It
was quite apparent that God was helping David. Just when Saul was closing in,
news of the Philistine invasion of his land forced him to return home to deal
with it, thus allowing David to escape. Once the situation back home had been
dealt with, Saul wasted no time in going after David again. When Saul heard
that David was found in the wilderness of Engedi, he took 3,000 chosen men
and went hunting for him. Remember, David only had 600 men with him. In
other words, Saul had a numerical advantage over David. He had five times more
men than David, the fugitive. Besides, David’s men were made up of the
depressed, dejected and discouraged. Whereas Saul’s 3,000 men were chosen,
meaning they at least had some training in the skills of war. Saul had the
upper hand. But that’s only from the human perspective.
Interestingly,
we are told in verse 3 that Saul had to answer nature’s call and he went into a
cave to do it. Ironically, the cave where he went in to relieve himself was the
same one that David and his men were hiding. The last part of the same verse
tells us so. The exact words were “Now David and his men were sitting
in the inner recesses of the cave.” We are told that David’s men suggested
to him saying, “Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said
to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you
shall do to him as it seems good to you.’” Of course, we know
that the Lord did not say these words, but we can understand the reason why his
men would suggest that to him. They saw that as an opportunity to finish Saul
off since he was now at David’s mercy. As they would say, “How the table has
turned!” This must have been a tempting moment for David too. So he stealthily
and surreptitiously crept up to where Saul was. But instead of finishing him
off, he only sliced off a corner of the king’s robe. What an anti-climax! After
all the effort he had taken, it seems grossly incongruous that he should let
Saul off.
Afterward,
it was said that David regretted his action. Any lesser person would have
finished Saul off and not felt a thing. But not for David. Even cutting a part
of the King’s robe was not to be taken lightly. His conscience was smitten. It
seems especially bizarre for us to see him feeling that way. For after all, was
it not right to take out the man who sought to take his life? Was it not the
best opportunity? We can only conclude that David was a person who wanted to do
what was right and not what seemed to be right. In God’s economy, there is a
timing for everything and a season for every experience. No one can rush
it. Others viewing our lives may have some perspectives on what we
should do. But if we are true to God and to ourselves, we know better. Often,
it’s a case of ‘others may but we cannot’.
David
knew too well. His words to himself in verse 6 were, “Far be it from me because
of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed,
to stretch out my hand against him since he is the LORD’S anointed.” He
knew better why he should not take matters into his own hand. He believed in
divine sovereignty and it would not be right to take matters into his own hand.
David not only did not kill Saul but instead persuaded and forbade his motley
bunch from doing so. Saul was spared and he departed from the cave unscathed.
In God’s own time and season, He will make all things beautiful. What a lesson
for us all! Doing what is conscionably right is more important than doing what
is advantageous. Even when an opportunity affords itself, we should never
take advantage of it when our God-quickened conscience tells us
otherwise. Because God’s timing is perfect!
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