In 1 Samuel 26:1-25, David and his men had a second opportunity to kill King Saul and end David’s life on the run, but it was David who showed kindness to Saul and spared his life. By that act and by his speech that followed, it seems that David had begun to grow in his understanding of God’s providence, his own sin and his own unimportance. Also, by these actions, David mirrored Jesus who entered the enemy’s camp and won a great victory over sin and death.

1 Samuel 25:1-44 tells the story of Nabal the ungrateful who wanted to repay good with evil, David the vengeful who wanted to repay evil with evil and Abigail the peaceful who overcame evil with good. In fact in a wonderful way, by her offering and her actions, Abigail points us to the Lord Jesus Christ who placed himself under God’s wrath that those who believe may be spared it.

1 Samuel 24:1-22 tells us how David, while taking refuge in a cave from King Saul, had the perfect opportunity to launch a surprise attack upon Saul and put an end to his life on the run. But despite encouragement from his men to do this, David resisted the temptation and refused to kill the Lord’s anointed King. Taking revenge is never the Lord’s way of achieving his will.

1 Samuel 23:16-29 tells how David, after escaping once more from King Saul, found a hideout in the desert, only to be betrayed by the local people and have to take flight again from Saul’s rage. However, in this difficult situation, David’s was ‘strengthened in God’ by a visit from his loyal friend Jonathan which encouraged him. The ministry of encouragement is vital and not beyond any seek to serve and build up the people of the Lord.

1 Samuel 23:1-15 tells us how, David, after taking refuge from King Saul in a forest in Israel, was faced with the dilemma of helping out some of his fellow country men fight the Philistines or remain in his safe place away from the mad King. David sought guidance from God and helped rescue the people of Keilah and then, again guided by God, fled from Saul to another safe place. The world is still ruled by men who act as unpredictably as Saul, but those who place themselves in the centre of God’s will shall always be kept by the Lord.

After taking flight from King Saul and being very much alone, in 1 Samuel 22:1-23, David soon found that some men came to him, some others greatly helped him and yet others died because of him. These ones who died were the priests of Nob who Saul had slaughtered for helping David whose actions had consequences far greater than he could imagine. Thankfully the Lord Jesus paid for all the sins of God’s people and even the consequences of those sins.

After taking flight from King Saul and beginning a life on the run, in 1 Samuel 21:1-15, David found himself very much alone, living life like a beggar, fleeing like a refugee and acting like a madman in the presence of the king of Gath. However, through all of these difficult times, David put his trust in God and proved that in the hardest of times, God does not abandon his own.