What does Saul's belief about God's favor in 1 Samuel 23:7 indicate? Setting the Scene “When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, ‘God has delivered him into my hand, for he has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.’” (1 Samuel 23:7) Keilah was a fortified city. Saul hears David is inside and seizes the moment, believing the walls will keep David from escaping. What Saul’s Belief Reveals • Presumption of divine endorsement – Saul equates tactical advantage with God’s approval, ignoring that the Spirit of the LORD had already departed from him (1 Samuel 16:14). • Self-deception born of disobedience – Earlier refusal to obey (1 Samuel 15:22-23) hardened his heart; he now misreads providence. • Substitution of circumstance for revelation – Saul never seeks God’s word here, while David repeatedly inquires of the LORD (1 Samuel 23:2-4, 10-12). • Use of pious language to cloak sin – He invokes God’s name while plotting murder (cf. 1 John 3:15). • Spiritual blindness and jealousy – Though aware that the kingdom is torn from him (1 Samuel 15:28; 24:20), he still imagines divine favor. • Confusion of God’s sovereignty with God’s blessing – God controls events, but sovereign permission is not the same as moral approval (Genesis 50:20; Romans 9:17-18). Supporting Scriptures • Proverbs 14:12 — “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” • Jeremiah 17:9 — “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” • Matthew 7:21-23 — Even miraculous successes can coexist with disobedience to God’s will. • James 1:22 — Hearing without obeying leads to self-deception. Contrast: David’s Posture • David twice asks, “Shall I go?” (1 Samuel 23:2, 4). • He consults the ephod again when threatened (23:10-12). • David’s dependence on revelation versus Saul’s reliance on assumption highlights true versus false discernment (Psalm 25:4-5). Lessons for Believers Today • Never mistake favorable circumstances for God’s approval; test every impulse against Scripture. • Pious words can mask rebellion; genuine obedience is the proof of divine favor (John 14:21). • Continual seeking of God’s guidance guards the heart from presumption. • Recognize the danger of jealousy and unresolved sin; both distort spiritual perception (Hebrews 12:15). |
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