26: Experiencing God on the Edge of Death ( 1Samuel 23:1 – 29)

After David and his men returned to Judah, the threat from Saul intensified, placing their everyday lives on the brink of death. Yet, it was during these moments that they experienced the Lord's presence more profoundly.

👉 Read 1Samuel 23:1 - 29


Q1. When David heard that the Philistines had attacked Keilah, he asked God if he should go and fight. Why did he ask twice?

The people were reluctant to go. David inquired of the Lord once more, and the Lord explicitly confirmed their victory.

Some were displeased about returning to Judah from Moab (3). Moreover, moving out to Keilah seemed reckless, as it would expose their location and attract Saul’s army. However, upon a second inquiry, the Lord explicitly confirmed their victory. David’s intervention in Keilah foreshadows his emerging role as king. After returning to Judah, his priorities extended beyond merely preserving his own life or escaping Saul; even in turbulent times, he sought divine guidance.


Q2. When Saul learned that David was in Keilah, he mobilized his entire army to capture him. How did David escape Saul's pursuit?

David sought the Lord's guidance using the priest's ephod, and Scripture details how closely David communicated with the Lord.


Q3. This explicitly states that the Lord protected David. “Saul looked for him (      ) the time, but (       ) did not deliver (     ) into his hand.”

“Saul looked for him ( all ) the time, but ( God ) did not deliver ( David ) into his hand.”


Q4. What is Jonathan's encouraging word for David?

"Do not fear; you will be king over Israel." Jonathan encouraged him through God.

“Jonathn encouraged  him through God.” This means that the Lord encouraged David.


Q5. Who informed Saul of David's whereabouts?

The Ziphites.

Note that both Keilah and the Ziphites belonged to the tribe of Judah, the same as David. The imminent threat and the lure of rewards made them betray their kinsman, David.


Q6. In the wilderness of Maon, David and his men were nearly captured by Saul's forces. What occurred at that moment that spared David's life?

The Philistines invaded Israel, which was an act of God that diverted Saul's attention.


You can find how the Lord protected David from Saul in various ways.

• Someone informed David of Saul’s approach to Keilah (11)

• God confirmed to David that Saul would arrive and that Keilah would betray him (11, 12)

• The Lord encouraged David through Jonathan’s words (16 – 18). Doubts about his anointing and God's plan for his kingship might have troubled David. However, Jonathan’s reassurances likely bolstered David’s faith in divine providence so that he could finish the Lord’s training.

• Someone informed David of Saul’s movements (25)

• God orchestrated the Philistine invasion, prompting Saul to withdraw his forces (27)

The report of the Philistine incursion separated Saul from David. While it caused Saul to recall his troops, David was freed from the immediate threat of death. The name itself, “Sela Hammahlekoth (Rock of Divisions)," might symbolize the spiritual and physical rift between Saul, who was losing divine favor, and David, who was being affirmed as the rightful leader.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4 ESV).” With such faith, David later spared Saul’s life twice in subsequent chapters.


Dare to follow Jesus, even when it leads you to the edge of a cliff; there, you will hear His voice, experience His power, and behold His visions beyond the precipice.


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