Let God Work It Out!

Along the western shore of the Dead Sea, beyond the Judea Mountains, lies a dry, barren land that has remained mostly uninhabited throughout history. Its remote location and lack of freshwater has left this Judean wilderness desolate and largely abandoned, but over 3,000 years ago it was the perfect hiding place for a newly anointed king and his band of renegade fighters fleeing for their lives. When on the run from a murderous King Saul, it was throughout the hills and valleys of this wilderness that the future King David was able to take refuge.

Once King Saul discovered God had appointed David to become king over Israel, he tried to murder David at least 10 different times. The stress and tension of living on the run had to have been unbearable at times for David. These were difficult times for him to maintain proper focus (1 Samuel 23:14-15).

When David was down and out, God sent his friend Jonathan to encourage David to look to God for the strength and power he needed (verses 16-17). Jonathan knew David would reign over all Israel. He had great faith in God’s plans for David and intended to serve at David’s side, which says a lot about the humility and faithfulness of Jonathan. Meanwhile, while Saul was in Gibeah, the Ziphites treacherously plotted with him against David (verses 19-20).

Up until this point, David had always been able to elude Saul. So Saul’s men devised a plan to catch David by surprise: The Ziphites would keep track of David until Saul arrived, causing David and his band of warriors to be surrounded.

It was here that David’s small army was about to be crushed (verse 26). But just as the confrontation was about to explode in violence, Saul received a discouraging report from back home. The Philistines had invaded Israel, which ended up working in David’s favor (verse 27).

After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he again sought to kill David. This time, when Saul paused in his search to rest in a nearby cave, he was within easy reach of David and his men (1 Samuel 24:1-3).

David’s men urged him to take Saul, but David merely cut off a piece of Saul’s clothing secretly while he slept—and even that he later repented of (verses 4-5). David said, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord” (verse 6; emphasis added).

This fascinating history shows David’s loyalty to King Saul, even when Saul was out to kill him. David knew he was to assume the crown, but he didn’t feel it was his prerogative to usurp Saul’s authority. He realized he had no right to treat with contempt the office Saul still held. It’s not often that you see this level of respect for authority in our society today. What an attitude of humility, repentance and loyalty David had! One lesson we can certainly take away from this history is that God will execute His judgment when and how He sees fit—so we had better not get in His way.

David ordered his men not to harm Saul and waited for the king to awake (verse 7). He then honored the office that Saul held, which was ordained of God, even bowing before the king (verse 8).

David grasped what many people today fail to fully comprehend: that God is the one who takes care of and provides for His work! David did not take matters into his own hands. He didn’t listen to the carnal advisers who surrounded him. He knew there was a God in heaven, and he remained loyal to his Creator.

1 Samuel 26 relates the history of David, his nephew Abishai, and Ahimelech the Levite descending upon Saul and his men. This teaches another wonderful lesson about loyalty and submission to God’s government.

As Saul continued hunting David in the wilderness, this time with 3,000 men, David again discovered the camp where Saul was sleeping and had another opportunity to take things into his own hands (1 Samuel 26:1-5).

Again, David’s men urged him to kill Saul. In fact, his nephew Abishai offered to do the dirty work himself (verses 7-8). David wouldn’t even have to bother with it! All David had to do was give the nod, look the other way, and he would have been king right then and there!

But David said, “Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” (verse 9).

David not only refrained from taking matters into his own hands, he told his nephew not to stretch forth his hand against God’s anointed. And this man that Abishai wanted to kill had mobilized 3,000 men in order to track down David so they could kill him!

David continued, “As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.”

David was resolved to remain loyal to God—and to the office of God’s anointed. At this stage of David’s development, it was important for the strength of his loyalty to be tested periodically. He was, after all, to become king over Israel—and not just ancient Israel, but king over all the nations of Israel in the World Tomorrow!

Think about David’s attitude in relation to the way you support your supervisor or minister—or, if you are a youth, the way you support your parents or guardians—whoever it is in a position of authority above you.

No matter who is in a position of authority, he or she will at times make a wrong decision—or react in a carnal manner. What will you do when that happens?

Will you let God work out His plan for you the way He sees fit? Or will you take matters into your own hands? That is the question.