Text: "The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed." (I Samuel 26:23)

In the passage before us, David tells us plainly that the Lord had delivered into his hand the king of Israel. He also tells us that he would not stretch forth his hand against him because Saul was "the Lord’s anointed." To "stretch forth our hand against" another means to smite him with our tongue or with our hand. In order for us to understand the import of David’s words, it is necessary for us to understand the character of King Saul.

In the 15th chapter of first Samuel, God told Saul to destroy the Amalekites "both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass" because when Israel came out of Egypt, the Amalekites "laid wait" for Israel and attacked the rear of the people where were the women and children, the weak and infirm. (Verses 2,3)

"But Saul and the people spared Agag (king of the Amalekites) and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good and would not destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly." (9)

When the prophet Samuel confronted the king. Saul blamed the people for not carrying out the words of the Lord, but than he interceded for them and told Samuel that the people spared the good "to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God." (21)

God gave the prophet an answer for the king: "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice Of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king." (22,23)

"The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine that is better than thou." (28) Note here that the Bilge declares that some men are better than others.

In verse 33, the prophet fulfills the will of God and "hewed Agag before the Lord in Gilgal."

In I Samuel chapter 16 the Lord sent Samuel to anoint Saul’s successor out of the family of Jesse. Eliab was well-pleasing to the prophet, "But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature: because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’" (7)

In verse 14 we read that "The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the lord troubled him" So the servants of Saul encouraged the king to seek out a man who was skilled in playing a harp, and declared, "it shall come to pass when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well." (16)

David was recommended to the king as being "cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him." (18) Saul loved David and made him his armorbearer. (21)

"And it came to pass when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." (23) (It is of great importance that we know that music affects us physically, mentally and spiritually.)

In chapter 17, David slays Goliath, and in chapter 18, "the women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with ...instruments of music, and the women answered one another as they played, and said, ’Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.’ ...And Saul eyed David from that day and forward." (6-7,9)

Saul became filled with jealousy over David. In this 18^th chapter, we read of the profound friendship between David and Saul’s son, Jonathan. This increased Saul’s anger. And, the same chapter reveals that "David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely." (5,14) Yet, even David’s faithfulness drove the king to suspicion. (15)

In chapter 18, Saul made two attempts to kill David with his javelin. (10,11)

In chapter 19, in verses 9 and 10, Saul again attempted to kill him with his javelin.

In verse 11, Saul sent men to David’s house to murder him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife and Saul’s daughter, convinced her husband that he must escape that night. She let him down through a window, and placed an image n his bed with a pillow of goats’ hair.

David fled his home, and went to Samuel. Three times Saul sent men to seize him, but 3 times the Spirit of God came upon those sent and they prophesied, and returned to Saul empty-handed. Therefore, Saul went himself, and the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied, but he did not capture David.

In chapter 20, Jonathan, Saul’s son, defended David’s innocence and integrity to his father. In verses 30-34, Saul became so filled with rage that he attempted the murder of Jonathan, his son, but again the javelin missed the target.

In chapter 21, having neither weapon nor food, David went to Ahimelech the priest. He lied to him in order to protect the priest and to obtain his help. He gave David the sword of Goliath, and fed him and the men that were with him with the shewbread which was part of the priests’ diet when they ministered about the things of the Lord.

But, In chapter 22, Saul’s fierce anger is kindled when he learns that Ahimelech has helped David; and although the priest vehemently expresses his innocence, Saul murdered 85 priests, and then vented his rage upon the priestly city of Nob and destroyed both men and women, children and sucklings, oxen and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword." (19)

Very few people have ever been so wronged as David. Who of all the subjects of Saul was so faithful to his king? Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, more commonly remembered in history as "El Cid", was unjustly exiled In the 11th century by King Alfonso of Spain; but his king did not hunt him being bent upon his murder.

In I Samuel chapter 24, David and his men fleeing the ever-pursuing king took refuge in a cave. Saul and his men entered the same cave not knowing David was present. "And the man of David said unto him, ’Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it seem good unto thee.’" (4)

David cut the skirt of Saul’s robe, and then his heart "smote him." (5) Although urged to destroy his enemy, David interceded for the king of Israel saying, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord." (6)

Although it was common knowledge that Saul was vexed with an evil spirit, and although he had hunted David to murder him, Saul was still the legitimate ruler over Israel. It was God who had placed him in authority: what right did David have to revolt against him, or to put him to death? Saul arose and went on his way. "David also arose afterward and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying ’My lord, the king.’ And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed himself..." and said "’The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee." (8,9)

David’s respect for Saul’s authority, and his respectful behavior had a profound effect upon the king; for "it came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, ‘is this thy voice, my son David?’ and Saul lifted up his voice and wept, And he said to David, "Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.’" (16,17)

In chapter 26, Saul was again delivered into David’s hand. The king had set out with 3000 chosen men to seek David (2), so the pursued sent out spies to find where the king made camp. "Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him." (5) David and Abishai entered the camp by night as the king lay sleeping.

"Then said Abishai to David, ’God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.’" (8)

"And David said to Abishai, ‘Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?’ (9) David understood what it means to be faithful, and to allow God to address the wrongs done to him. "David said furthermore, ’As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle and perish." The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed..." (10,11a)

Once again, David calls out to Saul. "And Saul knew David’s voice and said, ‘Is this thy voice my son David?’ And David said, ’It is my voice my lord, 0 king..." (17) Then said, Saul, ‘I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly.’"

Then David spoke again saying, "The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered thee into my hand this day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed...." Then Saul said to David, "Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail." (23,25)

In I Samuel chapter 31, Saul was "sore wounded of the archers" while doing battle. (3) After his fearful armorbearer refused to give the king the "coup de grace", Saul fell upon his own sword and died. But in II Samuel chapter 1, an Amalekite, thinking to gain David’s favor invented a story how that he had come upon the wounded king. He claimed that Saul had told him, ‘Stand, I pray thee upon me, and slay me; for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me:’ so I stood upon him and slew him because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.’" (9,10)

"Then David took hold on his clothes and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: and they mourned and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword." (11,12)

In our day of lawlessness and unrighteousness, people no longer respect the authority of the leader of the people. Parents no longer teach their children to respect the authority the Lord has vested in them. Students do not respect the authority God has given to their teachers. Employees are no longer faithful and respectful of their employers. Reader, remember that to stretch forth our hand against the Lord’s anointed is to smite with our tongue or with our hand.

In verse 14, David said unto the Amalekite, a foreigner and not an Israelite, "‘How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?’ And David called one of the young men and said ‘Go near and fall upon him.’ And he smote him that he died."

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We need the following books reprinted.

The Marriage Ring, or How To Make Home Happy by John Angell James

We have (4) available copies --300 minimum order @ $2 each

God Hath Spoken --We have 5 copies left from the 2^nd printing. --

300 minimum order @ $2 each

If either of these books has been a particular blessing to you, why not adopt it as your personal project. Help us get these back into print.

This summer I am working on a book dealing with the nature of God. Possible titles are "The Lord," "The Unknown God," "The God Who Is." From the titles, the reader can sense the essence of the book.

Also, we need to reprint the booklet we printed in 1985: All The Chapters Of The Bible. It summarizes each chapter of the Bible in 3-5 words. It is only slightly altered from the edition published by Jasper Harding in 1859. It is a very useful booklet.

We are also attempting to put into print our seminar on The Office of Deacon, and The Role of Women In The Church, If the Lord wills, next summer we plan to do a book on the nature of man, and a booklet on the family. The latter would deal with family worship and the discipline of children.

Eventually, we want to get our "magnum opus" in hardback: "Of Whom The World Was Not Worthy." That, however, will be quite costly as it will entail about 1100 pages of print.

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From Mexico --June 2, 1992. "It is Tuesday ...We got here a day late because we left Camp Loma de Vida several hours late due to van trouble --which was good because it probably would have been impossible to fix in Mexico! ...It is a very great privilege (to preach the Gospel), and a greater responsibility. I believe David (Bell) and I will handle most of the preaching, ...me through an interpreter. I need a lot of prayer! We have already gone to different market places passing out tracts and speaking to different people.... I need to leave to get ready for a sermon on "Where is Your Treasure?" from Matthew 6:19-21. I will be praying for you" -- Timothy.

Northern Ireland --"Could you possibly send me 3 or 4 copies of the tract "The Eternal Sonship of Christ" which I have read about in Truth For Today published by Mr. Wylie Fulton."

--Fergus Law

Montgomery, Alabama --"I want to help buy a Bible for one of the men in Nigeria." --B.E. Lowery

Newcastle, New Brunswick – "Thank you for all the good things you send to me. God has gloriously saved this poor French, Roman Catholic woman. She is 51, from a very wicked home and village.... What a blessing to me in this spiritual wilderness! God bless. --Gladys MacLean

Brookfield, Wisconsin -- "What a precious book that is (Psalms, Hymns, end Spiritual Songs) ...Your messages in your newsletter just bring us such nourishment and spiritual food... We have to thank you..." -Rita Schraml