Kazden
Colpitts
6/6/2016
Team
Tour/Cambodia
2
Samuel 3:1,
“There was a long war between the house of Saul and
the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of
Saul became weaker and weaker.”
This
verse begins with “there was a long war.” Saul’s and David’s army fought
against each other. They were both of the same country, but they were divided.
Saul had become consumed with bitterness toward David because of David’s rise
to leadership. David had been experiencing a lot more success than Saul had. 1
Samuel 18:7 says that “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten
thousands.” As a result of Saul’s bitterness he turned his armies on David.
This war extended beyond Saul’s death. Saul’s people inherited this bitterness
toward David.
The
second part of this verse says that “David grew stronger and stronger, while
the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.” David was a righteous man. He
loved Saul but the contention would not relent unless someone won. God’s favor
was upon David, for it was prophesied that he would become king by the prophet
Samuel. In Acts 13:22 it says, “And when He (God) had removed him (Saul), He
raised up David to be their (Israel’s) king of whom He testified and said, “I
have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my
will.” David’s heart was toward God, but Saul had to be removed from power by
the God of hand.
The
world tends to look at the outward. Saul was the perfect leader in the people’s
eyes but his heart was hard toward God. David wanted to please God and
ultimately God gave him favor over the house of Saul. Therefore David became
stronger and stronger. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to become weaker but
that’s what happened to Saul when he became overcome by envy against David.
Saul was proud and sook the destruction of David but David was humble and loved
Saul. The very thing that Saul sook on David ended up coming down on the house
of Saul. Yet, David wasn’t seeking the destruction of Saul but he ended up
defeating his armies. God has a way of humbling the proud and exalting the
humble, and that’s the classic theme of the war between David and the house of
Saul. The Lord exalts those who exalt Him in their humility and that’s what we
should all desire to do.
Application:
Center my heart on the Lord through prayer so that I might exalt Him and that
he would humble me so that I would please Him and be in His will.
