Chapters 24, 25 and 26 are like a sandwich in 1 Samuel. The first and last are very similar; the middle different but complementary. The three work together to show us David tested for suitability as the king that God desires. David does well when he twice shows mercy to Saul, but nearly goes badly wrong in the middle when he sets out to kill Nabal’s household. However, Abigail intervenes and saves the day: David remains on track. Yet, he is far from perfect, as his marriages show. So we must look to a greater king to be ours. Only the Lord Jesus is the sin-free king that we truly need. Only when saved by him will we live as God desires us to live.
Brief notes on this passage are also sent out in daily emails during the week after the sermon. An archive of these may be read on a separate website: press here to go to the first one from this passage or press here to read the introduction to the notes, which are entitled “Think of the King“.
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