Calvinism Everywhere, Part 9

In noting a number of texts that point up the Lord's absolute sovereignty, particularly in Samuel through Chronicles, it seems that some of the same notes shall be struck again and again. So here strikes a number of notes already heard. But to recall these things is no trouble for me and is safe for us (Phil. 3:1).

Moving along, 1 Sam. 23:4 is no exception. We read once again of God's promise to give over an enemy into someone's hand, this time the Philistines into David's hand. And then one reads in 1 Sam. 23:5 this: "So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah." Wait a minute. I thought God gave over the Philistines into David's hand. He did. And he did it through David. But God was behind it all.

Contrast this with Saul's attempt to lay hold on David for evil. Saul had said, "God has given him into my hand. . ." (1 Sam. 23:7). Oh really. Just like in v. 4, right? No. See 1 Sam. 23:14: "God did not give him into his hand." Not a hair of David's head could perish apart from God's sanction.

Next we see the glory of YHWH in taking life that he gave.
And he alone gives life and takes it. We read in 1 Sam. 25 that YHWH struck Nabal, the prototypical worthless man, and so he died (1 Sam. 25:38). Presumably there were means here (although perhaps not), but they are not mentioned. The text only says that "YHWH struck Nabal, and he died," as YHWH returned Nabal's evil on his own head (1 Sam. 25:39). Hannah's prayer comes to mind (1 Sam. 2:6).

This striking of Nabal was preceded by Abigail's discrete counsel to David that dissuaded him from taking vengeance into his own hands against Nabal (1 Sam. 25:23ff). And David blesses YHWH for sending her and thereby keeping him from wrongdoing (1 Sam. 25:32, 39). Apparently Abigail was unaware that she was commissioned to keep David from sinning. But we're not. We see the glory, as did David. God governs all things well, sometimes giving over to sin, othertimes restraining from sin

See now, without elaboration from me, the prediction given by Samuel of Saul's demise at the hand of the Philistines on account of YHWH's handing over (1 Sam. 28:18f). Compare this text with the falling out of this prediction in 1 Sam. 31:1ff.