God’s Glory through Kings Part one

1 Samuel 26

One of the most powerful and illuminating stories in the old testament is the saga between David and Saul in 1 Samuel. The books of first and second Samuel are primarily historical narratives telling the story of three main characters; Samuel the prophet, Saul, and David. 

1 Samuel mainly tells the story of how the people of Israel demanded a king, how Saul became that king and then utlimatey how he came to a tragic end as God appoints David to take over the throne. 

In the epilogue of 1 Samuel we see an incredible moment between David and Saul that teaches us something about trusting God when his way seems unclear but we’re offered another way seems easier.

Look at verses 8 through 11, 

“​​8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 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.”

For a second time in his life, David is on the run from Saul. Saul, threatened by David, seeks to kill David to protect his own power. For a second time, David has an opportunity to end his own suffering by killing Saul. 

As tempting as it might be to take matters into his own hands, David chooses to spare Saul because he knows that God is in control. David knows that God gets to decide the end to Saul’s story. He trusts that God will raise up a king for his people.

Many times in our own lives, we face choices between what is right according to God and what is easy, or feels right, according to us. Maybe it’s about upholding your commitments in school or work, maybe it’s about the way we treat someone who is harming us, maybe it’s about the way we use our money. Whether it’s significant or trivial, the choice remains. Will we go our way, or trust God’s way?

This moment between David and Saul teaches us that trusting God in uncertainty and waiting on him will always be better. Why? Because choosing to trust God’s wisdom over our own understanding is the ultimate display of humility. Nobody would fault you for acting according to your own wisdom like Saul often did. In fact, they may even celebrate you as a person who is self-made and a real “go-getter.” Except God promises to oppose the proud, and give grace to the humble (James 4:6).

Choosing our own way demonstrates, subtly at times, that we believe we know better than God. There’s a long history of people like Saul whose lives prove that they, in fact, did NOT know better than God.

Ultimately, the entire story of redemption is a story about trusting God’s ways to be better than ours even when we don’t understand or the narrow path of the spirit is far more costly than the easy way of the flesh. The proud always choose the flesh because it’s what they know and can control. The humble see that the way of the spirit is unknown but God will ultimately work for their good.

In this advent season, we remember what it was like to wait for the revelation of God’s son – the Messiah. We reflect on what it means to be like David, a humble and patient servent of God who trusts that He will come through for his people.

When we trust God despite our doubts or the suffering we might experience it not only reveals God’s glory but brings him even more glory. He is both proven glorious by showing his trustworthiness time aftertime and he is glorified as we trust him.

In Christ we have the king of kings and lord of lords who will never leave us nor forsake us. Can you trust in you our glorious king, even when it doesn’t make sense?

Wonder:

What do you do when the right way is the hard way? Where in your life are you tempted to take matters into your own hands rather than wait for God to move? What is one thing you can surrender to God trusting that his ways are better than your ways?