Times of Waiting

God Makes David Wait

1 Samuel 25:23–31 CSB

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and knelt down with her face to the ground and paid homage to David. 24 She knelt at his feet and said, “The guilt is mine, my lord, but please let your servant speak to you directly. Listen to the words of your servant. 25 My lord should pay no attention to this worthless fool Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means ‘stupid,’ and stupidity is all he knows. I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent. 26 Now my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live—it is the Lord who kept you from participating in bloodshed and avenging yourself by your own hand—may your enemies and those who intend to harm my lord be like Nabal. 27 Let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord because he fights the Lord’s battles. Throughout your life, may evil not be found in you. 29 “Someone is pursuing you and intends to take your life. My lord’s life is tucked safely in the place where the Lord your God protects the living, but he is flinging away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling. 30 When the Lord does for my lord all the good he promised you and appoints you ruler over Israel, 31 there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”

Abigail knew that God had ordained David as King.

Saul knew that God had ordained David as King. After David spared Saul’s life in the cave and cut a piece from his garment.

1 sam 24

1 Samuel 24:20 CSB

20 “Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

Jonathan knew David would be king.

1 Samuel 23:17 CSB

17 saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel, and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.”

Why did God make David wait 12-17 years after he was anointed king?

(Toward the end of his reign, God chose a place among the people to hear their prayers of repentance. David had sinned by taking a census and the people suffered because of it. God wanted David to pass on to his son that God was the true leader of Israel. The people needed a better king…a coming king whose kingdom would have no end.)

God made Adam wait

Genesis 2:15–20 CSB

15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.” 19 The Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found corresponding to him.

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Adam had to wait so that he would value his wife over everything else on the planet earth.

God made Abraham wait

Genesis 22:11–14 CSB

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He replied, “Here I am.” 12 Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain.”

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Abraham had to wait so that he would know that God would provide the Messiah without man’s help. The Lord will provide.

Jesus died on the cross near on this same mountain range.

Jesus made the disciples wait

Acts 1:4–5 CSB

4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”

The disciples waited 10 days in Jerusalem for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The disciples needed to understand that the work of evangelism was not theirs to accomplish on their own.

They were witnesses: they had seen everything and were able to talk about it.

They were proclaimers of God’s word: , Jesus explained the Old Testament so that they understood how it proclaimed the gospel. They could explain the Scriptures

But they could not accomplish the Great Commission without the Holy Spirit.

Why did God make David wait 12-17 years after he was anointed king?

(Toward the end of his reign, God chose a place among the people to hear their prayers of repentance. David had sinned by taking a census and the people suffered because of it. God wanted David to pass on to his son that God was the true leader of Israel. The people needed a better king…a coming king whose kingdom would have no end.)