1 Samuel 19:1-24


The protection of God is a wonderful and amazing blessing that He bestows on His children.  Saul is the king of the land and has decided that he wants to kill David.  Saul has his entire army at his disposal and holds the most powerful position in the nation.  He would normally just be able to kill anyone that he wanted, but God has determined to protect David and provide for his safety.  It is a futile thing to fight against God.  Saul ends up just looking foolish and powerless.  We can rest in God’s power and protection, knowing that He is able to protect us from the most powerful enemy in the most dangerous of circumstances.  God is always able to deliver us no matter how dark and difficult things may become.  We can see this illustrated through the people that God uses to protect David.

GOD PROTECTS DAVID THROUGH JONATHAN: Of all the people that we would expect to want David dead, Jonathan is the most likely to join his father in the quest to eliminate David.  Jonathan had the most to lose in this situation.  Jonathan stands to inherit the throne and it had be have been obvious that David was growing more powerful and popular to the point that Jonathan must have realized that David was going to be competition for the throne.  We don’t know how much Jonathan knew but we do see that he is loyal to David and intercedes for David before his father.  He convinces his father that David has done nothing but been faithful to the kingdom and had delivered Saul and Israel from the Philistines.  Saul restores David and sends him out on another military conquest, perhaps in hopes David would be killed, but God is faithful to protect David once again.  We can trust God to rise up people who will be used of Him to provide the protection we might need as we faithfully serve the Lord.

GOD PROTECTS DAVID THROUGH MICHAL: David is married to Saul’s daughter, so when Saul once again goes into a fit of rage and tries to spear David to the wall, David is able to escape and run home.  Michal knows her father and knows that Saul will come after David so she secretly lowers David from a window in the night and then stalls the men who seek after David by saying he is sick and putting a “dummy” in the bed.  God gave Michal insight into how her father would react and was able to warn and protect David because of that.  Perhaps Saul’s older daughter would have been more loyal to her father than to David.  But Michal loved David and God used her to protect him.  God is faithful to surround His children with people He will use to provide protection for them.

GOD PROTECTS DAVID THROUGH SAMUEL: David flees to Samuel who takes him to a neighboring city and the two of them are living together.  It seems that this time together would be a key part of David’s preparation to reign as king.  Surely Samuel invested in David’s life and gave him insight and understanding into the Word of God that would help David throughout his life.  When Saul finds out where David is, he sends three groups of soldiers after him to bring him back and kill him.  However, all three groups end up being overcome by the Spirit of God and begin to prophesy.  Finally, Saul himself goes up to get David and the same thing happens to him.  God has obviously determined to protect David through supernatural means.  It is a comfort to know that God still has all of these means at His disposal to protect us in whatever situations we might face.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than a...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God   whom I serve, as did my ancestors,   with a clear conscience, as I remember you   constantly in my prayers night and day.    As I remember your tears,   I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.    I am reminded of   your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and   your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.    For this reason I remind you   to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us   a spirit not of fear but   of power and love and self-control. It is easy for us to forget many important things especially in the face of difficulty or danger.  Paul is in prison and Timothy is facing difficult times in ministry so there are important reminders that Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands.  God has given us everything we need to face the difficulties He allows i...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore   do not be ashamed of   the testimony about our Lord, nor of   me his prisoner, but   share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,   who saved us and   called us to a holy calling,   not because of our works but because of   his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus   before the ages began, and which now has   been manifested through   the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,   who abolished death and   brought life and   immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But   I am not ashamed, for   I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until   that day   what has been entrusted to me.  Follow   the pattern of   the sound words   that you have heard from me, in   the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ...
Read more