1 Samuel 22 … Consider Him Who Has Control in the Chaos

Originally posted: 12/09/2019

Everything seems so out of control, so desperate; David hiding for his life in a cave; the slaying of an entire city: eighty-five priests along with the men, women, children and livestock.

But as tumultuous as it all appears, there is One Who is on the throne, One Who Has Control in the Chaos.

Consider Him Who Has Control in the Chaos

• His Control in the Chaos produces military strength for David.
  • So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. ² 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, (22:1-2).

• His Control in the Chaos grants protection through David’s family line (his great-grandmother, Ruth the Moabite).
  • And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” ⁴ Then he left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold, (22:3-4).

• His Control in the Chaos redirects David to the safe place of Judah.
  • The prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah,” (22:5).

• His Control in the Chaos provides the escape from death.
  • But one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David… ²³ Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, for you are safe with me,” (22:20, 23).

How do we respond to Him Who Has Control in the Chaos?

No one would deny there is chaos in this world. And yes, sometimes it can be very difficult to see Him in the midst of it all. But like David, we must see Him Who Has Control in the Chaos through eyes of faith.

• His Control in the Chaos produces military strength for us. There is no doubt we will face chaos and warfare in this life. Let us, by faith, depend on His divinely powerful might to engage in the war.
  • For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, ⁴ for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses, (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).
  • Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 6:10-12).

• His Control in the Chaos grants protection through His family line. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we are adopted as His sons, protected because we are His family. We can go through the chaos without fear because He is our Abba Father.
  • For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15).
  • …In love ⁵ He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, (Ephesians 1:4-5).

• His Control in the Chaos redirects us to the safe place of Judah. When life is out of control we can trust the safe place found in the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
  • “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
    Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies…
    ¹⁰ “The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
    Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
    Until Shiloh comes,
    And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples, (Genesis 49:8, 10).
  • And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. ⁴ Then I began to weep greatly… ⁵ and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals,” (Revelation 5:5).

• His Control in the Chaos provides the escape from death. Because He is the Resurrection and the Life, through faith in Him we escape death. And because He is our great High Priest Who conquered death and lives forever, we can be confident in the midst of the chaos, for He holds His priesthood and us permanently.
  • Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).
    
  • The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, ²⁴ but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them, (Hebrews 7:23-25).

When life is fraught with chaos and it feels like we are careening out of control, we must remember who we are in Christ.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9).

Let us remember Whose we are and why we have been chosen. We are His own possession called to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Oh, may we grow in our desire and faithfulness to proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called us out of darkness, of Him Who Has Control in the Chaos.

Let’s Grow Together!