1 Samuel 26:1–12 (ESV) — 1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying,
“Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of
Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of
Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness
of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is
beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness.
When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4 David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. 5 Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And
David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of
his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped
around him. 6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to
Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the
camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul
sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head,
and Abner and the army lay around him. 8 Then Abishai said
to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me
pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him
twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for
who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his
day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s
anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and
let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from
Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake,
for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon
them.
NOTE: Abishai
believed in action. He is carnal in his view of life. He fails to accurately
bring in the spiritual dimension nor respect the expressed will of God. He uses
spirituality to argue for his desired behavior, but he denies obedience to
those very commandments. Abishai sees opportunity and coincidence as God's hand
and approval to disobey God's injunction. David does not make that mistake.
God's word is his final authority; circumstance, coincidence, and opportunity
do not take precedence over God's word. To David, this is a clear case of
waiting upon God and not taking matters into your own hand. But Abishai, who is
the contrast here, views life from a worldly perspective. He does not pray but
he is quick to suggest God's will.
Sometimes there is
good reason to act prudently when opportunity presents itself, but never in
contradiction to the expressed will of God. In decision making, we put God's
commands first. We act prudently when it does not violate a command of God. We
wait if it does or if God has made it clear that he wants us to wait.
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