When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.

James 1:13 (NIV)

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

God doesn’t tempt us. He will allow us to be tempted, and he does test us. With this in mind, I want to address what I call “The Trials of David, Part One: The Early Years.”

1 Samuel 26 opens up with another betrayal of David by the Ziphites, another clan of Judah. They tell Saul where David is hiding, so Saul heads off to find him. While Saul and his army of 3,000 men are camping beside the road on the hill of Hakilah, David and Abishai went into Saul’s camp at night while everyone is sleeping. If all of this is unfamiliar to you, then I invite you to read about it here, since I’m only going to cover part of the text.

So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.

Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”

But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.

1 Samuel 26:7-9 (NIV)

So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.

1 Samuel 26:12 (NIV)

The Lord had put the army into a deep sleep to test David. He had, indeed, delivered Saul into his hands to see if David would trust in Him or go his own way. The Lord tests us every day, one way or another. Some tests are more easily discernible than others, but they are there. Each test will have temptations to go one way or another. Thus, seeking the Lord in all things is essential to growing in him. This was David’s third test. Often the tests we are given also come with tempters. Real flesh and blood people who don’t help us see the way we should go. The Lord had previously tested David as outlined below.

Test # 1

Saul was delivered into David’s hands in the cave, and David did not kill him (cf. 1 Samuel 24:3).

Tempters: David’s men pointed out that the Lord had delivered Saul into his hands and that he should kill him. 

Test # 2

Nabal’s disregard for the protection afforded him by the Lord through David and his men (cf. 1 Samuel 25). 

Tempters: David’s own pride. 
Intercessors: Servant and Abigail. 

Test # 3

Saul’s army was put to sleep, and the Lord allowed David to be in a position to kill Saul. 

Tempters: Abishai, who said that he would kill Saul. 

In some cases, the Lord will also interject a voice of reason. A flesh and blood person who helps us to see the Lord’s way. An intercessor. In David’s second test that was the servant and Abigail. While the servant never spoke to David, he or she brought the issue up to Abigail. Of course, we have the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us into all truth, but sometimes it’s hard to hear his voice when pride and our circumstances are shouting at us too.
 
These roles can be filled with anything that God chooses. Our brothers and sisters in the Lord, or in the case of Balaam, a donkey. 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope this day finds you well.

Do you know God? God knows you, and he loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, and he wants you to know him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, be free from death, and live eternally with him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away.

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation today:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. I repent from my ways. Wash me in your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that you died on the cross, were buried, and on the third day, God the Father raised you from the dead. Right now, Lord Jesus, I open the door to my heart, and I receive you into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.

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