DAY 21, Read 1 Samuel 24:1-22
Key Verse: Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail.” So David went on his way and Saul returned to his place’’ (1 Sam.26:25).
We said yesterday that the mighty hand of God makes a difference upon a life. We see this remarkable difference when we compare the life of David to his brothers, and to King Saul. Again, we did say that the mighty hand of God delivers from danger. For over twenty times, Saul tried without success to eliminate David. On the other hand, no less than twice David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he would not because he regarded king Saul as God’s anointed. The hand of God restrained David at various times from doing evil. At various times, it restrained him from killing Saul and once from killing Nabal.
This time, the scene was in a cave at En Gedi. When Saul heard that David was there with his men, he took three thousand men to go chasing after David. Meanwhile, unknown to King Saul, David and his men were in the inner recesses of the cave when he and his men arrived and stayed at the outer part. “Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.” Saul, most probably slept off while in the cave during which David was able to cut off the corner of his garment without harming him. David resisted all pressure from his servants to kill Saul rather he cut off the corner of his garment. When David did that, his conscience smote him that he touched the Lord’s anointed.
Later, Saul rose up with his men and left the cave unaware that he had fallen into the hands of David. It was then David alerted him that he had the opportunity to kill him but spared his life. “Look, this day, your eyes have seen the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eyes spared you, and I said, “I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.”
Saul, hardened and determined to kill David, could not help being touched by David’s restraint and maturity. He then said, “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me…And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.” Thus, in David we see how the hand of our God can restrain his children from doing evil. In David also, we see how to deal with our enemies in a positive way.
PRAYER: I thank you Lord that your mighty hand can deliver me from all my enemies. Help me to love my enemies and to know that only when you permit it can they harm me.
