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OK, as I said, we'll be focusing on 1 Samuel 24. Let's first look at v. 1-2:
"After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi. ” So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats."
Know what's going on here? I'll give you a little background. First of all, back in chapter 15 Saul was told by Samuel that he was rejected by God to be king of Israel. Then in chapter 16, Samuel anoints David. Since then, David has been rising in Saul's service, but Saul is so jealous of David the future king of Israel that Saul the current king of Israel tries to kill David! So David takes to hiding in caves all over the place. The story that we're about to cover is just another episode of the big game of cat-and-mouse that Saul and David played for years on end.
V. 3-4:
"He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe."
I don't know where, but evidently at some point God had told David this line...I guess. To me it just doesn't sound like God. I kinda think that David's men were edging him on. Anyway, but do you get the significance of the situation here? David and his men are hiding in a cave. Saul, en route to chasing/finding/killing David, just happens to relieve himself (please hold the chuckles!) in that very same cave! Of course David and his men realize what's happening, and David's men feel like this is David's golden opportunity to kill Saul and assert himself as king over Israel. David doesn't want to come to the kingdom that way (he'd rather wait for God), but he is influenced enough by his men to go cut off a piece of Saul's robe.
OK, onto v. 5-7:
"Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way."
While I do give that David shouldn't have cut off a piece of Saul's robe, you still gotta admire the guy. I mean, what would you have done? You know that you're going to be the next king of Israel. The current king of Israel hates you, is not following God, and is in fact taking his whole army out to the middle of nowhere just to kill you. And it just so happens that this enemy chooses to use the restroom in the same cave that you are hidden in...what an awesome opportunity to take things into your own hands! But David doesn't do that. He recognizes that Saul is still God's chosen leader, and knows that God will in His own way and time bring about the downfall of Saul and the rise of David.
The rest of the chapter chronicles a discussion between Saul and David. After Saul finished his business and rejoined his troops, David comes out in broad daylight and shows Saul the piece of robe that he had cut off. This establishes some good relations for the moment, and Saul goes back home in peace.
But I'd like to return to David. Do we have the self-control and dedication that he had? To let God work, instead of taking things into our own hands? Sometimes, when I take a good, deep, look at myself, the answer is not what I wish it to be. Let's pray to God this week for self-control and patience, which will help us wait for God's timing. Because, of course, in the end, waiting for God is always better than trying to do it ourselves!
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