The old, Saul has gone, the new king David has come.

The Lord is by my side and I will trust in Him alone as He leads me beside still waters and makes me lie down in pastures green.

“My people of old would have understood much better what it means when I am called your Shepherd. It is a just a notion to most of the city dwellers today and even farmers don’t view the role of a shepherd it in the same light as the people of old. In those days the Shepherd was intimately involved with his sheep, he knew each one – maybe he had names for then, but he knew each one’s characteristics, the bold, the inquisitive, the brave, the foolish, the fearful – but he loved each one and was committed to them to the point of laying down his life to protect them. This picture would have come to the minds of my people – but it would still only have been a faint reflection of what I am to you all – I intimately know every thought and movement you make and I have already laid down my life for you”.

As we come to the end of 1 Samuel in ch’s 30 and 31, the message fits with what we have been looking at during the last few weeks surrounding Easter.

In ch 30 David, providentially returns to where his people have been attacked and taken hostage while he was away offering to fight for Achish. His reaction speaks to me: in the face of this apparent disaster, he does not just rush off to try and rescue them, rather we read in vs 6 that he “found strength in the Lord” and this led him to “enquire of the Lord” what he should do. vs 7. I must confess that my reaction in such crises is usually to spring into action immediately and only later to turn to the Lord for guidance and help.

The Lord encourages him to follow the Philistines and enables him to catch up to them and rescue everything they had taken, unhurt. vs 19. He also manages to take a large amount of plunder. The rest of the chapter is taken up with how he shares the plunder and uses it to consolidate his relationships with the elders of Judah vs 6 in preparation for taking over the crown.

We reach the climax of 1 Samuel in ch 31 as the story is taken up of the fight Saul is having with the Philistines, which David has no part of. The fight is a disaster for Saul and his sons. They are all killed. So the rule of Saul comes to a “fitting” end as we look back on the events that have unfolded around his kingship in this book.

From Deuteronomy we know that it was always God’s plan to have a king in Israel. This king would be a forerunner of the Forever King and Messiah Jesus. However, Saul’s kingship did not arise from God’s primary will. The people had been agitating for a king “like their pagan nations around them”. Although God allowed the choice of Saul in this mould and even had him anointed, he was always going to be a king like the pagan’s kings. Against this background God’s first choice king – king David is chosen and secretly anointed. Saul, motivated by Satan does everything he can think of to get rid of David and really gives him a hard time.

But now, in one fell swoop God takes Saul and his sons completely out of the picture, opening the way for David to rule. Does this final end of Saul’s rule remind you of anything?

I have recently been reading Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth and early years and there is a distinct parallel in Satan’s desire to get rid of Him. In addition to that, immediately after He is baptized He goes into the desert where He is tempted. Preparing and strengthening Him for the task ahead. So, in a similar way David undergoes this harsh rejection and several attacks by Satan after his anointing as king, which we can say was all in God’s plan as He prepared David for his years of kingly rule.

Not on the same scale, but how often does God use trials, difficulties and challenges to test each one of us. We are warned of this, for instance in James 1, but this should not dishearten us, but rather spur us on to grow in the area of service God has for us. There is not one of us who does not have a part to play in God’s kingdom growth, he uses each one according to his/her character, personality and gifts He has blessed us with to be part of this wonderful kingdom plan of His.

Next week I have decided to start reading John’s gospel, so why don’t you join me. If you have received any insights in 1 Samuel which I have not dealt with, why not share them with the rest of us. To open the dialogue box, simply tap or click on the title of the talk.