1 Samuel 14-20

Passage

The final chapters of 1 Samuel tell the story of two kings. One who is falling out of favor and another who is rising up. Both were chosen and anointed by God but had different perspectives. Both had disobeyed God, but in different ways. Saul felt he was following most of what God wanted him to do but was still disobedient. David clearly violated God’s law when he committed adultery and murder.

The difference is how they handled their sin. This is why Saul’s family became a one-term king, and David was considered a man after God’s heart. David acknowledged he sinned against God and sought repentance with God, instead of trying to minimize or justify his behavior. How often do we try to justify our sin by comparing against the world’s standards? There is only one standard that qualifies our actions, God’s standard.