The last meeting between Saul and David happened in a wilderness area where Saul had come after him. David found out Saul was camped nearby. Once again, he decided to show the king he had no ill will.
David and one of his servants sneaked into the camp where Saul was sleeping. They took Saul’s spear and a jug of water from beside his head. The servant wanted to kill Saul, but David stopped him. He emphasized not harming the Lord’s anointed.
Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
So David and Abishai went to the army by night; there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him.
Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand today; now, therefore, let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice.”
*But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” (1 Samuel 26:6-9).
In today’s video, I asked Rudy Ross why he believed not stretching out your hand against God’s anointed is so important. He has a great answer, and I encourage you to watch the video.
David’s Message and Saul’s Reply
When David was safely away from Saul and his army, he called out to Saul’s general and to Saul himself. He asked why they were chasing him and trying to kill an innocent man. David also told Saul that he had the chance to take his life but chose not to because he wouldn’t harm the Lord’s anointed.
Saul then turned to David in repentance and said, “I have done wrong; come back, my son David, for I will never harm you again, because my life was precious in your sight today; I have been a fool and have made a great mistake.”
David replied, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it.
The Lord rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, but I would not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed.
As your life was precious today in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he rescue me from all tribulation.”
Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them (1 Samuel 26:21-25).
Reflections
David’s interactions with Saul remind me of Psalm 2. Saul represents leaders who resist the Lord. They want to be free from His guidance and live by their own rules.
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and his anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast their cords from us.” (Psalm 2:1-3)
Before Jesus arrived, the kings of Israel were considered sons of God. David was one of God’s chosen ones, and God granted him the power to achieve great feats.
I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage
and the ends of the earth your possession. (Psalm 2:7-8)
Unlike King David, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, didn’t conquer nations with military force. Instead, he did so through the cross and resurrection. Jesus turned his enemies into friends.
When nations are in turmoil, we can look to Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this chapter on YouTube today.
Real Voices 