How does David's plan in 1 Samuel 20:5 demonstrate reliance on God's guidance? Setting the Scene: David’s Dangerous Dilemma • Saul’s jealousy has escalated to murder attempts (1 Samuel 19:1, 10). • David, the anointed future king (1 Samuel 16:13), must discern how to act without lifting a hand against “the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:6). • Jonathan, Saul’s son and David’s covenant friend (1 Samuel 18:3–4), becomes David’s ally in seeking the LORD’s will amid life-threatening tension. David’s Plan (1 Samuel 20:5) “So David said to Jonathan, ‘Look, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I am supposed to sit with the king to eat. But let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the third day.’” Key details: • New Moon feast—an appointed, covenant-based gathering (Numbers 10:10; Psalm 81:3). • David willingly forfeits a place of honor at Saul’s table, choosing concealment in an open field. • The timing (“third day”) lets Jonathan test Saul’s attitude while giving God room to act. Signals of Reliance on the LORD • Obedience before strategy – David honors the New Moon ordinance by acknowledging his expected seat, yet submits to God’s higher directive of self-preservation (1 Samuel 19:18; Psalm 18:30). • Seeking confirmation, not personal revenge – Instead of confronting Saul, David entrusts the discovery of Saul’s heart to Jonathan and ultimately to God (Psalm 25:4–5). • Humility in hiding – Choosing a field removes human safeguards; David depends on divine protection just as he did against Goliath (1 Samuel 17:37). • Covenant partnership – By involving Jonathan through a sworn oath (1 Samuel 20:8, 16), David leans on the God-centered covenant rather than lone ingenuity (Ecclesiastes 4:12). • Patience for God’s timing – Waiting “until the evening of the third day” reflects the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5–6—trusting the LORD to “make straight” the path through unfolding events. Supporting Scripture Snapshots • Psalm 57:1—“In You my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until destruction has passed.” • 2 Samuel 5:19—later in life David still “inquired of the LORD,” showing consistent reliance. • Isaiah 30:21—“Your ears will hear this command behind you: ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” David embodies this posture here. Takeaways for Believers Today • God-honoring plans flow from Scripture-anchored obedience first, tactics second. • Waiting seasons—fields of hiddenness—often prove our confidence in God’s oversight. • Covenant relationships provide God-designed protection and counsel. • Reliance on God is active: it plans, asks, waits, and then moves only as He directs. |
    |