Leadership

An Honorable Man 4

by Olawale Ogunsola
08/30/24
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"And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, whoKsoaw, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house." 1 Samuel 22: 14. NKJV.

The above Bible verse is a direct description of David in his days with the first King of Israel, King Saul. This testimony about David's behavioral attributes was given when the Priest at the moment, Ahimelech was wrongly accused of inquiring for David. He vehemently denied the allegation, although this did not prevent him and his father's house from being executed, that is the entire Priests.

Let it be registered that King Saul was surrounded by "loyalists" who were his servants. These servants were in different categories: the men-pleasers, the spies, false witnesses (like Doeg, the Edomite), and many others. After all, he was "a man of the people". He was an answer to the Prayer of God's people desiring a king like all other nations. God gave him to them.

Do you know what? It was only David who was singled out as "faithful...and honorable" among King Saul's servants. He put truth to the King as a question that he did not deny. Otherwise, he would have pointed out someone else who was better than David, in faithfulness and honor. He did not do this, he only concentrated on the judgment he wanted to place on the Priest and his father's house.

He knew this truth about David but he could not but accuse him falsely of rebellion because of the evil spirit that was on him. At the time, he had a 'reprobate mind." to do those things that were not right (Romans 1:28). Saul was also sure of David's heart as a faithful and honorable man.

In the first instance, when the Lord delivered King Saul into the hands of David, the young man spared the life of King Saul who was bent on killing him. David as an honorable man will not kill an anointed man of God. For acting as an honorable man, King Saul said, "You are more righteous than I: for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded with evil." (1 Samuel 24:17).
You can read the rest in verses eighteen to twenty for his complete declaration on David, as an honorable man.

There is always an opportunity to show that a man is an honorable one.

In another instance, the Lord delivered King Saul into the hand of David. He could easily destroy him but he chose a better option to be a faithful and honorable man. He spared his life. Was this of any effect on the scenario? The answer is "Yes!". How do we know this? King Saul's response! He said afterward,
"May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail." 1 Samuel 26:25.

Earlier in verse twenty-one, King Saul had acknowledged his sins, foolishness, and his exceeding errors. He said it himself because the acts of an honorable man convinced him so. May the Lord help every Saint to act well the parts of an honorable man in the name of Jesus Christ.

There is another common feature or virtue of an honorable man demonstrated by David in his tribulation, most especially in the two events when he had the opportunity to sniff life out of King Saul. What is the virtue? He considered every counsel before he acted. He was wise enough to know which counsel to take and which one to reject when it matters most.

On the two occasions when he had the upper hand to slay King Saul, one of his servants volunteered to do the work for David but he refused to permit him to so do. He was aware of the truth he would account for anything that befell the Lord's Anointed, his father whether directly or by proxy. He knew that the killing would be done on his behalf and it would be on record that he killed the King of Israel to ascend the throne. It would then become a confirmation that he plotted evil against the King which he carried out.

He appreciated the value of allowing the Lord his God to avenge him on his enemies. His expected declarations were,
"As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his days shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish." 1 Samuel 26:10.

At the appointed time of the Lord, he went to battle and he perished there, 1 Samuel 31:4-6. That was how every trouble in David's life was resolved. An honorable man's life rested from the hand of the King of his nation.

Let me state that it is not every enemy that is treated like "an Anointed man" of the Lord. The same David was raised to destroy all enemies of the Lord in the lives of his people. May the Lord give every Elect the grace and wisdom to know the difference between the two types of enemies who may rise in his life in Jesus' mighty name.
Stay blessed and prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord.