1 Samuel 24:7 says, And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? David asked Saul where he had heard that David was out to destroy him. David was getting to the heart of the matter, or the truth, and so should we attempt to get to the truth if people view us as a threat today. Verse ten adds, Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed. David told Saul that he could see for himself that God placed him in a position where David could have easily killed him, but David would not take that action against Saul, whom God had anointed as king. We need yo make sure that we don't confuse opportunity with God's will. Verse eleven continues, Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. David still respectfully called Saul his father, and offered the skirt of Saul’s robe as proof that he could have killed him but he had no intention of doing so. He then said that Saul continued to try and kill him even though he was no threat to him.. Sometimes, all we can do today if threatened for our Christian beliefs is present the truth of the situation to disspell their lies or perception of the situation. Verse twelve says, The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. David then told Saul to let the LORD judge between them. Saul was the leader of God's Chosen people, so this was a reasonable request. We may not expect everyone to listen to God when there is a dispute between them and us, but we certainly can expect those who profess to be Christians to do so. Verse thirteen adds, As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. David then referred to the proverb of the ancients to support the fact that he wasn't trying to kill Saul. David said that even though wickedkness came from the hand of the wicked that David himself was not one of the wicked. Verse fourteen continues, After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. David then asked Saul who he was attempting to kill, and compared himself to a dead dog or a flea. David was saying he offered no more of a threat to Saul than a dead dog or a flea. He should have been inconsequential to Saul. We as followers of Christ should be of no threat to forcibly take over power from those in power today than a flea, unless God has directed us to do so. If He has, then we have no reason to continue to try and bargain with them. Verse fifteen concludes,The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. David then told Saul once more to allow God to decide the truth of the matter. This is really all that we can do today as Christians. Of course, if such a situation arises,we need to make sure that we are following God's will. Verse sixteen says, And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. After David ended his appeal to Saul, Saul asked if it was really David his son. Saul then lifted up his voice and wept. I believe that Saul at times actually was sane and willing to listen to reason, and sometimes today even those who would destroy us as Christians have moments when they see us as no threat physically. Of course, I also believe that spiritually we should always be a threat to their beliefs. Verse seventeen adds, And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. Saul then stated the heart of the matter, and that was that David was more righteous than he was. Saul continued by saying whereas David had wanted only good for Saul, he had wanted only evil for David. We need to be able to stand innocent if accused of attempting to harm those in power today, even if they want only to destroy us. As long as we stand with God, everything will ultimately be okay. Verse eighteen continues, And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. Saul acknowledged that David had proven that day that he was not attempting to kill Saul, based on the fact that God had delivered Saul into his hand and David hadn't killed him. Saul at least acknowledged that God was behind David having the opportunity to kill him. We may not always be able to get people today to acknowledge that God is behind our actions, but we should never assume that if He places us in a position to destroy someone who is out to destroy us that we should do so. Verse nineteen states, For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. Saul said that it made no sense for a man to let his enemy go if he had an opportunity to kill him, as David had with Saul. Saul then asked for God to reward David for his good deed that day. Of course, if Saul was really following God's will, none of this would have happened. People are still paying lip service to God today without really having a personal relationship with Him. Verse twenty adds, And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Saul then acknowledged that he knew that David would one day be king, which means that Jonathan his son would not. Even if people today recognize that one day we as Christians will be with God forever and that they haven't accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord they won't, we cannot expect them to always be truthful in their acknowledging this, as we will see later on that Saul wasn't. Verse twenty-one continues, Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. Saul then asked David to swear that he would not destroy his descendants, as Saul himself might have done to David's. We should never be guilty of wanting destroy anyone, much less their descendants. As Christiaans, we should not be out to destroy non- Christians, but should be reaching out to them with God's love and mercy by sharing the gospel with them. Verse twenty-two concludes, And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold. After David swore to Saul that he wouldn't harm his descendants when he came into power, Saul went home, but David and his men stayed in the hold. Just because someone may acknowledge that we as followers of Christ are in the right doesn't mean that we are to let our guard down.
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