David vs Saul
Notes on 1 Samuel by Ivan Ho
1 June 2016
Both David and Saul had been called and anointed by God to be king of Israel. Both had the same spiritual father in Samuel. But the two had contrasting outcomes in their lives:
- David followed after God’s heart. Saul followed his own heart.
- During times when God was silent, David’s soul continued to long after Him. During times when God was silent, Saul panicked and acted foolishly.
- When faced with pressures from the enemy and confronting death situations, David continued to walk through the circumstances with God. When faced with pressures from the enemy and confronting death situations, Saul compromised God’s commands and was led by the circumstances and his own flesh.
- David was always led by the Spirit of God. Saul was initially given the same leading by the Spirit of God, but followed after familiar spirits after Spirit of God left him.
- David trained other men to become mighty warriors. Saul wasted every good man given under his care.
*David respected God’s anointed. Saul spent his whole life pursuing David and tried to kill him.
- David was filled with the Spirit of God all the time. Saul was initially filled with God’s Spirit, but was later possessed by demonic spirits due to anger and jealousy.
- After David fell into sin, he humbled himself and truly seeked God’s forgiveness. After Saul fell into sin, he did not repent.
- David was named in the hall of fame. Saul was named in the hall of shame.
Two lives with similar calling and God given potential, but contrasting outcomes due to their different responses to God.
God has an awesome plan and purpose for you and I, but whether or not we end up fulfilling God’s purpose will be determined by how we respond to God and by the decisions and choices we make everyday.