Thread by @GPrater85015

#GeraldsDevotional
God Removes Kings and Sets Up Kings

This morning the Lord woke me up with the reminder of His providential sovereignty and our tendency to try to get ahead of Him. He pointed me to the time when David had an opportunity to kill King Saul but chose not to do so. As I went back and read about this, I found that this

scene actually happened several times (demonstrating a picture of patience for us).

In today’s scripture we will examine one of these instances. To place this scene into proper context, Saul was the first king of Israel and had been chosen because of the failure of the people to

trust God and to acknowledge the Lord as their King. Although he verbally acknowledged God, Saul suffered from many terminal flaws including pride, jealousy and a thirst for power. Although he was the current king of the nation, Saul recognized the many successes of his servant

David, saw him as a threat, became jealous and set out to hunt him down to kill him.

But David… had been described by God as a man after His own heart. We know that he was clearly not perfect himself but he had this special sensitivity to God’s leading. We will see an image of

that in today’s scripture when David is running for his life, hiding and being pursued by his enemy Saul. When providence would have it (remember, there are no coincidences in God’s kingdom) and David is given an opportunity to kill Saul, he recognizes God’s sovereign presence

and that it was the Lord who had appointed this man as king. In his spirit, David knew that God had a plan and just as it was when he fought Goliath, David would not depend on his own strength or understanding.

In the end, God’s plan was carried out because Saul, who had

rejected God even while he was the King of Israel, was eventually rejected by God when he killed himself when he was severely wounded and surrounded by enemies.

But David… went on to fulfill the destiny that God had established for him to be the King though which ultimate

salvation would come. God knows what He is doing, salvation has come, and just as it was with David here, truth and justice will always prevail in God’s kingdom.

Now let’s take a look at this instance when David was being pursued at the beginning of 1 Samuel chapter 24:
David

Spares Saul’s Life

1 After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israeland went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats. 3 At the place

where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave! 4 “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put

your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe. 5 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord

the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” 7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul

looked around, David bowed low before him. - 1 Samuel 24:1-8

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