1 Samuel 20:18-23 – Let’s discharge our obligations to the Lord

David was alive despite the attempts Saul had made to kill him. In the last attempt, the king himself pursued David all the way to Naioth. But his plan was foiled by the Spirit of God. At Naioth, he met a group of prophets and was overwhelmed by the Spirit of God and prophesied with them. That incident resulted in the question that everyone asked, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” After that incident, David was uncertain whether the anger of the king had abated. When he returned from Naioth he met up with Jonathan. He wanted to know the real situation for sure. So he met up with Jonathan to solicit his assistance to ascertain it.

As Saul’s son-in-law, David knew he was expected to be present in the upcoming new moon celebration with his father-in-law and family. But he didn’t want to risk his life attending the feast and be harmed by his father-in-law if his anger toward him had not subsided. So he planned to be absent conspicuously from that feast. He solicited Jonathan’s assistance to help him give an excuse for his absence, then to observe the response of Saul. David wanted to know more aptly how Saul would react before he could decide on his next move. In his conversation with Jonathan, David asked a very poignant question in verse 10. The question was, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” Jonathan then led David out into the field to give his response. He didn’t want to risk his plan being overheard by someone and then report it to his father, the king.

Verses 18-22 describe the response Jonathan gave to that question. He planned to tell David of Saul’s reaction in an encrypted way involving a young messenger. Describing how the surreptitious plan would be carried out, Jonathan said, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty. When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel.  I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. And behold, I will send the lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the lad, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come; for there is safety for you and no harm, as the Lord lives. But if I say to the youth, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the Lord has sent you away.”

In verse 23, Jonathan then reminded David of the pledge they had made. It concerned the preservation of his family. He was very sure that in God’s plan and time, David would be the next king. So he was making preparation for that eventuality. In the meantime, the pledge for them was to be faithful to the commitment they had made to each other. For us, what happened between David and Jonathan can be likened to the promise of the return of Jesus, our Lord and King. Being enlisted by our Lord, like Jonathan, we have obligations to Him that we must discharge in the meantime. We must remain faithful to Him and discharge those obligations responsibly as we wait for His return. Let’s be faithful till He comes!     

1 Samuel 20:12-17 - Loving Jesus explicitly to advance His cause

Jonathan took David out into the field to ensure that no one could eardrop on their conversation. Freely expressing his own feeling, he began by assuring David, reiterating what the latter had requested of him. He said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and make it known to you? If it please my father to do you harm, may the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety….”   Here Jonathan agreed with the plan of David. He promised him that he would not withhold any information concerning his father’s intention toward David. He even staked his life on it. A sanctified guess suggests that perhaps in the course of his fellowship, David might have revealed to him that Samuel had anointed him in Bethlehem. Hence, he was aware that what was happening was not just about a conflict between his good friend and his own father. He was clear of that larger implication. It had to do with the will and plan of God for the nation of Israel.  

Jonathan’s blessing on David, saying “may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father…” indicates that he understood God’s plan. He was virtually saying that “as the Lord was with my father may He be with you.” He could surmise that the kingship would be going David’s way. Here was a man who understood God’s overall plan for him, and the nation. Logically speaking, he should have been threatened by what was happening. But he wasn’t because he knew that God’s larger plan could never be thwarted. He knew God was installing David to be the next king. Unlike David who at this point was concerned for the present, Jonathan, however, was more concerned for the future. He then made David promise to deal kindly with his family. Assured that David would ascend the throne, he was seeking mercy and grace for his family and himself, should he remain alive. Somehow, he seemed to be aware of the plan of God. He could tell that someday David the fugitive would become the king of Israel.  

That day in the field, away from the hearing of anyone, Jonathan made a covenant with David. In saying that “May the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies” he was assuring David of his full backing, even though his enemy was his own father. Unwittingly he had set himself up against his own father. Verse 17 gave us the reason why he could make such a vow. It’s because of his deep love for him. He loved his friend David explicitly. Like Jonathan’s deep love for David that had set him up against his friend’s enemy, so also must our deep love for Jesus makes us stand on His side. Let us do all we can to protect the cause of Jesus, the lover of our soul. May we be faithful to Him and take His side to advance His cause.     

1 Samuel 20:4-11 – Giving Jesus first priority in life

David was convinced that Saul wanted his life. The failed attempts Saul made to kill him convinced him that he was literally just a step away from death. But the last we read of Saul, he was overpowered by the Spirit of God at Naioth and prophesied with the prophets. Perhaps David wanted to know for sure if his father-in-law was still hostile toward him. He needed to know for sure. And he felt that Jonathan would also want to know for sure. Here he sought Jonathan’s help to ascertain if Saul still had the intention to kill him. Of course, Jonathan was more than willing, so he remarkably responded saying “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” So David revealed his plan to be absent on the celebration of the new moon. The new moon, the beginning of a new month was an occasion that called for a celebration. As the king’s son-in-law, David knew he was expected to make his presence despite the conflict he faced with his father-in-law.

David wanted to be absent from the feast noticeably and hid in the field until the third evening. When Saul noticed his absence and asked about it, Jonathan was to help give the excuse that David had earnestly requested to go home to Bethlehem to celebrate the new moon sacrifice with his father and family. If Saul was cool about it, then they would know that his hostility toward David had decreased. If he was angry than they would know for sure that he still harbored evil intention.  

David knew this was hard put on Jonathan, who unlike his sister Michal, had not lied to the father. Now to do this, he had to put David before Saul, his father. This was a big decision for him to make. David was appealing to the covenant they made before the Lord. He would rather that Jonathan kill him than to surrender him to his father. At David's humble urging, Jonathan acceded to his request. He promised he would not keep any secret from him, even his father’s plan to finish him. David then wanted to know how he would reveal the father’s intention to him. Instead of telling David immediately, he said: “Come, and let us go out into the field.” He was exercising care so as to keep the upcoming plan secure.

Between David and Jonathan, there was no secret. They could be frank and honest with each other. Theirs was true loyalty and faithfulness, even when it meant putting David before his father. Jesus our friend also required us to put Him first. He is to be preferred before all the relationships in our lives. Matthew 10:37 made this clear saying, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Are we willing? It’s your call!

1 Samuel 20:1-3 – The quality of a good friend

The last chapter closed with Saul personally pursuing David to Naioth but his plot to kill David was prevented by the Spirit of God. He was overwhelmed by the Spirit of God and prophesied. The question was asked if Saul was also a prophet. His wicked intention was thwarted by God Himself. In this new chapter, David had left Naioth of Ramah and came to Jonathan. This shows us that their friendship was a genuine one. If not, he would not have come to Jonathan and poured out his soul. We must not forget that he was speaking to the son of the person who was seeking his life. Logically, for him to be fearful would be natural. Yet his friendship with Jonathan was revealed through the tough times he was facing. Our crisis has a way of showing who your true friends are. Jonathan was indeed a friend born out of afflictions. One whom David could be honest and not fear being betrayed. Do we have such a friend? More importantly, can we be such a friend?

In the account, we can detect that David was fearful of Saul. The latter had pursued him so relentlessly. And David was not about to sit there quietly and allow him to do whatever he wished. So here in his meet-up with Jonathan, he had some hard questions for him. “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?” David wasn’t seeking answers, he was protesting to Jonathan. After he had done so much for the king, the people and the country, and then to be treated like an arch enemy was repulsive. Here we see David vehemently insisted on his innocence, something that Jonathan himself knew very well. Remember in the conversation Jonathan had with his father, recorded in 1 Samuel 19:5, Saul had pledged not to harm David. But now he was breaking it without any just cause.  Apparently, Jonathan was not fully apprised of all that Saul had done since his last conversation with David. This was seen in how he responded to David, his good friend.

His response shows us how much he knew his father. So he assured David that his father would not do anything without telling him. But David knew better. He was at the brunt of all that Saul had done.  So he said to him “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.’” David felt as if he was so close to death. He protested his innocence and swore to the danger he was now in. What David told Jonathan reveals how astutely he could read the situation. He knew Jonathan had no part in this father’s wicked plan. He also knew he could trust his friend to be reasonable. So here he was soliciting Jonathan's assistance to help him deal with his father’s scheme.   

Frankness and open conversation are the marks of true friends. There is no fear or pretense in true friendship. How blessed it is for one to find such a friend. Such a friendship takes time to cultivate. We should find a few and keep them. They will help you in times of need. True friends are born out of afflictions. We can identify them when we are facing a crisis. More than seeking a good friend, let us be one ourselves.   

1 Samuel 19:18-24 – Nothing can thwart the plan of God for us

Saul pursued David relentlessly. He was bent on killing him. So far, all his attempts described in 1 Samuel 19 had failed. The first was foiled by his son Jonathan. Persuasively, he managed to show his father how unjustified it would be for him to kill a man who did him no wrong. With that, he was able to halt his father’s intention for a while. The second failed attempt was probably due to Saul's own poor aim. For a reason unknown, the spear he hurled at David just missed the target, giving the latter the opportunity to escape and flee for home. The third attempt was in David’s own home. Those men he sent to kill David was deceived by Michal his daughter. She used a family idol to make it look as if David was asleep thus allowing her husband to escape by lowering himself down through the window.

In 1 Samuel 19:11-24, we read of Saul’s fourth attempt at David’s life.  This fourth escape of the would-be king was the most notable one. For it was the Spirit of God that had foiled and thwarted Saul’s attempt. Having escaped from his own home, David ran to Samuel in Ramah. The last the two met was when David was anointed as king by Samuel in Bethlehem. We are not given the lapse of time, but it must have been several years. Ramah was only about two miles from Gibeah where Saul lived. It would only take about half an hour on foot from Gibeah to Ramah. Perhaps David thought he could find some reprieve with Samuel. So here David and Samuel reunited. He narrated all that he had experienced at the hand of Saul. Nothing he said would have surprised the prophet. So together, David and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.

When Saul learned that David was at Naioth, he sent messengers there. Just as he had sent them to his house earlier, with the intention to get rid of David. All along we have seen that the hand of God playing a secondary role in David’s rescue, but now through His Spirit, God was playing a primary role in the rescue. Those messengers who came to take David down met a group of prophets filled with the Spirit and prophesying. Samuel was seen presiding over them. What happened next was unusual. Those messengers were overpowered by the Spirit of God and they were found prophesying and hence unable to carry out the assignment to kill David. When Saul learned of what had happened, he sent a second group and the same thing happened. So he sent a third group and they also prophesied. David was divinely protected from the evil intention of Saul.  

Finally, Saul himself went seeking the life of David. He must have felt that he had to do it himself. So he came to the well at Secu. There he demanded to know where Samuel and David were. When told that they were at Naioth, he hurried there. He had a strong resolve to get rid of David. But how could he succeed when David’s backing was God? So we read in verses 23-24 that “He proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah. He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night.”  The Spirit of God took control and thwarted his evil intention. Here we see that Saul was rendered incapable to carry out his resolve.

What is the significance of the whole scene? Here Saul was made to disrobe himself indicating that the royal position he was supposed to hold had been stripped from him. Remember, Jonathan earlier voluntarily disrobed himself and gave his robe to David. This position would no longer belong to his house. God’s plan was slowly but surely coming to pass. This whole account affirms that nothing can happen to us outside of the will of God. No weapon that is forged against us can prosper when we are at the center of God’s will for our life. Take heart, when God is for us, nothing can thwart His plan for us! 

1 Samuel 19:11-17 – Telling the truth

David, according to 1 Samuel 19:10 eluded the spear that Saul hurled at him while he was playing the harp in his presence. We were simply told that he escaped and fled that night. However, the escape was not as easy as it seemed. It took the help of his wife, Michal the daughter of Saul. After escaping from Saul’s failed attempt, he went home. He probably thought he would be safe at home and that Saul would not trouble him there, but he was totally wrong. Saul had someone stalked him and watched his movement, with the plan to kill him in the morning.  

In Saul’s previous attempt at David’s life, it was Jonathan who disrupted his plan. This time it was Michal, another one of his children. She warned David saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death.” For she was aware of her father’s intention. So she let David down through the window so that he could escape from Saul’s wicked scheme. To make time for David to escape, Michal took a household idol, laid in on the bed and disguised it as if David was in bed. We are not told whose idol it was, but by using it Michal had shown how much she valued it. She loved David so much that she even lied for him, telling the messenger that he was sick.  Saul, of course, did not fall for the ruse. He sent the messenger who delivered the news to bring David to him so that he might kill him.   

When the messenger discovered the deception, it was already too late, David had sufficient time to escape. Of course, Saul was unhappy with Michal. He demanded to know why she deceived him and why she let his enemy go so that he escaped. It was obvious that Saul was no longer logical or reasonable. So Michal resorted to another deception. She lied that David used a veiled threat to make her accede to his demand to let him go.  

The issue that confronts us in this account is: is it alright then for us Christians to resort to lying to save a situation? In the Bible are incidences where a lie was used to achieve a nobler purpose. One such incidence was the midwives who lied to Pharaoh when they were ordered to murder all male babies of the people of Israel. Then in the book of Joshua we saw how Rahab lied to protect the spies sent by Joshua to survey the promised land. What about the scene in 1 Samuel 21 where David lied to Ahimelech the priest, to buy some time for his escape from Saul?  Be clear that these incidences are not there to give us justification for telling lies. The Bible did not design these incidences for us to moralize our wrong. As Christians, God expects us to tell the truth.  And we must be truthful. When we are caught in such a situation, we lean on the wisdom of God to help us deal with it. Paul’s word in 1 Corinthians 10:13 assures us that  ^“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”  

1 Samuel 19:8-10 – Staying in God’s faithful plan

The last we note, Jonathan was able to broker a peace deal for David with his father, Saul. David was brought before his father and they had cordial relationships for a duration. Then the war with the Philistines ensued again. David went out and fought, defeated and slaughtered a great number of them. The Philistines were said to flee before him. Here David was at what he knew best, defeating, destroying and trouncing the Philistines.

We are not told how long before Saul acted up again. Hence, it did not come as a surprise that David’s victory over the Philistines would trigger his anger again. Saul had never been able to accept David’s popularity among his populace. He had since been jealous and angry about how the people honored David. Verse 9 tells us that Saul’s old problem emerged. The evil spirit that was said to afflict him twice before manifested itself again. This would be the third occasion that this had happened. It occurred while “…he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.” Seized by the evil spirit, and with the spear in his hand, Saul hurled it at David, but it missed him. So the young hero took flight that night.    

The evil spirit that afflicted Saul was said to have come from the Lord. This upset our theology a bit. We always thought that God had no evil spirit to dispense to his people. Then why are we told that the evil spirit that came upon Saul came from the Lord?  We can look at the situation this way. The invasion of the evil spirit upon Saul was a result of his own stubborn resistance to the will of God. He had willfully refused to yield to the desire of God, thus breaking the protective hedge that he had enjoyed. In so doing he had opened himself for the consequence that would follow. Paul in Roman 1:28-29 put it this way for those who refused to acknowledge God and His will. These two verses said, “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice….” This was what the rejected king had become due to his stubborn refusal to acknowledge God’s will. It is a harmful thing to resist the will of God. Perhaps that’s why Paul said in Ephesians 5:15-17, “…be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.  So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

It’s important that we recognize the season of God in our life. Saul became the person he was because of his refusal to acknowledge God’s season for his life. He resisted it, thus opening himself to negative and harmful thoughts and attitude. He became so jealous and angry that he connived and planned, not realizing that he was sabotaging God’s will. This must not happen to us. We must learn to yield to God. He will never short-change us. When one season of life is over, a better one is emerging, if we are walking right with Him. He can be trusted. Yes, He is trustworthy. Praise his name!   

1 Samuel 19:4-7 – Bring reconciliation not division

We all know that Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. Between them, there was no secret. When he learned of his father’s intention, he did not keep it from his dear friend. He told him everything as it was. Jonathan also wanted to talk to his father about it. He planned to speak to his father near where David had hidden so that the latter could hear exactly what he would say to Saul, his father.

When Jonathan confronted his father, he spoke favourably about his dear friend David. He appealed to Saul to be reasonable with David. He set before his father the facts why he should show kindness to him, persuading him to rescind from his evil intention. Firstly, to destroy David would be a sin. Even though he was speaking to his father, he did not mince his words. He called a spade a spade. To him, Saul’s intention to destroy David was a downright sin. Besides, he reasoned that David did not do anything offensive to him that could be considered a sin. Secondly, he told his father, that David had risked his life and fought Goliath. What he did benefitted Saul. Thirdly, he told Saul that the king himself had rejoiced in the victory that the Lord had brought to them through David. He unashamedly told the father that if he killed David, he would have taken innocent blood. Jonathan was telling him how unjustified it was for him to even consider such a malicious act. He was repaying evil for good. Think about this for a while. To repay evil for evil is what an animal will do. To repay good for good is what a kind human being will do. To repay evil for good is only what the devil will do, but to repay good for evil, is what God will do. If we are to emulate any of these, it is God whom we must emulate and not the devil. Never repay evil for good.  

Jonathan was persuasive. His appeal was morally sound, logically reasonable, and effectively affective. Here we learn a lesson in the art of persuasion. He appealed to Saul’s moral conscience, his mind and his emotion. This is how effective he was in persuasion. So we read in verse  6 that Saul was persuaded and listened to Jonathan, and vowed, “As the Lord lives, he (David) shall not be put to death.” That day Jonathan brought about a reconciliation between the king and his friend, though it was short-lived. And David was able to come into the presence of the king just like before.

Two takeaways. Firstly, never be vicious to someone who had done us good. There is a saying that we should always remember. Never forget the source of the water which we drink from. Secondly, be a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. Jesus said that by being peacemakers we will be called sons of God. Let us shape our ministry to be like that of Jonathan. He reconciled David to his father, just as Christ reconciled us to our heavenly Father.

1 Samuel 19:1-3 – Being a true friend

David's great success in destroying Goliath had propelled him from obscurity to popularity. He was instantly hailed as the national hero and became the love of the nation. Everyone in Israel loved him especially Jonathan, the king’s son. Besides Jonathan, we are also told that Michal, the king’s daughter also loved him. While Saul rejoiced with David’s success for taking down Goliath at first, he was, however, soon threatened by his popularity. He became jealous of his fame and that jealousy soon created the spirit of fear and hatred. And his hatred for David became so intense that he made two attempts to pin David down with the spear. Besides, he also used his two daughters Merab and Michal as ploys to get David to fight the Philistines with the hope that he would be killed by them. But all his attempts to destroy and remove David failed because the Lord was with him. When he realized that, he became more afraid of David.

Saul knew God had rejected him as king because of his disobedience. There is no clue that he was aware that Samuel had already anointed David as king. In his heart, he might have hoped that Jonathan would be the one to replace him as king. If he was more discerning, he could have guessed who the next leader God had chosen but he remained oblivious. Despite witnessing how David was empowered by the Spirit to accomplish so much, Saul remained clueless. He did not know that in going against David, he was opposing God. So in 1 Samuel 19, we see his hatred for David intensified.

Verse 1 tells us he “…told Jonathan his son and all his servants to put David to death.” His previous attempts to destroy David, using his daughters Merab and Michal were more covert. With Jonathan and his servants, he was blatantly open. He solicited their assistance to have David killed. Saul probably did not expect his son to let him down and reveal the plot to David. He expected him to be on his side. But Jonathan was a true friend. He knew what loyalty meant. He chose loyalty and integrity over his relationship with Saul.  So he warned David about Saul’s plot. He even went on to make plans to save his friend.  Verses 2-3 describe Jonathan’s plan. He said to David “…to stay in a secret place and hide yourself. I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you; if I find out anything, then I will tell you.”

We all need true friends, people whom we can confide and entrust our life to absolutely. But honestly speaking such friends are hard to come by. We can be sure that God wants us to be a friend like Jonathan. If we are to influence the world and make an impact for God, we need to be such a kind of friend. In a world where trustworthy friends are hard to come by, we need to be a friend that our companions can trust. To cultivate such friendship would call for higher loyalty.  Let us aim to emulate Jonathan and be a great friend to have.  

1 Samuel 18:28-30 – There’s nothing like having God with us

There can be no better description for anyone than to be said that the Lord is with him. David was such a man. This shouldn’t come as a surprise for us since we were told earlier that he was after God’s own heart. This was also the secret to success in all his undertakings. This highlights for us that God must be our first pursuit in life. Like David, if we are to be effective, pursuing God must take first place in our life. In the Bible, we find this fact to be present in people who were effective. It was the same for Noah and Joseph as well as many others. So it will also be for us. Because David pursued God, so much so that he was conscious of this fact that the Lord was with him no matter where he was. He attested to this in Psalm 16, saying “I set the Lord continually before me because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” In that same Psalm, he said that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy and pleasures forever.  

In 1 Samuel 18:28, we are told that Saul saw and knew it. The fact that God is with a person is recognizable. But instead of rejoicing with him, Saul feared him. His fear was further heightened because his daughter Michal loved him. It must have dawned on him that the person he tried so very hard to get rid of was now closer to him. He had become his son-in-law. The more he thought about the love his own daughter had for him, the more he realized the increasing difficulty it was to get rid of him.  So he became even more fearful of David. And significantly we are told that Saul saw David as his enemy continually. This is to say that his hostility toward his son-in-law did not cease.  

Amazingly, in verse 30 we are told that the real enemy of Israel, the Philistines, highly respected and esteemed David. They saw in him a well-behaved man much more than any of the servants of Saul. This was perhaps a very significant accolade for him. It was not a small matter for him to be highly respected even by the enemy of the nation. Perhaps this was to help us see how ironic the whole situation was. The king, whom David served, should respect and love him but instead was fearful of him. The people that should loathe him were more respectful of him. But this shows us the way that we should conduct ourselves. Two things we must do. Firstly, we must seek to be a person after God’s heart by persistently pursuing Him. Secondly, we must conduct and behave ourselves circumspectly so that we can earn the respect of even those who are in opposition to us.    

1 Samuel 18:20-27 – God protects His own

Fear and threat operate in the realm of the mind. When a person is plagued by them, he will do whatever possible to remove the source even though it only exists in his mind. This was the condition of Saul. He first used his daughter Merab to try and get David to fight the Philistines with the hope of getting rid of him. It was unusual for a king to want to destroy the hero of his own nation, but Saul was unperturbed by his intention. In verse 20, we are introduced to Michal, another daughter of Saul. It was said that she loved David. By right when Saul learned of it, one would expect him to explode in anger, but he didn’t. Instead, he sought to do a re-run of what he did earlier with his eldest daughter. So verse 21 tells us that he said to David, “For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.”

Remember how David responded when he was offered Merab? He said, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”  Saul must have recalled that, so he was ready to counter David. He arranged for his servants to persuade him gently. He commanded that they try to convince David  saying, “Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now, therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.” David, being a down to earth man, responded somewhat like before. This time he said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” He surmised that as a shepherd he wouldn’t be able to raise the bride price. So why should he entertain the opportunity of marrying the king’s daughter? When what he said was reported to Saul, the king immediately knew how to make David agree. He thought of another diabolical plot to get rid of David. He sent words to David saying, “The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.”  Sinisterly, Saul must have thought that it was one thing for David to face one man as he did Goliath, but it would be quite another to face a hundred. His goal was to have David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

When David was told what the king said, he was pleased. He was alright with the king’s offer and acted swiftly. Instantly, he brought his men and went in search of the Philistines and killed not only a hundred but two hundred. He then brought their foreskins, more than what the king wanted so that he might be the king’s son-in-law. We can only imagine the shock and disappointment in Saul, though we are not told. He knew his plan had failed again. Whether reluctantly or not, now he had to keep his word and give Michal to David as a wife. So David became the king’s son-in-law, and also one step closer to the throne that he was destined to eventually ascend.

When we walk with the Lord and are found to be in the center of His will, we walk in safety and security. All we need is to do what we can and leave God to do what we cannot. The promise in Isaiah 54:17 still stands for us who serve the Lord. It says, “‘No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,’ declares the Lord.”  Let’s take heart and do our best, and leave God to take care of the rest. Praise the Lord!

1 Samuel 18:17-19 – Be alert to schemes that are diabolical

Saul’s treatment of David was driven by fear. Much of the accounts from here until his death would be dominated by how he reacted because of his fears. He was fearful of losing his popularity, then he was fearful of losing his kingdom. Remember Saul was a  man after men’s hearts hence he was envious when David was given more recognition and applauds. David not only gained the admiration of the king’s family, especially his son, Jonathan, but also his subjects. The reason for Saul’s failure was his inability  to see the real reason why the people appreciated David, who had given them a great victory over the Philistines. Hence overtaken by fear, Saul was threatened by David’s popularity. He read it as his attempt to usurp the throne. This is often the case when a leader feels threatened by his followers. The key to overcoming such fear is to see that we can only be in a position because God placed us there. Remember, our promotion comes from the Lord. No one can ever be in whatever position unless granted by the Lord. Therefore there should be no fear when we are serving God. Our position is His to give and to take.   

First Samuel 18:2 said that Saul took David into his service and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then in 1 Samuel 18:5, we saw how in recognition of David’s capability, he put him in leadership over the men of war. But when we come to 1 Samuel 18:13 he moved David down to only as a commander over a thousand. Probably Saul was threatened by David’s popularity, so he sought to remove him. To make the demotion looked more palatable, he offered David the hand Merab. She should have been his reward for defeating Goliath in the first place. Obviously, Saul had failed to keep his word. So we read what he said to David in verses 17-18. “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the Lord’s battles.”

The reason he offered the hand of Merab was a ploy. Verse 17 tells us so. For he thought to himself saying “My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”  He was seeking to bait David to accept the offer using his daughter as an incentive. It was sinister, to say the least. He was hoping for him to be defeated by the Philistines. But David did not accept nor turn the offer down. It shows that he was a man without gull. In his response, he showed that he was a down to earth man. So he said, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” Anyway, we are told that the marriage did not take place because Saul reneged on his word. When it was time for Merab to be given to David, she was given instead to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

It is so important to appraise life rightly. We should never denigrate ourselves but neither should we be too elated when we are offered a grand position. It is always best to first take all matters to the Lord in prayer. Lucrative offers could be a trap. It is needful, therefore, to evaluate and discern life rightly. Know our own standing in God, remain steadfast in  Him and refuse to fall for any ruse that promises instant greatness.    

1 Samuel 18:10-16 – In need of the Divine Enabler

For Saul, it was impossible not to view David with suspicion since he was wreaked with jealousy.  So 1 Samuel 18:10-11 tell us that “Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand. Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice.” Saul was a very different man. His rage had gotten the better of him. Unlike the man who was filled with the Spirit and enabled to prophesy, he was now a man possessed of a different spirit and full of anger. Meanwhile, David was the new kid on the block. In contrast to Saul, The Spirit of God was upon him mightily.

We are told in these verses that the day after the celebration, Saul acted up when the evil spirit came upon him while David was playing the harp. Notice the contrast, one holding a harp in his hand and the other held a spear. One was playing to comfort the other, while the other was harboring evil intention to spear him. Thankfully, we read that David eluded Saul’s presence twice. The love that Saul once had for David had turned into dread and fear. He became afraid of him because the Lord was with David. The Spirit is said to have departed from Saul.

What a sad state of affairs! No guidance, no supernatural enabling, just fear and hatred. The contrasting difference between David and Saul was the presence of the Lord in their lives. So Saul became fearful of David, thus he sent him away from his presence and made him commander of a thousand. With the Spirit of God, the presence of God was with him, and that was the reason for David’s success. So we read here that he was successful in whatever undertakings he was assigned to do. And the people just loved him. When Saul saw how David was flourishing, he was terrified of him.    

What can we take away from these verses? We must not let jealousy jeopardize our calling. Jealousy can create a blind rage leading to hostility. It can even change our love and appreciation for someone into hatred and animosity. If it is not curbed, our once appreciation for that person’s ministry can turn into an intention to sabotage his work. We must not let jealousy transmute our love into hate for a fellow believer or worker. One thing we must be thankful for in our living is this: we have the Holy Spirit with us in our journey. The Lord Jesus had sent Him to travel alongside us. He is our divine enabler, guide, and help. If we are to have an overcoming walk, we must neither grieve nor quench Him. We must be sensitive to His presence as He comes alongside us to help us to order our life. All praises to Him!        

1 Samuel 18:6-9 - Managing self-centredness and jealousy

Both Jonathan and his father, Saul, were impacted by David’s triumph over Goliath, one positively and the other negatively. In one a deeper friendship was forged, and the other jealousy and hatred were engendered. How did Saul's hatred for David begin? These verses take us to the scene where David first returned from the battle with Goliath. After such a victory, doubtless to say he was the man of the hour. His popularity grew and his name was on every lip. Verses 6-7 tell us that women came out of all the cities of Israel singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. And as they rejoiced, they sounded out a glorious chorus in unison, saying “Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands.”

If Saul had not taken those ladies’ words too personally, he would have appreciated what the ladies were singing about. But he took it a tad too personally and he became jealous about it. He read the chorus as ascribing to David more honor than him. His self-centredness took a better of him. So he could not rejoice with David. If only he had dismissed it as just an occasion for rejoicing, it would not have affected him. But he allowed his negative interpretation of the song to swirl in his mind till it ate him up. Before long, his jealousy turned into hatred and hostility. Had Jonathan been the one who was jealous, we could understand. For he was David’s contemporary and rival for the leadership. But why Saul? Why such needless envy? From that day, everything Saul saw concerning David, he viewed it with the eye of jealousy. His view of  David became distorted through that negative lens of self-centredness. Hence, since that victory celebration, Saul eyed David with suspicion.

How can we prevent the spirit of jealousy from consuming us?  Remember, each one of us has our own success story to tell. The fact is that life is not always about us. There will always be moments of victory or defeat, both for us and for others. So we must take the New Testament’s admonition to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. For when we do that, we leave no room for envy and jealousy to develop. We need to be sensitive to God. With that, every experience we have can become a God moment for us. If we appropriate it rightly, we will certainly grow in godliness. Life’s journey will certainly be more meaningful!

1 Samuel 18:1-5 – Let’s bloom where we are planted

First Samuel 17 closed with David’s conversation with Saul. It took place immediately after David had defeated Goliath and brought back the latter’s head which he had cut off. Continuing on, we will see what took place following the conversation between the two of them. Chapter 18 will reveal the rise of David’s popularity among the people of Israel, and how the different ones who had met him would love him. That is, everyone except Saul, who was threatened by his popularity. A summary of what would take place over the years after the triumphant day at the Valley of Elah is provided in the first five verses of 1 Samuel 18.

Earlier we were told that David was brought in to play the harp for Saul whenever he was troubled by an evil spirit. Being ministered to by David, the king then kept him for his service and did not let him go home. Verse 2 now connects us to that day when Saul kept David with him. Our sanctified imagination tells us it was likely that during those times David could have been in contact with Jonathan and their relationship developed. And now after the defeat of Goliath, their friendship and love further solidified.

The first verb used to describe their closeness was the word knit. The use of this word signifies to us that between them there was no rivalry. The last we learned of Jonathan was that he was fighting the Philistines and he had done so successfully. But now with the killing of Goliath, David’s popularity had eclipsed his. Naturally speaking, jealousy and rivalry would be a very normal response.  But Jonathan was not affected by David’s reputation. He did not display any envy or mistrust. Instead, he appreciated David. His soul was so knitted to him as if they were one person. This is the mark of a person who has self-acceptance. In life, we all need to bear in mind that there will always be someone better than us and that we will always be better than someone in something. We should not allow God’s gifting to divide us but instead to use them to build us. We exist to complement each other’s strengths and supplement each other’s lack.  

The second verb used is the word loved. Verse 1 said that Jonathan loved David as himself.  In other words, he had a deep affection for David. By all accounts, He should have a hatred for David, for he was an opponent to the throne.  Regardless of what seems like a conflict of interest, Jonathan loved David instead of setting himself against him. This ‘love’ must not be seen in a romantic context but in the context of appreciating a person who shares similar interests and purposes.

The third verb is used with the phrase “made a covenant.” It is said in verse 3 that “Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him like his own soul.”  There was an agreement that bound them to each other.  Perhaps this was a strong pledge to watch each other’s back. Notice that it was Jonathan who initiated the covenant because he loved David like himself.

The final verb used is the word stripped. Verse 4 tells us that “Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.” For us who know the conclusion of this story, this act was very significant. Jonathan was literally transferring his royal privileges and entitlement to David. He was showing preference and honor to David before himself.  Only a person with an astute insight could do a thing such as this. Jonathan had shown himself to be perceptive and discerning. What about us? Do we strive to be the first? An understanding of who God has made us to be will help us not to try and grab for power. Each of us has our place in God and in the community of believers. We must all learn to bloom where we are planted and not otherwise. As we do so, we will advance the purpose of God instead of ours.  

David’s gifting in leadership was obvious. God had gifted him for the role ahead.  He was successful in whatever he was assigned by Saul. The king appointed him as a leader among his men and David was a delight to the servants of Saul and his household.  One key lesson to take away. Don’t be a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.  Instead, be who God has made us, and seek to bloom where He has planted us.

1 Samuel 17:55-58 – The need for discernment

First Samuel 17:55 takes us back to the moment immediately after David had agreed to fight Goliath. He had declined to use Saul’s armor as they were too cumbersome for him. So Saul relented and sent him off to the battlefront. As David was on the way, Saul checked with Abner the commander of his army concerning David. He wanted to know whose son he was.  But his commander did not know and told him so. Saul then assigned him the task to find out concerning David.   

What was on Saul’s mind when he asked the question? The fact that David was only a youth and yet so brave, bold and confident must have baffled him. Maybe Saul had concluded that either David was a simpleton or that he had overestimated himself. Or that he was inspired by his bravery seeing that he trusted his God. The secret to David's confidence lies in the God he trusted. Like David, we believers must learn to live confidently in the Lord. Our behavior and conduct can be a talking point that would arouse others to know the source of our strength and confidence. How are we conducting our life? Are we living it in a way that inspires or in a way that creates doubt? We must always choose to live for God and inspire others.  

Having been given the assignment, we surmised that Abner must be on a lookout for the opportunity to check with David. So when David returned from the battle victorious, holding on to Goliath’s head, the commander immediately ushered him into the king’s presence. Saul then asked David, “Whose son are you, young man?” And he answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” Saul’s question reveals to us that he was undiscerning. He only saw from the surface. He did not evaluate David’s presence in his life at this moment with all that had been happening to him and the nation. The lad’s presence in his life at this point has a far richer purpose. This tells us how needful it is for us to cultivate a spirit of discernment. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we must seek to build a life of discernment so that we will be able to recognize our God’s moment in life.  

1 Samuel 17:48-54 – With God, there is no impossibility

The preliminary was much longer than the time it took for David to take down Goliath. For as soon as they both drew closer to meet each other, David reached for a stone in his pouch and slung it. There was a possibility that the small stone David used could miss Goliath. Besides, he was covered from head to toe with heavy protective armor, plus a shield bore by a bearer to shelter him. The chances of David hitting the target was slim. That was a natural perspective. But David had another perspective. To him, the size of the stone was inconsequential, but the size of his God was. He saw Goliath as a target so big that it was impossible for him to miss. For us facing a difficult problem now, the question to ask should not be the size of our problem but the size of our God. There is no problem too big that God cannot help us to solve. Our victory in life has nothing to do with the size of the problem but everything to do with the size of our God. Remember with God nothing is impossible.  

So with such an attitude, David confronted Goliath. And his aim was so perfect that the first stone he swung with his sling struck Goliath exactly on the forehead. With just one attempt, David brought him crashing to the ground. Remember David had refused to take any of Saul’s weapons with him because they were too cumbersome for him to lug around. To complete his task, he borrowed Goliath's own sword. Verse 51 said, “Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.” He used Goliath's own weapon to destroy him. So his victory was no ordinary achievement. His victory was God’s victory, for he went in the name of the Lord.

The consequence was obvious. As soon as their champion had fallen, the Philistines fled. Don’t count on them to keep their words. Didn’t they say in 1 Samuel 17:9 that they would be Israel’s slaves if any one of them could defeat Goliath? Now that their champion had fallen, they all reneged on their words. This is the integrity of the world.  Look at the renewed vitality of the Israelites. They were no longer cowering and trembling in fear. But they rose up. Verses 52-53 describe their response this way. “The men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the slain Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron. The sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps.” All that was needed was a true leader. And God found one in David.

Interestingly, verse 54 tells us that David put the weapons that belonged to Goliath in his tent, but he took his head to Jerusalem. This is a summary statement because it would still be a while before David went to Jerusalem. The reason the author put this in was to show the beginning of David’s journey to the throne. David putting Goliath’s weapon in his tent was an indication that this victory was his and not Saul’s. Remember, just as God’s plan for David will never fail, God’s plan for us will definitely come to pass. Be sure to stay through with Him!   

1 Samuel 17:41-47 – Living to glorify God

David met Goliath face to face. Not cowed by Goliath’s size nor his weaponry, he countered the Philistine’s threat saying, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”

What was David doing? He was setting the battle in perspective for us. The conflict he was engaging in had two dimensions – the natural versus the supernatural. Goliath came to the battle armed to the hilt. From the human viewpoint, he had undisputable power to cause great harm and destruction, but that was just one part of the equation. David went to him looking at the battle from a supernatural standpoint. He was there in the name of the Lord, meaning he was there as God’s representative. David saw the battle as the Lord’s. This is the crux of the matter. In every conflict we experience in the natural, there is a supernatural element. This happens in all our misunderstandings with others. Our conflicts with others in life are never about the person we are at odds with. It is about who God is shaping us to be through our rows. It is about being able to discern and interpret the purpose of those disagreements. It is about knowing who God is, and who He is molding us to be.  

   

David’s dependence on this encounter with Goliath was not on any weapon but on “the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.” In every battle where Israel had been successful, it was never about their capability but the God who fought on their behalf. It was in the name of this victorious God that David was now confronting this hunky Philistine. One aspect stands out as we look at the boldness of David. It is the closeness of the relationship between him and God. He had such an intimate relationship with God that he just knew God was there in the battle with him. We too can cultivate such a relationship with God so that we will discerningly know His supernatural presence in our natural encounters in life.  

In his defiance, Goliath was unwittingly mocking God. This mockery of God was his undoing. So David blatantly told him that in his taunt of the army of Israel, he had defied God. He would certainly not get away for such flagrant disrespect. In reality, no one who mocks God, or the things of God can get away scot-free.  So David told him what his outcome would be.  There is one more lesson we need to be clear. Every triumphant experience God grants us in life has a purpose. It is to make His name known. David puts it this way: so that “…all the earth may know that there is a God….” It is He who delivers and grants us the victory. Remember, we exist to bring God praise. So let us live to bring Him glory!  

1 Samuel 17:41-44 - Every encounter in life is spiritual in nature

David, simply armed, met the nine-and-a-half-feet Philistine head-on, fearlessly. The very size of Goliath would be enough to send shudders down his spine, never mind how he was armed. First Samuel 17:5-7 described how Goliath was armed. “He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.” Simply put, Goliath was impenetrably armed to the hilt.

David, on the other hand, only had with him a staff which he used to shepherd his father’s sheep, and a pouch slung across his shoulder which contained his sling and five stones. Comparing with Goliath, David was so puny in size. And it was not only until they drew close enough did the Philistine notice him. As soon as Goliath noticed David, he showed great disdain for him. To him, David was only a ruddy but handsome youth. But he had under-estimated David. It was neither the size nor the weaponry that David was relying on. His trust was in God whom he worshipped and served. 

Goliath denigrated and insulted David saying, “‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.”  What the last part of verse 43 says reveals something deeper to us. More than natural, this was a spiritual battle. It was not about David versus Goliath, but the God of David versus the gods of Goliath. We must not overlook the truth that every encounter in life has to do with who is ultimately in control over our lives – the true God or Satan, the god of this world.  It is never about deprivation of one's comfort and pleasure in life but about who ultimately owns us. We are the people of God and every victory we gain is about Him taking a greater reign in our lives.   

In threatening to feed David’s flesh to the birds of the sky and beasts of the field, Goliath was using death to frighten David. Death has always been the enemy’s main threat even to this day. This is precisely what our Lord Jesus came to free us from, the fear of death. So Hebrews 2:14-15 tell us that Jesus partook of flesh and blood so that through death “…He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Jesus has freed us from the fear of death. Hallelujah!