Today’s reading: 1 Samuel 26; 1 Corinthians 14
This isn’t specific to 1 Samuel 26, but I’m really curious about David’s conviction about not killing Saul because he is the Lord’s anointed. Over and over again David has the opportunity to kill Saul and take the throne, and each time he refuses saying he will not stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and that God will deal with Saul in His time. The Scriptures never say David is wrong about this, but I also can’t think of anywhere that this is specifically commended by the Lord, and it makes me wonder sometimes if this is actually what God desired to have David do.
Even at the base level, this sentiment seems kind of off-base. Saul was the Lord’s anointed, but then God specifically sent Samuel to anoint David in place of Saul. Saul refused to go quietly and give up the throne when God told him he was losing it, but it really seems to me that, during this entire time, David, not Saul, is the Lord’s anointed. And if this is the case, then there shouldn’t be as much concern on David’s part for killing Saul.
But there is also a bigger issue at play in this that follows from the fact that David was anointed to replace Saul as king. Yahweh rejected Saul from being king because he was not leading Israel toward God like he was supposed to, and was instead going his own way. David, on the other hand, was selected to be king and lead/protect Israel. But if Saul was rejected for his leading the people astray, doesn’t that kind of make him the biggest threat to God’s people that David, as the rightful king, is supposed to be addressing? Sure, the Philistines are an external military threat, but Saul is an internal threat actively eroding the country’s already fledgling faith.
Maybe it is that David is 100% correct in this and it would be wrong for him to kill Saul and take the throne, but I really wonder if David isn’t actually misguided and the reason he keeps having these encounters with Saul is that the Lord is trying to get His properly anointed king to take care of business and take the throne…
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