Page 67 - Foundations

A very critical point to understand is that although God pronounced judgment upon King Saul, and
declared him to have been rejected as ruler of His people, Saul’s authority did not end at once. Saul
maintained his authority as king until the end of his life which was many years later. During this time,
Saul continued to act wickedly. He persecuted the righteous servants of Yahweh. It was AFTER
Samuel pronounced Yahweh’s judgment upon Saul that this wicked ruler pursued David in the
wilderness on multiple occasions and murdered a city of priests. Despite all of this, Saul continued
to occupy a position of power and authority as the anointed of Yahweh.

On two separate occasions Yahweh delivered King Saul into David’s hands, resulting in David’s men
urging him to strike Saul, killing him, in order to bring an end to the persecution and mistreatment
David and his men were experiencing. David’s response in both instances is highly revelatory, and
has great bearing on the present status of Satan and the church’s relationship to him.

I Samuel 24:1-12
Now it came about when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, saying, “Behold,
David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and
went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. And he came to the
sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and
his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. And the men of David said to him, “Behold,
this is the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand,
and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul's
robe secretly. And it came about afterward that David's conscience bothered him because he had
cut off the edge of Saul's robe, so he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of Yahweh that
I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since
he is Yahweh’s anointed.” And David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them
to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way. Now afterward David
arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul
looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. And David said
to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’? Behold,
this day your eyes have seen that Yahweh had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some
said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my
lord, for he is Yahweh’s anointed.’ Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my
hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is
no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for
my life to take it. May Yahweh judge between you and me, and may Yahweh avenge me on you; but
my hand shall not be against you.”

I Samuel 26:7-11
So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of
the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around
him. Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now
therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike
him the second time.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his
hand against [Yahweh’s] anointed and be without guilt?” David also said, “As Yahweh lives,
surely Yahweh will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and