MARCH 30

In chapter 25 David spares Saul’s life a second time. It is
difficult to understand why David returned to the wilderness of Ziph
when he had experienced difficulty there before. He, like all men of
clay, made mistakes!

Abishai was David’s nephew and was a courageous warrior.
David and Abishai entered Saul’s camp by night. God had put a deep
sleep upon the entire camp, so David and his nephew were not in
danger. Abishai wanted to kill Saul, but David would not allow it.
He again said he would not stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s
anointed. Instead, they took Saul’s spear and a cruse of water.

David then went and stood on the top of a hill afar off and
called to the people and to Abner. His message here to Saul was
actually a plea for him to return to the Lord. In verse 18 David
says, “Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? For
what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?” If David had done
wrong to Saul he wanted to get the matter settled. However, if he
had not, then God would settle the matter for David. Note Saul’s
empty confession in verse 21. He says, “I have sinned…I have
played the fool.” But he still did not repent! man plays the fool
when he runs ahead of the Lord; when he fails to obey completely;
when he turns his back on his best friends; when he seeks guidance
from the devil; and when he refuses to repent even when he knows he
is wrong. Saul had done all these things, so he had indeed played
the fool.

Chapter 27 deals with David’s victories as he sought the
mind of the Lord. Of course, he was not always walking in the will
of the Lord, for it seems that his faith failed him when he went
back to Gath to live under the protection of the enemy.