DAVID : A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART

UUDAVID : A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART

DAVID’S SUBMSSION TO THE WILL OF GOD (I Samuel 26:1. 25, II Samuel 12:15-25)

David Spared Saul

The people of Ziph came and revealed to Saul where David was hiding and Saul arose with his men of war and went in search of David in the wilder. ness of Ziph. When David noticed that Saul was after him in the wilderness, he sent spies to go and confirm the presence of Saul in the wilderness. David and Abishai went to where Saul was sleeping with Abner, his commander and his men. Abishai requested David to allow him to pin Saul to the earth but David refused as he said:

“Do not destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be

guiltless?” And David said, “As the Lord lives the Lord will smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish: The Lord forbid that I shall put forth my hand against the Lord’s anointed; but take now the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go.” (I Samuel 26:9-11)

David and Abishai left with Saul’s spear and jar of water. No man saw them as all the people in the camp of Saul were deeply asleep.

When David had gone a far distance to a vantage position, he called upon Abner and reprimanded him for failing to keep proper watch over his master Saul. David asked him about Saul’s spear and jar of water. Saul recognised David’s voice and called him. David asked him why he should come out in search of him to kill him without any cause. Saul felt guilty and repented of his sin and promised never to harm David. He appreciated the way David spared his life and David then returned the spear and the jar of water he had collected. David spared Saul’s life because he feared and respected God, thereby sub mitting to the will of God. This is equally a demonstration of David’s high sense of forgiveness.

Lesson to Learn

(i) God is love; He wants peace and love to reign on earth. Man should, therefore, show love to those who hate him. Saul went in search of David to kill him but David had every opportunity to kill Saul, yet he spared him.

(ii) David sparing Saul’s life made him to repent of his sins. This shows that when people show love to those who hate them, they could be forced by their conscience to drop the hatred against them as Saul did.

(iii) Sparing Saul’s life demonstrated David’s faith in and his submission to the will of God. People should endeavour to emulate this good example.

DAVID’S REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS
(II Samuel 3:1 39, 11:12:1-15) David’s Reconciliation with Abner (11 Samuel 3: 1-39)

After Saul’s death, there was war between his house and the house of David. Abner made himself stronger as he retained the leadership of Saul’s army Ishboshet later accused Abner of having gone in to his father’s concubine (Rizpah). This irked Abner and he asked whether he had become a dog’s head as to be insulted on a matter concerning a woman. He openly defied Ishboshet by telling him that he would renounce his allegiance to Saul’s house and transfer same to David. Ishboshet was tooweak to react to Abner’s threat for he feared Abner.

Abner, however, sent messengers to David. He asked him to enter into a covenant with him and he would hand over all Isreal to him. David said he would consider his offer (see his face) if only he should restore his first wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter, to him, after he had suffered so much to get her betrothed to him. David even sent the same order to Ishboshet to restore Michal to him and he had no choice but to comply.

Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and called upon them to demon strate their desire to make David king of all Israel (as God had destined it). With a delegation (of twenty men), he went to David in Hebron and David received them warmly. Abner assured David that he would gather all Israel to enter into a covenant with him to reign over them.

With the agreement sealed, David sent Abner-away in peace.

(b) David Reaction to the Assassination of Abner

(I)Abner (the son of Ner) was sent to David at Hebron.
(ii) He was to tell him that all Israel and Benjamin had agreed to make king over the united Israel.

(iii) At the gate, Joab took Abner aside and killed him

(iv) This was to avenge for the blood of Asahel, (v) When David heard it he said, “he and his kingdom are guiltless before
the Lord for the blood of Abner”.

(vi) He remarked that the blood of Abner should fall upon the head of Joab and all his father’s house. (vii) David ordered Joab and his people to rent their clothes, gird on sack cloth and mourn for Abner

(viii) And king David followed the bier to the grave of Abner questioning whether Abner should die as as a fool dies.

(ix) David expressed surprise that Abner’s hands were not bound nor the feet fettered.

(x) David mourned for him, refusing to eat. (xi) All the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. (xii) But David vowed not to eat until sunset.

(xiii) All the people took notice of it and were pleased.

(xiv) All Israel understood that day, that it had not been the kings will to slay Abner, the son of Ner

(xv) The king declared that a prince and a great man had fallen in Israel.

(xvi) Though he was now the announced king over Israel. Abner’s death destabilized him

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