Chapter 250 of 1163

1 SAMUEL 22

What a motley group gathered around the exiled king (1 Cor. 1:26–30)! A. W. Tozer used to say, “Don’t follow any leader until you see the mark of the oil on his forehead.” David had the anointing of God, and he represented the future in Israel. Yes, he made mistakes and was sometimes discouraged, but he was God’s man and God used him.

Contrast Saul’s approach to leadership. He could not challenge his men to a holy cause, so he tried to bribe them (v. 7) and play on their sympathy (v. 8). He depended on spies like Doeg, and he was not afraid to murder innocent priests just to let people know who was in charge. Saul was unwilling to kill the wicked Amalekites, but he murdered God’s priests. Saul was fighting a losing battle, and he was desperate.

God in His providence gave David two great gifts: the ephod (1 Sam. 23:6) and a priest. He could always seek the will of the Lord as he planned his strategy. You have the Word of God and an interceding High Priest in heaven. Do you seek the mind of the Lord as you make decisions?

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