David, The King in Waiting
In the biblical narrative, few people receive a clearer call than David.1 Samuel 16:13 tells us about a young shepherd boy, who was chosen and anointed by prophet Samuel as instructed by God. Samuel annointed him with oil and set him apart as the future King of Israel. The promise
- was absolute,
- the mandate divine,
- and the spiritual anointing immediate.
But then came the delay, David lived in a chaotic, hostile world—first serving a mad king, then fleeing in the wilderness, living in caves, and dodging spears.
The Forging of a King:Obedience in Waiting
As prophet Samuel anointed the young shepherd,whom we know as David, it was a moment of profound divine promise. The Spirit of God rushed upon him, making him the rightful heir to the throne of Israel. Yet, the anointing was not followed by a coronation.
Instead, David entered a prolonged, brutal season of delay—the gap between the promise of God and the political reality of King Saul’s reign. This wilderness period, lasting years, was not meaningless waiting; it was the ultimate proving ground where David’s character was forged under intense pressure. His obedience during this time was not marked by grand, triumphant military actions to seize power, but by three essential, quiet characteristics of submission and obedience to God that kept his heart pure and his ambition aligned strictly with God’s will.
The Obedience of Character Maintenance
When David was anointed, he did not immediately form an army or stage a coup. He returned to tending his sheep and then faithfully took up the position he was given: serving King Saul.
This first test of obedience required David to be faithful in the small, humiliating, and often dangerous places before he could be trusted with the great.
- Faithfulness in Servitude:
David showed up every day to serve the very man God intended to replace. He played the harp to soothe Saul’s tormented spirit. His obedience was seen in his diligence, his loyalty, and his humility, even when it led him into harm’s way. He did not let the magnitude of his future calling excuse his present duties.
- Integrity Under Duress:
Despite knowing he held the divine mandate to rule, David continued to act with integrity. His refusal to let his difficult circumstances justify poor behavior—such as when he protected the town of Keilah or when he protected Nabal’s shepherds—demonstrated that his obedience was anchored in righteousness, not merely reward.
The Obedience of Restraint
David’s greatest test came when he was given multiple, perfect opportunities to seize the throne by force. The highest form of obedience in the wilderness was his refusal to touch God’s anointed.
1 Samuel 24 & 1 Samuel 26 the episodes in the cave of En Gedi and the camp of Ziph are the clearest displays of David’s submission to God’s timing.
- The Power to Act vs. The Will to Wait:
In both instances,when David had the means,the motive and
- David’s men urged him to kill Saul, arguing that God had delivered his enemy into his hands.
- David responded with a profound act of self-control, showing that his allegiance was to a higher principle than self-preservation.
- Surrender of Ambition:
1 Samuel 24:6 David’s words are the essence of this obedience: “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord”.
His obedience was the intentional restraint of his own power and the surrender of his ambition. He recognized that if God gave the throne, God would also remove Saul; David did not need to force the fulfillment.
The Obedience of Dependence and Patience
Ultimately, David’s obedience was a persistent surrender of control—a constant choice to depend on God’s deliverance rather than his own cleverness or might.The wilderness period taught David to:
- turn to God in prayer
- to worship in duress,
- Relying on God, rather on his own resources.
The Psalms David wrote during this time (e.g., Psalm 57, 52) are filled with cries for help and declarations of trust in the Lord’s faithfulness, reinforcing the fact that his submission was relational.
- Refusal to Manufacture the Promise:
David’s long wait taught him that God’s promises are fulfilled by God’s power, not by human intervention. His obedience was patiently allowing God to clear the path, instead of illegally seizing it.
- The Preparation of the Heart:
When David finally took the throne, he was not the impetuous young man who faced Goliath. He was a tested, patient leader who knew what it meant to rely on God in every circumstance. His years of being a shepherd, a servant, and a fugitive were the essential preparation for him to rule as a king “after God’s own heart.”
The core lesson of David’s delay is this: the highest form of obedience is often found in the things we refrain from doing and the painful spaces where we wait patiently on the Lord. It proves that we trust God’s sovereignty to deliver on His promises more than we trust our own ability to seize them.Please continue to visit and share in this journey with us.
