By Brenda Black
If Hollywood ever gets ahold of this
story, they'll have a movie blockbuster. The plot pits once dear
friends against one another in a struggle for power and fame,
interlaced with noble loyalty and insanity. The hero waffles from
righteous actions to foolish decisions, while the arch rival breaks
his own kingdom's laws to call on a witch to conjure up the dead.
There are battle scenes and village burnings, pillaging and
kidnappings. Ultimately, an entire family is wiped out in one day
with the head of the clan committing suicide.
Though it sounds like a modern day
version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth or a hodge-podge of
headlines from today's press, this story is an historic account of
Saul, King of Israel, and David, the one who would take his seat on
the throne. By chapter 26 in the book of 1 Samuel, Saul is in hot
pursuit of his nemesis, David. But David is still denying any wrong
doing and proving his loyalty genuine with clever acts of bravery as
evidenced in verses 9-11 when David could have easily snuffed out his
opponent.
“But David said to Abishai, 'Don't
destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord's anointed and be
guiltless? As surely as the Lord lives,' he said, 'the Lord himself
will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he
will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay
a hand on the Lord's anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that
are near his head, and let's go.'”
David had the means and the
opportunity. He had just cause, but he didn't take justice into his
own hands. Though wronged, he chose to do right – not because Saul
was so deserving of such grace, but David knew that Jehovah God is
the author and finisher of life. Loyalty to His Lord kept David from
sin. Next time someone stabs you in the back, think of this scene.
Play it over in your mind and pray for God to help you walk away with
clean hands.
So, how does one so noble in his
actions, suddenly become so foolish? David was human. He stopped
listening to God's wisdom and took his own advice. That was a big
mistake. “But David thought to himself, 'One of these days I will
be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to
escape to the land of the Philistines...” (1 Samuel 27:1) Famous
last words before falling into the land of stupidity. David followed
his inkling without seeking the Lord and it cost him his family, a
city and the respect of his community. He lied his way throughout
the land of the enemies of Israel and pledged allegiance to a pagan
king. His band of faithful followers were pushed to the point of
stoning him in grief and anger. What a mess the merciful David had
gotten himself into!
At the same time, Saul was also caught
up in a state of stupidity as he sought the counsel of a witch and
asked her to beckon Samuel for advice from the dead! You can read
about that in chapter 28. When trust in the Lord waivers, humans
reveal how truly desperate and pathetic we are on our own. I'm not
accusing. I'm confessing. As a fellow human to these men of old, how
often I have followed the beat of my own foolish thoughts rather than
practiced obedience to the counsel of the Living God. The results
have been futile at best, disastrous at times.
Samuel, in his ghostly state,
delivered the indictment to Saul: “'Why do you consult me now that
the Lord has turned away from you and become your enemy? The Lord has
done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out
of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors – to David.
Because you did not obey the Lord...'” (1 Sam. 28:16-18a)
God was merciful toward David. He led
him to the camp of the raiders who had kidnapped his family along
with all those belonging to his army. In pure “I Am the Almighty”
fashion, God used a sick and abused Egyptian slave as his instrument
of victory for David's army. I wonder if David saw himself in that
desperate man who was left to die in the desert. Did David piece
together the miraculous work of a God who would use the “least of
these” as a spy for His glory? I wonder if it dawned on him that
slavery to sin is a deadly option.
Speaking of death – the angel there
of vanquished all of Saul's family at the hands of the Philistines
during battle, just as David had predicted. No man took “the
anointed” one's life. In fact, he fell upon his own spear to
finalize the critical wounds Philistine archers had inflicted upon
him.
One man rose to take the thrown while
the other one fell to the ground. Each reached their destiny. David
would live many more years (read 2 Samuel and 1 Kings) to capture
the praise of people and the blessings of God. But he never quite got
over that human condition that also caused him to stumble on
occasion. He was loyal at times, stupid at times, merciful at times.
And God was always supremely in charge – just like He is in our
lives.
copyright 2012 The Word's Out - Brenda Black
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