Apostle Paul speaks to the church in Corinth about the writings of the Old Testament, saying, ‘…now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted’ (1 Corinthians 10:6). He is emphasising to the church that all we have read regarding our fathers is meant to be taken seriously and with reverence, and that though these tales seemingly happened a long time ago, they remain relevant today for our instruction and guidance. The enemy we face today is the same enemy they faced centuries ago, and believe it or not, Satan is not at all that creative – he repeats the same patterns over and over again but children of God continue to fall for his stale tricks because they refuse to learn from the past. We do not have to make the same mistakes the older generations made and we do not have to learn only when we err, God’s wisdom has provided for us means to adopt lessons from the experience of others and make better choices in our own lives today to prevent unnecessary stumbling blocks (Romans 15:4). Apostle Paul speaks of these believers who never come to walk in God’s wisdom because they refuse to learn and always find themselves picking themselves up from one mistake to another, ‘…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth’ (2 Timothy 3:7).
One such a story we will learn from is the life of David. We know that God had initially chosen Saul to rule Israel, but Saul was rebellious and did not carry out the will of God. We see in 1 Samuel 8 that Saul was waiting for Prophet Samuel to join the congregation and offer up sacrifices to the Lord, but the king lost patience and decided to take matters into his own hands and conduct affairs that he had no jurisdiction in. In his own defence, the King said, ‘… when I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore, I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering”’ (v.11-12). He knew that what he was doing was wrong, but he cared more for the opinions of men than the instruction of the Lord – he compromised; and whatever you compromise for, you lose! Believers really ought to come to a place where they do not compromise on God’s word, that is the true test of belief. But instead, believers want God’s word to support their compromise; they will bend the scriptures to conveniently find ground for whatever they want to do – with no care for what God has willed. The prophet told the King, ‘…You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever’ (v.13) – this was God’s will; that Saul and his lineage be king over Israel forever and for the Christ to come through this bloodline, but one simple act of disobedience forced Him in another direction. So, we see here that being simply called by God does not certify your victory – you too have to exercise your own will to side in with the Lord. This all happened in the 2nd year of Saul’s reign, and we know that the king governed for a total of 40 years and that David took over the throne when he was 30 years old – meaning that the word of rejection came eight years before David was even born. Look at how impactful David was, it is hard to comprehend that he was not even the Lord’s first choice.
God only looks for a surrendered vessel; the Bible tells us, ‘For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…’ (2 Chronicles 16:9). This does not mean He is looking for perfect people who do not make mistakes, He is only looking for people who have a posture of willingness and who are malleable to His guidance. David is another typical example of this – he made many mistakes, some of which are more grievous than the sins of Saul; the only difference between the two of them is that David had a contrite heart and always ran back to God. He had a dependency syndrome while Saul remained unrepentant. Because yet again, we see Saul continue in his rebellion after the Lord told him to destroy all the Amalekites and all their flock and he decided to spare some and offer sacrifices (2 Samuel 15). After Samuel rebuked him and delivered yet another word of rejection from the Lord, the king again did not repent but opted to keep up appearances with his followers – Samuel relented, and once he left that place, he never returned to see the king again.
When the Lord sent Samuel to anoint David, we see that Jesse had to prepare his sons for the occasion but David was side-lined, unsanctified and not even called to attend the ceremony – that is how disregarded he was by his own family (2 Samuel 16). Even Samuel was fooled by the appearances of the brothers, and had to learn that God considers the heart. Men may consider you lowly and not worth anything, but God sees your value, and it matters to Him greatly. The Bible tells us that ‘… Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward’ (v.13). David waited another 13 years before he took over the throne, he too had to go through process and tests – but all along God remained with him. It is no different today, God has called us for specific positions and walks, and will separate us, and one day, appoint us. As we go through the process and equally after appointment, we should remain rooted in Him. Let us continue waiting in faith, believing that He who called us is faithful. Let us learn from the lives of Saul and David, church!
Prayer
We thank You Father for the treasure of Your Word. Your Word is the lamp to our feet, and the comfort of our souls. It is without blemish or error, and perfectly converts our soul as in a mirror. Everyday we grow to see more like You, to think more like You, and to be more like You. We thank You, because You will perfect the work that You have begun in all of us. In the mighty name of Jesus – AMEN.
