. But this points to a drawback about church, that church is great but it’s not enough. It is not a refuge. We can’t hide at church and not face the world we live in. We’re not supposed to.

C. There is a better refuge for us, and that is the presence of God.

1. David found the refuge he looked for in the Lord. 

2. Psalms 34:17-22 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

3. The secret of entering the refuge is to fear the Lord. Psalms 34:8-10 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

D. The best refuge is the one that goes with you wherever you go. You seek the Lord, He is with you always.

Let’s pray.