DCLM Daily Manna 5 September 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Fatal Anger
TOPIC: Fatal Anger
TEXT: 1 Samuel 20:24-34
24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.
26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.
30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?
31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
KEY VERSE: “And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.” – (1 Samuel 20:33)
MESSAGE:
David the shepherd boy learned the hard way that death lurks everywhere and not only on the battlefield. He had engaged in mortal combat with deadly animals like the lion and the bear and cheated death. He had also encountered dreaded giants like Goliath, the Philistine champion and overcame him.
The Lord took care of David’s ignorance and inexperience as He always does for His people who are endangered. He made David outwit Saul the king who sought to slay him. Saul wanted to take advantage of a feast in the palace to execute his plan to kill David. But this anointed servant of God stayed away under a plot hatched by him and Jonathan, his faithful friend and Saul’s son. When Jonathan would not yield to his father’s argument that David’s existence was a threat to his ascendancy to the throne, he transferred his anger to his son. The Lord rewarded Jonathan’s loyalty to His servant by delivering him from his father’s death-bearing anger.
God warns against anger because of its potential to bring forth rash emotions that can lead to regrettable actions. In the pouch of anger are passions that engender bloody decisions with dangerous consequences. The Bible counsels: “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath” (Psalm 37:8). Mad fury unchains the animal nature in the unregenerate man and pushes him to the edge overlooking an abyss.
But Calvary-cleansed believers must be guided by the word of God. Even in the most provocative circumstances, we must not give in to fits of anger. Where we are faced with murderous rage from the people of the world, we can trust the Lord to fight for us as He did for Jonathan and David.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Sinful anger is one short step to murder.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 89-91
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
