READ: 1 Samuel 24:1-22
“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” – Exodus 20:12
King David acknowledged Saul as being the anointed king before him. Even though Saul had many problems, David did not attack him. He called him “father” and not “the mad man of Jerusalem”. He called him the Lord’s anointed and not the “demonized daddy”. That is why his throne is established forever (Luke 1:32).
In spite of great provocation, David maintained his stance toward Saul. He refused to see him as anything other than a father. There are many ignoramuses who launch furious attacks against fathers because of the faults they see in them.
There are four things about Saul that would have driven any normal son to rebel against his father:
1. Saul was rejected by God through the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 15:23b).
2. Saul was demon-possessed. He came under the influence of evil spirits and David knew it (1 Samuel 18:10).
3. Saul killed pastors. He had become a murderer and his victims were none otherthan God’s priests(1Samuel 22:21).
4. Saul was into witchcraft. His last night on earth was spent in a witch’s house (1 Samuel 28:7).
David knew the verse in Exodus 20:12 that his longevity depended on how he related to the fathers. Why not learn from King David whose throne is established forever? Surely, you do not have better reasons than he had, to rebel against a father!