Originally posted: 12/06/2019
Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to put David to death, (19:1).
King Saul had plans to hang on to his throne. While Saul is convinced in his own authority to dictate the course of events, the LORD had other plans; and Saul’s murderous schemes would come to naught, thwarted by Him Who Overrules the Ruler.
Consider Him Who Overrules the Ruler
- He Overrules the Rulers as He moves in the hearts of people to comply with His purposes.
- So Jonathan told David saying, “Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. Now therefore, please be on guard… 4 Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Do not let the king sin against his servant David…” (19:2, 4).
- Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death,” (19:11).
- He Overrules the Rulers as He provides a way of escape.
- Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night, (19:10).
- So Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped, (19:12).
- He Overrules the Rulers as He sends His Holy Spirit.
- Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; … 22 Then he himself went …and the Spirit of God came upon him also… (19:20, 22).
How do we respond to Him Who Overrules the Rulers?
No matter the situation, God’s purpose will prevail. There is no authority, no government, no ruler able to turn back His plans.
The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes, (Proverbs 21:1).
“For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27).
- At times, we may feel like this world is out of control, but let us trust Him Who is the head over all and Overrules the Rulers.
- For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; (Colossians 2:9-10).
- At times we may feel we are trapped, but we must not give in. By faith, let us look to Him Who Overrules the Rulers as He provides our way of escape.
- No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it, (1 Corinthians 10:13).
- At times we may feel helpless to face the rulers and powers of this world:
- For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 6:12).
- It is in those times, we must face the spiritual forces of wickedness by faith in Him Who Overrules the Rulers, convinced we will certainly overcome; for He is in us and He is greater than all.
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- You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world, (1 John 4:4).
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- Let us yield to the power of His Holy Spirit by faith, that He would grow us in boldness to share the gospel and use our witness to bring others to Him Who Overrules the Rulers.
- I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; (John 14:16).
- “…but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth,” (Acts 1:8).