The House of David vs. The House of Saul
May 6, 2023 12:51 PM
Rich Fyke
Eternal Life Ministries
May 6, 2023
"Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" (I Timothy 6:19).
These are the last days, the end time, and we should know and realize that these be the days of vengeance, when all things which are written shall be fulfilled. The time is at hand. We are living in the days leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. God has said in His Word that He will have a church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish. He will have His remnant, which is ready to stand before His throne. It will be through the purging of our flesh and the trying of our faith that we will become prepared to stand before Jesus Christ.
As we approach the return of Jesus Christ, we will see an increase in power for the true children of God. This is what we will see in the days ahead. In 2 Samuel 3:1 it says, “Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.” We will see this in the days ahead, as the house of David, which represents the true church, will grow stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul, which represents the apostate, will wax weaker and weaker. In other words, those that are the true servants of God will take on exceeding great power in the days ahead, and those that are not really serving God will wax out. They will fall away, and great will be the fall. We are told of a falling away in the last days and we will surely see one. We are living in the midst of it now and the greatest falling away is yet to come. Those that really love God will grow stronger and those that are only playing with God will fall away.
Both groups will change, the one for the better, the other for the worse. This will be the separating of the sheep from the goats. There will be no middle ground. Jesus tells us in Revelation that He will spue the lukewarm out of His mouth. The same type of church that started on the day of Pentecost will be the same type of church that ends this present age, witnessing the return of Jesus Christ. We need only to go back to the Book of Acts to see how the church was when it started. The church had power. There were great signs being done, miracles, and healings. While we certainly have healings and miracles today, the church that will arise in the days ahead will be more powerful and full of The Holy Spirit, just like in the Book of Acts. This power to the house of David will arise from the same thing that spread it like fire in the early church — persecution. The house of Saul will show its true self of compromise and love for the world, and will persecute the house of David, along with the beast that rises out of the sea. Prepare, children of God, a flood of persecution is coming to this world that will bring us to our knees!
Many do not want to think or make mention of persecution, but it is how the church began, “And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8: 1). History tells us that all of the early apostles, except for the Apostle John, were martyred for their faith, and John was boiled in oil and exiled to the Isle of Patmos. Scripture is emphatically clear as to what happened to the Apostle James, “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword” (Acts 12: 1-2). It then goes on to tell us how Peter was imprisoned for his faith, “And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people” (Acts 12: 3-4). We see the power the early church had as it prayed and interceded for Peter, “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the LORD hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews” (Acts 12: 5-11). The church had prayed and God answered their prayer, bringing Peter back to them, “And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished” (Acts 12: 12-16). The church had prayed. They weren’t watching television. They weren’t out gossiping. They weren’t holding a social. They weren’t sitting in luxury, happy with the comforts of life. They were praying and they had power in their prayer!
We read how Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God while imprisoned for their faith, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed” (Acts 16: 25-26). These men were completely sold out for Jesus Christ. They were completely surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. Oh, how sometimes I long for days like these. I tremble at one thought of it, and I long for it in another thought. Christians today around the world are suffering similarly, but they are witnessing with great power, and have fortitude to stand strong in the face of their persecutors. My flesh trembles at the thought of a cold prison cell, but my spirit quickens at the thought of having everything by choice stripped away, but The One and Only thing that matters standing by you, and that is Jesus Christ! The song says, “though none go with me, still I will follow.” We can have every comfort that this world offers and yet have NOTHING. We can have nothing that this world offers and have EVERYTHING! Our lives are hid with God in Christ! When this present life ends, we will most certainly not take anything with us! Paul said, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20: 24).
As we look at the house of David versus the house of Saul, we must look at what made these two kings of Israel different–what made them different in the sight of Almighty God. Saul was told by The Lord through Samuel to smite Amalek for all that it had done to Israel. He was told to spare nothing, not man or beast (I Samuel 15: 3). Saul destroyed all the people of Amalek with the sword, except for it’s king, Agag, which he allowed to only be captured and live. Saul also took the spoils of its best livestock and only destroyed that which was not as choice. This he did in direct disobedience to the word of The Lord. Saul was told to destroy all. It was told to Samuel by The Lord what Saul had done. When Samuel confronted Saul he blamed it on the people that had taken all the livestock so that they could sacrifice to The Lord. Saul, in essence, was justifying bringing something profane before The Lord to sacrifice. He blamed his actions on others and would not accept the responsibility of his own. He said that he had obeyed The Lord in taking king Agag alive, which was in direct disobedience to the Lord. He could not even see himself that he had disobeyed. When he realized that he had, he said, “…………….I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD” (1 Samuel 15: 24-25). At this, Samuel told him that he would not and that The Lord had rejected him from being king over Israel and had given it to someone better than him. This, of course, was David. When Saul heard this, he again said, “…………….I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God” (1 Samuel 15: 30).
Saul’s true heart was how he appeared before men and not really unto God. David, on the other hand, who was a man after God’s own heart, was a man of quick repentance, reliant upon the mercies and grace of Almighty God. This is what made him a man after God’s own heart, he quickly repented for his deeds with great travail and agony for the things he had done. All Saul could do was nonchalantly say that he had sinned and wanted to make sure everyone saw him worship God. It does not say he repented. When David repented, it was just between him and God, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me” (Psalms 51: 1-3). I envision Nathan the Prophet standing over David, after he had just gotten done informing him of his great sin, watching as David pours out his heart to God. Study all of Psalms 51 and you will see the travail of David’s heart and how he told The Lord, “………………..Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight:…………………..” (Psalms 51: 4). Whether David was alone or with Nathan when he poured out his heart to God, you can be sure that, as far as David was concerned, it was between him and His God ONLY, and nobody else! Saul, on the other hand, wanted to be honored before men. His compromise led to more compromise, later consulting a witch, as The Lord had departed from him, “And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor” (1 Samuel 28: 6-7). The next day, Saul took his life as the Philistines closed in on him, “And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it” (1 Samuel 31: 3-4).
The house of David is God’s true people. The house of Saul is those that really are not. The house of Saul will compromise, disobey, is blind, and full of deceit. The house of David is triumphant, leans on the hand of The Lord, fervently prays, and repents. As Saul hated and persecuted David, so will the apostate church hate those that really love and serve Jesus Christ. In the days ahead, as we lead up to the second coming of Jesus Christ, there will be three primary groups of people: the beast and those that worship and follow after the beast, the false prophet and those that are apostate — which will also — in turn — wonder after the beast, and the saints of the Most High God. Notice I didn’t say there will be raptured saints and tribulation saints. There will only be saints that will endure unto the end! As tribulation intensifies, the cry on our lips will be, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22: 20).
The time is short! Yea, saith The Spirit, the time is short that all that would live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, a time of dreariness and desolation, a time of destruction and death. But, yea, saith the Spirit, in the midst of this tremendous time of persecution that will come upon all that are Godly, a time of great revival, a time of great singing, a time of unprecedented power to the children of God. This will be a time when the wheat is separated from the tares, when the dross will be separated from the silver, when all that lean on Me will shine like the firmament in the glory of their Heavenly Father. Rest in Me, children of God, rest in the arms of the Living God, a time of unprecedented persecution is coming to My House, saith the Lord, but a time of garnering my wheat into My barn is also coming. There will be such a shining of My Light, such a shining of My glow on the faces of My people, that some will not even be able to recognize people they once knew. They will search long and hard to find the old man, but the old man will have been made renewed in Me and will never be seen again, saith The Lord. Rest in Me, My children, rest in Me, My children, a time of sowing and reaping is coming to the children of God. They will rest from their labors and their works do follow them, saith The Lord. Thus and thus sayeth The Lord. Amen and Amen and Amen!
