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The solution to Saul's bad precedent, part 15

David did not trust Saul, even after his apparent repentance, declaring that David was more righteous than he (1 Samuel 24:17). So he did not try to go home to Bethlehem but went to the southern border of Israel to the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:24). Even so, David found it difficult to hide 600 men, regardless of where he might go. When he went to the wilderness of Ziph, it was not long before some Ziphites told Saul that David was there.

Saul Pursues David Again

We read in 1 Samuel 26:1, 2,

¹ Then the Ziphites came to Saul in Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?” ² So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.

Saul sent 3,000 soldiers to capture David. The number 3,000 is often associated with Pentecost. At the base of Mount Sinai, after the people worshipped the golden calf, there were 3,000 men who were killed and subtracted from the church in the wilderness (Exodus 32:28). When Pentecost was fulfilled in Acts 2, there were 3,000 “added” to the church (Acts 2:41).

Saul the Pentecostal king sent 3,000 men to arrest David. This established the precedent of the church persecuting the overcomers—even after admitting that they are more righteous. We read in 1 Samuel 26:3-5,

³ … When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, ⁴ David sent out spies [or scouts], and he knew that Saul was definitely coming. ⁵ David then arose and came to the place where Saul had camped…

David Spares Saul’s Life Again

That night David and a few of his men went to Saul’s camp while they were all sleeping and took Saul’s spear and his jar of water. Abishai suggested killing Saul, but David again refused. So they crept out of the camp and then called to Abner, Saul’s captain, from a distance, chiding him for not protecting the king. David reminded Abner that it was a capital crime to sleep on the job.

1 Samuel 26:17, 18 says,

¹⁷ Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.” ¹⁸ He also said, “Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?”

Saul’s response is given in 1 Samuel 26:21,

²¹ Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.”

Saul continued in verse 25,

²⁵ Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

This is similar to what Saul said after the first time that David spared his life. In 1 Samuel 24:20 Saul testified,

²⁰ “Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will surely be established in your hand.”

This was certainly the truth, but it was not divine revelation. I learned many years ago that anyone who is persuaded to believe something can just as easily be dissuaded, because it is only an opinion of the soul. Divine revelation comes by the Holy Spirit through one’s human spirit, and it changes people permanently. Saul's repentance was not permanent; hence, he did not truly “hear” God. I suspect that most believers have difficulty knowing the difference between opinion and revelation.

He then appealed to David not to destroy his family when he would become king. David, of course, had no intention of destroying Saul’s family. Overcomers do not plot to destroy the Pentecostal church. The overcomers seek to bring genuine repentance to the church, so that they might become citizens of the Kingdom during the Tabernacles Age.

The root problem of Pentecost is that most of the believers prefer not to hear God for themselves. Without divine revelation, they can only hear the voice of their leaders telling them what God said. Yet “faith comes from hearing” (Romans 10:17), and so whoever we are able to hear is the object of our faith.

God does indeed speak through others, but the people must not hear only flesh and blood. They must be able to discern the voice of God speaking through men. Whether we hear God through personal revelation or through others still requires us to hear God’s voice without depending on flesh and blood to convey divine revelation.

Urdo Translation