“ Sheltering Trees for the Storms of Life ” 1 Samuel 22 2 Samuel 15

1. “Sheltering Trees for the Storms of Life” 1 Samuel 22 2 Samuel 15 May 6, 2012

2. A Few Sheltering Trees…

3. A Few Sheltering Trees… • Jonathan

4. “What have I done? What is my guilt? What is my sin before your father that he seeks my life.” 1 Samuel 20:1

5. “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” --1 Samuel 18:6

6. “Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him…” --1 Samuel 18:8

7. “Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.” --1 Samuel 18:9

8. “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself” --1 Samuel 18:1

9. “Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.” --1 Samuel 18:3

10. “Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.” --1 Samuel 18:4

11. “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” --1 Samuel 20:4

12. “Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Do not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial to you.” --1 Samuel 19:4

13. “Why should he be put to death? What has he done.” --1 Samuel 20:32

14. “There is great comfort in feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts, nor measure words, but to pour them all out just as they are, chaff and grain together knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and then… with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.” --George Eliot

15. “Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath.” --1 Samuel 21:10

16. “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” --1 Samuel 21:11

17. “David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath.” --1 Samuel 21:12

18. “So he disguised his sanity before them and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard.” --1 Samuel 21:13

19. “Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me? Do I lack madmen…?” --1 Samuel 21:14-15

20. “So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam…” --1 Samuel 22:1

21. “when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him.” --1 Samuel 22:1b

22. A Few Sheltering Trees… • Jonathan • David’s Family

23. “Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him. --1 Samuel 22:2

24. Everyone who was in distress • Everyone who was in debt • Everyone who was discontented

25. A Few Sheltering Trees… • Jonathan • David’s Family • 400 men in the cave

26. “Then a messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.’ David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, ‘Arise and let us flee, For otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. --2 Samuel 15:13-14a

27. The king went out and all the people with him, and they stopped at the last house.” --2 Samuel 15:17

28. A Few Sheltering Trees… • Jonathan • David’s Family • 400 men in the cave • Ittai the Gittite “Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite.” --2 Samuel 15:19

29. “But Ittai answered the king and said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.”  --2 Samuel 15:21

30. A Few Sheltering Trees… • Zadok “Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 15:24

31. “the king said to Zadok, ‘Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then He will bring me back…’”  --2 Samuel 15:25

32. “Now someone told David, saying, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, ‘O Lord, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.”  --2 Samuel 15:31

33. A Few Sheltering Trees… • Hushai “It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn and dust on his head.”  --2 Samuel 15:32

34. “If you pass over with me, then you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me.”  --2 Samuel 15:33-34

35. A Few Sheltering Trees… • Jonathan • David’s Family • 400 men in the cave • Ittai the Gittite • Zadok • Hushai • Shobi, Machir, & Barzillai

36. A Few Sheltering Trees… • Jonathan • David’s Family • 400 men in the cave • Ittai the Gittite • Zadok • Hushai • Shobi, Machir, & Barzillai • Joab

37. “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I have died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 18:33b

38. “In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge.” Psalm 31:1

39. Friends are not optional; • they’re essential. • Friends are not automatic; • they must be cultivated. • Friends are not neutral; • they impact our lives. • Friendships come in varying degrees, • some of who play more • significant roles in our life • than others. • --Chuck Swindoll

40. “Friendship is every bit as significant as prayer and fasting. Like the sacramental use of water and bread and wine, friendship takes what’s common in human experience and turns it into something holy.” --Eugene Peterson