In I Samuel 15, Saul had been rejected by God as king because of sin in his life. In I Samuel 16, Samuel was told by God to go and anoint a new king. Man’s method of choosing leaders is to look at qualifications, training and degrees. That makes sense and I don’t negate that that is important. But God will mystify us many times. God will take the unknown, obscure, most unlikely candidate and elevate them to a prominent place of influence. Does it make sense to make a Jewish man prime minister of Eqypt or a Jewish man prime minister of Babylon? No…but God made Joseph the PM of Eqypt and Daniel the PM of Babylon. Does it make sense to ask an inexperienced speaker who is prone to failure to give the keynote address on the Day of Pentecost?  No…but God asked Peter the failure, the ‘foot in mouth’ disciple, the ‘I can walk on water’ braggert! God uses the most unlikely candidates. Why?  So that when the great results come, no one points at the unlikely candidate, we point at the God behind them!
Back to I Samuel. God had Samuel choose David, a mere shepherd boy, to be the next king. If David had been anointed king after killing the giant, Goliath, with only a sling slot and a stone, we would have understood. But he wasn’t. He was chosen and anointed king prior to Goliath when he was unknown and a very unlikely choice.Â
However, David did not become king for 13 years. Do you realize how long 13 years is? 13 summers, 13 winters, 13 springs, 13 falls …a few illnesses, a job change, a couple of wrecks, family problems, several battles with a next door neighbor who thinks your dog barks too much. It is exactly 4,745 days plus 4 days for leap years during the time period. Can you remember a conversation exactly that someone had with you 13 years ago? If someone promised you something 13 years ago and it has not come true, would you hold onto the promise or would you have dismissed it by now?
Let’s say it is 12 years, 37 weeks, and 5 days into this promise. King Saul has tried to kill you at least 3 times and sent his assassin after you. You have been waiting on the big event. This anointing promise has cast a shadow on your whole life. But God says, “Wait!” Maybe David wanted to be a classical harpist! When his friends ask him when he is going away to Music School, he just responds, “Well, I am suppose to be king…” What strange looks he must have gotten!
Tired of waiting, David made a decision in I Samuel 27:1 – And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.” God said, “You will be king.” David said, “I am going to die by the hand of Saul.” Notice the phrase ‘David said in his heart’. He is talking to himself and saying…”I don’t believe God anymore…I am going to take back my life in my hands and I am going to make something happen!”Â
What a great plan David had: I will go live with the Philistines. These were the people of Goliath whom David slew. They gave David the city of Ziglag in which to live. This had always been known as the septic tank of the world. Get this image: King-elect David having lunch in your septic tank, hob-knobbing with Philistines. This is right where Satan wanted him. When we step out of waiting, we always end up in the septic tanks of this world. It will always get us in trouble. Wait…stand still until you get further instructions from the Lord!
So what do you do when you are called to wait for 13 years? 2 Samuel 2:1 – It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” Notice the phrase in the verse, ‘David inquired of the Lord’. You spend each day inquiring of the Lord. Ask Him what you are to do today and then follow those directions. If God says nothing or is silent, then stand praying and reading the Word until you get further instructions. Please don’t create another Ishamael…we have enough Arab-Israeli conflicts going on…which was caused when Abraham did not wait on God and made his own solution.
Because David inquired of the Lord, notice what God gave him. You say, “Kingship?” No…something better: Fellowship! David asked, “Where shall I go?” And God said, “To Hebron.” He leaves the septic tank of Ziglag and journeys to Hebron. Hebron means ‘fellowship’, ‘communion’, and ‘intimacy’…with God! Wow!
We are going into our 7th month without a position that pays a salary. We have several times been tempted to just take the bull by the horns and make something happen…but I don’t enjoy living in a septic tank. I have done that before…no fun…stinky…smelly…stays with you for a long time. We have opted to wait on the Lord. To His praise and glory, we are current on our bills and we have money in the checking account. We tell only God what we need and who He shares that with, is His business. For now, we will stand still and wait for further instructions. It has only been 7 months which is a whole lot better than 13 years!
Keep waiting on the Lord!
We love you,
Billy and Sheilah Daws