I Samuel 23:2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD
Have you ever known a name dropper? Name droppers gain importance not by something they do but by someone they know. When you meet them, they instantly tell you who they know and how important those people are. We all talk to name droppers, the person who knows the really important business person, athlete, or even preacher. Sometimes we are just name droppers by nature and basically what we are trying for is virtue or authority by association.
In I Samuel 23 we find that Saul was essentially a name dropper. Now, who in the world could a king invoke that would be more important than a king? The answer is God. That is exactly what Saul did. Saul was on the hunt to murder David. As he is trying to kill David, verse 7 says, “And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah.” There were scouts, whom David had previously protected, who repaid his generosity and bravery by attempting to give him up to Saul.
It continues, “And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand.” That is very pious. He is invoking God and claiming authority because he is doing what God wants, but verse 14 tells us very specifically, “And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.” So, God wasn’t with Saul. In fact, the Bible is very clear that the Lord was departed from Saul and had joined David, yet Saul was intent on invoking God.
In verse 21 two groups of people, the people of Keilah and the Ziphites, repaid David’s kindness by betraying him to Saul. When the Ziphites tried to give David up to Saul, Saul said, “Blessed be ye of the LORD.” That sounds very pious. Saul was a weak man who was self-absorbed. In I Samuel 22 he complained that people had conspired again him, made a league against him, and weren’t feeling sorry for him. It was all about him. It is impossible to be happy when you are waiting on happenstance and happenings. It is impossible to be happy when you are focused on yourself, but that is what we naturally do and that is what Saul did. He invoked God, mentioned God, and thought that somehow gave him virtue.
Sometimes we say, “God is leading me,” “God has told me,” or whatever. There is nothing wrong with that as long as God actually is and you are not just invoking God so it gives you some sort of virtue by association. We don’t need virtue by association. We need virtue by God Himself. Now, David is the exact opposite. Throughout this chapter you find people coming to Saul and giving him information. The way Saul responded was by invoking God and mentioning God to make himself look good. Then you see people coming to David, and what David did in response to them. It is the exact opposite. It is not invoking God; it is inquiring of God.
Verse 2 says, “Therefore David inquired of the LORD,” When people came to him and told him about the Philistines fighting against Keilah, David inquired, “God, what would you have me do?” and God told him. I don’t know how this actually worked. Did David look up to the sky, ask a question, and God spoke for the clouds? I don’t know and I’m not trying to be silly. There is an indication of some means of how this may have happened later in this chapter, but regardless of how it happened, David asked and God answered.
Verse 4 says, “Then David inquired of the LORD yet again.” Don’t stop asking until God gives you guidance. By the way, we can start with what we know to be right. If I am vindictive, hateful, feel like I am morally superior, or I have a grudge, all of which was true with Saul, that is not of God. God is not guiding in that. So, David had a humble attitude to ask “God what should I do?”
Verse 10 says, “Then said David, O LORD God of Israel…” and he asks God again. Verse 11 says, “O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant.” The Bible says, “And the LORD said.” Ultimately, Saul was treating a friend like an enemy, that was David, then got bushwhacked by the Philistines whom he was treating more like friends than he was David. When you treat your friends like enemies, you are treating your enemies like friends.
So, Saul received words at the end of the chapter that the Philistines were coming to invade the land. Then, verse 28 says, “Wherefore Saul returned from pursing after David.” What a waste of time, channeling your energies toward the wrong things because you are seeking the wrong source for wisdom, which for Saul was himself, and then invoking God.
Saul invoked God; David inquired of God. In verse 28 they called the place where Saul left pursuing David a name meaning “the rock of escape.” That is exactly what God is. He is our Rock. He delivers and provides. So, ask and God will answer. God doesn’t want you to merely drop His name, He wants you to ask His guidance, and He certainly will give it when you ask.