Difficulty in Discerning God's Word

[Wrangler]

2 Samuel 3:1 reads 'There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.' What could obscure God's will more than a protracted conflict?

Imagine living during that time. Do you act loyally to King Saul or to his servant David? David had men in his army who, by definition, were disloyal to the king but by doing so, were loyal to God's anointed.

And regarding anointing, in this case, both men were anointed. Assuming the story got around, doesn't that @MatthewG make is even more difficult to determine God's will?

 

[ScottA]

2 Samuel 3:1 reads 'There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.' What could obscure God's will more than a protracted conflict?

Imagine living during that time. Do you act loyally to King Saul or to his servant David? David had men in his army who, by definition, were disloyal to the king but by doing so, were loyal to God's anointed.

And regarding anointing, in this case, both men were anointed. Assuming the story got around, doesn't that @MatthewG make is even more difficult to determine God's will?

The conflict is not a matter of God's will, but is a parable, and a foreshadowing of what would occur between God's leading of Israel and Christ (son of David) building His church.

Israel was leading Israel (12 tribes)...in spite of their often doing evil. Messiah came and with Him the kingdom of God (of whom He was the Last), and He "finished" with "the house of Israel", and then went on to "another fold" of the gentiles. During that time He set up the foundation of His church (12 apostles) to be build upon what would spiritually come from our "Father in heaven" (by the example He made of Peter attaining the knowledge that Jesus was the Christ). But just as Israel chose a man to be king over them instead of God, the church chose a man also and followed Peter much as Israel followed Saul...rather than following God in spirit as Israel first did, but then chose to follow a man, seemingly chosen by God. Each of which was not unlike Moses' setting before Israel (a prelude) "life and death, blessing and cursing", saying "therefore, choose life."

And here we are, with many still believing that Jesus actually would build His church upon Peter (a man), even after He clearly said He would "not" do so "by flesh and blood" (Matthew 16:13-20).

 

[Bob Estey]

2 Samuel 3:1 reads 'There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.' What could obscure God's will more than a protracted conflict?

Imagine living during that time. Do you act loyally to King Saul or to his servant David? David had men in his army who, by definition, were disloyal to the king but by doing so, were loyal to God's anointed.

And regarding anointing, in this case, both men were anointed. Assuming the story got around, doesn't that @MatthewG make is even more difficult to determine God's will?

You don't act loyally to Saul or David. You act loyally to the Lord.

 

[Bob]

Thank you for your interesting post.

In 1 Samuel 16, God said He had not only rejected Saul but He was going to anoint someone else.

On the other hand, David said repeatedly he would not lift a hand against Saul, because Saul was the Lord’s anointed.
Did David not know God had rejected Saul? Does once anointed, always anointed apply?

The overall lesson: God brings about His purposes in His own time.

As Bob Estey points out, we are ultimately to be loyal to God And His will.
One may then ask, were the Benjaminites blindly loyal to Saul? Well, yes.

And in today’s culture we see various people blindly loyal to all sorts of causes. Discerning God’s Will requires prayer, patience, and humility.

Blessings.

 

[Wrangler]

Did David not know God had rejected Saul?

He knew he was anointed.

Does once anointed, always anointed apply?

Good question. For us, instantaneous favor of God removes all ambiguity. With a long conflict, one must function - and make decisions - in ambiguity.

 

[ElieG12]

In my opinion, during that period, an individual needed to rely on the guidance of an external figure: the prophet who communicated on behalf of Jehovah.

Interesting topic, BTW.

 

[Bob]

In my opinion, during that period, an individual needed to rely on the guidance of an external figure: the prophet who communicated on behalf of Jehovah.

Interesting topic, BTW.

Thank you for joining in.

Actually, David “inquired of the Lord” a number of times, sometimes with the help of a priest (umin and thummim?), sometimes in an unspecified way. See, e.g., 2 Samuel 2.

Blessings.