We’ll read a little from my book WHAT CHANGED YOU – to learn some vital lessons. Enjoy.
David eventually stopped to think. Where should he run to? It occurred to him to go to Samuel. He was the one who anointed him, which was the cause of all that was happening to him. He should go back to Samuel; he would advise him and tell him what to do. He went in the direction of Ramah.
Samuel was both surprised and very happy to see him.
David told him all that had been happening to him since the day he was anointed by Samuel and how Saul had been seeking to kill him.
The elderly prophet of God kept his eyes on David and listened intently to him.
When David eventually stopped talking, Samuel said, “I am not surprised at all about the things you have told me, how God has been helping you and how Saul seeks to kill you. The Spirit of the Lord has departed from him since the day God rejected him as king.” Then, shaking his head, Samuel called Saul’s name in almost a whisper, with a tone that showed regret.
“Why did God reject him?” David asked.
“He was rejected because he did not fully obey the words of the God who chose him from among thousands of the men of Israel. On the day he was presented to Israel, I told him the words of the Law and wrote them in a book but he did not follow them. I’m certain he did not continue to read them.” Samuel stopped to clear his throat.
He went on. “Saul lacked wisdom. The day he began to fall was when he did not wait for me but went ahead to offer a burnt offering which should be done only by a priest, and he did so because he was afraid that time was running out and the people were getting restless. He should have fully obeyed and waited for me as I instructed him. God is never late; He is right on time, and is not slack concerning His promises as some men count slackness. Saul apparently did not understand that.” Samuel shook his head again.
David nodded his head to indicate he was listening to the wise prophet of God.
“Because Saul did not keep the commands of God, God declared that day that his kingdom would not continue.” Samuel said.
He cleared his throat again and went on. “But in spite of that, if he had repented and asked for mercy, and be willing to fully obey God, God would have forgiven him. God would have had mercy on him for He is full of compassion and mercy. Who knows, God might have returned the kingdom to him because He is the One who rules in the affairs of men, but Saul did not.”
Samuel raised his right index finger up and pointed it at David. “You must never forget that God is a merciful God. Even if you commit a sin or you are in trouble, don’t hesitate to ask God for mercy and help, and turn back to him fully. Okay?”
David nodded and said, “I have heard.” He already knew all these things but now, he felt God was using the wise man to talk to him, to give him guiding principles that would help him succeed in life.
Samuel continued. “But Saul did not turn from his foolish ways. At another time, God told him to go to Amalek and kill all the people, both men and women, young and old, and utterly destroy all that they had because of what the people had done to the children of Israel. God’s instruction to Saul was clear – do not spare anyone or anything! Saul went there as God had instructed him but he spared Agag the king, and the best of their sheep, cattle, and all that was good. And when I saw him, he told me that he had fully obeyed God. Let me ask you my son, did he fully obey?”
David shook his head. “No, he did not.”
“Of course he did not. And when I pointed it out to him, he could have asked for forgiveness but he did not. He said he spared those things to sacrifice to God, justifying himself.” Samuel shook his head slowly, “This is what I told him that day, ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination or witchcraft, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.’”
Samuel sat back. “When I pointed out to him all these things, he could still have asked God for forgiveness but he did not. Instead, he asked me to pardon him, save his face before the people and go with him to sacrifice to God.”
Samuel snorted as he continued, “What sacrifice could change his error? Such a sacrifice would be useless because God was not pleased with him. I told him I would not go with him. As I turned to leave, he took hold of my garment and it tore. And the word of God came that the Lord had torn the kingdom of Israel from him and given it to another man.”
David adjusted his position and continued to listen.
“Agag was killed and I left. Since that day, I have not been to see Saul. I have stayed away from him.” Samuel said.
“Why?”
“I stayed away because he might try to kill me for those pronouncements against him. When God told me to go to Bethlehem and anoint one of the sons of Jesse, I hesitated because if Saul got to know, he would kill me, and I told God so. God then said to me to take a goat and tell the elders of the city that I had come to sacrifice to the Lord, and to invite Jesse your father and all his sons to the sacrifice, and there He would tell me who the right man was.” Samuel revealed.
He paused.
David continued looking at Samuel as he waited for him to continue. He noticed that Samuel had a faraway look in his eyes as he remembered the past.
Samuel went on. “I did as the Lord told me to. I invited your father and his sons to the sacrifice. But when God said none of Jesse’s sons who were present was the right one, I had to ask Jesse, ‘Are all these your sons?’ He told me that it remained one person, the youngest but he was with the sheep. I asked him to send for you quickly as we would not sit until you came. Immediately you entered, God told me, ‘Rise up and anoint him, for this is he’. That was how you were anointed.”
David asked, “May I know why God chose me?”
“He said He had found a man after His heart in you. There are some things you do and some qualities you possess that delight His heart.” Samuel answered.
David took a deep breath, not sure what to say. Without notice, he found tears rolling down his face.
Samuel smiled and spoke again. “I will tell you six things which you should keep in mind and never forget.”
David used the back of his right hand to clean his face and listened.
“One, in all you do, fear God. Two, draw close to Him and He will be close to you. Three, never forget that He is compassionate and full of mercy, and you can always go to Him for help.”
David was nodding.
Samuel continued, “Four, with God, there is no mistake. He knows what He is doing. Five, don’t forget that God is never late. He makes all things beautiful in His time. And the sixth one is this: because He is God, He can change situations, people, times and seasons without having to consult anyone. Even if He has said He would do something, He could still stop the act because of a person who trusts in Him. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I do.” David answered.
“And so my son, cheer up. God is God. No one, and that includes Saul, can change His word, plan or purpose. Do not be afraid, my son, Saul can never get you for God is with you. God has chosen you and He will make you reign over His people, Israel.” Samuel assured David.
“What should I do now?” David asked him.
“Stay with me. We will go to Naioth together. The Lord will keep us.” Samuel said.
David was not so sure how the Lord would keep them from Saul but he knew He would. He went with Samuel to Naioth.
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