David Spares Saul's Life- The Life of David Series
Today in Calvary Kids, we read that David face one of his biggest challenges yet. This had to do with extending mercy instead of getting back at someone when you have the chance. We got to see what David did when he got the PERFECT opportunity for revenge.
Read 1 Samuel 24
1 Samuel 24 opens up with David hiding in the wilderness of En Gedi while Saul hunts him down with 3,000 of Israel’s best soldiers. Then comes a crazy twist: Saul steps into a cave to go to the bathroom, unaware that David and his men are hiding in the very same cave!
From a human perspective, this seemed like a gift from God. David’s men even told him, “This is the day the Lord spoke of… do to him as it seems good to you.” Here was the man who had thrown spears at David, sent him on dangerous missions, and chased him across the countryside. If anyone deserved revenge, it was Saul. But David didn’t take Saul’s life. Instead, he quietly cut off a piece of Saul’s robe. This was a decision that would prove his opportunity to Saul and show him that he didn't take that opportunity to hurt him.
Cutting Saul’s robe troubled David’s conscience though too. Why? Because David respected Saul as “the Lord’s anointed.” Killing Saul would have been fighting against God’s plan, and David refused to take God’s authority into his own hands. David’s self-control teaches us an important truth: just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. Revenge might feel justified, but mercy aligns with God’s heart. It’s the same way God could judge us immediately for our sins, but instead shows patience and grace. It is never a good thing to try to take things into your own hands.
When Saul left the cave, David followed him out and bowed in respect, holding up the piece of robe. This was David’s way of saying, “I could have harmed you, but I didn’t.” It was a living object lesson that mercy is more powerful than revenge. The contrast between David and Saul was stark: Saul sought David, but David wasn’t seeking Saul.
When Saul realized what had happened, his heart softened. He wept, calling David “my son” instead of “my enemy,” and admitted, “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.”
Romans 2:4 says, “The goodness of God leads you to repentance.” In this moment, David’s kindness exposed Saul’s wrongdoing and brought temporary peace. And just as Proverbs 16:7 tells us, “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him,” David’s obedience brought a pause to Saul’s pursuit and made him realize his own folly.
David’s choice to spare Saul foreshadows something far greater: Jesus’ mercy toward us.
When Jesus was nailed to the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
David’s mercy saved Saul’s life for a time, but Jesus’ mercy saves our lives for eternity! Mercy is never weakness! It’s choosing God’s way over our way. In doing so, we reflect the heart of the One who showed us the greatest mercy of all. AMEN!
Discussion Questions:
1. Why was finding Saul in the cave such a perfect opportunity for David?
2. What does it show about David's character that he felt bad about cutting Saul's robe?
3. How did David show respect for authority even when authority was wrong?
4. What happened to Saul's heart when he saw David's mercу?
5. How does David's mercy point us to Jesus' mercy toward us?
Memory Verse:
"And he said to his men, 'The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.""
1 Samuel 24:6
Read 1 Samuel 24
1 Samuel 24 opens up with David hiding in the wilderness of En Gedi while Saul hunts him down with 3,000 of Israel’s best soldiers. Then comes a crazy twist: Saul steps into a cave to go to the bathroom, unaware that David and his men are hiding in the very same cave!
From a human perspective, this seemed like a gift from God. David’s men even told him, “This is the day the Lord spoke of… do to him as it seems good to you.” Here was the man who had thrown spears at David, sent him on dangerous missions, and chased him across the countryside. If anyone deserved revenge, it was Saul. But David didn’t take Saul’s life. Instead, he quietly cut off a piece of Saul’s robe. This was a decision that would prove his opportunity to Saul and show him that he didn't take that opportunity to hurt him.
Cutting Saul’s robe troubled David’s conscience though too. Why? Because David respected Saul as “the Lord’s anointed.” Killing Saul would have been fighting against God’s plan, and David refused to take God’s authority into his own hands. David’s self-control teaches us an important truth: just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. Revenge might feel justified, but mercy aligns with God’s heart. It’s the same way God could judge us immediately for our sins, but instead shows patience and grace. It is never a good thing to try to take things into your own hands.
When Saul left the cave, David followed him out and bowed in respect, holding up the piece of robe. This was David’s way of saying, “I could have harmed you, but I didn’t.” It was a living object lesson that mercy is more powerful than revenge. The contrast between David and Saul was stark: Saul sought David, but David wasn’t seeking Saul.
- Saul couldn’t find David, but David found Saul without trying.
- Saul had no self-control, but David showed remarkable restraint.
- Saul intended harm, but David chose mercy.
When Saul realized what had happened, his heart softened. He wept, calling David “my son” instead of “my enemy,” and admitted, “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.”
Romans 2:4 says, “The goodness of God leads you to repentance.” In this moment, David’s kindness exposed Saul’s wrongdoing and brought temporary peace. And just as Proverbs 16:7 tells us, “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him,” David’s obedience brought a pause to Saul’s pursuit and made him realize his own folly.
David’s choice to spare Saul foreshadows something far greater: Jesus’ mercy toward us.
- David had the power to kill Saul → Jesus had the power to destroy His enemies.
- David was innocent but showed mercy → Jesus was perfectly innocent and showed perfect mercy.
- David trusted God’s timing for justice → Jesus trusted the Father’s timing for salvation.
- David spared his enemy’s life → Jesus gave His life for His enemies.
When Jesus was nailed to the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
David’s mercy saved Saul’s life for a time, but Jesus’ mercy saves our lives for eternity! Mercy is never weakness! It’s choosing God’s way over our way. In doing so, we reflect the heart of the One who showed us the greatest mercy of all. AMEN!
Discussion Questions:
1. Why was finding Saul in the cave such a perfect opportunity for David?
2. What does it show about David's character that he felt bad about cutting Saul's robe?
3. How did David show respect for authority even when authority was wrong?
4. What happened to Saul's heart when he saw David's mercу?
5. How does David's mercy point us to Jesus' mercy toward us?
Memory Verse:
"And he said to his men, 'The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.""
1 Samuel 24:6
Posted in Calvary Kids