How to Behave in a Cave | Part 1

From the Loewer Finding studios in Memphis, Tennessee, I'm Byron Tyler, here with Kerry Vaughn, the CEO of Loewer Fighting.

Kerry, Adrian Rogers continues in our series, Live Like a King. And it's about King David. And hey, we relate to King David. He was a remarkable man and a warrior who knew many victories. But perhaps Byron, the best victory he learned was how to overcome his own spirit, which is hard to do, by the way. That can be very hard for him.

For each of us to do, you know, I need an example of King David. He had highs. He had lows in his life.

But through it all, there was the steadfast trust that his hope was in God. And there was also the ability to yield. And I think that is a great ingredient in a true leader.

Well, Kerry, that is exactly what Adrian Rogers is going to reference today in our message, How to Behave in a Cave, Part 1. We'll see in our text, 1 Samuel 24, where David is hiding in a cave after King Saul has put a bounty on his head. I mean, by this time, King Saul has gone rogue. And he's being influenced by evil spirits. And the authority is out of control. But David still humbles himself and shows respect for that authority. Dr. Rogers would say that you can never be over what you're not willing to be under.

And so what David displays here, Byron, is true kingdom authority. Well, Romans 12 21 says, Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. That can be hard sometimes. It can be hard sometimes when you know that you can capitalize on the victory.

But David, again, yielded. And I love this sermon. I love this message. Well, we always enjoy hearing from our Love We're Finding listeners. I think you have a great listener letter right now. I do. It says, Adrian Rogers is the best preacher.

We would agree with that, by the way. His sermons helped me study the Bible and learn God's word for myself. He has taught me to not be ashamed of Jesus and to share the love of Christ.

Keep up the good work. You know, I think the best work as Christians is to truly just behave and understand who we are, but more importantly, who we represent. Well, that reminds me back to what Adrian Rogers says, that David never won a greater victory than he won that day in a cave. A victory over self, a victory over Saul, and a victory over sin, which we all want to do.

Absolutely. And the Spirit of God was in David. And that's how we want to live our life. The greatest victory that we'll ever have will be the victory of your own spirit.

And I think that's what we see here in this message, how to behave in a cave. Well, we're getting close to the Christmas season and we have a resource just in time for Christmas called 25 Days of Anticipation. Hey, it's inspired by the teachings of Adrian Rogers. It's a new resource that will lead you in an Advent study of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled when he came to earth. And it's a 25 days of anticipation is truly, Byron, just a mini Bible study that is sure to enrich your life and also the lives of others around you. 25 Days of Anticipation is a resource available at LWF.org.

And you can go and learn more about this resource and a lot of other resources. By the way, the series we're in, all of the messages in Live Like a King, if you happen to miss one, they are available also at LWF.org. Well, with today's message, How to Behave in a Cave, Part 1, here's Adrian Rogers. Now turn, please, to 1 Samuel chapter 24. We are talking on the life of David, how to live like a king.

We come now to a very interesting episode in the life of David. And it came to pass when Saul was returning from following the Philistines that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-Gedi, or Ein-Gedi. And Saul took 3,000 chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcoats, by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to cover his feet.

And incidentally, this place is full of caves, and it was not too very far from here that the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. And Saul went in to cover his feet, and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. Now Saul went in there to relieve himself and to refresh himself, and as he went into the cave, his eyes, of course, used to that dazzling, brilliant desert sun, could not see David and his men as they were sequestered there in the crooks and nannies of that cave.

They were back there in the shadows. They saw Saul, but he could not see them. And so they're back there, and the men of David said unto him, said to David, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and they were thinking as David went forward with the dagger in his hand, he's going to plunge this dagger into the back of the unsuspecting Saul, his enemy. And David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe, privily, that is, secretly, with that razor sharp knife, Saul not aware, perhaps now he stretched himself out to sleep for just a few moments on the cool earth, and David takes that razor sharp knife, and he slits Saul's skirt and just gets a handful of the garment, and then he backs back into the back of the cave. And it came to pass afterward that David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. But David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul, but Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way. Now, it's one of the most remarkable stories in all of the Bible. David was a young warrior, and David had won some mighty victories.

When he was just a little boy, he slew a lion and a bear, and when he was not much older, he killed mighty Goliath and cut off Goliath's head with Goliath's own sword. Later on, David led a foray against the Philistines, and David won that battle. But the battle, the greatest battle David ever won, in my estimation, is this one right here.

So I want to speak to you tonight on this subject, how to behave in a cave. We're going to talk about how God's people ought to act when they come to the situation that David found himself in. Now, what was the great victory that David won? It was a victory over self. And friend, there is no greater victory than the victory over self.

Just put down in the margin of your Bible, Proverbs chapter 16, verse 32. The Bible says there, He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh the city. The greatest victory that you'll ever win is victory over yourself. Alexander the Great was a great warrior, and it is said that by the time he was 33 that Alexander the Great had conquered the known world and wept because there were no more worlds to conquer, and yet in a fit of passion and anger, Alexander the Great destroyed his own friends, and later he destroyed his own life through drink, and he died an untimely death. He conquered the world, but he could not conquer himself. To conquer one's own spirit is a greater victory than to take the fortress of a foe. There's another victory very close to it, and that is this, to refuse to take vengeance and revenge on one's enemy when you have the opportunity to do so. And David won both of these victories this day. First of all, he won a victory over self, and then he won a victory over Saul. Not by killing Saul, but by letting Saul live. Not by doing Saul evil, but by doing Saul good, David won the greatest victory. This is what the Bible says in Romans chapter 12, verse 21, where the Bible says we're not to be overcome with evil, but we are to overcome evil with good.

The way to kill evil is not with a dagger, but with a heart full of love. Now, I want you to notice three things as we look at this passage of Scripture. The first thing I want you to notice is a great principle. A great principle. What was the principle that David understood?

It was the principle of spiritual authority. Look again in verses 5 and 6. And it came to pass afterward that David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. Just because he'd acted with disrespect toward Saul, how tender was the heart of David. David is conscience smitten because he's not even acted with respect toward Saul. Not that many people would have thought, well, surely he would have slain Saul.

And the average person would have said, all is fair in love and war. He's your enemy. He's trying to kill you.

You do him before he does you. And that's what the average person would have said, but David's heart smote him because he'd cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. Now just turn over to chapter 26 and look in verse 9 and you'll get the same thought because another situation arose very similar to this one. And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not, for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless? David understood the principle of spiritual authority.

David knew that even though Saul was not right with God, David knew that even though Saul was undeserving, David knew that even though Saul meant his harm, David knew that Saul was his God-given authority, and David refused to have a rebellious spirit against his authority. Now with that in mind, I want you to put a bookmark here in 1 Samuel chapter 24, and I want us to turn to Romans chapter 13. I want us to see the New Testament interpretation of what happened here in 1 Samuel 24.

And believe you me, it really applies tonight. Romans chapter 13, let's look. You're going to see a principle that David discovered a long time before the New Testament, and you're going to understand why David was called a man after God's own heart. Here's what the Bible says in this passage. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. Now the word powers here means authorities, and he's talking here about civil authorities as we're going to see. He's talking really about the Roman government because that's when this was written, and that's to whom this was written, the people of Rome. For there is no authority, no power, but of God, and the powers, the authorities that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, that is the civil magistrate, the authority, the government, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power or of that authority? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he, your authority, the one that is set over you, the magistrate, for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he, the civil magistrate, the ruler, is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Therefore or wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, not only because you're going to get punished if you don't, but for conscience' sake, not only because of outward pressure, but because of inward pressure, and for this cause pay ye tribute also, for they, and that means we pay our taxes, because they are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Now that's what the New Testament says about a principle that David had discovered so long ago in the Old Testament. And let's just go back now and look at Romans 13 one more time. I want you to notice who are the subjects of spiritual authority.

Look in verse 1. Let every soul be subject. Now how many of you think that means you? Lift your hand. Thank you. You understood. All right. Let every soul be subject. You are not excluded. This, ladies and gentlemen, means you, but not only notice the subject of spiritual authority, I want you to notice the source of spiritual authority.

Continue to read. For there is no power but of God, and the powers that be are ordained of God. Authority comes from God.

God upholds the Bible, says all things with the word of his power or with the word of his authority. Jesus said all authority is given unto me. And so all authority literally comes from God. And any civil authority or any spiritual authority or any domestic authority really has authority that roots from God. And so really if you stand against that authority, you are really standing against God. And you're sinning not against your authority, you're sinning against God.

Look in verse 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. The subjects of authority all, the source of authority comes from God. The sin of rejecting authority is this. When you reject those whom God has put over you, ladies and gentlemen, you do not reject that person. You reject God himself. You withstand God.

And therefore notice the seriousness of authority. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Now that does not mean that you'll go to hell.

That isn't what it means here. The word damnation may mean to go to hell. But what he means here is this, that you're going to receive the judgment of God.

God in his own way is going to create a punishment that will fit the crime. There is no way that you can have a rebellious spirit and be right with God. Now Saul was God's spiritual authority. Saul was the man that had been anointed king over Israel. He was not a good man. He was an apostate man. He was a man out of fellowship with God.

He was a wicked man. He was seeking David's life. And yet David understood a spiritual principle that many modern Americans do not understand.

It is the principle of spiritual authority. What was the sin of Saul, by the way, that caused Saul to lose his blessing? Go back to 1 Samuel 24 and then turn left to chapter 15 for a moment.

Look, if you will, in chapter 15. And you're going to understand something more about spiritual authority that Saul did not understand. In 1 Samuel chapter 15, let's look in verse 22. And Samuel said, and Samuel said, hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Now look in verse 23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. Saul lost his kingship because he would not submit to his spiritual authority. Who was Saul's spiritual authority? Samuel the prophet. Samuel was a man of God. And Samuel had told Saul, now Saul, this is what you're to do. You are to utterly destroy the Amalekites. And rather than destroying all that God said to destroy, not just the men, the women, but also the animals, Saul spared King Agag and he also spared the best of the flocks. And Saul said, well, the reason I did that is I'm going to sacrifice those animals to the Lord.

I want you to notice what Samuel said to him. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Now what is the sin of witchcraft? The sin of witchcraft is following the devil.

It is dabbling in the occult. Well, why did he say that rebellion is like witchcraft? You are never more like the devil when you're rebellious. You see, the devil himself became the devil by rebelling against spiritual authority.

Read Isaiah chapter 14. When the devil rebelled against the authority of God, he said, I will be like the Most High God. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God and he became therefore the devil. And any time you have a rebellious spirit, you are practicing witchcraft.

Now people don't understand that. You are placing yourself in the devil's domain. Do you want me to tell you the difference between Saul and David?

Pay close attention. David was a man after God's own heart. Saul was a man after Satan's own heart. Saul had the principles of Satan. He was a man after the devil's heart. And therefore, because Saul refused to be under, he no longer could be over. And the Bible says in verse 23 that he was rejected from being king.

Now remember this. All authority is mediated. It all comes from God, but it comes down.

And it is mediated authority. And if you rebel against the authority that God has placed over you, you're not rebelling against the man. But you are rebelling against the authority of God that is in that man, and therefore you are rebelling against God. Now even though God had rejected Saul, Saul was still on the throne. He was still the king of Israel. He was still David's king. And because he was David's king, David had no right whatsoever to touch or to harm the Lord's anointed. And David's heart smote him.

Go back to chapter 24 and look at it again. And so it came to pass afterward that David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. This is 1 Samuel 24, verse 5. And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master the Lord's anointed.

That old rotten king, that old man eaten up with envy, that old man from whom the Lord had withheld his power and taken his power away, that man that was under the judgment of God, that man who would ultimately die ignominiously as suicide, yes, he was still the king. And because he was the king, David recognized what Romans chapter 13 teaches and what the rest of the Bible teaches, that we must be submissive to our spiritual authorities. You know, I'm amazed today at the way some people talk about those in government. If they don't like the president, they just curl the lip at the president. We feel so free today to criticize the governor, to criticize the mayor, to criticize the police force, and sometimes we do it in front of our children. And when we do it in front of our children, we are building into our children a spirit of rebellion and we'll rue the day we did it. We need to be careful about an attitude of rebellion because it is going to generate rebellion in our children and generate rebellion in our land, and I am amazed and appalled at the way people speak evil against dignitaries.

And this rebellion can be inward as well as outward. David did nothing outward to harm Saul, but David's heart smote him just because he had a disrespectful attitude by cutting off a portion of the skirt of Saul and David was so tender toward God. Now, I want to say something else here, and I've got so much to say here I'm never going to get it all said, but I want you to look in verse 4. And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy in thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it seemed good unto thee. Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.

Now, pay attention. Here is Saul. He comes into this cave. He cannot see.

He is completely, totally defenseless. David's men said, This is it, David. What an opportunity. Look, God has delivered him into your hand. This is God's promise to you.

This is the day that you're going to do him in. David, this is doubtless from God. Do it, David. Kill him, David.

And just one stroke of that dagger and David would have been free. No longer suffering. Farewell to poverty. Farewell to persecution. Farewell to reproach. Farewell to sneers. Hello to triumph. Hello to riches.

Hello to power. David had a dagger in the back of King Saul and he would have been automatically king for he had already been anointed to be king. But had he done that, he'd have lost his song and we'd not know him as a man after God's own heart. We would not know him as the sweet singer of Israel. He would have lost his song.

It would have been silenced forever. But here's the point. You had better be careful of operating on appearances rather than principle. This was of God. And the average person would have said, look what God has done and taken advantage of it. And the thing that kept David from getting into deep, deep, deep, deep trouble was that he understood principle. Now you better learn to live by principle and not by appearance.

A great challenge for us today that we would learn to live that way by principle, not by appearance. Maybe as you've listened today, you have questions about who Jesus is, what he means to you, how to begin a relationship with God. We invite you to our Discover Jesus page.

Go to our website. You'll find resources and materials that will answer questions you may have about placing your faith in Christ. Go to lwf.org slash radio and click the tab that says Discover Jesus. Well, thank you for joining us for our study in God's Word today. Make sure you sign up for our daily heartbeat emails. You'll get daily devotions and message links sent straight to your inbox. Just go to lwf.org slash radio to find out more. Tune in tomorrow for the conclusion of How to Behave in a Cave right here on Love Worth Finding. ...