Martin Wickens

“Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. (9) And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?”

1 Samuel 26:8-9

By this point in David’s life, he had endured years of persecution at the hands of the king. First, in the home of Saul David suffered betrayal and attempts on his life. Now, as he lives in the wilderness with a band of brigands he continues to find his life threatened.

For a second time, it appears Divine Providence has delivered David’s enemy into his hands. God had clearly rejected Saul and his lineage from ruling over Israel. Samuel had anointed David many years ago and he proved his worth time and again.

With this in mind, surely, David could follow Abishai’s advice to kill his enemy and take his rightful place on the throne. Yet David, in submission to God and showing patience and faith in God’s timing, refuses Abishai’s counsel. God would remove Saul from office in His time and in His way. Pride and incomplete obedience brought about Saul’s fall and David is careful not to follow that path.

David trusted. David waited. And God one day accomplished all He promised.

We do not have anointed leaders today. Not in the church and certainly not in government. Yet we must carefully follow God’s lead as we interact with others and those in authority.

1. We must ignore those that encourage the violent removal of authorities, or those that support them and oppose us. Whether that be the violence of words or deeds.
2. We should maintain our integrity while we use the proper mechanisms at our disposal to bring about changes in our nations.
3. We must patiently wait on the Lord when everything seems against us.

We live in tumultuous times, but history demonstrates God’s power to bring His people through worse times than those we now see.