Rev Ryan Underwood’s Sermon
Sermon Notes
Third Sunday after Trinity
Rewarding evil for good
28 June 2020
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
1 Samuel 23 & Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. -Proverbs 17:13.
In 1 Samuel 23, we hear how David saves the inhabitants of Keilah from the Philistine Host while he is being chased by Saul’s men. The events surrounding this battle vividly portray the truth which David later laments in his Psalm, “hey rewarded me evil for good to the great discomfort of my soul. Proverbs 17:13 tells us that rewarding evil for good is sinful, that it mightily displeases God and transgresses His Law, and calls down the dreadful curse of God upon all who commit it. With this in mind, let us examine this theme by looking at four examples of how men reward evil for good in the events surrounding the Battle of Keilah:
1. Saul rewards evil for David’s good.
2. Saul rewards evil for the priests’ good.
3. Keilah rewards evil for David’s good.
4. We reward evil for Christ’s good.
Saul rewards evil for David’s good.
We know how David faithfully served his King and country before the battle of Keilah, how he valiantly fought against the Philistines and secured the borders of Israel, how he beheaded Goliath, how all Israel loved David for his good deeds, and how the fair maidens of Israel sang of David’s victory through the streets, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Thus, David put his life on the line in the service of his country, and gained many a victory for Israel. David did good towards the house of Saul and the whole commonwealth of Israel.
Now, how does King Saul reward David for this good service? Does Saul reward David with good? No, rather, Saul rewards David with evil. Saul hates David and fears David, Saul is David’s continual enemy, because Saul sees that God is with David, because David is that man whose House will supplant the house of Saul in its rule over all Israel. Therefore, Saul rewards David’s faithful and good service with hatred and ill will. Saul attempts to kill David for no crime and without trial. Saul throws a javelin at David in the throne room. Saul sends David into battle in the hope that he would be killed by the Philistines. Saul abuses his royal authority, ordering his knights and servants to attempt the unlawful nocturnal murder of David in his own bed. The plottings of Saul force David to leave his wife and flee his home in the middle of the night. Saul and his men chase David like dogs chasing a fox, so that David, a man who had only done good towards Israel, is forced to hide in caves, in forests, in holds, to flee for his life. David is hunted and persecuted by his countrymen. See how Saul rewards David for his good and faithful service. Saul rewards evil for the good David showed towards him.
Saul rewards evil for the priests’ good.
As David flees the wrath of Saul, David resorts to the priests of the Lord at Nob for food and arms. David presents himself and his men as the commissioned servants of the King. Ahimelech the priest knew David, how he was the good and faithful soldier of the King, and therefore had no reason to doubt David’s story. The priests supplied David with arms and food. In this, the priests were acting as good and faithful subjects of the King. Since they believed David to be the King’s representative, we can say that the good which Ahimelech did for David was also done for the King.
How does Saul repay the priests’ good and faithful service? Saul orders the Ahimelech to appear before him, and charges him with conspiring with David. Ahimelech answers that he helped David because he believed David to be the King’s faithful servant and a member of the royal family. Thus, Ahimhlech plainly denied any malice against Saul in his conduct towards David, claiming that his actions were out of loyalty to the Crown. But this does not satisfy Saul. Rather than thanking the priests for their good and faithful service to the Crown, Saul ordered the massacre of the whole priestly family. Saul’s judgement is so perverted by sin that he dares to raise his hand against the Lord’s ministers. Here again we see that Saul rewards evil for the good which the priests had done towards him and his kingdom.
Keilah rewards evil for David’s good.
Next we see David rendering good to the city of Keilah. Although David is a hunted man, he does not forget his office as the Lord’s servant and the Lord’s soldier. After hearing that an Israelitie city is besieged by the Philistine hordes, David goes to the Lord in prayer asking what he should do. He does not have a commission from Saul to defend the city, but he knows that ultimately it is the Lord’s Commission that counts. When God blesses David’s mission to save Keilah, he rallies his men to the field and proceeds to drive the Philistines from the city. Thus, David saved Keilah, and did good to Keilah that day.
Now how does Keilah reward their saviour David? God tells David that the men of Keilah will deliver him up to Saul when he arrives at the city. This city faced imminent destruction at the hands of the Philistines, but David saved them. Now, they will hand their saviour David over to the murderous Saul! How ungrateful is fallen man! How often do sinful men reward evil for good!
We reward evil for Christ’s good.
Thus, it can be seen how these faithful men were rewarded with evil for the good they did towards Saul and all of God’s people. However, was this evil pointless, or was it allowed by God for a purpose? Matthew Henry makes an important point here, that David suffered, “the ill treatment that was given him; for he must render good for evil, and therein be a type of him who not only ventured his life, but laid down his life, for those that were his enemies.”
The Lord Jesus Christ does good to us continually. He, the eternal Word of God, became flesh for our sakes, that we condemned sinners might behold His glory! During His perfectly righteous and sinless life, the Lord Jesus Christ showed forth His goodness to wicked men, turning water into wine, forgiving sins, healing the sick, raising the dead, teaching men and women the saving truth of His infallible Word. In His Death, the Lord Jesus Christ bears the penalty for our sins that we might be counted righteous in Him and reconciled to God in eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ makes the full perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world on the Cross of Calvary! By His Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and sending of the Holy Ghost, our Good Lord delivers every one who believes on Him!
But how do we fallen men reward our good Lord for His goodness towards us? Do we love Him? Do we give Him all praise, honor and glory? Or do we often backslide into sin, do we often transgress His holy Law, do we often follow the example of Saul in rewarding evil for good? We sin daily, we sinfully reward our Lord evil for good, and so fall into the same condemnation as Saul and Keilah. But there is good news. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ saves all sinners who believe on Him from their deserved condemnation. Our Lord gives us His goodness, His grace and unmerited mercy, although we give Him our evil. Let us then repent of our sins, and turn to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in faith, trusting in Him for the forgiveness of our sins, lest the curse of our text fall upon us, as it falls upon all who reward evil for good, Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Oh friends, pray we may not give our Lord evil for good, but good for good, that by His Spirit working in us we may show forth the praise of Jesus Christ with our lips and our lives by giving up ourselves to His service, and by walking before Him in holiness and righteousness all our days to His honor and glory alone, in whose precious name we pray. Amen.
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